COOK COUNTY, Illinois (LifeSiteNews) — A Catholic coalition has come out in support of priests desirous to continue to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass following new restrictions issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (CDWS) against the old rite.
The Coalition for Canceled Priests, a U.S. based Catholic organization of lay people and clergy “dedicated to spiritually and materially supporting faithful priests who seek to return to active ministry after being unjustly canceled by their bishop,” issued a powerful statement entitled “Response to Bergoglio’s Christmas Massacre” following last Saturday’s announcement by the Vatican of harsh restrictions on the Traditional Mass and sacraments.
“We will support priests who feel they cannot go along with the draconian restrictions placed on the celebration of the ancient rite,” said the statement., adding that the coalition will also “help any Catholic priest who feels he cannot, in good conscience, go along with ‘jab’ mandates.”
LifeSiteNews will hand-deliver this petition to the Holy See, recording the moment traditional Catholics from around the world stood up for the Traditional Latin Mass.
Pope Francis has issued a new decree, "Traditiones Custodes," severely restricting the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM).
Please SIGN and SHARE this petition with other Catholics, and ask the Pope to reconsider this new and divisive Motu Proprio.
Pope Francis' decree clamps down hard on the TLM. In it, he effectively does away with Pope Benedict's protection of it, handing bishops in every diocese the right to suppress it, while demanding new priests get permission from their bishop and the Vatican to offer the Mass of the Ages.
As Catholics who value Tradition and know the place of the Magisterium in safeguarding the Deposit of Faith, it is time to speak up and have our voices heard.
Francis has decried rigidity and intolerance for years, but now is showing intolerance and rigidity himself by forcing his very narrow understanding of liturgy on one of the true sources of good fruit in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church.
Our Lord said that "a bad tree cannot bear good fruit", and yet we see more and more souls drawn to Christ through the TLM, with marriages dedicated to God and open to many children, and vocations also abounding in traditional seminaries, orders and priestly societies.
Indeed, the Traditional Latin Mass has been a source of unity for the Catholic Church for more than 1500 years, producing great saints, repentant sinners, and souls won for Christ across the world. *Read below how Benedict XVI decried attacks against the TLM and its adherents.
To attempt to restrict the Traditional Latin Mass, as a new generation are rediscovering the treasures of God's Church, will inevitably cause further division and hurt among the faithful, risking the loss of some souls who will regretfully turn away.
Souls are now at stake with this Motu Proprio, as some will drift away from the Deposit of Faith in disillusionment, while others that are far from God will never be touched by the profound beauty and reverence found in the Traditional Latin Mass.
Please SIGN and SHARE this petition to Pope Francis, urging him to reconsider his decision, not least for the good of souls and the glory of God, and making sure as many cardinals support the TLM as possible.
Click "Show Petition Text" on the right to read the letter to Pope Francis.
Finally, please pray, fast and do penance for the salvation of souls, including that of our shepherds, during this turbulent time in Church history.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
'BREAKING: Pope Francis abrogates Pope Benedict’s universal permission for Old Mass' - www.lifesitenews.com/news/pope-francis-abrogates-pope-benedicts-universal-permission-for-old-mass
'ANALYSIS: Pope restricts ‘divisive’ Traditional Latin Mass, says 52-yr-old Novus Ordo is ‘unique expression’ of Church’s liturgy' - www.lifesitenews.com/news/analysis-pope-restricts-divisive-traditional-latin-mass-says-52-yr-old-novus-ordo-is-unique-expression-of-churchs-liturgy
* Pope Benedict XVI (Spirit of the Liturgy, 2000):
"For fostering a true consciousness in liturgical matters, it is also important that the proscription against the form of liturgy in valid use up to 1970 [the older Latin Mass] should be lifted. Anyone who nowadays advocates the continuing existence of this liturgy or takes part in it is treated like a leper; all tolerance ends here. There has never been anything like this in history; in doing this we are despising and proscribing the Church’s whole past. How can one trust her at present if things are that way?"
**Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com
Here is the full statement from Coalition for Canceled priests’ press release:
While there will be much commentary in the next several days and weeks to the dreck that was just released by the Congregation for Divine Worship in regard to the so-called dubia about the Traditional Latin Mass, the Coalition for Canceled Priests wants to make clear to all priests of good will that we will support priests who feel they cannot go along with the draconian restrictions placed on the celebration of the ancient rite, both the Mass and the other Sacraments. This is especially true for priests who are part of the so-called Ecclesia Dei communities. The Roman Catholic Church is not governed by legal positivism. The laity cannot be silent to this illegal act. One main reason many priests have been canceled is their support of tradition. The Coalition will not stand for this outrageous and unnecessary attack on traditional priests and laity. We strongly encourage the laity, who attend only the Novus Ordo Missae and might wonder what this has to do with them, that this attack on so called traditional Catholics is an attack on all faithful, orthodox Catholics. It is time for all faithful Catholics to stand side-by-side and truly unite the clans through uncompromisingly upholding and faithfully living the holy traditions that have been handed on to us by our ancestors in the Faith. Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle. -2 Thessalonians 2:14
We also want to make clear that the Coalition will help any Catholic priest who feels he cannot, in good conscience, go along with “jab” mandates.
Please pray and fast for Pope Francis that his heart will be melted and he will truly become the shepherd and father (papa) that we all need.
Our Lady, Queen of the Clergy, Pray for Us!
St. John the Baptist, Pray for Us!
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