When I first returned to the Traditional Catholic faith back in the mid 1980s it was to an independent chapel in Lake Zurich, shrine of St. Pius V. The “shrine priest” in those days was an old priest by the name of Father John Quinn. Father Quinn saw the damage of Vatican II and wanted no part of it. I remember one of the first sermons where he said, “We are a pilot light, keeping the faith until sanity would prevail in Rome”. Father never lived to see that day and at 72 I doubt I will either. It just keeps getting worse and worse. We are quickly moving from a 4 alarm fire to a 5 alarm. Nothing less than 21 engine companies and 11 ladder company’s under the direction of 6 battalion commanders will quench the flames…………maybe. Nothing less can put out the raging fire in Rome right now.
Enter the Institute of Christ the king sovereign priest. Under them the pilot light is in safe hands. I first started attending mass with them in those days at St. Mary’s Rockford. Canon Bovee was rector. In those days he was just Father Bovee a great man whatever title you use. He started the Rockford apostolate in the chapel of the poor Claires a cloistered order of nuns. From there thanks to Bishop Thomas Doran he was given custody of St. Marys parish. St. Marys was elderly lady with her roots going back to pre civil war days. She definitely had seen better days. Fire, age, the old gal was still hanging in there. Canon Bovee had his work cut out for him. He rebuilt the side altars, and had all the beautiful stained glass windows refinished. That in itself was dicey work. Money was hard to come by in this fledgling oratory so the company refinishing the windows held back about half the windows until payment was received. One of the early members passed away and his will bequeathed money to the, now know St. Mary’s oratory. Divine providence. The windows were then released, installed and gorgeous! Other rectors added their touches, remodeled parking lot, front entrance stairs, doors, new roof and the most stunning under Canon Oconor, a redecorated sanctuary and the addition of most appreciated air conditioning. I remember suffering on those 90 degree days in my suit and tie. I can only imagine the suffering of those poor priests in all those vestments. I remember one high mass I swear Canon Bovee was bathed in sweat.
You see the mission of the Institute is to not only restore the traditional liturgy but also the classic Catholic architecture. These grand old churches with intricate architecture would be restored to their glory days when the church was strong and vibrant. I will not elaborate on my own political views here because the last thing I want to do is get these good priests in hot water so I will Zip it.
The biggest contribution to the church is our beautiful traditional liturgy, not only the liturgy but the whole package, sacraments, devotions, all pre Vatican II. It shows, vocations at the institute is growing at record pace, not only with priests but also the sisters adorers, the institutes order of nuns and not to forget the abbys, the religious brothers. Good bishops are request the institutes presence in their diocese. Problem is the great number of vocations still can not keep up with the faithful flocking to the Institute. In Rockford alone I swear every Sunday there are more and more people at our 8am low mass. Its packed and the most uplifting is the majority are young LARGE families. Such a treat seeing these large families approaching the communion rail, little girls in Sunday best with chapel veils, little boys with shirts and ties all going up with parents to communion. Mom and Dad receive Christ on the tong and the children who have not made their communion yet a sign of the cross and a blessing. Warms the heart to see this, it really does. You see this is the future of the church. The youth which has far more conservative values than my generation which I am ashamed to say are the boomers. We spoiled brats seemed to have destroyed everything good.
To my knowledge the only property the institute owns are St. Stanislaus in Milwaukee, the institutes headquarters in the Chicago Woodlawn neighborhood, the old St. Galatius now called the shrine of Christ the King, and the new former Franciscan friary, now the institutes retreat center in Burlington Wisconsin also in the Milwaukee diocese. To my knowledge, those are the only properties they own, all else are diocese owned. That makes me nervous, especially Detroit, but again its Zip it time.
The rubrics of the mass are impeccable. I remember canon once remarked that their rubrics for the mass by each priest were critiqued at the chapter meeting. Those were the early days, I am sure it would be impossible with the number of priests now involved but still, its beautiful, from the additional lit candle placed on the altar for the canon that symbolizes the presence of Christ to not only the priest removing the maniple for the sermon and translation of the Gospel and Epistle but also removing his Chasuble and folds it on the altar.
What I enjoy about Sundays, its an escape, when I walk thru the doors its another, very peaceful world. It really does put you in touch with the creator and somehow what is going on outside in the world looses its importance. An atmosphere of quiet peace.
I have made it a habit to pray daily for the Institute. I worry with the current climate in the Vatican what will come next. I am sure the purges are not over. Zipit dude, just Zipit!