Transalpine Redemptorists REGULARIZED!

Rorate has something which I heard about a couple days ago, but which I couldn’t confirm concretely.

Let there be sung Non nobis and Te Deum.

Here is the site of the Transalpine Redemptorists:

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Canonical Good Standing

1 July, 2008
Feast of the Precious Blood

My dear friends,

I am happy to inform you that last June 18th, before Cardinal Castrillon and the members of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei in Rome, I humbly petitioned the Holy See on my own behalf and on behalf of the monastery council for our priestly suspensions to be lifted.

On June 26th I received word that the Holy See had granted our petition. All canonical censures have been lifted. [They waited until after the SSPX’s deadline at the end of June to announce this.]

Our community now truly rejoices in undisputed and peaceful possession of Communion with the Holy See because our priests are now in canonical good standing[Praise God!]

We are very grateful to our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI for issuing, last July, the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum
[It is bearing fruit.] which called us to come into undisputed and peaceful Communion with him.

Now we have that undisputed communion! It is a pearl of great price; a treasure hidden in the field; a sweetness that cannot be imagined by those who have not tasted it or who have not known it, now for many years. Its value cannot be fully expressed in earthly language and therefore we hope that all traditional priests who have not yet done so, will answer Pope Benedict’s call to enjoy the grace of peaceful and undisputed communion with him. Believe us, the price to pay is nothing; even all the angry voices that have shouted against us and calumniated us are as nothing when weighed in the scales against undisputed communion with the Vicar of Christ; others have died for it; what are raucous voices?

We publicly thank all those souls who have prayed for us over the last months; some of you have truly stormed heaven for us. You have kept us afloat. We are deeply grateful. [You are welcome!] Especially we thank that priest who was unknown to us, until June 16th when he wrote in fraternal support. Where did he come from? Why us? But he told us of the number of Masses, Offices, prayers and sacrifices he had personally said for us; he had also enlisted the prayers of contemplatives and Third Order societies and had a great number of people fervently praying for us with an abundance of prayers. We were amazed! Thank you Father! Thank you also to that brave person who, so kindly wrote to us to say that if he said any more prayers for us he would be floating! What wonderful people! Thank you!  [See what prayer can do?]

Looking to the future, the next stage will be to have our community canonically erected. So please, dear friends, keep praying for us, there will be many crosses to bear; but they will be yokes sweetened by the grace of these last days.

We assure you all of our very best wishes.
Your devoted servant,

Fr. Michael Mary, C.SS.R.
Vicar General

I am very pleased and proud of those men, who made this good decision.

This definitely helps to place some gentle pressure on the SSPX as well.

As more and more people find they really don’t have good reasons to stay separated from the Bishop of Rome, that they can still have concerns and maintain an identity even in their submission to Peter, so too the SSPX will have to make an act of submission or run the risk of becoming less and less relevant for the cause of Tradition in unity with the Catholic Church.

PRAY! PRAY NOW!

Fr. Michael Mary used the biblical images from Christ’s parables of the pearl of great price, the treasure hidden in the field (cf. Matthew 13).

The Lord speaks of the value of being an heir of the Kingdom of heaven.  Christ opened for us the kingdom of heaven: this is the essence of the Gospel which we embrace and, as a Church, we announce.  We are made heirs to this kingdom, but we can lose the kingdom, too.  To maintain our claim and membership, we must make sacrifices.  Nothing is worth imperiling our membership our inheritance.  All other things, as precious as they might seem, must be set aside. 

If you are separated from the Church, knowing who and what the Church really is, you are in peril.

I also note that in Matthew 13 we have the wonderful words which in many ways describe Pope Benedict:

He said unto them: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old.

 

Summorum Pontificum is bearing fruit, friends.  Brick by brick the rebuilding of the Benedictine Marshall Plan is taking shape.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
This entry was posted in SESSIUNCULA. Bookmark the permalink.

62 Comments

  1. Craig says:

    Not only pressure on the SSPX, but on their own congregation!! I wonder if I could get a few to transfer to KC? The Holy Ghost is moving like a prarie storm through the souls of the faithful!

  2. TJB says:

    It seems that the Transalpine Redemptorists’ disputes were more Liturgy-oriented, whereas with the SSPX their main dispute concerns teachings on religious liberty. Is this accurate?

  3. Deo volente says:

    Father,

    On your thread on the SSPX, someone calling himself “H” posted the link to the Transalpine Redemptorists (“H”) blog at 2:38 PM!

    Laus Deo!

  4. Phillip says:

    This is great news. Father, have you seen the documentary video of the monks on Youtube? It is a good video, and it is around 20 minutes long. Heres the link:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d20nzljVYPM

  5. Melody says:

    Great news! They shall have my prayers.

  6. B. says:

    This is of course a reason for great joy.
    Yet I would still be very interested to know what triggered the change in the hearts of the Transalpine Redemptorists. IIRC they used to be very firmly attached to the SSPX, had on the website that they look to the bishops of the SSPX for guidance etc.
    Someone one angelqueen said that one of the Redemptorists told her that on January 1st something happened that made them change their outlook towards Rome, but refused to say what that was. AFAIK on January 1st nothing important of public knowledge happened.

  7. Phillip says:

    Father, I also forgot to mention that there seems to be something wrong with the combox on the previous post regarding Anglicans. I cant comment and a lot of weird text is displayed.

  8. Dominic says:

    Let us hope that this step will show to many in the SSPX who are still hesitant that no compromise is, in fact, involved in such an undertaking.

  9. Brendan says:

    I know nothing about this group…can anyone provide some background information?

  10. Jack Regan says:

    Does anybody know how large this group is? How many priests? Nuns? lay people?

  11. Sacramento Mom says:

    Wonderful! Thank God!

  12. Felipe Childers says:

    Perhaps people could celebrate this wonderful news by taking the opportunity to help out the community with its financial needs. Details of how to contribute are given here:

    http://www.papastronsay.com/monastery_appeal.htm

  13. Abe says:

    This is truly outstanding news! It is always easy to let emotional ties and deep suspicion get in the way of the integrity of faith–and always better when those things do not prevail.

  14. Calleva says:

    Just as it is important to storm heaven for unity, when this happens let us not cease praying, turning intercession into praise and thanksgiving – we owe God so much! Praise to our God who makes all things new, who can grant miracles of grace. I am sure that if those of goodwill in the SSPX were to trust the Holy Father and make the step, they would be rewarded with the same joy and blessings that these fathers are receiving.

  15. Legisperitus says:

    Glory in the highest to God, and on earth peace to men of good will!

  16. Brian Walden says:

    I hope that the process of getting the Transalpine Redemptorists “canonically erected” will go well and show the SSPX that they have nothing to fear in trusting Pope Benedict. This could be a model for bringing the SSPX and other groups back into full communion with the Church.

  17. Franzjosf says:

    Question: What does ‘regularized’ mean? Canonical censures lifted, but no canonical status yet? But now they are in full communion? Their priests could celebrate Mass, with the pastor’s permission, in any diocesan church? The same will be true for the SSPX the moment the decrees of excommunications and priestly suspensions are lifted?

  18. Kradcliffe says:

    We are so happy to hear this that we’re switching our Everyclick charity from the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal to the Transalpine Redemptorists.

    They’ll get 1p (£.01) for every time you search the web.

    http://charities.everyclick.com/info.xq?id=54559

  19. David says:

    Jack Regan:

    This congregation has 20+ religious priests and brothers.

  20. Jef says:

    Deo Gratias, Most Definitely Te Deum Time

  21. Jo says:

    “…last June 18th, before Cardinal Castrillon and the members of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei in Rome, I HUMBLY petitioned the Holy See on my own behalf and on behalf of the monastery council for our priestly suspensions to be lifted.
    On June 26th I received word that the Holy See had granted our petition. All canonical censures have been lifted.

    See ? It doesn’t take much: A little HUMILITY and 7 days and that’s it !

    And this is why we will not be seeing the SSPX reunited with the Church in the near future: Humility is a scarce commodity around Écone.

  22. Calleva says:

    Thanks, Kradcliffe, what a great idea. I have just joined you! Let’s welcome these wonderful people back with a little practical help.

  23. anonymous in Michigan says:

    Jo,

    Comments like yours are easy to make but why don’t you just wait and see what happens before commenting on what you think the SSPX will do.

  24. KOM says:

    I think SSPX had more of a history of being kicked around over decades (by such unsavory characters as C. Villot, etc.,) that they’re knee-jerk reaction is to sometimes say uncharitable things about the Vicar of Rome.

    TR, living as they do on a very remote isle off the N. Coast of Scotland, have had a little more room to breath.

    It is uncharitable to say that “pride” drives the “schism” of SSPX without knowing more of their history, and without realizing, that without them, there would be no Summorum Pontificum, [I reject that premise. – Fr. Z] no FSSP and no Transalpine Redemptorists. Don’t be so quick to judge!

    Bp. Williamson, for instance, and despite off-the-cuff remarks and rhetoric has good things to say, too:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOYETE5Co38&NR=1

    I also think Fellay, despite his sometimes harsh rhetoric, is a genuinely humble shepherd.

  25. KOM says:

    I meant to say “Vicar of Chirst,” and I meant to post this link:

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=seZrX5qu4gM

    sigh, must be getting tired–maybe Fr. Z is creating a blog addiction :)

  26. Jo says:

    why don’t you just wait and see what happens before commenting on what you think the SSPX will do

    I read the DICI article.

    The Pope bends over backwards to accomodate Bp. Fellay, requesting simply the respect the Vicar of Christ on Earth deserves. In return Fellay quotes Lefebvre and requests the lifting of the excommunications.

    A humble man would answer the Pope’s “ultimatum” with a simple: “yes please”, “where do I sign”.

    BTW, Summorum Pontificum was issued by Benedict; the FSSP was created thanks to the pastoral solicitude of John Paul II; and the regularization o the Transalpine Redemptorists was due to their humility. The SSPX opposed and/or criticised all three.

  27. dcs says:

    I think I shall go to the Shrine of St. John Neumann tomorrow and pray for the intentions of the Transalpine Redemptorists.

  28. Praise God!

    What relationship (if any) does this group have with the one that is in Ukraine?

    In ICXC,

    Fr. Deacon Daniel

  29. Father,

    It seems to me that the Benedictine Marhsall Plan is not only working, but bearing much good fruit. Not only have some nuns from the CMRI regularized, but now we have the Transalpine Redemptorists. It seems to me that we are living in tremendously exciting times.

    I wonder how the rest of the Redemptorist community will respond to this news. I also wonder how they will accept the Transalpines into their larger organization.

    Also, isn’t it interesting that when St. Alphonsus himself died the Redemptorists were split in half? It seems to me that history is repeating itself.

  30. Cathguy says:

    Jo,

    With all due respect, neither you nor anyone else know the contents of the letter Bp. Fellay sent to Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos. The Cardinal seemed pleased, and the note has been passed on to Rome.

    I think the fact that you are willing to pass condemnation in advance is problematic.

    Put down the Patrick Madrid and Pete Vere book and pray for unity.

  31. Limbo says:

    Praise God,

    I greatly admire these good men.

    Here is their website http://www.papastronsay.com/

  32. David Kastel says:

    Jo, your analysis is truly horrific. John Paul 2 gave us Ecclesia Dei, which acknowledged that Roman Catholic priests were NOT allowed to say the traditional mass, without special permission from their bishop, which (invariably) never came. The exception was in the tiny FSSP. Lefebvre and SSPX rejected JP2’s “offer” because the “offer” only applied to “traditionalists”. It did not acknowledge the right of ALL Catholic priests to use the traditional missal. Lefebvre knew that the new missal cannot stand alongside the old, and if they were both allowed, the old would win out.

    Pope Benedict has acknowledged that the traditional missal was NEVER legally abrogated (we all know it was illegally suppressed under Paul VI and JP2), and therefore all priests always had the right (de jure, not de facto, of course) to use that missal. John Paul 2 was wrong and Lefebvre was right on that issue. Perhaps you should credit Benedict with finally allowing true justice in liberating the mass, as SSPX has done rather than giving undue credit to JP2.

  33. BCatholic says:

    “It is uncharitable to say that “pride” drives the “schism” of SSPX without knowing more of their history, and without realizing, that without them, there would be no Summorum Pontificum,”

    KOM, would you also say that Martin Luther was a great reformer because without him we would still be selling indulgences?

  34. Jan says:

    On these threads, everyone is always saying to go easy on the SSPX.

    However, when I go to somewhere like AngelQueen, and read the threads on this particular issue, all I see is bile – accusing this order of selling out to “Modernist Rome” and so on.

    You can tell me that this is not typical of the SSPX, and perhaps I can accept that contention if you point me to some other place to read the opinions of the SSPX members – even Rorate Coeli is split between those who revile this decision as selling out and those who are glad about it.

  35. Patrick says:

    Jan,

    Sadly, that is what most followers of the SSPX are about. Their identity is only to be AGAINST the Church in Rome and to never ever admit that the SSPX has made any error or committed any evil.

    I fear that it’s not pride that drives these followers, but something far more insidious. There is evil talk. Let us pray that Bishop Fellay will ignore his followers and choose unity with the Body of Christ.

  36. Breier says:

    Jan,

    Not everyone has time to read blogs and post in comment boxes and online forums. I suspect that most people who attend the SSPX Masses are too busy living their lives to get caught up in all this online controversy. I’ve seen lots of online crazies, but also met incredibly humble people. But I haven’t seen them posting online; they’d probably think it was a waste of time and spiritually useless. Online forums allow people to easily draw false conclusions. Minorities seem like majorities. Compare the readers of this blog to average parishioners at a typical parish, for instance. Most groups are self-selected. We think of Benedict’s Marshall plan because we get news about his activities and hear about all the good parishes out there. If we unplugged from the Internet, and just looked at our local parish life, we might be tempted to think that nothing much had changed in the Church. Further, Angelqueen has the habit of censoring and kicking off anyone who voices the slightest criticism of the SSPX, even SSPX supporters. The shrill voice you hear now is because all the moderate voices got the boot. That forum is the creation of one man, don’t let it, or any personal blog, speak for an organization.

  37. Andrew says:

    It is indeed a correct statement, following on from what Brother Juniper said, that the apostolic exhortation Summorum Pontificum is bearing fruit.

    But does anyone here know about the Aussie connection with the TransAlpine Redemptorists?

    3 of their priestly students had been studying at the SSPX seminary in Goulburn, New South Wales. (That is a beautiful country town which I once drove through!)

    But the superior withdrew his seminarians from there, to immense protestation by the rector, Fr Peter Scott.

    (This happened after a number of young men from India had been in the same seminary, but left to enter their ordinary diocesan seminary in Bombay).

    This was an interesting development that among observers appeared to presage some sort of rapprochment with the Holy See, particularly after the TAP’s positive response to the motu proprio.

    Now we have the news that their canonical status has been regularized.

    The SSPX criticisms of the Church over matters like collegiality, ecumenism, and religious freedom, are hardly reasons to be cut off from Holy Mother Church.

    It is often forgotten that in 1977 Archbishop Lefebvre wrote a letter to Pope Paul VI where he indicated he would accept all the documents of Vatican II, if he could interpret them in the light of tradition.

    To me that has always been the criterion for judging the controversial Council, that if an ambiguity exists, one interprets it in the manner of a previous document that is more unequivocal, but at the same time allowing for development in the Church’s understanding of its response to a temporal situation.

    Let us hope more people will have the courage to come back home, like these courageous men in Scotland.

    Schism more than anything else, is a want of charity, as St Paul admonished that there is to be no schism in the body (1 Cor 12:25)

    Could that be a reason Pope Benedict has declared the coming year, the Year of St Paul?

  38. Matthew Mattingly says:

    I’d like to see the SSPX affiliated Capuchins of Morgon, France reconciled, and able to celebrate and foster only the TLM and catholic tradition.
    They are the only true Capuchins left in the Catholic Church, certainly the only true Capuchins left in France.
    The Capuchin Order is nearly extinct in France, save for the nearly 30 Capuchins of Morgon, affiliated to the SSPX in 2 monasteries in France, and several chapels they staff.

  39. rljfp says:

    I wonder if this will lead to gentle pressure or perhaps a bit of persuasion. No one in the SSPX is going to be pressured in to any kind of an accord of this I am sure. The leadership of the TAR and the SSPX are more than acquaintances they are friends who have a common goal. Now, what are friends for? I will bet the ranch that Father Michael Mary and Bishop Fellay are in contact with each other still. Neither man is so immature or blind to see the writing on the wall. I am of the conviction that this is heavenly ordained and Father Michael Mary will be an intermediary? to help resolve this tragic situation once they get canonically erected. Any way I’m praying that will happen! God bless.

  40. Tiny says:

    I think I’m going to show my support and enroll in their Purgatorian Archconfraternity; who’s with me?!

  41. Andrew says:

    Matthew,

    I think your comments are very judgmental here saying a certain community of Capuchins are the \”only true ones\”.

    I am acquainted with the Capuchins in Melbourne, Australia and while they are not traditional, are very orthodox, prayerful and deeply committed to the Franciscan tradition of kindness and hospitality.

    I constantly praise their young guys who when they appear in public, proudly display their brown habits with a rosary on the cincture, and how that is such a good example for the vast majority of religious now who wear secular dress in Australia. They are tremendous too at saying the Liturgy of the Hours, and pray them for those who don\’t.

    The Novice Master is Fr Dennis Ward OFM Cap who is marvelous in the confessional. He is also the chaplain of Melbourne\’s Courage group, which tries to help those with same sex attractions, founded by the American Fr Harvey. (Fr Ward too is a spiritual director to a very good friend of mine, who actually happens to be a Dominican tertiary!)

    And what about Fr Groeschel in New York with his beautiful Capuchin Friars of the Renewal.

    It is one thing to like the traditional Mass, and to want to see a return to tradition as well.

    It is quite another to display a sort of elitism, that does not recognize goodness or holiness elsewhere.

    The fact is while we may have a penchant for tradition, the vast majority of even orthodox Catholics, are more inclined towards the reform. So be it. (Hey, the reform ain’t bad if it is done in accordance with rubrics, solemnity, sacred music, and now upcoming better translations!)

    It is not our right to pinpoint and say who is good, and who isn’t, based on their liturgical preferences.

    A true Capuchin is one who is loyal to the spirit of St Francis of Assisi, and loves Jesus in everything, even the birds of the air, and we get enough nice photos of those printed here from Sabine Farm.

    Fr Z is constantly reminding people on this site to be charitable. We do our cause no good by saying we are better than everybody else.

    Didn’t Our Lord admonish the Pharisees, for exactly the same thing?

  42. Sacramento Mom says:

    Tiny:I think I’m going to show my support and enroll in their Purgatorian Archconfraternity; who’s with me?!

    I am! I have already downloaded the forms, I was waiting for this, hoping for this. What a blessing.

  43. Lauren says:

    Phillip,

    The video is wonderful. Thanks for posting the link.

  44. Gabrielle says:

    Breir

    You are quite right but unfortunately people think Angelqueen is talking for the SSPX and very badly. It is doing a lot of damage to the SSPX. I know people who are judging the the Society badly because of the AQ Forum. It is time for all you SSPX supporters that do not support AQ to put a comment on it. You will only get one chance as the people who run it will ban you but the more people who show their disapproval the better. I am also asking the SSPX Priests to do this. AQ is doing the SSPX cause major damage.
    Congratualtions to the Transalpine Redemptorists and God Bless you

  45. Craigmaddie says:

    I wonder how the bishop of the diocese in which they are will react? He recently said that there would be no “Latin Mass” (I think meaning the traditional Mass as he said this at Pluscarden Abbey which celebrates the modern Latin liturgy) celebrated in his diocese.

  46. Jo says:

    With all due respect, neither you nor anyone else know the contents of the letter Bp. Fellay sent to
    Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos.

    We only know what the SSPX told us until now and it doesn’t sound good: little respect, more demands and the
    usual pride of considering themselves superior to the Holy See and the Pope.

    The Cardinal seemed pleased, and the note has been passed on to Rome.

    With all due respect, neither you nor anyone else knows the contents of the Cardinals brain. Unlike the SSPX
    he did not issue a press release.

    I think the fact that you are willing to pass condemnation in advance is problematic.

    After more than 20 years of this sad business, you can hardly consider this to be a hasty comment. It’s more
    of the same from the SSPX.

    Put down the Patrick Madrid and Pete Vere book and pray for unity.

    I don’t need Patrick Madrid’s and Pete Vere’s book because I can access all the Papal and official church
    documents which mention the SSPX along with strange words like “excommunication” and “schism”.

    BTW, I don’t need SSPX propaganda materials, either.

    Daily Prayer, OTOH, is a necessity.

  47. Jo says:

    “Jo, your analysis is truly horrific.”

    Sorry, about that.

    The Church is not a liberal democracy: we don’t really have “rights”; we have privileges.

    The Pope, OTOH, has full power to determine liturgical rules (Cf. Vatican I, Pastor Aeternus). We only have
    the right to submit to his power:

    “Both clergy and faithful, of whatever rite and dignity, both singly and collectively, are bound
    to submit to this power by the duty of hierarchical subordination and true obedience, and this not only
    in matters concerning faith and morals, but also in those which regard the discipline and government
    of the church”

  48. Gabrielle –

    I agree that Angelqueen has given me an extremely negative view of SSPX laity. No one can read that board and doubt that a spirit of schism, at least, exists in the SSPX.

  49. I am not Spartacus says:

    It is often forgotten that in 1977 Archbishop Lefebvre wrote a letter to Pope Paul VI where he indicated he would accept all the documents of Vatican II, if he could interpret them in the light of tradition

    Well, wasn’t that generous of him? He had already signed every single Document while a participating Bishop at the very same Ecumenical Council he later came to repudiate and attack.

    It is madness.

    And it is a tautology that all Ecumenical Council are interpreted in light of Tradition and so Vatican Two is being interpreted in light of Tradition and that means that Vatican Two will become part of Tradition and don’t think the sspx doesn’t realise that and so an Ecumenical Council will become the rock they will be forced to dash their heads against.

  50. dcs says:

    The Church is not a liberal democracy: we don’t really have “rights”; we have privileges.

    No, we really do have rights in the Church. For example, one has the right to the Sacraments as long as one is properly disposed. And since the Sacraments are necessary for our salvation – indeed, we are obligated to receive them at certain times – one can’t reduce the reception of them to a “privilege.”

    Hope this helps.

  51. Pingback: Reconciliation « Vox Nova

  52. totustuusmaria says:

    Te Deum laudamus; Te Dominum confitemur!

  53. Shane says:

    This is one of the things that really worries me, or bothers me, or more likely both. Please don’t misunderstand what I am about to say – it is certainly good whenever a stray individual or a stray group returns to Communion with the Church.

    At the same time, I also really worry about all of these groups and individuals which are now returning to communion with the Church, being regularized, and so forth, as a result of Summorum Pontificum. One of Fr. Z.’s sentences gets right at why that is: “As more and more people find they really don’t have good reasons to stay separated from the Bishop of Rome, that they can still have concerns and maintain an identity even in their submission to Peter…”

    The fact is, there is never a good reason to be seperated from the Bishop of Rome. My big concern here is that if people and groups are returning only because they can now do what they wanted to do before, rather than because they see that they have done a wrong in refusing to submit and in seperating themselves at an earlier time, is there indeed any real submission at all? When I go to the Sacrament of Penance, I can’t confess my sin but at the same time believe in my heart that it wasn’t really wrong to begin with – that wouldn’t be a vallid confession. I wouldn’t have any real contrition, and I wouldn’t be a living member of the body of Christ.

    So while it’s wonderful that this group has been regularized, if they don’t believe that what they did was wrong in the first place, then I don’t see any benefit, either to their individual souls or to the community itself. If Benedict were to issue a Motu Proprio banning the EF tomorrow, would these men still wish to remain in submission to him? If they would do so in great suffering and with an intention of working to get the decision reversed, then wonderful! Yet, if they would depart from Communion again, then they aren’t any better off today.

    I really worry many of these people may be worse off. Being out of communion is, after all, medicinal in a way. It is a visible sign of the invisible disunity from Christ that exists in the soul. If we have a bunch of Catholics who are now going to believe themselves to be in the Church, but who still do not think they were ever wrong to be out of it, then we have a bunch of Catholics in grave need of repentance and conversion of heart who may never know it.

    Peace, and God bless

  54. Sam says:

    As a former Redemptorist seminarian (ending in 1994), I am very happy to hear of the regularization of the Transalpine Redemptorists. When I was in the seminary, they were referred to as extremist nuts and kooks for daring to live according to the original rule of St Alphonsus Liguori and also to say the Tridentine Mass. Not knowing any better, part of me went along with that assessment. Although the side of me which longed to live according to the ideals of the order and which clashed with my liberal superiors on issues such as wearing the habit, insisting on the proper rubrics at Mass, etc secretly admired them too.

  55. Derik Castillo says:

    Thanks be to God. This calls for invigoration of my prayers for
    our dear Holy Father, the PCED and all presbiters.

  56. Edward C. Yong says:

    Now the problem is, what do we do with their ‘Easterns’?

  57. Jay Jay says:

    @Craigmaddy

    I think it very unlikely that the Redemptorists of Papa Stronsay will be
    incardinated in the Aberdeen diocese ; once they have a canonical status as
    an Institute of Consecrated Life they have every right to live under their own
    Rule without any kind of episcopal interference.
    With regards to the TLM, post-MP it is decreasingly relevant what ordinaries feel
    about it anyway and this will be even more the case when the malcontents are
    pensioned off one by one. If Bishop Moran made such statements it might be a comfort
    for you to know that he will turn 75 in two years’ time.

  58. prayatmass says:

    The German edition of Vatican Radio has reported that only 3 of the 20 members of the Transalpine Redemptorists have requested and been granted regularization. Apparently the “angry voices that have shouted against us” that Father Michael Mary referred to came from within his own community.

    http://www.thenewliturgicalmovement.blogspot.com
    (under Update on the Transalpine Redemptorists)

  59. Gabriel says:

    Prayatmass

    Do not believe everything you hear. I am sure that there are no problems from within!!! It is three Priests – the Brothers have not been mentioned but the ones I have talked to are very happy, and in fact, last count there was about 30 in the Community.

  60. Matthew W. I. Dunn says:

    I rejoice that the Transalpine Redemptorists have returned to communion with Rome.

    They have not, however, returned to communion with the East: For years, they had (or, at least, used to have) several members traipsing around, passing themselves off as priests of the Byzantine Catholic Churches. Given that their website (http://www.papastronsay.com/) still aids and abets the schismatic activities in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church of the excommunicate Fr. Vasyl Kovpak, I’ll wait and see how sincere the group is about being in communion with the *whole* Catholic Church, East and West.

    God searches the heart. A statement — even if it be from a pontifical commission — is just a statement.

Comments are closed.