First of 5 emails (first one is long the rest to the point)
Aug 26 (3 days ago)
Dear Mr.
Dear Bishop Jensen,
Thank you for getting back to me on this issue. Please know that our intention is to follow God, and His Church. We have large families and take the responsibility very seriously. We want to raise our children in the extra ordinary form, as for us, we find the respect and reverence, that we have been yearning for.
Please take the time to read my heartfelt letter, on behalf of our families, we would surely be grateful for your permission to use the local Church. We promise to have the utmost respect in its use. We will treat the Church, with the same respect as was required for generations.
If you ever take the time to come out this way, we would enjoy having you over. I feel confident that you would appreciate the sincerity of our faith.
Thank you for your prompt reply to my message.
The “Society of St. Pius X” is in formal schism and not part of the Catholic Church, despite what its priests may claim. No Catholic should have anything to do with this organization, which is not in communion with the Church. I guess I have to differ with you on this issue. Again, being a very concerned Catholic. We have spent a great amount of time researching this issue, as I most definitely don't want to be involved with something which is not part of the Church.
I have spoke with legitimate priests, in full communion with the Church, who promote ɧoɱosɛҳųαƖity. There are Bishops, and Cardinals, who are in Communion with the Catholic Church, and at the same time are promoting scandals, as I'm sure your aware of. This is causing Truly Concerned Catholics, to search for them selves and not be quite so "spoon fed". Please understand, we have the utmost respect and Love of our Catholic Church, but we are addressing issues that we are concerned with. As a Catholic we have that right, and obligation. Regarding the SSPX, when I first found out about them, I was concerned and apprehensive. I also heard similar statements as yours regarding them. But as I said before, I must research for my self to take an educated position. Below is part of an article which I will send in its entirety after. This is part of the research that myself and others have used to come to our decision.
In fact, the Ecclesia Dei commission has made it clear that the SSPX is not in schism. The commission declared that Catholics can fulfill their Sunday obligation by attending Masses offered by SSPX priests - and this was before the excommunications were lifted! (see letter from Monsignor Perl dated September 27, 2002). If the priests of the SSPX were in schism, the Ecclesia Dei commission would not allow Catholics to assist at their Masses, since in doing so they would be allowing Catholics to worship outside the Church (and thus permitting them to break the Third Commandment). This proves that SSPX bishops and priests are not in fact in schism (for example, Catholics could not fulfill their Sunday obligation by attending liturgies offered by the schismatic priests of the Eastern Orthodox sects). The same commission has said that, so long as Catholics attend SSPX chapels out of their devotion to the Traditional Latin Mass (and not because they want to separate themselves from the Roman Pontiff - of course they don't!), such conduct is also not sinful.
The Holy See has stated that the SSPX situation is an internal matter of the Catholic Church and that the SSPX is not a counter-diocese or separate ecclesial structure. That the Church regards the SSPX situation as an “internal matter” also proves that SSPX bishops and priests are not in schism. Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos in five separate interviews has stated that the SSPX is not in formal schism (what Moynihan calls “official schism”), without any rebuke from the Holy See. The case of the Hawaii six also bears this out. Those excommunications would not have been lifted if the six Catholics were attending Masses offered by schismatic priests. And for those who insist that the SSPX priests are “suspended” (even though the Holy See has never issued a decree of suspension against them!), they would be admitting that SSPX priests are still subject to the Church's disciplinary laws. In such case, the SSPX priests cannot be schismatics who are outside the Church because, as previously stated, one cannot be outside the Church and still be subject to her canon law. This is a legal impossibility.
Pope Benedict XVI's explanation in his Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificuм (2007) also clears the air that the SSPX is not in schism. Pope Benedict first explained that John Paul II's 1988 Motu Proprio was issued to bring the SSPX into “full unity” with Rome - not to declare they completely severed their unity with Rome, which is the case with a schismatic. (We note that canon law recognizes no such principle as “partial unity” or “partial communion”; these terms are unique to the ecuмenical double-speak of the conciliar Church. One is either a member of the Body of Christ or completely severed from the Body as is the case with a schismatic). But Pope Benedict says the positive reason for his Motu Proprio, which updates Ecclesia Dei, is to come to “an interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church.” Note that the pope says this reconciliation - which is between the SSPX and Rome - is an “interior” one that is taking place “in the heart of the Church,” further demonstrating that the SSPX is inside the Church where the reconciliation is being pursued.
Pope Benedict has also made it clear that the SSPX is not in schism by vacating the excommunications declared under his predecessor. Schismatics remain excommunicated from the Church until they retract their errors, but Pope Benedict required no such retraction from the SSPX before nullifying the bishops' excommunications. This unprecedented action also indicates that the excommunications were not justified, and canon law supports that conclusion. As further explained below, canon law operates to mitigate or eliminate canonical penalties under certain circuмstances. For example, canon 1323.4 provides that one is not liable to a penalty who, when violating a law, “acted coerced by grave fear, even if only relatively grave, or due to necessity or grave inconvenience, unless the act is intrinsically evil or tends to the harm of souls.”
Holy Family Parish in Vancouver, as well as parishes in Edmonton and Calgary, are staffed by members of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, a society fully in communion with the universal Church and working with the bishop and clergy in their respective dioceses. While Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI did grant the right to all priests in the Church to offer the Mass in the “Extraordinary Form”, in a small diocese such as Prince George it is not easy to find a priest with the necessary qualifications. This requires that the priest have facility in Latin and training in the rubrics of the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal.. Some members of a parish in Prince George approached me about this recently and I am trying to identify a priest who would be able and willing to offer the Mass in the Extraordinary Form.
I am very happy to hear you are aware of Pope Benedict's clarification of saying the Traditional Mass. It is also interesting, and encouraging that you have been approached by other people about this. These people are obviously researchers, and very concerned about their faith. Please let me know when you find a priest who will do this as their are over 20 of us out here, who want to attend this.
Also Pope Benedict, reversed the excommunications of the Bishops of the Saint Pius 10 society.
I find it interesting that the traditional form of mass used for centuries, upon centuries, is considered the "Extra Ordinary Form" , and the New Order mass is the ordinary, one would think this would be the other way around?!
Regarding the St Peters society, If one studies their back ground, it doesn't take long to realize If it wasn't for the Supposed "Schismatic" SSPX they would not have existed. It was from the SSPX that they originated.
I find it alarming, when you say " it is hard to find Priests who have the right qualifications to say the Traditional Mass", you would think it would be common as This mass was said for Centuries, and only in the last 40+ years not so. You would hope that most every Catholic Priest would be educated in this.
The Ecuмenical Directory published by Rome does permit non-Catholics the use of a church building under specific conditions, i.e., when they have no facility of their own and provided due respect for the sacredness of the church building is maintained and scandal or confusion among parishioners is avoided. An analogous situation is the case when a missionary priest offers Sunday Mass in a building belonging to a Protestant congregation because no Catholic church is located in an area.
According to the Ecuмenical Directory, published by Rome, and that non Catholics can use the Church building. It would seem to me that, if you gave us permission, we should qualify under these terms. Due respect, most definitely, no scandal or confusion, and we are lacking a Facility of our own.
We are only asking to have the Traditional Mass said.
Seems that the Ecuмenical Directory, is quite clear. Should we not be given the same privilege as those who are truly Schismatic?
The Church requires that the liturgy be celebrated in every detail according to the rubrics of the Roman Missal, either in the Ordinary or Extraordinary Form. As moderator of the liturgy in the diocese, I take that very seriously; any abuse reported to me will be dealt with immediately.
We can assure you that the Liturgy will be celebrated, in every detail according to the rubrics of the Extraordinary Form. I am glad you take this seriously. There most definitely wont be any drums, guitars, and no slaying in the spirit, or foreign tongues. As well the girls will be dressed in modest dress, heads covered. Their will only be reception of the Blessed Sacrament on the tounge(kneeling), no touching of the sacred vessels by non consecrated hands. There will be no clapping of hands. Everyone will be kneeling at the Consecration. The Sacred Vessels will be not made of breakable materials, There will not be altar girls, and the only Eucharistic minister will be the Priest. Mass will be preceeded by the Rosery. There will be no visiting in the Church and after mass, all will be silent and kneeling in Prayer. Only Catholic hyms will be sung, there will be no protestant songs.
Our communion in faith and prayer in the Church is of the utmost importance. Anything that breaks our unity with the Church should be absolutely avoided. I hope these clarifications help you understand why you should not be involved in any way with a schismatic movement.
At this point in our History, it almost seems that breaks in Unity are in every direction one may look. "Strike the Shepard, and the flock will Scatter" With all this confusion, it has led us back to the Traditional Mass. I only know that EVERY confirmed Saint who has existed, Lived during the time that the Traditional Mass was said. Therefore, It cant be bad now.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
+ Bishop Stephen Jensen
Please review my heartfelt letter, and know that we would maintain the utmost respect in the use of the Church. Our families would be much In appreciation. The use of the Church, where there are pews, room for confession, and the ability to have our alterboys learn how to serve at mass, again would be much appreciated.
Renting a hall, will work, but it sure is not the same.
May God Bless you, in your decision
Sincerely,
Joe
Topic: Not allowed to use our Catholic Church (Read 1442 times)