Speech to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
During the Latin Mass Society’s Pilgrimage to Rome, October 2002
Francis Carey
Your Eminence,On behalf of the Latin Mass Society, I would also like to thank you for all your efforts on behalf of the Traditional Latin Mass. We are truly grateful. When we last met with you, we did not realise that you were shortly to join the Commission “Ecclesia Dei,” and it was with great joy that we heard of this appointment. Since that time, two short years ago, much good has happened. Above all, the reconciliation of the Bishop and priests of Campos, and the subsequent consecration of a co-adjutor Bishop. In Scotland, after the appeal to you from Una Voce Scotland, it was just a few weeks ago that the new Archbishop of Glasgow, Archbishop Conti, celebrated publicly the Traditional Latin Mass, and publicly defended the right of the laity to ask for it. In England, there has been less progress, but we do have 11 diocese where the Mass is available every Sunday, and Dom Andrew Southwell has been able to establish a Mass Centre in Oxford and also to provide Spiritual Direction to a group of Traditional Catholic Families which bodes well for the future... In some places, one can almost ignore the modern Mass, and live a life of spiritual fulfilment.
We do, however, have a question for the Holy Father. The question, suggested by our visit to Rome, is “Quo Vadis?” - “Where are you going?” We see extraordinary things in the Church today. We see appalling ignorance of the Faith. A recent study estimated that 90% of children in Catholic schools lapse from the Faith within one year of graduation. Quite amazing! Yet our Bishops say there is nothing wrong with Catholic Education! We have a woman “Bishop” invited to preach in a Catholic Cathedral to the delight of the local Bishop. And the abuses in the Liturgy are too many to enumerate. To give you a small example, the latest “Flavour of the Month” is not to recite the Credo during Mass because it is not “inclusive” of our Anglican, and non-Christian “brethren”. And, as we have found in our travels to France, and also to Rome, it is becoming difficult to get an altar with a Crucifix. So they are trying to take the Cross out of the Mass! Quite incredible! Is it not time, like St Peter, to turn around and go back to the Rome before the Second Vatican Council?
Our Lord also said to St Peter, “Simon Peter, do you love me?” “Feed my sheep!” Today, the sheep are starving!
Restoring the Traditional Mass would not, we know, solve all of the problems in the Church today. There are much deeper problems. However, it would give us our daily bread so that we can survive while we await the restoration.
Please do all in your power, as I know you will, to make this happen. Encourage “Ecclesia Dei” to have more teeth and encourage Bishops to have more Masses. Perhaps we can start, if it is not too disrespectful to say so, with the Bishop of Rome so that we can have Mass both in his Cathedral Church and also in San Pietro, as it was possible prior to the appointment of Cardinal Noe to have private Masses in San Pietro.
We also encourage a Traditional Vicariate, so that Traditional Catholics can receive pastoral care. This is now the great need. We have more Masses, but no one is looking after the pastoral needs of Traditional Catholics (apart from two Fraternity priests in the whole of England). If this were done, without the Society of St Pius X, it may encourage them to join if things are successful.