SS. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic
Mission
P. O. Box
7352
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith
Piazza del S. Uffizio, 11, 00193
Roma, Italy
Encl: Letter to Cardinal
Ratzinger, February 7, 2004
Reply from Msgr. Perl, March 12, 2004
Dear Cardinal Ratzinger,
I sent the enclosed letter, dated
February 7, 2004, to your office because it concerned a question of Catholic
doctrine, and the charge of heresy and schism made by a diocesan official and
spokesman of the local ordinary. The
letter was copied to the Ecclesia Dei Commission for their information only so
that they would have additional documentary evidence regarding the impotency of
their office in the defense of the rights of Catholics to practice the Catholic
Faith according to the immemorial Traditions of the Latin Rite.
The local ordinary of Harrisburg,
PA, Bishop Nicholas Dattilo, made a public charge of heresy and schism without
providing any further specification or documentary evidence to support the
allegation. Since Bishop Dattilo died
on March 5, 2004, he cannot correct or make amends for the calumny that has
been committed against myself and the other members of SS. Peter and Paul Roman
Catholic Mission. This is a serious
charge for which, as a Catholic, I have appealed to Rome for a formal opinion
regarding any doctrinal error that may be contained in our public
statements. This question was not
submitted to the Ecclesia Dei Commission and is not a question that pertains to
their “particular competency.”
Furthermore, I and the members of SS. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic
Mission hold to the practice of our immemorial Ecclesiastical Traditions of the
Roman Rite by virtue of our rights as Catholics and not by virtue of any
“indult.” Therefore, we do not look to
the Ecclesia Dei Commission for any help in securing our rights since they do
not recognize them as such. The
Ecclesia Dei Commission has been around for sixteen years and has been of no
benefit whatsoever to myself, my family, or any other Catholic in the
Harrisburg Diocese who is intent upon maintaining the practice of the
Traditions of the Roman Rite.
Msgr. Perl, the secretary for the
Ecclesia Dei Commission was asked by your office to reply to my letter. Since the question of the doctrinal
correctness of our publications is not within his competency, he did not
attempt to provide an answer. Msgr.
Perl did however offer a pastoral opinion regarding SS. Peter and Paul Roman
Catholic Mission’s efforts to restore the Ecclesiastical Traditions of the
Roman Rite to this diocese. There are
two statements of Msgr. Perl that I would like to comment upon to your
office.
Msgr. Perl said that “it is not
simply for you or your community to determine what is ‘contrary to, or could in
any way impede, the restoration and defense of the immemorial traditions of the
Catholic Church’.” In this he is
correct. The job is the primary
responsibility of the local ordinary.
Unfortunately, the local ordinary has not only failed in the “restoration
and defense of the immemorial traditions of the Catholic Church” but he
actively worked to destroy them. What
Msgr. Perl ignores is that the primary responsibility for the salvation of each
soul falls upon the individual person, and when the local ordinary exercises
his office in a manner that does not provide the necessary means for the
individual to save his soul, then he must take that responsibility upon
himself. To my understanding, this is
wholly consonant with the constant teaching of the Catholic Church.
Further, Msgr. Perl states that,
“Conditional obedience to the Pope and Bishops of the Church in union with him
is always a dangerous position to espouse.”
This is not completely true. While
it may be “dangerous,” it is not always or necessarily so. Catholic teaching requires that an act of
obedience to any human, if it is to be an act of virtue, must always be
“conditional.” It is conditional to the
requisite subjugation of the command to the Divine Law, Natural Law and all
previously defined dogma and traditional doctrinal teachings of the Catholic
Church. Again, it is my understanding
that whenever a command is even only apparently in opposition to the higher
order, and the individual conscience cannot satisfactorily resolve this
opposition to produce a true and morally certain conscience, a Catholic is
morally required to follow his conscience and not obey that command.
There are hundreds of Catholics in
the Diocese of Harrisburg who cannot participate in the liturgical, doctrinal
and moral practices of the Novus Ordo Church as a matter of conscience, and our
Mission chapel is drawing more of these Catholics to its membership every
week. This “matter of conscience” not
only refers to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass but to the entire complement of
innovations that violate our Traditions.
As to the formation of a correct conscience, there is no better guide
nor safer path than to follow than the countless confessors, doctors, popes and
saints that have gone before us in the practice of the immemorial Traditions of
our Church. Provided I keep to this
path, I have no fear whatsoever regarding the judgment of God, to which we must
all answer, for failing in obedience to a local ordinary who believes he has a
better idea that countermands two thousand years of Tradition, particularly,
when that “better idea” is evidently and manifestly ruinous to the Catholic
Faith and the salvation of souls.
It is regrettable that Msgr. Perl
found my letter to Bishop Dattilo offering him the opportunity to consecrate
our chapel as “polemical” and “accusatory” for the letter was neither. This comment says a lot more about Msgr.
Perl and the Ecclesia Dei Commission than it does about the tone of my letter. The letter is a straight forward affirmation
of our intent to claim our rights as Catholics to the immemorial Traditions of
our Church that we hold are necessary for the accomplishment of our duties that
God has placed before us. We are
committed to the practice of the Catholic Faith according to the Traditions of
the Roman Rite with or without the permission of the local ordinary. Regardless, we will continue to insure that
the names of Pope John Paul II and the next local ordinary are cited in the canon
of the Masses offered at our chapel.
I appeal to your office again
regarding the charge of heresy that has been made in the public forum. If there is any heretical opinion expressed
in the previously provided documents, I respectfully request that your office
clearly and specifically identify them.
Sincerely in Christ,
Dr. David M. Drew
Chairman
SS. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic
Mission
cc. Rev. Msgr. Camille Perl, Secretary Pontifical Commission of
Ecclesia Dei
P. O. Box
7352
February
7, 2004
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Prefect of Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith
Piazza del S. Uffizio, 11, 00193
Roma, Italy
Dear Cardinal Ratzinger,
I am the chairman of SS. Peter and
Paul Roman Catholic Mission. The
Mission is an association of lay Catholics dedicated to the restoration of the
Ecclesiastical Traditions of the Roman Rite to the Diocese of Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania. To this end we have
purchased a church in the historic district of York, PA and provide for the
regular offering of the Traditional Roman Rite (Tridentine) Mass, the daily
practice of a holy hour of adoration and reparation to the Blessed Sacrament
with the reading of Vespers and Compline, catechetical instruction for both
adults and children, and the sponsoring of speakers for public lectures.
The local ordinary, Bishop
Nicholas Dattilo, has refused to fulfill his obligation to care for our
spiritual needs which has necessitated our taking the initiative to see that we
have the Catholic sacraments, Catholic doctrine and Catholic morals without
compromise and according to the traditions of the Roman Rite. Bishop Dattilo has refused communion with
the Traditional Catholics of SS. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission. He has refused to permit the Priestly
Fraternity of St. Peter to operate in this diocese. The papal flag is displayed in the sanctuary of SS. Peter and
Paul Roman Catholic Chapel, located at 129 S. Beaver Street, York, Pennsylvania,
and the names of Pope John Paul II and Bishop Dattilo are included in the canon
of the Traditional Masses offered in this chapel.
Rev. William J. King, JCD, the
judicial vicar and spokesman for Bishop Dattilo has published the
unsubstantiated allegation in the diocesan newspaper and parish bulletins
against the Traditional Catholics of SS. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission
that “many of their doctrines and practices contradict Biblical revelation and
authentic Catholic teaching,” and that “their theology contains certain
doctrinal errors.” He has also
described us as a “dissident sect in schism with the Catholic Church.” Rev. King has refused an offer to specify
these allegations or defend these statements in a public forum where he could
be directly questioned.
This is a public accusation of
heresy and schism against Catholics who hold the entire Catholic Faith whole
and inviolable in its doctrinal and moral integrity. The Catholics of SS. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission appeal
to your Excellency to examine these accusations to determine their merit. Rev. King must be required to substantiate
his accusations with a specific charge that is supported by real evidence, or
he must be required to publish a retraction and an apology in the same forum
with the same degree of emphasis that the false accusations were made. Failing that, we ask that your office
examine these documents and determine if they contain any error of Catholic
doctrine or morals.
I have enclosed for your
information that statement of our corporate purpose of SS. Peter and Paul Roman
Catholic Mission, the letter of invitation to Bishop Dattilo to consecrate our
church, a document formally submitted to Bishop Dattilo by one of his priests
for determination of any theological error.
We remain loyal Catholics in
doctrine, morals, liturgical worship and in all disciplinary matters that do
not restrict our practice and defense of the Ecclesiastical Traditions of the
Roman Catholic Church.
Sincerely in Christ,
David Drew
Chairman
SS. Peter and Paul Roman Catholic
Mission
Encl: Rev. King’s notice in the Catholic
Witness, the diocesan newspaper
Letter inviting Bishop Dattilo to consecrate SS. Peter
and Paul Roman Catholic Chapel
Rev. King letter of February 3, 2004
Reply to a Conservative Canon Lawyer, A Defense of Our
Rights to the Ecclesiastical Traditions
Two front page articles from the York Daily Record, the
local newspaper
cc. Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, President Pontifical Commission of
Ecclesia Dei
Bishop Nicholas Dattilo, Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg
Rev. William J. King, JCD, Judicial Vicar, Diocese of
Harrisburg