Mass of Ages Print Edition - Spring 2019
Mass of Ages is the quarterly magazine of the Latin Mass Society. It contains reports on our many activities across the country, national and international news of Traditional Catholic events, feature articles on different aspects of traditional Faith and culture, and opinions and views on developments in the Catholic Church.
In this issue: • We print the text of Bishop Athanasius Schneider’s talk last year to a meeting of Voice of the Family • We publish an extract from Leo Darroch’s book Una Voce: The History of the Foederation Internationalis Una Voce 1964-2003 • Neil Addison meets the Syro-Malabar Catholics of Liverpool • The cover picture of the Slipper Chapel’s statue of Our Lady of Walsingham highlights an article in which Rogation days are explained and we are encouraged to be labourers to restore England as Our Lady’s Dowry
“When there is no battle, there is no Christendom” writes Bishop Schneider, “The Baltimore Catechism teaches us: ‘We are called soldiers of Jesus Christ to indicate how we must resist the attacks of our spiritual enemies and secure our victory over them by following and obeying Our Lord.’
“In the time of the Fathers of the Church the Christians were aware to be spiritual soldiers of Christ and to fight for the truth, even at the risk of one’s life. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem told the catechumens: ‘You are to be enrolled in the army of the Great King’ (Catech. 3, 3). The Christian duty to fight against the sin, the errors and the temptations of the world, includes also the fight against the errors inside the Church, i.e. the fight against heresy and ambiguity in doctrine.… Our weapons are the weapons of justice, and these are the weapons in first place of prayer and of a saintly life, the weapons of the spiritual help of the Holy Angels, the weapons of the sacred science, of the sacred apologetics, the weapons of righteous and honest individual and collective protests against the de-Christianisation and moral degradation of society.”
“Useless bickerings” - in this extract from his work, Leo Darroch summarises the Una Voce Newsletter of February 1971, which came from the pen of its President, Eric de Savanthem. “In glancing through the different ‘traditionalist’ publications which waited on his desk he [Eric de Saventhem] had noted a tendency, on the part of certain spokesmen of the so-called ‘moderate’ groups to criticise those who, like Una Voce, considered the maintenance of the Mass of St Pius V a matter of cardinal importance. It was argued that since the reigning Pontiff had approved the reform of the Mass in every particular, the resulting orthodoxy of the New Ordo was guaranteed. To say that the New Ordo was ‘favouring heresy’ was, therefore, tantamount to implying that the reigning Pontiff was either gravely derelict in his duty to protect the faith or was himself a victim of heretical leanings. Such implications were—it was being suggested— incompatible with the loving respect and unwavering obedience which every faithful Catholic owes to the Pope, and whoever held such views could not therefore be counted among those who fight pro Pontifice et Ecclesia.”
“…the ‘useless bickerings’ seemed to have their ultimate source in an understandable divergence of views on the nature of liturgical legislation. It is possible and legitimate to see it as a mere matter of discipline—and this was possibly the view of Pope Paul VI and of the majority of the bishops. It is, however, equally possible and legitimate to see it as straddling the fields of discipline and Magisterium and as being subject, therefore, to the stricter standards applying to the latter. This was the view taken by the Una Voce Federation, by Itinéraires, by Der Fels, and by many others, all of whom considered themselves to be fighting pro Pontifice et Ecclesia no less than those who chose these words for their motto.”
“One of the many peculiarities of Vatican II” writes Neil Addison, “is that, whilst the liturgy in the west was dramatically recast with little regard for tradition, a completely different approach was taken towards the liturgies of the 23 Eastern Churches who are in full communion with Rome. In Orientalium Ecclesiarum Eastern Catholics were exhorted to ‘cherish’ their historic traditions and it was noted that ‘practices sanctioned by a noble antiquity harmonize better with the customs of the faithful and are more likely to foster the good of souls.’ Unfortunately, as we are all aware, these wise principles of Orientalium Ecclesiarum were ignored in the west. One of the Eastern Churches which has taken these principles to heart is the Syro-Malabar, Church which has put a lot of effort into preserving its identity and rites amongst a wide spread Diaspora. The name combines their origins in the South West Indian state of Kerala, historically known as the ‘Malabar Coast’ with their use of the ancient Syriac Rite, hence ‘Syro- Malabar’.
“The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he send labourers into his harvest.” Luke 10:2 “Bringing forth life is the essence of vocation, whether this is by physical or spiritual parenthood. Seeking to unite our ‘yes’, our FIAT with that of Our Lady in Walsingham is the rogation for the harvest of souls in our nation. Our Lady invites each one of us to participate in her joy of the Annunciation, the joy of a rich harvest and banquet to come. Walsingham is a centre par excellence to rogate. A centre point to disern, deepen and dedicate your vocation, uniting your particular call in union with the Mother of God. The Walsingham Way opens an invitation to participate in the conversion of the nation, Mary’s Dowry, which is destined to have her ancient splendour restored once again.”
Also in this edition:
The Chairman announces new initiatives for 2019.
Joseph Shaw reviews the recently published book by Katherine Galgano The Devil Hates Latin.
Anne-Marie Mackie Savage reviews a new novel The Egyptian Guide: From Jihad to Joy.
Andris Amolins of Una Voce Lativia gives a special report on how the Traditional Mass has returned to that country.
Our regular columnists:
• In her Art and Devotion series, Caroline Shaw looks at Descent from the Cross by Peter Paul Rubens
• Mary O’Regan on Saving Ireland’s Unborn
• Paul Waddington visits the church of St John in Wigan
• The Lone Veiler on why Great New Ideas are usually no such thing at all
• Alberto Carosa on the 7th International Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage to Rome
The magazine is free of charge but, when added to the shopping cart, you will be charged a small amount of money to cover postage.
