URGENT HELP! Please support my Brother in Christ Andrew Rivera and Son

Hello Everyone,

I am asking for your help for a friend of mine who is in a critical situation. 

Through the Latin Mass circles in Toronto, I’ve been blessed to have journeyed with Mr Andrew Rivera. Knowledgeful in the Catholic Mass of both the Latin Mass and the regular/Novus Ordo, he has contributed to teaching many laity and priests in carrying out the Mass with dignity and reverence in the Roman Rite. Outside the Church, Mr Rivera is a skilled graphic designer, and proud Father to a young boy around the same age as my eldest son. 

However, just after Easter, a medical emergency afflicted Andrew, placing him initially in an intensive care unit (ICU) in hospital. Currently he is still in hospital in urgent care. You may read the details below in the crowdfunding link below. 

In short, Andrew has a long road of recovery ahead, and between living expenses and the care for his only son, he needs help. This help is ever more urgent, as Andrew is a widower, raising his son with some family help. 

A friend of his has set up a crowdfunding page to cover his foreseen living and medical expenses for a year. 

Regardless of what creed, or state/stance in the Church you are, I beg of you to help my friend with support for his family and his health. Spread the link with family and friends. 

https://www.givesendgo.com/andrewandson

“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.” - Teresa of Avila

Finally besides monetary donations, I ask you to pray for him and his family. Rosaries, chaplets, Mass … all prayers and thoughts, storm Heaven and the Saints, and/or the divine realm to intercede for Andrew. Also pray for ALL medical personnel whom his care is entrusted, not just doctors and nurses but technologists, therapists, workers, chaplains, professionals, service assistants, and clericals. Physical ($/Medical) help is primary, but we cannot ignore the spiritual. 

In sincere hope you will be His hands, Julian Barkin.

Our Beloved Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Has Gone to His Final End

Source: https://www.ncregister.com/cna/vatican-shares-first-photos-of-benedict-xvi-after-death/

Just mere weeks ago, on December 31st, 2022 A.D., 9:34 am Rome time, our beloved Papa, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI departed our world, leaving his corpse behind to join the Eternal Judge and Father, Lord Jesus Christ, hopefully to be with him in Eternity. 

Initially like all the other bloggers, I wanted to just release a brief statement of mourning and info. However, one day later, on the Solemnity of Mother of God, Mary, something interesting was revealed on the Internet, which shows something beautiful, and is a tie in to His Emeritus’ work as Pope, as well my patron saint St Alphonsus Liguori.

One of my blogs I follow, The Deacon’s Bench, linked to the official Vatican News page, www.vaticannews.va, revealed Benedict’s last words as per Archbishop Ganswein. From the article, those last words stand out (my emphasis added:) 

“ The last words of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were heard in the middle of the night by a nurse. It was around 3 in the morning of 31 December, several hours before he died. Joseph Ratzinger had not yet entered his final moment, … "with just a whisper of a voice, but in a clearly distinguishable manner, said in Italian: 'Lord, I love you!' … the nurse told me about it shortly afterwards. These were his last comprehensible words, because afterwards he was no longer able to express himself."

When I reflect on those 4 words, I sense many an emotion conveyed: Humility with simply 4 words and a simple expression of Love for Christ; happiness, expressing the joy and love found in many saints’ devotion and expression/ejaculations to the Lord; acceptance that in his last moments of death Benedict knew that he was about to pass; and the lack of fear at the end of one’s finite and fleshy existence on this plane of Earth. 

Was everything he did absolutely right and exactly what Christ wanted? No. I do understand the feelings of the Radicals Misrepresenting traditionalists and critics. I too, felt he had gone too soon and left us with incomplete work in restoring the Church. I understand that he committed moral failings and incompetence in terms of the scandals plaguing the Church. Practically, he even failed to reconcile the SSPX to the Church in negotiations. 

But we all must remember that EVERY human being is comprised of both sin combined with good. We are always subject to Concupiscence, the temptation of ourselves and external forces (eg World/Flesh/Satan) to seek sin and abandon Christ and/or moral goodness. Benedict was no different. However, when one looks at this man on his death bed uttering his last 4 words, “I love you Jesus,” does this seem like a conflicted man full of anger? Guilt? Selfishness to the umpteenth degree? Regret of a life wasted? And dare I say it … an eternity set for Hell? 

No Catholic can pre-judge one’s eternal destiny with exception of the Church’s authority in declaration of Sainthood (don’t forget MIRACLES are involved, no way people in Hell can do that!) But what can be said, is interesting when one looks at the writings of St Alphonsus Liguori, a portion of Benedict XVI’s writing on love, and Benedict’s last words.

Liguori and Deus Caritas Est 

I have written as part of an ongoing series a cursory review of Liguori’s first volume of his Ascetic Works, “Preparation for Death” and even tried to write in the style of writing of Liguori in such reviews. In this part, 1A, I discussed what Liguori says are common reactions of “unrepentant” sinners on their death bed: 

“ … persons attached to the world wish at death to speak only of their sickness, of the physicians to be called to attend them, and of the remedies which may restore their health. When any one speaks of their soul, they soon grow weary, and beg to be allowed repose." (44) AND 

“Poor sinners! They seek for happiness in their sins, but they find nothing but bitterness and self remorse .... The torture of the remorse of conscience is so great even in this life, that to free themselves from it, some have committed suicide.” (pp. 214-216)

Hmmmm. It makes prefect sense to the average person. If I know my life is ending, and I have even a remote inkling of conscience and/or right and wrong, and I have no more time to live carefree and/or make amends, would I utter a simple ejaculation of love for a deity I have either intentionally refused to obey? Or rather fear His almighty judgement knowing He determines if my soul exists Him in Paradise or not? At the very least I fear my time is up and I have no more time to live, enjoy pleasure, be with my family, etc. and I would fear the unknown. 

Part 1B of my reflection series covered those who lived a holy/virtuous life. Alphonsus says of those people:

“… God knows well how to console his children in their last moments; and even in the midst of the pains of death he infuses into their souls certain sweetnesses, as foretastes of Paradise, which he will soon bestow upon them." (102)

Clearly there is a stark contrast between the obstinate or fearful sinner, and one who knows they have made peace with  the Lord and/or led a life of goodness. Liguori has done well in his Ascetic work to show this. 

As for Benedict XVI, of the few papal writings he made for the Church and the world as official Church teaching, he promulgated an Encyclical called Deus Caritas Est or “God is Love” in Latin. It was likely not coincidence, that in the first year of his pontificate, it was released on Christmas Day in 2005, on the Feast of Christmas. What a day to release a major papal writing! For it was through Christ’s birth, God committed the ultimate act of love for all, in giving us His only son, Jesus, later to sacrifice himself freely for our eternal salvation.

On an encyclical about love, of course there must be something that can connect to his final words that summate his passing. While the Encyclical is more of a weighty reading, I did find one relevant passage to connect to his passing: 

“ …. God's will is no longer for me an alien will, something imposed on me from without by the commandments, but it is now my own will, based on the realization that God is in fact more deeply present to me than I am to myself.[10] Then self- abandonment to God increases and God becomes our joy (cf. Ps 73 [72]:23-28).“ (Deus Caritas Est, 17)

And there we see …. Four last words once again appear: “GOD BECOMES OUR JOY.” For Benedict, that is what his life became and was devoted to. A man, despite his sin and flaws, who truly loves the Lord and did his best to serve the world via His Church, made Christ his joy and his final words upon his death bed. If it were not such a life, he would have uttered something different upon his deathbed. In what he uttered it’s clear that he didn’t just make masterful penstrokes simply for the sake of theological brains of the highest echelons in the Church and theology schools.

He lived what he had written. 

……………

Papa Benedict, for those of us whom desired beautiful liturgy in worshipping the Lord at Mass; the intellectuals; those who are disregarded by society and the bulk of the people and/or “popular” persons; and for those honest people just trying to Love God and neighbour; you were our Pope. You will be sorely missed in our minds and hearths. 

Sancte Michele, ora pro nobis. Papa Benedict may you be canonized someday if it be the will of Christ and his Church, so we can ask you to pray for us too. 

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin. 

June 2022: Small updates personal and EF related

Hello to all, 

I hope everyone has been keeping safe and well in these challenging times, both medically and spiritually. It has been many a month since I have posted anything on this blog of mine for a number of reasons.

One key reason is my crazy but wholesome vocation to marriage with two kids under 5 and full-time work in health care. That alone means very little sleep and time for anything else. Also, the pandemic has played a role somewhat, and of course, the two-pronged documents of Traditionis Custodes and its follow up “dubia” or instruction at the end of last year, has made the Latin Mass at the least more “contained” and at the worst, offerings and expansion opportunities lost. In our own Archdicoese thankfully prudence has been applied and the usual offerings already in place pre-TC have been kept, but after TC, no extra offerings or opportunities have been allowed (w/exceptions approved prior,) due to the restriction of NOT hosting additional Latin Masses in “parochial” (aka diocesan or parish) churches, outside of the offerings permitted by the bishop(s). So news is sparse. 

Regardless of the situation of the world and the Church at large, I want to continue this labour of love and also to attempt semi-regular blogging again. Perhaps once, maybe twice a month, I’ll try to make a post. While yes the Latin Mass is always the focal point of this blog, the postings might expand into other topics that surround the Church and our world, or other spiritual facets and points of interest in our Faith. Not to mention I’ve had other posts “under construction” or desired posts I’ve wanted to make such as my “serving” page with free guides, and the Liguorian reflection series on his Ascetic works. 

Thankfully in spite of TC and the Dubia (herein, TC + D,) the Latin Mass still persists in various ways in Toronto. So, let the postings begin as of this month of June, starting with some points of interest:

1) A Nuptial Mass many months overdue … Back in last summer at the end of August 2021, I was able to serve in a Latin Nuptial High Mass, celebrated by Fr Michael Simoes, pastor of St Mary’s Star of the Sea in Mississauga, ON. This priest may be familiar as he was the subdeacon for the Christ the King Mass at St Mike’s Cathedral back on Oct 2016! This Mass was planned prior to TC so, with the permission of ++Collins or one of his co-bishops it was allowed to still occur. I have a draft that has been long sitting undone, and I am working on completing the full report. However, to do so I’ll need to contact a couple of people involved in the Mass, including the lovely couple! It will be enjoyable to check in nearly one year later and see how their vocation has flourished even more! 

2) The normal archdiocesan parishes offering the Sunday Latin Masses have been allowed to continue offering the Latin Masses in Toronto in order to serve the needs of the faithful attached to the EF. That would be:

• The Oratorians of St Phillip Neri at Holy Family and St. Vincent de Paul parishes. Sunday 930am Missa Lecta/Low Mass (at St. Vincent de Paul) and 11am Missa Solemnis/Solemn Mass (or Missa Cantata/High Mass if short on clergy, at Holy Family)
• The offerings courtesy of the Extraordinary Form chaplain Fr Russell Asch. That would be 11 Latin Low Mass/Missa Lecta at St Patrick’s Schomberg, and the home base parish of EF chaplaincy, 1pm Sundays at St. Lawrence the Martyr, Scarborough. 

Please continue to attend and support these offerings. To still do these Masses is a blessing and we should show our gratitude in time, energy, finances (e.g. to pay for hydro/electric/mortgage costs; the personal or Church-wide needs of the pastors caring out the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass …) and spiritually in the full and “active” participation at Mass, but also to His Eminence Cardinal Collins who has chosen NOT to abuse the laws of the Church as some shepherds have done in their dioceses. +Collins has prudently chosen to keep the olive branch alive for that segment of the faithful whose needs are found in the EF, keeping them afloat on the Barque of Peter in these turbulent “waters.”

3)  St Patrick’s Gregorian Choir (herein SPGC) is alive and well! … I am happy to report that my good friends of SPGC have a new home in the interim. Between COVID and pastoral decisions due to a change in leadership, the SPGC was released from St Patrick’s in downtown Toronto, as of Winter 2021. After a long hiatus (but with the choir meeting virtually in weekly ZOOM meetings,) finally a temporary home has been found at the Cathedral of Transfiguration in Markham, ON. SPGC now is the liturgical choir for the 5PM Extraordinary Form Latin Mass (*) there, providing the Gregorian Chant for the liturgy on the first Sunday of every month. 

In addition, the choir may do extraordinary Feasts/ Solemnities of the EF calendar as well. They plan on doing that in June as traditionally, they do a Latin Mass on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This year the feast falls on Fri June 24. I personally plan on, at least, attending, but desire to return to serving in this offering, albeit I will have to contact the clergy regarding that part of the liturgy. 

4) We Still had a Triduum in the EF!!! Yes, believe it or not, Toronto did have a Triduum. While I am disappointed there was no public promotion (… maybe this was intentional, due to fear of TC + D, being asked by harassers and enemies of the Church and/or the EF Mass, to be applied and stop it?) it still happened. I first found this out, thanks to one of my friends in the SPGC choir who attended the offerings, seeing the photos on her Facebook page. Furthermore, another attendee contacted me privately and informed me it was also held according to the liturgy and it’s associated rubrics of “PRE-55,” before changes to the Holy Triduum liturgy (Post-55’ or 1962.) For more information please see this well constructed website: https://www.pre1955holyweek.com/

Now, personally, I am nonchalant which one is held be it 55’ or 62’, though hardcore/radical traditionalists say the 55’ is superior in terms of “tradition,” scriptural readings (aka “lessons”) and adherence to “T”radiation and doctrine. I am NOT going there, except to say I’d personally rather focus on promoting any and all aspects of 62’ as it’s better to build on the “basics” and/or what is most readily available in terms of liturgical items and/or resources (books.) To me, this is a better way to re-introduce the Latin Mass to the life of the Church, especially post TC and it’s Dubia. I’m looking at the “long haul” vs liturgical purity or perfectness here! 

The Triduum did take place Holy Thursday to Saturday, at the EF homesite church of St Lawrence the Martyr in Scarborough, ON, under the direction of Latin Mass chaplain Fr Russell Asch. While the liturgy had to be carried out at odd times for certain days due to the Novus Ordo regular Triduum schedule, the liturgies were carried out traditionally as per pre-55 rubrics with: 9pm Holy Thursday liturgy, Good Friday liturgy at 6pm, and the major liturgical service for Holy Saturday at 10am in the late morning. Of note, Holy Saturday Service prior to the 1955 reforms DID take place in the later morning, so this was not just a balancing act that day around Novus Ordo liturgies. 

Here is just a sampling of the pictures my colleague took to record this historical fact that the Triduum did happen in Toronto (obtained with permissions from my choir friend:)

Picture 1: Transfer of the Blessed Eucharist to the altar of Repose on Holy Thursday, with assistance of a canopy used in processions. The canopy is prescribed in the rubrics. 

Picture 2: Good Friday liturgy, with the thurifer taking back the thurible/censer

Picture 3: Holy Saturday Morning Liturgy, with the blessing of the Paschal fire outside St Lawrence Martyr

Considering Our Eminence, ++Collins, could have easily said NO and used the laws of the Church in TC + D to stop this, it is a beautiful and blessed sign that this was permitted in our Archdiocese. Even in these challenging times, Catholic Traditonalism and the Latin Mass continue to flourish. Deo Gratias! 

5) Finally, I have reposted an oldie but a goodie, on the Saceed Heart Itself, and it’s Feast, including a devotion I completed over 2009-2010, the 9 First Fridays. When I first started this blog, I made this post in its first year. While I am glad to link to the original post here, it deserves a repost for anyone new to here. It is one of the posts prior to this one as well. 

Hoping to start my labour of love once again, and elucidate all of you in a positive, pro-Church and pro-papacy manner while being pro-Traditionalism/EF. 

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

* See Wikipedia here also. The Cathedral was consecrated as a valid and licit worship site by the Catholic Church in the 80’s under JPII, therefore Masses can occur there. However due to church/secular politics the cathedral became placed in the hands of private ownership. Today, it is NOT physically under the corporation sole of the Archdiocese of Toronto, and thus is not an actual parish or chapel of the Archdicoese. Therefore it falls within the desires of TC + D that the EF be done outside of “parochial”/diocesan parishes whenever possible. 

IMPORTANT!!! Sunday Obligation to go to Mass has returned in Toronto

 Full text posted from https://www.archtoronto.org/en/outreach/news/archdiocesan/sunday-mass-obligation/

(Bold MAJOR emphasis, and Italics minor emphasis is I, JB’s)

“Sunday Mass Obligation

Posted : Jun-01-2022

On March 13, 2020, Cardinal Collins issued a communication to the faithful of this archdiocese indicating that it was necessary to cancel public celebrations of the Eucharist on the coming Sunday, stating: “For this weekend and any other which may be required, I grant the faithful dispensation from their Sunday obligation.”

Given that most of the health and safety restrictions in our parishes are no longer in place and the faithful are able to attend the celebration of the Eucharist once again, the basis for the dispensation from the Sunday obligation has dissipated and is no longer in effect.

The Church does not obligate people to do the impossible. If individuals, based on their conscience, cannot attend Mass for a grave reason, including a great vulnerability to COVID-19 or because they are self-isolating to limit the spread of illness, then they are excused from their Sunday obligation, as the law of the Church allows.

After two years of COVID-19 restrictions, many have been deprived of the opportunity to attend Mass and to receive the most Holy Eucharist and all of us have missed the opportunity to experience community, including members of our parishes. As we come to the celebration of Pentecost this weekend, we invite and encourage the faithful to return to the practice of attending Mass in-person.”

REPOST: The Nine First Fridays of Reparation to Christ’s Sacred Heart

(Originally posted May 28, 2013)

Hello Everyone.

This post is a bit special to me, as I am going to write about a devotion topic that I have participated in and has since held a place in my prayer life: The Sacred Heart of Jesus. More specifically, this post will be devoted to the practice of the First Fridays. This post is even more relevant, as Friday June 7, 2013 is the feast day devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in both the Extraordinary and Ordinary Form liturgical calendars.

I will begin with some introduction and some history behind the devotion, and then will go through what is necessary to do the devotion and the indulgences/promises attached to the devotion.

Introduction: The Sacred Heart of Jesus and History behind the Devotion

What is the Sacred Heart of Jesus? It is commonly depicted as Jesus' literal heart, however it has the addition of two key components: The crown of thorns that is around the top perimeter of his heart, as well as a cross, the one he was crucified on, atop his heart. (This is not to be confused with the Immaculate Heart of Mary which usually has flowers around it and seven swords in it, representing the Seven Sorrows of Mary.)  Flames often surround the cross of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and some depictions also include a diagonal laceration, from being impaled by the spear of the Roman soldier ``Longinus?``, where out came blood and water from the wound. Here's an example:

Source unknown. 

While yes it is depicted as his literal heart of his incarnate body, it has more meaning than being his circulatory organ.

Theological History
Christ himself in the Gospel of John 7:37-39 says this: "And on the last and great day of the festivity, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, 'If any man thirst, let him come to Me, and let him drink that believeth in Me. As the Scripture saith: Out of his heart there shall flow rivers of living waters.' Now this He said of the Spirit which they should receive who believed in Him."(3). This was made all the more prominent and came true literally when the Roman soldier ("Longinus"???) pierced the side of Christ with his spear, and out poured out blood and water from the wound. Whether it pierced Jesus' actual organ of the heart, it is uncertain.

As is commonly used in literature and poetry, the heart is the organ associated with the deepest of emotions, especially that of love. In the pre-Vatican II encyclical, Haurietas Aquas, by Pius XII, which is devoted to the Sacred Heart, he describes to us more deeply what the Sacred Heart of Jesus is about and why veneration and devotion is to be rightly given:

" .... Holy Writ declares that between divine charity, which must burn in the souls of Christians, and the Holy Spirit, Who is certainly Love Itself, there exists the closest bond, which clearly shows all of us, venerable brethren, the intimate nature of that worship which must be paid to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ. If we consider its special nature it is beyond question that this devotion is an act of religion of high order; it demands of us a complete and unreserved determination to devote and consecrate ourselves to the love of the divine Redeemer, Whose wounded Heart is its living token and symbol. It is equally clear, but at a higher level, that this same devotion provides us with a most powerful means of repaying the divine Lord by our own. (6, H.A.) ...."

".... The other reason which refers in a particular manner to the Heart of the divine Redeemer, and likewise demands in a special way that the highest form of worship be paid to it, arises from the fact that His Heart, more than all the other members of His body, is the natural sign and symbol of His boundless love for the human race. "There is in the Sacred Heart," as Our predecessor of immortal memory, Leo XIII, pointed out, "the symbol and express image of the infinite love of Jesus Christ which moves us to love in return ...."(16)"
(22, H.A.)

And so, the Sacred Heart of Jesus ...

" .... 55. is a symbol of that divine love which He shares with the Father and the Holy Spirit but which He, the Word made flesh, alone manifests through a weak and perishable body, since "in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily."(52) 56. It is, besides, the symbol of that burning love which, infused into His soul, enriches the human will of Christ and enlightens and governs its acts by the most perfect knowledge derived both from the beatific vision and that which is directly infused.(53) 57. And finally - and this in a more natural and direct way - it is the symbol also of sensible love, since the body of Jesus Christ, formed by the Holy Spirit, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, possesses full powers of feelings and perception, in fact, more so than any other human body (54) .... " (55-57, H.A.)

Devotional History
The actual devotion of the Sacred heart that is practiced, originates with Saint Mary Margaret Alacoque in the late 1600's. From 1673-1675, the saint received a series of visions of our Lord, revealing to her his Sacred Heart. Jesus asked her in these visions to spread devotion of his Heart throughout the whole church, as reparation for sins and offenses against our Lord. (8, First Fridays and First Saturdays)

At the center of the revelations are twelve promises, made to her by Jesus. For those who consecrate themselves and make reparation to His Sacred Heart:

1. He will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.
2. He will establish peace in their homes.
3. He will comfort them in all their afflictions.
4. He will be their secure refuge during life, and above all, in death.
5. He will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings.
6. Sinners will find in His Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Lukewarm souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.
9. He will bless every place in which an image of His Heart is exposed and honoured. (I have provided one above, though there are paper, gold-painted cross cards that seem to be popular for this purpose.)
10. He will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
11. Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in His Heart.
12. In the excessive mercy of His heart, that His all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in His disgrace, nor without receiving the sacraments. His divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

Of course, these promises are also bestowed onto the faithful who engage in this practice, not just St. Mary.

The Devotion of the Sacred Heart

1. The actual devotion of the sacred heart consists of going to Mass on the First Friday of the month for nine consecutive months, and receiving the Eucharist in the state of sanctifying grace. You MUST do this consecutively for nine months, without any break in the practice. I have found no document, be it in Church Law, Catechism, Papal/Vatican writings, nor writings from trusted Catholic sources that allow for such an interruption other wise, even for valid and legitimate reasons. Not even a priests' dispensation can allow for a valid break.Communion MUST be received on this particular day of the Month. The practice cannot be delegated to another day.

2. They must be done in honour of His Sacred Heart, and thus one must practice devotion to the Heart and have a great love for Christ.

3. Note: This devotion will not dispense you from obligations or from exercising vigilance necessary for leading a good life and overcoming temptation. You will however be bestowed graced to carry out obligations and persevere to the end.

In addition, associated with the devotion is Eucharistic Adoration before or after the Mass. Unfortunately, when it is done after, those parishes that do this tend to schedule confession then, not before the Mass, which deprives people from the ability to receive the Eucharist in the state of grace and perform the devotion. You absolutely cannot receive the Eucharist in the state of Mortal Sin, so you deprive the faithful of the ability to do this practice. Any clergy reading my blog, PLEASE do confession before the Mass, be it with or without Adoration!

Regardless, the beauty of having Eucharistic Adoration attached to this devotion, is that one can receive additional indulgences, which when obtained, remit the temporal effects of sins. A half hour of Eucharistic Adoration minimum, qualifies for the indulgent act. Better yet if one removes themselves from sin completely, the indulgence is plenary, or full.

Indulgences are obtained when one receives confession and communion within 8 days of the indulgent act, prays for the intentions of the Holy Father (which can be at minimum one of the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be), and removes oneself from attachment to all sin. An analogy I use is that sin is like a sticky snail. When we go to confession, we take the snail from his shell and boot him off your skin. However, that shell is taking up space on you. Think of that shell is the time in purgatory one will need to spend to become purified in such a state to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Indulgences remove the temporal effects of sin, that is, that shell is now removed from your body, and thus the complete effects of sin are removed from you, though how many and how much time is reduced is unknown.

Finally, while this is not a mandatory part of the devotion, there are also associated with the Sacred Heart of Jesus the Acts of Consecration and Reparation to the Sacred Heart. They are as follows:.

Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Thee I consecrate and offer up my person and my life, my actions, trials, and sufferings, that my entire being may henceforth only be employed in loving, honoring and glorifying Thee. This is my irrevocable will, to belong entirely to Thee, and to do all for Thy love, renouncing with my whole heart all that can displease Thee.

I take Thee, O Sacred Heart, for the sole object of my love, the protection of my life, the pledge of my salvation, the remedy of my frailty and inconstancy, the reparation for all the defects of my life, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death. Be Thou, O Most Merciful Heart, my justification before God Thy Father, and screen me from His anger which I have so justly merited. I fear all from my own weakness and malice, but placing my entire confidence in Thee, O Heart of Love, I hope all from Thine infinite Goodness. Annihilate in me all that can displease or resist Thee. Imprint Thy pure love so deeply in my heart that I may never forget Thee or be separated from Thee.
 I beseech Thee, through Thine infinite Goodness, grant that my name be engraved upon Thy Heart, for in this I place all my happiness and all my glory, to live and to die as one of Thy devoted servants.

Amen.

Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart

O sweet Jesus, Whose overflowing charity for me is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Your alter (in Your presence) eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries, to which Your loving Heart is everywhere subject.

 Mindful alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities, which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask Your pardon and declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation not only for our own personal offenses, but also for the sins of those, who, straying for from the path of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow You, their Shepherd and Leader, or, renouncing the vows of their baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke of Your Law. We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage committed against You; we are determined to make amends for the manifold offenses against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior, for all the foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent violations of Sundays and holidays, and the shocking blasphemies uttered against You and Your Saints. We wish also to make amends for the insults to which Your Vicar on earth and Your priest are subjected, for the profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the very Sacrament of Your Divine Love; and lastly for the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and teaching authority of the Church which You have founded. Would, O divine Jesus, we were able to wash away such abominations with our blood. We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Your divine honor, the satisfaction You once made to Your eternal Father on the cross and which You continue to renews daily on our altars; we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Your Virgin Mother and all the Saints and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make recompense, as far as we can with the help of Your grace, for all neglect of Your great love and for the sins we and others have committed in the past. Henceforth we will live a life of unwavering faith, of purity of conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of the gospel and especially that of charity. We promise to the best of our power to prevent other from offending You and to bring as many as possible to follow You.

 O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation; and by the crowing gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to You, so that we may one day come to that happy home, where You with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, God, world without end. Amen.

Summary:
Therefore, to do this devotion to the Sacred Heart, you must do the following:
1. Be in the state of Sanctifying grace to receive the Eucharist worthily on First Friday. So go to confession, especially if you have one or more Mortal Sins on your soul. Without true repentance and ceasing of the situation, you will obviously not be able to receive the Eucharist in certain situations (e.g. co-habitation, 2nd marriage if 1st was not annulled, masturbation with/without pornography ...)

2. You must attend Mass on First Friday and receive the Eucharist in the state of sanctifying grace, for 9 consecutive months, with no break in between occasions. 

3. For the promises to be fulfilled, you must be promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart, whether it be by taking about the devotion, generally why you love the Sacred Heart of the lord, prayer to the Sacred Heart, etc.

In addition to these conditions,
3. You may also attend , and should, the Eucharistic Adoration that comes before and after the Mass. Under the usual conditions of Confession, Communion, and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father (at minimum 1x Our Father, 1x Hail Mary, and 1x Glory be, or a specific prayer for His intentions), PLUS a minimum of 1/2 hour of adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament, you will gain an indulgence aside from the usual benefits and graces.

4. While it is not absolutely necessary according to numerous sources, some recommend the addition of the Act of Reparation and Consecration to the Sacred Heart to be said during those First Friday sessions. I say, do it.

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

Works Cited
Pius XII. Encyclical of Pope Pius XII Haurietas Aquas On the Devotion to the Sacred Heart. May 15, 1956. [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_15051956_haurietis-aquas_en.html]. Retrieved 2013 May 28.

Catholic Truth Society. First Fridays and First Saturdays The Devotions Explained. Catholic Truth Society: London, UK. 2008. 

Traditionis Custodes Part 2: Analysis and commentary of Paragraphs 5-8

Hello everyone, 

This post is the second part of my analysis/commentary of the actual articles in the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes. The second half is articles 5 to 8.

“ Art. 5. Priests who already celebrate according to the Missale Romanum of 1962 should request from the diocesan Bishop the authorization to continue to enjoy this faculty.” 

Well at least some hope is contained in the paragraph. I’m of mixed blessings though. The negative is that a cruel and heartless bishop can just suspend any existing EF saying priest’s faculties immediately. Also this is a grandfathering clause so that, in the geriatric minds of Francis and his cohort all the old priests who are saying the Latin Mass will die. 

But … there are positives to this. First, with political forethought, it’s an obvious compromise for the faithful attached to the EF and the priests saying it. 

Second, it holds those priests accountable to the bishop and they know whom they are, also allowing the bishop to make sure that if they are granting faculties they know what they are doing. Finally, should priests be priming their lay faithful towards schism with the Holy Father and the regular Church, or blasting off his mouth on the RMT blogs, he can revoke that faculty at will, combined with the other articles of TC, allowing only those priests faithful to the Church to promote the EF. 

Thirdly, unforeseen, I don’t think that Francis and his cohort of middle of Vatican II heyday ordained bishops thought the following: that a number of the younger priests will outlast not only his lifespan and papacy but also those who succeed him. If the younger crop hold the force and outlast, by the time they are of the old folks near the end of their vocations coming from the John Paul II and Benedict XVI generations of ordained priests, they will lead seminaries and become bishops to the Church. These generations of ordinands will assume power in multiple places in the Church, which could make things more friendly for those in the EF … if Satan or those above them do not corrupt them first. 

Finally, as is being observed immediately on the Internet blogs, both radically misrepresenting Traditionalists and borderline, bishops are already granting faculties to allow the EF to continue in those diocese to priests already holding offerings. 

“Art. 6. Institutes of consecrated life and Societies of apostolic life, erected by the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, fall under the competence of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies for Apostolic Life.”

This paragraph is relevant to the EF communities such as FSSP, ICKSP, Canons New Jerusalem, Institute Bon Pasteur (aka Good Shepherd,) etc. Basically their existence and governance falls under a different dicastery of the Vatican so they are not entirely under the same governance of the bishop as diocesan priests are and have some layer of protection against wayward bishops, unlike diocesan priests who have little to no protection against their bishops if they want a place to sleep and eat. 

That being said it does NOT protect them entirely. If said bishop decides to kick them out of a diocese, for whatever reason, that society must go and it will take a lot to fight and bring them back in. But in the short run, as long as these societies are not morphing into the SSPX, the bishop will likely let them stay and will not touch them. Do not worry Virginia, there will likely still be the FSSP in your diocese (that is … if you have them.) 

Even more encouraging, so as not to lose devoted faithful to the SSPX who have a schismatic attitude/mindset despite their eccleastical/legal status, if these canonically legitimate orders/societies exist in a diocese with SSPX, most bishops will keep them to discourage self-schism amongst the faithful. 

“ Art. 7. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments and the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, for matters of their particular competence, exercise the authority of the Holy See with respect to the observance of these provisions.”

This mostly pairs with article 6. It also restates what is known within the Church that Latin Mass related matters became under the CDWDS after the Pope in 20xx declared that the Ecclesia Dei commission was not to stand alone anymore, signifying an end to serious negotiation to bring the SSPX back into the Church. 

“ Art. 8. Previous norms, instructions, permissions, and customs that do not conform to the provisions of the present Motu Proprio are abrogated …. Everything that I have declared in this Apostolic Letter in the form of Motu Proprio, I order to be observed in all its parts, anything else to the contrary notwithstanding, even if worthy of particular mention, and I establish that it be promulgated by way of publication in “L’Osservatore Romano”, entering immediately in force and, subsequently, that it be published in the official Commentary of the Holy See, Acta Apostolicae Sedis.“

 

In short, Summorum Pontificum is now abrogated and TC is in force. Also because Francis knows that the Radicals Misrepresenting Traditionalism will use and abuse Church laws to disobey  Pope Francis, he “crossed the T’s and dotted the I’s” not only in his authoritative language but by promulgating it in the official publications and legal/eccleastical records and/or books. Thus there is no question it is in force and active. 

Overall, it is clear that this document was meant to give bishops more control over the Latin Mass in what is an increasingly out of control situation that threatens the Church and the souls of the faithful. While it is not every soul that attends the Latin Mass, unfortunately there are enough voices, societies etc. That have adopted the RMT element, and attitudes of anti-Church, Anti-Francis, and anti-Novus Ordo mentality, one that is clearly expressed in the Social and Internet media being purported by these voices. Also, especially in the USA as evidenced in former President Trump’s endorsement of disgraced and ever increasingly schismatic Archbishop Vigano leading up to the 2020 election, the Latin Mass and the RMT elements became further entwined with far-right politics, elevating the situation outside the realm of the Catholic Church to one of theo-political importance. 

Now, does it give too much power to them? I agree and it’s clear that Francis doesn’t care about wayward bishops abusing their power, because the bigger spiritual threat is Radicals misrepresenting Traditonalism in his mind. There could have been better solutions to the problem or a tweaking of TC could have been the best tool to combat the situation. 

Also, Pope Francis is swatting harmless houseflies of the laity in a way, by targeting mainly the clergy who can celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in that form. Most of the social media that attacks the Novus Ordo, the Holy Father and the Church is being controlled by laity. He should have also added clauses to bring punishment to those organizations and/or individuals guilty of promoting radical Traditonalism and corrupting the younger faithful in their physical presence attending the Mass. I would roughly guess that 2/3 of the Radically Traditonalist social media is laity controlled. Pope Francis took the analogy of a shotgun to the problem scattering bullets all over the target and even missing it altogether. He needed a “sniper rifle” approach to tackle this problem instead of a broad granting of power and restriction. 

If personally, we’re I Pope, in a separate Motu Proprio or as part of TC, I would have established a punitive trial process whereby cases of abusive bishops/chaplains/pastors could be submitted by laity alone or jointly with good priests to curb clericalism and spiritual abuse of TC. 

Regardless, quod scripsi, scripsi. 

Now that I have gone through the actual document, my third and final post is going to be my worst …. As in the bluntest, and most curt I've ever written, regarding my personal experience and thoughts on TC and why it was badly needed, especially in the Archdiocese of Toronto. 

Unfortunately what has happened to both my good friends and I, has exactly been the caricature of the RMT that Francis sees, and thus why such control is needed and exactly what Francis sees. 

Pax, Julian. 

Traditionis Custodes Part 1: Analysis and commentary of Paragraphs 1-4 Including sub-paragraphs

Hello everyone,

As promised I will comment on the new restrictive Motu Proprio, Traditionis Custodes, issued by Pope Francis regarding the Latin Mass in the Church, immediately acting. 

My first post, part 1. will be a literal dissection, covering simply the act itself of the first half of the document, paragraphs 1 to 4 of the 8 articles and their sub-articles.

There is a lot of ground to cover here, 8 articles in all, but I’ll look at each one and offer general Church commentary at the end.

 

“ Art. 1. The liturgical books promulgated by Saint Paul VI and Saint John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II, are the unique expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite. “

Pope Francis is reiterating that the current liturgy of the Roman Rite 3rd edition post Vatican II IS the regular form of the Mass for the Roman Rite, the dominant rite in the Church and in the World. This was always so even with Summorum Pontificum. Sadly he has to state this again because some people think that the Novus Ordo/Ordinary Form is a “bastard rite.” Notice he didn’t say that the EF was abrogated and/or are banned. 

“ Art. 2. It belongs to the diocesan bishop, as moderator, promoter, and guardian of the whole liturgical life of the particular Church entrusted to him, [5] to regulate the liturgical celebrations of his diocese. [6] Therefore, it is his exclusive competence to authorize the use of the 1962 Roman Missal in his diocese, according to the guidelines of the Apostolic See.”  

Now here is where the start of the new laws took place. This is NOT out of thin air. The footnotes are key here. However, one who understands hierarchy in the Church, would NOT be surprised. The Pope, as per Pastor Aeternus aka Vatican I, in chapter 3 paragraph 2 states: “ 2. Wherefore we teach and declare that, by divine ordinance, the Roman Church possesses a pre-eminence of ordinary power over every other Church, and that this jurisdictional power of the Roman Pontiff is both episcopal and immediate. Both clergy and faithful, of whatever rite and dignity, both singly and collectively, are bound to submit to this power by the duty of hierarchical subordination and true obedience, and this not only in matters concerning faith and morals, but also in those which regard the discipline and government of the Church throughout the world. “ Discipline clearly extends to the Liturgy of the Mass. He alone is the prime governor of all major matters in the Church. 

Also Pope Pius XII in Mediator Dei says …. “ 44. Since, therefore, it is the priest chiefly who performs the sacred liturgy in the name of the Church, its organization, regulation and details cannot but be subject to Church authority... 57. The Church has further used her right of control over liturgical observance to protect the purity of divine worship against abuse from dangerous and imprudent innovations introduced by private individuals and particular churches... 58. It follows from this that the Sovereign Pontiff alone enjoys the right to recognize and establish any practice touching the worship of God, to introduce and approve new rites, as also to modify those he judges to require modification.[50] Bishops, for their part, have the right and duty carefully to watch over the exact observance of the prescriptions of the sacred canons respecting divine worship.[51] Private individuals, therefore, even though they be clerics, may not be left to decide for themselves in these holy and venerable matters, involving as they do the religious life of Christian society along with the exercise of the priesthood of Jesus Christ and worship of God; ….  no private person has any authority to regulate external practices of this kind, which are intimately bound up with Church discipline and with the order, unity and concord of the Mystical Body and frequently even with the integrity of Catholic faith itself.“

Dare I say it, these prior documents of importance in the Church of the Vatican I council AND prior to Vatican II makes it abundantly clear: the Pope is the final say on matters liturgical and even to protect the liturgy from abuse from ANY and ALL individuals who dare abuse it as a weapon or an instrument of corruption which sadly both priests and laity have done. Whether it’s via the Internet or actual liturgy on the ground, layperson or clergy, it’s clear that what Pope Francis has done IS within his power and acting as Head of the Church on earth as per these pre-Vatican II documents. 

As for the Bishops, they are the ordinary judges, and actors, and even “officers” of a diocese that are responsible not only in upholding the Teachings of the Church but also govern Liturgical matters. As our government cannot uphold civil and criminal laws without judges and ordinary police officers to enforce it, that is an analogue to what the bishops are. They are the Pope’s “middle managers” as it is who are to carry out said instructions in ecclesiastical law, including liturgy. 

But …. This is the start of now granting direct control to the bishops …. which is a “mixed bag” of sorts. On the one hand, lazy bishops MUST now control the distribution of the EF in the diocese. As this is such a divisive issue in the Church it now MUST be addressed. They cannot sit back and let it just happen. In a positive way they can now root/weed out the vile and rebellious clergy and lay leaders who have poisoned the Latin Mass and led to T.C. being promulgated. HOWEVER … not all dioceses are blessed with a laissez-faire bishop. Sadly and truly, especially in the USA, numerous dioceses have now had notices to their priests/parishes and while I am awaiting names, after this past Sunday (cause with COVID parishes are booking mass slots) those EF masses are stopped …. Gone …. hence liberal or EF hating bishops are able to abuse their power to kill the Latin Mass, and are doing so. 

And unfortunately Francis’ mindset is geared on only the few bad apples spoiling the bunch while the regular good souls are to suffer and clericalist bishops are allowed to be cruel to those good souls attach to the EF. This is the expression “using a sledgehammer to swat a fly” when a fly swatter would have been reasonable. 

“ Art. 3. The bishop of the diocese in which until now there exist one or more groups that celebrate according to the Missal antecedent to the reform of 1970:

§ 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;”

Ok right here there is a error, but its an understandable gaffe. There WAS an intermittent revision to the Missale Romanum from 1965-1969. It was close to what the Anglican Ordinate have for their liturgy with Latin and some shortening of prayers (eg Prayers at the foot of the altar reduced,) so this is factually incorrect. However, Francis and the Curia members involved in TC either forgot this or dismiss the MR 1.0 Novus Ordo liturgy as a forgotten footnote because for the majority of their lifespan they dealt with the MR 2.0 revision from 1970-2011. 

Now this chunk in terms of the law should be divided into two parts, the first part being about competency of the priest. YES, exactly a priest should be competent in carrying out the Tridentine Liturgy/Latin Mass. Between many additional/different actions the priest does vs Novus Ordo Mass, how to properly say the Latin, understanding the old rite calendar and differences (eg liturgical colours, levels of feasts, periods of calendar …) they can’t just wing this form of the Mass or gasp! Ad lib it as has been sadly done on many occasions in the Novus Ordo by Fr Prideful and Pompous. I have no question here. Of course HOW to become competent in the Latin Mass …. That’s up to the priest himself. My recommendation would be to take formal courses held by the FSSP/ICKSP etc. As there would be written records, receipts/payments, maybe a nice certificate etc. to have evidence of competency and training. 

However said training will likely be out of the priests’ pockets or donations as after this anti-Traditonalist document, there is NO damn way most bishops will support the training of a priest in the EF financially or spiritually, unless that bishops hand is forced by Rome to make even one paltry offering for a presence of faithful who want it in their diocese (though likely the case would be more to NOT lose the faithful to the SSPX.) 

Now the second part, is highly prevalent. It’s not just correct liturgy, but it’s about the right ATTITUDE and INTENTION as well as proper care of the faithful. I am in full support of this. Should one read the accompanying letter to TC it’s clear that priests and others in their communities were leading the faithful to attack the Church, Pope Francis, the Novus Ordo/Vernacular liturgy etc. If the priest is schismatic in mind and heart and corrupting mentally and spiritually the “sheep” he must “shepherd” he is doing Satan’s work and turning people against the Communal Body of Christ! Also from a Mass perspective a priest to offer the Mass validly must use proper matter, conduct proper form (according to the liturgical books,) AND have proper INTENTION for the Mass. If HE is in a schismatic, anti-Francis/Pope or Anti-Vatican II mindset, he has made the Mass invalid and Null. And sadly THIS sickness and poisoning of the laity and clergy, manifested in vile outward behaviour amongst Trads themselves, one’s Catholic neighbours and non-Catholics (eg extreme insistence on EENS/No salvation outside the Church) is exactly why this paragraph is needed. 

On a small practical note, it seems that an EF chaplain setup is being promoted via this paragraph and it does usually work well. It also parallels other special minority provisions in the Church (eg Charismatic groups, Anglican Ordinate, …) that KEEP people attached while nourishing them spiritually in a specific way or accustomed to their culture/past spiritual background/unique way to speak to their souls.

§ 5. to proceed suitably to verify that the parishes canonically erected for the benefit of these faithful are effective for their spiritual growth, and to determine whether or not to retain them;

This I say is simple prudence. An analogy would be a company or business. The goal of the company or business is to make profit via conducting business which includes the sale of goods. If a company is costing more to run and/or using more money than it is making on its service/products it must either stop its wastage, cut its costs, or fire employees to continue to remain aloft. It’s budget it entirely dependent on the product it sells or the business it conducts, and the old economic principle of supply and demand. 

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. 

More so, one of the very reasons Francis did this was because of the Anti-Church, Anti-Novus Ordo, Anti-Papal attacks and attitudes of a number of these wayward movements. Is everyone like this in the TLM? NO! However a sizeable number of clergy and even lay people (with or without accompanying tabloid blogs and websites eg RorHATE Caeli) clearly presented enough of a concern to Francis that this clause got inserted. It’s good that this coincides with Sub-clause 4 as those “renegade” environments and priests who have made the Latin Mass a weapon and corrupted the lay faithful (especially the youth!) deserve to be shut down. 

However my caveat, is again, Liberal or EF hating bishops abusing their power to wipe it out completely with little to no recourse or appeal to counter the bishops’ clericalism and abuse of power. 

§ 6. to take care not to authorize the establishment of new groups.

The bad: It’s plain as day. Pope Francis does NOT want the Latin Mass to grow exponentially. 

The good: This does NOT 100% ban new groups or communities from forming, or the bishops to bring in the FSSP/ICKSP/Institute Bon Pasteur (or of the Good Shepherd)/Canons of New Jerusalem into an existing diocese if they have a parish for them to inhabit. 

Stay tuned for part two of my analysis of the paragraphs of Traditionis Custodes, and then, my personal opinions and advice about the need for TC related to the Archdiocese of Toronto and my experience dealing with the Latin Mass in this diocese. 

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.