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Texas Pastor Removed Over Latin Masses
Seattle Catholic ^ | July 4, 2003 | Peter Miller

Posted on 07/04/2003 9:27:18 PM PDT by Land of the Irish

For a Catholic priest in a small Texas town, it has been a particularly eventful week.

Over the course of three days, Fr. Stephen Zigrang JCL, pastor of St. Andrew's Church in Channelview, has been called into his bishop's office, threatened with suspension, removed from his parish and even forced to defend his mental health to his own father. These unfortunate events have taken place because Fr. Zigrang did something new during last Sunday's Masses — or, more accurately, did something very, very old.

Before each Mass on the morning of June 29th, Fr. Zigrang announced that he would no longer be offering Mass according to the revised missal of Pope Paul VI, instituted in 1969. He proceeded to offer the Mass according to the Roman Missal of 1962 (also called the "Latin", "Traditional" or "Tridentine" Mass). Parishioners who were used to attending a Mass in English, with the priest facing the congregation, witnessed a priest offer a Mass almost entirely in Latin, while facing the altar. Guitar bands and sing-along hymns were replaced by chants and reverential silence. Rather then standing up to receive Holy Communion in their hands, congregants were instructed to kneel and receive the Blessed Sacrament on their tongues. One of the three masses was a sung mass, also called a Missa Contata.

The Diocese Reacts Fr. Zigrang is a priest of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, under Bishop Joseph Fiorenza. Upon hearing of the weekend's events, the diocese reacted immediately. Unable to reach him for most of the day Monday, the chancery sent word to Fr. Zigrang that the bishop would like to meet with him the following morning, July 1st.

Despite advice from others suggesting he be accompanied by a lawyer, Fr. Zigrang went to see the bishop on his own. He was told that he would be suspended and had until the next day to vacate the St. Andrew's rectory. He was provided a letter signed by Bishop Fiorenza and the diocesan Chancellor, Monsignor Frank Rossi, admonishing him for his actions and informing him that failure to "follow the liturgical directives of the Holy See in the celebration of the Eucharist and the other sacraments … is a grave disobedience and threatens the unity of the Church within the parish committed to your pastoral care."

First thing the following morning, the Director of Communications for the diocese, Mrs. Annette Gonzales Taylor, responded to an inquiry from the night before with an email claiming that, "…your inquiry is a bit premature in that Fr. Zigrang has not been suspended. At this time, Bishop Fiorenza and Fr. Zigrang continue to be in conversation."

When reached by phone to clarify the matter, Mrs. Taylor reiterated that Fr. Zigrang was not suspended, is still the pastor of St. Andrew's and no action has been taken against him. She said that she did not know whether he was at the parish today as priests take some days off. When asked why Fr. Zigrang would be (as witnesses claimed) in the process of moving out of the rectory if no action had been taken against him, she did not know.

At some point that same morning, as he was moving out of the parish rectory, Fr. Zigrang was called by Bishop Fiorenza, who recommended that he take a two month leave of duty. It was further suggested that Fr. Zigrang may want to seek psychiatric counseling during this time.

The following day, June 3rd, parishioners found a note on the St. Andrew's church door explaining that there would be no daily Mass or Eucharistic adoration. The note also referenced the name and number of another priest to contact.

Finally, Fr. Zigrang's elderly father was contacted this week by Chancellor Monsignor Frank Rossi, who expressed to him concerns about Fr. Zigrang's psychological well-being.

Past Efforts Fr. Stephen Zigrang has been a priest in the Diocese of Galveston-Houston for over 25 years and pastor at St. Andrew's for the past six. He is a former seminary instructor and has a licentiate in canon law. He was previously a member of the diocesan marriage tribunal where his lack of lenience toward annulment applications brought him into conflict with his peers.

Prompted by years of liturgical research and studies which drew him toward the Traditional Latin Mass, Fr. Zigrang had requested on multiple occasions for the opportunity to offer a public Tridentine Mass in a parish. His most recent request came in January of this year when he sent a letter to Bishop Fiorenza requesting permission to convert St. Andrew's parish in to a traditional parish (dedicated to the practice of the Tridentine Mass and other sacraments) or start such a parish in another location. Six months later, he had still not received a reply.

For the past couple years, Fr. Zigrang has been offering the Latin Mass privately in the rectory at 6:30 each morning. When he attempted to offer a single Latin Mass for his congregation on Sunday mornings, he was ordered by Bishop Fiorenza to stop.

In 1988, responding to Catholics attached to the Traditional Mass and sacraments, Pope John Paul II called for the "wide and generous application" of Latin Masses throughout the Church, but the decision was left up to each bishop on whether or how to implement those directives. Many bishops have refused to allow any such Masses, while some have allowed only limited access.

In the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, home to 1.5 million Catholics and the largest diocese in Texas (eleventh largest in the United States), there is a single Latin Mass offered on Sundays in downtown Houston. Not all believe that these accommodations are adequate to meet their spiritual needs, or in the "wide and generous" spirit alluded to by the Holy Father. Catholics who need to travel great distances with families have requested that the early Mass time be moved or another Mass be added for more reasonable access. Some have requested daily Masses; others Masses on Holy Days of Obligation; and still others a traditional parish, going so far as to locate property and priests available for such an arrangement. These requests to Bishop Fiorenza have reportedly been ignored or denied. The attendants of the Mass also are under certain restrictions, including a prohibition from promoting or advertising the Mass.

Critics point out that this diocese, which prides itself on promoting and celebrating diversity, particularly in liturgical matters, has demonstrated a clear and disturbing exception when it comes to the Tridentine Mass. Although hundreds of Masses are said throughout the diocese in a multitude of languages from Spanish to Chinese, and in a multitude of styles from "Country Music" to "Gospel Spiritual" with little to no concern from the bishop, requests for Traditional Masses are ignored and attempts to offer Masses in Latin quickly and definitively put to a stop.

Parishioners Respond The parishioners' responses to Fr. Zigrang's Latin Masses have been varied. Many were surprised but respectful of their pastor's decision, but there were also some notable negative and positive reactions. Some were openly hostile toward the move, storming out of the church at the beginning of Mass. Members of the musical band which performs at the 10:30 Mass were particularly dismayed (having no role during a Latin Mass), as were lectors and extraordinary ministers. After one of the Masses, a regular guitar player was particularly vocal about the complaint that would be forthcoming to the bishop.

On the other end of the spectrum, other parishioners were greatly appreciative of the opportunity afforded to them. Some old enough to remember when the Mass was in Latin were given a reminder of how much had changed and some of what was lost. Others who had never experienced such a Mass were struck by its simplicity and beauty. At least once attendant commented on the contemplative rather than "entertainment" focus, and another described it as "absolutely beautiful".

Several congregants came up to Fr. Stephen Zigrang after Mass to personally thank him. In what now appears to be his last Sunday at the parish, he gave them the rare opportunity to experience a Latin Mass in their parish, and allowed them to witness firsthand the reason for which their pastor was willing to risk the consequences which would soon follow.

***

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TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholiclist; fiorenza; tridentinemass
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1 posted on 07/04/2003 9:27:19 PM PDT by Land of the Irish
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To: Land of the Irish
Poor Father Zigrang. I cannot believe he is kicked out of his parish for saying the Mass that was said for centuries.

If he would have had a teenage male lover move into the rectory, I wonder what his bishop would have done.

God bless and protect Fr. Jigrang forever.
2 posted on 07/04/2003 9:34:00 PM PDT by katnip ( Even the wimmin here are stupid! Just ask Milan.)
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To: Land of the Irish
Members of the musical band which performs at the 10:30 Mass were particularly dismayed (having no role during a Latin Mass), as were lectors and extraordinary ministers.

Yeah, I just bet they were!

I wonder why the bishop thinks this priest is insane; maybe because the priest actually believes in God?

3 posted on 07/04/2003 9:54:46 PM PDT by B Knotts
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To: Land of the Irish
This is interesting:

http://www.excommunication.net/News_archive/News_Jun_Aug_2001/Bishops_in_Atlanta_2001.htm

The president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Joseph A. Fiorenza, publicly denounced conservative Catholics who have created Web sites on the Internet attempting to rate colleges based on their professors' compliance with the requirement. He called such actions ''dangerous'' and ''harmful'' and said, ''it would be a serious misuse of the mandate by any member of the church if they make it a means of attack rather than of building up the church.''

4 posted on 07/04/2003 10:01:07 PM PDT by B Knotts
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To: Land of the Irish
Topless bible readin', swirling babes around the altar, priests wearing bozo noses... no problem.

A Tridentine mass... string him up.

Pope Piel will make this priest a bishop!
5 posted on 07/04/2003 10:17:22 PM PDT by drstevej
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To: drstevej
The current incumbent "bishop" is a tare. I guess he is too busy playing hide the pedophile to actually follow the Pope's orders. hmm! CC Woody and CDL have their work cut out for them.
6 posted on 07/04/2003 10:22:49 PM PDT by CARepubGal
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To: Loyalist; Maximilian; ultima ratio
Ping!
7 posted on 07/04/2003 10:25:35 PM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah
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To: Land of the Irish; Canticle_of_Deborah
Modernist Rome will never accept the traditional Mass--it is much too Catholic.
8 posted on 07/04/2003 10:32:30 PM PDT by ultima ratio
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Comment #9 Removed by Moderator

To: Land of the Irish
Catholics who need to travel great distances with families have requested that the early Mass time be moved or another Mass be added for more reasonable access. Some have requested daily Masses; others Masses on Holy Days of Obligation; and still others a traditional parish, going so far as to locate property and priests available for such an arrangement. These requests to Bishop Fiorenza have reportedly been ignored or denied. The attendants of the Mass also are under certain restrictions, including a prohibition from promoting or advertising the Mass.

....and then we are told the Tridentine is not wanted or well attended. It's a setup for failure.

Others who had never experienced such a Mass were struck by its simplicity and beauty

As one who falls into this camp, my first Tridentine was an educational and spiritual awakening.

10 posted on 07/04/2003 10:42:16 PM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah
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To: sandyeggo
That was not the right way to go about it.

You are technically correct but it does point out how arbitrary and capricious these bad bishops are. On one hand they run around flapping their gums about priestless parishes yet think nothing of losing a priest for offering a Mass that was approved and encouraged by the Holy Father,granted it was conditoned upon the approval of the bishop,nonetheless. The more I think about it the more unreasonable this resistance to the Tridentine Mass becomes.

The other day on another thread you (I think it was you)suggested we start keeping book on good bishops.I think there were about twenty names of bishops that seemed to be accepted as good and it didn't reach a whole lot of Freepers. meaning there could be quite a few more.

Anyway I would be interested in how many of those considered good,orthodox Catholic Bishops do allow the Tridentine Mass in their dioceses. I would be willing to bet a great percentage of the good ones permit it.It really would be great to define the criteria and then come up with some names that passed the muster,or is it pass the mustard? Well,you know what I mean.

11 posted on 07/05/2003 12:41:22 AM PDT by saradippity
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To: Land of the Irish
I read this priest was heading over to the SSPX and had talking to them for some time, and I suppose this was final farewell to the diocese.

One thing though, despite his supposed talks with the SSPX was how abrupt this was. Being the pastor of his parish for 6 years, he could have done a few things that were completely legal within the current missal to bring the parish closer to tradition. He could have instructed only he and the deacons assigned to his parish to be present at all masses of obligation on Sundays and hand out communion, he could have said the entire Novus Ordo in Latin, he could have even moved the altar to the back wall and said the mass "ad orientum" and even encouraged people to kneel for communion(Rome shot down the supposed ban on kneeling for communion in two strongly worded letters from the CDW). Being in your face like this is not a way to wil allies, doing what Fr Fessio encourages, restoring tradition while working within the framework, is the way to restore the church in a more rapid manner.
12 posted on 07/05/2003 1:50:44 AM PDT by JNB
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To: JNB
Another thing about the diocese of Houston, as with the Archdiocese of San Antonio and the diocese of Fort Worth, is that many traditional leaning Catholics go to the Anglican Use parish' there. While the Anglican Use missal is for the most part the Novus Ordo missal using the queens English, in terms of rubrics, it amounts to a Tridentine mass in the queens English, using fixed altars, use of communion rails and so on.
13 posted on 07/05/2003 1:55:46 AM PDT by JNB
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To: Canticle_of_Deborah
I have only been to one Tridentine Mass. In a city filled with Catholic Churches (NYC), far from being poorly attended, the Church was packed. The congregation mostly had their own latin missals and knew their role well.

A very moving experience
14 posted on 07/05/2003 3:49:55 AM PDT by ventana
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To: B Knotts
You picked up on that as I did. Seems as though the bishop reveals qite a bit in the nature of dead works when he first refuses to discern the Holy Spirit moving and filling one of his priests, also removes the priest after only one or two hours of conversation after a 25 year service, and then lacks the discernment to even consider the difference between spiritual and psychological patterns.

Reads as though the bishop is fallen away as a believer, but sure likes authority and human good.
15 posted on 07/05/2003 4:58:28 AM PDT by Cvengr (0;^))
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To: Alberta's Child; Aloysius; AniGrrl; Antoninus; Bellarmine; BlackElk; Canticle_of_Deborah; ...
PING!

And a big hearty BUMP for Fr. Zigrang, for demonstrating that the good of souls outweighs obedience to an errant bishop!
16 posted on 07/05/2003 6:02:47 AM PDT by Loyalist (Keeper of the Schismatic Orc Ping List. Freepmail me if you want on or off it.)
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To: saradippity
Where is this list of good bishops? I am amazed that there are twenty of them. If compliance with the pope's "wide and generous approval" directive (re: 1962 Roman Missal) is a criterion there must be very few good bishops.
17 posted on 07/05/2003 6:45:08 AM PDT by rogator
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To: katnip
The bishop should have prevented this. Of course the priest is being disobedient,but the bishop is abusing his discretion.
18 posted on 07/05/2003 7:02:19 AM PDT by RobbyS
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To: Land of the Irish
Members of the musical band which performs at the 10:30 Mass were particularly dismayed (having no role during a Latin Mass), as were lectors and extraordinary ministers. After one of the Masses, a regular guitar player was particularly vocal about the complaint that would be forthcoming to the bishop.

Hmmmmm... no role? See the casting director.

Mass is not a performance (the proponents of guitar crap tell us classical people this all the time). If it is being used as such an outlet, then the cantors and lectors are there for the wrong reason and music's purpose is not understood.

IMO, this priest did something wonderful. It's a shame some members of his flock thought of their own gratification before worshipping God. The bishop, OTOH, has USCCB disease.
19 posted on 07/05/2003 7:05:08 AM PDT by Desdemona
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To: B Knotts
Sure, can't give the faithful information--they might find out the truth about corruption at the top. The response is always intimidate, threaten, push your weight around--when stonewalling fails--anything but live according to the Gospels. These hypocrites are the new Pharisees. They need to comprehend that the they are the very kind of "spiritual leaders" Jesus railed against.
20 posted on 07/05/2003 7:21:12 AM PDT by ultima ratio
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