Monday, December 18, 2006

Dying Indults

Over the past couple of days, news has reached me of the impending death of two different Indult Mass locations: San Fernando Mission (L.A. Archdiocese) and Prince of Peace (Greenville, SC). Sad news indeed.

These two Mass locations have different reasons for cutting back (or closing). The SC location's priest has lost support of another priest who covered for him during the 5 p.m. Indult slot. He will only be able to offer the Indult once per month. The L.A. location is now closed by its Ordinary. (ahemm ...)

Yes, I know about the rumors of the Motu Proprio, and I will believe it when I see it. There have been too many rumors over the past 6 years.

However, the closings/cut-backs described above lends some credibility to the rumors. The lines are being drawn. The players are picking their team. The fighters are choosing a corner.

The circumstances are being arranged in such a way that those true Indult locations (not FSSP or ICR) will have a very difficult time satisfactorily justifying their existence to their Ordinary. Whether it is fear of the M.P. or vindication, these Ordinaries are cutting any and all ties to Tradition.

If/When the M.P. is issued, it will be the beginning of the war for Catholicism, not the end.

4 comments:

Steve said...

If it's a war they want, then it's a war they'll get. And if it's a slow and ugly war of attrition, there's a backup plan.

Our large families will continue to be fruitful and multiply, and in several generations we'll simply overwhelm them.

James said...

I agree. Demographics are definitely in our favor. Christianity is built on generations, and does not rely on 40 years of flux.

The aging liberal will soon no longer have a dog in this fight. The baby-boomers and younger are ripe for evangelization.

george said...

In Montreal, the indult mass is dying too. It's too far, it's too early, the priest is too old, the church is too ugly, it's a repair of old and strange people, hélas where were once thousands of parishoners there is now no more than a houndred faithful.

James said...

Unfortunately, what you describe is also the case. By placing the Indult in an out-of-the-way and ugly church, assigning an over-age priest, and failing to reign-in the Traddie kooks, a bishop indirectly stamps out Tradition in his diocese.

The seed of genuine interest in Tradition then fails to germinate in faithful Catholics