Expert: Fr. Michael - 7/16/2008

Question
Dear Father,

My faith in the Catholic Church was shaken when I found out that it was only with permission a priest could say the
Traditional Latin Mass.  If it was Holy and Sacred than it
should be Holy and Sacred now.  It's like they wanted us to
forget what they taught us.  

Why did they do that Father, why does it feel so wrong when
I went to Catholic Church and the tabernacle is in a side room, people are receiving communion in the hand standing, and it's not mixing with what or how I was raised.

Also what do we do if there is no Traditional Mass near us?  

Answer
The short answer is that the Church (what many now call Newchurch as opposed to the Catholic Church) tried to impose the Protestantized New Order service of Hannibal Bugnini without the Church's having any authority to do so.  From earliest times the principle has been that the Sacred Liturgy as handed down from the Apostles, elaborated by the early Fathers of the Church, could not be changed in any significant way, even by the pope.  Vatican I, when defining papal infallibility, confirmed the general principle of the limitation of the papal authority.

If there is no Traditional Latin Mass near you, you do not attend the invalid New Order service, but keep holy the Lord's Day as best you can.  For much wise guidance in these matters, see the TRADITIO Traditional Roman Catholic Network at www.traditio.com.  In the Library of Files there, particularly look at POPELIM and ABSENT and MASSLAT.