McBrien urges priests to disobey and resist translation

That darling of the ever more elderly dissident set, NCR‘s Richard McBrien has a new whine about the new English translation of the Roman Missal… which is coming whether the liberals like it or not.

My emphases and comments.

The New Roman Missal
by Richard McBrien on Feb. 22, 2010

Fr. Michael Ryan has been pastor of St. James Cathedral in Seattle since 1988. [The reason he leads with this is because McBrien is trying to establish Ryan’s pastoral credentials.  What you, dear reader, have to remember is that they are both relics of the 60’s "spirit of Vatican II" crowd, purely and simply.] His recent article in America magazine, "What If We Said, ‘Wait’?: The case for a grass-roots review of the new Roman Missal" (December 14, 2009), has evoked a heavy and largely positive response.  [What would a "grass roots review" involve, pray tell?  I could understand a "grass roots movement in favor of a review".  But in McBrien’s view, who do do the reviewing?  Everyone?] By the latter part of January, well over 12,000 people had submitted signatures in support of Ryan’s efforts.  [And how many of those signatures were genuine, I wonder.  There are great many "anonymous" entries.  Fictitious names.  Someone even repeatedly put my name on that petition, which shows you how interested they really are in an honest gathering of signatures.]

In a letter dated Dec. 3, Ryan shared some of the background and motivation for his America article.  [What follows is old news, really.  But when it comes to a little history, McBrien is well-known for his representation of material.  We can skip that part.]

[…]

The reactions of both small and large groups of Catholics, when actually presented with samples of the new translations, run the gamut from laughter to outrage[This is simply mendacious.  McBrien doesn’t choose to give reasonable consideration to those who think that the translations are good: such as the conferences of bishops who approved them.] Ryan predicts that, when and if these new translations are eventually imposed upon parishes throughout the English-speaking world, there will be "an almost certain fiasco."  [That is what he hopes.   Which leads us to ask: What kind of man is this?]

What to do, therefore? Ryan urges pastors to mobilize and ask their bishops to hold off on the implementation of the new translations until they can be carefully road-tested. As of now, however, the bishops seem to be weary of the whole matter.

If the bishops have nearly given up, what about the priests? [And here we get to the meat of it.]  Does obedience to the bishops mean that priests must be complicit in something they are convinced is pastorally wrongheaded[READ: McBrien is trying to stir priests to be disobedient.  Big surprise.]

Ryan urges pastors, pastoral councils, liturgical commissions, and presbyteral councils to appeal to the bishops for a time of reflection and consultation, including some careful market-testing of the new translations in selected parishes and regions. Only after that should we move forward.

Ryan also asks those who agree with him to log on to the Web site www.whatifwejustsaidwait.org. "If our bishops know the depth of our concern," he writes, "perhaps they will not feel so alone."

One hopes that he is right.  ["One hopes"?  Pompous windbag.]

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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64 Comments

  1. Eadmer says:

    ‘Market-testing’? Are we selling something here or talking about the sacred liturgy?

  2. david andrew says:

    I can tell you that my pastor stated unequivocally that he intends to implement the changes in translation as soon as he hears that they’ve been approved. Period.

    We have an aging dissident weekend supply priest who hates Latin (because, I later found out, he nearly failed all of his Latin classes in college and seminary), despises chant (because he can’t sing), and has little to no respect for the canonical authority vested in the Pastor, or indeed even Magisterial authority in these matters, and agitates against anything remotely “traditional” or orthodox, to the point of disobeying the express wishes of the Pastor in matters of liturgy. (I would add that this particular priest is not of our diocese, or even incardinated here, he merely has faculties, which on several occasions in the past were nearly pulled.)

    When I asked the Pastor what he would do about the supply priest if he bucked the changes, he said without hesitation that he’d accept the priest’s resignation.

    It is puzzling and sad to see folks like McBrien, this priest and a “Black Franciscan” (OFMConv.) among others I’ve talked to, even in our parish, behave like this and who are still under the illusion that the Second Vatican Council means whatever the progressives said it means, the documents and proofs of history notwithstanding.

  3. Eric says:

    run the gamut from laughter to outrage

    He IS being fair. The “gamut” includes; smiles, nods of approval, and applause. He just chose didn’t mention those.

  4. Leonius says:

    Any fiasco will be as a result of this man deliberately causing one and a such will have nothing to actually do with the new translation and everything to do with the disobedience and modern revolutionary spirit of certain Catholics.

    The more pressure they are under the more they are forced out into the light, which can only be a good thing in the long run, for to long they have been able to hide in the shadows of seminary’s and places of catholic education doing their wicked work of warping the consciences of thousands.

  5. LarryPGH says:

    Eadmer,

    Yes, of course: market-testing!

    Because, naturally, we’re a Church founded by a man who once said, “Do this in memory of me — once you’ve had a chance to have a few test runs and get back your opinion polls of whether folks think that it’s not too likely to make outsiders think we’re having a bloody cannibalistic feast.”

  6. TJerome says:

    This rant was published by my lefty pastor in the bulletin on Sunday. I sent it to the bishop and asked him whether he thought my pastor could be
    trusted with the catechesis for the new translations. Since the bishop is very traditional and says Mass in Latin from time to time, he will not be
    amused. By the way, McBrien’s rant was one of the most intellectually dishonest pieces I’ve ever read by McBrien. And that is saying something. Tom

  7. The Egyptian says:

    just sent the clowns at http://www.whatifwejustsaidwait.org an email, asked them to please grow up and get a life because I, a fifty year old Catholic, am looking forward to the change. Mary and Joe Catholic are not nearly as stupid as they think. Besides the temp priest sent here to help will need duct tape to keep his head from exploding, a sight I am most looking forward to.
    Will this also help reign in stupid sermons with props and even a live craft demonstration? Last Saturday night it was a “message that is crisp and refreshing”, he handed out wintergreen lifesavers, GAD

  8. TJerome says:

    I went over to NCR and posted my comments to Father McBrien’s rant. By the way Father Ryan posted a “thankyou” to Richard McBrien. Perhaps some of you may wish to “thank” him as well. Tom

  9. TNCath says:

    And WHY is this “Aelous Magnus” still at Notre Dame?

  10. DarkKnight says:

    I wonder if “Fr.” McBrien would consent to a little “market testing” of whether or not his tenure should be rescinded? My guess is probably not.

  11. Gregg the Obscure says:

    I’m sure these media-darlings would have been very receptive to calls to wait rather than implementing the vernacular 40 years ago, right? So let’s find a compromise – until everyone can agree on the translation to use, we’ll just all use the original Latin!

  12. Oneros says:

    “Fr. Michael Ryan has been pastor of St. James Cathedral in Seattle since 1988.”

    Do they really call that position “pastor”? I thought it was “plebanus” or “rector” or something like that. Isn’t the bishop technically the pastor strictly-so-called of the Cathedral?

  13. TJerome says:

    My comment is apparently still be “moderated” at NCR. I doubt they’ll print it even though it was respective but firm. Tom

  14. Central Valley says:

    Do not these men have superiors? Where are the Bishops? Where is Rome?

  15. JonM says:

    Tragic relics of an era of self-indulgence know that the tide has shifted against them.

    While it is true that fewer ‘young people’ (18-35+) attend Mass, those who do are increasingly willing to joyfully submit to the Church. Those men who are chosen to become priests are overwhelmingly partial to traditional, orthodox Church life and celebration of the Mass.

    Heretical Catholics know this. They know that the average age of Call to Action activists is approaching that of Major League Baseball’s seasonal homerun record. At the end of the day, demographics cannot lie; they simply are.

    This last revolt could finally shatter the organized and institutional dissent still rampent with Christ’s Church. There is a chance that many will choose their will (and sins) over Christ when given a final opportunity to reform and there will be a formal schism.

    Such would be ugly; don’t expect the secular Courts to be very sympathetic to us. We will loose a lot of property in this event.

    But we have to ask ourselves what is more important: formal unity while Catholics are so confused that they treat Jesus like a limited edition Pilsbury sugar cookie or the loss of beautiful cathedrals and Catholics knowing the High Priest and living to walk only in His will.

    Pope Benedict is reversing course and I believe his successor (may he distant in the future) will be moved by the Spirit to power on the other engines.

  16. mpm says:

    This is why I think that when there is some part of the new transalation that is fully approved, such as the Ordinary of the Mass as I write, it should be permissible for individual bishops to authorize whatever priests they deem fit to start using the new translation immediately.

    Clearly I’m only voicing my personal opinion, as input to the legitimate authorities in the Church, of which I am not one, but here is my reasoning.

    The “new” translations are not a new Rite of the Mass; they are corrections of mistakes present in the current Rite of Mass, Ordinary Form.

    I draw an analogy.

    A man goes to Confession, and says, “Bless me Father, it’s been 40 years since my last confession, and I accuse myself of not having prayed in all that period of time, because I thought we didn’t believe that any more. But here, at this retreat, I have come to see how important it is that we have a daily life of prayer, and how mistaken I have been.”

    Does the priest respond by saying, “Well that’s an important grace that God has given you. So, be sure to start praying to Our Lord every day by Advent 2011”? Of course not; he encourages the man to correct his mistake by commencing his prayer life immediately. Then he gives him absolution. It’s called firm purpose of amendment!

    I know there may be some fear of schism-like reactions among the high, holy honkerdonks of the English-speaking “liturgical guild” — the ones Ryan calls “pastoral councils, liturgical commissions, and presbyteral councils”, and he might have added superannuated columnists like Richard McBrien, and a few of his erstwhile fans among the bishops — but whatever truth to that there is, it is there right now, and it is as active right now as it ever will be, as this “though piece” by Pastor McBrien of the American Church Liturgical Guild attests.

  17. MarkJ says:

    As St. Paul said to Timothy: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

    Apparently, for McBrien and his band of merry dissenters, the “tickle factor” is rather low for the new translation. And so they cling to their myths, among others that Vatican II authorized their dissent.

    St. Paul gives Timothy some advice in how to deal with this: “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction… be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

  18. Ralph says:

    Time for the leadership of the church to actually wield some auhority and squash this disent!

    What do you do about a priest who openly mocks and encurages plotting against the directives of his bishop? I just can’t understand why all of this is allowed to happen.

    It’s open scandle and it hurts the heart and the soul of the faithful. It has to end.

    Come Lord Jesus!

  19. Clinton says:

    “Pompous windbag”.

    The man’s entire career, summed up in four syllables. Ouch.

  20. TJerome says:

    The NCR is still not posting my comment. They’re probably looking up the term “inception” which I used when I mentioned I despised the ICEL translations from the
    time of their inception. That’s a big word. Too hard. Tom

  21. ikseret says:

    Fr. McBrien is a priest of the Archdiocese of Hartford.
    I notice they have scheduled an upcoming presentation on the Missal in his home diocese.
    Perhaps he should attend and learn a few things..

  22. Henry Edwards says:

    I know a number of priests who have always disliked the old ICEL translations. I think some are embarrassed to read aloud the three variable prayers in each Mass whose translations are almost always so banal and vacuous, even puerile. But all these years they have obediently read the black and done the red.

    Now they would like to go ahead and start using the available new translations, but are obediently waiting until official approval is granted.

    What’s different about those priests Fr. McBrien is urging to disobey their bishops? Were not the same promises of obedience made by them when they were ordained? Or do their vows mean something different to them?

  23. Sandy says:

    When will this man, I mean priest, stop the insanity?! It makes me want to scream. Where is his superior, his bishop, someone? Our only hope is that these dissenters are leaving this world, but oh boy, when they do what will they say? “Pompous windbag” – I’m so glad you said it, Father, and not one of us :)

  24. Clinton says:

    Ralph @ 4:08pm , you’re right–anyone with eyes to see would say that Fr. Dick is trying to incite priests to disobey their bishops.
    However, while McBrien may be a dud as a theologian (can you imagine anyone holding a symposium on his works? I can’t) he is
    good at two things: self-promotion and keeping himself out of trouble.

    Notice how his encouragement of disobedience is couched. If he were called out on this, he could always claim that he was merely
    asking a question, not stating his position or advising priests to disobey their ordinary. He maintains plausible deniability.

    Those priests foolish enough to answer his faux-innocent question with a “no” may face unpleasant consequences from their
    bishop. But Fr. Dick will be in his comfortable Notre Dame office with clean hands.

  25. Christopher Gainey says:

    This is so like the 90’s nonsense when Rome foisted that awful catechism on us poor well-educated Catholics which was really only for bishops and theologians like McBrien. Bound to flop.

  26. wanda says:

    Pompous windbag. Does the man never stop? In our Parish, after The Stations of the Cross on Friday’s, our Pastor is giving a teaching on ‘The Mass’. What is the Mass, why do we do this gesture, why do we say these prayers, etc. It’s very interesting. As a part of the first talk, Father told everyone about the new translations that WILL be coming in about a year or so!

    He’s my kinda Pastor.

  27. Fr Martin Fox says:

    A priest I know, ordained just over 30 years, isn’t very fond of the new, improved translation based on what he’s heard, but he doesn’t think it’ll be a big deal for folks in the pews when it’s all said and done.

    When the time comes, we’ll have new missals, and the old missals will be taken up to the attic for safe-keeping, well out of the way.

    I wouldn’t be surprised if some parishes continue using the old missal, but I don’t think that will work very well. I wouldn’t worry about a rebellion, just sullen, bare compliance.

    Finally, several posters saw fit to diminish Father McBrien’s priesthood one way or the other. This is unbecoming. Find fault with his views and actions, but let the “‘Fr’ McBrien” and “Father Dick” comments go unpublished.

  28. Jackie L says:

    The only positive thing I have to say about the National Catholic Reporter is that they will post comments, it often takes a day or two, but with rare exceptions my comments have always been published.

  29. “Ryan urges pastors to mobilize and ask their bishops to hold off on the implementation of the new translations until they can be carefully road-tested”

    Was this ever done to the 1973 Missal? Huh…looks who’s talking.

  30. MarkJ says:

    I say we apply McBrien’s “power to the people” standards to the Novus Ordo Mass in Europe. It’s been road tested in Europe for 40 years, and found to be an utter disaster – the people have voted with their feet, by vacating the churches in droves. Let’s stop this experiment in Europe and wherever else it has not produced fruit, and reinstate the time-tested Traditional Mass. Give the people what they want… it’s only fair.

  31. Rob Cartusciello says:

    Would that we had said “wait just a minute” before we adopted so many tragic innovations back in the “bad old days”. A “Minister of Common Sense” would have been quite handy.

    In other news, I said “consubstantial” during the recitation of the Creed last Sunday….

  32. Mitchell NY says:

    Disobey the Magesterium, wonderful from a Priest…A fine example of teaching the faithful by example. Now we can all do what we want, say what we want, when Rome has spoken on the issue. Chaos results from doing exactly as he asks, disrespect, and disobey. 12, 000 signatures our of millions and millions of Catholics, a percentage surely false is a drop in the bucket. I beg this Priest to let us be, and find something else to do with his time. Millions of us are content with following Our Holy Father. That should be enough. In fact hasn’t part of the Missal been in the approval stages for years? Why now at almost its’ implementation does he do this? The root of this problem is so much deeper, it is with Magesterial authority. I pray the Holy Father can gain the respect of enough Faithful Priests and Bishops to slowly restore this desperately needed respect for The Pope. Stirring dissent and chaos where may only exist some doubts or nerves is so sickening he needs to take a good look in the mirror.

  33. capchoirgirl says:

    Reason number 6026 why I would never send my child to ND. Ugh!

  34. TonyLayne says:

    “The case for a grass-roots review of the new Roman Missal … has evoked a heavy and largely positive response.”

    My old social research professor would have had a conniption over the idea that an Internet poll larded with obvious pseudonyms could ever be taken seriously.

    “The reactions of both small and large groups of Catholics, when actually presented with samples of the new translations, run the gamut from laughter to outrage.”

    Small groups of two and large groups of six? All pulled from a random sample that curiously clustered around the NCR offices?

    “Ryan urges pastors to … ask their bishops to hold off on the implementation of the new translations until they can be carefully road-tested.”

    And while he’s at it, he might ask them to empty out the Potomac with a teaspoon.

    So much pathetic anger, so much futile effort. I feel too sorry for them to be disgusted or outraged.

  35. frjim4321 says:

    It seems fairly certain that the proposed transliteration will aquire the force of law within about 18 months. Thus, it is probably necessary within the near term to begin preparing the faithful for the transition, be it for good or ill. Fr. Jim

  36. The Cobbler says:

    ‘[“One hopes”? Pompous windbag.]’
    I had an English teacher who disallowed phrases like “one …” and the like because they were disguised first-person opinions — stating the first-person opinion in false third-person language. Now, depending on the paper, she may have allowed actual first-person where the author’s own comment is appropriate. Hiding behind fake “objectivity”, however, wouldn’t fly: you either be genuinely objective, or be objective about your subjectivity.

  37. catholicmidwest says:

    Yes, Fr Jim, I’m also hearing that the new translation will have the force of law in about 18 months. Somebody had better make sure people who don’t read the internet know this in the next year or so, so that they have time to get used to the idea. It *is* going to happen, praise God.

  38. catholicmidwest says:

    I certainly hope that the 1970 translation becomes explicitly illegal to use upon the adoption of the new one. The old one (1970) doesn’t have the age and venerability of the Tridentine, and the law shouldn’t be able to protect it. Call the 1970 one a temporary accommodation til a better translation (the upcoming one) could be made and let’s be done with it.

  39. robtbrown says:

    Finally, several posters saw fit to diminish Father McBrien’s priesthood one way or the other. This is unbecoming.
    Comment by Fr Martin Fox

    It’s also unnecessary. Fr McBrien has made it clear that he’s entirely capable of diminishing his own priesthood himself–with no outside help.

  40. Erik P says:

    I think it’s funny to watch them wriggle for their last waning breaths….

    Does that make me a bad person???

  41. robtbrown says:

    Although I appreciate the efforts at a better translation, I’m not sure whether they’ll be used by celebrants who are now in the habit of adding their own personal liturgical touches. IMHO, only ad orientem celebration will cause them to do the red and say the black.

  42. Dave N. says:

    One of my concerns about the new translation is that many priests don’t follow the translation that we have NOW, so why do we think they are going to suddenly follow a new one? Why would a parish that currently avoids masculine pronouns like the plague and prays things like “may the Lord accept the sacrifice at OUR hands (etc.)” going to adopt changes to the current prayers? And why do we think that bishops that allow all sorts of aberrations NOW are going to suddenly fall into line? While an improvement, I don’t think the new translation will be the liturgical panacea that I think many sometimes make it out to be. Although we can’t make the good the enemy of the perfect I think we have much bigger problems under the surface that aren’t being dealt with.

    And I don’t really think of the outcry of 12,000 people is particularly “heavy” even if all the signers are authentic–which they pretty obviously are not.

  43. Ed the Roman says:

    Do not these men have superiors?

    Too easy.

  44. pauljk says:

    Gordon Bennet! This is English we’re talking about. “Market researh”? Is McBrien having a laugh? Or perhaps these people are just sacred that the people will see just how misleading the old translations they support have been, so they fight tooth and nail to prevent them being implemented.

  45. Hans says:

    As I wrote once before here, I have heard from a very reliable source that Cardinal George has said that if a priest refuses to use the new translation once it becomes official, “he will not say Mass” (emphasis in the original).

    Finally, several posters saw fit to diminish Father McBrien’s priesthood one way or the other. This is unbecoming.
    Comment by Fr Martin Fox

    It’s also unnecessary. Fr McBrien has made it clear that he’s entirely capable of diminishing his own priesthood himself—with no outside help.
    Comment by robtbrown

    I agree with Fr. Fox that such behavior is inappropriate; however outrageous and ridiculous his behavior has been, Fr. McBrien’s priestly ordination is owed a minimum of respect, especially since he seems to disregard it so much. But I also agree largely with robtbrown.

    Besides, from my experience of reading Fr. McBrien, I suspect there’s little more anyone could do to irritate him than to treat his priesthood with the respect it deserves and his ‘scholarship’ with the contempt it has earned. He seems so very proud of the latter and so dismissive of the former.

  46. StMalachy says:

    And so Fr McBrien continues to stir dissent in futherance of his own agenda.

    The words of The Holy Father to the Scottish bishops during their recent ad limina visit are rather appropriate:

    “In a social milieu that encourages the expression of a variety of opinions on every question that arises, it is important to recognise dissent for what it is, and not to mistake it for a mature contribution to a balanced and wide-ranging debate.”

    Quite!

  47. This may not be politically correct but…Richard McBrien is one good reason why that in times past heretics were executed. Why has this heretic not been excommunicated at the very least? Why does he STILL “TEACH” at a so called Catholic University? We need to purge the Church of all of the liberals and move them right on over to the Episcopal church where they would be happy. After all that is what they want to turn the Catholic Church into. But, if we can no longer burn heretics may at least burn their puppets?

  48. chironomo says:

    When will this man, I mean priest, stop the insanity?! It makes me want to scream. Where is his superior, his bishop, someone?

    His Bishop, I’m sure, takes him about as seriously as everyone else does. You don’t put effort into opposing someone whose actions have no real consequences, and his Bishop has better things to do. Besides, do you think for a moment that Fr. McBrien would really care about what the Bishop thinks? Really???

    Views such as Fr. McBrien’s eventually collapse under the weight of their own error. We’re seeing this principle all around us these days…

  49. Marcin says:

    TonyLayne :

    “The reactions of both small and large groups of Catholics, when actually presented with samples of the new translations, run the gamut from laughter to outrage.”
    Small groups of two and large groups of six? All pulled from a random sample that curiously clustered around the NCR offices?”

    Exactly. Here it pops up again: how big does coetus dissentus have to be in order to block the new translation in a given parish?

  50. Henry Edwards says:

    Marcin: how big does coetus dissentus have to be in order to block the new translation in a given parish?

    I don’t know, but the recent PCED clarification — that a pastor can initiate a TLM on his own initiative (without any requests to do so) — effectively means the the minimal required membership of the famous “stable group” is zero.

  51. TC says:

    I love Google.
    At a glance signers from my own diocese include a “lay minister” (EMHC?) who is a major donor to Family Planning Advocates, a layperson with a masters in theology who works for the same Catholic agency I do (much higher up), a sculptress, and a doctor in family practice(NFP advocate?).

    Do these folks really fancy themselves the grass roots?

  52. robtbrown says:

    Exactly. Here it pops up again: how big does coetus dissentus have to be in order to block the new translation in a given parish?
    Comment by Marcin

    It all depends on the bishop and the pastor. If the bishop and pastor insist on the new translation, it will be implemented no matter how big the dissenting group.

    Keep in mind two things:

    First, over the years JRatzinger has made it clear that popularity is not the criterion. He does not want a Church that encourages tepidity.

    Second, during the installation mass of his papacy, he made reference to his plan for governance of the Church (Translation: He actually plans to govern the Church.)

  53. Fr_Sotelo says:

    TonyLayne:

    I completely agree with you. It is laughable to present the rejection of the new translations as a grass roots movement when there are over 40,000 priests and 60 million Catholics.

    Most priests are simply overwhelmed with the real problems of people to have hissy fits over the translation of the Missal. When some of the parishioners cannot pay the heating bills, find work, repair their marriage, deal with unexpected medical crises, or reconcile with their children who have gone the way of all flesh, this issue is not going to rile them up.

    McBrien should count his blessings: a full time, well paying job, a cushy residence and three square to go back to, nice suits, ties, and shoes for dress, full medical and dental coverage, and the “stress” of grading papers based mostly on his opinion–ah, the life of the tenured, preppy Catholic professor.

    As TonyLane said, the anger is pathetic and the disgust of some priests about this issue simply makes me feel sorry for them. And the Seattle rector who has stayed in the cathedral for over 20 years in my book also doesn’t have “clergy cred” as far as knowing the pulse of the people. You have to actually move around to different assignments and be challenged in different parishes for that kind of cred.

  54. TJerome says:

    Fr. Sotelo,

    Well stated. I know Father McBrien personally: bon vivant, lover of fine good and wine, and he doesn’t bare any marks of being overworked at all. Maybe if he worked as a parish priest his perspective might be a bit different.

    Best,

    Tom

  55. MAJ Tony says:

    Fr. McBrien kind of reminds me of the voice on the loudspeaker in Saving Private Ryan referred to as “your friendly neighborhood morale officer” claiming “The Statue of Liberty ist kaput,” which Tom Hanks’ character, CPT Miller, repeats in mock horror, and says, tongue-in-cheek “Now, that’s disconcerting,” as if to say “pay him no mind; we know he’s full of wind.” That’s how I, and most Catholics I know, or have ever known, look at it.

  56. lux_perpetua says:

    today at Mass Fr. gave a sermon about how we all have a little of Jonah in all of us, that sometimes we act or think that we don’t *really* want people to repent, that we enjoy being angry with them and don’t always recognize in our hearts that everyone is worthy of redemption and repentance. I think we should keep that in mind when discussing Fr. Mcbrien and other disenting priests, who need our prayers more than anyone in this year for priests.

  57. Henry Edwards says:

    http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/how-mark-benedicts-fifth-anniversary

    When I read this NCR Online post, I wondered whether Fr. McBrien would think the TLM is “twelfth century Catholicism” (if it’s on his radar screen at all).

    After at the bottom of the announcement of the April 24 Solemn Pontifical TLM at the National Shrine — which I was surprised to see mentioned on the NCR site at all — down at the bottom it says

    “Watch the preparations for the Mass as they unfold [and here’s where 12th century Catholicism connects with 21st century target audience] on Twitter and Facebook.”

  58. robtbrown says:

    Well stated. I know Father McBrien personally: bon vivant, lover of fine good and wine, and he doesn’t bare any marks of being overworked at all. Maybe if he worked as a parish priest his perspective might be a bit different.
    Comment by TJerome

    Or better, maybe if he worked as a legitimate Catholic intellectual actually interested in pursuit of the Truth.

  59. TJerome says:

    robtbrown, another legitimate point.

    By the way, thanks to all of you who may have ventured over to NCR and posted comments. Actually the comments against Father McBrien’s
    viewpoint appears to have overwhelmed the dissidents at NCR. I thought most of the anti-McBrien comments were respectful and to the point. These comments may serve as a reality check to NCR’s readership and may just convince some of them they’ve been living in a liberal cocoon far too long.

  60. deborah-anne says:

    “If our bishops know the depth of our concern,” he writes, “perhaps they will not feel so alone.”

    One hopes that he is right.
    [“One hopes”? Pompous windbag.] Bravo Father Z! My sentiment exactly.

  61. Jayna says:

    If all of these priests really wanted to show off their pastoral abilities, they would obey their bishops and offer the proper catechesis to their parishioners so that it isn’t a total fiasco.

    I really can’t wait until the new missal is implemented. A lot of people are going to have a rude awakening when they realize there isn’t going to be an uprising.

  62. mdillon says:

    I am calling on all priests to disobey Fr McBrien.

  63. robtbrown says:

    I am calling on all priests to disobey Fr McBrien.
    Comment by mdillon

    Impossible to disobey him because he has no authority over them.

  64. mdillon says:

    I know Rob; I am just being sarcastic by stating the obvious.

Comments are closed.