Traditional Roman Catholic Thoughts

Traditional Roman Catholic Thoughts

Reintroducing Logic and Reason to the Age of Sentimentalism

WV2AS

All of the posts under the "WV2AS" category.

The TradCast Episode 01

On the first episode of the TradCast, I give you a bit of history about me. I discuss my experience at the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Rediscover: Catholic Celebration. What do you do with your orthodox leanings in a progressive parish? And finally, what does it mean to be Catholic and who do we look to in this day when modernism reigns supreme?

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Currently, you can download or listen from SoundCloud. Due to some technical difficulties and lack of foresight on my part, this is the only way you can listen to it. I am working on getting iTunes and self-hosted working soon.

Enjoy and thanks for listening!

One correction, the verse is Romans 16:17-19

Jeff October 14, 2014 3 Comments Permalink

What Vatican 2 Actually Said: Don’t Change the Liturgy

It bothers me when I attend a Novus Ordo Mass and a priest does things…different.

Clown Mass

I’m not talking about minor things here. I mean additions, subtractions or changes words around that he shouldn’t be changing. When I offer up a complaint, I am responded with “he’s a priest, he’s allowed to do that.”

Interestingly enough, the Second Vatican Council has a response to that:

22. 1. Regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See and, as laws may determine, on the bishop.

2. In virtue of power conceded by the law, the regulation of the liturgy within certain defined limits belongs also to various kinds of competent territorial bodies of bishops legitimately established.

3. Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.

23. That sound tradition may be retained, and yet the way remain open to legitimate progress careful investigation is always to be made into each part of the liturgy which is to be revised. This investigation should be theological, historical, and pastoral. Also the general laws governing the structure and meaning of the liturgy must be studied in conjunction with the experience derived from recent liturgical reforms and from the indults conceded to various places. Finally, there must be no innovations unless the good of the Church genuinely and certainly requires them; and care must be taken that any new forms adopted should in some way grow organically from forms already existing.

As far as possible, notable differences between the rites used in adjacent regions must be carefully avoided.

The Second Vatican Council, while many times may be unclear, is clear that only the Magisterium of the Church can determine when a part of the Liturgy may be changed.

Tridentine Mass

This means that not the deacon, not the priest, not the Bishop, not even the Pope, can change something based on his personal preference. This right alone is left strictly for the Church to determine.

The Church is the safeguard of the liturgy. The next time you attend a Mass where the priest changes things to his liking, call him out. If he uses the Second Vatican Council in his defense, use this in yours.

Jeff August 5, 2014 2 Comments Permalink

What Vatican 2 Actually Said: Observe the Liturgical Laws

Many people assert that the Second Vatican Council did away with many things, especially in regards to the Liturgy. This is simply not true. The Second Vatican Council decreed many good things about the Liturgy.

From the document Sacrosanctum Concilium:

17. In seminaries and houses of religious, clerics shall be given a liturgical formation in their spiritual life. For this they will need proper direction, so that they may be able to understand the sacred rites and take part in them wholeheartedly; and they will also need personally to celebrate the sacred mysteries, as well as popular devotions which are imbued with the spirit of the liturgy. In addition they must learn how to observe the liturgical laws, so that life in seminaries and houses of religious may be thoroughly influenced by the spirit of the liturgy.

18. Priests, both secular and religious, who are already working in the Lord’s vineyard are to be helped by every suitable means to understand ever more fully what it is that they are doing when they perform sacred rites; they are to be aided to live the liturgical life and to share it with the faithful entrusted to their care.

19. With zeal and patience, pastors of souls must promote the liturgical instruction of the faithful, and also their active participation in the liturgy both internally and externally, taking into account their age and condition, their way of life, and standard of religious culture. By so doing, pastors will be fulfilling one of the chief duties of a faithful dispenser of the mysteries of God; and in this matter they must lead their flock not only in word but also by example.

Many who follow the rubrics of the Mass are unfairly labeled as pharisees by those who do not follow the rubrics. In my experience, those who ignore the rubrics use the Second Vatican Council as a scapegoat in order to promote their views.

TLM Bowing

However, upon reading what the documents actually have to say, you will find it is quite clear that the liturgical laws are to be observed. It is clear that Mass and all liturgical aspects of our faith, are to be done reverently and by the book. It is not something to be left to the priest’s discretion.

When many Novus Ordo Masses are said irreverently and by the whim of the presiding priest, we must combat it with all of our strength. The way in which we worship reflects what we believe. If we are reverent in our worship, it reflects the authority of God. If we behave like buffoons, it reflects that we are fools.

Following Christ and His Church is not for the foolish, but rather the wise. To live outside of the Church and the law of Christ is foolish. Therefor, let us follow the liturgical law as it too is the law of Christ.

Jeff July 30, 2014 Leave A Comment Permalink

What Vatican 2 Actually Said: No Masses Honoring Groups of People

From the document Sacrosanctum Concilium:

32. The liturgy makes distinctions between persons according to their liturgical function and sacred Orders, and there are liturgical laws providing for due honors to be given to civil authorities. Apart from these instances, no special honors are to be paid in the liturgy to any private persons or classes of persons, whether in the ceremonies or by external display.

What does this mean? Simply put, the Mass is not to be used to honor the people, whether as the Mass itself (changing things to allow for this) or by external display (applause, special mentions, etc).

How often do we see the abuse of applause during Mass? Vatican 2 disapproves. How often do we see all kinds of crazy types of Masses? The High School Graduation Mass? The Kindergarten Mass? The (Insert Group of People to Celebrate For No Apparent Reason But To Honor and Celebrate here) Mass?

The “High School Youth Campout” Mass

This is not what the Second Vatican Council called for, and it is clearly written here.

Do not applaud. Do not go to these Masses if you are able to.

We see a lot in the Church today all of these Masses that celebrate somebody. Yet, here we are, the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a solemnity with very few actual Mass celebrations. I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know about it until around 10 o’clock when my wife reminded me. We have wonderful celebrations in the Liturgical Calendar to celebrate and have wonderful Masses for them, but we hear nothing about them.

sacred-heart-of-jesus-traditional

It has become all about worshiping and honoring the individual, not the Lord. Well, Vatican 2 wants us to worship God in our Masses, not ourselves.

Jeff June 28, 2014 Leave A Comment Permalink

What Vatican 2 Actually Said: Preach the Faith

We’ve all heard many people argue that the Second Vatican Council changed a lot of things. But did it really?

Now before you spam my comment box that it did indeed, I would like to point out that yes, some things did change. That is not the purpose of this series. The purpose of this series is to correct those who constantly insist that “Vatican 2 did away with that”.

I have found that many traditionalists have not read the documents. This is not a statement saying that all traditionalists have not read the documents. Just an opinionated statement in which many have not read them. I for one have not read the documents.

Since many traditionalists haven’t read the documents, we generally have a difficult time refuting some of the claims, having not read the documents or even portions of them. Well, go read them, and start implementing these documents the way they were meant to.

The Sermon on the Mount Carl Bloch, 1890

First and foremost, let’s look at Sacrosanctum Concillium (Constitution of the Sacred Liturgy) on what it has to say on preaching the faith (emphasis mine):

9. The sacred liturgy does not exhaust the entire activity of the Church. Before men can come to the liturgy they must be called to faith and to conversion: “How then are they to call upon him in whom they have not yet believed? But how are they to believe him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear if no one preaches? And how are men to preach unless they be sent?” (Rom. 10:14-15).

Therefore the Church announces the good tidings of salvation to those who do not believe, so that all men may know the true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, and may be converted from their ways, doing penance. To believers also the Church must ever preach faith and penance, she must prepare them for the sacraments, teach them to observe all that Christ has commanded, and invite them to all the works of charity, piety, and the apostolate. For all these works make it clear that Christ’s faithful, though not of this world, are to be the light of the world and to glorify the Father before men.

Notice what that says? The Church is to announce the good tidings of salvation that Jesus Christ has given us through His sacrifice. And in announcing that, those who are not Catholic can convert and repent of their past sins by doing penance and joining the Church. Those of us who are Catholic must be preached to about faith and penance as well, as we still must atone for our past transgressions. The Church must prepare us to receive the Sacraments, as well as to teach us ALL THAT CHRIST HAS COMMANDED.

How many times have you been ridiculed for teaching what Jesus taught? I know I have often. You may have even been told that the Second Vatican Council did away with it. Its not important anymore. Well, in case you have noticed, it is still just as important and needed today as it was through out the entirety of the Church. This was most definitely a continuation of what the Church has always taught, what Christ has taught.

But wait, what does this have to do with the Liturgy? Because the Liturgy in which we celebrate the Mass is the foundation of our faith. In knowing the true God and Jesus Christ, we witness Him in the Eucharist, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. We convert away from our old selves, and turn our gaze upon our mighty and ever lasting God.

In the Mass, during the homily, Father teaches us how to live our lives according to that of what God wants. Ultimately, the Liturgy is where we meet Christ, and in Christ, He changes us. When we receive Him in the Eucharist during Communion, we are in Him, and He is in us. It is a perfect communion where Heaven and Earth collide. We are one with Him.

the eucharist

Professing our faith has every bit to do with the Liturgy, because in our Liturgy, we demonstrate what we believe. Through reverence, we show those that would observe us, that we truly believe that Christ is present in the Eucharist, that God is present in our Churches, and the Holy Ghost is there.

Where the Catholic Church is, there you will find God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, the Holy Ghost, Our Mother Mary and all the angels and saints. Where the Catholic Church is, there is home.

Jeff June 19, 2014 Leave A Comment Permalink

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