"A Minority Doesn't Want the Old Mass Any Longer" -- Franciscans of the Immaculate and Roman Opponents of the Vetus Ordo

Edit: many want them to go quietly into the oblivion shared by those religious orders that have not remained true to the vision of their founders, but they don't intend on going quietly.

(Rome) Following the exposure of Vatican Insider as the mouthpiece of the rebel group in the Order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, it is aptly trying to limit the damage for the sake of balance. This includes an interview with the only official spokesperson of the Order, Father Procurator General Alessandro Maria Apollonio. Father Apollonio expressly rejects the attempts to reduce the provisional government of the Order by the Congregation of Religious to "internal tensions" that have nothing to do with the traditional Roman Rite.

From the interview it appears that there is a small minority in the Order, which is known to be led by Father Alfonso M. Bruno, but that this alone would not have been able to be effective. The input of six brothers in the Order to the Vatican Congregation offered but others obviously can find, against better judgment, a welcome pretext to act against the Order.

The interview also reveals a certain weakness of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, whose significance seems limited. The Commission had previously approved the procedure of the General Council of the Order with the introduction of Vetus Ordo. However, this official confirmation had no relevance for the Congregation of Religious.

Some things the matter of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, are so fundamentally different, the two questions are reminiscent of the final stages of officially frozen unification talks between the Society of St. Pius X., and the Holy See. The Superior General of the SSPX, Bishop Bernard Fellay, spoke in the fall of 2012 that "signals" had come from Rome, which made ​​an agreement seem possible. Indeed, such was already virtually certain at Easter 2012. But then everything changed. The "conflicting signals" were interpreted as a synonym for a power struggle back in Rome back ( see separate report ).

Some seem to suggest that the Order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate constituted an example to be directed against the Old Mass. Still unclear are the exact relationships, such as whether it would deter other orders, also to discover for themselves the traditional form of the Roman Rite, or whether the examples were even targeted against Ecclesia Dei communities. In tradition-bound circles, the scope of the attack quickly organized a protest that has been recognized and grown, which does not seem to have unimpressed Rome.

The interview was conducted by the Vatican expert Andrea Tornielli.

Why was an Apostolic Visitation of the Institute approved by authorities in the Vatican?

Because it was demanded by a minority among the brethren who no longer share the leadership of Founding Father and General Minister and the desire to promote the Vetus Ordo next to the Novus Ordo in the institution, as required by the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum and the Instruction Universae Ecclesiae.

How important was the question of the old Missal in connection with the apostolic visitation?

It had great importance because said group of brothers accused the founding father to have imposed the Vetus Ordo on the entire institution. The accusation is absolutely false, but it was believed, and all our attempts to convince the proper authorities that it is false, were to no avail. Meanwhile, the false assertion by various media and news agencies became more widespread to cause serious damage to the reputation of our founding father and the institute.

Websites related to tradition interpreted the message of the provisional administration and the decision to stop the use of the old Missal's permission, as undermining the Motu Proprio of Benedict XVI. Do you share this view? How do you comment on the appropriate decision?

Father Lombardi has clarified that the measures do not undermine us regarding the Motu Proprio. However, we are waiting for an authentic interpretation of the liturgical rules of the Holy See that affect us. Indeed, it is not clear, for example, who the "competent authorities" are, of which the above authorizations may be granted: the Commissioner, the Congregation of Religious, the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, the local bishop, one or the other or all together?

We hope that this is a temporary disciplinary action, and that we will, as soon as possible, again allowed to celebrate in the Vetus Ordo, as we have always done, and that without the current restrictions that rob us of that, even though the Motu proprio Summorum Pontificum and the Instruction Universae Ecclesiae have higher universal force.

In the corrections to our articles you have always stressed that the use of the old Missal was not exclusive and that all decisions were made in accordance with the provisions of the Motu Proprio. Is it true that the Ecclesia Dei Commission had asked the Franciscans of the Immaculate to exercise prudence in the Apostolic Visitation, regarding the manner in which the use of the old Missal will continue?

Yes, and we have acted with utmost restraint and in complete respect of our particular law, which confers the General Chapter "the highest authority in the Institute" (Constitutions, § 81). It was just the most recent General Chapter in 2008, which stipulated that the General Council (i.e. Father Stefano M. Manelli and his five consultants) to create a detailed protocol for the introduction of Vetus Ordo in our communities. This introduction was performed with the letter dated 21 November 2011. The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei was invited in advance as a precaution d to examine the letter, and they realized that it was equivalent to the mens Holy Father Benedict XVI. This official assessment took into account in any way for the further development of our affairs. The thing seems inexplicable to us and it hurts us a lot. We have confidence in our cause the heavenly Advocate, Queen of the Seraphic Order.

Interview: Vatican insider
Introduction / Translation: Giuseppe Nardi
 Image: Corsiadeiservi
Translation: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMGD


Link to katholisches...

Lex Dubia Non Obligat -- Against an Unjust Law and Legal Positivism Which Has Penetrated the Church

(Rome) The historian Roberto de Mattei is concerned with the sources of law and the legal hierarchy of Church law and the obligation that every Church Law must have its basis in the divine law. On the other hand, says de Mattei, is legal positivism which ignores this central principle, penetrating into the Church. The most recent example is the decree by the Congregation of Religious, which places the order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate under provisional administration and abolishes the celebration of the Old Mass on the 11th of August. Resistance against the positivist thinking undermining the Church's understanding of the law is permissible, says de Mattei. The principle that an unjust law obligates no obedience, could even go so far as to draw excommunication upon himself, rather than to engage in a false obedience. This had already been taught by Saint Thomas Aquinas and all great canonists.

Lex Dubia non Obligat

By Roberto de Mattei

The case of the Franciscans of the Immaculate Conception church brings a canonical, moral and spiritual issues back on the agenda, which often arrested in the post-Conciliar years and occasionally "exploded": the problem of obedience to an unjust law. A law can be unjust not only when it violates the law of God and nature, but even if it hurts a canon law of a higher rank in the legal hierarchy. This is the case with the decree of 11 July 2013, by the Congregation for Consecrated Life , putting the Franciscans of the Immaculate Conception under provisional administration.

The violation of the law is not in the provisional administration, but in the part of the decree, that claims to force the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate to waive the celebration of the Holy Mass according to the traditional Roman Rite. In addition to the Bull Quo Primum of St. Pius V (1570) there is the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum of Pope Benedict XVI. (2007), and thus a universal Church law that gives every priest the right to:

Accordingly, it is allowed, according the sacrifice of the Mass of Blessed John XXIII. promulgated in 1962 and never abolished typical edition of the Roman Missal, to celebrate the Extraordinary Form of the Liturgy of the Church.

Article 2 of the Motu Proprio clarifies that it neither requires permission from the the Holy See nor from his superior when the Mass is celebrated sine populo.

Article 3 adds that it is not just the individual priest, but Communities of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life - whether pontifical or diocesan right, is allowed in the Convention or, in its own oratory community's Mass to keep the celebration of the Holy Mass according to the edition of the Roman Missal that was promulgated in 1962.

If an individual community or an entire Institute or a whole society wants to commit such celebrations often, usually or always, it is the responsibility of superiors, to decide according to the norm of law, and according to the laws and particular statutes. In this case there is no need to invoke the divine and natural law, it is sufficient that the Church as the legal source. An eminent jurist like Pedro Lombardia (1930-1986) recalled that Canon 135, paragraph 2 of the new Code of Canon Law which establishes the principle of legitimate legislation in the sense that the legislative power is to be exercised in the manner prescribed in the right way, especially the canons 7-22, the title of the codex form, which is devoted to the ecclesiastical laws.

The Codex recalls that the universal or general laws of the Church are those which were promulgated by publication in the official gazette Acta Apostolicae Sedis (Can. 8), in Can. 12, § 1 states: General Laws require all those for whom they are adopted; Can. 18 states that laws which impose a penalty or restrict the free exercise of rights, or contain an exception to the Act, are subject to strict interpretation, Can. 20 adds: A subsequent law raises a former wholly or partly on when it says this explicitly or opposed to it directly or is the whole matter of the earlier law assigns comprehensive , and finally sets Can. 21 states: In doubt, the revocation of a previous law is not presumed, but later laws are to be set in relation to earlier and to bring with them as far as possible in line.

Canon 135 finally determined the basic principle of the hierarchy: A lower legislator cannot validly issue a law contrary to higher law. Not even a Pope can abolish the act of another pope, except in the prescribed form. The unassailable rule in moral and legal states is that a law of a higher source that affects an area larger and of more universal significance, has title to a superior rule of law, has priority (Regis Jolive, 1959).

According to Canon 14 for the canonical standard to be mandatory, may not be the object of legal doubt ( dubium juris ). If there is a lack of legal certainty, the axiom applies: lex dubia non obligat. If there is a doubt, the honor of God and the salvation of souls will have precedence over any actual consequences that may follow from an act at the personal level. The new Code of Canon Law Canon recalls the past that the Church always has in mind the salus suprema lex animarum (Can. 1752). Saint Thomas Aquinas already taught this when he was in his Quaestiones quodlibetales , explaining that the purpose of canon law aims for the peace of the Church and the salvation of souls (12, q. 16, a 2) and all the great canonists have followed him in this.

The Cardinal Julian Herranz, president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts in a speech delivered on the 6th of April 2000 spoke on the salus animarum as a principle of canon law, he recalled that this is the highest principle of ecclesiastical legislation. But that requires basic considerations ahead that are missing in the debate, because often the moral and metaphysical foundation of law is forgotten.

Today there is a purely legalistic and formalistic conception which tends to see the law as a mere instrument in the hands of those who have power (Don Arturo Cattaneo, 2011). According to the legal positivism, which has infiltrated into the Church, what is considered correct, is issued by the authority. In reality, this is jus divinum is the basis for legal expressions and demands the primacy of jus in front of Lex. The principles of legal positivism distort the foundations and replaced legal validity of the jus through the application of the Lex. The law can is only seen the will of the rulers and not the reflection of the divine law, according to which God is creator and foundation of every law. He is the living and eternal law, absolute principle any law (jus divinum, ed. Juan Ignacio Arrieta, 2010).

For this reason, in a conflict between human and divine law, God and not the people is to be obeyed (Acts 5:29). The obedience is owed ​​to superiors because they represent the authority of God, and they represent, because they keep the divine law and apply it. St. Thomas Aquinas affirms that it is better to fall into the current excommunication and exile to foreign lands where the earthly arm of the Church does not reach, than to obey an unjust command: ille debits potius excommunicatione, sustinere (...) vel in alias regiones remotas fugere (Summa Theologiae, Suppl, q. 45, a 4, 3 Upper).

Obedience is not only a formal procedure that causes us to submit to human authority. It is primarily a virtue that leads us on the path of perfection. Not who vested interests, obeying from fear or submissive human attachment is not really obedient, but who chooses the true obedience which is a compound of the human will with the divine will. For the love of God, we must be prepared to obey this highest act of His law and His will, to detach ourselves from the bonds of false obedience, poses the risk to let us lose faith. Unfortunately, today a false sense of obedience is common that sometimes borders on sycophancy and in which the fear of human authority is provided through the divine truth.

The resistance to unlawful commands is sometimes a duty to God and to our neighbor, the need for exemplary acts of metaphysical and moral stolidity. The Franciscans of the Immaculate had obtained from Benedict XVI. the extraordinary goods of traditional, falsely "Tridentine" so-called Mass, accepted and celebrated again today by thousands of priests lawfully throughout the world. There is no better way to express their gratitude to Benedict XVI. and at the same time to express their protest against the injustice done to them, than to continue to celebrate in the serenity of a clear conscience, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the traditional Roman Rite. No law can force their conscience. Maybe only few will do this, but compliance to prevent greater evil, will not help to avert the storm that goes beyond their Order and the Church.

Text: Corrispondenza Romana

translation: Giuseppe Nardi

Image: Corrispondenza Romana

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com AMGD Link to katholisches...

Roberto de Mattei: Flood of Protest Letters to the Vatican for Franciscans of the Immaculata

(Rome) After the crackdown on the Franciscans of the Immaculate became known, the historian Roberto de Mattei called for a petition for the benefit of the Order and to defend the Old Mass to the prefect of the religious congregation Cardinal Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation Curia, Archbishop Mueller, Vice President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei Curia, Archbishop Di Noia OP and the Apostolic Commissioner for the Order, Father Fidenzio Volpi OFM Cap. In just the first 24 hours there were more than a thousand protests and petitions. These are also only those of which de Mattei was aware.

The Order itself has asked in obedience to the Roman and encouraged ecclesiastical discipline in the collections of signatures. However, this does not prevent believers from expressing their opinion in respect and moderate language to the Roman authorities.

The tenor of the letter to Rome, received in Italian, English, German, French, Spanish and other languages, is: The Decree of the provisional administration of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate Conception "constitutes an unjust act in regard to this religious Institute, whose honour it diminishes, but above all it represents a violation of the universal laws of the Church, in particular of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum of July 7th 2007 of Benedict XVI, which has never been abrogated and which grants, to every priest, the freedom to celebrate the Mass according to the “extraordinary” form. This objective lesion of the right cannot but concern all those who believe and love the liturgical tradition of the Church and, also in the same spirit, who fight in defense of life, of the family, of the pontifical Magisterium and of Christian Civilisation," says Professor de Mattei. "This infringement concerns all those who believe in and love the liturgical tradition of the Church," says the historian.

His Eminence João Braz de Aviz Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life Piazza Pio XII 3 00193 Roma
 Email: civcsva.pref @ ccscrlife.va

S.Ex. Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Palazzo del Sant'Uffizio 00120 Città del Vaticano
 E-mail: cdf@cfaith.va

S.Ex. Archbishop Augustine Di Noia OP Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei Piazza del Sant'Uffizio 11 00193 Roma
Email: eccdei@ecclsdei.va

There is also the possibility of the patch directly in several languages ​​to use in writing Professor de Mattei to use ( see here ). An indicator for the further development  will be  seen in what course the careers of the agitators in the Order and the Vatican take.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
 Image: Franciscans of the Immaculate

Second International Pilgrimage of Tradition to Rome -- "Rome Will Observe Closely"

(Rome) The Coetus Internationalis Summorum Pontificum (CISP) is recalling the Second International Pilgrimage of Tradition to Rome ad Petri Sedem and is asking for a large participation. The International Pilgrimage is an opportunity to express the vitality of tradition and an attachment to the old Mass. It is the first pilgrimage to Rome of this kind under the new pontificate. Great attention by the Curia and the press is expected: "The pilgrimage will be carefully observed in Rome" is the word in the Vatican because the change of popes has set some changes in motion.

The CISP is the organizer of the pilgrimage, which from the 24th to the 27th of October 2013, leads the pilgrimage of Catholic tradition to St. Peter's Tomb in Rome. Climax and conclusion of the pilgrimage, as in the previous year, will be a solemn Pontifical Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in the Extraordinary Form [Immemorial Mass] of the Roman Rite. The program of the pilgrimage about the first pilgrimage in 2012 on the Una Cum Papa Nostro site can be read.

The CISP wanted to initiate the pilgrimages to offer an expression of gratitude to Pope Benedict XVI. for the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum granted in 2007. They also want to give the classical form of the Roman Rite more public attention and bring it back into St. Peter's Basilica, the most famous church of Christendom.

The first pilgrimage took place on the 1-3rd of November 2012 under the motto Una Cum Papa Nostro. They also concluded with a Pontifical Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in the Old Rite, which was publicly celebrated by the Spanish Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, Prefect of the Congregation of Rites. It was the first time since the reform of the liturgy, that the traditional rite was celebrated publicly with such a large crowd in St. Peter's faithful. Previously, only Cardinal Walter Brandmüller had celebrated during the meeting at one of the two main altars of the papal basilica in the traditional rite in 2011.

It has not been announced who will celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Old Rite in St. Peter's Basilica in 2013. On other days, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of Astana and Bishop Rifan of the Apostolic Administration of St. John Vianney will celebrate the Mass of Saint Pius V.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi

Image: CISP

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMGD

"They Knowingly Lie" -- Franciscans of the Immaculate Defend Themselvesin Official Statement

(Rome), the Franciscans of the Immaculate seem to have caught on after a first moment of shock. The Order has now responded with two official clarifications to a number of false reports that were apparently and deliberately circulated in connection with the decree of the Congregation of Religious. Both explanations are directed against Vatican Insider . The Order has precisely recognized, that this news platform are some Vaticanists, from which emanated the article with false reports. "They are lying and know that they are lying," said Messa in Latino about the behavior of some journalists. Unaudited reports were adopted by Catholic media and broadly disseminated. In recent days, it has been repeatedly claimed that it was not about the Old Mass in the whole thing. In reality, it is first and foremost on the Old Mass.

Vatican Insider as a Smoke Screen against the Franciscans of the Immaculate and the Old Mass

Even the report of the commissarate over the Order of Alessandro Speciale on July 30th was a smoke screen. Speciale reported on the actions of the Congregation of Religious, but also mixed a number of false reports in the article that were to serve to justify the extraordinary measures. For this purpose, he presented a supposed "spokesman of the Order," which he had cited in detail, thus giving the false impression that these were official statements. In reality, it was a leading representative of the "rebellious, progressive minority" (Roberto de Mattei). The statements of the alleged "speaker" was a single ignition out of smoke grenades, which were taken as stated by many Catholic media.

The supposed "spokesman" justified the Roman intervention allegedly because the order had been "exploited" as a "mediator" in the unification talks between the Holy See ands the SSPX (lie 1). He also described the ominous internal "poll" (lie 2) as the first in circulation, and even an "overwhelming majority" (lie 3) of the members of the order report that they would reject an "exclusive" celebration (lie 4) Tridentine Mass "especially in pastoral care in the parishes."

So it went on 2 August at Vatican Insider with the article about the unconvincing attempt by Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi to placate in the matter of the Franciscans of the Immaculate. This time the article was no longer marked by name.

Slanderous allegations against the founder of the Order and the Old Mass

The statement by Father Lombardi was clearly then apparently much for the order. Franciscan Sister of the Immaculate contemplative branch . Now the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception have a first official clarification. That an order which is under provisional control, is not necessarily a given. The Order concluded with the statement that the only speaker of the order continues to be Father General Alessandro Apollonio alone. This is a finding which clearly goes against the false statements of the alleged "speaker" spread by the media.

In the declaration of the order states that the product of Vatican insider "includes defamatory statements against our Founding Father Stefano Maria Manelli, assertions that we must reject. The article also contains false or inaccurate information. "

The Premise for the Decision is "not the truth"

Vatican Insider claimed that the "decision of Pope Bergoglio" was justified by the fact that the "Father General Stefano Manelli has forced all communities of the Franciscans of the Immaculate to exclusively say the extraordinary form of the Roman rite in the liturgy."

In contrast, the official statement of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate Conception says: "This is not true. It is our duty to respond to the best of our knowledge and belief, Father Stefano has never imposed exclusive use of the Old Rite on all communities. "Rather, he celebrates himself in both forms of the Roman rite. It is important to know that the official explanation that, before, during and after the Apostolic Visitation (July 2012-July 2013) as well as today, that the Old Mass was used following a promotion by the Father General with the General Council was "completely legitimate" and advanced "the Vetus Ordo in Respect to the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum (2007), in respect of the decisions of our General Chapter of 2008 and in respect of the instruction Universae Ecclesiae (2011)".

By letter dated 21 November 2011 (Protocol 77/2011) was transmitted by the Secretary-General on behalf of the General Council to all branches of the order some guidelines for use of Vetus Ordo (no rules, therefore they represented also no compulsion).

"Even after that some communities have preferred to continue the New Rite instead of the Old Rite. There was apparently therefore no compulsion exerted by Father Manelli. "Some brothers have, however, criticized the letter," said the order in its statement. "Some brothers" apparently already felt the possibility of celebration of the Old Rite went too far and were intriguing against Rome.

Ecclesia Dei Confirmed the Internal Promotion of the Old Mass in Accordance with Benedict XVI.

In the official statement of the order it said, "For this reason we have asked the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei for clarification, in the letter of 14 April 2012, Prot 39/2911L, the compliance of the letter Prot 77/2011 with the "mens" of the Holy Father Benedict XVI. was confirmed in the Instruction Universae Ecclesiae, No. 8."

The anonymous article from Vatican Insider also claimed that the Old Rite could be used only for orders and communities who have been in the "Lefebvrian schism", but were then returned to communion with Rome and placed under the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei.

"In reality, it is necessary to clarify that according Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum (No. 3) and the Instruction Universae Ecclesiae (No. 8a) the Vetus Ordo may be exclusive or 'primarily' may be used by religious institutions that are not of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, and not dependent on coming from the Lefebvrian 'schism'". Besides that, it was never intended to come to an exclusive use by our founder," said the order in its statement.

It was argued further by the article in Vatican Insider: "The Franciscans of the Immaculate, however, are created after the Council and a survey of the brothers has shown that the majority of them wants the celebration in the ordinary rite."

The order took exception here as well: "The fact that we weren't created until after the Council, does not prohibit us of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, to accept the Old Rite or favor. Incidentally, the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum applies (which was published after the Council) and the Institutes of Consecrated Life (without reference to their date) and also the instruction Universae Ecclesiae specifies that it is that goal 'of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum at No. 8, all the faithful the Roman Liturgy in usus antiquior offer because it is a valuable treasure that must be preserved."

Among 'all believers' is included also the religious."

There was never any "poll" for New Mass - assertion "unfounded"

Regarding the claim of the "survey" and an alleged "majority" of the brothers for the New Rite, (in explanation of the Franciscans of the Immaculate Conception is also expressly mentioned by Speciale in the article from July 30th mentioned by Vatican Insider), according to the official statement of the order, there had been "no survey". "Therefore, the allegations of surveys by an alleged desire of a majority of the brothers is without foundation." Since the order was always bi-ritual, every priest of the order would "continue" to celebrate the New Rite, "as he has always done before." Without further explicitly addressing it, the order firmly asserts execute that there is no justification for the intervention of Rome against the Old Mass.". Regardless of our obedience to the instructions of the Holy See, it is our duty to provide clarity to avoid slander against our founder and hurdles for a peaceful course of the provisional administration."

Tornielli has set out with a hoax - Franciscans react immediately with the second explanation.


In the Declaration, the Congregation for Religious, stressed that their current term Decree was expressly brought by the approval of Pope Francis.

In defense of Vatican Insider it is to add that the first official clarification by the order was issued in full on Sunday.


The Congregation for Religious does not seem to have been concerned about the impact the decree has made decree on pastoral care.

Not only internal to the order, especially for the sister monasteries, but also for the numerous Mass locations in the Old Rite, which are managed by the order. Countless believers are deprived of the Old Mass on the 11th of August, to which they had been long accustomed. The resulting logistical problems and spiritual nature of these believers has not been addressed at all by the Congregation of Religious. Not a word of regret or of encouragement. If it goes against the tradition of the progressive parts of the Roman Curia, and so they behave like a bull in a china shop, and this against a worthy and entirely correctly celebrated liturgy and made the believers to orphans.

A small reconnaissance trip through the parishes in which members of the disobedient priest initiatives in the German speaking involved would suffice to create an abuse register that cries out for intervention. There is enough action. One does not have to look elsewhere for it.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Franciscans of the Immaculate
Trams: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMGD

Win The "Indulgence of Assisi" by Midnight -- Immemorial Mass in the Portiunkula Chapel in Assisi

(Assisi) until midnight of the 2nd August, the so-called Portiuncula indulgence, a plenary indulgence for the remission of temporal punishment can be received, which is also known as "Absolution of Assisi". On Saturday, the 3rd August is celebrated a sung Mass in the traditional rite in the Portiuncula chapel inside the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli Assisi at 9.30 clock.

Portiuncula indulgence - The Forgiveness of Assisi.

In one night of the year 1216, St. Francis of Assisi was lost in prayer in the Portiuncula chapel. Suddenly a very strong beam of light came into the chapel and Francis saw Christ on the altar and on his right the Virgin Mary and angels. The Lord told him to ask for an indulgence for the chapel for the salvation of souls by the Pope.

St. Francis went to the Pope, asking him for help to rescue the souls. The saint was asked what he wanted for the salvation of souls. "Holy Father, some time ago I restored for you a Church built in honor of the Virgin Mother of Christ. Although I am only unworthy and a sinner, I ask Your Holiness to provide a comprehensive and generous indulgence without an offering. "Pope Honorius III. asked him what he should grant as a discharge and how many years. The saint replied: "Holy Father, not years, but I pray souls." The Pope asked how he should do it. Francis asked that all the faithful who come to the chapel, have gone to confession, are remorseful, have received absolution from the priest, that all believers who do that, are freed in heaven and on earth of pain and guilt from the moment of baptism until the moment they enter the chapel.

"That's a lot," said the Pope, pointing out that it was not customary for such indulgences to be granted. Francis replied: "What I invoke here, I implore not of myself, but in the name of Him who sent me, in the name of Jesus Christ." Then the Pope granted the request of the saint. Because of the protests of the cardinals and prelates present, insisting that thereby the indulgences granted to the pilgrimage to the Holy Land and to the tombs of the apostles Peter and Paul would be negatively affected, Pope Honorius specified that the "Forgiveness of Assisi" can only be obtained on a single day of year, the second Can be obtained August.

St. Francis thanked him and walked away. The Pope had to call him back because yes no act had been issued for the indulgence yet. But the saint of Assisi said: "If this is the work of God, He will make known his work. I don't want a document. The Blessed Virgin is the paper that Christ, the Father and the angels are witnesses."

The "Indulgence of Assisi," the Portiuncula Indulgence can be gained today in every Franciscan Church (Franciscans, Friars Minor, Capuchin Franciscans of the Immaculate and all other orders of the Franciscan family) in the whole world. It can be received only once a year.

Conditions A) visiting a Franciscan church, a parish church or another Indult church from noon on the 1st of August until midnight on the 2nd of August and prayer of the Our Father (the affirmation of the dignity of a child of God) and the Creed.

B) the Sacrament of Penance to enter the state of grace (repentance and absolution) in the eight days before and after the second August.

C) Attend Holy Mass and receive Holy Eucharist

D) prayer for the intention of the Holy Father (at least one Our Father, one Hail Mary, or another prayer to confess membership in holy Church, the visible sign of the unity of the Pope).

E) interior attitude of the will to want to avoid sinful behavior.

The B - D conditions may be satisfied eight days previous to A and to eight days thereafter. However, the Holy Church recommends that the conditions C and D are fulfilled by the 2nd of August or in the time mentioned under A.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Porziuncola, org
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMGD

Priestly Ordinations in Germany by Bishop Huonder of Chur, Switzerland

This is from Accion Liturgica: The embattled Bishop Vitus Huonder, Bishop of Chur (Switzerland), has conducted ordinations in the Immemorial Mass of All Ages for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, in Lindenberg, Lindau, Germany, on June 29th, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. FSSP

Roberto de Mattei: Franciscans of the Immaculata Models in Situation of Liturgical, Theological and Moral Anarchy

(Rome) The measures against the Franciscans of the Immaculate have caused trouble and lively discussions. Katholisches.info is publishing a discussion contribution. The first will be the well-known historian Roberto de Mattei. The March for Life , which was took place with 40,000 participants in Rome in May is largely due to his initiative. On the march, numerous Franciscans of the Immaculate participated, an Order with an apostolate which also includes particularly the defense of unborn life.

The "Causa" Franciscans of the Immaculate

by Roberto de Mattei

The "case" of the Franciscans of the Immaculata is a very serious episode, which is intended to have an effect in the Church that is maybe not anticipated by those who have set about to act imprudently.

The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life (better known as the Congregation for Religious) by  Rodriguez Carballo OFM has overthrown the General Superior of the Franciscans of the Immaculata, and have handed over leadership to an "Apostolic Commissioner," Father Fidenzio Volpi, Capuchin, with its decree of the 11th of July, 2013, signed by Cardinal Prefect Joao Braz de Aviz and Archbishop Jose Rodriguez Carballo.

In order to "cement" the decree, said Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, it received the approbation ex auditu from Pope Francis, to which the brothers have taken every opportunity to appeal to the Apostolic Signatura. [++Burke] The reasons for this condemnation which has its origin in the instigation of a group of dissident brothers to the religious congregation, remains mysterious. According to the decree from the Congregation and the letter of the new Commissioner of the Franciscans, the only charges appear to be a lack of sentire cum Ecclesia and an excessive attachment to the Traditional Roman Rite.

Injustice Against Franciscans of the Immaculate -- Order Surrendered to Progressive Minority

In reality we are faced with a manifest injustice which is being done to the Franciscans of the Immaculate. The Religious Institute founded by Father Stefano Maria Manelli and Father Gabriele Maria Pellettieri is one of the most flourishing that has been established in the Church, both because of the number of vocations and the authenticity of the spiritual life as well as because of the fidelity to doctrine and to Rome. In the situation of liturgical, theological and moral anarchy in which we find ourselves today, the Franciscans of the Immaculate should serve as a model for religious life. The Pope often refers to the need for a simpler and more spartan religious life.

The Franciscans of the Immaculate distinguish themselves just by the rigor and evangelical poverty in which they live, by their Franciscan charism since its inception. Instead of this, the Congregation of Religious is directing in the name of the Pope, to transfer the General Government of management to a minority of rebellious, progressive brothers, to which the neo-Commissioner will rely upon to "normalize" the Order, or in other words, to lead it into that disaster which it has so far escaped, thanks to its loyalty to Church order and the Magisterium.

Cardinal Aviz: Harshness Against Faithful Franciscans - Understanding Heretical Religious Women

But today the bad is rewarded and the good is punished. It is not surprising that it is the same Cardinal, who is taking action against the Franciscans of the Immaculata with an iron fist, who at the same time pleads understanding and dialogue for the heretical and schismatic American Women Religious. Those nuns preach and practice the gender ideology and therefore naturally a dialog must be maintained with them. The Franciscans of the Immaculate preach and practice chastity, penance, and therefore there should be no sympathy for them. This is the sad conclusion which must force itself upon a sober observer.

One of the charges is to be very attached the traditional Mass. But the accusation is just an excuse, because the Franciscans of the Immaculate namely, as the saying goes, are "bi-ritual", that is, they celebrate both the New and the Old Mass, as permitted them by applicable ecclesiastical laws. Given an unjust command, there are some, as you can imagine, who won't refrain from celebrating the traditional Mass, and they do well at this point to resist, because it is not a gesture of rebellion but of obedience. The indults and privileges in favor of the traditional Mass were not abolished and have greater legal force than the decree of a Congregation and even the intentions of a Pope, if they do not find expression in a definite act.

Cardinal Braz de Aviz seems to ignore the existence of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum of 7 July 2007, its implementing provisions of the instruction Universae Ecclesiae of 30 April 2011 and which is connected to the CDF Commission Ecclesia Dei entering into their areas of competence by the Congregation of Religious.

Tradition is Increasing in Strength: the Main Reason for Hostility

What is the intention of the highest ecclesiastical authority? Abolish Ecclesia Dei and eliminate the Motu proprio of Benedict XVI.? Then can you say it openly, so that the appropriate conclusions can be drawn. And if it is not so, why will a decree be adopted, which is for the Catholic world, which refers to the tradition of the Church, and is only unnecessarily provocative? This world is in a period of great expansion, especially among the youth, and this is perhaps the main cause for the hostility that is beating upon her today.

And finally, the decree constitutes an abuse of power not only against the Franciscans of the Immaculate and those who are wrongly referred to as Traditionalists, but against every Catholic. Namely, it represents a worrying symptom that loss of legal certainty, which is takes place today within the Church.

The Church is a visible society in which the "force of law and the law" applies (Pius XII., In his speech Dans notre souhait 15 July, 1950). The law defines right and wrong and, as the canonists say, "must be justified in the potestas of the Church, and that is the very being of the Church requires that determines the purposes and limits the scope of action of the hierarchy. Not every act of holy shepherds is, simply because it comes from them, correct. "(Carlos J. Errazuriz, Il diritto e la giustizia nella Chiesa, Giuffré, Milano 2008, p 157).

If the legal certainty is lost, the arbitrariness and the will of the stronger gains the upper hand. So it often happens in society, it can also be done in the church, when the human dimension penetrates in it against the supernatural. But if there is no legal certainty, there is no safe rule of conduct. Everything is left to the discretion of the individual or groups of power and the force with which these lobbies are able to impose their will. Separate from the legal force of presumption and arrogance.

Summorum Pontificum has Greater Legal force Than the Decree of a Congregation

The Church, the mystical body of Christ, is a legal device that is based on the divine law, the trustees and not the creator or men, are the men of the Church. The Church is not Soviet, but a building donated by Jesus Christ, in which the power of the pope and the bishops is exercised in accordance with the traditional laws and forms, all rooted in divine revelation. Today we speak of a more equal and democratic Church, but the power is often exercised in violation of the laws and customs of thousands of years in a very selfish way. If universal laws of the Church exist, such as the Bull of St. Pius V, Quo Primum (1570) and the Motu proprio of Benedict XVI. Summorum Pontificum, there is, in order to change them, a legal act of the same rank is necessary. You can not just look at an older law as waived, except with expressed abrogating document of equivalent scope.

Appeal to Francis: Undo Measures - Dramatic hour, New Storms Are Coming On

To defend justice and truth in the Church, we rely on the voices of jurists, among which there are also some eminent Cardinals,who have ordained Franciscans of the Immaculate to the priesthood in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, and know their exemplary life and their apostolic zeal. We appeal especially to Pope Francis, that he may withdraw the action against the Franciscans of the Immaculate and for their lawful use of the Old Roman Rite.

Whatever decision should ever be made, we can not deny that the hour, in the Church lives today, is dramatic. New storms are on the horizon, and these storms will certainly not be conjured up by neither the Brothers or the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. The love of the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church has always driven and drives us to take their defense. The Mother of God, Virgo Fidelis, will show the right way to the conscience of every individual in this difficult situation.

Text: Corrispondenza Romana

translation: Giuseppe Nardi

Image: Corrispondenza Romana

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMGD

Assassination Attempt on Old Mass: Input by 6 Members -- Pretext?

(Rome) Six out of 800 members of the order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate (FI) have made a submission to the Roman Congregation for Religious. A small minority. Thus, they protested against the decision of the Order's leadership, to use the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite and to remain bi-ritual for the pastoral care of the faithful. Some of the six dissidents are now no longer in the Order, they were excluded because of disobedience and indiscipline. It may be argued that only a pretext was sought for the Congregation of Religious to take action against the exemplary order. The radical intervention shows a dreadful lack of liturgical sensibility. Only such a deficiency may explain a ham fisted methods of this magnitude, which deprives the heart of religious life for four branches with more than 100 monasteries and houses and it seems to be the opinion that the Old Rite being simply replaced by the new is desirable. Upon the disempowerment of the Founder and the imposition of a Commission is expected to prevent a reaction to this by the Order.

  From katholisches...

 Text: Giuseppi Nardi
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

 16 New Novices

There's also a similar case with the Johannites....

AMGD

Second Largest Traditional Order in Ecclesia Dei Banned from Saying Immemorial Mass of All Ages

Update: while it does sadden us to see such heavy-handedness on the part of the Curia, which is frankly happening to other traditional orders, like the Good Shepherd, it doesn't necessarily mean an abrogation of Summorum Pontificum as Vox points out.

Edit:   Is this a sign of things to come?  There are also reports from Mumbai, India that the Traditional Latin Mass will be abolished in that Archdiocese, allegedly because there are no priests proficient in Latin.

As reported by at Sandro Magister and Rorate Caeli, the Mass of All Ages is being forbidden within the tremendously successful Franciscans of the Immaculate.  They are the second largest Society under Ecclesia Dei to offer the Mass of All Ages.  They don't offer it exclusively, and from now on, it appears they may not be allowed to offer it at all as of August 11th:

"In addition to the above, the Holy Father Francis has directed that every religious of the congregation of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate is required to celebrate the liturgy according to the ordinary rite and that, if the occasion should arise, the use of the extraordinary form (Vetus Ordo) must be explicitly authorized by the competent authorities, for every religious and/or community that makes the request.”

It's not known whether giant puppets, bad folk music or Jesuit dance will be required.

There are a couple of things that come to mind in the face of the recent issue with the Franciscans of the Immaculate.  First of all, and most important to our mind, is that, barring any revelations of real wrongdoing on the part of this order, they have had a lot of success and have been growing nearly exponentially in the post-Conciliar age.

It's actually unheard of.  They're not like any of the decadent, moribund, withering, archaic, folksy, dinosaur Benedictines or other irrelevant societies who cling to fossilized forms of a bygone era of the 1968 as Pope Francis opined at World Youth Day, from CFN:

"The Pelagian solution. This basically appears as a form of restorationism. In dealing with the Church’s problems, a purely disciplinary solution is sought, through the restoration of outdated manners and forms which, even on the cultural level, are no longer meaningful. In Latin America it is usually to be found in small groups, in some new religious congregations, in (exaggerated) tendencies to doctrinal or disciplinary 'safety'. Basically it is static, although it is capable of inversion, in a process of regression. It seeks to 'recover' the lost past."

In a way, it's a good sign that they are being unjustly persecuted, because in the post-Conciliar Church, a sure sign of success is being treated unjustly by one's superiors.   Of course, as one corresponded reports, not even the evil Marciel Maciel's   order, the Legionaries of Christ has been dealt with so roughly.  The Franciscans of the Immaculate are being assigned a governing board and the past leadership, those who have made the order as successful as it is.

Secondly, this is the result of a small clique of embittered hostiles who've been given an ear in Rome, which has provoked this shakeup.  It brings to mind another shakeup more than a decade ago with Protocal 1411, which many predicted back then, would be the end of the FSSP.  Some will remember that a letter was sent from a small number of society members accusing it of being divisive, rigid and so forth, which provoked a ruling down from Rome that despite the Society's original founding charter, that its priests would only say the Mass of All Ages, that this would be overruled and priests of the Society would therto be permitted to say the Bugninine Liturgy.

At present, Father Stefano Maria Manelli, the 80 year old Franciscans of the Immaculate founder, is currently being replaced along with his board while a Capuchin visitor.

The troublemakers are said by a source known to us as being Americans who've been vocally critical of the "Gheradini line" of loyal criticism engaged upon by Immaculate members.

Enormous Demand for “Extraordinary” World Youth Day of Tradition in Rio

photo: Rorate Caeli 

(Rio de Janeiro) There is strong participation and interest in Rio the Janeiro in the "extraordinary" World Youth Day 2013 . What is meant by the word game is the Mass in the extraordinary form of the Roman rite and the catechetical tradition. Care for traditional Catholics will be coordinated by the youth organization of Juventutem Niteroi of the Old Ritual Apostolic Administration of St. John Vianney of Campos led by Bishop Rifan. Focus of World Youth Day tradition is the magnificent former Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte do Carmo da Sé antiga , which is overseen by the Apostolic Administration.

 Tuesday, 23rd

July 15:00: Sung Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite [Immemorial Mass of All Ages]

Wednesday, 24th July

9:30:Catechism by His Excellency Dom Fernando Areas Rifan
10:00: Sung Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite
18:00: Solemn Pontifical Mass in the Traditional Latin Mass (Celebrant: Dom Fernando Areas Rifan)

Thursday, 25th of July

9:30: Catechism by Dom Fernando Areas Rifan
10:00: Sung Mass in the Immemorial Mass of All Ages
15:00: Sung Mass in the Immemorial Mass of All Ages

Friday, 26th of July

9:30: Catechism by Dom Fernando Areas Rifan
10:00: Sung Mass in the Immemorial Mass of All Ages
15:00: Sung Mass in the Immemorial Mass of All Ages

 For traditional priests, who are traveling to World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, there is the possibility, to celebrate Holy Mass in the Traditional Rite.

 Link to katholisches...

New Monastery of the Franciscans of the Immaculata -- Flowering Orders of Tradition

(Ancona) The traditional new  Franciscan Order of the Immaculate revives old, abandoned monasteries of other orders. One of the latest examples is the recolonization of the old Franciscan monastery from Colfano di Camporotondo in the Archdiocese of Camerino-San Severino Marche in the Marche region of Italy. The convent of the Friars Minor was founded by Saint Francis of Assisi 1215-1221. The 800-year celebrations is almost here.. Although it is not to be directly celebrated by  the Pope whose namesake the great Saint who launched the Order is, but it can be celebrated and even be Franciscan. The Franciscans had to leave the old monastery for lack of new vocations, that they had revived continuously for so many centuries. Or at least almost continuously. When the grounds were occupied by Italian guerrillas and joined to the newly formed Kingdom of Italy, the anti-clerical government led by a Masonic dominance stormed the Monasteries. For a few years the monastery of Colfano was overturned by the state and the archive destroyed. In 1870 the Franciscans were able to return.

For 33 months has been empty, except with the Franciscans of the Immaculate who on the 2nd of July, 2012 introduced new life, which continues the legacy of countless generations of Friars Minor who have prayed and worked in the spirit of the "Poverello" of Assisi.

The monastery in Colfano has been colonized by a contemplative branch of the young Franciscan religious order in the gray-blue habit. In 1970, two Franciscan pulled out of the branch of the Franciscans to live in strict observance rules of the order and to maintain devotion to Mary in a special way. From this personal experience of two men, one of the most prosperous and fastest growing orders of the Catholic Church has emerged. An order which is also committed to the white tradition. The priest celebrating in both forms of the Roman rite, but internally Rite of the liturgy is celebrated exclusively in the Old Rite.

Today the Order has  four branches, two male and two female. One branch is always pastoral, missionary and evangelically active in the world, the other branch contemplative.

Founded in 2007 as the last of the four branches of contemplative male branch. The members of the order of this branch live a life of prayer and penance. The first monastery was built in Amandola, always in the lands that belonged to the Papal States until 1860. Colfano is now in a year, the second convent.

The Franciscans of the Immaculate, besides their founder Father, Francis of Assisi, they have two saints of modern times whom they revere and whose work they try to imitate: the stigmatist, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina andr Father Maximilian Kolbe murdered in a concentration camp as a martyr. Padre Pio was a Capuchin of the order of Father Maximilian Kolbe, both were thus Franciscan Minorites. Padre Pio stirred, among other things, the love of the Old Mass. Father Maximilian Kolbe, a missionary zeal to contribute to the evangelization. Both priestly figures are also modeled in the personal life, in obedience and patience - from Father Kolbe - to martyrdom.

From the older, active evangelism of the male branch of the Order, there are already 55 convents in many countries. Two convents are in Brazil, which will be active during World Youth Day, reinforced by numerous brothers and sisters from other convents. The catechesis for young people plays an important role in the Order.

In German-speaking areas, there is a monastery in Kitzbühel in Tyrol. Two further attempts to settle there have failed owing to resistance from the dioceses.

The Order maintains, after the example of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, numerous media, including in Italy Il settimanale di Padre Pio (The weekly newspaper of Padre Pio), which includes some of the best Catholic newspapers that exist in Europe at least.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Town Camporotondo Fiastrone

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMGD

Little Rock Bishop Closes in on Latin Mass Community

Wikicommons

Update: the earlier photo is apparently not the good Bishop.  It sure did look like him, however.

Edit:  The offering of the Immemorial Mass of All Ages, and the Catholic instruction surrounding that is about to get more sparse in Arkansas owing to the parsimonious and frankly petty prescriptions of the local Ordinary, Bishop Anthony Taylor, who has photos of himself offered on sale you can buy for your home, and speaks Spanish.

Bishop Taylor destroyed a thriving Latin Mass community of the FSSP last year when he decided to suspend its pastor, Father Laurent Demets, for a very petty offense which was neither criminal nor immoral.  Sound familiar?  

Since then he's agreed to allow the Immemorial to be said in his Diocese, but he's placed conditions on the continuation of that which are not part of the legislation surrounding Summorum Pontificum. Even if it's not part of the money, he's making that a condition.

We might point out that a priest may say the Immemorial in his territory without his approval.

He also objects to Catholics insuring the proper education of their children by sending them to local schools not associated with the Diocese.  Without the slightest trace of irony or shame, the Bishop maintains that these schools aren't Catholic.

We're not sure, either, that the small numbers of those attended in each community he reports in the letter are accurate, but we do know that when Father Demets was active, his parish was able to support a K-12 school.  

All of this Catholic activity has been destroyed by an Old Liberal Bishop, completely out of step with the people of Arkansas.  This slap down fits the same MO as that of Thieberville, France.

There was a Remnant article also, with some back ground about how the Bishop set about to destroy the community.

He's basically attempted to give the impression that he's tried to do right by real Catholics in his diocese who have a legitimate right to the Immemorial Mass of All Ages, while he's been attempting to eliminate it by providing it intermittently.

The point driven home in the letter is that it's all about the money, and following the Bishop's instructions to the letter, including using collection envelopes.

Here it is in its completeness with some editing:

2500 North Tyler Street P.O. Box 7565 
Little Rock, Arkansas 72217    
[501) 664-0340  Fax (501) 664-6304]
Office of the Bishop   
                                                         July 1, 2013

To all parishioners of St. Mary parish, Batesville & St. Michael parish, Cherokee Village: 

On July 1, 2012 in an attempt to respond to the desire of a small number of people in North Central Arkansas to celebrate Mass in the Extraordinary Form, and following a meeting on May 7, 2012 in which the conditions for the provision of this ministry were provided in writing to all who were interested, Fr. Michael Bass began to celebrate Mass in the Extraordinary Form twice a month at St. Michael Church in Cherokee Village and St. Mary Church in Batesville.  A copy of these conditions is attached to the bottom of this memorandum.

In response to numerous complaints received regarding lack of compliance with these conditions in Batesville, a review of this ministry there was conducted after about 6 months.  It was determined that those attending the Vetus Ordo Masses in Batesville did not meet the conditions I had set for continuing this ministry.  I therefore held a meeting with those concerned in Batesville on March 6, 2013 in which I decided to give those attending the Latin Mass a little more time to comply with my conditions for continuing the Vetus Ordo Mass there and I counseled patience on the part of their fellow parishioners.  More than 3 more months have elapsed by since that meeting and having reached the one year point, those attending this Vetus Ordo Masses in Batesville-with a few exceptions-are no closer to compliance than before. 

No recent complaints have been received from Cherokee Village, perhaps because of the long history of availability of the Latin Mass there, and though those attending the Vetus Ordo Mass in Cherokee Village have responded better than those in Batesville, they too are not yet in full compliance with the conditions set forth for the continuation of this ministry.

Among the conditions that have not been met are the following:

•  Register in territorial parish and use the envelopes of that parish. 

Batesville: 2 families, both of whom also attend Mass in English, are registered in the parish, use envelopes and contribute 93% of the Latin Mass collection.  The other 7% is loose cash donated.  Only two of the new families whom we hoped to attract by offering the Vetus Ordo Mass have registered in the parish and neither uses the envelopes provided to them.

Cherokee Village: 7 families (12 individuals) all of whom also attend Mass in English, are registered in the parish, use envelopes and contribute 75% of the Latin Mass collection. These people were already active parishioners prior to May 7, 2012.  The other 25% is loose cash donated by an additional 8 local residents and 20 individuals from out of town who attend the Latin Mass exclusively, but are not registered in the parish and do not use
envelopes.  No one in Cherokee Village changed their level of participation in response to the new conditions for Latin Mass ministry there that went into effect July 1, 2012.

2•  Participate in the Religious Education  and Sacramental Preparation of that parish. 

 -- Batesville: Only 3 of the 15 eligible children attend the religious education program of the parish.  [Perhaps the instruction is harmful?] There are apparently other children attending a non-approved  program at a private school misleadingly called the St. John Bosco Academy (and a St. Cecilia Academy?).  By using the names of saints, the false impression is given that these are Catholic schools. [!] 

   -- Cherokee Village: Only 4 of the 14 eligible children of Latin Mass families attend the religious education program of the parish. 

• Receive Confirmation at St. John the Baptist Latin Mass in North Little Rock (NLR) only if prepared in home parish (which is one's domicile).

  --Batesville:  One teenager was confirmed in NLR on April 11, 2013 without having attended Confirmation  preparation at St. Mary parish.  This child also attends the Latin Mass in NLR, but did not receive preparation for Confirmation there either. 

  -- Cherokee Village: Two teenagers were confirmed in NLR on April11, 2013.  One was from Missouri and no letter was received attesting to his preparation for the sacrament.  The other was from a family living part time in Louisiana.  This child did attend Religious Education classes in Cherokee Village when she was in town.

•  Rule of thumb: 1 monthly Mass for every 50 persons in regular  attendance. 

   -- Batesville: Vetus Ordo Mass average attendance is 34: 19 adults and 15 children.
   -- Cherokee Village: Vetus Ordo Mass average attendance is 40: 12 adults and 8 children from Cherokee Village and 14 adults and 6 children from elsewhere, mainly Missouri.
Parish activity: Batesville.  At the March 6 meeting I said I would allow this ministry to continue a little longer to give those attending the Latin Mass the opportunity to change their attitude and to become active in the parish, but little has changed.  There have been 3 all-parish events since March 6, but apart from one person who has always participated faithfully in parish activities, none of the other Latin Mass attendees has attended any of these parish events.  Their failure to participate remains unchanged despite my exhortation on March 6 that they begin to do so. 

Parish activity: Cherokee Village.  The 12 registered parishioners referred to above do participate in parish activities.  A few of them showed up for the parish study on the documents of Vatican II for the "Year of Faith."  Some ofthese take a regular turn at perpetual adoration in the parish, attend weekday Masses and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation from the pastor. 

Having already evaluated this ministry in Batesville twice, at the 6 month and 9 month points, with unsatisfactory results over the course of an entire year, it is clear that a modification of our attempt to provide Latin Mass ministry there is in order.  Though there are convincing reasons to cancel the Batesville Masses outright in order to devote our human resources to apostolates that are more promising, I have decided at this time merely to reduce the number of Latin Masses in Batesville to once a month and it will now be celebrated on the first Sunday of the month at 3:30 pm in order to enable the Latin Mass youth to participate in the youth activities of the parish on that begin on Sundays at 6:00pm. The twice monthly Mass in Cherokee Village will continue to be offered on the first and third Sundays of the month at 11:30 am. 

Fr. Michael Bass had made great sacrifices to provide this ministry for the Catholics of Batesville and Cherokee Village who desire the Latin Mass, for which I am very grateful.  But the bottom line is that all ministry has the goal of helping people respond to the call of Jesus to "Follow  me "-the call to conversion and discipleship.  I will allow Fr. Bass to continue this ministry in Cherokee Village and on the reduced basis in Batesville as described above because I am committed to the pastoral care of souls and I hope that the spiritual growth which the stated conditions for continuing this ministry are intended to foster will help the people he serves take the next step on the path of conversion. 

In the future I will evaluate whether those who attend the Vetus Ordo Mass in Batesville and Cherokee Village have come into compliance with these conditions, or whether the time has come to further reduce or abandon this ministry. 

Sincerely in Christ,

+AnthonyBishop of Little Rock

Cc:      Msgr. Scott Friend, Vicar General
Msgr. Francis I. Malone, J.V. and Chancellor for Ecclesial Affairs
Deacon Bo McAllister, Chancellor for Canonical Affairs
Rev. Narla Dhanraj, pastor of St. Mary parish, Batesville
Rev. Linus Ukomadu, pastor of St. Michael parish, Cherokee Village
Rev. Michael Bass, celebrant of the Vetus Ordo Mass in Batesville and Cherokee Village
Rev. Charles Ryan, chaplain for the Latin Mass Community of St. John the Baptist, NLR

Latin  Mass in Northern Arkansas-Mfg. 5/7/12 

1. Persons attending Mass in the Extraordinary Form remain  parishioners of  their territorial parishes, they simply attend Mass in Latin much like other parishioners attend in Spanish.  Those living where there is no Latin Mass (for example Jonesboro) still register in that parish and enroll their children in PRE there even though they drive elsewhere (say Batesville) for Mass.  In this example they would put Jonesboro envelopes in the Batesville collection, which would be forwarded to Jonesboro from Batesville and serve as proof of Mass attendance for purposes of the Jonesboro PRE program.  Jonesboro might consider sending a portion of this money back to Batesville for the care of their parishioners. 

--There is no canonically established St. Pio Pietrelcina Community, [!] which is now extinguished.
--Register in territorial parish and use the envelopes of that parish.
--Participate  in the Religious Education and Sacramental Preparation of that parish.
--Parents always free to supplement PRE with additional material of their own choosing.
--Can receive 1st Communion and possibly weddings (if prepared in parish) at Latin Mass.
--Funerals in Latin not guaranteed, only if priest is available and able to do so.
--Can receive Confirmation at St. John the Baptist Latin Mass (if prepared in home parish).
--All services outside of Latin Mass provided by parish (e.g., marriage preparation).
--Collections at these Latin Masses retained by and/or forwarded to the proper territorial parish.
--No guarantee of Holy Day Masses, only if Fr. Bass or Fr. Okeke are available. [Emphasis ours]

2.         Mass in  Latin initially twice a month in each parish until a determination of viability is made two months following the resumption of Mass in Latin in Cherokee Village and Mountain Horne, and initiation of Latin Mass in Batesville.  Eventual rule of thumb: 1 monthly Mass for every 50 persons in regular attendance.  Possible initial schedule (assumes more than were attending regularly in November 2011 when Latin Masses were suspended).  Available Mass times in the target area of NE Arkansas: 

1st Sunday--Bass:
2"d Sunday--Okeke:
3rd  Sunday--Bass:
4th Sunday--Okeke:
5th Sunday--Okeke:\ 

Cherokee V. 11:30 am   Batesville 5 pm (Okeke--Mtn Home English) Mountain Home 5 pm    (Bass--IC, NLR Eng.)
Cherokee V. 11:30 am   Batesville 5 pm (Okeke--Mtn Home English) Mountain Home 5 pm    (Bass--IC, NLR Eng.) Mountain Home 5 pm    (Bass--IC, NLR Eng.) 

3.   Each local parish provides whatever is needed for the Mass-including access to the building.  Money in any accounts held by the non-canonical  St. Pio Pietrelcina Community can be used for this purpose if they agree.  It would be wise to provide information cards regarding the role of the congregation in Vetus Ordo Masses for those unfamiliar with the Extraordinary form of the Mass and to have a box of mantillas available for women who come unprepared.