To those who come here, and/or read S.U.D.
Hello and thanks for viewing this blog in past, present, and future.
I think it's only fair that between the involvement I had with the Latin Mass community in the Archdiocese of Toronto, as well as that this blog has been up for a while, I comment on the recent situation in my life. If you've seen the title above, well yes ....
I am pretty much done with the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite for now. Why?
1) Personal Commitments.
Over several months, I have had much change in my life that has made it harder to devote myself to the Extraordinary form of the Roman Rite: Since early September I have been dating a fine young lady who is devoted to her faith, and surprisingly, finds me attractive. I also had a job change to a part time M-F job with rotating 1/2 day shifts. In addition, I've been heavily involved in various ministry in my Novus Ordo parish. I must also say that the preaching is becoming much more consistent and even, conservative with hints of traditional Catholicism to sat the least, and preaching-wise the lines between TLM and Novus Ordo preaching are starting to blur while in my parish.
While I have had much to do with my Novus Ordo parish, I have to admit I have not even been going to the TLM even occasionally. I initially was thinking of alternating between TLM and the regular Novus Ordo parish, but that plan dissipated rather quickly .....
2) Loss of desire due to Radical Traditionalism and other Events in the Church
This whole time, if you haven't noticed between my posts and in my about page as to why I've done this blog, there's been a heavy weight on my heart since entering the realm of Traditional Catholicism. And needless to say, the tumour has infested itself to the point it must be excised from my life spiritually.
On a grand scale in the Church, it's clear that much of the hierarchy, is still, anti-Traditionalist and the Novus Ordo, and it's culture in normal parish life, is here to stay a long time. While gradually more priests and younger ordinandi are shifting back to the center to center right theologically and politically, the TLM is still the "black sheep" of Traditional Catholicism, despite the majority of its laity and adherents being good faithful Catholics to the Church and obedient to the Magisterium and the Churchs' rules and doctrine. Unfortunately, "in the name of Francis", persecution has been rampant on Traditional Catholicism. While there have been solid cases like Fisher More College in the USA for the need to restrict the TLM (and contain the Radical leaders associated with the chapel/college), there have been cases of unjust persecution such as with Una Voce Costa Rica (though more evidence needs to be forthcoming, as to whether Trad Behaving Badly elements played a part in this, or not), and clergy and laity are still not as open to it, despite what Benedict XVI did.
More so, the Catholic blog-o-sphere has become rife with angry, Trads Behaving Badly, who support one another in their efforts, as well as continue to be the self-supported leaders of the Traditionalist Movement, giving all Traditional Catholics a bad name, and continue to rage rampant and unchecked in their archdioceses and the Church, without being shut down by the authorities, both ecclesiastical and civil. They knowingly participate in online and personal harassment of other bloggers, chalking it up to wielding a right to protest against Church/moral evils, or having some sort of self-righteous authority. While many orthodox, or in the minds of the TBBs who villify them, "neo-Catholic," bloggers are speaking out more against these evil-doers, these TBB bloggers still hold sway among the Trad community, and continue to spiritually poison and corrupt the minds of others and their readers. Just look at Michael Voris devotees! They are just as guilty as the lie-berals who swear by the false Spirit of Vatican II! You can`t insult the almighty Voris! He is like God!!! He is our Saviour!!! (wait, I thought Jesus was your saviour???).
So on a grander scale, it's clear that the Church is still much so, anti-Trad, and the internet czars who self-authorize themselves as defenders of Traditional Catholicism are not making the situation better. So where does this lead to my own falling away from the Traditional Latin Mass???
Well, personally, since coming into the Latin Mass, and being involved as a server, I have sadly seen this head on first-hand, and personally experienced both personal and online harassment from this group of people in my own Archdiocese. It even still continues as recently as a month ago when I discussed a case of the sick idol worship of Cardinal Burke, thanks to a TBB blog, Rorate Caelli. Many conservative/TBB blogs carried this article also. I was sick of the whole propping up and took it to task respectfully, and of course, some of the harassers decided it would be fun to send calumnious and detracting spiritual taunts in reply, though they at least were smart about it and spewed that venom on their own blogs, and didn't communicate with me directly or do anything behind my back (that I know of). I have also witnessed TBBs attack my other good and humble Latin Mass friends I have associations with, try to manipulate clergy and laity to do their bidding, cause division within the community as to whom to associate with and where to go to Mass, and a number of my serving comrades have left the Latin Mass entirely, or taken sides in the time I have lingered. It has really saddened me to see the servers leave especially as many of us are young children or men, and most young boys and men don't even know anything of the Latin Mass.
Sadly because of their actions, I cannot attend my closest TLM Mass, held with Holy Family and St. Vincent De Paul Churches, of the Oratory of St. Phillip Neri. Well, I won't attend unless I am accompanied by a friend or relative, with maybe an exception in future to Candlemas. Those priests are excellent and the work and education they do is outstanding! However, among their crowd lingers the TBBs, and those people do attend those Masses. Further, because of my actions in this time of the EF, that is, rejecting what they stand for, as well as this blog, I know my name has been thrown around and I am vilified in their minds. It does not matter what they say or do facetiously. I know that I am an enemy for what has transpired in the community, because I picked the ``wrong side`` and the efforts I have tried to do to fight the Radical Traditionalism present. Unfortunately, they and their masters reign supreme in the Latin Mass community in the Archdiocese of Toronto, and even people in the community have attacked the Oratorians themselves, or at least aired ``parish dirty laundry`` despite being a part of the parish and associated with the TLM.
Because of all this conflict and damage, I have personally lost the fire I have for the Extraordinary Form. Don`t get me wrong, I find the liturgy makes it somewhat easier for me to focus on praying to the Lord, I love the ``smells and bells`` as it were, and I did enjoy the time I got to serve the Mass, and I might still do it occasionally with the St. Patrick`s Gregorian Choir, whose work and reports of the Masses I`ve featured here on S.U.D. I am proud and happy to feature their work, as much of the work they do deserves higher recognition by the Latin Mass blogging world out there! Might I also add that while there are accounts of the development of the Latin Mass in the Archdiocese of Toronto on the Internet, the SPGC has been WOEFULLY, left out of the accounts and only part of the truth has been told. Reporting bias I suppose, but that`s nothing new in the world of media and journalism, even if it is on a local or genre/niche-specific scale.
At this time, I would not want to be involved to the extent that I had been in the past due to all the above. It is even for the reasoning above. I don`t even want an ``occasional`` attendance at a TLM because I cannot ever feel safe in these communities as long as the TBBs have free reign and are not being policed by their own fellow Traditionalist siblings of Christ, their organizations, the clergy they work with, or the Office of the Archdiocese of Toronto. At times, I even sympathize with those who restrict or criticize the TLM movement and the "new pelagians" hidden within the movement for valid reasons.
In Conclusion.
I, Julian Barkin, here on Servimus Unum Deum, am basically, reducing my blogging and my contributions to the blog and the Latin Mass to next to nothing. I will occasionally highlight a post of worthy note and place it here, with the dual purpose of distribution and to maintain my status on the Society of Canadian Catholic Bloggers, as well as that this blog, and the progress I've made on it for the Latin Mass, remains on the Internet (barring circumstances out of my control) for those who want to serve the minor positions in the TLM and read the prepatory materials. I also nearly finished a posting on the thurifer position and will at my convenience work on it to release it in the future.
The group of S.U.D. will be placed on prolonged hiatus, unless someone in the TLM community in the Archdiocese of Toronto, or another person with the experience and resources to carry on the group, can do so. Be warned it will take much time, effort, co-ordination, and resources to carry on the duty in light of current events in the Church, and it will be a major commitment.
Basically it's been a mixed ride, though I will say I still do enjoy the TLM. I would love it even more and return to it in some way in the future, were the condition in our Archdiocese (and the Church to an extent) more suitable. My only last word of advice for any of you in my Archdioese of Toronto, and even others, is to continue to approach AND WORK POSITIVELY WITH His Eminence ++Collins, or your own archdiocese elsewhere if your clergy are willing, to promoting the Extraordinary Form of the Roman rite but also in ensuring that the communities are policed properly to deal with and dispel the harmful Traditionalist Behaving Badly elements which hamper the whole movement. Should you be willing to do so, it is entirely possible that the authorities in the Church will at least realize the sincerity and popularity of the request, even so far as to accommodate the requests in some way or form.
And of course .... SERVE THE LATIN MASS!!! SERVIMUS UNUM DEUM!!!!
Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.
