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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Attending Latin Mass	Catherine	Thursday, December 16, 2004
Question: Hi Brother, Recently, I got married to a Catholic man. We are planning to have children as soon as God gives them to us. However, we are concerned about the environment that we will be raising them in - especially our church environment. The parishes in our diocease are really, really liberal. When ever there is an orthodox priest, people complain and the bishop transfers him. My husband and I are concerned that our children will have these liberal ideals impressed upon them, so we are considering attending the Latin Mass (celebrated by the FSSP), because we feel it would be easier to teach them respect of God and of the Mass there. Is this acceptable for us to do? On a previous question you said that not respecting all types of Mass is wrong and could possibly result in a sin. Is what we are planning to do disparaging to the current Mass? We aren't intending that, it's just the liberalness of the priests that really turns us off of them. Thanks. Catherine
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Catherine: I praise God that you are concerned about the environment your children will be exposed to. This is indeed a concern for every parent. In my previous answers about the Mass, I was referring to respecting all valid Masses and indeed we need to do that. Even if there are liturgical abuses, if the Mass is valid Jesus is present. It is Jesus, not the priest, who makes the Mass holy. This, however, is not to suggest that we are to tolerate liturgical abuses. The Pope has recently affirmed that the Faith have a right and a duty to report liturgical abuses to the bishop or to Rome itself. My other suggestion is that we should not automatically leave our local parish because of liturgical abuses. Since Jesus is there, why leave Jesus alone with the abusers? This notion is meant to suggest we not go "parish shopping" too quickly. There are, however, circumstances that may warrant changing to another parish. Some people may not have the spiritual maturity or tenacity to deal with the liberalism and thus may place themselves in spiritual danger if they remain in a liberal parish where they cannot receive orthodox spiritual nourishment. Another time when going to another parish can become important is when one has children. Children are VERY vulnerable to liberal contamination. Thus, as a duty of parenthood to protect our children, we may need to find another parish. You can go to any other parish with a valid AND licit Mass. Masses according to the Roman Missal of 1962 (Tridentine Mass) are valid and are licit if the Bishop grants permission for the parish to offer the "Latin" Mass. The SSPX (Society for St. Pius X) are schismatics not in communion with Rome and do not have permission to offer the Tridentine Mass. Catholics are obligated to stay away from SSPX parishes and chapels. The FSSP (Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter), on the other hand, is approved by the Vatican and is approved for the Tridentine Mass. Thus you may freely attend the FSSP Parish. Attending the FSSP Parish does not, in itself, constitute a disparagement of the normative Mass. Your concern is not for the normative Mass, which is valid, licit, and holy in itself, but for the abuses of the normative Mass; the Mass itself is fine, it is some of the priest who say it who are not. Such a concern is legitimate. There is no problem attending the FSSP parish. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Attending Latin Mass

Catherine

Thursday, December 16, 2004

Question:

Hi Brother,

Recently, I got married to a Catholic man. We are planning to have children as soon as God gives them to us. However, we are concerned about the environment that we will be raising them in - especially our church environment. The parishes in our diocease are really, really liberal. When ever there is an orthodox priest, people complain and the bishop transfers him.

My husband and I are concerned that our children will have these liberal ideals impressed upon them, so we are considering attending the Latin Mass (celebrated by the FSSP), because we feel it would be easier to teach them respect of God and of the Mass there.

Is this acceptable for us to do?

On a previous question you said that not respecting all types of Mass is wrong and could possibly result in a sin. Is what we are planning to do disparaging to the current Mass? We aren't intending that, it's just the liberalness of the priests that really turns us off of them.

Thanks.

Catherine

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Catherine:

I praise God that you are concerned about the environment your children will be exposed to. This is indeed a concern for every parent.

In my previous answers about the Mass, I was referring to respecting all valid Masses and indeed we need to do that. Even if there are liturgical abuses, if the Mass is valid Jesus is present. It is Jesus, not the priest, who makes the Mass holy.

This, however, is not to suggest that we are to tolerate liturgical abuses. The Pope has recently affirmed that the Faith have a right and a duty to report liturgical abuses to the bishop or to Rome itself.

My other suggestion is that we should not automatically leave our local parish because of liturgical abuses. Since Jesus is there, why leave Jesus alone with the abusers?

This notion is meant to suggest we not go "parish shopping" too quickly. There are, however, circumstances that may warrant changing to another parish. Some people may not have the spiritual maturity or tenacity to deal with the liberalism and thus may place themselves in spiritual danger if they remain in a liberal parish where they cannot receive orthodox spiritual nourishment.

Another time when going to another parish can become important is when one has children. Children are VERY vulnerable to liberal contamination. Thus, as a duty of parenthood to protect our children, we may need to find another parish.

You can go to any other parish with a valid AND licit Mass. Masses according to the Roman Missal of 1962 (Tridentine Mass) are valid and are licit if the Bishop grants permission for the parish to offer the "Latin" Mass.

The SSPX (Society for St. Pius X) are schismatics not in communion with Rome and do not have permission to offer the Tridentine Mass. Catholics are obligated to stay away from SSPX parishes and chapels.

The FSSP (Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter), on the other hand, is approved by the Vatican and is approved for the Tridentine Mass. Thus you may freely attend the FSSP Parish.

Attending the FSSP Parish does not, in itself, constitute a disparagement of the normative Mass. Your concern is not for the normative Mass, which is valid, licit, and holy in itself, but for the abuses of the normative Mass; the Mass itself is fine, it is some of the priest who say it who are not.

Such a concern is legitimate. There is no problem attending the FSSP parish.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum