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Servimus unum Deum - Latin Mass Altar Serving and Related Matters in the Toronto Archdiocese
Blog started by a Solemn Latin Mass altar server who does EF/TLMs in the Archdiocese of Toronto under lay- initiative organizations. Also, now apparently, a Catholic Apolgist to some.
Fall 2014 Latin Mass Special Offerings, SEE HERE!
- Sources of Information for Special Offerings Latin Mass Listings
- COLLECTION OF MY LATIN MASS QUESTION AND ANSWER POSTS AND ALTAR SERVING POSTS
- The Liguorian Reflection Series on Many Ascetical Works
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- LONG TERM PROJECT: Vatican II Reading and Countering with the Actual Documents, AND YOU CAN HELP!!!
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St. James Catholic Church 1st Saturday Vigil Latin Novus Ordo Masses Have Resumed!!!!!
Wednesday, 4 August 2021
Traditionis Custodes Part 2: Analysis and commentary of Paragraphs 5-8
Wednesday, 21 July 2021
Traditionis Custodes Part 1: Analysis and commentary of Paragraphs 1-4 Including sub-paragraphs
Hello everyone,
§ 1. is to determine that these groups do not deny the validity and the legitimacy of the liturgical reform, dictated by Vatican Council II and the Magisterium of the Supreme Pontiffs;”
Now this is where I say good show Francis! Too many clergy and lay leaders exist, despite being more of a minority, who are poisoning from other laity and clergy, especially youth under 40, with radical Traditonalist garbage! Even Pope Benedict Emeritus XVI made it clear to respect both the EF and OF in Article 1 of SP. If these groups or at the very least the leaders (both clergy and laymen down to little Timmy the torchbearer, though little Timmy is just parroting what his parents, friends, older adults and priests are teaching him,) are becoming weapons of schism, that Latin Mass is truly a weapon against the Church, the Holy Father, and the eternal salvation of the souls within.
Even sadder, this has morphed into a hideous monster with former President Donald Trump applauding now disgraced (in terms of credibility) Archbishop Vigano in the USA, prior to the 2020 election, adding right wing political extremism to the radical Traditonalism of Latin Massers who idolized Vigano.
In short thank God the Church via Francis has given bishops greater ability to protect younger lay faithful from these evil leaders.
However …. That being said, what if a bishop’s outlook is liberal to the extreme? Will he not allow even the modest “The Latin mass draws me closer with tradition, symbolism …” etc should he be conducting a witch-hunt in his eccleastical “kangaroo court,” looking for any reason to cancel a Latin Mass or a priest? Abuse of power and clericalism, the very things Francis abhors, now can be used against honest lay faithful and priests attached or doing the EF.
“ § 2. is to designate one or more locations where the faithful adherents of these groups may gather for the eucharistic celebration (not however in the parochial churches and without the erection of new personal parishes);”
Now this is where I find His Holiness’ restriction to be somewhat cruel to the faithful and good priests who do/attend the Latin Mass. Mr Liberal bishop will see this and say, YES! Now i can kick those scumbags out of my diocesan parishes and give them nothing! No altar, no liturgical items or vestments, no mass. Sadly there will be bishops who will take this to the extreme and force the faithful out of ANY place with an altar. And in more rural dioceses, there may be no legitimate Catholic chapels OR monasteries/Nun’s convents to have the EF. So where does Fr Latin Mass do the Mass? Someone’s kitchen table? A Garage? A log in a forest (Ironically speaking this HAS been done before in Canada with the Novus Ordo by Jesuits associated with the centre in Guelph, ON. See here.) Actually it could be said reverently outdoors, see here at The New Liturgical Movement website [personal edit: in an ironic silver lining looks like he will be increasing business and the demand for personal/portable carry altars like these ones!]
Not only does this denigrate the faithful attending the mass, but this is only possible IF the group/priest has their/his own liturgicals and/or vestments. Further this will drive these faithful underground and separate them from the regular Church which is the OPPOSITE of what T.C. and it’s accompanying letter implies. And where else will they go?The SSPX! This will further make the faithful hate the Church, Francis, and the ordinary Form Mass/liturgy and oh yeah, likely damn them to self-schism and eternal hellfire, taking their families too if they have kids and raise them in that environment. Not to mention these Good traditionalists (and bad ones too) will not be giving their hard-earned coin back into the coffers of the Catholic Church and the poor.
Is there any good here in this subsection? Yes. Reasonable bishops who take the time to evaluate this situation, and/or do not have a plethora of groups can control the dispersion of the Latin Mass, and/or, if said infrastructure (with or without EF specific chaplain) is in place, they can simply let what is established remain, and improve or create the infrastructure to what was once loosely based single offerings/groups here and there …. While adhering to subsection 1.
“ § 3. to establish at the designated locations the days on which eucharistic celebrations are permitted using the Roman Missal promulgated by Saint John XXIII in 1962. [7] In these celebrations the readings are proclaimed in the vernacular language, using translations of the Sacred Scripture approved for liturgical use by the respective Episcopal Conferences;”
OK …. This is a little much to peer at for this layman. Now, likely by “Eucharistic celebrations” this refers to the Mass (re: EF liturgy.) My guess of the basic interpretation, is that the bishop controls which feast days in the Latin Mass Calendar the said designated locations/sites/ offerings can have the Latin Mass. Unfortunately it seems that the bishop interpreting the clause will determine how often the Latin Mass gets said in a particular diocese. This could be anything from only 1st class feast days at the least, to daily and Sunday obligation Masses including Christmas and the Triduum if the Bishop is lenient or sympathetic to an already established community.
Now, the sentence about the readings in the vernacular? This was not thought out well. You ABSOLUTELY cannot perform ANY liturgy of any rite in the Church without reading the prescribed parts. Now if an option is permitted in any liturgy by the Church (e.g. the utterly lazy options in Scripture in the Novus Ordo to shorten them, choice of Eucharistic Prayers, choice of response to “the mystery of Faith” …) that’s fine, but in the Latin Mass there is NO option. The readings MUST be read in Latin. Not only would it be a distraction to have English readings of Scripture ONLY vs the Latin of the rest of the Mass, how would one apply the tones of chanting to reading English Scripture in the Missa Cantata and Higher? Obviously what must be done NOT to invalidate the Liturgy is to say the reading in Latin first as prescribed and then say the English translation after the Gospel (and Incensing post-Gospel in higher levels).
Sadly this could lead to liturgical policemen for dioceses reporting to their liberal bishops and allow them to wield TC as a weapon to shut it down, lacking any common sense. Stupidity at its finest and somehow I doubt Pope Francis would be that stupid to make something like this. I smell another member of the Curia in this with no understanding of the Latin Mass.
“ § 4. to appoint a priest who, as delegate of the bishop, is entrusted with these celebrations and with the pastoral care of these groups of the faithful. This priest should be suited for this responsibility, skilled in the use of the Missale Romanum antecedent to the reform of 1970, possess a knowledge of the Latin language sufficient for a thorough comprehension of the rubrics and liturgical texts, and be animated by a lively pastoral charity and by a sense of ecclesial communion. This priest should have at heart not only the correct celebration of the liturgy, but also the pastoral and spiritual care of the faithful;”
While an imperfect analogy it’s basic concepts ALSO apply to worship in the church. It’s main goal is to SERVE people. Now, while there is much that can be argued about the poor implementation of the Novus Ordo Mass, especially after the 1970/MR 2nd revision combined with post-conciliar liturgy documents, regardless bishop MUST be prudent (not just as a personal virtue) in how they are to serve the faithful best and WITNESS to those outside the Church, with the liturgy/worship as a primary means. So at its base level, a bishop has to determine whether it should use its limited resources (eg its parishes and priests) to hold Latin Mass, based on the demand in their diocese.
§ 6. to take care not to authorize the establishment of new groups.
Friday, 16 July 2021
It Happened. New Motu Proprio by Francis on Regulating the Latin Mass
So …… it happened. For once the rumour mill was right:
https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2021/07/16/0469/01014.html#ingM
I’ll read it as I get break time at work and after ….. but a cursory read through …. Does not look good for Traditonalists as a whole.
More to come ….. Sancte Michele, Ora Pro Nobis.
Wednesday, 14 July 2021
Thoughts on the Supposed (Dreaded?) Document (Possibly) Restricting Summorum Pontificum
(From the 2005 Disney Movie, Chicken Little, Source:https://biggerpieforum.org/health-care/chicken-little-is-wrong-again/ )
Hello Everyone,
Just a quick post asking for prayers and to let you all know I’m alive and doing ok, working full time and raising now TWO kids with my wife. Just had her in January this year and she’s blessed and happy.
So, there are somewhat plausible rumours going around on the Radical Traditionalist (and borderline) websites that apparently, Pope Francis or the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) under which Latin Mass matters got moved to, with His Holiness’ approval, will be replacing Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s Summorum Pontificum with a document that will restrict the Latin Mass/Extraordinary Form to some degree.
It appears that this is the result of a questionnaire sent to dioceses back in 2020 regarding the Latin Mass. Other blogs go into speculation and try to make the codex of things prelates and Pope Francis has said fit their narrative too, but can't be relied upon. I tried to fill out the 2020 survey myself but it was a heavy endeavour, needing at least an hour to complete and I couldn’t afford that on my 45 minute lunch break, where I had to respect my colleagues coverage to allow my meal.
Sadly, the radical Traditionalist sites are predicting that these restrictions are negative. However we cannot trust these sites blindly as (1) they do NOT cite their sources as to where they are getting their information from, (2) those sites are often anti-Francis and anti-Novus Ordo/regular Church culture (to the point of hatred and the spiritually deadly sin of Pride) and (3) other more reputable or trustworthy information sites including the Vatican’s own news.va are NOT corroborating with said reports, leaving the information of doubt and highly biased.
Now, the sites are predicting this Friday, July 16, 2021 is when said restrictive document will be publicly released. And what if it is true? Well, one must first read the document in whole to see what the restrictions are. Also, perhaps it is just a foolish rumour based on a statement of one Curia member taken too far and NO such document exists. Guess one will have to wait and see that day, possibly late Thursday night as Rome is many times zones ahead of E.S.T. here in Toronto.
One thing we can be sure of, it will NOT be a total ban on the EF. One thing Pope Francis is NOT, is stupid politically speaking. As a Jesuit he is particularly capable of being a politician in the Church (institutionally speaking) and he wouldn’t be so stupid as to kill the Latin Mass sparking a war amongst the faithful and his priests. This is especially so pertaining to the United States; Francis would be cognoscente of the wealth of the USA, and also the sizeable, gradually growing dissent on the right tied to Trump/right-wing politics. The Church would be sufficiently damaged in terms of charitable funds coming from the USA as the EF ban in full would be the fire to light the powder keg of these spiritually corrupting forces.
What if it was strictly controlled by the bishops again? Well, that depends on the diocese. This might be the case of what the document would do, knocking it back to 1988 indult status. I personally wouldn’t agree with this as some dioceses have good level headed bishops, others would abuse this law to punish the good Trads with the bad.
Now were that scenario of bishop-controlled Latin Masses or approval required to be here in Toronto, I foresee that at least with the contacts I am with, there would be reasonable ability to continue with the EF as long as ++Collins is in charge. Other parties, I cannot speak for. Mind you we have a chaplain for the Latin Mass in our Archdiocese so it might be just left as it is, with no interference from the chancery office.
And what if the EF is abolished and I cannot serve another Latin Mass until someone overturns Francis? Well, I might pursue other opportunity at my local parish in the Novus Ordo, in discussion with my pastor, but that would be as my children become older and not need as much of my help. If the extreme scenario occurs, what I will NOT do, and I implore you NOT to do, is go the way of Satan and rebel against God, by fleeing to the SSPX who are anti-Novus Ordo, Anti-Francis, rife with the potential for yourself and your family to become schismatic in attitude, and thus separated from Holy Mother Church. They also have not been immune to sexual abuse scandals and cover-ups, as Michael Voris of ChurchMilitantTV (TM) has done his own investigation work and found numerous cases, including lay members, guilty of such charges.
In the meantime let us pray earnestly and honestly that this is either false, or the restrictions have been carefully thought out that they will not infringe on the charity of the lay faithful seeking out the Latin Mass, nor the ability of priests to be trained in the EF, nor the ability to hold offerings in diocesan parishes and chapels in its boundaries.
Sancte Michele, Ora Pro Nobis! Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.
Wednesday, 1 July 2020
Two Notes this Canada Day
Just two brief notes of importance today:
1) It is Canada Day today, the birthday of my sovereign Nation. Happy Birthday Canada, and Happy Canada Day to all of us north of the 44, as they say.
2) On a sadder note, Georg Ratzinger, brother of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, has died today and with greatest of hopes, may he be able to join our Lord in Heaven. Requiescat in Pace.
Pax, Julian.
Tuesday, 21 April 2020
When Radicals Misrepresenting Traditionalism (RMTs) Lose Their Minds: COVID-19 Edition
I’m taking time out of my busy schedule (including being an essential Full Time worker!) to have to call out some unfortunate idiocy which is being peddled out by Radicals Misrepresenting Traditonalists (RMTs,) and insults that have been (maybe) indirectly, but more likely directly, via commentary, launched on another blog I won’t name, against my friends in the Latin Mass and I. I refuse to name the blog as it is still a platform featuring Radical Traditonalist authors, and/or are friends/allies to those RMTs that bitterly hate us so.
Lauding a bishop that opened his churches in his diocese to public Mass? Now? When COVID-19 has NOT DECLINED WORLDWIDE!
My first, partial disappointment is due to a Facebook post on my feed from an acquaintance, whom is cheering on a bishop in the United States in the diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Bishop Baldacchino, (not a Catholic liturgy joke!) who is allowing the Mass to be held once again and opening his parishes' doors. My acquaintance, is showering this bishop with much praise for his actions. This person is not one of my close friends, however they are heavily involved in the Latin Mass community close to where they live. The very fact they are promoting this shows a lemming-like following to the RMT party line, where spiritual selfishness and Novus Ordo Church bashing (via its hierarchy) is de rigeur.Now before you accuse me of not thinking it through, I get that in the States (and also in Canada) there is SOME variance, to approaches to the tackling of the COVID-19, as in Canada, health falls under provincial governance, but at least here most provinces are taking cues from the Federal government and its health experts. These experts are monitoring the situation and communicate with each provincial premier. In addition the Federal officer of Health, Dr. Theresa Tam, has become the literal "face" of this crisis in Canada, doing media briefings and public service announcements in various forms of media. In the States, there is even MORE variability in terms of governance as States in general have even more authority/power to act independently of the Federal government under Trump, which may be a good thing as he has been flippantly ignorant and bullying as a world leader in this crisis.
In my province of Ontario, the issuance is that now, no more than 5 people (excluding large families in a single residence) can be present together, to limit the spread of the virus. Break such rules and the law can mettle out stiff penalties to individuals or businesses/owners of properties who defy medical orders or emergency laws. This is virtually zero-tolerance, even going as low as fining a father $880 CDN who let his kids rollerblade in a public park. Now in the States, it is highly possible individual states are varied as to the numerical limit of people that can congregate together. This also makes sense geographically as more rural areas have a decreased chance of spreading the virus, vs densely populated states/cities. Also some states depending on politics and the size or presence of police forces, may be regulating heavily, or willfully ignoring those who defy such laws.
In terms of New Mexico, I found the following briefings and legal orders on the state government's website as follows: 1) As of Mar 16, 2020, (https://cv.nmhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/031620-DOH-PHO-r.pdf) it did limit gatherings to under 100 people. 2) HOWEVER, as of March 24, 2020, this was issued and additional restrictions were imposed (https://cv.nmhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SignedPHO03-24-2019.pdf) INCLUDING the closing of non-essential businesses, workplaces, etc. Guess what? Religious places of worship DO NOT QUALIFY as an essential service under current civil laws. Now, yes the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 2210 does merit civil disobedience when authorities are truly unjust, but, are we in extreme times of persecution as I will give examples further on? NO! If the virus declines in future will our worship spaces open again? Yes. Finally, the Church ALWAYS has Her mind in interpretation of things and approaches to things of finite nature with the most mercy, including human affairs, and when action must be taken, it is only in extreme circumstances were no other moral/ethical possibility exists.
In spite of that, I would say that this bishop is acting imprudent and anyone championing his actions is to the spiritual and medical detriment of others! Further this bishop is encouraging his priests to defy the medical/civil orders of the state of New Mexico. Does he want the Church to be fined further, and possibly, his priests jailed!!!??? Even in a crisis these whitewashed sepulchres of Pharisees can only think about their spiritual needs and their interpretation of the laws! People who are doing such measures without OBJECTIVE, FACT/MEDICAL based evidence or permission, AND its ardent supporters, are ill in spirit, and need serious examination of Conscience (and a confession, for blatant disregard of life, when we can meet in person w/priests in the confessional again!)
Firstly, what kind of message are you sending to the holy Priests in service the Church by lauding this bishop’s actions? You basically are asking priests to risk their lives needlessly to give us the Sacraments/give into YOUR selfish-spiritual needs. Are we in any kind of crisis scenario or persecution akin to Japan in the latter half of the 2nd millennium, for 200+ years having no priests? Or the Christeros war in the early 1900’s in Mexico were all Catholics were under threat of execution? NO! These are not scenarios where martyrdom is a necessity or a calling for the Church. We still have the freedom to practice religion in most countries in the world. What is happening is a necessary, social/medical practice to STOP needless, unnecessary deaths from happening in the community and the Church at large. Now, you will probably accuse me of being spiritually stupid or not taking the spiritual crisis in the Church with seriousness.
Do you think I would be having a blog devoted to the Latin Mass and/or serving in some capacity (and now, thanks to virtual practice, learning how to sing/read Gregorian chant from my good friends of St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir) if I didn't care? Absolutely not! Yes there is a lot going on spiritually and morally that is sick within Her bosom, but not is not the time to act stupidly and put others at risk!
Secondly, do you think that even if a priest limited his house of worship to a handful of people, he and everyone wore at least surgical masks (newsflash: they are not highly effective for AIRBORNE contaminants. "Gold standard" protection belongs to N95 masks which protects against 95% of airborne particles/contaminants 300 microns and under with Coronavirus being 170 nm (0.17 micrometers,)) and stood the required 6 ft/ 2m apart from each other there is NOT the possibility of still getting infected with COVID-19? Your thinking is wrong. The virus is contact/droplet spreadable. All it takes, potentially, is for one to be in the same airspace close to a person who sneezes or coughs, even talks as spit particles a.k.a “droplets” not visible to the naked eye, and you can get the virus via contact, or the droplets going into your un-protected eyes. I can tell you that the Church is NOT supplying N95s and/or face-shields to all its clergy. Single-person doorways, hallways, bathrooms, and small narthexes also come to mind here. Let it be also stated, not everyone is masking themselves, or has access/capability to make homemade masks. Also, humans are prone to touching themselves, even subconsciously. All it takes is father to have touched his contaminated mask surface (or yourself) before taking it off, then touch his/your naked skin or rub your eyes and voila! ILLNESS!
While we are at it, what if a homeless person wanders off the street and in their stupor (because in Ontario, government foolishly let LCBO stores still run for the alcohol addicts,) or disregard, parks himself on one of the pews or goes to other areas of the parish with NO protection, and is ASYMPTOMATIC but carrying COVID-19, yet to break out into fever, sweats, etc.? Unless Fr and his custodial staff disinfect EVERY public area after each Mass thoroughly after all people leave, you are creating a potential ground of illness for Father and his parishioners! Speaking of that homeless person, or asymptomatic carriers, if they touch a surface and leave the virus on them, according to this screen graphic, the virus can still linger on certain surfaces, up to 3 days! (source: https://www.fox17online.com/news/coronavirus/how-long-does-a-coronavirus-live-on-common-surfaces)
![items.[0].image.alt](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5a094ea/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1280x720+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fewscripps.brightspotcdn.com%2F62%2F27%2F809fff574fb1ae593c62fa5384d7%2Fchart-how-long-does-covid-19-live-on-common-surfaces.png)
Most of our parishes, sadly, aren't decorated anymore with materials such as high quality metals, including brass, which is the most viral-repulsive material giving the virus a mere 4 hrs to live before it is inactive or molecularly deteriorates. Common materials persist (with credit to the false "spirit" of Vatican II liturgical "wreck-o-vation"), such as wood, drywall/plaster, concrete, etc, ALL having longer lifespans for the virus over brass. If you look at this chart, the worst offenders are, GASP! PAPER AND WOOD AT 4-5 days! Even if many pews are lacquered, many churches' pews are worn down or NOT lacquered at all. All it takes is for poor Father to run his hands along that surface, itch his nose or breath near his contaminated hand, and potentially that's another one of Christ's Alter Christi DEAD! One less person who can administer the Sacraments.
Finally, do you think that you are safer in the community, or a hospital with a COVID-19 test center? If you guessed the community, you are WRONG! I can vouch for this personally as I work in a health care career. While I will NOT disclose my workplace as I have in past been harassed and/or threatened with lawsuit by one of my enemies (through my then, pastor of my parish at the time,) I will say that I am more safer than the general population. See here, for example, of a grocery store chain where a particular store was hit TWICE with COVID-19 positive workers, resulting in shutdown of the store, and the 2nd time two stores had to be shut down in the area. As for my workplace, we screen everyone, employee or patient, at both entrances, and send them to the COVID-19 assessment centre or nearby emergency room (ER) for ANY noted symptom to get swabs of their sinuses for PCR testing of COVID-19. Other clinics/areas are pre-screening patients and any symptom means self-isolation/re-booking appointments at least 2 weeks later. Also we have access to a supply of at least one mask per employee per day, hand sanitizer, medical gloves, and anti-virus/virucidal sanitization wipes of MEDICAL GRADE. Considering even one of those items is hard to access as the general population and of short supply, how safe do you think you are outside of essential service or medical workplaces?
So, after all that, if one has ANY rational or logical ability to think, is it at all sane or reasonable for a bishop such as +Baldacchino to open their parishes and allow gatherings of even a few select people, and create a potential scenario for disaster, such as our nursing homes? What if in your diocese, your bishop opened the churches before COVID-19 was declared reduced or null, and your self and/or your young childen, and/or your grandparents got sick because they went to Mass, even with the utmost precaution? Any usual person save those with a euthanasia mindset would likely EXPLODE at the bishop and the Catholic Church for allowing your kid/your relative to die and expose them to the Virus. Anyone up for a damages lawsuit akin to those for sexual abuse scandals that would close parishes/dioceses due to financial bankruptcy? Do YOU even care if others die from the Virus?
Oh, and for you young RMTs of 20-40 years old, don't think the virus can NOT kill you at your age. IT CAN! If you are lucky enough to have a pre-disposition in your immune system you don't know about, or it compounds onto a medical condition you didn't know, or you just get "overwhelmed" due to its symptoms and your body shuts down, IT CAN KILL YOU! Youth is NOT a guarantee of survival. This virus discriminates against no-one and doesn't care if you can chant the Dies Irae in perfect tone at Solemn requiem Latin Masses, or blog on the Internet.
Also, should you be fortunate enough to be in "good health," this virus can still place you in an intensive care/inpatient ward in a hospital for MORE THAN 14 DAYS! Here is a young 28 year old male athlete, who was training for the 2020 Olympics as a martial artist in Karate. This 4 minute video gives you just some snapshots what his daily life was like in the hospital after contracting COVID-19. Yes you can say, "He is doing strenuous exercise in the video" but that's not the point! The point is even healthy members of the population can end up in a hospital, and this young man is BLESSED because he is in peak condition physically as an athlete, which helped him not be in worse shape health wise, even allowing him to do some exercise physically. Most men and women are NOT professional athletes in the Church. Should a regular member like yourself of the population get sick, I can say with confidence you would likely NOT be doing any physical activity on the floor of your patient room. You'd likely be a lot worse off than him.
Detraction/Slander of My friends of St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir and likely, I again ....
As for my second point of contention, it is truly sad that even in this time of crisis, armchair theologians/RMTs with keyboards seem to still want to personally attack, or detract from the characters of my allies and I in the Latin Mass community, with smug superiority in their hearts. Those people should follow the maxim, "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all."Personally I do keep a watch on those who attack us, and/or my allies, for the sake of monitoring behavior, as well as documentation should things come down to ecclesial/legal matters. Also, their behaviors are the very reason that the Latin Mass has reached stalling points in our Archdiocese of Toronto to grow and proliferate beyond its initial flourish post-Summorum Pontificum in the last decade.
On a local blog, where the main bloggers are involved partially, or are, allies/friends to those who hate and revile St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir (SPGC) and I, one of them decided to dig deep into their spiritual hate bin and pull out old gripes about certain behaviours. What did one blogger decide to take a stab at us with? First the listing of clericals and/or main persons in the liturgy including name of the choir in promotional posters or the liturgical booklets printed for Masses. Second, to take a stab at altar servers who pose in front of altars. Not only did they do so, they did it as a comment, not naming any party in particular. Talk about cowardice. They even had the gall to name it part of "liturgical tourism."
Regardless of not naming parties, the Internet IS a public forum in Canada. I have freedom of speech to offer criticism, and so I choose, and to defend my friends and I whose names and character are still attacked by these misguided souls to this day.
On the naming of ministers and the choir, first of all, it is appropriate to indicate whether a Mass is being held by the parish itself/organized by the parish and/or pastor itself, or being done by outside parties. It is only right to credit the right people for organizing these liturgies and all the hard work placed into it. It would be foolish to lead on innocent laity into a false assumption that parish x or Father Y is "Traditional" and responsible for the Mass, only for said Traditionalist to be mistaken and shocked when said parish and choir are regular Novus Ordo. It is appropriate to let people know who is doing what so they know where to go/which Father to go to for their spiritual Latin Mass needs.
Further, do not the clergy, choirs, and even altar servers, who bravely allow the EF to happen in this spiritual climate of anti-Traditonalism/anti-Latin Mass deserve respect and even, gasp, WANT people to come to the EF offerings? It also works both ways. If we cannot name ourselves or our clergy, neither can this blogger's allies/friends whom they support. If we cannot make ourselves known, neither can they. Also, when the Latin Mass loses avenues of promotion, all parties in the Church loses people who would have otherwise grown deeper in their Catholic Faith and maybe been SAVED via the Latin Mass. Funny, I thought Trads, even RMTs, wanted souls to become full blown Traddies attending the EF? Guess I was wrong. While the naming of parties is a small nit picky detail, it does go in-part in promoting the EF.
Oh, and SPGC only stopped because one or more of the blogger's friends/allies/fanboys and/or fangirls harassed the choirmaster by email about it. The blogger might have not "entered the scene" at that time, but regardless SPGC knows who the main culprits are. That means bullying forced them into it, and BULLYING IS A SIN! Do you think they honestly stopped that for anyone’s good or by someone’s logic and reason, secular or spiritually? NO! It was a silencing tactic.
Further, the blogger's logic is faulty, because SPGC does these Masses in diocesan parishes, with the approval of, and in some cases such as St. Mary's Polish Church (Davenport,) the actual participation of, its clergy who DO the Latin Masses, in order to do said offerings of the Mass. While not all these Masses are at their usual time slots, these have been according to the EF calendar of the Latin Rite. They are not "Extra." Further, is it not a general principle that is touted in "Trad-land," that the exemplar of the Latin Mass is the Pontifical Latin Mass, and that whenever possible for MAJOR EF feasts, the highest level of feast is done so as to follow said example?
As a final kicker, this critic is guilty of violating his own words. There is actual photographic evidence on the Internet that they HAVE participated in "Liturgical tourism" at the same parish mentioned above in an "extra" offering. See below:
(Taken from the twitter account of his own blog which I will not name, posted from a Mass for the Ascension done May 10, 2018. Face blackened out, as well as the RMT blog, out of charity)
This offering was a Missa Canata, and did gain the assistance of, and internet promotion by, a lay-led organization, or at least it's president and choirmaster, in order to hold the level of the Missa Cantata. To go to extremes of his logic of avoiding "liturgical tourism," it should have not been held because it wasn't at a normal Mass time, or made at the level of a Missa Lecta. Should music have been done, someone from the parish should have been cantor and organist. There is NOT a soul to the best of my knowledge at that parish who CAN do the EF for such a Mass. I guess the Mass shouldn't have been anything more than a music-less Missa Lecta then or not held at all ... too much grand-standing and liturgical pomp then. Maybe we should just settle for the Novus Ordo too while we are at it ...
Based on my arguments above, I dare the blogger to call his close friends' efforts and those priests who have been assisting SPGC and other efforts and parishes, MUTUALLY, be it in past or in present, guilty of such sins of “liturgical tourism” and let me know their replies in writing.
Now to address their second insult. As for the altar servers posing in front of altars for a photo? That hasn’t happened in years! Long before this critic discovered the Latin Mass, I recall when +Boissineau was homilist at a Solemn Mass of approx 500 People was held on Canada Day 2011, organized by SPGC, a picture was taken of the choir and other servers who have been in the “scene” longer than I, (back before when everyone helped each other in the Archdiocese no matter who organized the EF,) who are likely some of this blogger’s current allies/friends, or were at this time, and did so. Despite that a number of the servers from that Mass have reduced or no no longer serve the EF, a picture was taken of the combined clergy, choir members, and servers for that Mass.
However, it is also possible this blogger is more likely pointing the finger at me, or including me anyways. My profile pic on Google+/Blogger is me in front of the altar at St Patrick’s Toronto in 2011, after my first EF Mass, when I was a torchbearer and the servers were plentiful. It was a memory for myself and I did it alone outside of anyone else involved in that Mass:
I haven’t taken a photo in front of a parish altar in years to my best recollection. In addition, the critic has a personal beef with me, since I criticized them a few years ago in a reflection piece on my blog, as symptomatic of a new threat to the EF: Young people with a Radical Traditionalist (read: anti-Novus ordo Church and anti-Francis) mentality, who were NOT the ages of their friends/allies who experienced spiritual/liturgical wreck-o-vation or a truly harmful experience at the hand of a leader in the institutional church, laity or clergy.
So I am not surprised I am being at least indirectly insulted with “word daggers” despite my name not mentioned but lumped with SPGC, or at its worst being directly stabbed with a “literary broadsword” over a simple picture. A truly sad use of one's time in this social/spiritual isolation.
Summary
What both examples of behaviour demonstrates is the following:- these RMTs have blatant disregard for your physical well-being to the extent of their OWN personal spiritual “well-being” (if it can be said to be such, in the most “charitable” terms,) as well as that of our clergy, most of whom are the primary targets by age and overall health for the COVID-19 virus. They abandon all forethought, logic, and scientific/biological evidence or downplay it cause they want their Masses and Sacraments now!
- In RMT world, no one is immune from the least senior altar server to clergy for perceived spiritual/liturgical violations. If you aren’t doing the EF to their standards you are unfit to even be a Traditonalist, which is implied even if not written or spoken directly to you.
- WHY, STILL, the Latin Mass is NOT thriving in dioceses, and/or why clergy including bishops want NOTHING to do with the EF, as these people are the most vindictive souls in the Church. Who needs cliche “angry Protestants” when your own Brother and/or Sister in Christ commits vile sins against you and has no respect for the priestly class unless those priests sing their tune and think like them?
- How even in the stupidest of times, or the most awful of times, they still will find time to snipe at you personally or their chosen target of angst when spiritually, they are experiencing the closest thing they will ever experience to monastery life, or a time un-distracted by the outside world to deepen their spiritual lives in prayer and reading. They shirk developing real holiness and charity and opt for sinning via sins of the mind and word, be it written or otherwise. And they still cannot forgive you for your transgressions, or to even once maybe, consider we are a Communal Body of Christ and abandon the “US vs the New World Order and them, the “Novus Ordo Church,” mentality.
I shouldn’t have to make posts like this but staying silent is being an accessory to the sin of defending the ill will done via silence. And maybe, just maybe, a few minds and hearts will be moved to FINALLY see what is right in all this, and for once promote the EF Liturgy and the Church in a good light, than trying to tear it down from within and it’s people for what .... bragging rights? Knowing you are right and others are wrong?
Since when does being right constitute the Summum Bonum, the Greatest Good, which is God, who came down to us for our Salvation as the Word Made Flesh for our salvation, which we commemorated (albeit virtually for almost all laity,) most recently in the Holy Triduum?
Priorities people, priorities. Perhaps a rosary for everything going on may remind you of the One True Focus ... and if you want to direct it against me like a non-Catholic Christian when they say with emptiness "I'll pray for you," don’t bother praying for me at all. Or, pray with deep meaning in your Heart that one day, as Christ wished, your enemy (me,) and you, may be “United as one” here on Earth and in Heaven.
Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.
Friday, 10 April 2020
COOL ONLINE EF VESPERS FOR HOLY SAT! COURTESY OF SPGC AND I!
EXTRAORDINARY FORM VESPERS!!! TO BE CHANTED THIS SATURDAY, APR 11 @ 6PM on FACEBOOK OF ST. PATRICK'S GREGORIAN CHOIR
Some Internet EF/Chant Resources to Help You During These Times for Holy Week (and after)

- GOOD FRIDAY @ 3PM EST
- HOLY SATURDAY VIGIL @ 7PM
- EASTER SUNDAY @ 10PM