Novus Ordo or Nothing

Novus Ordo or Nothing

Last year Pope Benedict XVI released "Summorum Pontificum”, which stated that the Tridentine Mass “should be made available in every parish where groups of the faithful desire it.” Not surprisingly, many bishops and pastors have ignored the papal directive. (http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0804776.htm)

“’We're only looking at one calendar year, and we know that in the church these things take time. But the problem -- dare anyone say this? -- the problem is the bishops. Because you have bishops who aren't on board,’ said John Paul Sonnen, an American Catholic who lives in Rome.”
Traditional Catholics should expect this intransigence to continue. After all why would the same bishops who allowed, and in some cases even encouraged, the destruction of the Latin Rite be eager to welcome it back?

Sacrosanct is how post-Vatican II changes in the Church are viewed by many in the episcopate. This is particularly true in the case of Novus Ordo. Many bishops battle opposition to Novus Ordo the way they would combat Aryanism or some other heresy. When it is not silenced by the powers-that-be, criticism about Vatican II’s implementation is met with the lame explanation that choices were made in the “spirit of Vatican II”.
The Spirit of Vatican II. How is that for an amorphous concept?

Novus Ordo is not doctrine, nor is it consistent with the liturgy as it was celebrated for many centuries prior to Vatican II. It can and should be changed. Am I advocating the complete elimination of our current liturgy? No, I do not believe that going back to the Latin Rite as it was is the answer. Even those who supported the Tridentine Mass in the first half of the 20th century acknowledged that changes to the Mass were necessary. But the refusal of many clergy to offer the Latin Rite is an indication of how little interest the current generation of bishops has in hearing the concerns of those who do not believe that Novus Ordo sufficiently honors the Lord.

Sadly, Traditional Catholics will have to wait for these bishops to retire or pass away before Pope Benedict XVI’s directive is honored worldwide.

Donald Tremblay