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Cardinal Mueller on the New TLM Restrictions
The Catholic Thing (TCT) ^ | July 19, 2021 | Cardinal Gerhard Mueller

Posted on 07/19/2021 3:06:11 PM PDT by Marchmain

The pope’s intention with his motu proprio, Traditionis Custodes, is to secure or restore the unity of the Church. The proposed means for this is the total unification of the Roman Rite in the form of the Missal of Paul VI (including its subsequent variations). Therefore, the celebration of Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, as introduced by Pope Benedict XVI with Summorum pontificum (2007) on the basis of the Missal that existed from Pius V (1570) to John XXIII (1962), has been drastically restricted. The clear intent is to condemn the Extraordinary Form to extinction in the long run.

In his “Letter to the Bishops of the Whole World,” which accompanies the motu proprio, Pope Francis tries to explain the motives that have caused him, as the bearer of the supreme authority of the Church, to limit the liturgy in the extraordinary form. Beyond the presentation of his subjective reactions, however, a stringent and logically comprehensible theological argumentation would also have been appropriate. For papal authority does not consist in superficially demanding from the faithful mere obedience, i.e., a formal submission of the will, but, much more essentially, in enabling the faithful also to be convinced with consent of the mind. As St. Paul, courteous towards his often quite unruly Corinthians, said, “in the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, so as to instruct others also, than ten thousand words in tongues.” (1 Cor 14:19)

This dichotomy between good intention and poor execution always arises where the objections of competent employees are perceived as an obstruction of their superiors’ intentions, and which are, therefore, not even offered...

(Excerpt) Read more at thecatholicthing.org ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Religion & Culture; Worship
KEYWORDS: tc
Intellectual commentary by former CDF head.
1 posted on 07/19/2021 3:06:11 PM PDT by Marchmain
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To: Marchmain

“The provisions of Traditionis Custodes are of a disciplinary, not dogmatic nature and can be modified again by any future pope.”

Very important statement there.


2 posted on 07/19/2021 3:13:12 PM PDT by Bayard
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To: Marchmain

This is gonna piss off a lot of Catholics who support TLM. I guess Frankie forgets the New Order is only 60 years old and ppl are still alive who remember the old Mass. To pretend the New Order is the correct method of saying Mass is ridiculous when TLM has been the practice for centuries. Thank God popes aren’t in charge all that long.


3 posted on 07/19/2021 3:15:47 PM PDT by Prince of Space (Irish lives matter!)
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To: Prince of Space

It’s not just people who remember the old days now though. Lots of younger people want the old rite, this heavy handedness is actually a black eye for plenty of people who wanted BXV’s moto proprio modified.

This is going to be one of those actions that will be remembered for a long time.


4 posted on 07/19/2021 3:21:23 PM PDT by Bayard
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To: Marchmain

The dumbing down is almost completed.


5 posted on 07/19/2021 3:23:25 PM PDT by samadams2000 (Get your houses in order.)
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To: Marchmain

You know, Muller has taken a fair amount of heat from the Catholic right for not having more backbone, but darn it, he moved up a notch with me for this line: “Instead of appreciating the smell of the sheep, the shepherd here hits them hard with his crook.”


6 posted on 07/19/2021 3:26:50 PM PDT by irishjuggler
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To: Marchmain

This is a really good essay.


7 posted on 07/19/2021 3:27:54 PM PDT by Campion (What part of "shall not be infringed" don't they understand?)
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To: Prince of Space

Not just old people who remember the pre-Vatican II days; the TLM has a strong following among younger Catholics who grew up on Novus Ordo.


8 posted on 07/19/2021 3:35:43 PM PDT by I-ambush (From the brightest star comes the blackest hole; you had so much to offer, did you offer your soul?)
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To: Marchmain

At what point do individual Catholic Churches break away from a rogue, out-of-control Pope? I’m not Catholic but I’m just wondering.


9 posted on 07/19/2021 3:39:51 PM PDT by \/\/ayne (I regret that I have but one subscription cancellation notice to give to my local newspaper)
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To: Marchmain

Thank you for this article. The Cardinal said what needed to be said. God bless him.


10 posted on 07/19/2021 3:56:00 PM PDT by married21 (As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.)
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To: \/\/ayne
That's technically called "schism". We hope it won't happen.

What _should_ happen is that the cardinals should get together and reign him in, with the implied threat that he can be found to have lost his office by heresy. (There is significant evidence for that.)

He will be out of the picture before too much longer anyway ... the old-fashioned way.

11 posted on 07/19/2021 4:05:22 PM PDT by Campion (What part of "shall not be infringed" don't they understand?)
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To: Prince of Space

The Vatican under the command of Pope Francis is busy rebuking ownership of firearms for personal protection to the cheers of Islamic followers as well as decrying attempting any evangelical conversion of islamists plus suppressing followers of the pre Vatican 2 liturgy form including the latin mass But when it comes to other forms of mono theistic beliefs such as the One World Abu Dhabi Movement. Francis refuses to say one word disclaiming and decrying what practice adherents of the Islam code Sharia not only claim, but truly believe that God has authorized them to any evil means using force or deception used to convert is justified as well as kill those who refuse to submit to their version of Gods will .

By refusing to encourage Islamiic conversion mocks the message and sacrifice Our Lord made to establish the new covenant be made.


12 posted on 07/19/2021 4:17:44 PM PDT by mosesdapoet (AKA Lee J Keslin posting in the hopes comments get passed around )
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To: irishjuggler

Catholics on the “right” often want dramatic, critical, adjective-laden tirades like we hear from Voris, Vigano and other “trads.” Guys like Benedict and Muller are way above that, they have the brilliance that doesn’t require flamboyance.


13 posted on 07/19/2021 4:17:54 PM PDT by Marchmain (TLM refugee)
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To: Marchmain

The issue seems fairly similar to what is going on in many Protestant churches. They tailor the services toward what they think the people not attending want, and ignore and demonize those attending who desire a more traditional service. The powers to be think if they can just provide better entertainment, a more upbeat message, more people will come.

The existing traditional attendees, many who might disagree, are labeled with a bunch of derogatory terms. Repentance and obedience lessons are applied only to those who question the leaders’ plans. They do want the traditionalists’ money, however, to implement their mighty growth plans. Many of the traditionalists are discouraged, but continue to reluctantly to come. All, the while the churches lose attendance and can’t figure out why.

I have seem church leaders focus on making the distribution of their members match the community as opposed to ministering to their flock. Churches seem to have gotten away from taking care of their sheep. If they take care of their sheep, it seems to me you will end up with more sheep. Does it matter what the makeup of the sheep are?

I am not a Catholic, but have been tempted (perhaps not the best word) the last six months to start attending a TLM service once a month. It seems like it could be a good place to reflect. I would not go to be entertained. It is a fairly long distance, so I have resisted.


14 posted on 07/19/2021 4:20:47 PM PDT by alternatives?
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To: alternatives?
Your observations are apropos.

Another aspect of it ... the TLM is very un-worldly. It's a lot of ancient music and ancient prayers in a dead language. It's vestments that look like nothing anyone wears on the street. It's incense and sometimes just reverent silence.

Done well, in an appropriate venue, it's like a time machine that has dropped you in 12th century Europe (without needed to worry about lice or smallpox!) for an hour and a half a week. Know what? Many people like the idea of a religious experience that takes them out of the modern world for awhile. They consider it refreshing. It's like a little foretaste of heaven, which is exactly what it's supposed to be.

In walks Vatican II, with the idea that the liturgy needs to be "inculturated" (why? what happened to the idea that Christians are only visitors in this foreign country, this "vale of tears" as the prayer calls it? maybe I want to be made ready for the "culture" of heaven and pulled away from the culture of earth?) and made "relevant" so we can "actively participate" in it. And out goes the idea of the liturgy as some spiritually-refreshing escape from the world for 90 minutes a week.

The story goes that, when the pagan Russians sent out emissaries to see what religion they should adopt, their emissaries came back from Constantinople and said, "We knew not whether we were in Heaven or on Earth… We only know that God dwells there among the people".

Note: They didn't care whether it was "inculturated" or "relevant" ...

15 posted on 07/19/2021 4:32:43 PM PDT by Campion (What part of "shall not be infringed" don't they understand?)
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To: \/\/ayne

that would make one not Catholic. The Catholic thing to do is do what Cardinal Mueller pointed out. Pope Francis Letter is purely Disciplinary, so while one has to accept it in practice, I don’t to have to agree with it and can actually work for ways to help the Traditional Liturgy survive. So while there is no TLM Parish in my Diocese, rather than send Money to Pope Francis Papal Appeal which is a yearly appeal every year that every Catholic Parish has (Peters Pence), I will send my money to a TLM Parish even if it is not in my Diocese.

This Pope, by God’s Providence has as of yet made no ex Cathedra Pronouncements nor thank God has he called a Council. So while Pope Francis is still alive, I am praying for him now and also praying for the repose of his soul (which usually one does not start doing till someone has actually died).


16 posted on 07/19/2021 4:41:09 PM PDT by CTrent1564
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To: Prince of Space; Bayard; I-ambush
As I wrote elsewhere, the irony of this, is the Traditionaliats (nor, I suspect, the vast majority of the Catholics who don't read America) were fine with leaving the TLM situation alone. Most people viewed the TLM folks as homeschoolers, old fogeys, conspiracists, young families with scores of kids, Sedivacantists, Luddites, Vatican II haters etc who were harmless...odd, but harmless. Yea, maybe they threw a wooden statue in the Tiber but the thing was ugly and it had mammalian protuberances on it. Coexist, as the stupid bumper sticker goes, right?

Aaaaand so...regular Catholics wake up on Saturday wondering "what the heck did these people do to cheese off the Pope?"

Someone will reply "The Pope thinks their attending the TLM is a rejection of Vatican II."

To which these Catholics would reply "he's just realizing this NOW? Boy, is he slow. Even I knew that, but they never bothered anyone." I think Francis will find no wellspring of enthusiasm for this tactic...what ever happened to tolerance?

Now, Francis knows the TLM folks won't roll over easily. So, the REAL question is....what trap has he set in anticipation of revolt, and how can he be outsmarted?

We will soon find out...he has his moles...but Traditionalists have theirs, too.

17 posted on 07/19/2021 5:13:48 PM PDT by DoodleBob (Gravity's waiting period is about 9.8 m/s^2)
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To: DoodleBob

The traditionalists have some more powerful Allies as well.


18 posted on 07/19/2021 5:51:11 PM PDT by I-ambush (From the brightest star comes the blackest hole; you had so much to offer, did you offer your soul?)
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To: \/\/ayne

Do you mean parishes? They will not break away, instead some of their congregation will defect and go to SSPX.


19 posted on 07/19/2021 7:30:56 PM PDT by Marchmain (TLM refugee)
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To: Campion

The Vatican II Council itself was arguably schism, led by heretic antipopes!
“Put that in your pipe and smoke it” as the old saying goes.
(In that light who IS Mueller but one schismatic criticizing another!?)


20 posted on 07/20/2021 7:03:32 AM PDT by Repent and Believe (...unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish. - Jesus (Luke 13:3))
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