1987: Faithful Catholics locked out of their church on Palm Sunday employ a battering ram

Over at Ann Barnhardt’s place you will find a video of something that happened in France in 1987.  Catholics who desired the Traditional Latin Mass were locked out of the parish church on Palm Sunday… much like what now-incredibly-Cardinal Cupich once did in 2002 to people in Rapid City on Good Friday.   At the time that was called an “invitation to unity” and painting himself as the victim: “I would ask them, ‘Why do they find it so difficult, on the day of the Lord’s death, to celebrate with their bishop, who is the sign of the Lord’s unity?'”

Indeed, why?

These folks in France had Mass outside the church and then used a battering ram to go in while singing “Christus Vincit“.

Just 10 years before, in 1977, a large group of people with their priest commandeered the Parisian church St-Nicholas du Chardonnet.  After some years, the SSPX took the place over.  They still have it now and it is hardly to be doubted that it is the single most vibrant Catholic “parish” in the city.

Sometimes “pastors of souls”, perhaps not clearly holding in mind that they are servants, drive their flocks to strong measures.

 

Posted in Hard-Identity Catholicism, Just Too Cool, The future and our choices |
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ROME 23/04 – Day 01: Arrival

At last I – we (I am with friends) – are in Rome.

It is April 1 and a 1st Saturday.  The Roman Station was St. John at the Latin Gate.  The sun rose at 6:52 and set at 19;37.  The Ave Maria is supposed to ring at 20:00

Flying in… Lago di Bolsena.  You can see how early in we were.   That makes this first day really hard.

Mass was for Roman Donors.   Donations are still welcome, for they will help me keep my US phone online more often.

Lago Bolsena, north of Rome.

At this hour… no one.

Waiting for my bags.

Very early yet for the little strawberries.

Here they come!  Also a little early.

There are little signs in the streets indicating that someone is not appreciated across the board.

Which drink is mine,

Palms and branches for tomorrow.

Supper. Guesses?

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From “The Private Diary of Bishop F. Atticus McButterpants” – 23-04-01 – Reconciliation service

April 1st 2023

Dear Diary,

Lenten reconciliation service at the cathedral. Different stations for reconciliation set up with six priests and me. We used one of the old “box” confessionals for the people stuck in the past!  God love ’em.  I guess those boxes weren’t so bad. A lot of people came back then.  Those old priests were always saying “Go to confession!”  And they DID!  There were lines out the door, as I recall.  Different times, before the sunshine.  Hey! Some 25 people showed up tonight!  It was great. One couple came up to me together, holding hands, and smiled at me before I could say anything and they said “we don’t have anything to confess we just want a blessing!”  They looked so happy. I blessed them, of course. No sins? “Impressive”, as Fr. Tommy would say!  But people are so good. They mean well. And at least they showed up tonight. Not nothing.

Great music by our contemporary group. Frisky guitar playing. I was still humming the tune after I got home! “To be alive and feeling free, and to have everyone in our family. To be alive in every way oh how great it is to be alive! Every day there’s newness something else to do, the dawn of something something is something… that’s where I run out.  But isn’t that the whole thing right there?  What memories. That song really brings back the memories of when everything started to get better.  I emailed Sr. Randi and she found a link to the very song[As editor I’ve inserted the link.] It was great!  I played it over and over again on the computer speakers really loud and felt like I was young again.  Music has a lot of power, doesn’t it.

On an other note: Talk to Fr. Tommy about slamming his door.  He did it several times tonight.

We should talk with the music director and see if we can’t get more Rapp music in the parishes.  HA! See what I did there, Diary?  Just a Ray of Hope!

 

Posted in Diary of Bp. McButterpants, GO TO CONFESSION | Tagged , ,
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My View For Awhile: ROMANES EUNT DOMUS!

And so it begins; the second leg.

This morning brought bagels and schmear with lox and black coffee.

The morning was dedicated to updating my electronics and playing some blitz against an engine. After a super fast trip into JFK and rapid passage through the check in and security thanks to being able to use quicker lines a brief triage eventually got me into the lounge.

Meanwhile folks I’m to meet in Rome are lunching in another terminal.

A bit of soup. They’ll feed us in the air.

I think it will start to get real when I’m seated.

More later.

Posted in On the road |
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From “The Private Diary of Bishop F. Atticus McButterpants” – 23-03-31 – Meeting with clergy

March 31st 2023

Dear Diary,

Had an all afternoon meeting with the clergy yesterday. I’ve decided it’s time to redo our diocesan policy book so we’re tackling the question of whether the diocese should be divided into deaneries or vicariates. Maybe both! A few of us had a nice lunch first at the steakhouse. I had Fr. Tommy pick up subs and water for the rest of them. I overheard one of the guys complaining that we had this meeting during Passiontide, saying he had all sorts of stuff to do at the parish and called this “busy work.” Huh! I never remember things getting all that busy during those six months I was pastor of a parish. I suppose, to be fair, I only had one parish, and these guys each have two or three, but still, how hard can it be? Anyway, we didn’t come to any conclusions, but I did name two new subcommittees to study the issue and report back in a couple months. That should make the nuncio realize that I really am doing my job here.

Posted in Diary of Bp. McButterpants | Tagged
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1993 – 30 years ago when Mother Angelica declared war

I am stretching back into my memory for how this all worked.

In 1993 John Paul II went to Denver for World Youth Day  There were Stations of the Cross, mimed, in which a woman depicted Christ.  Mother Angelica of EWTN had a long and frosty cold melt down which was tantamount to a declaration of war.

That was then.  Then it became impossible to get that video, which was deep-sixed for a long time.  Eventually, a priest friend got hold of a copy (I don’t know how) and he sent it to me, saying, “I can’t post this, but maybe you can.”  I did.  Then that version got yanked.

In any event.  Enough people got it so that it wasn’t a secret.

I challenge you to watch this and think about our own times.  Today the “inclusive language” B as in B S as in S is still going on but not like it was.  Enneagrams?   Still around.  Centering prayer?  Still summons demons.  Etc.

YouTube thumbnailYouTube icon

Posted in Liberals, Linking Back, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices, Women Religious | Tagged
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Daily Rome Shot 706

GO TO CONFESSION!

Meanwhile,… white’s move.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

Chesscomshop Banner

Posted in SESSIUNCULA |
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Daily Rome Shot 705 with additional thanks

 

The traditional monks of Le Barroux in France are making fine wines. Why not check it out? You help them and you get wine! Use FATHERZ10 at checkout for 10% off.

Meanwhile,

Black to move and inflict pain.

NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.

I received an interesting email from a reader who sent a screen shot of a conversation in some social app. It was about how playing chess is exploding among high school students. They’re on their phones playing incessantly on chess.com.

Speaking of chess.com, I am an affiliate now. They use House of Staunton I’ve order things from HoS and they come promptly and very well packaged.

Chesscomshop Banner

Donate with PayPalI want to send out an extra “Thank you!” to my Roman Donors. I am in NYC today, but I fly to Rome tomorrow, arriving, no fooling on 1 April. You are all going with me, in a sense, since while I am there I will be saying numerous Masses for your intention.

Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance.

US HERE – UK HERE

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UPDATED – My View For Awhile: deepest darkest Brooklyn

The first stage of the Roman April sojourn is underway after a few hectic days and arrangements.

Meanwhile the phone is pinging and beeping with news.

UPDATE 30 March 23

The 3 hour flight to JFK seemed to take 3 days.   There was a youth and mind challenged woman next to who quite simply talked stream of consciousness for nearly the whole flight, pausing only for a breath after asking you a question.  It was… trying.

I wonder how they manage to scratch up the outside of these windows.  Do they pay someone to do it?  Just scratch all the windows on all the planes all day?

A buddy picked me up at JFK and we sought a good bar/resto where I’ve been before.

Which of these is mine?

Today we went into deepest darkest Brooklyn for a couple of needful errands.

I was very happy to spot some daffodils, which are my favorites.  I miss daffodils coming up through the snow.

Lunch at a deli.   Pretty good, but it wasn’t Pastrami Queen, that’s for sure.   Really nice people running it.

Looking all the way across Brooklyn towards the Manhattan skyline.

The rest of the day will involve updating the travel laptop and getting the last things in order before the flight tomorrow.

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Missae pro Missa Update: News release for traditional Catholic media

In my Daily Rome Shot today, I had photos of billboard that have appeared in Rome, quoting popes, in favor of the Traditional Latin Mass.

I subsequently received a request from the people behind a different initiative along with a press release.

I renew my own request with a reminder about committing to be a “Custos Traditionis”.  More on that HERE

Missae pro Missa Update: Help Reach 1 Million Masses for the TLM!

One month after officially launching on Ash Wednesday, Missae pro Missa–the worldwide spiritual bouquet for the preservation of the Traditional Latin Mass–has already received submissions from Catholics in more than 30 countries. As of this writing, over 4,500 Masses and nearly 16,000 rosaries are being offered, all for a singular intention: that this ancient and venerable form of Holy Mass may remain a flourishing and normal part of the life of the Church. Along with hundreds of submissions of “Masses for the Mass,” beautiful testimonials have come pouring in from all across the world, reflecting to what extent participants love the TLM and the Catholic Faith it embodies. From these comments, posted on the website homepage and summarized in this Word Cloud, it is striking (though hardly surprising) that among the most prevalent words are the following: God, Holy, Reverent, Catholic, Faith, Love, Soul, and Heaven.

From the start, our goal for this initiative was–and remains–extremely ambitious: By Pentecost Sunday (May 28), we hope to collect at least one million Masses offered for the preservation of the TLM. Perhaps this is not so impossible when one recalls that the number of TLM-attending Catholics across the world is estimated at well over a million (and growing every day!), not to mention the millions more who are sympathetic to the cause of Tradition. If each of these Catholics simply offered their next Mass for the preservation of the TLM, we would shatter our goal in a week! Regardless of the final number, however, there’s no denying that this spiritual bouquet will be a spiritual force to be reckoned with.

How does offering Masses help? Our Catholic Faith teaches us that in every Mass, Jesus offers Himself–Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity–to His Father in an act of perfect reparation, thanksgiving, adoration, and supplication, renewing the Offering He made on the Cross for these same intentions. Through the Mass, God’s graces flow down to humanity through Jesus and, in a special way, these graces are applied to the intention for which the Mass is offered. When Masses are celebrated or heard for the preservation of the Traditional Latin Mass, Jesus will offer Himself to His Father especially for this intention.

There is no prayer more powerful than the perfect prayer of Jesus in the Mass. God has given us this great gift; let us use it to His–and our–advantage!

To join the spiritual bouquet, please visit https://www.missaepromissa.com/Missae pro Missa is grateful to all who have helped share this initiative and encourages all Catholics who love the TLM to do the same!

My comment.

These are good projects. However, I dream of the day when different traditionally inclined groups would network and coordinate according to tactics and strategy.  Instead, it is rather like watching a large birdcage full of colorful inmates.

In any event, get on board and do your best.

Posted in ACTION ITEM!, The Campus Telephone Pole, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices | Tagged
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