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Traditional Roman Catholic Thoughts

Reintroducing Logic and Reason to the Age of Sentimentalism

Tradition

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A Synopsis of the Synod of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to attend one of the Archdiocese’s Listening Sessions for their Synod. Yes, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, like the Amazon, is having a Synod. It will last from the Fall of 2019 and conclude in the Summer of 2021. These listening sessions are hosted at parishes throughout the Archdiocese. They are supposed to help gather feedback from the laity and help guide Archbishop Bernard Hebda on what direction he should take the Archdiocese. 

Having spent the better part of a Saturday morning at one of these sessions, I thought it would be essential to discuss what I witnessed. There were many things that I saw that were alarming, as to be expected, but there were other things I observed that do give some hope.

Why A Synod?

Why is Archbishop Hebda even calling for a Synod? The primary reason, as stated in a letter that can be viewed on the website is that the Archdiocese has recently filed for bankruptcy. There is no mention as to why the Archdiocese is bankrupt, but it’s pretty apparent what the primary reason is. 

Archbishop Hebda invites all Catholics from the Archdiocese, both faithful Catholics who frequent the Sacraments and those Catholics who haven’t been to church in some time. Archbishop Hebda wants to hear from everyone. 

This is how the Synod is set-up. There will be 20 Listening Sessions that parishes throughout the Archdiocese are hosting between September 2019 through March 2020. There will be more events after these Listening Sessions, but all information is on the Synod’s website.

The listening sessions are split into three parts. The first part is comprised of speeches by both Bishop Andrew Cozzens and Archbishop Hebda, as well as some guided Lectio Divina. The second part is a series of small group discussions in which you sit at a table and discuss things that are going well in the Archdiocese and things that are not. The third and final part is being able to address Archbishop Hebda with what you feel is going well and what can be improved upon.

The Day

Speeches and Lectio Divina in the Sanctuary

If I had to guess, there were easily 200 people in attendance. The day began with several speeches from members of the Archdiocese as well as from Bishop Cozzens and Archbishop Hebda. There was also some guided Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina, if you are unaware, is a form of prayer where you slowly read scripture and contemplate what strikes out to you and reflect upon it. 

This was all done within the Sanctuary of the church. Bishop Cozzens addressed that this was intentionally done because they wanted Jesus to be present during these discussions. 

After some talking points about the need to pray in silence, a good portion of the actual prayer time was accompanied by some lovely piano with soloist song leading. There was even some “transition music” while participants were instructed to move from the Sanctuary to the gathering space.

Small-Group Discussions

After all of the piano accompanied prayer, we were instructed to break into small groups at tables that were placed in the gathering space and the basement. This is where everyone would have a different experience, so I can only speak of what happened at my table.

Our first task was to choose a facilitator. I volunteered when it became evident that no one else wanted to facilitate. The facilitator’s job was to make sure everyone got to speak if they wanted to. It was also to make sure that no debates occurred because we are there to present our viewpoints.

To be completely honest, my table ended up not being awful, and it was not as bad as I had initially feared it could be. There were supposedly 28 members from St. Joan of Arc Church in Minneapolis, infamously known in this Archdiocese as the most liberal parish present. Fortunately, none of them were at my table.

There was a common theme of sentiments at our table. Within our area of the Archdiocese, there are frequent confession times, plenty of opportunities to visit Jesus in Adoration, and we all go to parishes that have a focus on the Eucharist.

However, our table also agreed that there needed to be more done in regards to reverence, specifically with regards to reinstating the traditional Latin rites, ahem. There were a lot of older members at the table who wished that more would be done with regards to keeping young Catholics (high-school and college-aged) engaged and active within the faith.  

Overall, this was an enjoyable part of the day, seeing that like-minded Catholics are thirsting for tradition in their parishes and the Archdiocese. In fact, two of the people at my table were Lutheran converts who came into the Catholic Church because they wanted more tradition and Jesus in the Eucharist. I imagine though, had some of the liberals been at my table, it would not have been as enjoyable.

Addressing the Archbishop

The final portion of the morning was the opportunity to address Archbishop Hebda at a microphone. People were chosen randomly to address him. This was determined by the number that was given to you on your name tag at the table discussion.

This was undoubtedly the most interesting portion of the day. It was frustrating, angering, but also encouraging. 

It was frustrating because many people gave naive recommendations. These comments included the need for more Young Adult activities and tools to keep the college students within the faith. Having a strong relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist is the answer to that, especially a relationship that the Church encouraged for centuries within the traditional devotions and practices of our faith.

It was angering because several demonstrated their hatred for the family. One woman had the audacity to tell the Archbishop that families with young children should be encouraged to leave Mass immediately and go to the gathering space once the child starts making any noise. She also thought the “services” should be shorter, homilies shortened, and we needed to be more welcoming to homosexuals because, of course, she did. This lady was actually booed by some people within the audience, rightfully so. Children cry and should still be welcomed at Mass, but obviously, there are times when you should remove them. For example, my baby girl who is 10 months is currently in a fit of joyful shrills, which, yeah, we do remove her when she starts to near peak volume.

It was hopeful because a few brave souls did get up and asked that the Archdiocese stop making our liturgies and liturgical events Protestant (yes, they actually used that word). There was also a strong sense that we need to have a focus on Jesus, truly present in the Eucharist everywhere, as well as a need for reverence. One college-aged young man specifically said that he didn’t want more programs, but more traditional Masses, adoration, and deep faith formation.

Signs of Hope in the Archdiocese

As stated multiple times already, many people believe in Jesus Christ, truly present in the Eucharist. These people also have a desire for tradition and reverence, and likely, given time, would welcome the traditional aspects of our faith if they were exposed to them. 

There were several points made to the Archbishop by a dad about home-schooling and the general need for the diocese to understand better and accommodate home-schooling families. He emphasized specifically the concern around the education and catechesis the children are receiving to prepare them for receiving the sacraments. Many people expressed their gratitude for the availability of the sacraments, specifically confession, and Eucharistic Adoration in this area of the Archdiocese. One participant expressed a strong desire to see the Latin Rite restored in the Archdiocese, as well as allowing young children to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation so the Holy Spirit can begin working in them earlier.

Signs of Sadness in the Archdiocese

Common themes arose for where people within the Archdiocese believe we should go to improve things. 

  • Many people did not show signs of reverence. Much of this event took place within the Church sanctuary, yet very few people genuflected, blessed themselves with holy water, or composed themselves as if they were in a Church. 
  • The laity believes the Church should do all of the teaching of the faith and they should not have to do any of their own research/homework.
  • Pope Francis is the only Pope and the Second Vatican Council is the only council we’ve ever had.
  • Many of the attendees were over the age of 50. So the failed ideas that have partially gotten us into this position are the same ideas being presented…again.

The saddest part of this entire affair is that only one person brought up the elephant in the room. The biggest reason that we are in this mess is the lack of accountability of our clergy. One person mentioned the sex abuse crisis, and he was a victim of it. He read a prayer he wrote asking God for healing for the victimized, forgiveness to the predators, and protection for our clergy. It is a beautiful prayer, and he is a brave soul for going up and speaking as candidly as he did.

To reiterate, the reason for having this Synod is because the Archdiocese is bankrupt. Why is the Archdiocese bankrupt? Because of the sex abuse scandal within the Archdiocese. Yet, there is zero mention of the scandal (except for the gentleman as mentioned earlier). It is predictably glossed over as if the reason we are bankrupt is that no Catholics are giving to the Archdiocese.

Meanwhile, our Shepherds tell us to be respectful to these ideas that are different than ours (read: not Catholic) and reiterate Church teaching to these people. In short, do the job of the bishop!

Our Shepherds let the wolves into the pen to attack the sheep and tell them to defend themselves because they have other priorities. Our Shepherds do not know their role. They do not believe that they are to lay down their lives for us but to oversee the sheep as a commercial commodity.

Conclusion

Overall, there was a lack of reverence for Jesus. Many walked within the Sanctuary as if it was a stage. Those who led the Lectio Divina readings did bow, but few people genuflected. Now, I will give the benefit of the doubt that perhaps these individuals were nervous about messing up, but it does demonstrate a lack of awareness about the meaning and purpose of the Sanctuary.

Another thing that was disconcerting was the number of women that were chosen to lead the readings of the Lectio Divina scriptures. Not only were both bishops in attendance, but there were also many priests and a few deacons present. For an activity that should be prayerful, it should have been led by a member of the clergy. It confuses the role of the priest, who does have a hierarchical authority over leading the laity in prayer, as just someone who administers the sacraments and oversees a parish.

It is unclear whether or not the Archdiocese will lead the faithful to Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. It is something we should pray for. It is also too early to tell whether this Synod will bare any positive fruit. It seems unwise to ask those who don’t follow Christ for ideas on how to better follow Him. If you don’t ask misbehaved children how to parent better, then you don’t ask disengaged Catholics what the Church needs to do to cater to them.

I remain unconvinced that this Synod will address the actual needs and concerns of the Church in her current crisis. I am convinced that those of us who live within the Archdiocese should attend these sessions.

For those of us who want to see tradition restored in the Latin Rite, we should attend to voice that. It may fall on deaf ears, it might not. But there may be other people attending who may be open to tradition, or entirely on board. By voicing our opinion, we inspire them, and perhaps they will encourage their friends and their priest. By being there, we might encourage other priests who are in attendance.

As of this writing, there are still 18 of these listening sessions being hosted. I highly encourage you to attend one or more of them if you are able.

Mary, Queen of the Church, pray for us.

Jeff October 2, 2019 Leave A Comment Permalink

What Do You Believe? Novus Ordo vs. Traditional Latin Mass Catholics

For those of you who frequent my blog, you know that I often compare the differences between the Novus Ordo and the Traditional Latin Mass. You know that I have a strong preference for the Traditional Latin Mass and believe that it is not only better but far superior to the Novus Ordo. But is there any way to show some substantive evidence that the TLM is, in fact, better than the NO? At least, can we demonstrate that those who attend the TLM believe more of what the Church teaches and adhere to her doctrines?

The other day, my mother-in-law told me that she would love to see a statistical comparison between Novus Ordo Catholics and Traditional Catholics to see the differences between what percent of each group actually believes in the Church’s teachings and practices. Ironically enough, I saw that on Facebook somebody shared this information.

Now to be academically and intellectually honest, I’m unsure where the statistics came from for the TLM Catholics polled. However, the sample size is rather large (considering there are statistically far less TLM Catholics than Catholics at large) and so I believe it is at least worth looking at and commenting on. It is also worth mentioning that the “Catholics” category includes all types of Catholics from TLM Catholics to NO Catholics to heretical Catholics.

According to a 2016 Pew Research poll, only 13% of Catholics believe that contraception is not permissible. Of the 841 TLM Catholics who responded, 98% believe that contraception is not permissible.

With the same poll, 53% of Catholics believe abortion is not permissible, compared to 98% of the 833 TLM Catholics who responded.

A 2017 CARA poll shows that 23% of Catholics attend Mass, compared to 99% of 824 TLM Catholics.

The same poll shows that 33% of Catholics believe marriage is between a man and a woman, compared to 99% of 826 TLM Catholics.

A 2013 Catholic Philly poll shows that Catholics only give 1.2% in the collection, as opposed to TLM Catholics who give 6.2%. I take this one with a grain of salt as the Catholic Philly is out of Philadelphia, and this could potentially be an outlier.

A 2015 Pew Research poll shows that only 43% of Catholics go to confession once a year as well as weekly Mass, as opposed to 99% of TLM Catholics (only 81 samples though).

The same poll shows that Catholics have an average of 2.3 children, whereas TLM Catholics have an average of 3.7 children (with 494 responses).

Overall, the numbers are revealing a disturbing trend in that NO Catholics appear not to know their faith and quite possibly, may not believe it too.

And yes, this is just one poll whose origins are unknown to us at this time, but it certainly lends to the idea that traditional Catholicism, or Catholicism as I like to call it, is indeed better for souls than what the majority of prelates are peddling as Catholic. If I can track down where this poll came from, I will certainly let you know.

The very fact that the attitude within the Church is that the people who believe in her teachings are somehow detrimental to those who oppose her teachings is complete nonsense. Solemn non-sense even.

Jeff May 30, 2018 1 Comment Permalink

Either Cardinal Marx Had a Conversion or He Is Setting the Stage to Declare Schism

In February, Reinhard Cardinal Marx, the President of the German Conference of Bishops made waves when he announced that the German bishops would not adhere to what the synod determined, unless it favored their position stating “the synod cannot prescribe in detail what  we have to do in Germany.”

“We are not a subsidiary of Rome. Each episcopal conference is responsible for the pastoral care in their culture and has to proclaim the Gospel in its own unique way. We cannot wait until a synod states something, as we have to carry out marriage and family ministry here.”

In short, Cardinal Marx proposed that the German Catholic Church would schism if the Synod on the Family did not yield the results they were wanting. The German Catholic Church is in favor of giving Holy Communion to the divorced, remarried and actively homosexual.

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Either the Holy Spirit has intervened and changed Cardinal Marx’s heart or he knows what the outcome of the Synod is going to be.

Pat Archbold of Creative Minority Report reports some surprising words from Cardinal Marx:

“We must try to remain together,” he said. “The Church is the only institution in the world that can reach unanimous agreement. Thank God we have the pope. We bishops do not have to decide. Church unity is not in danger. And once the pope has decided, we will abide by his decision.”

Either Cardinal Marx is no longer in favor of administering the Holy Eucharist to adulterers and sodomites or he knows the Synod is going to lax the rules.

My bet is the latter, as it is highly unlikely, knowing what we have seen come from the Synod thus far that Cardinal Marx is suddenly having a conversion. I’m not saying it’s impossible, only unlikely.

Looking back at my post from Monday in which I outlined the possibilities of this Synod, I wrote:

I see that Option Two is much more likely to happen, simply because those who want to administer Holy Communion to adulterers and actively homosexual, will be able to through a liberal reading of the documents. Meanwhile, those who will actively refuse this reading will accuse the Synod of intentionally allowing this evil to occur. Thus what we will see is those who adhere to the “traditional view” (read: Catholic) will be accused of going the way of the SSPX and causing schism, when the reality simply is that Rome has condoned the practice by not condemning it, all for appearing to be “pastoral”.

Cardinal Marx, by his words today, has set the stage to display that those who do not adhere to what the Synod decides are breaking away from the Church. He is correct only if the Synod upholds Church teaching by denying Holy Communion to those in the state of mortal sin. However, if the Synod decides something contrary to this effect, then he is wrong and the validity of the Synod is left in question.

Let us pray that he had a legitimate conversion to the Truth, and not the other, more likely possibility.

Jeff October 9, 2015 1 Comment Permalink

Modernists and the Synod: No Respect for Tradition

This post is part four in a series of posts on the Synod of the Family and Modernism. Read part three here.

St. Athanasius

If you’ve been following these posts, you know what the stakes are. Allowing unrepentant adulterers and active homosexuals to receive Our Lord’s Body and Blood in the Most Holy Eucharist. Every single Catholic who receives the Holy Eucharist must be repentant and in a state of grace. Receiving the Holy Eucharist unworthily condemns the sinner to additional judgment. There is no reason any excuse should be made to these individuals who break the 6th Commandment repeatedly. There is no reason that any individual who is living in mortal sin should be allowed to receive the Holy Eucharist without first going to confession.

Let’s continue looking at Pope St. Pius X’s encyclical Pascendi Dominici Gregis (on Modernism):

Q. Does not the “profession of faith” include respect for Tradition?

A. Wherefore the Roman Pontiffs, Pius IV and Pius IX, ordered the insertion in the profession of faith of the following declaration: ‘I most firmly admit and embrace the apostolic and ecclesiastical traditions and constitutions of the Church’

Many of the Synod fathers do not admit or embrace the apostolic and ecclesiastical traditions and constitutions of the Church. This is made evident by not only the Kasper position but also their willingness to adopt any doctrine that transmutes the Catholic faith into something other than the Catholic faith. Yesterday at the Synod, both the discussion of opening up the sacrament of confession to include general absolution services, as well as ordaining women to the diaconate, were brought up. Both of these are not only non-catholic but grave errors already discussed by the Church as not allowed and contrary to the faith. Yet, we see these issues being raised as if any amount of discussion can change Church teaching.

catechism of modernism

Q. Since they show such slight respect for Tradition, what is the judgment of the Modernists on the ‘most holy Fathers of the Church?’

A. The Modernists pass the same judgment on the most holy Fathers of the Church as they pass on Tradition, decreeing, with amazing effrontery, that, while personally most worthy of all veneration, they were entirely ignorant of history and criticism, for which they are only excusable on account of the time in which they lived.

Q. In what presumptuous way do the Modernists speak of the Fathers of the Church?

A. Finally, the Modernists try in every way to diminish and weaken the authority.

At last year’s Synod on the Family, several of the Synod fathers brought up Pope St. John Paul II’s teachings on the family, in order to defend the sanctity of marriage. The response they received was to the effect that the sainted Pope’s teachings were too hard and that in today’s society they were considered “too traditional”. Now, Pope St. John Paul II was not a super-traditional Pope, but he did defend the faith and the Church’s teachings on the family and marriage when it mattered. But this demonstrates how many at the Synod do not care one iota for tradition, in fact, they disdain it.

These wolves in sheep’s clothing are trying their hardest to undermine the Church and her authority by weakening doctrine and practice. However, with this year’s Synod, the rule’s have changed in that Pope Francis has the final say in what is determined. Let us continue to pray and fast for Pope Francis and for the Synod, that Church teaching is preserved and novelties are not added. We must remain vigilant during this time of uncertainty as to the direction the Church appears to be moving.

May God console you! … What saddens you … is the fact that others have occupied the churches by violence, while during this time you are on the outside. It is a fact that they have the premises – but you have the Apostolic Faith. They can occupy our churches, but they are outside the true Faith. You remain outside the places of worship, but the Faith dwells within you. Let us consider: what is more important, the place or the Faith? The true Faith, obviously. Who has lost and who has won in the struggle – the one who keeps the premises or the one who keeps the Faith? True, the premises are good when the Apostolic Faith is preached there; they are holy if everything takes place there in a holy way …
You are the ones who are happy; you who remain within the Church by your Faith, who hold firmly to the foundations of the Faith which has come down to you from Apostolic Tradition. And if an execrable jealousy has tried to shake it on a number of occasions, it has not succeeded. They are the ones who have broken away from it in the present crisis. No one, ever, will prevail against your Faith, beloved Brothers. And we believe that God will give us our churches back some day.
Thus, the more violently they try to occupy the places of worship, the more they separate themselves from the Church. They claim that they represent the Church; but in reality, they are the ones who are expelling themselves from it and going astray. Even if Catholics faithful to Tradition are reduced to a handful, they are the ones who are the true Church of Jesus Christ. -St. Athanasius

Jeff October 7, 2015 2 Comments Permalink

Modernists and the Synod: Attacks Against Tradition

This post is part three in a series of posts on the Synod of the Family and Modernism. Read part two here.

The Synod of the Family inches ever closer. We must remember to spend our time in prayer and fasting for this event. We are in the fourth greatest crisis of the Church, according to Bishop Athanasius Schneider. Bishops, Cardinals, and even the Pope are speaking openly about the need for Church teaching to change. Many in attendance at the Synod are in favor of allowing the divorced, remarried, and openly homosexual to receive the Holy Eucharist, without amending their lives. This is scandalous to hear from those who have been ordained to safeguard Christ’s teachings with their very lives.

catechism of modernism

Pope St. Pius X authored the encyclical Pascendi Domini Grecis, or “On Modernism”. He examines how the enemies of the Church are working to corrupt her teachings. Without further ado, we continue:

Q. In their war against scholastic philosophy, how do the Modernists deal with the second obstacle, as they call Tradition?

A. They exercise all their ingenuity in diminishing the force and falsifying the character of Tradition, so as to rob it of all its weight.

We see in regards to the Synod of the Family how the Modernist and heretical bishops are trying to frame the perspective of traditional marriage, as unloving, unkind, or even bigoted towards those who have divorced, remarried or actively engage in homosexual activity. They frame the narrative in such a way that Tradition becomes a negative ideal. Tradition becomes an ideal worse than any other sin, and those who cling to it are enemies. Words are said such as “God is a God of surprises”, to imply that even God doesn’t cling to Tradition.

latin mass

The Church which Jesus Christ instituted and gave the authority to establish Tradition is no longer in charge of determining what is and isn’t Tradition and that the Holy Spirit is moving hearts and minds. Of course, this is nonsensical as Jesus Christ, Who is the same yesterday as He is today and as He is tomorrow, would not change His mind. The Holy Spirit, Who is One with God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son, would not change His mind.

Tradition is an element of Catholicism that is of supreme importance because Tradition helps us to see that the Holy Catholic Church is indeed the One Church in which Jesus Christ established. With the Church’s unchanging stance on many issues over the course of 2,000 years, it shows that God is indeed with this Church, as the average Protestant church changes its mind depending on who its pastor is.

Tradition is important to our Catholic faith, as we will see declared in both the Council of Nicea and the Council of Constantinople below.

Q. In speaking of Tradition, what law of the second Council of Nicea should true Catholics have in mind?

A. But for Catholics the second Council of Nicea will always have the force of law, where it condemns those who dare, after the impious fashions of heretics, to deride the ecclesiastical traditions, to invent novelties of some kind … or endeavor by malice or craft to overthrow any one of the legitimate traditions of the Catholic Church.

Q. Give the law of the fourth Council of Constantinople on Tradition?

A. Catholics will hold for law, also, the profession of the fourth Council of Constantinople: We, therefore, profess to conserve and guard the rules bequeathed to the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church by the Holy and most illustrious Apostles, by the orthodox Councils, both general and local, and by every one of those divine interpreters, the Fathers and Doctors of the Church.

The bishops and cardinals who are in favor of changing doctrine in order to allow the divorced, remarried, and actively homosexual to receive Holy Communion without repentance, penance, and amending their lives have been condemned by the Church through both of these councils, which are still in full effect today. Tradition is not the enemy, but novelty is, as novelty by its nature deviates from Tradition. In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul warns us of those who try to deviate from the tradition which is handed down from us:

Now I beseech you, brethren, to mark them who make dissensions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them. For they that are such, serve not Christ our Lord, but their own belly; and by pleasing speeches and good words, seduce the hearts of the innocent. For your obedience is published in every place. I rejoice therefore in you. But I would have you to be wise in good, and simple in evil. Romans 16:17-19 DR

Only the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church and Our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ, are worthy to be followed. Anything that deviates from these teachings is not of God, but of His adversary, the Devil.

Read part four here.

Jeff September 25, 2015 1 Comment Permalink

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