A friend of mine, Fr. Charles Johnson, is a Navy chaplain serving in Afghanistan.
The TLM:
You may remember that Fr. Johnson gave me a tour of USS Theodore Roosevelt a few years back.
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I’m fairly certain this is the Chapel the Seabee Battalion I was in finished a couple weeks before we left. The Chaplain at the time didn’t want to use the altar we built because it was too tall, he wouldn’t buy that it was perfect for an EF Mass. But hey it was worth a shot. God bless those Catholic Navy chaplains over there; it was truly a blessing to have easy access to Mass every Sunday and a willing and open ear for confessions!
The TLM is truly the Mass of battlefields. I think this is a good thing to meditate on. Fr. Willie Doyle, the Trench Priest, offered the TLM on his knees in the mud in the trenches of World War I. The Cristero priest offered the TLM in hidden refuges, with the soldiers on their knees at his back. Fr. Aloysius Schmitt offered the TLM aboard the U.S.S. Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, right before the Japanese attack began — the last thing he ever did before giving his life to save crewmen trapped in the hold that was filling up with water. Bl. Karl Leisner, dying of tuberculosis, celebrated the TLM in Dachau, his first and only Mass after his secret ordination in captivity. Servant of God Emil Kapaun offered the TLM on the hoods of jeeps in Korea. Fr. Joseph Hearty brought the TLM to Planned Parenthood last year in Colorado. There is nothing like the grandeur of the traditional Mass on the doorstep of hell.
Meanwhile, Breitbart is reporting
“The Pentagon has released a statement confirming that soldiers could be prosecuted for promoting their faith: “Religious proselytization is not permitted within the Department of Defense…Court martials and non-judicial punishments are decided on a case-by-case basis”
…
“So President Barack Obama’s civilian appointees who lead the Pentagon are confirming that the military will make it a crime–possibly resulting in imprisonment–for those in uniform to share their faith. This would include chaplains—military officers who are ordained clergymen of their faith (mostly Christian pastors or priests, or Jewish rabbis)–whose duty since the founding of the U.S. military under George Washington is to teach their faith and minister to the spiritual needs of troops who come to them for counsel, instruction, or comfort.”
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/05/01/Breaking-Pentagon-Confirms-Will-Court-Martial-Soldiers-Who-Share-Christian-Faith
You’re right, Father. We need to supporthe Archdiocese for Military Services now more than ever.
Gee, I should’ve just linked your post and I might’ve done just that if I’d scrolled down far enough to see it. I should’ve known you’d be on top of it.
You are right we do need the TLM everywhere, but some of these ultra-right right wing traditionalists are not doing the cause any favors. When certain blogs (such as Rorate Caeli) ‘did’ a hatchet job on Pope Francis they lost ALL credibility as far as I am concerned.
Fr Johnson was the Catholic chaplain at recruit training command when I was there. He was an amazing priest. All of his Masses celebrated (publicly) there were in the OF, but he really exemplified the reform of the reform more than any other priest I’ve personally met. Chant and quality hymns, MANIPLE, biretta, bells, incense, etc. He gave strong, eloquent sermons, spending the three weeks leading up to Lent preaching about the need for confession, and one about the Devil which was medieval in the best possible way (and frankly, kind of terrified me). He regularly referenced the Church Fathers. As soon as Mass ended, he would be in the confessional where he would hear confessions for as long as it took to hear the confession of every recruit who wanted to confess. I waited in line for about two hours once (and he absolved me using the Latin, older form upon my request!) Truly a great priest. Perhaps everyone might say a quick prayer for his safe return from Afghanistan and his ministry?
The devil hates the TLM! More priests should celebrate it.
I thoroughly enjoyed your link of your 2008 visit to the USS Roosevelt although the photo of the altar did not display for some reason.
I want to add my gratitude to Fr. Johnson for his service at the altar and to his country.
Fr. Johnson is fortunate to be able to offer EO form of the Mass. The achdiocese does not recruit or admit priests who say only the EO form of the Mass :-(. Reasons why are numerous: people don’t understand Latin, they have to have altar boys for valid Mass, etc. It is a loss for the military, we need priests, and as a trad, I would like to see trad Mass on post. One other thing, as the Catholic Church has actual stated positions they cannot force a priest to do gay marriages. Those denominations who have no clear written doctrine will have a hard time…they can’t point and say “..see here it says we can’t do that.” Please pray for our military priests, they are pretty amazing guys, in theater and out.
Father Z.,
I posted this on Tuesday.: Una Voce Georgia: Abbey of Christ the King in Cullman, AL Traditional Abbey. The TLM now has an Abbey in Alabama!
It appears that “Brick by Brick” continues!
D.v.
Beautiful–this is so true. Our pastor is also a National Guard Chaplain. Hopefully, he will offer this Mass for his unit someday. Students of a local Catholic High School requested that he offer the TLM for their school Mass–did you get that? The STUDENTS requested it! It is also THE Mass for families. Glory be to God!
Wow….what a beautiful sight!!
A British Army chaplain who celebrated the TLM in Afghanistan said the soldiers preferred it, and I can see why; it is straightforward, disciplined and soldierly, unlike most liturgies they would experience at home which are sloppy, sentimental, touchy-feely and feminized. BTW, chaplains of all denominations are always addressed as ‘padre’, a custom dating from the Peninsular War. Does the same apply in the US military?
[I am reminded of the comment of Card. Heenan after having seen the Novus Ordo celebrated for the first time. Cardinal Heenan addressed the Fathers the day after the experimental Mass. He said he did not know the names of those who had proposed the new Mass. He opined that few of them had ever been parish priests. “At home,” he said, “it is not only women and children but also fathers of families and young men who come regularly to Mass. If we were to offer them the kind of ceremony we saw yesterday we would soon be left with a congregation of women and children.”]
Thank you Father for your service! While all USN and USMC Chaplains are “Navy” looking at Father’s “high and tight” haircut I am willing to bet he is assigned to the United States Marine Corps. Semper Fi Padre.