According
to a secular
publication, the Traditional Latin Mass has become the new “avant-garde” –
it notes that “it’s trendy to be a Traditionalist in the Catholic Church”. O God,
let it be true! It’s just so hard to see it in Eastern Oregon; but then Eastern
Oregon isn’t exactly known for being on the “cutting edge” of anything, as far
as I know!
I do
keep hearing rumors of the counter-revolution happening in other places,
though, and it’s clear that in some diocese, the TLM is actually supported by
the bishop…and in a few, even celebrated by him! So…I keep praying, and I find
hope in listening to the stories from other places.
When
the world notices something you’re doing, it means you’re making a splash.
In a
recent article in the very respected Economist Magazine – we’ve attached
the link – there is a very concise piece on traditional Catholicism with
the banner headline that Traditional Catholicism is all the rage…at least in
England.
But
that is the case all over the western world. It’s avant-garde, trendy – almost
like a hipster to actually bow before God and receive His Body and Blood on
your tongue.
It’s a
fashion-forward statement for priests to be in cassocks and nuns in habits. Oh
My. Imagine all the shock and horror bouncing off the walls of the Church of
Nice chanceries downtown. Unable to hold or inspire their own flagging parishes,
where are these other “nut job” Catholics coming from?
You
know who we’re talking about: the women who wear those doilies on their heads –
also known as veils – out of respect for the presence of the Almighty; and
fathers who stroll into the pews with a brood of as many children as Our
Blessed Lord has willed them to have, and they have been happy to cooperate
with.
AND
most of all, the young people. Oh, my! The young people at these traditional
gatherings, whether it’s Mass, or a procession, or a particular devotion. It must
really be a mystery deeper than the Blessed Trinity itself to the more
modernist-friendly usual parish at the Church of Nice.
And
here’s the heart of the mystery for them: why are their dominant parishes
shrinking and closing up, and these young upstart new kids on the block groups
busting at the seams?
Well, the
answer is pretty simple. Because the Church of Nice – by which we mean the
saccharine syrupy hand holding ultra-feminized altar girl protestant hymn
singing social justice priest facing with his back to God staring at the people
and them staring back at him Church (in short practically every parish in the
western world) – this version of Catholicism is REALLY the new kids on the
block.
It’s
only been around for about the past 50 years. Not very long in a Church that’s
2000 years old. But JUUUUST LOOONG enough so that it LOOKS like the way it’s
always been the case for anybody who’s under 55.
But
until the decade of the evil 1960’s, it was never this way. People all over the
western world went to Mass and wouldn’t dream of sticking out their hands and
grabbing the host with their fingers and plopping it in their mouths.
Nor
would the thought even enter their minds to stand in the presence of the King,
instead of kneeling. Altar girls? No way. The sanctuary was the domicile of the
masculine because of the intense focus on the sacrifice.
But
when the altar became a table, the masculine left the sanctuary and the
feminine rushed in, because the sacrifice turned into a nice meal where we all
hold hands.
That
sort of thing USED to happen in the social hall…AFTER Mass. It was called
donuts and coffee.
There
used to be processions, but the only processions you’ll find in the Church of
Nice are the ones straight to the parking lot after going up and “getting your
bread.”
And
make sure you avoid that mad rush from the altar to the parking lot. You just might
get trampled as people dash to get to the mall 3 minutes earlier than if they
would have stayed and told God thank you for the gift of Himself.
And
hovering over all this is the simple undeniable truth [that] tradition is
growing, despite being deeply opposed by many leading lights in the Church as
well as ignorance on the part of many in the pews.
And the
Church of Nice is shriveling up. Now in the competition between the modernist
manufactured machine versus the Ancient Faith, the modernist version does have
the upper hand, no doubt. It holds almost all the cards…ALMOST all.
It runs
the bureaucracy, owns the property, controls the schools, determines the
educational material, etc. But despite its massive advantage, it’s contracting,
and the traditional ORIGINAL non-manufactured one is expanding.
Think
down the road a generation. Is it logical to suspect that the Church of Nice
will always enjoy the advantage it currently enjoys? Uh no. It only enjoys that
advantage because it has the numbers on its side…right now.
But we
already have mountains of evidence that those numbers are not only growing smaller,
but will continue to into the next generation. Less and less Catholic couples
getting married, certainly having fewer children – and the children of today
who are raised in the Church of Nice for the most part don’t care or don’t know
about their faith.
What do
you think they are going to do in 10 years when they are young adults? Stick
around a Church or parish that they have no real intellectual, psychological,
and most of all spiritual attachment to?
They’ll
leave just as the past two generations have largely left.
And
what about people who are on an HONEST search for the truth? What will their
reaction be when they encounter the Church of Nice. Well, since they hear only
a smidgeon of the truth in it – IF they come to it – they aren’t hanging around
for long.
But
when these same people encounter the non-manufactured Traditional Church that
thunders Truth from the pulpit, that bows down in adoration before Her God,
that is unapologetically and undeniably CATHOLIC – well, that’s a different
story.
In
THESE pews, divorce is not common – but children are. Contraception and dissent
do not rule the minds and hearts – but love for the faith coupled with a
knowledge of it do.
In the
end, as it has always been, it is the truth that people are attracted to…those
who WANT it. So when they find it they come, and when they don’t find it, they
leave; sooner or later, they hit the bricks.
Anyone
who thinks that the Church of Nice’s days aren’t numbered needs to get out more
often. They could start by reading the attached brief article in a SECULAR
publication. If the world is noticing…there’s something to notice.
It was great to see this article in the secular periodical, The Economist, and especially for it have been pretty accurate and fair. God bless Michael Voris but I'm not as optimistic as he that the so-called church of nice is on its way out.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly Eliazbeth , but lets HOPE Michael Voris is right . Since I am blessed to attend St. Francis de Sales Oratory with the Traditional Latin Mass my life has changed .
ReplyDeleteThe Church of Nice is no longer a part of my life.
The spirit within me has been disturbed for a few years before I found and "stumbled" across St. Francis de Sales ...now I am "hooked" ...I want and desire with all my heart the Mass of all times ...The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass , the Extraordinary Form ...it is the most beautiful thing this side of heaven! To God be the Glory !
I suppose it depends where you live - the question of how soon the Church of Nice will be ousted. In Eastern Oregon, I fear it will take a lot longer than other places.
ReplyDelete