{"id":18189,"date":"2021-12-27T20:26:31","date_gmt":"2021-12-28T02:26:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/janetheactuary\/?p=18189"},"modified":"2021-12-27T20:26:31","modified_gmt":"2021-12-28T02:26:31","slug":"is-the-cruelty-the-point-cardinal-cupichs-mean-spirited-anti-latin-mass-regulations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/janetheactuary\/2021\/12\/is-the-cruelty-the-point-cardinal-cupichs-mean-spirited-anti-latin-mass-regulations.html","title":{"rendered":"Is the cruelty the point? Cardinal Cupich’s mean-spirited anti-Latin Mass regulations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"
https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Cantius-church-chicago-wide.jpg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Yes, this irritates me enough to prod me to write after a long break.\u00a0 Well, that and the fact that it\u2019s Christmas break in my graduate program and we\u2019re all relaxing this evening.<\/p>\n

I am not an attendee of the Traditional\/Tridentine Latin Mass.\u00a0 I\u2019ve gone, a few times.\u00a0 I get the concept, at least I think I do \u2014 that it\u2019s not about the Latin per se but about the mass being, at least in part, an opportunity for silent prayer rather than a community event, that the priest is not a \u201cperformer\u201d for his audience the instrument through which the Transubstantiation of the bread and wine occurs, etc., so that you don\u2019t actually need to know Latin to find the spiritual meaning in it.\u00a0 And, heck, I\u2019ve always said, if Elizabeth Ann Seton could convert to Catholicism as a young 18th century widow, as a result of observing mass, rather than despite it, then there is value there.<\/p>\n

So it\u2019s not my cup of tea but I fully support those people who do find it to be meaningful, and for whom this form of worship simply is a better fit than the post-Vatican II mass, which, let\u2019s face it, regardless of language, is often enough something much more mundane, with music that offers no sense of the holy, with priests who might face the assembly, but what does that matter, really? And why should those people be punished as a result of the few who say, \u201conly the TLM is valid,\u201d any more than that post-Vatican II mass goers should be punished because among their number are a multitude of Catholics whose belief in the doctrines and moral teachings of Catholicism is tenuous at best.<\/p>\n

So when the Pope issued his new regulations over the summer, Traditiones Custodes<\/em>, I cheered for the bishops who said, \u201call my parishes where the TLM is said are a-ok with the modern form of mass, and I don\u2019t see any need to make any changes here,\u201d and was saddened at reports of dioceses where the bishop aggressively shut down masses.<\/p>\n

Now it\u2019s come to Chicago, where Cupich has issued a letter the exact contents of which are not visible to the public (I suspect quite intentionally so) but some choice quotes and the decrees of which are being reported by Catholic media, for instance, Vatican News<\/a>, National Catholic Reporter<\/a>, and National Catholic Register<\/a>.\u00a0 (The full letter can be read at the website of St. John Cantius<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

The new requirements ban the celebration of mass in the old form on specific days:\u00a0 \u201cthe first Sunday of every month, Christmas, the Triduum, Easter Sunday, and Pentecost Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yes, you read that right:\u00a0 on exactly the holiest days of the year, traditional Catholics will be prohibited from worshipping in the way that is most spiritually meaningful to them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, even though there is no prohibition, in the post-Vatican II liturgy, of the priest standing \u201cad orientem,\u201d that is, facing the altar, Cupich has prohibited this as well.<\/p>\n

And what are Cupich\u2019s reasons for this policy? Here are the explanations, such as they exist, according to Vatican News:<\/p>\n

In continuity with Pope Francis\u2019 own desire, Cardinal Cupich states the hope that this policy will foster a renewed understanding of the \u201cfoundations of the liturgical renewal\u201d. He also hopes that the priests will share this with their respective parish communities. The Cardinal then connects rediscovery of \u201cthe value of the liturgical reform\u201d with the Eucharistic revival launched by the U.S. Bishops at their November plenary meeting.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Sorry, but near as I can tell, TLM attendees already understand the value of the Eucharist more than your average novus ordo<\/em> mass-goer, so this is a preposterous claim.<\/p>\n

The article continues:<\/p>\n

To this end, the Cardinal says that the Archdiocese\u2019s liturgy office will be providing materials and support to priests in providing \u201cliturgical catechesis and formation\u201d so the faithful \u201ccan come to a better understanding and deeper acceptance of the restored and renewed liturgy that is part of the precious heritage of the Second Vatican Council\u201d.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And later says<\/p>\n

This requires that pastors accompany people to understand \u201cthe link between the way we worship and what we believe\u201d, the preamble states.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

and recommends that priests visit TLM worshippers<\/p>\n

to help them understand the essential principles of renewal called for in the Second Vatican Council and appreciate how the reformed Mass introduces them to a greater use of Scripture and prayers from the Roman tradition, as well as an updated liturgical calendar of feasts that includes recently canonised saints.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In addition,<\/p>\n

Priests seeking authorisation to use the pre-Vatican Missal are also requested to accompany the faithful who want to continue to attend Mass celebrated in that rite. They are asked to discuss the \u201cpossibility of using the reformed liturgical rites\u201d which can be celebrated in Latin. In this way, the priest himself manifests that while \u201cseeking the good of those who are rooted in the previous rite,\u201d he is also \u201caccompanying them towards the common use of the one\u00a0lex orandi<\/i>\u00a0of the Roman Rite\u201d.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Which all adds up to the expectation that TLM mass-goers are only to be temporarily accommodated until they can be \u201cconverted\u201d to the novus ordo<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Cupich treats these people as if they have been trapped in a cult and need to be deprogrammed, or as if they are immigrants from afar who need loving assistance in integrating into our world.\u00a0 He fails to recognize that they have found the novus ordo<\/em> mass lacking, not in terms of some sort of theology, but in terms of what it can offer them in their spiritual life.\u00a0 \u00a0Parishes which offer the Traditional Latin Mass often offer both masses, and those who have chosen the former have done so deliberately.\u00a0 They know that the new liturgical cycle offers three cycles; they are also perfectly capable of reading their Bibles at home.<\/p>\n

Or is Cupich perhaps simply cynical?\u00a0 Parishes are struggling, while St. John Cantius downtown (not an archdiocesan church) is filled to the brim with families who drive in from far afield.\u00a0 Does he want to \u201ckeep those families for himself\u201d?\u00a0 Heck, I\u2019m not even sure if the Archdiocese gets a cut from their contributions to Cantius as he does from parish assessments, which would mean he has a financial incentive to shut them down, or decrease attendance there.<\/p>\n

Whatever his motive, whether he intends it or does so out of ignorance, Cupich is wronging those people who are simply seeking to worship God.<\/p>\n

Image:\u00a0 St. John Cantius, Chicago, Illinois<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yes, this irritates me enough to prod me to write after a long break.\u00a0 Well, that and the fact that it\u2019s Christmas break in my graduate program and we\u2019re all relaxing this evening. I am not an attendee of the Traditional\/Tridentine Latin Mass.\u00a0 I\u2019ve gone, a few times.\u00a0 I get the concept, at least I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2209,"featured_media":18192,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1407],"class_list":["post-18189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-latin-mass"],"yoast_head":"\nIs the cruelty the point? 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