Well, I can't say as I'm shocked by this story abuzz across the Catholic blogosphere recently. What is left of traditional Catholicism, it seems, is now banned to the crypt under St. Peter's basilica, that church once visually representing the physical epicenter of the Church. This comes from some liturgically leftist snob Vatican bureaucrat, who according to Cardinal Burke et al overstepped his legal bounds.
Dollars to doughnuts Francis allows the suppression to stand. History repeats itself after all.
Ad orientem? In Latin? Emphasizing the Sacrifice of the Mass? Sacred Liturgy? Even using the 1962 missal? Say it ain't so.
Protestantism however can and must be practiced in the sanctuary at ground level people, per the new rule.
The Old Religion (Catholicism) needs to wise up and join the crowd. Until then, down to the basement with you, you uptight restorationists with your little pilgrimage groups gathered around side altars making a ruckus silently using your Latin Mass missals.
Just make sure you sign up to offer your Mass at either 7:30 am or 9:00 am. Downstairs in the crypt out of sight. If those spots are already taken, then you can go back upstairs, don your New Age alb, and sing Kumbaya like the rest of us normal people.
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Satire aside, I have to say this should by now be of no surprise for Catholics who are aware of the Crisis in the Church. These scandals are just part of the larger Scandal which is the New Religion.
The Motu Proprio for all its worth on its own merits, with obvious exceptions of many priests learning the TLM, has largely been ignored by most Bishops and priests, in effect still persecuting not only tradition-minded Catholics as, in their mind, religious Weirdos, but the traditional Catholic Faith/Mass itself.
In my own experience, only in Dioceses with Bishops and senior clergy supporting Tradition does a Motu Proprio Mass community stand a chance in the long term, to meet all the most basic needs of practicing Catholic families.
This book is the best to explain the history of this contemporary Crisis, imo: Iota Unum.
Truth be told those partisans since the Council pushing a Regime of Novelty on the Church, have high-jacked most of the Hierarchy, who have effectively relegated, or allowed to be relegated, the True Mass and True Faith to the crypt.
Figuratively, and as of now in the church of St. Peter, literally. The sad irony.
Well, maybe visiting priests and their groups just need to set up temporary altars outside the Basilica to offer the Mass of the Saints, on the side walk, if the city allows it. Maybe by visiting Bishops like +Burke or +Schneider who can't get penciled in for a Crypt Mass in the traditional rite.
That would be a fitting optic, don't you think, of what has already occurred these last 50 years. An effective Witness.
We are to bear Witness after all.
Catholicism banned to the crypt in St. Peters. Sigh. So be it, we will still keep the orthodox Faith of Christ, even if they try and banish us to the wilderness. We will not hide our light under a bushel.
No sir.