Present at the Demolition<br> An interview with Dr. Alice von Hildebrand

The Latin Mass ^ | Summer 2001 | Dr. Alice von Hildebrand

[narses]

Ping.

[american colleen]

The Catholic answer is always the same: absolute fidelity to the holy teaching of the Church, faithfulness to the Holy See, frequent reception of the sacraments, the Rosary, daily spiritual reading, and gratitude that we have been given the fullness of God’s revelation: “Gaudete, iterum dico vobis, Gaudete.”

I don't know what the Latin means (I'm sure I should!), but Mrs. Von Hildebrand is wonderful. She's also tough to discredit.

A few times I've been fortunate enough to hear her on EWTN. She is clear and concise and always, IMO, spot on.

[Domestic Church]

This is the viewpoint of those born a long long time ago who saw their perspective lose the battle and then saw no incremental approach, just overnight change.

[ELS]

But from the beginning, the Evil One has “conspired” against the Church – and has always aimed in particular at destroying the Mass and sapping belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

Only a blind person could deny that many of the Enemy’s plans have been perfectly carried out.

One should not forget that the world was shocked at what Hitler did. People like my husband, however, actually read what he had said in Mein Kampf. The plan was there. The world simply chose not to believe it.

The devil hates the ancient Mass. He hates it because it is the most perfect reformulation of all the teachings of the Church.

Thank you, narses. Dr. von Hildebrand speaks the truth and there are those who want to ignore it.

But grave as the situation is, no committed Catholic can forget that Christ has promised that He will remain with His Church to the very end of the world.

His words give me hope.

[american colleen]

True, I hadn't thought of it like that at all. She would have a different viewpoint than a post Vat II Catholic (like me, born in 1959).

For some years I was a "non-practicing" Catholic. Each time I attended Church it seemed like there was a new change and/or practice. Taken in total, I still sometimes feel like I am attending a different Church altogether. Not better or worse, just different.

[narses]

It is from the prayers of the third Sunday in Advent, Gaudete Sunday, when the Church can no longer contain her joyful longing for the coming of the Savior. We light the rose candle and rejoice that our redemption is so close at hand. Gaudete comes from the Latin Antiphon, which begins, "Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete.." [Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, rejoice...].

[Domestic Church]

The change was very hard on those of us who received First Sacraments in latin. And it was excruciating for those like the Hildebrands or my parents who also met with Pope Pius XII. I have heard of some who became physically ill. It was very important to recognize the Cross in it all. I think there is a lesson for the current age...we might, or our children might be given a bigger Cross down the road.

[american colleen]

I can somewhat relate, although I barely remember the Mass in Latin - I just remember not understanding what the priest was saying but not understanding why I couldn't understand. I think I was 5 or 6. I received my First Holy Communion on my knees, with a platen held by an altarboy. I remember hearing the words of the priests during Consecration and hearing about 50 names of saints - and being on my knees a lot longer. I remember lines at confession at the "booths" and lighting candles for our beloved dead and, you could walk into our parish at any time of the day because it wasn't locked (although that probably is necessary these days) and I miss those wonderful things, a part of the Catholic identity that sadly, IMO, is missing today. One of the only "new" things I do like, off the top of my head, is the song "Here I am Lord" - that does bring tears to my eyes.

[american colleen]

Thank you narses. I'll add that Latin to my "amo, amas, amant...

[narses]

My pleasure.

[Palladin]

Alice Von Hildebrand is an amazing woman....filled with the Holy Spirit, and unafraid to speak the truth. I enjoy her lectures on EWTN.

[narses]

I have no cable and so I am EWTN challenged, but what I read of her work I respect.

[Theresa]

"Considering the tumultuous pontificate of Paul VI, and the confusing signals he was giving, e.g.: speaking about the “smoke of Satan that had entered the Church,” yet refusing to condemn heresies officially; his promulgation of Humanae Vitae (the glory of his pontificate), yet his careful avoidance of proclaiming it ex cathedra; delivering his Credo of the People of God in Piazza San Pietro in 1968, and once again failing to declare it binding on all Catholics; disobeying the strict orders of Pius XII to have no contact with Moscow, and appeasing the Hungarian Communist government by reneging on the solemn promise he had made to Cardinal Mindszenty; his treatment of holy Cardinal Slipyj, who had spent seventeen years in a Gulag, only to be made a virtual prisoner in the Vatican by Paul VI; and finally asking Archbishop Gagnon to investigate possible infiltration in the Vatican, only to refuse him an audience when his work was completed – all these speak strongly against the beatification of Paolo VI, dubbed in Rome, “Paolo Sesto, Mesto” (Paul VI, the sad one)."

This is strange. I wonder why the very pope who had the vision about the "smoke of Satan" was not as strong as he could have been.

[ultima ratio]

Lost the battle? You don't follow the news. The traditionalists are growing by leaps and bounds--and they are mostly comprised of the young. They have no vocation shortage and the men entering their priesthood are in the prime of life. It is the liberal Amchurch that is dying. It simply cannot reproduce itself and is comprised of a rapidly aging clergy.

[narses]

FYI

[narses]

It is passing strange, however all men are stained by Original Sin and all men are fallible. Pray for him is the best answer I have.

[narses]

Ping. The end result of this is the USCCB decision to repudiate Chritianity, at least as regards our Jewish brethern.

[livius]

Yes, all of the things she said are true, and we are indeed seeing its fruits in things like the Bishops' statement on conversion. I just keep asking myself what more they could do to make 2000 years of faith vanish.

[narses]

A new ping.