Posted on 07/04/2003 9:27:18 PM PDT by 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...
What wrongdoing!? All we have is an expression of concern. And how we have that is not documented. The author does not cite his source for that tidbit of information. Any wrongdoing is in your head. The paranoia and suspicion that attends your affiliations created the phantom wrongdoing. I'm not defending the clergy; I'm exposing mirages.
At Mass today the priest told us not to kneel, which surprised me, to say the least. Our parish is being painted and Mass is taking place in the basement and there are folding chairs instead of pews, of course.
When I got the bulletin, this is what it said:
LET'S NOT KNEEL FOR A WHILE Obviously, while we are celebrating Mass in the hall and the main church is being painted we don't have kneelers.A pastoral view says that we stand at the times when we knelt in normal days at Mass.
If standing on the concrete and tile floor is difficult because of injury or age please be seated.
An interesting background is that in 1970 and 1975 the Holy Father, Pope Paul VI, approved the new Roman Missal and stipulated that: "at every Mass the people should stand....from the pray over the gifts to the end of the Mass."
"They should kneel at the consecration unless prevented by the lack of space, the numbers of people present, or some other good reason."
A funny thing happened on the way to the United States. The Bishops of the United States chose to change this stipulation and keep to the traditional times of kneeling.
Many bishops in the United States are beginning to accept the "new" rules of standing.
A sidelight... in government, business and the military, if someone distinguished comes into a hall or room...everyone stands.
Am I being more of a Ciceronian than a Christian by being hurt and sort of offended that I cannot kneel during the Mass at the traditional times? I did kneel at the consecration (hadn't yet read the bulletin) and the priest told us (me and my kids and one other older woman) not to kneel. Even my kids were taken aback.
I value your opinion on this and also appreciate input from anyone else as I battle (internally) with things like this all the time. I don't want to be scrupulous but it hurts not to kneel, especially after receiving Communion.
But I do appreciate the depth of animus against the bishops, I do appreciate the knee-jerk defense of anything remotely resembling traditional, and most importantly I do appreciate your distortions of facts to conform with pre-formed conclusions.
More than haircloth. I've read that they wear some sort of spiked thing on one of their legs that causes pain.
We also did this thing with "passing a basket" for the collection instead of using the regular baskets with handles and afterwards, the collection monies were placed at the foot of the altar instead of being kept "somewhere" during the Mass as had always been done. It was weird... never seen it done before except during some Protestant services. I didn't like it at all, but I wrestle with innovations with the Mass and sometimes I'm afraid I can't tell when something is important and when it is not important. My parish is very liberal and I feel very alienated a lot of times.
I found it more than ironic that one day when discussing the ICEL with the parish priest, he said we should pull away from Rome. And now here he is quoting a pope because it suits his purposes (whatever they are!).
Does it hurt, or do you feel like you're somehow dissing Jesus by not kneeling? I can understand why the priest would institute this; there's a pastoral reason to ask for folks to stand, or sit.
Offer up not kneeling; when you're back in the main Church, you can kneel again.
Reasoning with you has the same effect as silence.
But to consign me to hell fire because I disagree with you is rhetorical overkill.
I didn't consign you to hellfire. That is overkill. I suggested to you that you rethink the consequences of your reliance on rhetoric and ultimate reason. It is failing you. At least St. Jerome had the humility to doubt himself.
Nor do I lie. I give reasons for what I say and think.
Your claim, that the Real Presence is suppressed, no matter what evidence you produce is a lie. The catechism doesn't supress it. The magisterium doesn't suppress it. The pope, in his writings, doesn't suppress it. The rubrics of the mass doesn't suppress it. The GIRM doesn't suppress it. The widespread Eucharistic Adorations, Benedictions, Corpus Christi processions don't suppress it. I would say that your claim is false on it's face, and perhaps it would be charitable to attribute ignorance to your claim, but I don't regard you as ignorant. If you are not purposefully lieing, then you are just repeating others' lies. Does that make you blameless?
I already do "offer up" a lot of different things... it took me a long time to get to that point. But I suspect the way the priest wants us to stand now is the way it will be in the future when the church has been painted and we are all back upstairs. Otherwise, why the lengthy blurb about it in the bulletin? He is a very liberal guy.
I think it's time to go elsewhere, at least for a while. I'm sure the priest won't miss us! ;-)
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I really didn't know what to think except that it would be good for him to watch it once in a while,might introduce him to Catholicism,the Faith so many of us know and love.
I know that this sitting I am recommending may seem disrespectful but to me the Mass is for a special communion with God and I just cannot get into it standing at attention with the community.
I have noticed an increasing polarization and separating of the forces.The parishes that are orthodox are getting more so and the other ones are trying harder to impose any document that supports innovation,liberalization and decatholicization of the Catholic Church.
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