EMBRACING TRADITION: SMALL BUT GROWING NUMBER OF CATHOLICS RETURN TO RIGID RULES, LATIN MASSES

San Jose Mercury News ^ | Fri, Jul. 04, 2003 | Lisa Fernandez

[nickcarraway]

Cynthia Hummon, left, and Cassie Hamilton recite the stations of the cross during a retreat at St. Aloysius Retreat Center.

Tucked away in the hills of Los Gatos is a conservative Catholic retreat where much of modernity is rejected: Priests wear ankle-length black cassocks, children's play structures look like ancient castles, and Mass is celebrated in Latin.

[nickcarraway]

A canonical Traditional Latin Mass is available in the Diocese of San Jose on the first Saturday of every month(all other weeks it is a Latin Novus Ordo mass) at Our Lady of Peace Church in Santa Clara. Directions to Our Lady of Peace

There is also a weekly canonical Traditional Latin Mass in the Oakland Diocese at St. Margaret Mary Parish.

[nickcarraway]

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[nickcarraway]

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[nickcarraway]

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[Maximilian]

A professor of mine once said, `Religion is a container for your faith,' said Arlene Goetze of Sunnyvale, former communications director for the San Jose Diocese and director of the Catholic Women's Network. ``And sometimes you outgrow that container. Rejecting modern thought for religion makes as much sense as living by medicine or modes of transportation of 100 years ago. Religion needs to adapt. If you don't, you'll continue to live in ignorance, which isn't very adult, Christian or spiritual.''

Wow, this woman was Communications Director for the diocese of San Jose? This is really beyond belief. I suppose that virtually all the nuns that are staffing most chancery offices are just as wacked-out, but since this woman is "former" communications director, she can afford to be honest. People take note: this is the kind of theology that is believed by the people running your diocese. Even if you don't live in San Jose, it's not too likely that your diocese is any better.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

bump for later.

[nickcarraway]

Actually, this woman is now the head of a very extreme group. I don't think she works with the Diocese anmore.

[sinkspur]

It's good for you to point out the indult Masses near you.

Most of this article is devoted to schismatics, who are not "traditionalist Catholics" at all, since they're not in union with Rome.

[nickcarraway]

I wonder why the Mercury news decided to do an article on this, let alone a front page one.

[Desdemona]

The tenor of the article is a little grating. It seems that the writer wants to present them as kooks because they won't "get with it". Well, traditionalists have some very good points and practice the faith with a fervor that is severely lacking in the larger church.

It is amazingly difficult to practice the faith in a climate where personal gratification and comfort is the prevailing "wisdom." That's not what Christ asked of us.

[nickcarraway]

Not only that, they present only a watered down version of canonical Catholicism. Abortion and contraception are still wrong.

[sinkspur]

I wonder why the Mercury news decided to do an article on this, let alone a front page one.

They're out-of-the-mainstream, like three-legged dogs. (That's an analogy; I'm not comparing schizzies to dogs.)

The paper no doubt considers them oddities. I do too, if they're not in union with Rome.

[Desdemona]

It seems like a hit piece of sorts, but not quite as shrill, as if the traditionalists were just these quant, old-fashioned people. Like our version of the Amish or something.

There are so many errors, both in terminology form and facts, that a letter to the editor might be warranted.

[sinkspur]

Well, traditionalists have some very good points and practice the faith with a fervor that is severely lacking in the larger church.

Not these traditionalists.

They're schismatic.

[american colleen]

But you can understand, sometimes, what drives some to embrace the Traditional Mass. When week after week or month after month something new is introduced and you never hear the word "sin" let alone the word "Catholic" in sermons or in bulletins, you wonder what it is to be a Catholic Christian and not some form of Protestant. If I didn't read on my own, I'd have to wonder, besides believing in the Real Presence, what makes us Catholic if all I had was the parish priest.

I know I live in a liberal part of the country (Kennedy country) but it is terribly hard to educate your kids so they understand the faith... what you teach them is one part of it, what they see in the parish and at Mass is a bigger part. So many times you feel you are at odds because there seems to be no correlation between the two.

I wouldn't join a group that was not in union with Rome, but sometimes I honestly wonder if most "mainstream" Catholic parishes are with Rome. And I can understand and sympathize those that feel so jettisoned by their parish that they feel there is no other option but to join a Traditionalist parish.

[sinkspur]

But you can understand, sometimes, what drives some to embrace the Traditional Mass.

I'm afraid I don't. Maybe I've been lucky in the Novus Ordo observance in my 40 years since Vatican II, but I have no desire to ever celebrate the Tridentine Liturgy again. Ever. And I won't, if I can help it.

But, for those who wish to, bishops should generously provide it.

[american colleen]

I don't know if I would like to attend a Tridentine Mass each week, either. But I do understand that sometimes it is all but impossible to find a reverent NO Mass and some people find they have no choice but to go from one extreme to another.

And the bulk of the laity are satisfied in their NO parish and with their parish priest.

[JNB]

To any traditional leaning(though not rad trad)Catholic who is in the South Bay, I would reccomend Our Lady of Peace for any of their masses. While Msgnr. Sweeny is no longer there, the religous order is very loyal to the magesterium and church teachings. Also for all of their masses, they still use the communion rail, have only altar boys, and no extraordinary eucharistic ministers, and this should surprise the progressives who try to shove political correctness and multi culturalism down peoples throats, this is the most diverse parish I have ever been to.

[ultima ratio]

This is one of the most ignorant and fatuous pieces on traditionalism I have ever read in a newspaper--and I've read some pretty awful stuff. In fact, this is so bad it's a howler.

Traditionalists have much more to object to in the New Mass, for instance, than the priest facing the people. There are issues of theological complexity dealing with central dogmas of the Catholic faith which go completely over this ignoramus' head.

The fifteen million estimate does not mean this number are presently attending traditional Masses, but that this is the number of those, according to some polls, who have stated unambiguously they would prefer the traditional Mass if it were made more accessible to them.

Traditionalists don't consider other Catholics "too open-minded." Pretty much the opposite. They consider them ill-informed about the faith and too ready to accept novelties presented by radical bishops--at the expense of the faith itself.

[ultima ratio]

Traditional Catholics who attend SSPX Masses are not separated from Rome by doing so. Rome itself has stated this. You know this. You've read the letter by Msgr. Perle of Ecclesia Dei saying just this--yet you continue to hurl slander suggesting we are excommunicated. This is about as dishonest as you can get.