[NYer]

"This is a step in the right direction," said the Rev. Joseph Pfeiffer, pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows in south Phoenix, which is not recognized by the diocese. But the church must return completely to the old ways, he said, before his congregation will feel comfortable with the Catholics.

Good news for those in Phoenix who wish to celebrate the Tridentine Rite.

Is Fr. Pfeiffer affiliated with the SSPX? What does he mean when he refers to his congregation as not feeling comfortable 'with the Catholics'? Aren't they also catholics?

[B Knotts]

Our Lady of Sorrows appears to be an SSPX chapel.

[TotusTuus]

Is Fr. Pfeiffer affiliated with the SSPX?

I believe so. The Church he runs is not in union with the Diocese, and therefore by extension, not with Rome.

His attitude shows the problem in a nutshell. Okay, so now Phoenix has a legitimate Bishop who is allowing the Tridentine Mass. What are the congregants of this Church going to do now? Return completely to the "old ways"? What are those? Who determines them?

Fr. Pfeiffer is Pastor of the Church, eh? Sounds like he has made himself Bishop and Pope!

The traditionalists on these threads should pay careful attention to what is going on here. In the short term, they say they want the Tridentine Mass to preserve the Church. So, through disobedience, they create their own Church to, you know, "preserve" the Catholic Faith. Only temporarily, understand. Just til they can bring back the "true" worship of the Church. And when it comes back?

This Pastor now has a congregation functionally in full schism with the Church of Christ - and it looks like it will be permanent. It started with an act of disobedience.

[ultima ratio]

Of course they are Catholics. The segment you have quoted is the reporter's dumb comment. He/she has little understanding of the traditionalist/modernist conflict in the Church. Not unusual. Catholics in general are clueless about what's going on.

[gravyfreak]

It doesn't appear that this mass has the approval of the Bishop...although technically no one can stop a priest from celebrating Tridentine Mass even if they have to do it in private. Disobedience is disobedience. Jesus was obedient.

[narses]

Fr. Pfeiffer was ordained in the SSPX. He has stayed faithful to his vows.