Thanks for sharing that video. It is very well done and thought provoking. I would like to express my thoughts.
When they show the abuses of the NO Mass, they show clown Masses, and other scandalous abuses of the Mass. I do not believe those abuses are the norm. I have just come out of the NO 8 months ago, and it was done reverently and with faith. However, the Mass itself is deficient with no offertory, changed words of consecration, standing for communion and communion in the hand and the priestesses distributing Jesus in the Eucharist.
You are absolutely right. A lot of times, so-called "Traditionalists" mess up by simply referencing the abuses by the NO services. This is the wrong tactic, but frequently used because it is so easy. Anyone can find pictures of crazy NO masses.
But you touched on the heart of the matter. Even if the NO is done as it's own rubrics calls for, it is still deficient (to use your own word). This is extremely important if the Traditionalists hope to get the mass completely back. Traditionalists should focus on this point. The NO is deficient from the get-go.
Even though you mentioned some good criticism of the NO, there are many more points of criticism that are of a greater import (
Pro mulits anyone?)
As sister Lucy said a diabolical disorientation has infected the church. Their are lots of good people in the NO but they are allowing themselves to be deceived. How unfortunate.
I am perplexed about where to go and how to practice my faith. Currently I attend the indult TLM, but have attended SSPX. In my heart I do not believe we have had a true Pope since Pius XII. But I am not sure and don't feel I am qualified to make that judgment. So I am doing the best I can to weather this crisis until things become more clear.
To Jesus thru Mary.
Again, I completely agree with you. I am in the same predicament. I currently attend the Motu Mass, offerred by a NO priest! But I too have attended SSPX (in TN) in the past. In my heart I do not think that we have had a true Popesince Pius XII. As you state, I also do not think I am qualified to make that judgment. After all, who can truly judge the Supreme Pontiff? He is above canon law, so what does that say about our position in relation to him?!
If we have not had a legit pope since the '50s what effect does that have on other things? For instance, is the "New Catechism" binding? What about the '83 Code? What about all the new sacraments of Paul VI?... that one is really serious. If he wasn't pope, what authority did he have to change the sacraments? Holy Orders is then effected... which effects all the current priests, Bishops (like Ratzinger)... which effects us who go to NO priests!!! Argh!
I simply shrink my world. I cannot control Benedict, John Paul II, the charismatics etc. So why the anxiety? What I can control is my simply world: my family, the work I put in each day, and how I react to the world. I simply bare it. I go to mass regularly, pray the daily rosary, read as much as possible, be kind to my wife, raise my children well and hope for heaven. Those are things that I
can do. Anxiety comes from worrying over things I
can't control.
God will sort it out, but "How long, O Lord, shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? shall I cry out to thee suffering violence, and thou wilt not save?"
Robert