The Latin Mass Community at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Tulsa About to Come to an End

Re-post 

Update 6/20,  Life Site News reported on it HERE.  Only clarification on their report referencing me, I said below there seems to have been no CLEAR explanation so far.  I would insert the word CLEAR in their report.   LSN, thanks be to God, is making this story viral through their Facebook and X accounts.  Also, Michael Lofton talked about this HERE  The Tulsa Diocese Communications Director responded to LSN on Wednesday:  

"As was shared with parishioners on May 4 Bishop Konderla is asking those who go to the Traditional Latin Mass at Saints Peter and Paul to attend Most Precious Blood in Tulsa or Holy Cross in Wagoner Oklahoma. The Traditional Latin Mass continues to be valued in the diocese with opportunities for the faithful ample access to this sacred liturgy." 

My response: with all due respect, there is still no explanation or logical justification WHY after 13 years an entire Latin Mass community attached to its parochial parish will be effectively ended;  and Holy Cross parish is only allowed now ONE monthly Latin Mass (LINK).  How is that ample??  And for most families living near Clear Creek Abbey (the reason for a TLM at Holy Cross), it is over 1 hour to the FSSP parish.  What about all these families, faithful to the teachings of the Church? What about the great spiritual and psychological suffering these decisions will cause them?  Why is any of this necessary?

Update 6/19,  10 days before the shut down, no matter where you live, please call the Tulsa Diocese  asap and respectfully express your concern to the Bishop; implore him to not do this.  To ask Pope Leo to pause the Francis clampdown on the TLM, to consider what to do about diocesan Latin Masses. Miracles do happen.  Ask to leave a message for the Bishop, or leave a voicemail.  Here is the Diocese phone #:  

918-294-1904

Update 6/13, ole Laramie Hirsch, well known traditional Catholic blogger from Tulsa, came out of the wood works to opine about this HERE.  16 days to go…

Introduction:

Dear Readers, I am saddened to report that as of Sunday, June 29th, 2025, A. D., in the Year of Our Lord Jesus Christ, despite my own efforts at a petition (LINK), and I am sure other local requests, after 13 years the Latin Mass Community of Sts. Peter and Paul (SSPP) parish, in the Diocese of Tulsa, will be effectively banished, snuffed out, outcast, dispersed, scattered to the winds, destroyed.  

Dead.  

Taps 

If there are updates, I will let you know.

At the same time, I am acutely aware that if I do not report this, and critically examine this, nobody probably will.  

To me, this reflects a pattern all across the Church, bishops continuing to implement the removal of the TLM from diocesan parishes, in some cases as if they are trying to quickly finalize the deed before potentially Pope Leo steps in and reverses the restrictions, which I personally predict he will do for his plan of unity. And because he seems to me to be a cause for peace and hope. 

May our new pope examine the original dubious survey of bishops on the TLM that would be, according to many credible reports, severely distorted to justify the unjust clampdown since 2021.  I remain at this point going forward cautiously optimistic about what Pope Leo might do, that is having reservations but being hopeful.

Also, note that a major shutdown of diocesan TLM’s happened last month in the Diocese of Charlotte, NC which caused quite a stir across Catholic media. 

The Traditional Latin Mass

Sts. Peter and Paul Parish

Tulsa, OK

October, 2012 - June, 2025 

R.I.P.

The Situation:

There will be no more Latin Masses at Sts. Peter and Paul, not EVEN scheduled on a weekday, or a Saturday as a Vigil Mass.   

Based on my research, it appears the reasons were  not made clear publicly to their community why the TLM is ending at SSPP, in Tulsa, except mention of priest shortage issues, nor to explain in any detail with clarity the problem of maintaining the TLM there. 

However, consider that the new pastor knows how to say the TLM, has a devotion to it, and in fact often said it in the past at SSPP when he was once associate pastor there. 

According to a reliable source close to the situation. according to the new pastor, this change is not his choice.  He said that it was the bishop’s decision.  While not answering the question WHY the decision was made, when asked in detail WHY by this source.

When I myself politely asked in a short post on the group Facebook page (which my wife and I have been a member of for years) why, and about a possible Saturday Vigil Mass (TLM), instead of just not approving the comment, the main Admin corrected me and banned my comment from the group, even though I’ve never had a problem on there before.

Not everyone was able to hear the reasons why.

An extreme response like that to mere reasonable questions, suitable or not for the FB page, for people who weren’t there to hear the pulpit announcement, only suggests they don’t want to answer because there isn’t a reasonable answer.  

By all accounts I have examined, it appears the priests involved deliberately DID NOT give the TLM community a clear answer. 

Yet the community certainly was, and still is, owed a clear answer, transparency, accountability, and good faith.  

For me reporting this goes beyond simply defending and promoting the TLM and Catholic Tradition across the entire diocese, and the universal Church. This is also personal, in that it is difficult for me and my family as we have attended the TLM there many times.  

For various personal practicalities over the years, it was where we attended the TLM locally when not attending it at the Fraternity parish, after the SSPX chapel was shut down in 2017 after 47 years as a community. 

But now the traditional Mass at SSPP is no longer an option for us. Nor for you if you live in the greater Tulsa area, or move here.  For Tulsans, the TLM and Catholic Tradition has now been effectively quarantined to a relatively small parish in the countryside outside of the city.  As if Catholic Tradition is leprosy, and traditionalists are lepers.  From some people’s perspective.  Time will tell if the clampdown on traditionalism will extend there. 

And to my knowledge there is no parochial church here where the Novus Ordo is celebrated Ad Orientem, with the major parts in Latin or Gregorian chant, with any sense of restoring the traditional orientation of the Mass, as Pope Benedict XVI wanted. 

The TLM and TLM community was established at SSPP in 2012, by the tradition- minded Fr. Tim Davison of fond memory by the community, and by many in the diocese.  For 13 years, they had a weekly solemn, sung Latin High Mass, and the Latin Mass often on certain weekdays.  Families have literally been raised in this community, many who homeschool.  Some enrolled their children in the parish school known to be one of the most orthodox and devout diocesan schools, thanks in great part to their former principal Patrick Martin and the former pastor Fr. Davison.  

There was a long history of their sons laboring to practice serving for these solemn Masses, very devoted to serving Mass. The community participated in parish events and parish work projects, while also meeting for coffee and doughnuts, special festivities, including for years organizing a St. Patrick’s Day festival, having All Saints Day parties, and less formal gatherings after Mass. 

They had a men’s group, for a time a newsletter, and maintained a pubic Facebook group. There were two Gregorian chant scholas, one of men and one of women.  And the Tradition of this Mass also positively influenced the Novus Ordo Masses there for years to be more rubrical, reverent, and traditional.  It was a living, breathing, permanent community devoted to the ancient Mass, and part of the parish.  

It also drew quite a few Hispanics from the Spanish Mass community in the parish.  And the community was a major contributor to parish finances, by the way.  SSPP being a relatively poor parish. That $$$ will now be gone.

But now, as a community, it will soon be six feet under the ground, no more.  

Effectively vaporized.

The Question is:  Why???

Because in part due to Francis’ tyrannical restriction on TLM’s in diocesan parishes?  That is distinct from “personal parishes” under the FSSP, Institute, and the like. You can decide for yourself, but “the facts speak for themselves.”  

Consider that the only other diocesan parish Bishop Konderla gave dispensation to continue the TLM at, besides SSPP, was Holy Cross in Wagoner, which went from a weekly TLM to more recently now only once a month.  It is reasonable to conclude the local pastor there did not decide this totally on his own, but that it came also from the diocese/chancery/bishop.

Another reliable source close to the situation confirms this change at Holy Cross was due, at least in part, to a recent Vatican directive.  Was such a directive also issued about SSPP?  In the name of Traditionis Custodes and its guidelines, used to restrict the TLM from the parish setting?

When somebody (not me) asked on the Facebook page of the SSPP Traditional Latin Mass group why it is ending, one of the group moderators responded “Nobody really knows.”  Nobody knows.  The parish as a whole did not know clearly WHY.  This was AFTER the announcement was made on their Facebook page it was ending.

And to be crystal clear, I am not accusing here publicly the bishop of personal wrongdoing, intentional or not, or of intentionally phasing out the traditional Mass from the mainstream of the diocese, from parish churches, whether due to Vatican policy or his own. Or both.  I can only guesstimate his thinking, but you can decide for yourself.  

Yet consider that since Bishop Slattery (RIP) retired in 2016, the works of traditional restoration under him have over and over been as a matter of fact ended.  This includes the Doloran Fathers, Mother Miriam’s Daughters of Mary, the traditional style Ad Orientem Novus Ordo Mass on Sunday’s at the cathedral, weekly Sunday Vespers at the cathedral, etc.  That is in fact a pattern. 

The grave injustice is that the ancient Roman rite, the unquestionably orthodox and reverent form of Mass, the Mass of the Saints, will no longer be offered at SSPP, and that this is scattering a verifiable long term community within a parish.  While the Novus Ordo in Spanish and English remains.

Consider the spiritual and psychological impact this will have on all the individuals of that community, not to mention disruption to their lives certainly having to change parishes.  

Solutions to the Issue of The New Pastor Having No Associate Pastor? 

Consider that canon law allows a parish priest to say many Masses on one Sunday with permission for special circumstances, such as priest shortages. Why then can’t the diocese work something out?  

Why can’t he say the TLM on a weekday when his Mass schedule is less full? Like on Saturday?  As a Saturday Vigil Mass, which fulfills the obligation for Sunday?

Why does the new pastor have no associate?  Or, why is there no priest available within driving distance across the city or nearby to float to SSPP and help out with the Mass schedule, even just to say one of the Novus Ordo Masses, to unburden the new pastor (who is a young priest), so as to free up the new pastor to say the TLM?  

There are, in my estimation, over 20 parishes in the Tulsa area.  Most have more than one priest.  Most do not have Mass Sunday afternoons.  Not one parish has more than one Saturday Vigil Mass.

Or why not condense the number of Masses so the TLM continues?  In addition, is there really no nearby priest in the greater Tulsa area trained in the TLM who can help out?  Or who knows enough Latin from seminary to learn it?

Or, why not ask an FSSP priest, say during the afternoon on Sundays once his parish duties are finished?  At least to help out temporarily, as they have before at SSPP.  The SSPP Sunday Mass schedule leaves open time for the TLM most of the afternoon.  Or why could not a combination of solutions not work?

And there is always the 10:30 am spot it occupied for 13 years.

And, there is time Saturday evening for a second Vigil Mass, if it came to it.  Why not then???   Why not a 5 pm Saturday Novus Ordo, and then a 7 pm TLM?  The new pastor can’t do that?  Or a local priest can’t come over and say the Saturday Novus Ordo so the new pastor can afterwards say the TLM?  From any of a number of Tulsa area parishes with more than one priest.

Solving this logistical question would be no harder than playing a game of checkers.

Also, consider that Fr. Robert Healey, a young priest of the diocese who once said public TLM’s at Holy Cross, will be re-assigned from Stillwater 1.5 hours from Tulsa, to St. Thomas More in Tulsa, just 15 minutes from SSPP, one of three priests there covering a weekend schedule of 7 Masses. 

If there was just one added Mass to their combined schedule (that is Fr. Healey driving over to SSPP fifteen minutes away for say a Sunday afternoon TLM, or a Saturday evening TLM), that would be just 8 Masses instead of 7, just one more, meaning say 3 for two priests, and 2 for the third.  Which is a normal Mass schedule for a priest today.  Outside of other unknown circumstances, it appears that is something that can be done.  And if so, should be done, all things considered. 

And I haven’t even mentioned yet  the two priests who know the TLM, who said it at SSPP, about to be transferred from SSPP to Wagoner and Muskogee, respectively.  Is there really no section in their schedule to also help out the new pastor with his burdensome Mass schedule? 

For example, when Fr. Donovan finishes up with Saturday evening Mass or Sunday morning Mass in Wagoner, and then Sunday morning Mass in Coweta (20 minutes apart), looking at their parish websites, there are NO other scheduled Masses. 

For the rest of the day.  Does he need the rest of the day to kick back and watch football?   Sunday is a priest's main work day. 

Would he really be unwilling or unable to drive 24 miles to SSPP on a Sunday afternoon?  Or a Saturday evening?  To help relieve the new pastor? To help preserve the TLM there and the community?? 

Knowing about his commitment to the priesthood, Catholic Tradition, and the TLM, all as former pastor of SSPP, I do not believe he is unwilling or unable. 

And if not unwilling and unable, why was that kind of arrangement not made by the diocese? At least as part of the solution?

Conclusion:

In conclusion, it certainly seems reasonable to expect the local Church to have prepared for this situation well in advance, to plan ahead, to ensure a priest will be available to maintain the TLM, or help ease the Sunday schedule so the new pastor can say it, especially since, you know (sarcasm intended), this is the ancient and venerable rite of the Latin Church, the Mass of the Ages, one of the most beautiful things this side of heaven, and would otherwise mean the effective DESTRUCTION of a verifiable, permanent parish community, of over a decade, with a great pastoral need.  

By the way, every priest should know Latin, as that is still the official language of the Church and liturgy, and enough to learn the TLM.  It doesn’t take months to learn the rubrics of the TLM, once they know the Novus Ordo.  It isn’t such a great leap to learn to say it.  

I can say this as I grew up serving the Novus Ordo most every Sunday with its rubrics.  It really wasn’t that hard then to learn to serve the TLM as I would do as a young adult, based on my previous experience.  If I could learn the Latin responses and postures, in a short time, certainly it would not be so difficult for a Roman rite priest (Novus Ordo) to learn the traditional format. Especially for a more simple Low Mass which can still include the major parts sung in Gregorian chant by the choir.

There are enough local priests such that the local Church was and is able to provide priests to say Mass using the 1962 missal, in addition to the 1970 missal, or to drive over to SSPP and help out the new pastor, if not as his resident associate pastor.  The bishop himself learned it in order to say the Mass at the FSSP during confirmations, and out at Clear Creek for ordinations.  Which was very pastoral.  Why not be as pastoral to preserve the TLM community at SSPP?  In a diocesan parish other than the FSSP? 

I do believe he is (and was) certainly able to ask any of a number of local priests in the Tulsa area, especially the younger priests who are now very tradition-minded, to have learned the 1962 missal by now, in addition to several who already know how.  And to help fill in over at SSPP.

My main point is, all of this points to the ultimate question:  did the Vatican under Pope Francis, before he died in April, order Bishop Konderla to phase out the Latin Mass in all diocesan parishes, including now at SSPP, as it has been ordering other bishops who had given a dispensation? 

Of course I would not be making any sense here if the error of Clericalism were true and we are not allowed to respectfully publicly criticize Church leadership, in accord with canon law # 212, in a situation like this, or call it into question.  

Or if Quietism were true and such respectfulness requires being only “nice.”   

Or if the TLM is a mere Libertarian liturgical preference of a few old-fashioned people who like Latin, chant, and isolation from the diocesan mainstream.  Vs. being, you know, the historically authentic  Roman rite all Roman rite Catholics essentially have a right to, in principle, according to Pope Benedict XVI, and  for the certainly sacred, vertical, clearly sacrificial worship of God as it was always offered before, by both the Latin Church and Eastern Churches (which still maintain uniformly the mystery and sacredness of the liturgy).

The bottom line is I cannot prove or assert with mathematical certainty exactly WHY this is happening, until I should learn more details one day, except to gather all the facts, connect the dots, and let the “facts speak for themselves.”  

This does not pass the “smell test,” or the “common sense test,” or the demands of basic logic. If a mere layman with a blog can do the kind of logistical analysis as I did above, not more complex than playing checkers, then surely the apparatus of the Diocese could have found a solution. 

I will keep this post up at the top of the blog for three months so that this doesn’t fade quickly into oblivion, with a few fleeting whispers in the church parking lot, across the diocese, but rather that we can hold our pastors accountable.  

If you find this objectionable and very questionable, ask the bishop about it.  

I encourage readers to please call or write the bishop your concerns about this, and also about the Holy Cross-Wagoner situation, in a respectful way.  If/when more changes are made like this, or worse, we can let the bishop know our thoughts.  So he can take it to heart. He is after all our Shepherd, and we are his sheep.  For better or worse.

And I will make sure to let you know, as I have before.  I’d rather be blogging about the Saints, or Catholic philosophy, or medical ethics, or the daily life of an Okie Catholic, or outdoor sports, as one of my hobbies, but as we like to say in Oklahoma, “it is what it is.”  Somebody had to say this. 

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us. 

Trump Should NOT Bomb Iran

Why? Because the Muslim radicals will never stop trying to destroy the US as long as we attempt to dominate their part of the world. Long term this only means Iran eventually gets a nuclear bomb and uses it on us.  I stand with Rand Paul (and Ron Paul) for Non-Interventionism.  We need to get out of the Middle East, and using Israel as a puppet state.  The whole enterprise these last decades was immoral.  The Jews are no longer the Chosen People of God.  And we’re mainly over there for the oil and to keep our way of life here greedy and materialistic.  Time to withdraw and buckle our belts long term.  We have all the oil we need in North America, long term.  But Trump, despite his strengths, is weak on Israel.  He may be leading the USA straight into World War III.  Pray for world peace.  Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.  

Pope Leo Addresses Chicago White Sox Game

Demonstrated commitment to clear orthodoxy contra the last 12 years, yet another sign of hope, proving the angry naysayers yet again wrong. The stadium did not hear a Gospel of Man, but of Christ.  Began referencing the Holy Trinity, then calling them to Christ, and fallen away Catholics back to the Church.  Talked about love of God and each other.  Prayers he urgently addresses the Latin Mass final solution campaign ASAP. before the holocaust is complete this summer, and the genie can’t be put back in the bottle. He must understand the urgency by now, having talked recently to Cardinal Burke about the situation.  Offering my crosses to save the Mass.  Save the Mass, save the Faith. Save the Faith, save souls!

Public State of Denial about the Cultural Revolution

The chaos of the leftist LA riots right now made me think of this subject.  Russia had a cultural revolution beginning in the early 1900’s. China had a cultural revolution beginning in the 1950’s.  And the USA had a cultural revolution beginning in 1960.  Everyone and their dog knows this.  But few have a clear historical understanding of that reality,  We act as if we are in denial there actually was a cultural revolution, while simultaneously, continuously, referring to this fact indirectly through an ever deepening of the same revolution, by means of pop culture. 

We all know it began in the 60’s, but our concept of the last 65 years is formless and vague. That is what the revolution does, it clouds the mind about its very existence, making us forget there was a way of life so radically different than the way of life that would unfold since after 1960, that it was practically a different world, a different reality.  It may as well have been a different planet. 

Conclusion: when children learn contemporary US history, they need a crystal clear education in what the country and world was like before the cultural revolution, that the revolution is real, that it was a wholesale rebellion against pre-1960 conservative Christian America, replaced quickly by a secularist, liberal, materialist, and narcissistic new society.  The cultural revolution continues past the Advent of the internet, social media, and wokism, into a new world of AI, robots, and neural chips.   

Trump vs Elon (vs Putin)

Trump and Elon are at it. Who would have thought.  Elon got upset at the White House over the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which apparently isn’t as beautiful as Trump promised.  So Trump asked him to leave. Elon fired back on Twitter (X) that Trump should be impeached, and is on the Epstein list.  

He was “sperging,” in my opinion, meaning have an autistic Asperger’s moment under extreme stress.  Elon does have Asperger’s after all. Trump returned fire that Elon was acting crazy.  

Meanwhile…Putin recently has backed out of the ceasefire talks, and Trump ranted online as usual against Putin, the man he’s supposed to be negotiating a peace treaty.   All three of these men are relatively on the good side of the culture war against cultural Marxism and socialism, but all three are objectively narcissistic.  

This is not a time to get into a stupid feud over Twitter between the President and the wealthiest man on the planet.  Because we remain on the brink of WW3.  That’s all I kept thinking about when reading today’s story,   

You can love Trump but hate certain things about him.  He needs to humble himself right now and keep a level head. Just let Elon go do his thing. And redo your “Big Beautiful Bill,” to truly reduce the spending and the deficit.  God forbid the world goes to chaos over essentially spats between big shots who just want to be right. 

The Facts about the New Pro-Life Head of the Pontifical Academy for Life Appointed by Pope Leo

1. Appointed to that academy by Pope Benedict in 2011.

2. Per Life Site News, never explicitly said he supported contraception to avoid pregnancy for medical reasons.  Therefore, giving him the benefit of the doubt. he supports NFP for that purpose which is legitimate per Pius XII.

3. Does not support assisted-suicide, while merely stating the law tends to have more safeguards around it that euthanasia, which is true.

4. Pope Leo made the decision within the first weeks of his pontificate to reverse the decision of his predecessor, to remove the academy's head who was not orthodox.

Conclusion, papal pundits bitter about Pope Leo are proven yet again wrong.  These convoluted stories are too easy to disprove.  Just a few clicks and review of primary and secondary sources dispels the nonsense.  As usual.  

Thoughts on Law

God is law, the Eternal Law.  Everything outside of God, creation, or nature, is governed in every minuscule detail by the Natural Law. Both the Eternal Law and Natural Law of God govern Man to order himself according to God and Nature through the Human Law. That’s it. That is Law governing everything that exists, including God ordering Himself by His own Eternal Law as part of His own nature. 

Source: St. Thomas Aquinas’ Treatise on Law. 

But original sin causes us to tend to view Law as oppressive and merely man made. It is not a metaphysical dimension to everything that exists, but merely rules written in books.   The Enlightenment philosophers essentially rejected Natural Law and therefore the Divine Providence of Eternal Law directing Man from above through the Natural Law, which consequently reduced the Human Law down to positivism, meaning human law is purely relative and artificial.  This helped pave the way for liberalism, modernism, and now post-modernism.  

Therefore, modern Man as such does not want to be governed by God, the natural order, the Church, or even government in such a way that when legitimate government passes a legitimate law it absolutely must be obeyed always because God commands that obedience under pain of sin and potentially under pain of damnation (included in the 4th commandment). 

In the sense that all forms of Law govern literally everything everywhere, in that sense the Law is everything. It is everything. It gives us our life, purpose, and direction. It orders everything towards stability, unity, harmony, and charity. To the natural order and to the divine. 

These are my thoughts this weekend on Law, for personal reasons. 

Giving Cardinal Prevost (Pope Leo) the Benefit of the Doubt

While every bishop nowadays should be scrutinized to make sure they never coverup for nor enable any form of clerical abuse, especially priests molesting children, we must still give each one a basic benefit of the doubt they are taking correct action unless evidence starts to show otherwise. This is fair. 

When Pope Leo was a diocesan bishop, and before that the superior of the Augustinian order, there were two cases some have objected to about how he handled priests accused of sexual abuse of minors.  As the superior working from Rome, he apparently allowed a pedophile priest  to live at the Chicago Augustinian monastery which is near a school.  In the case in Peru, as a bishop he was accused by two girls of covering up for a allegedly pedophile priest they accused of abusing them.  But we only know limited facts for each case, such that we still must give him the benefit of the doubt.  To be fair. 

First, regarding the Chicago case, all we know is the priest apparently was allowed to live near a school.  As that stands, per se on its own, that at worst would mean Provost made an unwise or imprudent act.  There is no evidence of his permission breaking any law, or deliberately intending to neglect the welfare of children.  Anything is possible, but in fairness we have no evidence to even suspect that.  

Second, regarding the Peru case, there was no evidence including witnesses to any alleged abuse.  The priest denied the abuse. And the fact is, as much as we cry out to God about pedophile priests, false allegations against priest are common.  Prevost did follow canonical procedure, and investigated in so far as he interviewed the girls, and then the priest, yet otherwise had no evidence to compel him to investigate further.  

The settlement the diocese payed the two girls seemingly in part to hide scandal surrounding Provost, being a Pababile, on a short list of potential papal candidates, is not per se evil unless there was actual real sexual abuse being deliberately covered up. But again we must give him the benefit of the doubt, as any of us should do towards one another.  We have no reason to believe anything other than the diocese was silencing a scandal in order to avoid public, universal scandal.  They would have every right to privatize the complaints through a legal settlement since they could only give the accused priest himself the benefit of the doubt (unless evidence or witnesses were ever in theory to be produced).

God knows exactly what happened in both cases with Prevost, and any potential error or wrongdoing, whether through act, omission, or word.  But we have no reason at least to suspect him of any grave wrongdoing.  

We should give him, the Holy Father, the benefit of the doubt. 

Pray for Bishop Gracida of Texas

He is reportedly in critical condition with sepsis, which is a life-threatening blood infection.  102 years old.  The oldest traditionalist Catholic bishop in the world.  Was a diocesan bishop in Florida, and then in Texas.  Later in life said only the traditional Mass.  If he goes soon, he certainly was blessed with a very long life, having led a great Catholic life, and an adventurous one, showing tremendous heroism as a bishop. 

The Good Pope Leo. Hope for the Church

Reportedly says the TLM privately for years, frequently uses Latin, calling for return of mystery to the Mass, wears the papal red shoes, moving into the papal palace, respects Francis but not a Francis 2.0, known for his holiness and noble temperament, very balanced mentally and morally, showing signs of a somewhat turn back towards tradition, a cause for relief, yet diplomatic, pastoral to all, very mature and very focused on pastoral decisions, very kind and compassionate, genuine, authentic, unique, highly intelligent and educated, not easily controlled, acts as himself, likely to befriend the traditional movement, to free the TLM once again and allow SSPX new episcopal consecrations with renewed discussions, not part of any inner circle of elites, not easily manipulated, tends to stand on his own, throwing himself 100% into the papacy, full steam ahead, a man’s man but a quiet, humble man.  

I never thought I’d throw my arms around a pro-synodality Francis-type centrist.  But something tells me in his heart of heart he is in a general way a traditionalist, pro-Tradition, in truth on our side,  but the kind that is overtly open, warm, and welcoming as we traditionalists should be. 

And not sectarian or bogged down by "identity politics." Transcending the right-left spectrum, as a leader must, as Catholic Tradition itself does. Tradition not being reduced down to conservatism, having also a moderate and a progressive side depending on the issue (i.e. progressive not liberal, i.e. pro-progress but not subscribing to liberalism). 

The good Pope Leo.  Proving a small number of short-sighted naysayers wrong.  Looking onward and upward. 

A Time for Peace, Hope, and Healing. My Thoughts Going Forward on Pope Leo XIV. The Need to Understand His Introverted Temperament (INFJ), and Moral Disposition

Introduction:

In my dreams, if I were elected pope, I would accept the election, take the name Pius XIII, take back Vatican II and the Novus Ordo in one day, impose the TLM exclusively, and then retreat to an undisclosed location well guarded by security. 

Of course I say this tongue in cheek.  We traditionalists often think about what we would do if we were pope, in actuality what SHOULD ideally be done by the pope.  My point is I don’t think we will EVER get a traditionalist-type pope who will THEN after his election make sweeping changes to restore the Church back to being in continuity with Tradition.  

Before the Second Coming, I do expect, and must hope for, one day a Restoration, AFTER which we will once again have thoroughly traditional popes.  But I expect the popes God will use as a means to that restoration will NOT be thoroughly traditional. They will be at least to a certain degree modernist and conciliar. But God will use them materially according to His passive Will, at times active Will, and His Providence which is a mystery. 

Incremental Restoration:

Restoration I think will then be incremental and take many more decades if not centuries.  As the old baby boomer arch-modernists keep retiring and dying, and as the young priests keep being more and more traditional, it is only a matter of time, mathematically speaking, for the future bishops, cardinals, and popes to favor Tradition enough to start officially ending the modernist Crisis.

This is why I think we should NO LONGER be so caught up with the addictive, obsessive compulsive, extremely pessimistic (black pill) internet world of Trad Inc., heavily influenced by the online culture of the Alt Right and the Manosphere.  Those two trends are so fraught with Error, against faith and morals, they must be avoided.  

And truth be told, Trad Inc. became a thing because of the Francis pontificate. 

Therefore, we should not get upset about, hypercritical of, nor hyper focused on this next pope, Pope Leo and his pontificate.  It makes for good money-generating clickbait, but it is spiritually and psychologically unhealthy.  

God knows exactly the future and how worthy Cardinal Prevost was to be elected.  My attitude going forward is to give him the benefit of the doubt, give him time, and yes maintain reservations about his conciliarism and however much he is aligned to Francis (or not).

My sense of this man is that he likely is going to be more indirectly instrumental over time in the Restoration, in the sense God uses Him as a compromise centrist.  That is not as a lukewarm moderate, that is a liberal in disguise, but a true centrist.  

Leadership, especially the higher up you go in leadership, requires a certain centrism to manage all the factions.  A leader must look down from the position of leadership on the right-left spectrum.  

I sense from what I’ve learned about him, that is why he is such a centrist.  As he rose gradually up the ranks (missionary—> seminary professor —> Augustinian superior—> bishop —>   Cardinal —> Vatican official —> and now pope), and being an Augustinian who emphasize unity, centrism was essential for him to leadership.  And I see this man as a very strong and able leader, just listening to his voice, not to mention reading his long resume. 

If we could sit down privately and pick his brain, I think there is a part of him that is a traditionalist, another part a conservative, and another part a progressive.  

But that his leadership style is centrist.  

I sense this is a holy and manly man.  A very strong, solid leader.  I see no evidence of heresy, a personal revolutionary agenda, or hatred for Tradition and traditionalists/conservatives.  

The Key to Understanding Pope Leo is Understanding His Personal Constitution and Temperament:

I see a very well formed, very balanced man, who loves Christ and the Church, since he was a boy, very calm and serious, and very mature and authoritative. God can use him in some way directly or indirectly to restore the TLM, traditional liturgy, traditional seminary formation, traditional monasteries and convents, etc, and through his style of leadership which is humble, charitable, and deeply pastoral, to help restore the Church.  

In the long run. 

One thing that is interesting to me is that my 89 year old mother, a non Catholic, raised High Lutheran, but very Catholic at heart had a premonition before the conclave it would be Prevost, when watching all the Cardinals on Fox News.  She said it was something in his face and demeanor that made her think it would be him, not even knowing his name or that he is American.  And then her premonition came true seeing him come out on the balcony.   I told her this was a miracle God gave her (I think to draw her closer to the true Church).

My initial impression learning about him was he reminds me closely of my own temperament which is INFJ.  Here is another LINK. We are 1% of the population and often misunderstood, as very introverted and very shy, or even in situations extroverted, when in fact we are just a little more introverted than extroverted, motivated more by external action helping others at the individual level than group friendship.   We value a few good friends in private compared to conforming to public group dynamics to fit in with a wider group, which drains us. We tend to lead quietly from the background unseen.  

In fact, already suspecting he is an INFJ, I then asked AI to estimate which among the 16 Myers-Briggs temperaments is the pope’s (very much rooted in the classical four temperaments, by the way), and yes, it said that it is “moderately certain” he is an INFJ.

We INFJ’s avoid large crowds and the limelight.  We dislike insular factions because it is inauthentic and fake. We are driven by values, purpose, truth, are more likely to be religious, and with a somewhat contemplative bent vs. being very externally active,  and are very interested in ideals and justice.  It’s literally in our DNA. 

We are intuitive, very right brained, empathic,  but also strongly left brained and analytical at the same time, less about empirical facts and figures and more about philosophical truth and the psychological-social dimension.  This makes us inclined towards anything healing, whether in medicine, counseling, or different forms of rehab therapy.  Or the spiritual healing of a priest.  

We tend to be moderate in spirit in our approach to philosophical or theological movements like conservatism or traditionalism, valuing more the good in people than perfectionism.  We are diplomatic, and tend to easily see things from everyone’s perspective to bridge across differences.  This is me to a tee.  And I think that is Pope Leo to a tee.

So to understand him and his pontificate going forward, understand his temperament (INFJ), and his spiritual and moral disposition based on it. 

And my last point about INFJ’s, we easily sense and DO NOT like being manipulated by anyone, especially a faction.  I have no doubt then this makes Pope Leo averse to, loathe to, and opposed to the St. Gallen Mafia types trying to use him as their personal puppet. 

Hope for the Future:

Just imagine what can happen in twenty years under Pope Leo. All these young, traditional- minded priests one day becoming bishops and therefore cardinals, saying the TLM, promoting chant and Thomism, and the revival of the timeless and perennial.  Restoration will be incremental, pragmatic, and long term. How can the good Pope Leo oppose that?  He couldn’t. 

In the mean time, even if the St. Gallen Mafia types have their claws into him (which I don’t think he would be okay with) before long they will be retired or dead   Pope Leo seems healthy, I think he will likely still be pope when that faction is long gone. 

In conclusion, how about we tune out the crazed papal pundits Trad Inc. paying their bills off of YouTube largely by beating their drums about the crisis of the Francis pontificate, and surely this next pontificate.  To make $$$.   

It is in the past.  Francis is dead. His controversies are in the past.  

It is true what we call “Francis-Church” still exists, that is that cabal of modernists linked to the St. Gallen Mafia who used Pope Francis like a puppet, their revolutionary hearts still beating to the same beat.  People like Cupich, Fr. Martin, or Perolin.  

However, I think this pope is not  and will not be a Francis 2.0.  It would go against his temperament and disposition.  He will only be Pope Leo as a unique pope, exercising his own autonomy, and individuality, yet following the plan for more inclusion and ministry to the periphery, however wise that is it isn’t, without the material heresies, absurdities, and political agenda.  He follows collegiality, but his loyalty has always been to the universal Church, not a political faction.  

I think the many Cardinals who voted for him, who were conservative or moderate, outside of the leftist “Francis-Church” St. Gallen Mafia faction, however much control they had on the conclave (or not), chose him not only because he is a compromise centrist, but because he IS NOT loyal to that political faction itself. 

Just think about it.  Not all the Cardinals were totally on board with that leftist faction, even if they were appointed by Francis, and there were many conservatives.  To reach the 2/3rd vote, so fast, by noon of the second day, indicates much consensus between the conservatives and liberals, not being controlled by the leftist faction. 

The point being they obviously did not elect together with such unanimous confidence a man who would be another political puppet to the leftist faction.  

Conclusion: 

In conclusion, let’s tune out all the loud noise and cacophony from our electronic devices, the fear-mongering over Pope Leo going forward, and instead pray for him, and support him going forward, at the very least until, God forbid, we start hearing about the kind of controversies we endured with Francis.  My instinct tells me we won’t.  

Turning off our electronic devices 

Reading a book 

(Cable guy movie reference) 

Maybe, just maybe, it doesn’t happen with Pope Leo. He is in a general sense aligned to Francis’ pastoral plan, but we just don’t know the details of the degree of that alignment to ideological positions.  My strong sense is we will not see a tsunami of chaos or a reign of terror, or a revolutionary dictatorship of “synodality” from Pope Leo, as we saw from 2013-2025, but more calm quiet waters, that is being more just and fair. Even though so-called “synodality” is an invention originally designed to invert the hierarchical structure into a democracy, which would threaten to reduce down the divine institution as Christ made into a secularized ape of the Church, ultimately eclipsing it. 

Whereas modernism and liberalism have the revolutionary spirit of chaos like that of a destructive forest fire, Catholic Tradition itself is in comparison like deep, quiet, still waters.  And in that respect Pope Leo seems to be very traditional.  

I dreamt of and prayed for a traditional-minded long shot like Cardinal Sarah. But now that we have a new pope, I don’t know about you, but I am ready and willing to be practical and accept a good willed centrist, compromise candidate.  I can and will embrace him as a prudent, pragmatic choice, however far he falls from the ideal or my own expectations. 

We did not get a big miracle, but I would suggest this man’s election is a relief, and therefore a great relative blessing from God, a modest degree of Divine Mercy, a reprieve at least that might last decades, that we didn’t get another radical leftist who says in interviews he doesn’t believe in hell.  And I don’t believe for a second Cardinal Prevost was the kind of man to conspire with the St. Gallen Mafia to get elected.

Let’s move forward, with the new Holy Father, the Vicar of Christ, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, universally accepted by the Church, not in a state of certainty what happens next, nor bitter pessimism, but in a state of realism, calm, peace, and hope. 

Our brains have been fried the last 12 years. It is time to heal.  I hope Pope Leo, and every Bishop under him following his example, will especially help us Catholics devoted to Catholic Tradition, to heal.  

God bless our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV.

Onward and upward. 

Open Blog Post to His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV

Dear Holiness,

Congratulations on your election.  I will keep you in my daily prayers, for your health and happiness, and that by God’s grace you will be a holy pope faithful to transmitting and handing down what you have received as the Vicar of Christ, that is Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, the Magisterium, and the whole ecclesiastical tradition of the universal Church. For the salvation of souls.  

I also pledge to you my filial respect and obedience as the Vicar of Christ.  I will always obey every law you give that applies directly to me, as long as it does not violate Church teaching, the divine law, or natural law, or substantially endangers faith and morals.  I give of course my obedience first to God, and then to the perennial Church, including to all the teachings and directives of past popes, and then to yourself above any other man alive on Earth, in the realm of faith and morals. 

As an American, while I value the tradition of a European/Italian pope, I welcome you as our new Holy Father from America.  I hope you being an American will help the Church in the US, to grow, to defend itself, and to make America one day a Catholic nation.  When you were the Superior of the Augustinian Order I taught biology at the Augustinian school in Tulsa, Cascia Hall, where I learned more about the heritage of St. Augustine, reading then his Confessions.

This was five years after I started to attend the traditional Mass, having since attended it for twenty more years.  Please look closely at the analysis of the survey of bishops taken about their experience with the Latin Mass groups in diocesan parishes. I do not believe certain reports that the bishops experienced serious problems resulting in Traditionis Custodes.  I have read a rumor, on a Catholic blog, it contacted by a priest who was told by a seminary rector, apparently in Rome, that they have witnessed you offer the traditional Mass in your private chapel.

Dear Holy Father, please once again liberate the ancient and venerable Roman rite, which even canon law says all Roman rite Catholics have a right to, as interpreted by Pope Benedict XVI in Summorum Pontificum, recognizing the universal place still of the ancient rite as codified by Pope St. Pius V.  Please end what seems like a persecution of Tradition and traditionalists, from a reign of terror, our perceptions being based closely on verifiable historical facts the last several years.  This liturgy has not only nourished the saints for centuries, it sustains so many Catholics, especially faithful Catholic families.  Please show mercy, and help “restore all things to Christ” including with the liturgy.

Lastly, we feared another Francis, a Francis II, with the same plan.  Please heal our wounds.  We have been truly spiritually and mentally traumatized by so many scandals since 2013.  Please simply choose the course of Christ, and the perennial Church, not the political leftist course.  Please do not let your pontificate be like the last pontificate, in so far as it truly was a source of great division, that is alienating so many Catholics faithful to orthodoxy and preserving sacred Catholic tradition.  We know something of your policies, but you are not Pope Francis, you are Pope Leo, and I hope what we learn about you on a personal level is good. 

I am one of the traditional Catholic bloggers who began writing publicly since 2013.  I promise you I will not be bitter or self-righteously angry about anything controversial that might come from you, but rather respectful of your holy office, and seeking the good of the Church in accord with canon # 212.

I was very happy you took the name Leo, and showed great respect for Catholic tradition on the balcony, which has encouraged us traditionalists.  You mentioned in your speech several times the need for dialogue .  I ask you to consider entering into closer discussions with us on what we observe, regarding the Council, liturgical reform, and conciliar reforms.  So much that has been lost, we can restore with you.

Sincerely,

Joseph Ostermeir (pen name)

The Okie Traditionalist 

Pope Leo Recently Said the TLM in His Private Chapel?

This needs to be confirmed, and would be a boost of confidence in Pope Leo. See link HERE.  I did notice his Latin is excellent and he instinctively bowed his head at the name of Jesus, which is customary in the traditional rites. 

Habemus Papam! My First Impressions

(Edit: now that we’ve learned more facts about Cardinal Prevost, in the last hours, as a traditionalist I have serious reservations.  The factor that draws us in is the name he chose, but that may be more about social justice and continuing the policies of Francis, than about anti-liberalism.  If he is a centrist, he may not be anti-liberalism.  Also, I once taught at the Augustinian school in Tulsa Cascia Hall, when Prevost was the head of their Order.  CH was a sespool of heresy and modernism, and I got that vibe about the Augustinians in Chicago at the time.  Hopefully at least we might get a quiet pope that doesn’t stir up anymore the “god of surprises.”  We need a break from the ecclesiastical psychodrama)

He just finished coming out on the balcony giving his blessing. Cardinal Prevost originally of Chicago, an American. I know nothing about him.  But some very positive surface signs: took the name Leo XIV, wore full traditional garments, spoke excellent Latin, very sober and reverent, manly, he looked very genuine and strong in his demeanor, with a lot of fortitude, young, not a Francis II.  We will find out soon more about him as to his policy positions, but AI describes him more as a moderate centrist somewhat aligned to Francis.  Plus he is an Augustinian, the Augustinians today being not much better than the Jesuits.  As the first American pope, I hope that helps convert America. Very good surface impressions so far.  A good omen for traditional Catholics?  Time will tell, soon enough. 

If Cardinal Perolin Steps Out on the Balcony. Vs. If Cardinal Sarah Steps Out on the Balcony.

If Cardinal Perolin steps out on the balcony as Pope Francis II, I will go into a long solitude of mourning to weather the next tsunami.  It will be an ecclesiastical horror show. We will be in the life-threatening, scorching heat of Death Valley.  The faithful will retreat deeper into caves, or rather driven deeper there.  The land will darken, and the armies of Mordor will march upon us.  Only the brave will survive.

On the other hand, one can pray for a miracle.  If Cardinal Sarah appears on the balcony as Pope Pius XIII, I will roast a pig on the front lawn, sing from the rooftops, and do one hundred somersaults for the poor souls in purgatory.  It would mean Divine Mercy and rejuvenation.  Like being backed up for twelve years, 2013-2025, suddenly able to evacuate your bowels with a deep sigh of relief and freedom.  I will feel so light that I will literally start levitating off the ground.  All will grow solemn and calm as a black Pope Pius XIII occupies the Chair of St. Peter, widely known for his saintliness.  Just imagine that.  

We find out soon.

CONCLAVE ACTION ALERT

Calling all people enduring severe suffering, whether due to severe illness, poverty, loneliness, recent death in the family, being chair bound or bed bound, wrongful termination from employment, social ostracization, or the like, let’s unite together our cross with Christ, in prayer, that by some miracle God will give us a traditional, orthodox, and holy pope this week.

ACTION ALERT: TULSA DIOCESE CANCELLING LATIN MASSES

ACTION ALERT.  Please Call respectfully His Excellency Bishop Konderla, the Bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, whether you are local or outside the Tulsa Diocese, or outside Oklahoma.  Or even the US. This is happening in many dioceses. Help stand up for the Right of every Roman rite Catholic in this diocese (and every diocese) including those not attending or unable to attend the FSSP Latin Mass, for whatever reason, to the ancient and venerable Roman rite.  

The Latin Mass at Sts. Peter and Paul parish in Tulsa will now be DISCONTINUED. The  Latin Mass at Holy Cross parish in Wagoner is now restricted from having Mass every Sunday, to ONCE a month.

Health Update. Please Pray for Me.

I'm still recovering from my ongoing medical crisis.  Had experienced much recovery a year ago for four months, and then last September, but  then symptoms returned with a vengeance since October.  Very intense right now. Showed some signs of recovering though early last week and in February for 1-2 weeks.  Had to switch care which was a transition and hardship.  Had the same thing in 2017, it eventually resolved.  My spiritual intuition, plus medical science, indicates I will. Offering it up for the conclave. Praying Sarah comes out on that balcony.  Please continue to pray for me.  Thank you.

Predictions on Next Pope. Fun Musings from The Heartand.

For fun, my brain tells me the next pope will be Tagle, Francis II. He will continue “Francis-Church” with a softer approach, and ease restrictions on the TLM.  

May Francis Rest in Peace. May God Have Mercy on His Soul. And May We Move Forward.

Dust though art to dust though shall return.  This must be said. According to Catholic dogma, he who through full knowledge and consent of the will commits a gravely sinful act, such as for example a pope promoting heresy, for example publicly denying the existence of hell, if he does not repent by the moment of actual death, that man will face a terrible judgment and descend into the eternal fires of hell, even heaven rejoicing at God’s infinite justice.