Posted on 10/05/2006 7:44:07 PM PDT by Coleus
NORTH CALDWELL-A new church at 103 Gould Ave., calling itself "St. Anthony of Padua Church," is not recognized by the Archdiocese of Newark, archdiocesan officials announced Sept. 6.
Citing the sign at the front of the church that reads "St. Anthony of Padua Church, Roman Catholic Traditional Latin Mass," Rev. Msgr. Robert E. Emery, J.C.L., vicar general and moderator of the Curia, stressed the church "is not connected or affiliated with Saint Anthony of Padua Chapel in West Orange."
The West Orange chapel, earlier this month, celebrated the sacrament of Confirmation in the archdiocese according to the traditional pre-Vatican II rite (see The Catholic Advocate, Sept. 6). As reported, Archbishop John J. Myers two years ago designated the West Orange chapel as a site for the celebration of the Latin Mass and sacraments according pre-Vatican II tradition.
Despite the sign in front of the North Caldwell structure, Msgr. Emery stressed that "this is not a Roman Catholic Church." It is the result, Msgr. Emery went on, "of a split from Saint Anthony of Padua Chapel by those parishioners who were upset when the chapel reconciled with the Archdiocese of Newark in 2004 following the death of Rev. Paul Wickens, its founder."
The church in North Caldwell, explained Msgr. Emery, started as "Saint Anthony of Padua Mission" with services in the Fairfield VFW Hall until the recent purchase of a former Lutheran church building in North Caldwell. It is staffed by a priest provided by the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), Msgr. Emery said. The Society is not in communion with the Universal Church.
"There is confusion between the SSPX church in North Caldwell and the archdiocesan-recognized chapel in West Orange because of the similarity of names," Msgr. Emery explained. "The SSPX church was organized not just because of a desire to worship according to the traditional Latin Mass but because what its members believe is the corruption of the 'Novus Ordo Church.' Many, if not most of its members, are sede vacantists who deny the validity of Novus Ordo, the revised Rite of Ordination, and the present pope," Msgr. Emery said.
This whole situation is sad.
Do you have a link to the actual article or was it only in the print version?
Just the print version. I couldn't find a link on the webpage.
SSPX aka Mel Gibson's buddies.
The disgust I feel for Msgr. Emery is beyond words!!
Why? Is there anything that he said that is not true?
It's all untrue, and I'm not going down that volatile road of debate regarding the taking of St. Anthony's in W. Orange. It was my parish and we were forced out. Happily, we managed to get another brick and mortar church recently.
I know first hand the angst and misery our parishoners went through.
That's all I'll comment with on this subject.
It made me sick to read it too.
May the new St. Anthony's flourish and be a great contribution to Fr. Wicken's legacy!
I do not understand. What in the article is not factual?
You will notice that the notice spoke of the members of St. Anthony's, not the priest or SSPX. Is this questioning of the validity of the Novus Order and revised Rite of Ordination truly absent from St. Anthony's? What was the need to separate from the original chapel in West Orange?
Pass the peptobismal this way too.
Great website. Thanks for providing the link.
If you are not a sede vacantist then you must accept the divinely appointed authority of Pope Benedict. He recognizes Archbishop Myers as the proper bishop in Newark who thus exercises legitimate authority over all Catholics under his jurisdiction. Why, then, object if he has assigned a priest to St. Anthony of Padua Chapel in West Orange? Do you have knowledge that the present pastor holds to an unorthodox theology? Do you hold that all the priests of the Archdiocese are corrupt?
In the last two years have there been any abuses in the celebration of the Mass or questionable preaching to question that the chapel in West Orange is "a truly Roman Catholic parish with complete fidelity to the traditional Mass, dogma, and unchanging Magisterium of the eternal Roman Catholic Church"?
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