Posted on 08/04/2004 3:37:34 AM PDT by AAABEST
Recently the SSPX published a book titled "Priest, Where Is Thy Mass? Mass, Where Is Thy Priest." The SSPX mailed a free copy of the book to the Catholic priests in America, all 45,915 of them. Over 300 have actually begun correspondence with the priests involved and with the SSPX. A review of this book and discussion of the issues involved can be viewed on-line at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1173010/posts
Unfortunately, with priests with whom I've discussed this book the common concern was that the book underestimates the first and primary hurdle for any priest, especially our retired priests. These priests need to know how they will make a living if their ties to the local diocese are severed by their bishops, especially bishops who refuse to obey Rome in providing an Indult Latin Mass. Furthermore, they need to know the Canon Law implications of saying the Latin Mass without "official permission" from their diocesan hierarchy. Many retired priests never contributed to social security. Often in their retirement the only income they have is their diocesan pension, and their only health care is their diocesan health plan. These may be controlled by or used by bishops to prevent priests from offering the Latin Mass, though it is not "outlawed" by Canon Law.
The "Latin Mass Stipend Fund"
The "Latin Mass Stipend Fund" is a concept quietly under discussion by a small group of traditional minded Catholics across America. As envisioned, this national 501c3 organization would pay priests a mass stipend for each time they offer the Tridentine Mass. Stipends could be in the $30 per mass range, so that a priest offering the mass daily and on Sundays could have a basic income to support himself. This would offer some minimal economic aid to those priests desiring to start offering the Latin Mass.
The 501c3 would have to be independent of any outside individual or group. It would make public all contributions to the fund but not the recipients of said fund. All actions taken by this organization must be wholly within the strictures of Canon Law, and the services of a Canon Lawyer would be requested to assure this is appropriately followed.
This might free up far more diocesan priests to take more seriously the idea of leaving their current diocesan structure and entering the traditionalist movement.
This "Tridentine Mass Stipend Fund" foundation may need to exist within a larger framework. Marcus Grodi's "Coming Home Network" (CHN) is an example of the type of organization needed to assist diocesan and other priests in deciding and acting upon their decision to return to tradition. If you look at the Coming Home Network "Services" page, it gives a good idea of the parallel needs of priests desiring to return to Tradition and pastors converting to Catholicism. These priests may be in a situation similar to protestant ministers who are giving up everything to make the conversion.
Also, from the standpoint of Canon Law, the foundation would have to be absolutely certain that its actions do not encourage or support sedevacantist priests or organizations. (Even the fact that a diocesan priest might leave the diocesan structure and form a chapel independent of any hierarchy or Church governance, is a cause for concern. Several of the stories related in the SSPX book, "Priest, Where Is your mass..." were of priests who started independent chapels.)
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Working Draft: The Latin Mass Stipend
Overview: A national foundation providing a stipend and Canon Law support for diocesan priests saying the Latin Mass (the Tridentine Mass, according to be rubrics of the 1962 missal).
Need: There are approximately 45,000 Diocesan priests in the United States. At last 300 are interested in the Latin Mass but are concerned about both the Canonical status and financial support for the Traditional Mass. The immediate need is to craft a donor base of $300,000 monthly ($30 per Mass x 30 per month = $270,000 + $30,000 in reserve, legal, administrative and other expenses) with immediate growth to 10 times that and a longer range growth to 30 times that base, or $9,000,000 monthly.
Problem Statements: The problem statements are: 1) identify the Trustees and staff, 2) identify the potential donors, 3) identify the interested priests, 4) create a communication medium for all three groups to craft and maintain a donor base, and 5) build allies within the Latin Mass communities (LMC’s) without creating enemies.
General Discussion: Assuming a population within the US LMC’s of 20,000 households, a donation of $15 monthly from each would suffice initially. Assuming a 10% penetration that turns into $150 monthly which may be beyond the ability of many households. Crafting three monthly tiers seems the most likely scenario for initial success, with a planned giving campaign to create an endowment as a longer-term project. If the monthly tiers are $10, $50, and $300 the combination of donors could look like:
$10 X 400 = $4,000
$50 X 1,200 = $60,000
$300 X 400 = $120,000
Total = $184,000
The $116,000 monthly shortfall could be made up by a combination of lower demand initially (the assumption is that we will not see 300 priests immediately saying the Latin Mass every day and making simultaneous, full demands on the Foundation) coupled with large scale principal donors.
Donors will come from both the LMC’s as well as the much, much larger Catholic population. Fund raising efforts need to be divided into categories, both vertical and horizontal. Verticals include the lay Latin Mass Communities, the Priestly and Religious LMC’s, the Diocesan lay and religious communities, Catholic and other foundations, and the general public, both individual and corporate. Horizontals include monthly donors, one time gifts, planned donations (wills, trusts, charitable annuities, etc), advertisers, in kind donations and major donors.
IMMEDIATE NEEDS: Initial Trustees, including at least one Canon Law specialist, mailing lists for both the 300 priests and the 45,000 priests as well a LMC lists and initial major donors as well as a principal volunteer Executive Director.
Everything above is simply preliminary concepts and ideas. More input from traditional Catholics is needed and encouraged.
Please share this idea with other like minded traditional Catholics.
If you would like to share any thoughts or opinions or suggestions, or if you would like to be added to our email list for future updates and discussions, please send an email bjk@vivificat.org
Ping for "Kosherness". I didn't see anything wrong with the thread but just thought I'd check in.
Ping for feedback
This is a most providential initiative. Those who can't support tradition-minded priests financially should offer up prayers, fasts and sacrifices on their behalf.
Ora et labora - as per the old Benedictine motto.
Has a wall of censorship been erected here? Has posting in the Religion section actually come to this?
In the old Soviet Union journalist writings were commonly censored prior to publication. Has the threat of suspension and or banishment so permeated FReeper thought as to believe they must seek approval of their postings?
This is reminiscent of the pre-sodomite scandal days in my Roman Catholic Church, when victims were warned they would be banished if they sought legal advice. The powers-that-be thought a threat of severance from Holy Sacraments would be sufficient intimidation to squash descent.
No one among us can be so arrogant as to believe they have a calling to separate and or filter the free flow of opinion and objection by Roman Catholic faithful about the nature and direction of their spiritual beliefs!!!
I'll close with three thoughts for readers of this post to ponder:
As no roads are so rough as those that have just been mended, so no sinners are so intolerant as those that have just turned saints. -- Charles Caleb Colton
Without debate, without criticism, no administration and no country can succeed -- and no republic can survive. -- John F. Kennedy
The rule is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane. -- Mark Twain
The reason I wanted to double check with this one was because of the recent dust up.
$30 per Mass x 30 per month = $270,000
I don't think so. $30 x 30 = $900. He left out the factor of 300 priests.
Don't you see the problem!!??
He doesn't even want an independent chapel!!!
He wants to keep them hidden away in the HERETICAL ABOMINATION OF THE CONCILIAR CHURCH, offering Mass in their own room - because no one is going to let them even offer a private Mass on the novus table.
What about their health care.
The real answer is that there are more than enough groups who desperately wish to find a real priest teaching and holding the TRUE FAITH, to offer a TRUE MASS. These priests need to set up independent chapels, or have them set up for them by the congregation.
What he should be doing is screening the priests and the groups and getting them together - AND MAKE SURE THEY WERE VAIDLY ORDAINED, i.e BEFORE 1968, OR CONDITIONALLY RE-ORDAINED IN THE TRUE RITE SUSBEQUENTLY BY A TRUE BISHOP.
THE TRUE FAITH, WHOLE AND ENTIRE, MUST GO HAND IN HAND WITH THE TRUE MASS!
This FReepMail retort was not from a FR 'moderator', and was absent any relevant comment to my Post # 5 wherein I was not concerned about seeking FReeper contributions for myself or anyone else - including the San Jose Diocese where during the 2004 Lenten Holy Week the local bishop published in the local San Jose Mercury News an article stating the Bible wasn't factual ( As an aside, there hasn't been a public rebuke from the Vatican for this blatant heresy. ).
In a condescending, chip-on-the-shoulder arrogance - one that might encounter within the halls of the Vatican or in a Sinkspur posting - the FReepMail proclaimed a known nugget of information every FReeper knows - and I have known since 1998. It reads:
From sinkspur | 08/04/2004 6:48:58 AM PDT new
Jim Robinson does not allow the solicitation of funds on Free Republic, for any reason
What compelled you to write these words to me Sinkspur?
Where does any part of my Post # 5 reference money?
Please Sinkspur, unravel my confusion.
Guess what Sinky - there's a solicitation at the top of the News/Activity webpage. Just when you think you've got it all tied together, an exception - though not rare - surfaces. How 'bout that!!!
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