Correction Regarding the Legality of
the traditional Roman Rite of Mass
York Daily Record, December 5, 2007
A
recent article in the YDR written by Melissa Nann Burke, Group Created for
Latin Worship, concerning Bishop Rhoades’ creation of the Mater Dei
Community for celebration of the traditional Roman Rite of the Mass in Latin
contained a serious error of fact.
Ms. Burke said, “Until
Benedict's decree took effect in September (the Motu Proprio, Summarum Pontificum), priests could use the Latin Mass
only with permission from their local bishop.”
This is not true and Ms. Burke
knows that it is not true because I have told her so. She knows that Pope Benedict specifically stated in his letter
accompanying his Motu Proprio of last July that he “would like to draw
attention to the fact that this (the traditional Roman Rite of the Mass) was
never juridically abrogated and, consequently, in principle, was always
permitted.” Thus “permission from local
bishop” was never required at any time for a Catholic priest to offer or a
Catholic layman to attend the traditional Roman Rite of the Mass for
“permission” is not required to do what is in fact legally permitted.
Furthermore, Ms. Burke also
knows that Pope Benedict, by stating that the traditional Mass is, and was
always, perfectly legal, reaffirmed at the same time the continued legality of
the papal bull, Quo Primum, written by Pope St. Pius V for the purpose
of codifying the traditional Roman Rite of the Mass. Pope St. Pius said in this bull that, “…this missal is hereafter
to be followed absolutely, without any scruple of conscience or fear of
incurring any penalty, judgment or censure, and may freely and lawfully be
used… Nor are superiors, administrators, canons, chaplains, and other secular
priests, or religious, of whatever title designated, obliged to celebrate the
Mass otherwise than as enjoined by Us. … Accordingly, no one whatsoever is
permitted to infringe or rashly contravene this notice of Our permission,
statute, ordinance, command, precept, grant, direction, will, decree and
prohibition. Should any person venture to do so, let him understand he
will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the Blessed Apostles Peter and
Paul.”
The fact that the traditional
Mass has always been perfectly legal may have been a revelation to Bishop
Rhoades, but it should not have been because it has been public knowledge for
years available to anyone willing to make an honest inquiry into the question.
Pope Benedict XVI as Cardinal Ratzinger, said in 1998, “The Church, throughout
her history, has never abolished nor forbidden orthodox liturgical
forms, which would be quite alien to the Spirit of the Church.” Cardinal Dario
Castrillon Hoyos recently stated that, “The ancient Mass has never been
abolished nor forbidden.” The detailed evidence supporting this matter
was personally provided to Bishop Rhoades and his judicial vicar, Rev. William
J. King, years ago and the letters documenting this fact are published on our
web page at saintspeterandpaulrcm.com.
Now Ms. Burke, who has written
several articles on the recent developments in the Catholic Church regarding
the traditional Roman Rite of the Mass, has curiously avoided the most pressing
questions that are begging to be asked of Bishop Rhoades. Such as, “How is it
that he, his predecessor, Bishop Dattilo, and his judicial expert, canon
lawyer, Rev. King were inexcusably ignorant of this fact of law that the
traditional Mass was always perfectly legal, and why did they fail repeatedly
to make any effort whatsoever to correct their ignorance”? “Furthermore, since it now manifest that
they are materially guilty of a serious breech of Catholic justice, as well as
the duties incumbent upon their office, just what are they now doing to make
amends to traditional Catholics who they have maligned for years with false
accusations while denying them their rights as Catholics?”
Ss. Peter & Paul Roman
Catholic Mission is pleased to see Bishop Rhoades establish the Mater Dei
Community in Harrisburg for the exclusive exercise of the traditional Roman
Rite of the Mass. This development is
one of the purposes for which our Mission was established and represents a great
achievement for our members. By
demanding our legal rights as Catholics against the manifest injustice of the
hierarchy, we have forced them to respond to Pope Benedict’s Motu Proprio in
positive manner. If anyone should doubt
the truth of this, they only have to do a web search for the locations of
previously established traditional communities in this country and they will
see that these locations have a strongly positive correlation with the
locations of newly established traditional indult communities such as Mater
Dei.
As for Ms. Burke, if she has
difficulty in asking difficult questions of an authority figure, she has no
business representing herself as an “investigative reporter” to anyone.
David Drew
Chairman
Ss. Peter & Paul Roman
Catholic Mission
Established for the restoration
of the traditional Roman Rite of Mass in the Diocese of Harrisburg