“I told you so” can be bittersweet indeed; in this case, far more bitter than sweet, but here goes.
The present pontificate’s subversion of the norms set forth in Summorum Pontificum in the restrictions placed upon the FFI is proving to be exactly as I expected; the first shots in what could very well blossom into an all-out assault against the traditional Mass and those who love it.
“Only a fool can be confident that this same, or a similar, criteria won’t eventually end up being applied in the regulation of the traditional Mass in dioceses (and parishes) wherein the local ordinary (or pastor) is either ambivalent or hostile toward the ancient rite. And why not? Rome has given such men (if they ever really cared about the mind of the pope in the first place) all they need to claim justification for doing so.”
So I wrote back in August, even as the neo-con papal cheerleaders at Catholic Answers were snickering up their collective sleeve while painting such concerns as an unwarranted “freakout in cyberspace” over “Pope Francis’s presumed dark intentions toward the extraordinary form liturgy.”
Sure enough, Rorate Caeli is reporting that Most Reverend Michael Olson, Bishop of Fort Worth, an obviously emboldened prelate who is clearly hostile toward the traditional Mass, took it upon himself on February 24th to forbid the celebration of the Usus Antiquior at Fisher More College.
In a letter addressed to Mr. Michael King, President of Fisher More, Bishop Olson stated:
“You do not have permission to have the public celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass at the Chapel of Fisher More College. This includes Sundays and weekdays. The weekly celebration of the Extraordinary Form is available to the faithful every Sunday at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Fort Worth.”
While it was awfully nice of the newly consecrated bishop, who was installed just twenty-six days before writing his epistle, to alert Mr. King of the availability of the traditional Mass on Sundays at 5:30 pm at a parish off-campus, I have some bad news for him:
You don’t have the authority to forbid the celebration of the so-called ‘Extraordinary Form’ of the Mass. Period.
The letter, which might best be put to use as thurible kindling at Fisher More’s next Solemn High Mass, continues:
“You may only have the celebration of the Mass in the Ordinary Form … Failure to comply with the above stated norms will result in my withdrawal of permission to celebrate the Eucharist in your chapel along with withdrawal of permission to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in the Chapel.”
Yes, you read that correctly. The bishop is actually threatening to hold Jesus Christ hostage from a Catholic college in order to enforce his diabolical, yes, diabolical aversion to the venerable rite.
Just imagine the scene as Bishop Olson strides onto the Fisher More campus to seize the Eucharistic Christ from the tabernacle, crozier in one hand, thirty pieces of silver in the other.
Pardon me, Excellency, but this “Successor to the Apostles” thing kind of assumes you’ll model yourself after one of the other eleven. Capisce?
And why, pray tell, is this considered by Bishop Olson as a matter of such pressing importance that it merited this immediate and incomprehensibly harsh attention?
According to his letter, “I make these norms out of my pastoral solicitude and care for the students of Fisher More as well as for your own soul.”
No, this isn’t an early April Fool’s Day joke; this fool is the real deal.
He not only thinks that typing up a document on the computer in his new office is the same as establishing “norms,” one of the first things he committed to writing on his freshly printed letterhead makes it clear that he considers the traditional Mass a danger to souls.
This has all the makings of a case study in the real Francis Effect: A Barney Fife wannabe bishop with a burr under his saddle for the Usus Antiquior attacking with abandon traditional Catholics and that which they most hold dear, Summorum Pontificum be damned.
One expects that Fisher More College will respond to this outrage by making an appeal through official channels, doing everything possible to avoid a flat out showdown with their new bishop, but it’s difficult to imagine this ending any other way.
Let’s keep a close eye on this one; you can bet your favorite hand missal every whack job liberal bishop in the country is doing just that.
You wouldn’t expect this from such a young Bishop right? He’s now the second youngest in the US I think. It’s usually the older Bishops that pull these sort of stunts.
and so it continues. When the Franciscan’s bent at knee and submitted to Vopli, I wondered if vaticanistas were seeing how easy it would be to take the most pious and devoted and discern if they’d play ‘simon says’ at the lash of the VII whip. they did. Fisher-More, in this ‘year of the laity”, will hopefully go to this ‘careerist bishop’, don’t let it smack you on the way out.
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how things collide. Voris won’t contradict Francis in order to save souls, and Olsen won’t permit the TLM in order to save souls. What next?
How incredibly irresponsible to assume this to be an attack on TLM!
Bishop Olson is doing the correct and responsible thing.
This college is not loyal to the pope, which IS a serious problem (whether or not you agree).
Re- SP, so much for obeisance to one’s superior. Oh well. Business as usual for the most under-attack Bride that ever was or ever will be.
This is sickening. …especially being so close to home.
the Francis effect (TM)
Realistically, in today’s economy one would be better off sending one’s children to a university with strong programming in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Medicine) areas. That way upon graduation one can employ as many liberal arts graduates as one wishes.
But seriously…..what does one do with a four year liberal arts degree from a small so-called Catholic college? Other than try and get into law school, it seems. This may be why R&R traditionalism suffers from a surplus of lawyers.
On the other hand, graduating with a STEMM-related degree makes a young man eligible for a salary that will allow him to support a large homeschooling family.
Fisher-More College is annually ranked as a top U.S. Catholic College by the Cardinal Newman Society for their commitment to providing a faithful Catholic education. So to claim they are not loyal to the Magisterium is rather absurd. What are you talking about, dontovereact?
He’s a Judas Council predator bishop behaving as these predator bishops behave. He sensed a wounded animal in Fisher More, as they’re already on the brink of collapse (recall their recent fundraising drive), and went in for the kill.
The question now is whether, in slavish obedience, they’ll cave in. Most likely. I predict that they’ll strike a deal which providing for the Novus Ordo service to be committed on campus as a condition for allowing the Catholic Mass to be offered as well.
TT – fess up, come on, you know ya want to. You’re psuedi-vacantist right? You really love Bergoglio like he was your own pops (oops, except he won’t allow you to call him that) – oh dear, are you a mole for CMTV?
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dontoverreact? where on the continuum of not caring, caring, reacting, not overreacting, overreacting, would you say overreacting is?
dear Alphonsus Jr.,
precisely.
Thank GOD for the SSPX, and thank GOD that they did not do anything stupid when the modernists wanted to draw them back under their boot…. i mean control.
PS If I was a FSSP’er/ED/SP’er, I would be trembling right about now.
I know, dear S. Armaticus.
without sspx contact, Angelus Press, and the mere knowledge that this fraternal Holy Roman Catholic Society exists – I would not have had a leg to stand on when confronted with the nice yet disapproving face of the novus ordo revolution. disapproving of doctrine, dogma, tradition and reverence, habits, a Sacred Language, beauty, stability, order…
Therefore, no one whosoever is permitted to alter this notice of Our permission, statute, ordinance, command, precept, grant, indult, declaration, will, decree, and prohibition. Should know that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.
-Pope St. Pius V.
His Excellency’s episcopal motto is “Veritatis Splendor.” Another neo-con drink the Kool-Aid worshipper of the soon-to-be St. John Paul the Magnificent.
Little good will come from his Pontificate. (Oh, yes, I forgot: he greatly improved the economy of the City of Rome by filling its tourist coffers).
a good article about ‘obedience and fidelity’ – which comes first?
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” Finally, due to the inversion of principles (obedience over fidelity) the only solution to a conflict between fidelity to Tradition and unquestioning obedience to authorities is silence. To protect canonical recognition and obedience to one who flagrantly disregards or attacks the Faith, one in this position is forced to close one’s eyes to the event and speak nothing of it. One district superior of an Ecclesia Dei community even published an explanation around the time of the renewal of the Assisi events on the theme of simply casting a veil over such attacks on tradition and ignoring them:If [a Catholic] unfortunately happens to believe that the Pope is erring dangerously or acting against Faith and Morals, he closes his mouth, if necessary he draws a veil over what seems a betrayal or a scandal to him….[1]The danger that this silence brings is a risk of erosion of fidelity to the Faith. We are creatures of habits. Habits build virtues or vices. To continually accept through silence offenses against the Faith leads to a habit of becoming accustomed to them. We lose the sensitivity for the honor of God and His truth that should motivate our charity.”
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http://sspx.org/en/news-events/news/what-comes-first-obedience-or-fidelity-3447
Who is next……..Fraternity of Saint Peter?
…….from “Fatima In Twilight” by Mark Fellow
‘The suffering will be intense, for the Holy Father will finally cleave heart and soul to the Fatima Message, thus inciting a satanic frenzy against him by the world and His Church. When this will happen is in the hands of God, as always, we are completely at His mercy……after a terrible purification of sinful humanity, in a baptism of fire, blood and tears.
Man will remember anew the supernatural reality of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (Mass of All Times). With trembling reverence, we will once more kneel before the Almighty.
….We must obey our authentic religious superiors in all things licit, but never fear speaking the truth of our faith, even if this means contradicting the prudential judgments of the Holy Father. Devotion to the Immaculate Heart, recitation of the Rosary, and participation in the First Saturday reparatory devotion are essential for the light of the Holy Spirit to illumine this present darkness shrouding the world and the Church.
……to continue
For it is not Fatima that is in twilight. Fatima is a beacon of faith, hope, and charity, a message as clear and uncompromising as the Gospel, shining on all souls stumbling in the twilight of the Church and the world, as both fade to black in the long hours before the dawn.
Shall we slumber through her passion as the Apostles slept through Our Lord’s agony in the garden? Shall we renounce membership in our disfigured Church as our first Holy Father renounced Our Lord in His final hours? WE MUST NOT. We must pick up our cross, chosen for us before the foundation of the world, and bear witness to the one true faith, and the Church created by Our Lord to preserve this truth, even unto the end of the world.
Good God in Heaven! What manner of wretched men are these who, not content with despoiling the Church, seek to rob even the few remaining faithful of whatever integral faith they possess?
THEY ARE PIRATES, THE PIRATES OF OUR FAITH!
Our Lady of Fatima, ora pro nobis!
The FFI strongly promoted the message of Our Lady of Fatima with their Days with Mary. Those Days have been suppressed in Italy and have ceased in many other places as well. Perhaps these things are tied together? They also are prohibited from the TLM expect for a very very small percentage of ‘special permissions’. And so it stands.
…..a response to an email to my friend, from Fr. Nicholson: “I realize we are not going to find common ground on this issue. The SSPX is in schism and pretending that they are not, doesn’t change the fact, they cannot absolve sin in the confessional. THey have no mission in the Church and supporting a priest who has no faculties to say Mass is assisting a sacrilegious Mass. The spiritual consequences are horrible for the priest and by degree lesser for the lay person.”
One will rarely hear the Message of Fatima in Poland, but, in almost every Church they have big posters plastered on wall by the entrance…….about Medjugorje…..inviting people to a pilgrimage.
DAMN THE TORPEDOES…
Nowhere to kneel
No Tabernacle
No candle red
Just marble crackle
A sepulchre
Deathly white
To help good souls
Despair, take flight
That’s WHAT they want
That is their plan
Then mock, “You dis –
obedient man!”
But in the depths
Of doctrine deep
Sails the Ship
That will not sleep
Full of disobedient
Sheep
Obeying Christ
In priests that keep
The Barque of Peter
On its course
Though her bowels be bricked
By a sinister source
Then damn the torpedoes
Tridentine-lead
Will blast through the block
Full speed ahead
No sepulchre whites
Disobedience, despairs —
Only seas of gold Masses
By an Archbishop’s Peres!
I forgot to mention that the email was sent to Fr. Nicholson and CMTV…..regarding ‘the Voris Manifesto’……….
This is a time of crisis in the church. Therefore the SSPX is valid in everything it does.
It’s dreadfully sinful what is being done, with the needs of the faithful trampled underfoot by insensitive and disconnected prelates. One could easily despair but for recalling what Our Lady of Fatima said and also repeated at Akita.
I would not be surprised to see something done against the FSSP. I’m not sure what, but they may be disbanded or forced to celebrate the Novus Ordo. There are FSSP priests who have celebrated the Novus Ordo.
What these wolves want is the complete eradication of the Catholic religion. They want to replace it with another religion, one that comes from man and not from God.
Mr. Verrecchio,
Why don’t you and the other reactionaries get the facts about Fisher More College first before shooting from the hip.
Day by day this blog is becoming more and more irresponsible.
Dear Getthefacts,
Please tell me what is wrong with Fisher More College.
http://fishermore.edu/why-study-at-fisher-more-college/
12 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FISHER MORE COLLEGE
We are the only accredited 4-year Catholic college that proclaims fidelity to the Traditional Latin Mass as essential to achieving its mission and has a full-time chaplain from the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (F.S.S.P.) in residence.
We strive to model for one another a genuine Catholic life following the Latin phrase that serves as Our Statement of Principles:
Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, Lex Vivendi (“as we pray, so we believe, so we live”).
Our work calendar is the liturgical calendar of the Church. Every day we attend Mass, pray the Rosary, sing the Angelus, chant the Divine Office, study, and dine together as a community.
We are led and staffed by committed traditional Catholics who have experience in business and higher education, including President Michael King, former Chair of the Business School at Benedictine College.
We are located in the heart of Fort Worth, Texas, one of America’s best large metropolitan areas with easy access to jobs, internships, an international airport, and beautiful weather year round.
We recently moved to our new campus, a beautiful edifice in the Gothic revival style built over 100 years ago by the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur as a boarding school, college, convent and provincial house.
We operate Fisher More Academy (grades 4 thru 12) which offers full-service, live, interactive online programs for students at home, in cooperatives, and in hybrid schools.
Enrollment in both Fisher More College and Fisher More Academy has more than doubled from last year as the College welcomes its largest freshman class and enrollment in the Academy exceeds 400 students.
We have outstanding professors in the College and instructors in the Academy, many of whom are published authors and international lecturers who could teach anywhere but have chosen Fisher More because they are deeply committed to our unique mission.
Each year our president and all faculty take the Oath Against Modernism (Pope Saint Pius X, 1910).
We are committed to enrolling and graduating students who have not been reduced to debt dependency, so we choose not to participate in the federal student loan program and not to facilitate private borrowing.
We are the home of Fisher More Chronicles, a center for publicizing activities of the College and Academy, and for promoting Catholic culture through new media, radio, publications, lectures, conferences, etc.
Getthefacts, what facts are we supposed to be getting?
IS the FSSP really in residence at Fisher-More?
Don’t think so…!
Therefore, no one whosoever is permitted to alter this notice of Our permission, statute, ordinance, command, precept, grant, indult, declaration, will, decree, and prohibition. Should know that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.
-Pope St. Pius V in the Papal Bull “Quo Primum” (which I forgot to mention above)
here’s how a holy priest of the SSPX handles civil wars:
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http://sspx.org/en/news-events/news/fr-stehlin-we-must-be-men-principle-3458
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@getthefacts – when has Louie ever gotten it wrong on this site?
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p.s. Halina, what are the best books on Fatima?
God bless, and Mr VC
vox just gave the facts,
konstantin – great quotes. popes who knew how to defend the faith. there must be a book.
Traditon is the enemy!!! Anything else (and I mean ANYTHING!!) is quite acceptable! Nothing should surprise us. The battle lines are drawn!!
Regardless of what one *thinks* one knows about what’s going on at Fisher More College, the bishop does not have the authority deny ANYONE the Traditional Latin Mass. How can it possibly be good for one’s soul to deny one access to Jesus Christ, body, blood, soul, and divinity?
dontovereact! why do you put an exclamation mark after that? isn’t that a little overractory?
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p.s. fizz-wizz – I agree the SSPX are always the clear real soldiers – they KNOW the Faith. a safe port in the storm.
Wendy, you said – its a scandal to turn the hungry away, especially those souls hungry for ‘true food’. there’s no charity in these bullys, it would seem.
and long-skirts, ‘then damn the torpedos, Tridentine lead! thems fighting word -we need all the morale boosting we can get! God bless.
Anger, spite, sarcasm, defensiveness, blind support to anyone who offers TLM, jumping to conclusions…it’s quite telling.
Shouldn’t you all be prayerful and peaceful? Seeking only truth? Speaking only truth?
The first duty of parents is to protect their children’s souls! —not to send them off to hedonistic colleges with ” no guarantee” promises of high-paying jobs. Fisher/More College understands this–Bishop Olson doesn’t!!!
RED
Vestments of red
Altar cloth too
Martyrs who bled
Did this for you.
Gold Tabernacles
Veiled in red’s hue
Martyrs in shackles
Hung for this view.
Red mums full bloomed
In water and brass
Martyrs consumed
Burned for this Mass.
Red rays of sun
Rose-streak the nave
Their suffering done –
Now red we must crave!
19. The faithful who ask for the celebration of the forma extraordinaria must not in any way support or belong to groups which show themselves to be against the validity or legitimacy of the Holy Mass or the Sacraments celebrated in the forma ordinaria or against the Roman Pontiff as Supreme Pastor of the Universal Church.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_commissions/ecclsdei/documents/rc_com_ecclsdei_doc_20110430_istr-universae-ecclesiae_en.html
This applies to Fisher More College when they Invite the likes of Fr. Gruner (who is a suspended priest) to their campus and others who support him.
In true Machiavellian fashion, “Dontoverreact” and “Getthefacts” seek to assassinate the character of Fisher More College and its staff and students in order to deflect attention from the shocking action of Bishop Olsen.
It won’t work. The spies and trolls are transparent in their actions nowadays. They fool no one. God have mercy on them.
Saluto……..I only have two books on Fatima (both excellent)
“The Consecration of Russia” John Salza, Robert Sungenis. The other is “Fatima in Twilight” by Mark Fellows.
One book I can also recommend “The Popes Against Modern Errors” 16 Papal Documents (hard – hitting condemnations of many of today’s most noxious errors)…..from http://www.tanbooks.com
Long-skirts, you touch my heart.
Getthefacts……..May God remove the ‘scales off your blind eyes’.
Jesus Maria, save souls!
“And why, pray tell, is this considered by Bishop Olson as a matter of such pressing importance that it merited this immediate and incomprehensibly harsh attention?”
I guess this is of the reasons:
http://fishermore.edu/oath-against-modernism/
Fisher-More College is almost unique in the Vatican II Church. The faculty take the Oath Against Modernism as prescribed by Pope St. Pius X in 1910 and rescinded by Pope Paul VI in 1967
19. The faithful who ask for the celebration of the forma extraordinaria must not in any way support or belong to groups which show themselves to be against the validity or legitimacy of the Holy Mass or the Sacraments celebrated in the forma ordinaria or against the Roman Pontiff as Supreme Pastor of the Universal Church.
That is very clear…VERY CLEAR…but it seems many here and elsewhere across the reactionary “traditional Catholic” blogosphere have forgotten this rather poignant stipulation to the Summa Pontificum. Giving lip service to the Holy Father (as the SSPX do and Fr. Gruner, Vennari, Ferrara, et. al, the “recognize and resist” camp) does not count. Rome’s not buying, Bishop Olson apparently is not buying it, and neither do I. Bishop Olson is right to reign in Fisher More before they get too far gone and become another St. Mary’s (SSPX). God forbid!
Yeah, what better way to stop them from running to the SSPX then to TAKE AWAY the TLM from them. Genius!!
Dontoverreact! said:
“Anger, spite, sarcasm, defensiveness, blind support to anyone who offers TLM, jumping to conclusions…it’s quite telling.”
“This animal is very wicked
When attacked it defends”
Hey, why don’t we ask Fisher-More to put on “V – – – – a Monologues” and then they may get approval!!
“Long skirts”. You just proved my point
…and thus is the dividing line drawn between the “trads”. Those who follow God and the Church and those who blindly follow MEN, regardless if they instruct heresy. You can NEVER put obedience to a pope ABOVE obedience to the FAITH. Obedience to our Pope is important but not when it conflicts with the salvation of souls and obedience to God and our Faith. History repeats itself. Learn from it. Have there not been popes who taught heresy in our past? Is your blind obedience going to lead you down a path to heresy.
Getthefacts…
Thank you for your sanity.
However, sanity does not seem to be welcome here.
No pope has ever TAUGHT heresy, CMC.
The Church is protected from that.
“You are Peter…and the gates of Hell will not prevail…”
No pope has ever taught heresy? My friend that is historically inaccurate. You need to learn more about the history of the Church. Sorry you are wrong.
Im absolutely astounded by this attack on this wonderful new endeavor to restore Catholic education and even more astounded by those who defend it. Regardless of how you feel about Fr.Gruner, he is not a rapid pro-abort like so many speakers who are honored at the main-stream so called Catholic colleges, he isn’t the Vagina monologues,or a LGBT advocate all of which are rampant in most so called Catholic colleges. You would think give the dismal state of the church Bishop Olson would have more pressing matters to attend to. I really hope they fight back.
Not as the Dogma of the Church.
Mop Bucket…
Your argument is a great example of moral relativism.
Why would the SSPX – Fellayite faction or Resistance faction – get involved in the controversy over Fisher-More College? The Fellayites have their own post-secondary college in St. Mary’s, Kansas, as well as other colleges throughout the world. So they are already committed and – especially with their new seminary project – probably do not want to take on the heavy financial obligations of another large education project.
On the other hand, Bishop Williamson is on record as opposing women attending college. Looking at photos on FMC website, it would appear that a slight majority of FMC students are women.
Yes. Truth doesn’t change. The Church is protected. But that’s not the point now is it. As an example of the point….
A pope who, while not being guilty of formal heresy in the strict sense, has allowed heresy to undermine the Church through compromise, weakness, ambiguous or even gravely imprudent teaching remains Pope, but can be judged by his successors, and condemned as was the case with Pope Honorius I.
JamesTheLesser: Yeah, what better way to stop them from running to the SSPX then to TAKE AWAY the TLM from them. Genius!!
Haha! Excellent observation.
There have been heretical popes. Pope Liberius ceded to Arianism against the almost sole proponent of orthodoxy – St. Athanasius. Pope Liberius embraced a heresy that had almost consumed the Church, and he only repented on his deathbed. And Pope Honorius I was anathematized and excommunicated by the Third Council of Constantinople 40 years after his death for having embraced the heresy of monothelitism, being called a heretic by name! And there is no equivocation in St. Pope Leo II’s condemnation of him as a heretic.
“Anger, spite, sarcasm, defensiveness, blind [opposition] to anyone who [defends] the TLM, jumping to conclusions…it’s quite telling.”
Indeed, “Dontoverreact. Indeed.
Dear Dontoverreact!,
Greetings and God bless. Based on your post of 3/3/14 12:52am, you appear to be in possession of inside information as to how Fisher More is disloyal to the Holy Father. It would be extremely helpful to us all if you would divulge this information. Absent such data, it is difficult to see this action by Bishop Olson as a fair one, especially since the bishop offers no explanation for it in his letter.
I agree that it would be rash to assume the worst of our bishops’ actions. It may well be that Bishop Olson did not give his reasons because to do so would have an adverse effect on the faithful. It also may well be that he withheld his reasons because he is simply opposed to the faithful having access to the TLM, and does not wish to say so. In any case, what has been revealed by Rorate Caeli and the bishop’s letter does not give us enough information to arrive at a valid conclusion as to what is behind this event, and the information which you appear to possess would go a long way towards an objective appraisal.
In Christ,
cyrillist
The two interlocutors on the blog who plead for more information before the rush to judgment have a valid point. However, it is myopic to fail to see that this is a setback with wide ranging effects for those Catholics who support and attend the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Undoubtedly, the Extraordinary Form enjoys little episcopal support from the Holy Father, himself, to the bishop of the smallest See. This support is even less among clergy and laity. Any public reprimand of this form of the Roman Mass is bound to resonate based on the very lack of support that I outlined. I would hope that our friendly guests would consider this as they remind us of our obligation to pursue the complete facts regarding this episcopal action.
WendyinVa is quite right. Regardless of whatever infraction, real or imagined, the Fisher-More school is guilty of taking away their perfectly legitimate right to attend a true, authentic liturgical Rite pf the Church is irresponsible and reeks with the malignant spirit of revenge.
As for getthefacts and dontoverreact, who I suspect are one and the same person, they/he are still living in the fog-bound 1980s where people actually believed that the Church had the right to illegally suppress a venerable Rite.
I only attend the Novus Ordo Mass.The TLM is not readily available here…that being said I rejoice that we have perpetual adoration and that I am graced to worship and adore my God and pray the Holy Rosary before His Most August Presence.
I have a BA in Philosophy from a Seminary College.I went in the 80’s…I and my friends were persecuted for praying the Rosary and being pro-life.I also heard fun terms like “cookie worship”apparently I am also homophobic since I condemn the practice of sodomy…oh well.I see nothing has changed…the faithful are still persecuted.
I suffer the abuses at my parish in silence…and offer it up to God.This is a wonderful time to embrace the Cross and endure spiritual martyrdom.
ST Padre Pio endured persecution as well…and he was obedient.
I love the “Trads” and the FSSP as well as the SSPX.May the scourge that is upon them hasten the Kingdom of God.
Modernism is EVIL…but even so the Truth is unassailable.God will win this…and on the Cross He already has.Watch as the evil ones minions grow more vicious…their time is short.I will continue the Holy Rosary and Adoration as well as attending the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.God save us!
Dontoverreact,
You stated that no Pope has taught heresy as a dogma of the Church. That is certainly true. However, as you must be aware, ex cathedra statements from the Roman Pontiff are extremely rare. During the majority of time, Popes exercise the ordinary magisterium (which ideally corresponds with the ordinary universal magisterium) during their papacies. If you concede that Popes may teach heresy as long as such heresy is not dogma, you are conceding that Popes may mislead the faithful and distort the doctrine of the Church throughout their papacies. This is a dangerous admission, which calls into question the integrity of the Catholic religion. Are you sure you want to admit this possibility?
Dontoverreact! said:
“Anger, spite, sarcasm, defensiveness, blind [opposition] to anyone who [defends] the TLM, jumping to conclusions…
Long Skirts said:
“This animal is very wicked
When attacked it defends”
Dontoverreact!
“Long skirts”. You just proved my point”
No, I just showed how you attack us with calling us “spiteful…blind” etc., and when we defend Holy Mother Church and the Faith we’re considered bad Catholics.
” Bishop Olson is right to reign in Fisher More before they get too far gone and become another St. Mary’s (SSPX). God forbid!
If and when this were to ever have happened, THEN it would have been appropriate to come to this harsh and rash decision. Perhaps they were “crypto-lefebvrite”? like others so they say????
Getthefacts:
“That is very clear…VERY CLEAR…but it seems many here and elsewhere across the reactionary “traditional Catholic” blogosphere have forgotten this rather poignant stipulation to the Summa Pontificum. Giving lip service to the Holy Father (as the SSPX do and Fr. Gruner, Vennari, Ferrara, et. al, the “recognize and resist” camp) does not count. Rome’s not buying, Bishop Olson apparently is not buying it, and neither do I. Bishop Olson is right to reign in Fisher More before they get too far gone and become another St. Mary’s (SSPX). God forbid!”
What Bishop Olson unequivocally does *not* have the authority to do is suppress a Mass that is the RIGHT of every priest to say. Not a privilege, not an exception. A RIGHT.
Quo Primum provided for it. Summorum Pontificum confirmed it. The ancient rite of the Church has *never been abrogated*. That means for any priest of the Roman Rite, he has the irrepressible ability to celebrate the TLM by jurisdiction and in virtue of his priesthood.
For the record, though, let’s take a look at the official position of the school administration, found in a letter that went to parents and families of FMA earlier this month:
“In our residential College community, we have students from SSPX families, FSSP families, families who attend both forms of the Roman Rite, and families who attend only the Novus Ordo. Likewise, we attract supporters from across a similar Catholic spectrum, some of whom have been extremely generous with their time and resources in promoting our cause. We welcome all Catholics who want to be part of our community, but we also make it clear that our mission is very specific. In other words, we have made a conscious and deliberate decision that fidelity to the traditions of the Church (Mass, Liturgy, prayers, teachings, doctrines, etc.) is essential to achieving our mission, and we state this clearly in our public documents. Unfortunately, we have come to expect controversy and criticism, but we insist on never disparaging other Catholics. Our intent is to provide an environment that is both spiritually safe and intellectually spirited for our students, and we endeavor to achieve this by promoting a traditional prayer life and teaching eternal Church doctrine. Our faculty and staff may voice their opinions about what they perceive are errors, or question what they believe may be inconsistencies in Church teaching, but we do not bash fellow Catholics. Some of our guest speakers have lectured on controversial topics (e.g., creationism, geo-centrism, liturgical music, the message of Fatima, Church history and doctrine, etc.), but we always want lectures to remain scholarly, respectful, and devoid of inappropriate polemics.
Most importantly, we cherish every one of our students and we appreciate every person who has contributed to our struggling cause. It is unthinkable that we would take action or make statements that reassure some Catholics at the expense of others, especially if some our own students or some of the people who have generously supported our mission are among those we would be expected to disparage. Sadly, it becomes untenable when members of our own community, and even the
clergy, add their voices to the chorus of detractors and contribute to the spread of enmity and discord, particularly when critics are not fully informed and presume to know our motives and intentions. It only intensifies the ugliness and deepens the anguish, two effects with which we have regrettably become quite familiar.
We are not an SSPX apostolate. We are not an FSSP apostolate. We are not a diocesan apostolate. Despite our wishes and best efforts in search of one (based on our belief that a Catholic college apostolate like ours should be led by the clergy and not by laymen), we are not aligned with any religious or priestly order. While we may be naively attempting an impossible balancing act, our continual prayer is simply for the grace to know and execute God’s will. I can assure you that we are and will strive to remain, with God’s grace, joyfully and faithfully Catholic, and we will continue to labor in service of God and His Church until we discern that His will is otherwise.”
If this statement indicates an attitude deserving of discipline, I would like to know why.
Let’s also remember that the Canon Law Center has already released a statement, making clear that according to the law of the Church, the “diocesan bishop no longer has the discretion to permit or restrict the celebration of Mass according to the usus antiquor…”
http://www.cfnews.org/page88/files/img012.jpg
This is an open and shut case. Whatever your concerns about FMA, the suppression of a legitimate celebration of Mass is neither a legitimate exercise of authority or the means to a solution. It is a tactic of oppression, designed to hurt and divide, and to ultimately cause the school — which by its mission attracts traditional Catholics on purpose — to fail.
Sorry, I didn’t know the comment form removed line breaks. That looks like a big, long mess.
I was verging on becoming loyal to the SSPX thanks to this Pope, but now I am convinced it is the only way forward for me now. I’ll be a liberal SSPXer (I still support Eclessia Dei trads) but I can’t see them lasting long. Not under this Pope.
Gethefacts:
You are lying. Father Gruner is NOT suspended. I suggest everyone watch this 3 minute video of this good priest discussing his status as a Catholic priest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xh4-6muhoA
Call Bishop Olsen and voice your opinion, perhaps if enough of us speak out, we can win one battle in the war to come; Diocese of Fort Worth, Office of the Bishop; 817.560.3300.
The obvious question here is: Why is it that the Novus Ordo is never seen by a bishop as a threat to the faithful’s soul? I smell some of Satan’s smoke coming from Fort Worth, TX. God bless Fisher More College! St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher Pray for us!
Father Gruner who’s sole crime is the message of fatima is the enemy, cardinal Madariaga is one if the popes top advisors. The conciliar poison has to be so intoxicating if you can’t see satan’s face.
I don’t think you need the Rosetta Stone to understand that , “I make these norms out of my pastoral solicitude and care for the students of Fisher-More as well as for your own soul,” translates into, “Your school has drifted in a Crypto-Lefebvrian, always traditionalist direction,” which in-turn translates into, “Fee! Fie! Foe! Fum! I smell the blood of the SSPX, so make like a tree and get out of here.”
Getthefacts and Dontoverreact, while you may have a potentially valid point of concern, if you are both as sincere as you say you are, then you should answer the following:
1) When has the FMC administration ever officially declared that Novus Ordo is invalid or illegitimate?
2) What part of the FMC administration’s official position letter to parents, posted here by Steve Skojec, in any way states that Novus Ordo is invalid or illegitimate?
3) Which organization does FMC officially belong to or give direct support to that officially declares that Novus Ordo is invalid or illegitimate?
Blessed are they when they are reviled and persecuted.
Sad when they’re Bishop is the one persecuting them. We young people just want to be Catholics, in the same sense and in the same way we always were. If we are hated for it, so be it! It’s already enough the Vicar of Christ thinks I, and all traditional Catholic young people, are Tridentine “addicts” and need to be helped. Is it a coincidence that the Bishop of Fort Worth was recently appointed by the Pope? Just asking.
We must defend the True Mass against these enemies of the Church! We must stand up for the Mass and defend it with our life! THAT Mass is the only reason this world hasn’t been engulfed in flames by now. THAT Mass is the center of our Religion and everything good in the Church of God. THAT Mass sanctified generations, made Saints, was said by Popes, Bishops and Priests for generations. And today, look at us. Look at us. Those who are faithful to the True Church and the True Mass are persecuted by those who should be willing to die for the very Faith we’re clinging to.
I say to all young people like me, make a “mess!” It’s time to stand up for the truth and be heard! We are either on the side of God or of the devil, with the Church of man or the Church of God.
Pray for the restoration of the Catholic Church and for the coming of the Angelic Pope. The victory is Our Lady’s. Let’s first show her we are worthy of the victory by fighting for the True Faith.
@RorateCaeli There were 3 TLM chaplains @ Fisher-More:2 FSSP; 3rd Frs. of Mercy, all approved by prior bishop.Bloggers saying otherwise are telling lies. Me: If that’s the case, then this suppression is downright wicked.
Hey, don’toverreact. You say that Fisher-More is “disloyal” to the Pope. Well, considering the fact that Francis the Humble is about to overturn Catholic teaching on divorce and remarriage, and has shown himself to be a bit confused in his theology(ie, calling a Pentecostalist Preacher his “fellow Bishop”), the fact is that Francis is himself disloyal and unfaithful to the 2,000 year old patrimony bequeathed him to by his predecessors. But no big deal, right? Because what the Faith constitutes is what the Pope decides it to be today. And we must obey, at all costs. And then when the next Pope is elected, we’ll adapt his policies and personal philosophy as the Faith. And so on and so on. Because that’s all that Catholicism is about, right?
It would be funny if the consequences weren’t so tragic.
Can’t help but wonder if one of those previous donors who bailed when the college took its strong traditional stand wrote a “letter of concern” or something like to the bishop. He didn’t even bother to visit; there’s something more to this, that smells something like a rat.
From someone who actually lives in the area and knows what is happening.
http://veneremurcernui.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/fisher-more-denied-ability-to-offer-tlm/#comments
Rorate Caeli blog is the true “scandal” here and all those who jumped on this story without knowing all the facts.
Getthefacts, how about we start having a serious disciplined examination of the facts, if you want to seriously engage the subject here.
What are the answers to my three questions? Specifics, not generalized innuendo about a college, its administration and/or its president?
And then Charlemagne gets to the heart of the matter. Does our faith have objective authoritative content? Or does it consist of nothing standard or normative other than whatever the current pope, or most recent handful of popes, likes, believes, teaches, affirms, and upholds?
Facts, truth, and specific answers, Getthefacts. We await your replies.
Lisamck…
Lololololol!
How very transparent!
Soooo…. the facts appear to be, that if you don’t agree with elements of VII or the chaos the ensued, then you will have the TLM stripped from you and be forced to celebrate a NO , as punishment. Does this sum it up? First the FFI and now this college, who’s next to dare to step out of line?
Bishop Olson grew up in Fort Worth and has served for a very long time in the Fort Worth Diocese. He has had quite a while to be aware of and to think about the stated Mission of FMC, having served under the previous Bishop there (who clearly approved of the college and those priest appointed to serve on its campus). Apparently, there must have been some conflict of opinion between the two regarding the philosophy and actions of the college leadership for Bishop Olson to have move so quickly following his ordination. It must have been brewing for quite some time….at least in the mind of Bishop Olson. Obviously he has not approved of FMC nor its Mission for a while now, but did not have episcopal authority to make his move in suppressing the school. Now that he is Bishop, he erroneously believes he has the power to banish Christ from the chapel of the college, and abrogate the right of the faithful from celebrating the Mass of the Ages. These are dark days indeed.
Thank you, GobblerGirl. I called right away to lodge my complaint.————————And Steve Skojec, your post was legible. Sometimes the blog sites don’t let us appear as clear as we attempt to be.———————————————————As for the critics here, it simply needs eplaining: how can a bishop tell a priest he may not celebrate Mass in any form? He is overstepping his authority.
What Bishop Olson unequivocally does *not* have the authority to do is suppress a Mass that is the RIGHT of every priest to say. Not a privilege, not an exception. A RIGHT.
Quo Primum provided for it. Summorum Pontificum confirmed it. The ancient rite of the Church has *never been abrogated*. That means for any priest of the Roman Rite, he has the irrepressible ability to celebrate the TLM by jurisdiction and in virtue of his priesthood
If I am reading Olson right, he suppressed the PUBLIC celebration of the TLM. Does SP address public celebration? Anyway, a bit telling that even a liberal NO bishop concedes the NO Mass is a form of punishment. HA HA!
May the scandal that this bishop pursues, follow him all the rest of his days, for as he scandalizes many with his nonsense, and ignorance by choice rather than by acquired knowledge, may his skull be one of many which pave the way to hell. For he errors and creates a Monstrous scandal to those souls who would otherwise have a chance to obtain the beatific vision.
TT, overreact, getthefocts; are you here to advance truth? save souls? make like-minded friends? or simply to push an agenda? if the latter, it’s getting bloody boring – I think you might be happier visiting CMTV where there’s no permission to be confused about any deliberate confusers. Now that CMTV have infallibility – you might feel more comfortable over there where you don’t have to seek, ask, and knock, but just sit there and eat it all up without question and count yourselves amongst the infallible. Just a suggestion knowing absolutely nothing about you and what your motives are. Now if you were famous like say a bishop or a pope, I might have more to say on the matter.
Olson utter contempt for the Papal Law, Summorum Pontificum, puts in doubt his unity with the Apostolic See…from the moment he signed the letter of contempt, he is canonically subject to suspicion for heresy and schism…
@saluto: Why am I here? Good question.
– About once every decade, a huge sedevacantist wave comes along and washes away many recognize & resist (r&r) traditionalists. In the past these waves have struck suddenly and what would seem unpredictably.
– This time, for those like myself who have been trad for several decades, the coming wave is much more predictable than in the past. The last major wave struck from 2005-2006, meaning we are about due for the next one. The current R&R and R&R-sympathetic culture is such that John Paul II’s canonization is a traddy tinderbox waiting to happen. After all, John Paul II is the individual most responsible for implementing Vatican II in the Church, even more than John XXIII or Paul VI.
– Probably the biggest supporter of John Paul II’s canonization is his successor Benedict XVI. Do not be surprised if Benedict is present and/or plays a major role at John Paul II’s canonization ceremony. This poses some very interesting questions for those trads leaning toward sedebenedictplenism (both hard and soft) as a way of avoiding the sedevacantist question.
– For reasons I would not expect newbie or doctrinal R&R trads like yourself to grasp – basically, you folks tend to be high on anger and enthusiasm, but low on experience and recognizing the ‘realpolitik’ of traditionalism – Louie and this blog have been selected by some of us old-timers as most likely to flip to sedevacantism during the next wave. He is just the right mix of Gerry Matatics, Mario Derksen, and Michael & Cindy Cain. Among our particular pool, opinions range from six months from now to the next three years.
– Obviously, as a doctrinaire R&R supporter, you will disagree with this assessment. That’s understandable. In fact it is typical for those who share your enthusiasm for R&R before the reality of time and experience hit. But reality will hit eventually. This time, instead of being caught by surprise, I will be here watching it, hoping to learn from its lesson so that I and other ‘old timers’ can better prepare the next generation in the decade before the next wave hits.
– My questions are sarcastic because they reflect the cynicism that has set in after several decades of fighting this same battle and mostly watching its most enthusiastic warriors be swept away by their own enthusiasm.
– My questions are pointedly confrontational because this is what allows me to sift among the younger trad generations. Some have given careful thought to their positions; most are simply parroting the political correctness of the trad media industry, an industry that has a vested interest in avoiding real discussion about uncomfortable issues, and likely will be caught flat-footed (again!) with the next wave of sedevacantism.
P.S. saluto – When one has been a traditionalist as long as I have and seen so many of its promising young champions come and go (often suddenly, sometimes predictably), what questions its young enthusiastic proponents avoid or express outrage over usually yields more intelligence than the questions they jump at to answer.
In this case, it is clear that few R&R trads on this board have given serious thought to what Francis’ canonization of John Paul II will mean for R&R traditionalists in terms of the Church’s recognition of Vatican II, its implementation (particularly the Novus Ordo) and the popes who let its implementation.
*sigh* Yes, this sounds like persecution of the TLM. It proves that how we pray is how we believe is how we live. I don’t care what is happening at FM; is the answer to take away the Mass of Ages? Have a meeting for goodness sake. I’d also like to see any Bishop “inflict” the TLM on anyone…for that is what the NO is…an affliction. That said, this is also an opportunity to grow in sanctity. Remember the spiritual works of mercy? “Bear wrongs patiently. Forgive offenses willingly.” Yes, we are to admonish sinners too…but don’t forget those other ones. Don’t let the enemy take our joy and peace and trust in the Lord. We are to rejoice in persecution! God bless~
P.S. And there is NOTHING wrong with calling out the heretical garbage in V2…it is what every true Catholic should do. That will be our martyrdom…calling out the errors of V2 and the resulting destruction from them by Popes all the way down to laity. God bless~
@MMC – If V2 is heretical garbage, as you claim, why are you and other supporters of FM college seem so upset about losing the support of the V2 bishop in whose diocese the college is located?
A reading from St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church, on discernment of inspiration of the Holy Spirit and inspirations that are not of God:
“On the contrary, the evil spirit is turbulent, rough, disturbing; and those who follow infernal suggestions, thinking that they are heavenly inspirations, as a rule are easily identified, because they are loud, headstrong, proud, ready to undertake or meddle in all kinds of business, men who under the pretext of zeal turn everything upside down, censure everyone, scold everyone, find fault with everything; they are people who will not be directed, will not give in to everyone, will not put up with anything, but gratify the passions of self-love under the name of concern for God’s honor.”
@Dontoverreact!
Thank you for a wonderfully refreshing laugh.
I read your quote from St. Francis de Sales without noting who had written it and I immediately thought, “How did St. Francis anticipate Pope Francis so accurately?”
I have not quite read through this whole thread, so perhaps my comment here has already been addressed- and I am late to this thread at that. But in response to Getthefacts—
Has FMC declared either that the new mass is invalid or the Pope is not the Supreme Pastor of the church?
A quick search tells me that “Jan 15, 2014 – Pope Francis has appointed Msgr. Michael Olson.”
These are the new “young bishops” we can look forward to. They had to get Cardinal Burke out of the decision making process. The masonic suppression of the Faith continues. God help us.
FMC has had a faculty lecturer declare in a mandatory lecture to the whole student body that “it is an dangerous standpoint for Catholics to say that they accept the II Vatican Council with the exception of those passages that contradict traditional Catholic teaching. There are so many passages that contradict traditional teaching that I would argue that it is of the greatest importance to entirely reject the II Vatican Council”. (Among other things…Find the link to Dr. Dudley’s lecture on their website.) This would certainly raise red flags with the bishop.
Also of note, they cannot seem to keep a residential chaplain. If you look on their website you will notice that the longest time a chaplain in residence has stayed is 9 months! Visiting priests have visited longer…but they will see less of the campus life. Most recently, Fr. Orlowski left after only 5 months. The fraternity offered a residential chaplain for only 7 months before reassigning him. It is HIGHLY unusual for orders to reassign priests so quickly…and it’s been a continuing occurrence there at FMC. Bishop Olson probably knows what caused these orders to pull out since they must have been in contact with him about moving priests around in his diocese.
Anyway, don’t so quickly conclude that the Bishop hates the TLM. He clearly knows more than we do…and likely more than we ever will since I doubt any of the chaplains will publicize their experiences. Maybe he could have acted differently; maybe he should have; but it’s clear he needed to act and this is what was done.
Instead of getting up in arms about it let’s hope the FMC administration works with the Bishop to find a solution that brings the TLM back to the campus.