Author Topic: Father Ringroses Letter to Father Rostand (Read 6879 times)

DAW · « **on:** December 17, 2012, 11:49:03 AM »

The following was read and distributed to parishoners at St. Athanasius Church in Vienna, VA, on Sunday, December 16th:

November 9, 2012

Dear Father Rostand,

Thank you for your letter of October 12 in which you offer to meet to discuss the situation within the Society of St. Pius X. While this is a very kind offer on your part and I appreciate it very much, I don't think such a meeting will serve any meaningful purpose, since the problems stem from the Society's top leadership, and you are not in a position to change that.

It is true that I have been a strong supporter of the Society for many years. This support was based on the fact that my mission as a priest, and the Society's mission were one and the same, to help souls hold onto the Catholic faith during this time when it appears to have been abandoned by post Vatican II Rome.

Now I have to be more cautious and reserved in that support. I am alarmed that the Superior General would say that 95% of Vatican II is acceptable. I am astounded that the Society's leadership would respond to three of the Society's bishops by suggesting that they are making the errors of Vatican II into a "super-heresy." I am disappointed that the Society's response to Assisi III was so weak and anemic. I am saddened by the Society's unjust disciplining of priests who are following the example of Archbishop Lefebvre, and I am outraged at the treatment of Bishop Williamson -- not just his recent expulsion, but the shabby treatment he has gotten over the past few years.

Prior to this year, when asked about the Society by an inquiring parishoner, I always gave the Society a green light. Given the Society's recent actions, I do not yet give the Society a red light, but I do give a yellow light of caution. The red light will come if and when the Society allows herself to be absorbed into the Conciliar Church that Archbishop Lefebvre so vigorously resisted.

It is with great sadness that I write these words. There are many good, zealous, faithful priests within the Society's ranks. Many of them I know personally and admire. Many souls depend on them. It is out of love for the Society that I fear for her future. I fear that she is on a suicidal path. The leadership may think that a deal is off the table, but I fear that is not the thinking of Rome.

I pray for the Society to return to the mission given her by Archbishop Lefebvre without compromise or hedging. When she does, she will have my unreserved support.

May God bless you and Our Lady watch over you.

Fraternally yours,

Rev. Ronald J. Ringrose

Elizabeth · « **Reply #1 on:** December 17, 2012, 11:58:42 AM »

Thanks for posting this. We couldn't shake it yesterday, the sorrow. Fr. mentioned a new SSPX chapel here in town?

ServusSpiritusSancti · « **Reply #2 on:** December 17, 2012, 12:12:01 PM »

Thank you for posting this, DAW. God Bless Fr. Ringrose.

Sigismund · « **Reply #3 on:** December 17, 2012, 12:15:41 PM »

Is Fr. Ringrose a member of the SSPX or an independent?

DAW · « **Reply #4 on:** December 17, 2012, 12:18:11 PM »

Elizabeth,

The SSPX offered a mass in Rockville, MD, yesterday. I don't believe it was celebrated in a chapel but in a non-permanent location. They never before felt the need to offer such a mass as they knew Father Ringrose at St. Athanasius took care of souls seeking the traditional Catholic faith in the area. Just as "in olden days" the conciliarists would offer a mass near any newly-instituted SSPX chapel to lure away the faithful, so the SSPX seems to have learned from the Vatican II church to play the same game. And indeed a notice was sent to certain St. Athanasius faithful announcing the SSPX mass in Rockville. This seems to be the SSPX response to Father Ringrose's letter to Father Rostand.

I have attended St. Athanasius Church for close to 28 years. Father Ringrose has not changed his teaching since my first day there. So who has changed?

DAW

ultrarigorist · « **Reply #5 on:** December 17, 2012, 12:20:53 PM »

Quote from: Elizabeth

Thanks for posting this. We couldn't shake it yesterday, the sorrow. Fr. mentioned a new SSPX chapel here in town?

Yea, apparently Fr. Rostand's reply was to set up shop down the street from St. Athanasius.
I don't know if they intend that to be a permanent arrangement, but it says a lot.

Sorry for roughly a repeat of DAW's post, crossed in the ether.

Matthew · « **Reply #6 on:** December 17, 2012, 12:24:29 PM »

Anyone who has any doubts about "who is in the wrong" regarding the SSPX crisis -- you can put them to rest now.

It's clearly the SSPX leadership that has changed.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #7 on:** December 17, 2012, 12:40:16 PM »

Quote from: DAW

Elizabeth,

The SSPX offered a mass in Rockville, MD, yesterday. I don't believe it was celebrated in a chapel but in a non-permanent location. They never before felt the need to offer such a mass as they knew Father Ringrose at St. Athanasius took care of souls seeking the traditional Catholic faith in the area. Just as "in olden days" the conciliarists would offer a mass near any newly-instituted SSPX chapel to lure away the faithful, so the SSPX seems to have learned from the Vatican II church to play the same game. And indeed a notice was sent to certain St. Athanasius faithful announcing the SSPX mass in Rockville. This seems to be the SSPX response to Father Ringrose's letter to Father Rostand.

I have attended St. Athanasius Church for close to 28 years. Father Ringrose has not changed his teaching since my first day there. So who has changed?

DAW

Dear DAW,

Actually I need to process this...I was not certain this was said, because there were babies and my kids rustling simultaneously.

:cry: :cry: :cry:

Do you know when Old St. Mary's began the Indult? I know it was there 18 or so years ago..

Rockville, "There's no 'there' there."

Incredulous · « **Reply #8 on:** December 17, 2012, 12:49:03 PM »

Quote from: DAW

The following was read and distributed to parishoners at St. Athanasius Church in Vienna, VA, on Sunday, December 16th:

November 9, 2012

Dear Father Rostand,

Thank you for your letter of October 12 in which you offer to meet to discuss the situation within the Society of St. Pius X. While this is a very kind offer on your part and I appreciate it very much, I don't think such a meeting will serve any meaningful purpose, since the problems stem from the Society's top leadership, and you are not in a position to change that.

It is true that I have been a strong supporter of the Society for many years. This support was based on the fact that my mission as a priest, and the Society's mission were one and the same, to help souls hold onto the Catholic faith during this time when it appears to have been abandoned by post Vatican II Rome.

Now I have to be more cautious and reserved in that support. I am alarmed that the Superior General would say that 95% of Vatican II is acceptable. I am astounded that the Society's leadership would respond to three of the Society's bishops by suggesting that they are making the errors of Vatican II into a "super-heresy." I am disappointed that the Society's response to Assisi III was so weak and anemic. I am saddened by the Society's unjust disciplining of priests who are following the example of Archbishop Lefebvre, and I am outraged at the treatment of Bishop Williamson -- not just his recent expulsion, but the shabby treatment he has gotten over the past few years.

Prior to this year, when asked about the Society by an inquiring parishoner, I always gave the Society a green light. Given the Society's recent actions, I do not yet give the Society a red light, but I do give a yellow light of caution. The red light will come if and when the Society allows herself to be absorbed into the Conciliar Church that Archbishop Lefebvre so vigorously resisted.

It is with great sadness that I write these words. There are many good, zealous, faithful priests within the Society's ranks. Many of them I know personally and admire. Many souls depend on them. It is out of love for the Society that I fear for her future. I fear that she is on a suicidal path. The leadership may think that a deal is off the table, but I fear that is not the thinking of Rome.

I pray for the Society to return to the mission given her by Archbishop Lefebvre without compromise or hedging. When she does, she will have my unreserved support.

May God bless you and Our Lady watch over you.

Fraternally yours,

Rev. Ronald J. Ringrose

This humble, straightforward letter appropriately summarizes the current situation.

I hope I get to meet Father Ringrose one day.

SeanJohnson · « **Reply #9 on:** December 17, 2012, 01:26:24 PM »

Quote from: DAW

Elizabeth,

The SSPX offered a mass in Rockville, MD, yesterday. I don't believe it was celebrated in a chapel but in a non-permanent location. They never before felt the need to offer such a mass as they knew Father Ringrose at St. Athanasius took care of souls seeking the traditional Catholic faith in the area. Just as "in olden days" the conciliarists would offer a mass near any newly-instituted SSPX chapel to lure away the faithful, so the SSPX seems to have learned from the Vatican II church to play the same game. And indeed a notice was sent to certain St. Athanasius faithful announcing the SSPX mass in Rockville. This seems to be the SSPX response to Father Ringrose's letter to Father Rostand.

I have attended St. Athanasius Church for close to 28 years. Father Ringrose has not changed his teaching since my first day there. So who has changed?

DAW

Indeed!

PartyIsOver221 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 17, 2012, 01:54:45 PM »

I heard this letter live in mass from him. God bless Fr Ringrose

TKGS · « **Reply #11 on:** December 17, 2012, 02:06:19 PM »

Quote from: Sigismund

Is Fr. Ringrose a member of the SSPX or an independent?

Fr. Ringrose has never been a member of the SSPX. He is an independent priest. He received, however, conditional ordination from Archbishop Lefebvre. This information can be found in the book "Priest, Where is Thy Mass? Mass, Where is Thy Priest" published by The Angelus Press, a book written by the SSPX about several non-SSPX traditional priests. At one time, not so long ago, the SSPX did not positively fight independent traditional priests.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #12 on:** December 17, 2012, 02:52:54 PM »

Quote from: PartyIsOver221

God bless Fr Ringrose

Matthew · « **Reply #13 on:** December 17, 2012, 02:58:56 PM »

Yes, the SSPX fighting or competing with independent priests is certainly a new development.

Something "happening". Something "real".

Not a maybe. Not a rumor.

PartyIsOver221 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 17, 2012, 03:09:33 PM »

His sermon was this exact letter. It was very poignant, clear, and direct. Everyone in the pews were silent and eyes focused on him standing at the lectern on the Mary side of the church.

There is action underneath the surface , he's a reserved man but ready to do what he needs to in order to protect his flock.