Fr. Z's Blog

UPDATE 30 May 2025:

At The Pillar we read that then-Cardinal Prevost, Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, told the new Bishop of Charlotte to put the brakes on a controversial relocation of a diocesan cathedral.

Bull in a china shop?

UPDATE

The Bishop of Charlotte has published responses to some of the points made in social media about his treatment of the people who desire the traditional forms of worship and sacraments.

This is a zip file with the images I was sent. HERE  In fairness, it should be looked at.

In essence the bishop says, a) he listened to people b) his predecessor started this in 2013 c) he repeated the canard (which no one really believes) about the Congregation making a decision based on a survey of bishops) d) this is about unity in the Church e) yeah, people will have to drive farther, f) sure there’s a new Pope, but why wait g) no, I won’t ask for an extension h) “Any young man who is only or primarily interested in the celebration of the TLM is not nor ever has been a viable candidate for ordination…”, i) if people give less, they are to blame, j) get used to the Novus Ordo, k) avoid social media, l) again, avoid social media, m) do penance and give up your own needs.

UPDATE

A petition to the local bishop has been launched. It would be best if the signers are a) real people and b) LOCAL, at least near enough to the diocese that they were able to attend the TLM. Think about this practically and charitably and, for the sake of the petitioners, do NOT be angry, rude or verbose in the comment box. You’ll just hurt people.   Sometimes less is more.

https://commoninja.site/latinmasspetition

UPDATE below.

Originally Published on: May 23, 2025

The Bishop of Charlotte, NC. is about to suppress all Traditional Latin Masses in parishes and sequester the people who want it in a remote, rural former presbyterian church that doesn’t even have a name yet, as he admitted in his public letter.

It would be a REALLY GOOD IDEA for bishops to leave things be now that there is a NEW POPE with different ideas.    We will see who the ideologues are and who the truly pastoral bishops are.

There was twist of the knife at the end of his letter where he wrote… I’m not making this up:

It is my heartfelt desire and prayer that this implementation of Traditionis Custodes will further “promote the concord and unity of the Church” among the People of God in the Diocese of Charlotte so that, as Jesus prayed to His Father, we “may all be one” (John 17:21).

Nice, huh?

I wonder if he would use that “may all be one” line on Ukrainian Catholics?  Don’t they pray differently?

Here is the letter.

A priest wrote to me (adjusted a little here and there):

I am certain that you have been emailed 100 times by now.

Speaking from the perspective of a priest of our good diocese. The past year since his appointment has been rocky, to say the least. His immediate focus was on Latin and altar rails in the Novus Ordo … modernizing the liturgy through a liturgical norms document what will attempt to ban the Benedictine altar arrangement, fiddleback vestments, and the amount of lace on an alb.

Today’s sequestering of the Traditional Mass to an inaccessible part of the diocese, namely an old Presbyterian Church outside of the Charlotte metro area, is only the first shoe to drop. ….

Speaking of knife twist’s people now get to drive to an former presbyterian church that – as a Catholic chapel – doesn’t even have a name?  Now that’s what you call pastoral solicitude!

BTW… I looked up the Mooresville address given in the letter and found this.   I wonder if “Freedom Christian Center of Mooresville” is the place intended in the letter.  If so, I wonder if they know that!

There might be a back story to this place.  Off the top of my head I could guess that perhaps some well-meaning member or members of the TLM crowd bought it against the day that they might need to go to the catacombs.  Of course it could be something entirely different.  But these days, it isn’t a stretch of the imagination.

UPDATE:

I received this:

Father, in a desire for truth, I have to send you the article from the Catholic News and Herald which provides much more detail regarding the proposed chapel (former Protestant church) which the Diocese bought because it was adjacent to a Diocese senior living center and is going to spend $700,000 to upfit for appropriate use. This is important information on the story and (in my mind) shows a continued commitment by the Diocese to spend funds for the pastoral needs of those who have a love for the TLM. I thought you should have this additional information given the way you addressed the chapel in your blog. https://catholicnewsherald.com/90-news/local/11679-latin-mass?fbclid=IwY2xjawKe0x1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHipjAfZF237_N1r0EEUPR5nucf7awYkW0VO9on0q3I0pIbKWzFHeRH-kmBsD_aem_S0UJaLGQui5GmNgw9DHy1Q