What Does The Prayer Really Say?
W D T P R S

His Eminence Roger Card. Mahony of Los Angeles shares his view of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite and, consequently, of the decision two Popes made to emancipate the older, pre-Conciliar form of Holy Mass.

The setting: On Friday, February 27, 2009 [NB: There is a typo on their site indicating "2008", but this is a 2009 chat, from the 2009 Religious Education Congress.] , at 11:15 a.m. PST,  ChurchWerks.com hosted an online chat session with Cardinal Mahony, live from the main Exhibit Hall at the Religious Education Congress in Anaheim, Calif.

Ann Scolari: What are your thoughts on the Trindentine mass?

CardinalMahony: Ann:  The Tridentine Mass was meant for those who could not make the transition from Latin to English [or other languages] after the Council.  But there is no participation by the people, and I don’t believe that instills the spirit of Christ among us.

Could not make the transition?   What are they, stupid?  Have they been lied to?

No participation by the people?  What are they doing there? 

Doesn’t instill the spirit of Christ?   What is going on there, Your Eminence? 

Are Eastern Catholics stupid or not participating or not instilling the Spirit of Christ if they attend the Divine Liturgy in their sacral liturgical language and their mode of participation, shut out by a screen and forced to listen?

WDTPRSers, I put it you now:
 
Imagine that a bishop, any bishop, might say things about a highly charged topic during a media interview.

Imagine that during Q&A he grossly mischaracterizes something dear and sacred to a group of people, something that touches on their very identity.  

Imagine that this imaginary bishop states, in the media, things which are clearly false, even contrary to the teachings of the Church in the Vatican Council and subsequent legislation of Popes. 

This imaginary bishop really believes his position to be true, but his statements – however sincerely believed – are deeply offensive to a interested group who have in the past been marginalized and mistreated.

Even people who do not prefer to attend Holy Mass in the older form should be offended by what Card. Mahony said to the world in this online chat. 

He slapped our ancestors, Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, and everyone who loves our Church’s Holy Mass and Divine Liturgy in all its beautiful, meaningful, sacred and legitimate forms.