We must remain resolute! - "Reform of the Reform"

Two days ago we celebrated the third anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI's Motu Proprio: Summorum Pontificum. Blogs all across the Cathologosphere were in a happy and celebratory mood, and for good cause. Since the promulgation of that decree many great blessings and fruits have sprung forth in the faith. Even in places like here in Alaska, there are a few regularly celebrated Masses according to the usus antiquor. Aside from the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, we have also seen a return to more ancient and orthodox practices across the devotional spectrum. Such things as chant, polyphony, chapel veils, and the Liturgy of the Hours has seen a resurgence amongst the lay faithful. Many of these fruits can be attributed to Summorum Pontificum and the overall direction and charism of Pope Benedict, which some call the "Reform of the Reform.

Unfortunately we cannot rest on these laurels, in fact the detraction and opposition have only intensified because of these events. If you don't believe me, I completely understand. At first, I thought this whole, "enemy within" talk was mostly rhetorical. The idea of the "Reform of the reform" to me was more about changing hearts and minds in a purely intellectual sense. To me, I didn't see the type of "heels dug in" opposition that so many blogs talked about. Sure I saw resistance, but I saw it in a priest here, or a bishop there. Something that time and age would surely eliminate in short order. That was until I happened to read two articles on the National Catholic Reporter, or as some refer to it as "The Fish Wrap." [NB: As someone that lives in Alaska, we would NEVER wrap a salmon in newspaper; salmon deserve better, such as a plastic bag.] Now, I don't recommend or CONDONE reading the NCR...ever, but I will link to them for their illustrative purposes, today only. I happened to stumble upon these two

The first article is: Catholic Social teaching finds Church leadership lacking. I was less concerned by the article, which was a talk given be: Bishop Kevin Dowling of Rustenburg, South Africa. It essentially attacks the leadership and hierarchy of the Church. Accusing them of straying from the ideas promulgated, or at least in his vision, from the Vatican II council documents. It doesn't concern me, because we see this all the time. Not only that, but it is logically bankrupt. He is essentially saying that Vatican II was a true and proper council of the Church, and because the Church in it's entirety drew up the documents it is correct, oh and by the way this is what it means, not what the hierarchy is saying that it means. He attacks self-interpretation through his own interpretation; therefore logically problematic. Rather than attacking the teachings and ideas that Pope Benedict and other strong Cardinals, Bishops, and Priests have been espousing, he attacks the people. In essence, this is an elaborate and sophisticated ad hominem attack on the Church hierarchy. So no, it doesn't bother me all that much... what got to me was the comments. People are GUSHING with support and thanks for this article. They are beside themselves and view the past 40 years since Vatican II as some wasteland of oppression and "conservatism." Kind of makes you wonder how they found a good orthodox church and you can't, doesn't it?

Now some might say, "But this is one Bishop, and one group of people." Well, the NCR themselves feel the same way, because in this very issue they printed an NCR Editorial (meaning it speaks for the paper) entitled: "A hierarchy deeply damaged from within." It essentially points the finger at a few people, but aside from one or two it is more general. It mentions Pope Benedict over and over, without explicitly accusing him as a cause, but the casual reader would get the sense that he is a problem, if not the problem. Again, gushing comments. People connected the dots on the two articles and declared that it was "Two home runs in one day" for the NCR. They have no problem denouncing Bishops and Popes out of one side of their mouth, but then supporting individual Bishops that agree with them, on the other.

These ideologues shook me a little. Not because I am afraid, but because I didn't know how many of them there were, and how widespread they existed. Call me naive, call me foolish, I really thought that we were rounding the corner on this and they were slowly going the way of the buffalo. I stand corrected. There is a mighty opposition, and they have only be antagonized by this Pope and this "reform of the reform." The distortion and perversion these folks were able to construct after Vatican II, through societal influence, pop culture, and a disaffected youth, have taken up roots in the Church. They surely may be a dying breed, but this doesn't mean that they aren't a force to be dealt with.

I recently wrote a priest, who is young and newer to the priesthood. He blogs, he celebrates the Mass in a huge suburban parish int he Novus Ordo, and also celebrates the Extraordinary form in Sacred and old churches within the inner city. He was telling me that he thinks about something when he gets excited at the strives we are taking as a Church, and then stumble on the the adversity, just like I have here. He told me that when he was in Europe looking at the very old Cathedrals, that are huge and beautiful he learned that many took decades and decades to build. Some took as long as 150 years to build. This was done at a time when people had very little means, but would give their entire "fortunes" to the Church to see such buildings built. They would work their entire lifetime and never see them finished, but knew that the job was important, because it was for God and it was for their family and the Church. He then gave me the cartoon on the left, that he said makes him think about this situation and realize that we are moving forward, but we have a long way to go.

So stay strong, stay resolute, and don't be dismayed by the adversity we may face. We will face adversity. We are the Church Militant, and we dont become the Church triumphant until the battles have been waged and the enemy is cast down. It will be hard and arduous, we will get dirty, tired, and worn, but don't give up. Our victory is assured, we know that, God tells us so. So remain resolute, we will one day be a part of the Church Triumphant.