Archbp. Kurtz of Louisville on Summorum Pontificum

The new Archbishop of  Louisville writes about Summorum Pontificum in The Record.  My emphases and comments.

All in all, this is a very nice article.

Column by Archbishop Kurtz
Pope Benedict’s document on the use of the traditional Latin Mass
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz
Archbishop of Louisville

The Record – July 12, 2007,

The Motu Proprio of Pope Benedict on the use of the Roman liturgy prior to the reform of 1970 has just been released. The Latin phrase “Motu Proprio” means that it is presented at his own initiative.

For months there has been a great amount of discussion both for and against the letter that addresses the use of the traditional Latin Mass and what effect these new papal directions will have on the life of the faithful. I wish to give you my perspective.

First of all, I believe that our Holy Father has presented a well crafted and pastorally sound direction. He makes it clear that his instruction does not establish a new rite in the Church but rather acknowledges that there is an ordinary and an extraordinary way in which the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church is celebrated.

We are familiar with that distinction of ordinary and extraordinary. The most common is the description of those lay persons who assist in distributing Holy Communion as “Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.” In this case it means that these ministers never take the place of the ordinary ministers (priests and deacons) but have a rightful pastoral use. The terms are used to describe the ordinary ministers of Baptism and Confirmation (priest/deacon and bishop, respectively) and the pastoral allowance for extraordinary circumstances.

In the new instructions, the bishop continues to have the responsibility to ensure good order within the celebration of the Sacred Mysteries of the Holy Eucharist in a diocese. Because it is an extraordinary use, any public Mass using the Missal of Blessed John XXIII (promulgated in 1962) requires the bishop’s judgment that there is sufficient pastoral need to justify the use of this missal and pastoral ability to provide for that need.  [With due respect, I don’t think that is in harmony with the provisions of Summorum Pontificum.  In fact, it is the pastor of the parish who makes this determination.  The bishop helps in those cases when the pastor is unable to provide for people requesting the older Mass.]

Currently, we in the Diocese of Knoxville have the practice of a Mass using the Missal of Blessed John XXIII each Sunday.

The frequency of these celebrations depends on the pastoral need and our ability to respond to that need. The Instruction also allows for priests who are properly prepared to celebrate Mass using the Missal of Blessed John XXIII to do so privately without special permission.
The faithful who on their own and spontaneously join in this Mass do so with the blessing of our Holy Father.  […aaand..?]

The ordinary celebration of the Holy Eucharist makes use of the Missal of Paul VI and once an approved translation of the new Roman Missal of 2000 is available, it will be know as the Missal of John Paul II.

Our Holy Father gives three reasons for approving the use of the Missal of Blessed John XXIII: [1] a way of making a path for those who have separated themselves from the Church because of the new liturgy [Well… this could be developed.  I think very many people mainly don’t like the abuses of the Novus Ordo.]  (a path that will require those separated to embrace the fullness of truth of the Catholic Church on their return); [2] a means of accommodating the reasonable aspirations of the faithful who yearn for the reverence that is associated with the celebration from 1962 [3] and a preserving of the deep and rich heritage of the Church.

He also says, and I strongly agree, that this Instruction is a call for all to participate each Sunday (and even daily) in the Holy Eucharist in a manner that is both reverent and joyful.

Receiving the Pallium in Rome

While the experience of my trip to Rome is still fresh in my mind and heart, I find it fruitful to reflect on the Mass with our Holy Father as well as the missionary theme of the recent readings from Sunday Mass.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the word “Catholic” as having two meanings: the universality of Christ present in his Church and the missionary command to all in the Church. First, there is the sense of universality, in which we are convinced in faith that Jesus Christ permeates the Church and so we proclaim in faith that, where the Church is, there is Christ.

This is especially true as I recall my visit to our Holy Father in Rome (Ubi Petrus, ibi Ecclesia). The special charism of authority which our Holy Father exercises is one of unity in Christ. At the special Mass on the Solemnity of SS. Peter and Paul in front of the main altar was placed a special bronze depiction of St. Peter kneeling before Christ and receiving the key from Him.

As I knelt before our Holy Father to receive the pallium, I prayed that Pope Benedict’s humility in serving Christ might rub off on me. So, too, the universality of the Church is seen in the mandate for each of us baptized into Christ Jesus to become His missionaries. This missionary theme has been expressed so well in the recent readings from Sunday Mass, especially the sending forth of the 72 by Jesus.

     This column by Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, who was recently appointed Archbishop of Louisville, was written for the July 22 edition of the East Tennessee Catholic of the Diocese of Knoxville, Tenn. The column has been made available for publication in The Record.
     Archbishop Kurtz refers to the celebration of a Mass using the Missal of Blessed John XXIII in the Diocese of Knoxville.
     In the Archdiocese of Louisville, a Tridentine Mass is celebrated at 12:30 p.m. on Sundays and at 5:30 p.m. on holy days at St. Martin of Tours Church in Louisville.
 

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9 Comments

  1. Fr. Z.

    Here’s the link to the Phoenix (AZ) Diocesan online newspaper article on the MP here:

    http://www.catholicsun.org/2007/july19/local/latinmass.html?id=24636

    — Fr. G.

  2. Fr. Z.

    Here’s the link to the Phoenix (AZ) Diocesan online newspaper article on the MP:

    http://www.catholicsun.org/2007/july19/local/latinmass.html?id=24636

    — Fr. G.

  3. Paul Stokell says:

    Archbishop Kurtz is going to be a tremendous blessing for Louisville, and a source of great refreshment for many things that have become stagnant and ineffective in recent decades. Praise God that He has sent the Archbishop to Kentucky!

  4. Marcus says:

    Archbishop Kurtz has been an excellent supporter of the Traditional Mass community in the diocese of Knoxville. Anyone who listens to him preach or meets him personally can clearly see that he is a true successor of the Apostles. Louisville is getting a great one.

    I think his article is written down just a bit, perhaps because the New Mass/Old Mass controversy isn’t exactly a white-hot topic in these here parts, so a lot of people may not be familiar with the history and issues involved.

    http://www.knoxlatinmass.net has some excellent new photos of a traditional low Mass celebrated at Our Lady of Fatima in Alcoa by visiting Fr. Fryar, FSSP.

  5. Thanks for this analysis Fr. Z!

  6. mary margaret says:

    Fr. Gonzalez, Nothing yet from Bishop Olmsted? I can’t believe that he would be at all hostile to the extraordinary celebration. He was my Bishop for a short time in the Diocese of Wichita-we all know him as a very faithful, kind, and holy man. Not to mention, a great intellect. (I am also quite happy with our replacement, Bishop Jackels, BTW.) I will look forward to reading what Bishop Olmsted has to say about PBXVI’s MP. I haven’t seen anything from Bishop Jackels on this matter at this point. My guess is that our problem will be a lack of churches that are suitable for the TLM. We already have one indult Mass, but more would certainly be welcome.

  7. Dr. Peter H. Wright says:

    “I prayed that Pope Benedict’s humility in serving Christ might rub off on me.”
    Very nice.
    I like the sound of Archbishop Kurtz.

  8. RBrown says:

    Because it is an extraordinary use, any public Mass using the Missal of Blessed John XXIII (promulgated in 1962) requires the bishop’s judgment that there is sufficient pastoral need to justify the use of this missal and pastoral ability to provide for that need.

    I think that OSV put it well: Generally, the MP says that a priest doesn’t need the bishop’s permission to use the 1962 Missal.

  9. Henry Edwards says:

    http://www.knoxlatinmass.net has some excellent new photos of a traditional low Mass celebrated at Our Lady of Fatima in Alcoa by visiting Fr. Fryar, FSSP.

    Also, the Second Sunday of Advent 2006 page in the Photo Gallery at http://www.knoxlatinmass.net shows Archbishop Kurtz participating in the Knoxville indult Mass.

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