Ten years ago a 35 year old priest made that statement to me. Within 12 months he had left the priesthood. In a previous conversation he had confided: "If only I could say the Latin Mass instead of the Novus Ordo, I would be happy."
In the 22 years since I returned to the 'Traditional' fold, I have known many, many priests who have suffered just because they wished to offer up the TLM/EF, call it what you will - the Latin Mass, the Mass of all time!
So, just what are the pressures facing our priests who wish to say the Latin Mass?
For a start, pressure comes from within the parish; generally just one or two agitators who foment gossip and a campaign of whispers against the priest. This is hurtful in the extreme. A priest lives a life (generally) of social isolation; when he goes back to the presbytery at night, he only has his own company to keep. No wife, no children, no structure of care. Yes, of course, he has the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle but he still has a need for human contact - at the right level and knowledge that his flock are with him in spirit.
The next step comes in the form of letters sent (normally from this small group) to the Bishop. It is also the norm for the letters to go straight to the Bishop without warning the priest of their intention. The first he knows about it is when his Lordship gets on the phone.
Phase 3 is the the parish petition; again, normally put into force without the courtesy of consulting with their pastor. The few agitators involved stand outside Church on a Sunday soliciting support from all and sundry. They also 'network' amongst themselves and whip up more hatred.
Phase 4 involves lobbying the local convent. Many Nuns seem to have lost any respect for the priest. The agitators know this and are not slow to take advantage. They know that the Nuns also often have a direct line to the Bishop and are potent allies.
Phase 5 may well involve the local Catholic Primary School. If the priest teaches in the classes from time to time, and if he teaches the faith in a traditional (orthodox) fashion, he will often fall foul of the Headteacher who will complain to the Bishop that the priest is "teaching 1950s style". I know of a priest who was actually dispossessed of his parish as a result of this.
Phase 6 concerns the Bishop himself. Most appear opposed to the EF Mass and have made no attempt to explain and expand on Summorum Pontificam - the average Catholic is unaware of the significance attached to it and, anyway, wants the status quo to continue. I will not go into the actions that many Bishops have taken to obstruct or deny their priests the opportunity to offer up the EF Mass. Suffice to say that they are legion.
I sometimes wonder how all those concerned in making a priest's life hell on earth can square their consciences in the confessional. It makes it very hard for lapsed Catholics or Non Catholics to comprehend how we can claim to be Christ's own Church and yet harbour such unChristian actions. And, at times, it makes me ashamed to think how we the laity have sat back and done nothing.
In the 22 years since I returned to the 'Traditional' fold, I have known many, many priests who have suffered just because they wished to offer up the TLM/EF, call it what you will - the Latin Mass, the Mass of all time!
So, just what are the pressures facing our priests who wish to say the Latin Mass?
For a start, pressure comes from within the parish; generally just one or two agitators who foment gossip and a campaign of whispers against the priest. This is hurtful in the extreme. A priest lives a life (generally) of social isolation; when he goes back to the presbytery at night, he only has his own company to keep. No wife, no children, no structure of care. Yes, of course, he has the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle but he still has a need for human contact - at the right level and knowledge that his flock are with him in spirit.
The next step comes in the form of letters sent (normally from this small group) to the Bishop. It is also the norm for the letters to go straight to the Bishop without warning the priest of their intention. The first he knows about it is when his Lordship gets on the phone.
Phase 3 is the the parish petition; again, normally put into force without the courtesy of consulting with their pastor. The few agitators involved stand outside Church on a Sunday soliciting support from all and sundry. They also 'network' amongst themselves and whip up more hatred.
Phase 4 involves lobbying the local convent. Many Nuns seem to have lost any respect for the priest. The agitators know this and are not slow to take advantage. They know that the Nuns also often have a direct line to the Bishop and are potent allies.
Phase 5 may well involve the local Catholic Primary School. If the priest teaches in the classes from time to time, and if he teaches the faith in a traditional (orthodox) fashion, he will often fall foul of the Headteacher who will complain to the Bishop that the priest is "teaching 1950s style". I know of a priest who was actually dispossessed of his parish as a result of this.
Phase 6 concerns the Bishop himself. Most appear opposed to the EF Mass and have made no attempt to explain and expand on Summorum Pontificam - the average Catholic is unaware of the significance attached to it and, anyway, wants the status quo to continue. I will not go into the actions that many Bishops have taken to obstruct or deny their priests the opportunity to offer up the EF Mass. Suffice to say that they are legion.
I sometimes wonder how all those concerned in making a priest's life hell on earth can square their consciences in the confessional. It makes it very hard for lapsed Catholics or Non Catholics to comprehend how we can claim to be Christ's own Church and yet harbour such unChristian actions. And, at times, it makes me ashamed to think how we the laity have sat back and done nothing.
Thank you for your excellent anaysis of this cruel and appalling situation. I had long suspected that such machinations were going on.
ReplyDeleteI think the problem has grown with the power of the Parish Council, or Committee, who have, as you say, a hotline direct to the Bishop, who may well be (in my eyes, at least) half protestant.
As to your last paragraph, I guess a self-righteous conscience is easily squared.
Sorry - typo - analysis!
ReplyDeleteIt is very sad that priests are denied the opportunity to say the Latin Mass, but it seems like a poor reason to become laicized.
ReplyDeletePatrick - I agree but, at the time, this priest was being put under terrible pressure from his Bishop, just for saying the occasional Latin Mass and for adopting an orthodox approach to his flock. There may have been other issues as well, I am sure.
ReplyDeleteI don't think any of us can even begin to guess at the psychological pressure put on good men.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I am sure that most of us have come up against or have witnessed such bullying by a boss who takes against a hard-working and diligent employee for no great reason.
The victim will often leave the job or become so cowed that he or she becomes ineffectual. It isn't easy to ride it out, even with the quiet, behind-the-hand support of colleagues. How much more mentally sapping for someone bearing this in isolation.
I am sad that the faithful have lost this priest, and more, because of the abuse of power. Don't ever believe that clericalism went away.
It is exercised subtly by using "complaints" from parishioners (never stated how many) about the priest to beat him down or to remove him.
Remember the case of the head teacher of a London primary school who complained to the bishop about a couple of priests who told children they should receive Holy Communion on the tongue.
Their feet didn't touch the ground as they were kicked out of their parish.
The analysis rings true. On one blog recently, a priest claimed that 25 priests in the diocese can celebrate the EF with the full blessing of the bishop. Yet a brief glance of the LMS site for said diocese reveals a different picture. Everyone knows that if the EF was ‘forced’ on parishes tomorrow, within 6 weeks the OF would be forgotten. The majority of Catholics attend Mass out of a sense of loyalty and duty not because they want to see the priest’s gob, hear terrible sermons or sing interminable hymns.
ReplyDelete