[Maximilian]

re: family size... I think it does have something with to do with the concept whereby any document on Catholic faith or morals which existed prior to Vatican II is ignored, however, Vatican II documents in all their fuzzy glory are constantly quoted

Yes, excellent point. This is very true.

It may not all have something to do with the Mass

One would have to hear the whole talk by Fr. Barreiro, but I think he has a good point. When everything is up for grabs, why should one issue be exempt? If the Church can change the Mass, then why can't they change the teaching on contraception?

[Smocker]

I noticed Fr. Barreiro celebrated a Tridentine Mass. I personally go to a NO Mass. I use a prayer book first published in 1925, it includes prayers to pray at Mass while the priest celebrates Mass. It is in my opinion richer in spirituality than the simple, desert like, stripped prayers one encounters at the Mass of these modern times. I think these modern day prayers lack a great deal which the older prayers contained, and that this is also a contributing factor to the loss of understanding and knowledge of the faithful about the Mass and their Faith.

Discussions before these arrid translations would not have descended to whether or not Jews were saved. Public Prayers from those times included prayers for the conversion of Jews. If it was not necessary to convert them, the prayers would not have been prayed.

How we pray does indeed shape how we believe.

The questions you bring up are exactly what disconcert me. Not only that, but instead of thinking that one has a firm rock to stand on by being Catholic, I increasingly get the sense that it is a constantly shifting sand pile.