I understand that everyone has their own opinions, but I think too many opinions today are poorly-formed and WAY out in left field.
We all need to get back to basics.
What do I mean by that?
The Novus Ordo Missae is harmful to the Catholic Faith, and must be avoided. We have years of proof what happens to the faith of those who attend.
So we must leave our local parishes, and we can't follow our local bishops or even the Pope, if he is indeed the Pope after embracing such heresies and helping to destroy the Church with his own hands.
What should we laymen do? Well that is pretty clear-cut. We must keep the Faith, or we will end up in Hell. Beyond that, all other activity (fixing the Church, figuring out if the Pope is really the Pope, etc.) is extra credit AT BEST and better to be left alone at worst.
So we must set up -- or find -- chapels where the Tridentine Mass, the Mass as it existed before the Vatican 2 changes, is said. Which missal? Who cares! A missal from before the changes, so our souls aren't damaged. It doesn't matter if you go with 1962 or 1955. They both lack all Novus Ordo elements and Vatican II spirit/changes. This is about preserving our Faith, not joining a club!
And yes, part of the Crisis in the Church is the fact that priests aren't formed as they used to be. So we need priests formed in a TRADITIONAL way. Our priests must know the faith, so we need to require that they have attended some kind of Traditional seminary. The Council of Trent was clear on this requirement: priests must be formed in a seminary. And also note: Novus Ordo seminaries are as defective as the Novus Ordo Mass itself.
And the priest saying your Mass must be a valid priest! Otherwise the whole "Mass" is just a simulation. It is true that changes were made to the Rite of Ordination/Rite of Consecration, so to be safe we should find priests who were ordained in the traditional Rite by a traditionally ordained bishop.
Conclusion: we must go to Mass every Sunday if possible, in a place where the pre-Vatican II Mass is said by a valid priest with a Traditional formation.
Beyond that, it's all fluff!
Now that doesn't mean there aren't acceptable-good-better-best options available within a 2 hour driving distance, for some lucky Catholics (depending on geographical location). For these lucky Catholics, they can CHOOSE which option is best. Maybe the priest is a bit better here, the group is a bit better there. Maybe this group is more uncompromised, is more consistent with the Traditional position, or has a better prospectus for future existence/growth. But those are accidentals and don't affect the most important point: the Mass itself. I'm not saying all Mass options are equal. If you have a choice, choose the better one. But you don't stay home from Mass unless you have no other options. The Sunday Obligation isn't a suggestion.
But, long story short, when you find a Mass like this, YOU GO! End of story.
See what I mean about accretions and baggage having entered the house of Tradition? In 1975, EVERY TRAD CATHOLIC who claimed the name would have RAN, NOT WALKED to attend Mass at this chapel.
If a Trad Catholic from 1975 were transported to 2015, he would be utterly confused by many people's behavior today. He would understand the ongoing fight for Tradition (i.e., the Resistance) but he wouldn't understand the red-light position at all. He certainly wouldn't understand red-lighting or boycotting perfectly good Tridentine Masses said by unquestionably valid priests.
But, like the SSPX, many Trad Catholics today have acquired baggage, group loyalties, and other accretions and some have truly lost their way. They have completely lost sight of the big picture.
Caption for the picture below
Important, but not pictured: priests who serve this chapel were trained 6 years in a traditional seminary, and ordained by a traditionally-ordained bishop.
Topic: A Letter to Bp. Faure (Read 18089 times)