On the Traditional Latin Mass, Liturgical Abuse and Suffering …

Traditional Latin Mass by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, available from http://fssp.org.

I have just returned from Holy Mass with the Institute of Christ the King, here in Madrid. The Institute is one of the traditional Catholic societies of priests devoted to the Latin Mass.

I feel so nourished by this Mass. So deeply nourished, physically and spiritually, that my soul is singing.

Nourished by the beauty of the chapel. Nourished by the beauty of the vestments and altar. Nourished by the beauty of the liturgy. And of course nourished by the floods of Sanctifying Grace, bestowed upon us as we participate in the traditional Latin Mass.

To receive Holy Communion in this way, at the traditional or Extraordinary Form of the Mass is like being in heaven itself.

And yet, as I was reminded by a priest the other day, such expressions of the Tradition are very much ‘minority’ these days. In other words, most Catholics do not partake in or experience the Traditional Latin Mass.

Now, Roger wrote recently of the Sanctifying Grace of daily communion – a practice that I too follow. Yet, to receive this daily Sanctifying Grace, I suffer.

I suffer, because I do not have the funds or the time, because of family and work, to make the two hour return journey to and from the Institute of Christ the King Mass each day.

This means, that if I want to receive daily communion, I must attend the local Novus Ordo Mass, as well. As I say, this causes me to suffer.

For, whilst I feel so deeply nourished and bathed in sanctifying grace with the traditional liturgy, I unfortunately often feel stripped by the modern liturgy.

So, why do I go? Because, however much I may feel stripped by the liturgy, the bare altars, or appalling architecture, I notice a radical difference in myself, when I don’t receive Holy Communion daily.

Now, there are many priests and bishops including the Holy Father, who celebrate the modern Mass with dignity and reverence. And there are many beautiful churches in which this liturgy is practiced.

Yet, the local church that is most accessible to us, lacks beauty altogether. In fact, it is quite abrasive to the senses. And the liturgy I’m afraid, is mediocre and banal. The Sanctus is sung here to the tune of Help by the Beatles.

Yet, if I do not receive daily communion, my heart feels less charitable, for I do not feel so close to our Lord.

I used to feel angry at what could be termed liturgical abuses. Each time the priest left the altar or sanctuary during Holy Mass, each time the priest omitted part of the liturgy, each time a pop song was sung, or the Sanctus sung to a pop tune …

I would become hot and begin to fume.

Then, I met a priest, a priest, who is struggling so much, as his spirit is with the Tradition, yet he is the Curé of a large French parish.

When this priest spoke to me of his involvement with his diocese as a whole, he said that he really suffered. He suffered the Masses administered by other priests, who prefer the modern liturgy. Whilst I fumed, he suffered.

This helped me so much, as I felt ‘Yes’, this is what Our Lord did on the Cross, He suffered. He did not fume. He suffered the wrongs.

When this priest spoke these words, “I suffer”, it penetrated my heart and has become a practice for me.

So now, when I begin to feel the heat rising, I attempt to feel the pain of what is happening, in my heart. And when I succeed, I become soft and tender, weeping silent tears, rather than becoming bitter and hard.

Again, it does not mean that what is happening is okay – far from it. This liturgical abuse is serious.

Yet, I think it better to attempt to be like Our Lord and respond through suffering, as He did on the Cross. And to meditate profoundly on His words: “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do”.

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