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About Fr. Timothy Johnson
Expertise
A Traditional Catholic Priest, validly and licitly ordained, incardinated legally and canonically in the Diocese of Fargo, and in good-standing with my Local Ordinary (Bishop) on active assignment at a rural Tri-Parish. I can provide honest and balanced answers to questions on topics pertaining to Traditional Roman Catholicism of the Latin Church (Councils of Trent and Vatican II)and a lot about the Eastern Catholic Churches, including the Sacred Liturgy, Sacred Scripture, Church History, the use of the Latin language, the tradition of Sacred Music, and current events in the Catholic Church from a traditional, historical and balanced perspective.

Experience
I have been ordained a Roman Catholic Priest since June 2001, and so am entering into my 7th year of Sacred Ministry.

Organizations
Knights of Columbus; Church Music Association of America (CMAA)

Education/Credentials
Ordained Priest, 02 JUN 2001; Ordained Deacon, 27 JAN 2001; MA - Dogmatic/Systematic Theology; MDiv - Professional Degree from Seminary; 2-Years formation with Canons Regular of Premontre including studies and experience in Sacred Liturgy, Chant, Latin, Sacraments, Spirituality. BA - Scholastic/Thomistic Philosophy; BA - Liberal Arts; AA - General Studies.

Past/Present Clients
I serve 3-small, rural Parish Communities in Easter North Dakota
I converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1981, at the age of 15. Over the years I have done work as an organist, cantor, and choir director for the Latin Rite (English & Latin) Mass (Liturgy of the Eucharist), and even for the Hours of the Divine Office. I have worked as a cantor for a Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church. Presently my pastoral and administrative duties as a Catholic Priest do not allow me as much time as I used to have to devote to Sacred Music; but for my weekend Masses and Solemnities within my Tri-Parish, I offer High Sung Mass in English. Weekday Mass is typically Low Mass (recited Mass) in English, though on occasion I will offer the "Tridentine Mass" in Latin, which I usually offer on my "Day Off", as well. And now, in light of the "Motu Proprio" by his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI placing the extraordinary usage of the Roman Rite back into the mainstream of the Catholic Church, I have been offering a regularly scheduled SUN, 2:00 PM Tridentine Latin Mass with a community of the faithful that has a stable existence.

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Catholics - Excommunication and recommunication

Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 10/29/2009

Question
Dear Father Johnson;
I was excommunicated sometime around 1987, along with about 1250 to 1500 other Catholics, mostly for refusing to recognize the treatises of Vatican II and for refusal to stop celebrating the TLM. Or maybe it was for ignoring the Bishop's directive, I really can't remember all the details.

My question is, am I able to be recommunicated with the Holy Church? I am also not yet confirmed and I am almost 50 years old! I am praying that in the spirit of the Vatican permitting traditional worship once again that perhaps my sin may be forgiven.

Is there any hope at all for me? After all, the SSPX seems to have one foot in the door at the Vatican, so perhaps there exists a glimmer of hope for the rest of us traditionalists?
Your servant in Christ our Lord;
Darryl

Answer
Hi, Darryl:
Thanks for the question...
Of course one may be received back into full communion with the Catholic Church. In your case, I would suspect that the process needs to be undertaken through the local ordinary, the Bishop. The purpose of excommunication is to bring a person to repentance, to be restored eventually back to full communion with the Catholic Church. This would be taken care of, ultimately, in the Sacrament of Confession with a Priest who has faculties and jurisdiction to hear confessions and to give absolution and to lift the penalty of excommunication. I wish you the very best, and I hope that you will make the effort to go through the process to come back to full communion with the Catholic Church. You will need to look into the matter of the ACTUAL content of the documents of Vatican II, for if you receive them in continuity with the prennial Catholic Tradition, you will see that there is no real contradiction. You will likely come to realize that many excesses and exagerations done in the name of Vatican II are not in fact authentic.

Fr. Timothy Johnson

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