21 July 2021

Mass last Saturday

As I finished saying Mass last Saturday, the morning after Traditionis custodes, the thought struck me: That is the Mass, those were the words, for which our Anglo-Catholic Fathers were persecuted ... in some cases, imprisoned ... An Argentinian pope may be very different from an English former Public School head master, Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury, but how like they both are in their hatred of the Old Mass, and of those who celebrate it.

But then a different and less unworthy thought took over: Those Anglo-Catholic clergy, at worst, spent but a few weeks in prison ... I should be thinking rather of the English Seminary Martyrs ... the rack, the rope, the knife ... the heads on the spikes over the City Gates, the carrion birds, the smell on the wind ...

Then, familiar words of Gregory Dix ... I've quoted them before: "This very morning I did this with a set of texts which has not changed by more than a few syllables since Augustine used those very words at Canterbury on the third Sunday of Easter in the summer after he landed."

Then ... all those Masses during all those Persecutions in all those blood-stained Enlightenments. So many holy priests ... so many gaolers bribed to smuggle in the necessities for a last Mass ... Te igitur for the last time ... blinking, as they took you out into the sunlight ...

There swept over me an enormous sense of privilege; a sense (this is not sarcasm) of gratitude to our Holy Father for reminding me of the wonder of those words which I say every morning. Words so ancient, yet, every morning, so radiant, so new. Words that remake ones inmost being.

Things rarely seem as precious as they do when there are attempts to rob you of them.

God be praised, now and for ever, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

10 comments:

El Codo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
PDLeck said...

@El Codo: Point of order - there is no need to say they were illicit. If they lack validity they automatically lack liceity. Something may be valid but illicit but can never be invalid and licit.

I think the point Father was making is that these men (who truly believed they were offering valid Masses) offered the Mass because it matters and did so with disregard for their own wellbeing and whatever their enemies may assault them with for doing it.

Christopher Boegel said...

Beautiful, Good and True.

Ben of the Bayou said...

Father H.,

As a priest, I very much appreciate your reflection and insight into how something so unjust can, in God's Providence, be turned to such good account.

Anonymous said...

that ego Fr comes from a supreme egotistical frame of mind. Is that not so in this case It is very similar to the actions of newly promoted supervisors, this I know from experience in industry. Usually with good advice they can be trained. Is the Holy Ghost the divine eternal spirit of supernatural love and sanctifying grace at work in the mind and soul of the supreme pontificate, the bishop of Rome?

Unknown said...

Sidney Faithorn Green (1841–1916) was a British clergyman who, during the Ritualist controversies in the Church of England, was imprisoned for 20 months for liturgical practice contrary to the Public Worship Regulation Act 1874.

Ray Kinsella said...

A very fine and enriching critique...huge thanks.

Victor said...

How boringly repetitive you are, "El Codo" ...

ccc said...

Ironically, TC is the first time the Agatha Christi Indult was ever touched, which was for the 1965 Rite with the 67 Tres abhinc annos emendations.

ccc said...

Ironically, TC is the first time the Agatha Christi Indult was ever touched, which was for the 1965 Rite with the 67 Tres abhinc annos emendations.