Texas Pastor Removed Over Latin Masses

Seattle Catholic ^ | July 4, 2003 | Peter Miller

[Land of the Irish]

For a Catholic priest in a small Texas town, it has been a particularly eventful week.

Over the course of three days, Fr. Stephen Zigrang JCL, pastor of St. Andrew's Church in Channelview, has been called into his bishop's office, threatened with suspension, removed from his parish and even forced to defend his mental health to his own father. These unfortunate events have taken place because Fr. Zigrang did something new during last Sunday's Masses — or, more accurately, did something very, very old.

Before each Mass on the morning of June 29th, Fr. Zigrang announced that he would no longer be offering Mass according to the revised missal of Pope Paul VI, instituted in 1969. He proceeded to offer the Mass according to the Roman Missal of 1962 (also called the "Latin", "Traditional" or "Tridentine" Mass). Parishioners who were used to attending a Mass in English, with the priest facing the congregation, witnessed a priest offer a Mass almost entirely in Latin, while facing the altar. Guitar bands and sing-along hymns were replaced by chants and reverential silence. Rather then standing up to receive Holy Communion in their hands, congregants were instructed to kneel and receive the Blessed Sacrament on their tongues. One of the three masses was a sung mass, also called a Missa Contata.

The Diocese Reacts Fr. Zigrang is a priest of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, under Bishop Joseph Fiorenza. Upon hearing of the weekend's events, the diocese reacted immediately. Unable to reach him for most of the day Monday, the chancery sent word to Fr. Zigrang that the bishop would like to meet with him the following morning, July 1st.

Despite advice from others suggesting he be accompanied by a lawyer, Fr. Zigrang went to see the bishop on his own. He was told that he would be suspended and had until the next day to vacate the St. Andrew's rectory. He was provided a letter signed by Bishop Fiorenza and the diocesan Chancellor, Monsignor Frank Rossi, admonishing him for his actions and informing him that failure to "follow the liturgical directives of the Holy See in the celebration of the Eucharist and the other sacraments … is a grave disobedience and threatens the unity of the Church within the parish committed to your pastoral care."

First thing the following morning, the Director of Communications for the diocese, Mrs. Annette Gonzales Taylor, responded to an inquiry from the night before with an email claiming that, "…your inquiry is a bit premature in that Fr. Zigrang has not been suspended. At this time, Bishop Fiorenza and Fr. Zigrang continue to be in conversation."

When reached by phone to clarify the matter, Mrs. Taylor reiterated that Fr. Zigrang was not suspended, is still the pastor of St. Andrew's and no action has been taken against him. She said that she did not know whether he was at the parish today as priests take some days off. When asked why Fr. Zigrang would be (as witnesses claimed) in the process of moving out of the rectory if no action had been taken against him, she did not know.

At some point that same morning, as he was moving out of the parish rectory, Fr. Zigrang was called by Bishop Fiorenza, who recommended that he take a two month leave of duty. It was further suggested that Fr. Zigrang may want to seek psychiatric counseling during this time.

The following day, June 3rd, parishioners found a note on the St. Andrew's church door explaining that there would be no daily Mass or Eucharistic adoration. The note also referenced the name and number of another priest to contact.

Finally, Fr. Zigrang's elderly father was contacted this week by Chancellor Monsignor Frank Rossi, who expressed to him concerns about Fr. Zigrang's psychological well-being.

Past Efforts Fr. Stephen Zigrang has been a priest in the Diocese of Galveston-Houston for over 25 years and pastor at St. Andrew's for the past six. He is a former seminary instructor and has a licentiate in canon law. He was previously a member of the diocesan marriage tribunal where his lack of lenience toward annulment applications brought him into conflict with his peers.

Prompted by years of liturgical research and studies which drew him toward the Traditional Latin Mass, Fr. Zigrang had requested on multiple occasions for the opportunity to offer a public Tridentine Mass in a parish. His most recent request came in January of this year when he sent a letter to Bishop Fiorenza requesting permission to convert St. Andrew's parish in to a traditional parish (dedicated to the practice of the Tridentine Mass and other sacraments) or start such a parish in another location. Six months later, he had still not received a reply.

For the past couple years, Fr. Zigrang has been offering the Latin Mass privately in the rectory at 6:30 each morning. When he attempted to offer a single Latin Mass for his congregation on Sunday mornings, he was ordered by Bishop Fiorenza to stop.

In 1988, responding to Catholics attached to the Traditional Mass and sacraments, Pope John Paul II called for the "wide and generous application" of Latin Masses throughout the Church, but the decision was left up to each bishop on whether or how to implement those directives. Many bishops have refused to allow any such Masses, while some have allowed only limited access.

In the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, home to 1.5 million Catholics and the largest diocese in Texas (eleventh largest in the United States), there is a single Latin Mass offered on Sundays in downtown Houston. Not all believe that these accommodations are adequate to meet their spiritual needs, or in the "wide and generous" spirit alluded to by the Holy Father. Catholics who need to travel great distances with families have requested that the early Mass time be moved or another Mass be added for more reasonable access. Some have requested daily Masses; others Masses on Holy Days of Obligation; and still others a traditional parish, going so far as to locate property and priests available for such an arrangement. These requests to Bishop Fiorenza have reportedly been ignored or denied. The attendants of the Mass also are under certain restrictions, including a prohibition from promoting or advertising the Mass.

Critics point out that this diocese, which prides itself on promoting and celebrating diversity, particularly in liturgical matters, has demonstrated a clear and disturbing exception when it comes to the Tridentine Mass. Although hundreds of Masses are said throughout the diocese in a multitude of languages from Spanish to Chinese, and in a multitude of styles from "Country Music" to "Gospel Spiritual" with little to no concern from the bishop, requests for Traditional Masses are ignored and attempts to offer Masses in Latin quickly and definitively put to a stop.

Parishioners Respond The parishioners' responses to Fr. Zigrang's Latin Masses have been varied. Many were surprised but respectful of their pastor's decision, but there were also some notable negative and positive reactions. Some were openly hostile toward the move, storming out of the church at the beginning of Mass. Members of the musical band which performs at the 10:30 Mass were particularly dismayed (having no role during a Latin Mass), as were lectors and extraordinary ministers. After one of the Masses, a regular guitar player was particularly vocal about the complaint that would be forthcoming to the bishop.

On the other end of the spectrum, other parishioners were greatly appreciative of the opportunity afforded to them. Some old enough to remember when the Mass was in Latin were given a reminder of how much had changed and some of what was lost. Others who had never experienced such a Mass were struck by its simplicity and beauty. At least once attendant commented on the contemplative rather than "entertainment" focus, and another described it as "absolutely beautiful".

Several congregants came up to Fr. Stephen Zigrang after Mass to personally thank him. In what now appears to be his last Sunday at the parish, he gave them the rare opportunity to experience a Latin Mass in their parish, and allowed them to witness firsthand the reason for which their pastor was willing to risk the consequences which would soon follow.

***

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St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle...

[ultima ratio]

"I got it. I'm not interested in your little argument."

No, you don't get it--not by a long shot. My "little argument" is an inconvenience to people like you--a minor point, an irritation. You end up sounding like a jerk--and that's putting it mildly. If I have lied--show me how I have lied. Where have I lied? What have I said that is not true? And who have I calumniated? Who have I defamed? Cardinal Mahony? Cardinal Kasper? They more than justify with their own public and scandalous behaviors anything I might say casting doubt upon their orthodoxy. And how is it I am the one who sows confusion? Who tore the Catholic world apart--traditionalists like myself, or the modernists who overturned two thousand years of tradition? No--if you're looking for Satan, he's not with me or anything I say or with my guys who are principled and are fighting for the ancient faith--he's with the Novus Ordo bishops who have become synonymous with apostasy and corruption.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Your bigotry is spectacular.

Bigotry? Helloooooo? Having a debate is bigoted? Point out one thing I've said which is bigoted? Otherwise, quit your own nastiness and stick to the topic at hand.

[St.Chuck]

The biggest, fattest lie is that the mass is harmful to souls. It is exactly what Satan would want us to believe. He wants to divide us, he wants us to echo his, "Non servium." He wants us to distrust the Lord's Church. He wants the pope to be ignored and calumnied. He doesn't want us to hear the gospel. He wants us confused. He wants us to think the bishops are crafty evildoers subverting the faith when they aren't partaking in ritual rape. He wants us to believe that the Masons and Communists and Queers are running the show and that the New Mass is a product of their machinations to protestantize us. He wants neo-Donatists harping at every move or non-move the heirarchy makes or doesn't make. He doesn't want kids going to WYD. He wants us to despair. He wants us to accuse the pope of apostasy and neglect. He doesn't want us receiving the sacraments. He wants the faithful arguing about "all" and "many", Latin and the vernacular, kneeling and standing, ad orientem and pro populis. He does not want us to know God. I say screw the devil. Screw you.

[St.Chuck]

Point out one thing I've said which is bigoted?

You apparently can't differentiate between the fraud involved when both the NO mass and Tridentine mass are described as harmful to souls. If the Tridentine is described that way, you get all indignant, as you should. As you should when you read someone describing the NO that way.

[JNB]

I usually disagree with the rad trads, and I have no problem with a Novus Ordo that is translated properly celebrated with traditional rubrics. That said, the way the normative missal is usually celebrated is full of many problems, and the father of the Novus Ordo itself, Abp. Bugnini, was by most accounts, removed from his position of power for being a freemason.

I agree that rad trads go to far in saying the Pope is a heritic, and saying the Novus Ordo missal itself is invalid, but there are severe problems. Mass attendence keeps on dropping, and belief in the real presence of the Eucharist keeps on dropping as well, most Catholics do not know their faith. The way the Novus Ordo is celebrated at most parish' is part of the symptoms of the sickness of modernism. Another truth is many homsexuals did get in the priesthood, and tried to remake their parish and in many case stheir diocese' in their own image.

I know you take these internal squabbles personally, I know it must make you sick to your stomach to read these debates, but you can notm as a orthdox Catholic, bury your head in the sand. It was the modernists, the liberals, the hetrodox that introduced the confusesion, traditionalism is a emergency response to this mess.

[Desdemona]

Why not? Sex in marriage is a good to which a married person is generally entitled.

So is self esteem. I think a better argument is the one where the wife obeys the husband by giving up her friends, her style, her personal statement to the world to obey and finds a few years later that she is not functioning because who and what she is is lost. She's overweight, frumpy, no friends. She asks her husband if it's okay to do a make over and maybe join a bridge club and take a walk by herself once a day and he says no. So she does it anyway and he throws her out of the house. She was disobedient.

You haven't at all made a case for this priest's blatant disobedience, nor for his shockingly poor treatment of his own flock.

The priest is in charge. It's his call to make. Every parish I've ever been priests have done this sort of thing, so with me that dog isn't going to hunt, point, retrieve or go to ground. Aside from that, is it any different than when the new Mass was instituted? I know a lot of older people who were horribly offended when that happened. There really was no good warning and the people had no voice.

[Desdemona]

"A little money" covers the cost of voice training which is not cheap.

As for the Mass, maybe it is more my idea, to stay where I am and push for change there. To be an example. Yes, I get REALLY angry when there are infractions at Mass. But, does it serve the wider good to run? IMO, no.

If they'd just use the direct translation, rather than a dumbed down version it wouldn't be so bad.

[ninenot]

Well--not only the CTA-types, but the SSPX-types. Bruskewitz excommunicated both types soon after his arrival in Lincoln.

Started with a bang!

[Desdemona]

Hermann, solo work is what I do. That requires a lot more concentration than choir singing, trust me.

[Desdemona]

The very same people who recoil at mentions of a return to Latin are the ones who won't do anything inconvenient. Hmmmm... And they don't particularly like a challenge either, like learning to pronounce Latin.

[ninenot]

You noticed that, too?

While the "mental health" stuff should NEVER have been mentioned by the Diocese, it's a clue that more is going on than reported.

[ninenot]

Well--Des gets paid for her work, and you probably didn't.

I understand exactly what she's talking about re: preparation. It does take time and practice, even if you've sung the piece a million times before (although familiarity cuts down on marking phrases, breathing, and the more rote-mechanical preparations.)

When accompanying a soloist or a choir one ALWAYS insisted on at least one run-through--if not two. And there were sections of the music where there would/could/should be discussion over how it would be performed.

That's called 'doing it right.'

As to hymn-leading as part of a choir: I confess that I have done it on a 'wing' basis, and rationalize it with the knowledge that 30 other people will be singing the same words, music, etc., and the congregation will be slightly cacophonic anyway.

Not exactly a good reason, but...

[ninenot]

the nurses here at St. Elizabeth's have just injected me with my final med's for the night. I'm getting very sleepy.

Are you in Appleton, WI.? There is a St.Elizabeth up there, and it has a psych ward...

[ninenot]

You are correct with regards the "demand" for the Trid. in Lincoln. There are enough souls interested to have a couple; that's about it.

OTOH, the NO is said in Latin regularly, and there are no inventive tricks...NONE, allowed.

[ninenot]

Do you believe that one Pope can overturn a Council/Papal decree or ignore it completely? Can the Pope make up any new rule he wants?

Two questions, each deserves a decent answer.

1) The Pope is the supreme lawgiver for the Church and this applies to the matter of liturgy. Paul VI had the authority, as Pope, to suppress the Old Rite and establish the New as 'the norm.' That said, there are many (myself included) who think that this demonstrated a serious lack of pastoral judgment.

2) The Pope CANNOT 'make up any new rule he wants' in matters of doctrine and dogma. Some argue, in vain, that the NO is dogmatically or doctrinally contrary to the Faith. Certainly the translation into English is deficient on a number of levels: but it is NOT contrary to the Faith.

It seems that some people want the entire Catechism of Trent read at every Mass to assure that the proper doctrine and dogma is taught....

[ninenot]

I have a friend in Arizona--a VERY orthodox Catholic lady--who says that the problems you iterated are very real, and ongoing.

Sad. Perhaps the new Bishop (whenever he gets there) will begin working on them.

[ninenot]

It is true that more men apply for admission in 'traditional' seminaries than space allows.

That is NOT the case in Milwaukee, for example...

[ninenot]

You people are the most uncharitable group of Catholics I have ever encountered and the insults and calumnies that you thrust on men who have consecrated their lives in the service of God and His Church is reprehensible.

About a week ago, UR was pontificating (it's the only word that applies) in the political arena--he's a GWB absolutist, by the way--and I decided that he is an insufferable ass.

You were kind enough not to say so.

[ninenot]

Your inference is not always true.

We have a priest-friend who would not celebrate the Old Rite because he simply did not know, (and would not learn) enough about Latin to do it well.

In combination with the official "frowns" from the Chancery up here, that was enough to produce the necessary inertia.

OTOH: I don't doubt for a moment that the underlying thesis of "Windswept House" applies to a number of individuals, wholly. PRAY mightily for them.

[ninenot]

Agreed. And I think you know that 'traditionalism' has no truck with flagrant disobedience.

This is sort of the Republican problem: they have too many principles to act like the Dems in order to get their program through.

That's what makes Limbaugh a key player.