In the August edition of Ireland's most traditional Catholic monthly newspaper CatholicVoice, there is a wonderful article by Maike Hickson about Cardinal Ottaviani that all traditionalists should know and never forget.

The article recalls an important 1966 confidential letter written by Cardinal Ottaviani, Pro-Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and then sent by him to all the Presidents of the Bishops Conferences in the world. 

By means of this letter Cardinal Ottaviani attempted to forestall the further spreading of erroneous interpretations of Vatican II, only one year after its ending.

Cardinal Ottaviani had every reason to be concerned since he had been fighting during the entirity of the council proceedings for the preservation of the entire Catholic faith in its integrity. Upon his death in 1979 the washington Post read:

"He (Cardinal Ottaviani) bitterly opposed the efforts of Pope john XXIII in calling the Council to modernise the Church, such as authorising the Mass in the language of the people or breaking down the centuries old walls of separation between Catholic and other Christian churches." 

When most of the decisions went against him, he used his influence in the Roman Curia to delay as long as possible implementing them. In 1967 he issued an order that Catholics were not to join with Protestants  in special prayers for Christian unity, (Allowed by Vatican II) Many bishops had already begun such services. Pope Paul V heard of it and countermanded  Cardinal Ottaviani's order.

Cardinal Ottaviani opposed  the council decision allowing translations of the Mass from Latin to languages of the people and gave powerful curia backing to an American priest (not named) who started a movement to preserve the Latin Mass.

THE OCTAVIANI INTERVENTION.

Cardinal Ottaviani is the author (along with Cardinal Antonio Bacci) of the 1969 cri de coeur concerning the Novus Ordo Mass known colloquially as the "Ottaviani Intervention." For example, it presents us with these concluding words:

" To abandon liturgical tradition which for centuries was both the sign and the pledge of unity of worship (and to replace it with another which cannot but be a sign of division by virtue of the countless liberties simplicity authorised, and which teems with insinuations or manifest errors against the integrity of the Catholic religion) is, we feel in conscience bound to proclaim    an incalculable error."

As I have to type all this out it takes time. I will continue if requested.