Posted on 12/28/2004 2:00:22 PM PST by CatherineSiena
At the church founded by the late Rev. Paul Wickens, Mass is always said in Latin. Women still cover their heads, and people receive the host in their mouths from a priest, never touching it with their own hands.
To say that St. Anthony of Padua, the church Wickens started nine years ago, is a haven for traditionalists is an understatement. And with his death this year, the search for just the right successor to the old founder has split the parishioners of this unusual West Orange church.
At a time when they would rather rally around a new priest, hundreds have boycotted the chapel for makeshift Masses at a Ramada Inn in East Hanover and a VFW Post and the Wellesley Inn in Fairfield.
The schism opened soon after the July death of Wickens, whose opposition to the historic 1960s reforms of the Second Vatican Council attracted hundreds of other "traditionalist" Catholics who like him felt the changes sullied ancient Catholic traditions and practices.
Modern Catholics would find some practices at St. Anthony's obscure. But when Wickens died, parishioners wanted a replacement who shared their views. They also wanted the chapel kept separate from the Newark Archdiocese, which accepted the 1960s reforms and suspended Wickens after a 1980s dispute stemming from his opposition to Catholic sex education.
Wickens remained a vocal critic of the archdiocese, calling Archbishop John J. Myers too liberal even though Myers is generally known nationwide as a staunch conservative.
The current boycotters say they have nothing personal against Wickens' replacement, the Rev. John Perricone, a conservative Catholic in his own right who in many ways seems a perfect fit for St. Anthony's.
Perricone, who started at St. Anthony's Dec. 1, is founder of the group "Christifidelis," which is dedicated to the Latin Mass.
Still, many longtime St. Anthony's parishioners reject him because he is an archdiocese priest, officially placed on loan to the chapel by the archdiocese.
At his last archdiocese post, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Orange, Perricone celebrated Mass in the modern way that traditionalists deplore, in English, facing the pews, and letting lay people touch the host.
"This Perricone, he's on both waters, he offers both Masses -- the Latin Mass and the modern Mass. And we do not accept that," said Elvira Valdez, who joined St. Anthony's in 1998 and has attended motel Masses.
"We only accept the ancient Mass, the old Mass, the Latin Mass. That's why Father Wickens stayed clear cut away from the archdiocese, because they would make him accept the modern Mass as equal to the old Mass."
Valdez and others say they fear that Perricone's hiring will lead to a full-scale takeover by the archdiocese, and that Mass in English may eventually be allowed there.
While reforms stemming from the Second Vatican Council are widely regarded as more inclusive of lay people, the members of St. Anthony's think they watered down the faith, and that translations from Latin are inadequate.
Since Perricone started, some longtime St. Anthony's churchgoers have traveled long distances to attend other traditionalist churches, such as St. Jude's in Eddystone, Pa.
Locally, the latest alternative Masses were at the VFW Post in Fairfield Saturday, for Christmas, and Sunday, drawing about 200.
DUELING SERMONS
A similar crowd attended a motel Mass in Fairfield earlier this month, where people knelt on the green patterned carpet of a kneeler-less conference room and received Communion from the Rev. John Fullerton, flown in for the occasion from Missouri.
Fullerton is with the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X, which was founded by French Bishop Marcel Lefebvre, who was excommunicated after refusing to the accept the 1960s reforms.
Attendance at St. Anthony's, meanwhile, has been lighter than before Wickens died, and Perricone's supporters hope he can draw back those who left.
"If the diocese leaves us alone, there'll be no problems here," said Bill Brooks of Pompton Plains. "And the people will hopefully come back. Father Perricone is a good priest."
In his first sermon at St. Anthony's, the Rev. Perricone left no doubt about his beliefs, praising Wickens, whose archdiocese suspension lasted until he died.
"I am privileged," Perricone said, "to be able to bring forward the sacred traditions that Father Wickens has ... preserved."
Yet many who stopped attending St. Anthony's feel the church's three board members, who approached the archdiocese about Perricone, disregarded Wickens' wishes by bringing in an archdiocese priest.
A week ago, a group of them filed suit in Essex County Chancery Court, saying the statute under which the church was incorporated lets all members, not just trustees, pick the priest.
On both sides of the St. Anthony's dispute, parishioners say the church should honor Wickens' wishes. But they relate different versions of what he wanted.
Some, allowing that Wickens praised Perricone, said he also thought Perricone's archdiocese ties tainted him. Others say Wickens wanted the church turned over to the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X.
DISPUTED TAPE
At a church meeting on Nov. 14, St. Anthony's board members -- Andrew Flock, Larry Small and Bob Ciuffreda, elected the day Wickens died in a previously scheduled election -- played a tape of Wickens praising Perricone shortly before his death.
But some who heard the tape at the meeting have complained it had only excerpts of the conversation. In what was played, Wickens did not address Perricone's archdiocese ties, a subject that surely was of interest to him, board critics said.
Asked about that, Al Wickens, the priest's brother, said that Paul Wickens never spoke about the archdiocese or the Society of Saint Pius X on June 24, the day he was taped.
"From that conversation, which was seven or eight minutes ... was a clear indication that if Father Perricone could possibly come, it would be a perfect fit for the chapel," said Al Wickens, who said he was present when the taping occurred.
While the arrangement with the archdiocese strikes many longtime St. Anthony's members as improper, to others it straddles the right side of a thin line. Archdiocese spokesman James Goodness said that while Perricone is considered "on loan" from the archdiocese, St. Anthony's is responsible for his salary, and the archdiocese does not receive a percentage of weekly collections.
Despite last-minute efforts to reconcile, the archdiocese never lifted its suspension of Wickens. It wanted him to sign a letter of obedience to Newark Archbishop Myers, which all pastors do when starting a new assignment, Goodness said. Wickens refused to do so, Goodness said.
Whether they attend a Latin Mass at St. Anthony's or elsewhere, the people drawn to it say they go for reasons other than merely hearing the words in Latin, though that is important.
"It's not just the Mass said in Latin. It's about the traditional faith. It requires the reverence that's there, the respect for the way the sacraments are done," said William Denk, who stopped attending St. Anthony's and now travels elsewhere for Mass.
"Many people have seen family members lose their faith. They've seen the breakdown in our culture and society. Now, when you've had Catholic bishops who have to debate whether a candidate who is pro-choice can remain Catholic, it shows exactly where (society) has gone to now."
Jeff Diamant covers religion. Reach him at jdiamant@starledger.com or (973) 392-1547.
Is Fr. Murphy still saying mass? I was talking to a Priest in the Society a couple of days ago and he told me that it was his understanding that Fr. Murphy stopped saying public masses at the request of the SSPX. Is this true, or is this not the case?
Fr. Murphy has his own chapel out on Long Island. We're as grateful to him as we are to the other priests who came to provide for our souls through Fr. Wickens' sickness & after his death. He's not saying Mass at the new SSPX Mass center, and has returned to LI full-time AFAIK, though I don't think it's proper or relevant to speculate on the reason(s) for that.
Can you give any example of a reconciled independent chapel that has been disolved?
TRADITIO is run by a "priest" who was "ordained" by the Old Catholics.
Lay down with dogs and come up with fleas, as they say.
Oh really? How did wild eyed heretics like Fr. Hecker remain in the good graces of the Church in America for so long 150 years ago?
A man cannot be a Pastor of a chapel but only a Parish, nor can he be a Pastor unless so appointed by his diocesean Bishop. The wiser among the SSPXers realize these nuances. The more ignorant wallow in an obviously schismatic mentality where such words are floated altogether to freely. Fr. Gonzalez has never been a Pastor of anything.
Wrong. The SSPX operates independently according to the jurisdiction provided previous to the 1988 consecrations. It has never been under a separate jurisdiction. In any case, the apostate Church in America is hardly the entity to dictate the Catholic faith to anybody.
"Lay down with dogs and come up with fleas, as they say."
Which is why the New Order is to be avoided at all cost.
You are a pretty ignorant fellow if you think being a pastor is strictly a legality. It literally means a herdsman, a shepherd, someone who takes care of his sheep--which was the last thing in the world those legally appointed, so-called "spiritual shepherds" did with our kids for more than two decades. Meanwhile, the local ordinary is not worthy to wipe Fr. Gonzales' J.C. Penney shoes.
I was speaking in very general terms. A previous poster was smuggly talking about how the Traditional Catholics 'beef' with a new pastor was comparable to congrationalist Protestants. I was merely pointing out that finding fault with "the new pastor" happens in NO parishes as well. Using very general terms I pointed out that the beefs NO folks have with their pastors are usually serious concerns, and that generally speaking, Catholics at one time didn't, for example, have to deal with "the new pastor" being "pro-gay."
From what I hear from parishioners there, the chapel you attend is very close to being on the chopping block.
What chapel is that?
I believe most everyone is missing the point of the Traditional Catholic movement. This movement started as a result of the changes brought about by Vatican II. The changes that were made to the Mass, the Sacraments and the basic outlook of the Roman Catholic Church have been radically altered from what they have been for almost 2,000 years. The tradionalists are not still attending the Latin Mass out of some nostalgia. We are attending the Latin Mass for the Faith, values and morals that are preached from the pulpit. The Catholic Church in today’s world is sadly lacking in all of these areas. The Bishops around the world have become very soft regarding the Catholic Church’s stand on issues such as abortion and homosexuality. The Catholic Church’s teaching on these and most of today’s issues are very clear yet the Bishops around the world are not speaking up out of some misguided “political correctness”.
The Latin Mass has never been outlawed. The Traditional Catholics around the world are not “schismatic” or “outside the Church”. The Bishops would like for you to think so, but it is not true. We are the ones holding true to the Catholic Faith and this is a bee in the bonnet of the Bishops. They do not like being reminded of what the Catholic Church should be. They seem to be intent on the destruction of the Catholic Church.
With this said, the situation at St. Anthony of Padua Chapel in West Orange is a little more complex than meets the everyday Catholic eye. The Archdiocesan tie is the part of the new arrangement that has caused most of the trouble. If Father P. had come without these ties there would have been far less trouble than there is now. Had Father P. come as an independent priest most of the parishioners who left would still be in the pews every week. The Archdiocese has been fraught with troubles - sex scandals and victim payoffs and such. This is not the Catholic Church that Christ founded. This is where the problem has arisen at St. Anthony’s. The infection that has taken hold of the Archdiocese could spread to our little chapel. St. Anthony’s has been around for 20 years with little trouble. Father Wickens himself spoke out against the Archdiocesan hierarchy on many occasions.
We need to look at the state of our world today. Why is it in the state it is? Can we pinpoint when it started to fail? I believe if we look, we can see that our societal decline has followed the decline in the Church since Vatican II. Our society today has very little in the way of morals and values. The value of a human life has been degraded to such a state that millions of innocent lives are thrown in the garbage. Promiscuity is at intolerable levels. The guiding principle in our world today is “me first”. The Catholic Church began its decline and society has followed. The Catholic Church has been losing vocations, attendance, and facilities at a high rate of speed. Churches are closing due to lack of attendance and lack of priests to staff them. This is an epidemic problem. There needs to be some drastic measures taken to correct the problem. There needs to be a return to the true Church that was founded by Christ.
The Bishops within the Church today are not the proper people to fix this problem. They are part of the problem.
I received something from Ecclesia Dei about the TLM being offered at St. Anthony's, and then I found this thread on FR. I'm very close to West Orange, and have been occasionally going to OL Fatima in Pequannock for the TLM on weekdays. Other than first Fridays or Holy days, does St. Anthony's offer a daily mass? I called St. Anthony's, but no one picked up. I thought one of you might know, since you appear to have personal knowledge about St. Anthony's.
For what it's worth, my interest in going to St. Anthony's was directly caused by Archbishop Myers' recognition of the chapel. I believe there are others like me who support and will attend the TLM if it is sanctioned directly by our archdiocese. That, it seems to me, is not a bad thing.
I am sorry , I can not help,but I do know Fr. Wickens, made and built that chapel of his own support and those of the original parishioners- with no help or income at all from the now take-overish Diocese! Shame on them!
Seek them and they will help you the right way.
God be with you.
There is no daily Mass at this time as Fr. Perricone does not seem to have the time for that. Before Fr. Tetherow left, there were annoucements made that daily Masses would soon begin. Then Fr. Tetherow left
"under cover of darkness".
I am happy to hear that you are interested in coming to the Mass of All Time. I am saddened that you have not come before the Diocese put there "stamp of approval" on something that should have been allowed all along. This Mass is our birthright as Catholics and should have never been taken away from us. Vatican II did not do that. The application of what came out of Vatican II by the liberal hierarchy of the Church did that. The Traditional Latin Mass was never banned by Vatican II. The Novus Ordo was to be offered as an OPTION to the Latin Mass. The Latin Mass was not to be removed completely.
Traditionalists everywhere are constantly criticized for being outside the Church or for being schismatic. We are simply holding on to the True Catholic Faith as Christ intended it to be.
The decline in the Catholic Church is glaring since the Novus Ordo was introduced. Attendance is astonishingly down, churches all over the world are being closed, schools all over the world are being closed. Catholics around the world do not even hold to some of the basic teachings of the Church. How many Catholics believe abortion is ok? How many Catholics use contraceptives? How many Catholics are divorced and re-married? All of these things are against Chruch teaching. There is no wiggle room in these teachings either. Abortion is wrong. Contraception is wrong. Marriage is a sacrament and is forever binding. And yet we are to believe that Vatican II was such a wondrous success. I do not see how a Mass that was written with the help of Protestant ministers could be better than the Mass that has been said for thousands of years.
I am sorry to have rambled on and on. I hope you can make it to the Mass at St. Anthony's. The chapel has a website. Here is the link:
http://saintanthonys.net/
God Bless!
St. Pius X said the greatest friends of the people are not the innovators or revolutionaries. They are the Traditionalists.
St. Paul says there is no pact between Light and Darkness, between Christ and Belial.
When St. Padre Pio was asked about the 3rd Secret of Fatima he said "beware of all bishops." The Italian masonic sect known as the Carbonari in their little treatise "The Alta Vendita" said plainly "the Revolution we seek (i.e., inside the Church) MUST BE carried out in the name of (false) obedience."
The Masons also said "we shall have the finger of St. Peter's successor engaged in OUR plot." This is why Our Lady at Fatima said that WE MUST pray very much for the Holy Father for "he will have much to suffer."
Fr. Wickens worked with the Society of St. Pius X for 20 years. He did not work with the Archdiocese. Let's state it plainly, Newark stole his parish and have now commandeered the public memory of Fr. Wickens to spin it as THEY wish. Fr. Perricone fills that bill. Fr. Perricone says the new mass, and places the Body of Christ in the unconsecrated hands of the faithful. Fr. Perricone is a house divided. And scripture is clear here "a double minded man is inconstant in all his ways." (St. James 1:8)
It's all about control with the Novus Ordo church, not about the salvation of souls. Newchurch NEVER tells people they must be catholic to save their souls. It NEVER tells Catholics that their INTERIOR life must produce fruits that glorify Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Modern catholics should stay away from politics as to determining the truth. Politics is full of half-truths. If one stands on principles, then they'd avoid the new church and its phony "controlled opposition" groups such as Ecclessia Dei and Opus Dei. These groups exist so as to steer traditionalist catholics into DEAD END efforts. Pope St. Pius V said in Quo Primum that any who go against this documents precepts will "incur the wrath of Almighty God and the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul."
The New Mass is the fountain-head of a whole system of NEW protestantized sacraments. All this in the name of a false unity in a universal DOGMA-less church. Whatever "dogmas" are to be promulgated are ever subject to Evolution, so that they may be spun as to placate the people.
Pickup your spiritual weapon - the Holy Rosary.
God bless all.
Is he doing this at St. Anthony's Chapel, or are you referring to his ministry before he went there?
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