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| Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:08 am (GMT -5)    Letter to Friends and Benefactors n° 71 Link to Original Dear Friends and Benefactors, The traditional Mass was never abrogated. What joy, dear faithful, filled our hearts at the announcement of Pope Benedict XVI's motu proprio of July 7th. We see in it an answer from Heaven to our Rosary Crusade, not only because of its promulgation, but especially because of the extent of its overture towards the traditional liturgy. Indeed, it is not only the missal that is declared to be Church law, but also other liturgical books. It must be said that if the Mass was never abrogated, it has kept all its rights. In reality, the motu proprio grants nothing new to the Mass of All Time; it merely states that the Mass of St. Pius V, called "of John XXIII" for the occasion, is still in force despite its absence and an interdiction against its celebration lasting nearly forty years. The Tridentine Mass is still the Catholic Mass. The subtle and awkward distinction made between ordinary and extraordinary form of the same rite in speaking of the new and the old Mass will not fool anyone. In this domain, facts speak for themselves. What must be retained is the assertion of the Mass's perpetual status as a universal law of the Catholic Church. The very word "law of the Church" excludes indults, permissions, or conditions. The bishops are trying to neutralize the salutary effect of the motu proprio by imposing binding and odious restrictions on its implementation. They are certainly not following the Sovereign Pontiff's will. It will be most interesting to watch the progress of this more or less open rebellion, which is largely hidden from public view. The history of the Church for the next several decades will be determined by this confrontation. Let us pray that the pope may have the strength to uphold and to impose what he has just restored to the Church. It goes much further than the simple celebration of the Mass. The motu proprio leaves the door ajar to the former liturgical spirit in the sense that it enables it to develop. The liturgy comprises several elements, of which, obviously, the most important is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, but this treasure is set amongst an ensemble of liturgical books. Most of them, or at least the most well-known, are going to acquire a new life: the ritual that contains the rites used by the priest to confer the sacraments and blessings; at least part of the pontifical that contains the sacrament of confirmation; and the breviary. These liturgical books form a whole that will undoubtedly allow the traditional liturgical spirit to resume its place in the life of the Church. The initial effects of the motu proprio are interesting, even if they are almost insignificant when one considers the Church at large. Still, some bishops are actively supporting the movement; and despite the difficulties imposed by other Ordinaries, priests are learning and beginning to celebrate the Holy Mass. More than 5,000 priests worldwide have requested the training videos on the ceremonies of the Mass produced by the Society. That shows that priests evidence a certain interest in the Mass of All Time! What is noteworthy is the unanimous feedback we hear from priests who are discovering the Tridentine Mass. The following testimonies are not exceptional: "It's two different worlds!" "Celebrating facing the altar or the people is altogether different!" "By celebrating this Mass, I've discovered what a priest is!" These testimonials speak volumes, and are worth more than all the argumentations. There is no point in asking them what they think about the holiness of the new rite... It is obvious that if the genuine freedom to celebrate were guaranteed not only in writing but in practice, the number of Tridentine Masses would immediately increase tenfold. Whoever is aware of the titanic struggle that has been raging in our Catholic Church for at least two centuries, understands that a large part of the crisis in the Church revolves around the Mass. Two Masses, two theologies, two spirits: A new spirit was inoculated into the veins of the Mystical Body by means of the New Mass, "the spirit of Vatican II." The traditional Mass, on the contrary, radiates the Catholic Spirit. The rite of St. Pius V entails an incomparable coherence of faith and morals. To the eyes of anyone who attends it seriously, it quickly becomes manifest that this Mass is demanded by the faith and provides substantial nourishment for it. Soon the logic of the faith becomes clear to the faithful soul: the just man lives by faith. We must live by our beliefs. The whole of Christian morality, with all its demands of self-denial, sacrifice, and detachment from the world, flows from it. God is holy, and whoever desires to approach Him must live a life of purity, for His holiness requires that the faithful soul put on the spotless garment of grace. The Mass not only opens the eyes of the faithful to this reality, the sublimity of the Christian vocation, but above all it gives them the means to live it. What an abundance of grace is poured out upon the faithful of "good will" at Mass, and even more upon the priest who celebrates it! The radiant grace of the Mass calls for another sanctification: that of the Christian family, and ultimately all of society. If society was Christian for centuries, for more than a millennium in fact, this must be attributed above all to the Mass, this holy rite that was completed in its essential parts by the end of Antiquity. We are able to celebrate the so-called "Tridentine Mass", or the "Mass of St. Pius V", without difficulty using manuscripts of the tenth or eleventh centuries. One cannot but be struck by the fact that the decadence, indeed the disappearance, of Christian society noticeably accelerated once the new rite was introduced. Who would only like to see in that mere chance or coincidence? We are still engaged in the titanic struggle for the salvation of souls which runs throughout the history of the human race. Let us hope that the advances made by the motu proprio do not cause us to lose sight of this much deeper view of things. The new situation is cause for hope, but also for redoubled courage to carry on the combat along the route traced by Archbishop Lefebvre. The success gained by our rosary crusade, the zeal that we saw deployed, inspires us to renew our confidence in our heavenly Mother, not by a crusade a month or two long, but by a perpetual rosary crusade. Yes, may this prayer never cease to ascend heavenward for the good of the Church and the salvation of souls! We are convinced that Our Lady will not remain unmoved by such an onslaught of Ave Marias, and will hasten the Church's recovery. In keeping with the fine sentiment of the Swiss General, General Guisan, who on seeing a soldier praying his rosary said: "How I should like to see Switzerland encircled by this chain!" we should like to encircle the entire Church with a chain of rosaries, to encircle her with an immense and continual string of Ave Marias for her defense and protection. Thus, we are now launching a perpetual Rosary Crusade to obtain from Heaven not only that the decree of excommunication be withdrawn, but especially that Catholic Tradition be fully re-established in its due place —a crusade that will continue until the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. May all the saints come unto our aid, and may Our Lady bless you! The Feast of All Saints November 1, 2007 + Bernard Fellay _________________ http://ColleenHammond.blogspot.com |
| Consolidating Opposition to the Holy Father Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:01 pm (GMT -5) I rather think it is more like one finger....see what you think http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/ukcorrespondents/holysmoke/november07/cardinal-honour-sacked-archbishop.htm Holy Smoke by Damian Thompson More UK Correspondents blogs Damian Thompson is editor-in-chief of the Catholic Herald. The Church Times once described him as a "blood-crazed ferret". Earlier this year Benedict XVI finally sacked Archbishop Piero Marini, the liberal papal Master of Ceremonies who is strongly opposed to the Pope's liturgical reforms. A furious Marini has now written a book that a senior Vatican official has condemned as part of an anti-Benedict "campaign". Marini's book sticks two fingers up to the Pope And guess where the book is being launched? In the throne room of Archbishop's House, Westminster, by His Eminence Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor. In his book, A Challenging Reform – a nostalgic memoir of the days when he and other liberals wrecked the liturgy – Marini attacks the "tendency to return to a preconciliar mindset that has for years now characterised the Curia's approach". This is known, in technical terms, as sticking up two fingers to Pope Benedict's liturgical renewal, which is rooted in the rediscovery of preconciliar worship. And now read this: "The Liturgical Press, The Tablet and Columba Bookservice are inviting people to a reception honouring Archbishop Piero Marini upon the publication of his book, A Challenging Reform, in the presence of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor at the Throne Room of Archbishop's House on Friday, December 14." Interesting, no? Marini's book has been described by one of Benedict's top advisers, off the record, as part of a campaign against the Pope. And I've no doubt he's right. Marini fought tooth and nail to hang on to his position, which he used to stage ghastly politically correct carnivals. Only once he was sacked could the Holy Father begin the process of cleaning up the Vatican's sub-standard worship. Now we learn that this deeply divisive archbishop is being "honoured" by our Cardinal in the throne room at Westminster. As the Americans say: go figure. |
| Quebecers reluctantly accept cardinal Ouellet's apology Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:18 pm (GMT -5)   Cardinal Marc Ouellet at the Vatican in 2003: 'Mothers were snubbed by priests,' he acknowledges. (Pier Paolo Cito/Associated Press) Quebecers reluctantly accept archbishop's apology Quebec City cleric seeks forgiveness for church's past sins Last Updated: Wednesday, November 21, 2007 | 6:40 PM ET CBC News A widespread apology issued Wednesday by Cardinal Marc Ouellet is being met by skepticism among those targeted by the mea culpa. In an open letter published in the province's newspapers Wednesday, the archbishop of Quebec City admitted "errors were committed" in the past by certain Catholics and other church officials, and he asked Quebecers to forgive the institution and reconcile with their Christian heritage. Among the errors he cited are attitudes, prior to 1960, which favoured "anti-Semitism, racism, indifference to First Nations and discrimination against women and homosexuals." Montreal-based gay activist Michael Hendricks said while the cardinal's comments are true, the church hasn't done much to address entrenched attitudes. "The Catholic Church's role in promoting homophobia is unchanging, and has continued throughout the whole marriage debate," he told CBC News. Women say apology does little to change their status in the church Ouellet acknowledged that abuses of power hurt the church's image in Quebec and hindered its moral authority. A widespread apology issued Wednesday by Cardinal Marc Ouellet is being met by skepticism among those targeted by the mea culpa. In an open letter published in the province's newspapers Wednesday, the archbishop of Quebec City admitted "errors were committed" in the past by certain Catholics and other church officials, and he asked Quebecers to forgive the institution and reconcile with their Christian heritage. 'These scandals shook the confidence of the people towards religious authorities, and we understand them. Forgive us for all this pain!' —Quebec City archbishop Cardinal Marc Ouellet Among the errors he cited are attitudes, prior to 1960, which favoured "anti-Semitism, racism, indifference to First Nations and discrimination against women and homosexuals." Montreal-based gay activist Michael Hendricks said while the cardinal's comments are true, the church hasn't done much to address entrenched attitudes. "The Catholic Church's role in promoting homophobia is unchanging, and has continued throughout the whole marriage debate," he told CBC News. Women say apology does little to change their status in the church Ouellet acknowledged that abuses of power hurt the church's image in Quebec and hindered its moral authority. "Mothers of families were snubbed by parish priests without regard for the family obligations that they are already assumed; youngsters were subject to sexual aggression by priests," he wrote in his letter, published in Quebec's French-language newspapers. The Quebec Women's Federation commended Ouellet for acknowledging mistakes of the past, but spokeswoman Nancy Burrows said it doesn't change women's lack of franchise in the church. The Roman Catholic Church still opposes the use of contraceptives, and has resisted growing pressure to allow women to join the priesthood. Many Catholic women want the church to adapt, but they're not being heard, and the cardinal could make a real difference if he used his position and leadership to lobby for change, Burrows said. She also said she suspects the cardinal has ulterior motives. "The actual goal of the letter was to get to the point of wanting to push forward with his agenda to bring the church back into schools," she said on Wednesday. Views on religious education criticized Ouellet called for a return of religious education in schools, but qualified his request by saying catechism didn't have to be provided by schools. The cardinal also said Quebec's new course on ethics and religious culture should be optional. That attitude suggests the cardinal doesn't see the value in teaching people from different faiths about different religions, Ottawa-based theologian Carolyn Sharp said. "He continues to be very hostile with regards to the program that's been proposed and being developed, with regards to the teaching of religion as a teaching subject," said Sharp, who teaches ethics in the faculty of theology at Saint Paul University in Ottawa. Politicians react with nuance The letter is a good start, Quebec Culture Minister Christine Saint-Pierre said. Times have changed since a priest told her mother she didn't have enough children, but the church still has some catching up to do, Saint-Pierre said. "I saw what the Catholic Church did to women, but there is still some gains that we have to see concerning contraception, concerning homosexuality, concerning the equality between men and women," she said on Wednesday. Quebec Finance Minister Monique Jérôme-Forget called Ouellet's letter an "act of courage" but warned it does not make up for mistakes in the past. Ouellet said he wrote the letter in light of the attention generated by his presentation at the Bouchard-Taylor commission on immigrants. The letter also said the church will make a public display of repentance next spring during Lent. Ouellet is considered among the highest-ranking Roman Catholic officials in the country and has often spoken publicly against same-sex marriage. With files from the Canadian Press _________________ http://www.geocities.com/demographic_crash |
| LA Times Admits Inflating Mexico's Illegal Abortion Count Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:27 am (GMT -5)   Los Angeles Times Reporter Admits Inflating Mexico's Illegal Abortion Count by Steven Ertelt LifeNews.com Editor November 20, 2007 Los Angeles (LifeNews.com) -- A Los Angles Times news reporter has admitted that he inflated the number of illegal abortions he reported in a recent news story on Mexico. Hector Tobar reported that 1 million illegal abortions had been occurring there annually before the legislative assembly in Mexico City legalized abortions in the capital city. In an editorial LifeNews.com carried earlier this month, NewsBusters blogger Dave Pierre challenged Tobar on the assertion. Pierre noted how only 3,400 women have received abortions at 14 of the capital's public hospitals in the six months since lawmakers legalized abortions there. With 40 percent of Mexicans living in the capital or within a day's drive from it and so few abortions done legal, Pierre said there is no way so many illegal abortions would be done in the nation annually. "The Times and Tobar have some explaining to do," Pierre said at the time. "By grossly inflating the number of illegal abortions and the deaths they caused, the Times has propagated abortion falsehoods yet again." Tobar has now admitted the numbers are wrong, but his correction didn't come in the way of an article in the newspaper. Instead, he posted a response on the Times' blog. Tobar admits "the 1-million figure appears too high" and acknowledges that there is an "obvious inconsistency" between the number of legal abortions and the illegal abortion claims. "If you consider that the Mexico City metropolitan region is home to almost 1 in 6 Mexicans ... you could guess that there were about 40,000 to 68,000 abortions, legal and illegal, taking place in the entire country each year -- far less than 1 million." Tobar admits. The reporter blames his mathematical error on abortion advocates. "Several lawmakers and activists supporting the legalization law cited a 2005 study by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM in Spanish) that estimated there were close to 1 million abortions performed in the country each year," Tobar wrote. Tobar says the study was frequently quoted in the debate leading up to legalization by Human Rights Watch, a notorious pro-abortion group that is advocating abortion in numerous Latin American nations with pro-life laws. "The exact number of abortions in a country where abortions remains largely illegal can probably never be known," Tobar finally concludes. "But in light of Mexico City's experience with legalized abortion, the 1-million figure appears too high." Pierre issued a response to Tobar on the NewsBusters web site. "There's a lot (and I mean a lot) more I can add about this, but we'll just leave it at this," he said, after quoting Tobar's admission. "This issue may not seem like a big deal to some," Pierre concluded. "But to pro-lifers who are all too familiar with the brute dishonesty of abortion proponents and their defenders, this episode can be viewed as significant."  _________________ http://www.geocities.com/demographic_crash |
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