Its all about the mass – May 6, 2025
The Vatican crowd continues to claim that to TLM Catholics its just a prayer preference. I hate to burst their balloon but they are sitting on a tack. I know Fr. Z is the only one allowed to use Latin on the internet, I know because he said so, but “Lex orandi, lex credendi, or how you pray is what you believe. This leaves only two paths, the Tridentine mass that reflects Catholic doctrine or the Novus Ordo which is basically a protestant prayer service.
Here is how they stack up. The Tridentine is the unbloody sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for our salvation. The Novus ordo is a commemoration of the last supper, no sacrifice there. They tell us that all we TLM care about is the Latin. Then they always throw in the so called “reverent” Novus ordo mass which uses Latin. Big deal, reverent or not it still has the same errors only it hides under the cloak of Catholicism. It is still about the congregation and not the victim. There are a couple of key differences. Be it a beautiful language or not Latin is used because it is a dead language and has not changed for thousands of years. Years ago cool was a weather condition and today it means something unique, years ago gay ment happy and carefree and today lets just say it means something else. The prayers prayed in Latin today carry the same meaning as the ones prayed in Latin century’s ago.
The latin mass also ment unity. It was the same mass anywhere in world. For all the talk Uncle Leo and his gang have about unity they sure are missing the boat. I know from experience one summer I vacationed in Montreal and that Sunday went to an SSPX chapel for mass. It was identical to what I had in the United states with the exception of the sermon which was in French and I could not understand a word. I felt totally at home and also felt I was surrounded by Catholics. On the way back to my hotel I stuck my head into a Novus Ordo church. They were all standing in a circle babbling French and hugging and kissing (must of been that horrible sign of peace). It looked more like some strange orgy than a Catholic mass.
This only skims the surface, Go Here to see a full Doctrinal Comparison of the Traditional mass vs. the Novus Ordo. Quite an extensive difference. Enough to make you wonder if that Novus Ordo thing is actually a mass. The Novus Ordo mass has always been a type of Catholic version of Americas got talent. Sometimes the priest but most times the lay “liturgist” improvises and you wind up with no clue of what you have. Remember the fender guitar benediction a few years ago? Is it Catholic or not, or more seriously are the words of transubstantiation accurate enough to have actually taken place. Don’t go storming off in a huff, remember that priest in Arizona a couple years back who “improvised” on the blessing for baptism that ultimately wound up with hundreds of void baptisms. Or if the priest does not use the word I absolve you of your sins and instead says I forgive you of your sins then your sins are not forgiven. All these problems would be solved if only Latin was used.
Fr. Sommerville was so upset with his participation In ICEL that translated the Latin into English that he wrote an open letter of apology to all Catholics on how the translation diluted the faith and drove many faithful Catholics away from the church.
But but I don’t understand Latin. A priest after reading a Latin mass responded to this question by saying, “Its ok I wasn’t talking to you”. Thats it in a nut shell. The Latin mass is the Sacrifice on Calvary happening all over again. Its all about God and his son and our salvation. Remember the Priest is the alius Christus or another Christ, (again my apologies to Fr. Z). Again its about the unbloody sacrifice and not a banquet dinner. That is why the priest walks up 3 sets of steps on his way to the high altar. It is symbolic of the holy man of the old testament climbing the mountain to talk to God. The altar boys holding the priests chasuble during the consecration is also from scripture, where the sick lady touches Christs clothing and says, “If only I could touch his cloak I will be healed”. Alius Christus, not Father Harry.
The new mass has none of this so be fully aware when they say they want to get rid of the Latin mass for the sake of unity what they are really saying is they are after your Catholicism. Uncle Leo’s pathetic interpretation of the workers in the vineyard is a great example. No need to take positive steps for your salvation it will be given to you on a silver platter, be you Catholic or not. If this does not reek of socialism I don’t know what does. Don’t let them take your faith, don’t give it to them. Remember Lex orandi, lex credendi. Fight these Vatican beasts and don’t give up.