It was never considered merely a dated form of the Roman Mass relative to the Middle Ages, but rather as the final papal codification of what truly was/is the ancient and venerable Roman rite of the Church of Rome. This is similar to how the liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil developed to combine together to constitute officially the Byzantine rite, or Greek Catholic form of the Mass. Both Latin and Greek rites of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass developed over time into their official forms. As did other non-Byzantine eastern rites.
This is not my opinion or a mere “traditionalist opinion.” This is what the Church has already made clear for centuries. Pope St. Pius V in Quo Primum made that clear.
I am therefore categorically not speaking of the Novus Ordo Missae of the 1970 missal dressed up in Latin, ad orientem worship, or Gregorian chant, now said at Holy Cross parish on some Sundays, which truth be told is a Protestantized artificial construct of the true Mass. The parish website doesn’t specify which Sundays will be a traditional-style Novus Ordo vs. the true Mass, leaving one in the dark on that question when attending on any given Sunday. If you do not want to attend the Novus Ordo, you risk driving out to Wagoner on any given Sunday and finding out it is not a TLM.
And by “true Mass,” I am referring pimarily to a) clearly Catholic liturgical rites of Mass which are without doctrinal deficiencies, theological errors, nor liturgical discontinuity, not to mention the typical worldly atmosphere, liturgical abuses, and irreverences. More specifically, I am referring to b) the true official traditional form of the Roman rite of Mass as ultimately determined already by Pope St. Pius V. It is the Mass that on a theoretical and practical level, is as a rule reverent, clearly orthodox, and a spiritually reliable rite of Mass, in contrast to what is now the satus quo in new rite parishes using the Novus Ordo missal.
Quo Primum
Still Never Abrogated by a Pope
Including any Pope since Vatican II
Canonical Basis of Right to the Tridentine Mass
The Current Situation:
If/when the TLM is officially ended at Holy Cross, rest assured I will further investigate, gather data, connect the dots in context, and offer proportional analysis. I am prepared to do so because that would mean the final eradication of the traditional Mass from mainstream parishes. Canon # 212 etc gives Catholic bloggers that right, the laity participating in the mission of the Church per the mandate of Christ to all Christians according to their gifts and circumstances.
This is ultimately for the purpose of professing fidelity to the true Mass, calling upon our local Church (and all dioceses) to reject modernism and restore Tradition, and to help local Catholics navigate the current Crisis in the Church, especially as to attending Mass. I will organize again if necessary an online petition for Catholics locally and anywhere to call the chancery and email the bishop. To voice their concern, with all due respect. That potential scenario does not exclude a public peaceful rosary rally to show support of the Latin Mass to the bishop. If it should come to that.
Michael Matt
The Remnant Catholic Neespaper
The momentum points to the TLM also being gradually and covertly brought to an end over time at Holy Cross parochial parish. This is because Bishop Konderla per his recent letter says he is implementing Traditionis Custodes which itself dictates the final removal of all TLM’s from every parochial parish.
This isn’t merely “conjecture by that Okie Traditionalist blogger guy.” This is the official plan in writing by Pope Francis and in this diocese by Bishop Konderla. In virtually every diocese.
When + Konderla was ordained a bishop, within weeks he was publicly asked in a public meeting at the cathedral if Latin and the ad orientem posture would continue at the 10 am Mass which had been established and maintained for years by Bishop Slattery (RIP). His response was a simple no, telling people if they desired that, they should go to the FSSP parish in the countryside, which would have meant families uprooting themselves. He said this was for the sake of unity, suggesting those elements took away from unity in parochial
If he does not want a traditional style Novus Ordo in the mainstream parish, it stands to reason he would even more so not want the “old Mass” there either. Eventually. And therefore be on board even more so with Pope Francis’ Traditionis Custodes.
Unchanged Momentum:
Just consider how the laws of physics apply. Per Isaac Newton, every object at motion will continue in motion unless acted upon by an external cause. Likewise, momentum does not change unless acted upon by external forces. Likewise, following both of these laws, when a thing is in decay, and is not saved from decay by external forces, per these laws of motion and momentum, which are ingrained into every part of the cosmos (including every society, which includes the Church), then ultimately that “thing” will die. It is a hard indisputable fact. “It” is already dying, and will continue to keep dying until it is vaporized out of existence, by the modernists, unless of course acted upon by some outside
And the “thing” I am talking about is collectively Catholic Tradition, including the whole of external ecclesiastical traditions, especially the true rite of Mass of the Church of Rome. And the “external sources” working to prevent this through conservation currently are mainly the SSPX and other formerly Ecclesia Dei Latin Mass groups (like the FSSP or Clear Creek monastery), and I would add the Eastern Catholic Churches. That would include to some degree the Maronite rite parish in Tulsa. Ultimately the cause of restoration of Tradition will be Christ by means of the pope.
Until then, in the Diocese of Tulsa, applying the basic laws of nature, per the current ongoing status quo in this diocese, we can logically predict that the Traditional Latin Mass will be permanently removed from Holy Cross in Wagoner. The undeniable momentum then continues since 2016 after the very tradition-minded Bishop Slattery (RIP) retired: 1. Removal of Fr. Ripperger’s traditional, pro-TLM Community, 2. Removal of Mother Miriam’s traditional, pro-TLM Community, 3. The practical ending of the Traditional Latin, Ad Orientem Novus Ordo Mass/Community at the cathedral, and then 4. The effective dissolution/obliteration/exile of the Latin Mass Community at Sts. Peter and Paul parish, the only parochial TLM that had been permitted in the city of Tulsa area. Now not even allowed a Latin Mass on a mere weekday, or as a Saturday Vigil, or bringing in any of a number of priests across the metropolitan area to help the Mass schedule to enable its preservation there. Officially speaking, the only remaining parochial parish (outside of the FSSP) allowed the TLM is now Holy Cross one hour east of Tulsa in the remote small town of Wagoner.
Out of sight, out of mind. From the majority of Catholics in this diocese. That is the objective fact, regardless of intentions.
Catholic Action:
Therefore, unless there will be external forces to change this obvious momentum, #5 would logically mean ending the TLM at Holy Cross, and THEREFORE eradicating it from the mainstream of the local Church. Once and for all. And continuing on the timeline continuum, that eventually means no more Traditional Latin Mass at either Clear Creek monastery or Most Precious Blood (FSSP).
You can’t argue with the law of momentum.
It is just a matter of time, if we follow the history of the Church the last 60 years, the conciliar plan of reform by the modernists, and observe the ongoing momentum, not to mention the rules of logic and nature.
Unless something substantially changes.
That might mean the bishop turning more and more towards Tradition like it happened with Bishop Slattery, but I’m not holding my breath, especially considering the way he ended the 13 year old TLM community at Sts. Peter and Paul, per his notice letter primarily because of further implementation of the draconian Traditionis Custodes. Which he supports.
We now know the facts on that decision, despite pushback from people who are in denial the Church structure has been somewhat eclipsed by a false version of the Church and Faith.
Hopefully Pope Leo re-liberates the traditional Mass. And personally protects it for its own transcendent and timeless value, and not only for the sake of being pastoral to those attached to it. But those are BIG “IF’s.” Something to pray and advocate for, with guarded optimism, but not something to expect. As a centrist I expect he will hold out olive branches to traditionalists while also carrying on the plan in the Vatican to bring traditionalists over to the Novus Ordo. The facts point to him likely doing both. For one, he has remained silent on the TLM with little to no interventions yet.
Therefore, per the momentum already in place for some time,it is just a matter of time before Catholic Tradition and the TLM is effectively completely eliminated from the diocesan structures, in Oklahoma, and everywhere. Relegated to quarantines, which ultimately in due time will be bridged over to the post-conciliar liturgical reform or extinguished. That is in fact the plan.
Until that time, I ask you to do your own part. And that might include forming a formal or informal committee or small group of sorts to represent the TLM Community at Holy Cross, which opens up and maintains communication directly with the Bishop like it hasn’t been done before. To pro-actively organize a formal petition and letter signed by the community to KEEP preserving permanently the Traditional Latin Mass, and at Holy Cross, presented to the bishop (and therefore the Vatican) in a friendly sit-down meeting or at a parish conference meeting with him. I attempted this myself.
I can already hear some voices saying “Yeah right. That ain’t going to happen.”
Express to him how much the ancient and venerable rite of Mass is so important to you and your family, to the Church, how it is your birthright, and the basis of your Roman rite spirituality holding together your faith. How you maintain union with him and obedience to his commands. How you will not “rebel” but instead privately and publicly advocate for your needs when necessary.
But be prepared to organize peaceful prayer gatherings if/when it comes to it, as my wife and I attempted to do in the last minute, to demonstrate your faith and commitment to true Catholic worship if/when you get word that it is just a matter of time apparently before the 1962 missal (TLM) cannot be used anymore at Holy Cross. Only perhaps the Novus Ordo with some tolerable traditions, and not too out of sync with how the Novus Ordo is said 99.999% of the time with rare exception, “for the sake of unity.” Which would be a false unity. Not unity in Tradition, but unity in collective blind compliance to authority.
The Risk of Traditionalist Stockholm Syndrome:
Otherwise, with a posture of servile petrified silence, you risk history repeating itself once again. This can and should be coordinated with the pastor, as much as he will engage coordination, while also guaranteeing your own canonical rights, even if there is indirect push back from the chancery. In the end, there is cause to hope in due time Pope Leo will come to the rescue. It’s a significant possibility.
It is a quiet noble crusade for truth and reverence, for the true Faith, to keep supporting the TLM at Holy Cross for those who attend. And for the true doctrine of the Mass. That is the point, not mere liturgical aesthetics nor mere historical sensibilities.
The Indult Latin Mass as a Bridge:
But the situation was and continues to be designed as a bridge. To ultimately fully bridge the traditionalists back over to the Vatican II changes/environment and the liturgical reform (Novus Ordo Missae, 1970 missal) and the new “springtime” in the Church since the Council.
The parochial TLM is heroic in that it also serves as a bridge back to Tradition and ultimately to zero compromise with conciliar modernism. But it comes with a kind of white martyrdom, always living with the dynamic of fear and risk of traditionalist Stockholm syndrome that “if I/we say or do (fill in the blank; even when “fill in the blank” is in accord with faith and morals and allowed by the Church) then our Latin Mass may be taken away and our community brought to an end.” That irrationality is most responsible for the typical backlash to a truth-telling “SSPX type of traditionalism” which alienates certain devoted traditionalists and their theological reasoning from the mainstream of the group.
That is from Orwellian group think.
You would become enslaved not by the bishop per se acting with his authority as the bishop, but rather by a man in Orders effectively forcing modernism upon the laity outside of his divinely instituted authority, which would be an abuse of his power. You risk actively tolerating and even somewhat accepting the modernist errors in order to maintain permissions for the TLM. Which predisposes you to turn on anyone who refuses modernism, blind obedience, or a false narrative. You risk succumbing to Stockholm syndrome during this crisis in the Church.
But the few remaining current permissions for parochial TLM’s is also built on the ever shifting foundation of quicksand. It is a shaky and fragile bridge. Like walking across one of those old wooden foot bridges you see in the movies with decaying boards and rope, ready to collapse.
No circumstance obliges a Catholic to commit themselves and their family with normal trust long term to attend a Latin Mass on a bridge so fragile it could fall apart at any moment, or to stand on quicksand to attend the Mass of the Saints. It comes down to a prudential decision based on many local concrete circumstances weighed against absolute principles.
The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX):
It would be even more heroic to make the drive to the nearest SSPX, which for those in the Tulsa diocese would mean the SSPX chapel in Oklahoma City, or Springfield, MO. And then over time perhaps the SSPX can establish (or in the case of Tulsa re-establish with greater numbers) a local presence. Considering the long wait list of groups petitioning the SSPX to send a priest in the US, that would mean a “long game” for most, or even a “very long game,” and certainly for trads in the Tulsa diocese. Maintain contact with the SSPX and show them support. Every Fall the SSPX in St. Mary’s hosts a celebrated Shakespeare festival and a Christ the King Festival. Email the SSPX OKC chaplain for spiritual help.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, the Church is restored one day, or before that happens all trad groups can be consolidated safely under an Apostolic Administration only directly under the pope, with total freedom to establish and run traditional apostolates everywhere. Me being half a century old, after 25 years going to the TLM and navigating intimately all local TLM communities for many years, I think it is possible either might happen in my life time. I also don’t rule out either the rise of the anti-Christ during that period of time, that he is already alive. The Great Chastisement still awaits us. Covid was just a precursor. We must still “prep” for either WW3 or some other global meltdown (perhaps from AI).
Fall weather outdoor activities and other important topics await me, so as Forest Gump once said “that’s all I have to say about that”…
Conclusion:
Ultimately, the Church is restored one day, or before that happens all trad groups can be consolidated safely under an Apostolic Administration only directly under the pope, with total freedom to establish and run traditional apostolates everywhere. Me being half a century old, after 25 years going to the TLM and navigating intimately all local TLM communities for many years, I think it is possible either might happen in my life time. I also don’t rule out either the rise of the anti-Christ during that period of time, that he is already alive. The Great Chastisement still awaits us. Covid was just a precursor. We must still “prep” for either WW3 or some other global meltdown (perhaps from AI).
Fall weather outdoor activities and other important topics await me, so as Forest Gump once said “that’s all I have to say about that”…