Return of the Tridentine Mass
By Richard Salbato
October 18, 2006
Pope
Benedict XVI has signed the document that makes the Tridentine Mass legal for
all priests throughout the world. This
long awaited, and expected, document is a result of the conference of bishops on
the Liturgy in the first months of his pontificate. Although I have fought against the Schismatic
Traditionalists, I have longed for a return of the Tridentine Mass.
I
have never liked the Novus Ordo Mass but not for the reasons of the
Traditionalists. See my article, The Old
Latin Mass, http://www.unitypublishing.com/liturgy/OldLatinMass.htm
. My objections to the Novus Ordo are that:
1.
it was not clear enough as to what a priest or bishop
could do and could not do. 2. It allowed priests at times to use their own
language. 3. It was not clear about the architecture of the Mass and the
servers. 3. It was and is not reverent, solemn and holy. 4. It is not
consistent throughout the world. 5. It has allowed abuse.
Although
the Novus Ordo did not advocate the previous or the following abuses it did allow
them. This would not have happened to
the Tridentine Mass. It allowed the
priest to face the people. It allowed the choir to be put on the altar. It allowed people other than priests and
altar-boys on the altar. It allowed the
removal of the Altar-Rail. It allowed strange music. It allowed the holding of hands during
None
of these things are in the Sacramentary of the Novus
Ordo but they were not clear enough to stop these abuses. And although Pope John Paul II wrote a very
clear document about the abuses of the Novus Ordo, Redemptionis Sacramentum , the abuses have not stopped.
This
lack of respect and even AWE at the Mass along with some heresies coming out of
the seminaries has even breeded such heresies as: 1. the Mass as a meal, 2. the
Eucharist as symbolic, 3. and all the people as priests. It has also diminished the Mass as the
continuation of the sacrifice of the Cross of Christ. I could go on and on but
let us look at what might be the problems in the future with this new document
on the Tridentine.
The
New Document coming on the Tridentine will allow any priest in the world to
offer the Tridentine Mass without asking the local bishop. If then the bishop has an objection for not
offering it in that parish, the bishop must give the priest a letter in writing
as to why. Many traditionalists will
interpret that to be the same as Pope John Paul II’s the Indult, Quattuor Annos, where
many bishops stopped its implementation.
But this is not the case. If a bishop does not allow the Tridentine
Mass, he must give a reason and this will most assuredly be sent on to
The big problem will be the priests themselves, who
first of all do not know how to do the Tridentine Mass and second, do not think
the parish will support it after 35 years of Novus Ordo.
This will become our job. We must teach the priest why this Mass will
bring people back to the pews. We might
even offer to teach the people how to follow the Tridentine Mass. We may even help the priest learn the
Do not allow a modified Tridentine Mass. Do not
allow women without veils. Do not allow
bad music. Do not allow a choir in the front
of the Church. Do not allow communion
standing. Get active in your parish and
do it correctly. If you do, the Church
will come back to its former glory and the pews will fill up again.
Right now, I am making myself available to preach
from the altar of any Church to teach people the Tridentine Mass and to explain
to them why they should have it in their Church. Anyone who wanted to start an organization of
“SUPPORTING THE TRIDENTINE MASS” to bring about the money needed and the
teachers needed, let me know and I will offer my services.
I see the day when the Novus Ordo will die out from
just lack of interest although this will take time. It will take time and work. Consider where there is only one Tridentine
Mass in three close by Churches. I predict that within two years the
Tridentine will have more people than all the other Masses put together.
I am emphatic about this and emphatic that it be
done correctly and I will tell you why. Although
I have defended the Novus Ordo, I believe the Novus Ordo was predicted at
Richard Salbato
October 16, 2006
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