Letters

Latin Mass (letter)

Philip Robinson

Contents - Jun 2003 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Three Feasts: Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity - Peter Westmore Liturgy: John Paul's new encyclical on the Eucharist targets liturgical abuses - Michael Gilchrist AD2000 staff members awarded federation Centenary Medals - AD2000 News: The Church Around the World - AD2000 Interview: Vatican II and the liturgy, 40 years later - Zenit News Service Events: Corpus Christi Procession - Brisbane, 22 June 2003 The environment: rediscovering the balanced Catholic perspective - Michael Casanova Laity: The role of lay Catholics in a time of crisis - Mary Ann Glendon Those dreadful old Catholic hymns? - Fr Fabian Duggan OSB The seal of confession: how a priest put his life on the line - Clem Lack Letters: Eucharistic encyclical and the priesthood (letter) - John Kelly Letters: Requirements fulfilled (letter) - John Young Letters: Four conditions (letter) - Fr G.H. Duggan SM Letters: Holy Orders (letter) - Francis Vrijmoed Letters: Brisbane Synod (letter) - Alistair Barros Letters: Catechetics (letter) Letters: Teilhard de Chardin (letter) - Grahame Fallon Letters: Latin Mass (letter) - Philip Robinson Letters: Death by 'nice blokes' (letter) - Lisa-Maree Letters: Abortion (letter) - Betty Griffin Letters: Prayer to Our Lady of Good Counsel (letter) - Marie E. Curtin Books: Culture and the Thomist Tradition : After Vatican II, by Tracey Rowland - Fr Peter Joseph STD (reviewer) Books: From Physics to Metaphysics, by Fr Francis J. Selman - Michael Casanova Books: The Story of Christianity : 2000 Years of Faith - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: Family in the Bible, edited by Richard H. Hess and M. Danial Carroll - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Books: Our books are the cheapest! Reflection: Church scandals: focus on the message, not just the messengers - Fr Kevin Brannelly

In "Good news on the liturgy" (April AD2000), I suggest Peter Westmore used an unfortunate choice of words when he stated "others have turned to pre-Vatican II ritual" when describing the reaction of many Catholics to the seemingly endless attempts to rectify the Novus Ordo liturgy.

Unless circumstances otherwise dictate, my wife and I only attend Mass according to the 1962 Missal - the Traditional Latin Mass - and have done so since 1988. We certainly do not attend for the "ritual" as such. To us, and to an increasing number of Catholics, the focus of this Mass is God, not the Presider or the congregation; it is much richer in its prayers and devotion than the Novus Ordo - it is much more than "ritual." One has only to compare the English text of the Mass to that of the Novus Ordo to see why this is so.

In my opinion, no amount of tinkering with the Novus Ordo, or calling for synods on the Eucharist, will overcome the malaise within the Church. How many documents has the Pope written calling for a return to orthodoxy regarding the Mass and the sacraments? How many bishops on their ad limina visits to Rome have been told to get their collective acts in order? What has been the result? Just more of the same, and even worse banal liturgy, and contempt for Papal instructions.

In two new American books, viz, The Great Facade by Christopher Ferrara and Thomas Woods Jnr (Remnant Press) and The Devil's Final Battle by Fr Paul Kramer (The Missionary Association), one can read how the Church has arrived at its present sorry state, and how the problems could be overcome. All Catholics who are concerned about the state of the Church should read these books. I can provide email addresses to anyone who may wish to pursue this suggestion.

My address is 59 Mockridge Crescent, Holt, ACT 2615, tel/fax (02) 6254 3969, email: par31@apex.net.au

PHILIP ROBINSON
Holt, ACT

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 16 No 5 (June 2003), p. 15