The Bishop's Weekly Column from the Parish Bulletin

OUR LADY OF FATIMA

CATHOLIC CHURCH

"We've been 40 years in the desert..."

part three

January 5th, 2008

Before reading an article written by myself, bear in mind I'm English and NOT an American ! Though we kind of speak the same language, the British sense of humor is very dry, so dry in fact that Americans who do not understand the British temperament mistake the humor for vengeful and biting sarcasm. Not a few people have reacted that way when reading the first post in this series or some of the other articles that sally forth from sunny Spring Hill. Happily, however, one correspondent understands the "Britishness" of the author and wrote for clarification and made a few suggestions which I would like to share with readers here. I offer my opinions in the usual green text.

Dear Bishop,

I read with interest your column today regarding the former MSM nuns who have separated themselves from CMRI and have begun a new religious order. I regret I'm unable to view the full article as I believe it's not online and I don't think my parish has it on the magazine rack in the vestibule (I'll check on it though!). If I've read your column correctly, you seem to feel that the SMMC nuns will not be able to function as a traditional order in the Roman Catholic Church. Did I read/interpret this correctly?

I thank you for the opportunity to set the record straight. First, from sources that I cannot name, I know the Sisters were offered "Traditional" help but turned it down in favor of the diocese of Spokane. The Spokane diocese is, to say the least, not Trad friendly. I don't know for sure, but I believe the Motu proprio has yet to be applied there. The diocese has at least three venues, not in union with Rome, that offer the traditional Mass, but no officially sanctioned one. I used to know a priest up there who would tell me tales of what was going on in the local churches. I need to point out I spent over a year in Spokane and know the place fairly well but my knowledge of the current situation is patchy at best.

The first post in this series merely quoted the article itself which said that the SMMC sisters had regularized but not because of the MP and that they had switched to the NOM. I only know what I read. If this isn't true then the article is to blame not me. Whether they are functioning as Trads I do not know, the implication in the article that they were not. Again it's the CWR article not me that implies this.

First I think it's admirable that the sisters are learning about post Vatican II religious life. I'm sure they DON'T want to repeat the same mistakes other religious orders obviously have done! There are several branches of mainline women's religious orders which are dying and will die out within the next couple of decades. Natural attrition and lack of incoming postulants is pretty plain. I'm seeing it with local Franciscans, some branches of the Dominican Order, Ursulines etc. The sad part of it is that they MUST see it coming and yet continue to stick their heads in the sand! "Nope, not happening here!"

There are also Trad orders that want the exclusive old way of doing things flourishing within the Roman Communion - that is they have opted for Tradition not for novelty. I still maintain that to follow the experiments of the 60s will lead to exactly the same decomposition. One of the reasons that Rome decided to free up the Trad Mass was because of the vocations they saw flocking to the Trad communities. By the French Bishops' own statistics the Trads in France are so numerous that they could staff two entire dioceses ! Even liberal bishops have to wise up one day. What I find strange is that with the resurgence of Tradition, some Trads would opt for the new way at this stage in the game.

At the same time there are some CONSERVATIVE religious orders which are flourishing! The Nashville Dominicans continue to grow as does another branch in Michigan! Mother Angelica's Poor Clares are another example of a growing order--and they're cloistered!! In fact her order now has branches in the South West and also in southern Ohio. What are these groups doing that the others aren't?

1) They wear a religious habit as a visible sign of their consecration. (SMMC does too!)
2) They have a clearly defined community/prayer life (SMMC is working on it, apparently)
3. They have an apostolate: teaching, perpetual adoration, etc. (SMMC must be working on that too!)

I believe that there is an order (Benedictine?) of nuns who are recognized by the Roman Catholic Church but use the Traditional Mass, Office in Latin etc. as part of their lifestyle. I saw it recently on the Internet but I don't recall where it's located (could it be Kansas??)

Let's go back to the MP again: the pope allows for religious communities in the NOM to become exclusively old rite usage if that is what the members want. Why do you think he put that provision in ? Clearly he hopes religious communities will adopt the old usage. If the Pope wants religious communities to consider switching, why switch from the old to the new ?

Personally I think the SMMC nuns are going to make it! I think they'll survive and find some work that will enhance their lives and those of others. I think they'll be able to attract vocations once they've gotten things squared away and become that visible presence wherever they locate. Let's give them a little more time! Permit them to learn from the mistakes of other religious orders. Thank you for reading, Bishop! God bless!

A priest friend, (who is an American with a decidedly English temperament) wrote this facetious sentence recently: "The presence of lace is directly proportional to the presence of Tradition: the more lace, the more tradition; the less lace the less Tradtion..." Trads of all kinds are beginning to think a conservatively dressed pope is turning more things around than the liturgy. In reality, though, the Church is in a crisis:

1/ Crisis of Faith - clerics of all ranks teaching heresy, lay people indoctrinated with it.

2/ Crisis of Morals - think of Boston and now LA or even (gasp) Spokane !

3/ Crisis of obedience - the Pope issues the MP and a large part of the world's bishops effectively tell the pope to jump in the Tiber.

No we are far from "crisis resolved" and to make an accommodation at this point is extremely risky it seems to me !

Hey I wish these women all the best - I sincerely do - I know 13 of the 15 personally - I bear them no malice, I pray that all goes well with them but I foresee problems. I just hope I'm wrong and not the grinch who stole the new year good will towards all !

+TF