Posted on 04/08/2021 4:13:56 PM PDT by ebb tide
Update: after many hours of detention by the Police, the priests were set free. But they can still undergo a full criminal procedure, depending on what the courts decide.
The parish of St-Eugène-Ste-Cécile is the greatest jewel of the Paris archdiocese. There are churches that are grander, more historic, more beautiful than this building, a wrought-iron lattice marvel from the industrial age and an example that 19th-century architecture could build beautiful churches in record time.
But it is the greatest jewel not because of the building, but because of what goes on inside it: for decades now, it has been the most lively parish* in the city, due to its promotion of the Traditional Latin Mass. Its group of musicians, the Schola Sainte-Cécile, is responsible for some of the best sacred Music in Europe today. The parish celebrations can be seen freely at their Youtube channel.
Last Saturday evening, on the celebration of the Easter Vigil, the parish once again put on the most dignified liturgy possible. It was also an occasion of additional joy due to the adults baptized into the faith in this most solemn of all Vigils.
Alas, the anonymous brother of one of the newly baptized was "horrified" with what he saw. Some kind of sacrilege? Blasphemy? No, there was nothing against the Catholic faith, but there was what he thought were sins against the Covidist faith: the priest and his servers in the sanctuary were maskless. And, worse, people who went to take Communion received it maskless and, l'horreur, on the tongue!...
Those anti-Catholic "accusations" were published by the daily Le Parisien, and then led to two procedures against the pastor of the church, Father Marc Guelfucci, and one of his vicars, Father Gabriel Godziski: one of them criminal (some kind of "crime" against "public health"); and, since honor is not his forte, the archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit (petit both in name and in dignity), decided to open today canonical proceedings against the pastor.
Now, this Thursday, the two priests were placed under "garde à vue" (a kind of administrative, not court-ordered, arrest typical of French law) and are now under arrest.
The Archbishop should be the first to defend his faithful priests against this ridiculous arrest, but, as seen above, he has already caved to the Covidist pressure. So, these priests will have to count on the faithful Traditional Catholics of Paris, of France, and of the whole world to cry out against this injustice.
For them, of course, there is a spiritual silver lining. Since the Revolution, the iniquitous French Republic has been a genocidal persecutor of Catholics. The wonder is that the Church has survived to its onslaught. Guelfucci and Godziski are in the company of the greatest Martyrs of France, and they will prevail.
May Our Lady, Regina Caeli, protect them under her immaculate mantle!
_______
* We emphasize parish because there is indeed a larger, older and more central church exclusively dedicated to the Traditional Mass in Paris, the church of Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet, which is not under the archdiocese, but is served by the Society of Saint Pius X.
Ping
Anyone visiting Paris and looking to attend a valid and licit Tridentine Mass should look no further than this church.
And yes Virginia Notre Dame was burned by terrorists who cannot tolerate Christianity. The athiests who run the French government know it. French Catholicism and its fathful adherents is the last residue of authentic French culture.
I'm not Catholic so maybe I don't know what this means. Is "sanctuary" part of the private areas where the priests conduct business and/or sleep and/or eat? I know priests often have helpers to put on their vestments. I don't know the names for all these different rooms (I do know what a rectory is but not sure if this is something different).
Or are they talking about other types of sanctuary, e.g. "seeking sanctuary in a Church"? Just curious.
Maybe that’s offensive to french muslim population?
The Sanctuary is the area behind the altar rail where the priest is during mass. In traditional churches an elevated platform and steps leading up to the altar and tabernacle are in this area.
If you look at the picture above, the altar is the back end of the sanctuary. Were the camera to pan out, you would see the railing separating that area of the church from the pews.
Thanks! I learned something today.
So what are the “servants”? I am guessing those are the people who help the priest during mass, like the altar boys etc? Again not sure what different tasks are, someone has to get and prepare the incense, the holy water, the candles, the sacraments etc. Is “servant” the official title for the people performing these duties?
Thanks! I have the same follow up questions I posted above.
But your guess is correct. The proper term is "acolytes", although "servers" and even "altar boys" is used as well, although the latter is used more often with the Novus Ordo parishes.
They’re usually called “servers” or “altar servers.”
Beautiful. Thanks!
Fair enough. In the headline it says “servants”.
I think this is something written or translated by a non-native speaker, so occasionally there are tiny glitches. Rorate also has a Spanish version.
As a translator, I’m all too familiar with “false friends,” that is, words in the target language that sound like the word you are trying to translate but actually mean something different...I could tell you embarrassing stories...so this is pretty minor!
One of the few cathedrals remaining in Paris that the muzzies haven’t burned down. I think sulpice is gone and notre dame.
The French word for "acolyte" is le servant.
(I hadn't seen the word in the headline until you pointed it out to me.)
Ah. I thought it might be a translation issue.
You may be confusing sanctuary with sacristy. Some other folks have already explained what a sanctuary is in a Catholic church. A sacristy is a room usually adjacent to the sanctuary, out of public view, where priests vest before mass and store their books, chalices, and other “equipment”.
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