Issue Date of 4-12-2001
Though They Did Everything Right...
Springfield, Mo., Bishop Refuses Indult Mass To Lay Faithful
By PAUL LIKOUDIS
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Just weeks after Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, current head of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei and the prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, initiated a "dialog" with the leaders of the Society of St. Pius X, he received a formal appeal from Una Voce-Springfield seeking his intercession in the establishment of an indult Mass in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Mo.The information Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos received on January 8 sheds light on a number of neuralgic issues afflicting the Church today and the imperative of a dramatic and decisive action on the part of the Holy See to assist those who desire the Traditional Mass.
The documentation presents evidence that Springfield Bishop John Leibrecht's intransigent refusal to permit the indult Mass, imitated by many other North American bishops, is driving good Catholics into the welcoming arms of the Society of St. Pius X and the schismatic Society of St. Pius V, which now has its own "pope."
This is the same Bishop Leibrecht who, as chairman of the U.S. bishops' Implementation of Ex Corde Ecclesiae Committee, has staged an elaborate stalling process with regard to the implementation of Pope John Paul II's apostolic constitution governing Catholic higher education.
It also shows:
· The contempt of many priests for the Church's traditional liturgy;
· The denunciation and marginalization by priests from the pulpit of well-educated, informed Catholics who prefer the Tridentine Mass and who follow Church procedures in requesting it;
· The continuing hemorrhaging of the Catholic faithful from their parishes because of liturgical abuses;
· The growing interest in the indult Mass among the laity and the increasing number of requests for it;
· The need for the U.S. bishops to evaluate what they mean by "pastoral care."
· Most important, the history of Una Voce-Springfield over the past two years provides an excellent illustration of how the liturgical principles articulated in the Vatican II and postconciliar liturgical documents, and canon law, support the legitimate demands of those who seek a wide and generous application of Pope John Paul II's Ecclesia Dei.
The History Of Una Voce Springfield
The origin of Una Voce-Springfield goes back a little more than two years. Barb Schoeneberger, then director of sacred music at St. Joseph's Church in Springfield, was horrified upon learning that several elderly former parishioners, who had quit going to Mass after the Novus Ordo was instituted, had died without receiving Last Rites, after the deceased's family members requested a funeral Mass.
After her pastor, Fr. Joel Derks, O.S.B., was replaced, and her services as sacred music director were no longer sought by his replacement, Fr. Denis Dougherty, O.S.B., she decided to promote the indult Mass as a project to bring fallen-away and schismatic Catholics back to the Church.
Fr. Dougherty told Schoeneberger that their theologies were too diverse for them to work together.
"I arrived at the conclusion that it would be mortally sinful for me not to request the indult Mass in our diocese:' she told The Wanderer.
"I arrived at my conclusion from the study of Vatican II documents, as well as those of various congregations, and from reading many articles on the state of Roman Catholicism from various publications. I also knew that there were many Catholics who had requested an indult Mass and who, in every instance, were turned down. I also knew that there were many Catholics who had stopped going to Mass because of liturgical abuses, and many Catholics attending the Masses of the Society of St. Pius V and the Society of St. Pius X, as well as many Catholics who were going to other dioceses for the indult Mass."
After contacting Una Voce about the policies and procedures for establishing a local chapter, she and the three other board members, Brad Bird, Lynne Sparks, and Don Carriker Jr., wrote to Bishop Leibrecht on August 23, 1999, informing him that they was establishing a local chapter, sought his blessing as we seek to promote the 'living character of Tradition' as described by Pope John Paul II's motu proprio of July 2, 1988, Ecclesia Dei Adflicta;" and promised they would send all copies of the new group's monthly newsletter to him.
The board did not request his permission, at this time, to allow the Mass.
On September 3, 1999, Leibrecht responded to the new Una Voce chapter officers, informing them that he was not going to allow the indult Mass to be said in his diocese, explaining:
"As you know, the text of the Vatican letter regarding the use of the Tridentine Mass says that the diocesan bishop 'may' allow it. The Holy See has not mandated all bishops to have a Tridentine Mass. The decision belongs to the local bishop.
"I have discussed the Tridentine Mass with the Presbyteral Council. The conclusion reached was that, because Catholics are such a comparatively small minority living within the Bible Belt of southern Missouri, our faith and practices must be clearly perceived by our neighbors. It's very difficult for many people who are not Catholic to understand Catholic doctrine and practice including worship. The Catholic faith needs to be presented in as uncomplicated a way as possible when we Catholics comprise only 7% of the population. I fully understood what the Presbyteral Council was saying and accepted their recommendation not to have the Tridentine Mass in the diocese."
Leibrecht gave precisely the same response to a couple requesting the indult Mass in a letter dated December 23, 1988 — so his policy was at least 11 years old, a time span marked by a more than doubling of the number of Catholics attending Masses conducted by priests in either the SSPX or the SSPV.
Continuing with his letter to the Una Voce officers, Leibrecht wrote: "I know this will not be welcomed by some but, in my judgment as bishop, it best serves the Church in this area at this time. I ask that you communicate this information to others so that there is no unnecessary frustration."
The four officers of the new Una Voce chapter responded in a letter dated October 2, 1999: [T]he purpose of our letter was not to request a papal indult Mass, but rather to inform you of the establishment of our organization. Needless to say, however, we reserve to ourselves the rights that all Catholics have to bring our spiritual needs and desires to you and to the other pastors of the Church (Code of Canon Law 212 s.2)."
The officers also advised the bishop of several other operative canons in the Code of Canon Law, and then politely reminded him that "...it is true, as you state, that Cardinal Mayer's circular letter stated that the diocesan bishop 'may allow' celebration of the Traditional Mass. (Congregation for Worship, Circular Letter Quattor abhinc annos [October 3, 1984].) However, four years later, the Holy Father himself issued a motu proprio that effectively superseded Quattor abhinc annos. In the following language, the Holy Father called for a much wider application of the norms for the celebration of the Traditional Mass:
" 'Respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of all those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition by a wide and generous application of the directives already issued some time ago by the Apostolic See for the use of the Roman Missal according to the typical edition of 1962' (Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia Dei Adflicta)."
The officers also reminded Bishop Leibrecht that his predecessor, Bernard Law, now the cardinal archbishop of Boston, had "recognized the evangelical fruits that a diversity of liturgies will bear" by allowing the Anglican Use in his diocese, and that his neighboring bishops in Tulsa, Little Rock, Dallas, Forth Worth, Memphis, Louisville, and Birmingham allowed indult Masses in a total of 14 parishes.
They also informed him that Fr. Dougherty had begun interrogating parishioners about the officers of Una Voce and "have barred all members of Una Voce from serving as catechists."
Leibrecht responded in a letter dated October 6 that "...the policy of the universal Church is that the diocesan bishop is authorized to make such a decision. Some bishops believe it pastorally appropriate in their dioceses and others do not.
"Regarding decisions about who serves as catechists in parishes, each pastor has the right and responsibility to make such decisions according to local circumstances.'
Moving Forward
Undeterred by Leibrecht's hostility to the Traditional Mass, the Una Voce chapter proceeded on several fronts.
One of its first major, public activities was setting up a booth at Springfield's Family Fair, the largest trade fair in Springfield, to collect signatures for their petition.
There, among the clothing merchants, insurance companies, and recreation, health, and construction businesses, the Una Voce chapter played a video of the Old Mass.
"We got a positive response from nearly everyone who stopped," Schoeneberger told The Wanderer.
In the two years Una Voce has had its booth at the Family Fair, there were only three negative encounters each year, "all from Catholics," said Schoeneberger, "and they can be summed up this way: 'I don't want this Mass and I don't want you to have it either.'
"We found many Catholics," she continued, "who didn't know how to say the rosary, many who had no idea what the Church teaches — not just about the Mass but about everything, many who want to have a closer relationship to God but have no idea at all how to go about it, and we met many Protestants who were interested in what he Church really teaches versus what they think it teaches. We gave away The Catholic Church Has the Answers booklet, and we could have given away twice as many as we went there with."
At the end of the day, Una Voce had gathered nearly 100 signatures for its petition. "If we had had a petition for the non-Catholics to sign, we would have doubled that number," Schoeneberger said.
In July 2000, Fr. Frank Poncelet, a retired priest in good standing of the Diocese of St. Cloud, Minn., who had set up two Latin Mass communities in St. Cloud and La Crosse, Wis., offered to assist the group, after seeing its ad in The Wanderer.
Subsequent to meeting with Fr. Poncelot, the Una Voce chapter made an appointment with the vicar/chancellor of the diocese, Msgr. Thomas Reidy, to discuss "spiritual matters."
"When we got to the meeting" Schoeneberger remembered, "and Reidy realized who we were, he said, 'If I'd have known who you were I would never have agreed....'
"However, he was impressed with our sincerity; but we saw he was afraid of the bishop. Nevertheless, he agreed to approach the bishop with our request that he meet Fr. Poncelot."
Several days later, Reidy telephoned to say that the bishop refused to meet with Fr. Poncelot and would not change his position on allowing the Tridentine Mass in his diocese.
Other Projects
Despite the official intransigence, the Una Voce chapter moved on with its mission "to work as a lay organization within the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese for an organic restoration of the liturgy in conformity with its nature and with the Latin tradition," and it has done this by:
· encouraging more frequent reception of Holy Communion and Confession for its nearly 120 members;
· promoting daily recitation of the rosary
· publishing a newsletter, Una Voce Springfield, which presents the teaching of the Church on all matters liturgical from authoritative sources, both old and new, on the meaning of the Mass, the significance of the rubrics, vestments, prayers, etc., the history of Catholic music, art, and architecture, along with occasional admonitions "to guard your tongues" and not say or write anything that would give Bishop Leibrecht reason to denounce the group.
· setting up a web site, unavocespringfield.org
· setting up monthly meetings (third Wednesday of each month) to learn about the Church's Latin liturgical heritage. A major presenter at these events is George Mueller, D. Miss., Lic. Theol., M.S.T., M.R.E., A.B. Phil. Dr. Mueller helped draft the Vatican II documents in Latin, and was present when Pope John XXIII delivered his encyclical on the importance of Latin in the Church. He is competent in at least 15 languages, including Greek, Hebrew, and Latin.
· promoting pilgrimages to various Latin Mass communities, such as the new Benedictine monastery at Clear Creek, Okla.
· establishing a children's choir, which practices weekly and can now sing the complete Missa de Angelis, Cum Jubilo (IX), the Credo, as well as many other traditional Catholic chants and hymns both in English and Latin, and
· networking with other Una Voce chapters around the country.
Meanwhile,The Opposition
On April 12, 2000, the Una Voce officers sent a letter to every priest serving the diocese, explaining their mission and stating their goals.
The letter made it very clear that they were motivated by a sincere love for the Roman Catholic Church and the desire to serve those Catholics who are leaving the Church for the SSPX and SSPV.
"As a direct result of the [bishop's] refusal to provide this [indult] Mass, the schismatic SSPX sect was brought into the diocese. They now have a chapel with about 180 members about one mile from the chancery."
The letter also made it clear that Una Voce is not advocating a total return to the Old Mass, nor is it recommending the Old Mass for everyone. It also stated that the group does not reject Vatican II or the validity of the Novus Ordo, and that its members are neither "liberal nor conservative," but simply Roman Catholics.
The letter concluded: "Our desire to operate within the structures of the Catholic Church brought us to seek advice from canon lawyers to make sure we behave properly at all times. Likewise, we are open in our activities, providing the bishop a copy of our monthly newsletter. There is nothing secretive or furtive in what we are doing, and nothing disobedient nor illegitimate. At some point we will formally request permission for this Mass. We adjure you, Fathers, in the name of God, to pray that His justice and charity be done in this regard in this diocese in this Jubilee Year."
For their letter, Una Voce and its members were denounced from some pulpits.
On September 30, 2000, Una Voce requested a ten-minute meeting with Bishop Leibrecht "within the next 30 days to learn more about your reason for prohibiting the Traditional form of the Roman Mass in your diocese. We want to be sure we understand your reasoning, and we want to be sure you understand us."
On October 5, Leibrecht informed the group his secretary would be calling to set a mutually convenient time for such a meeting.
A meeting was held on October 23, and in that 30-minute meeting, Leibrecht reaffirmed his decision not to allow the Traditional Mass in his diocese, saying that it would impede the diocese's evangelization efforts.
On October 31, the Una Voce officers responded with a "thank you" letter and a summary of the meeting, along with assurances: 1) that they are part of an international movement "blessed by the Pope"; 2) that they "will not separate ourselves from our bishop under any circumstances", 3) that there will be no Traditional Masses "celebrated clandestinely or in opposition to your wishes"; 4) that all their activities are directed toward the salvation of souls; and 5) that the Commission Ecclesia Dei expects groups to send the bishop a written request for the indult Mass.
On November 30, the written request was hand-delivered to the chancery, and on January 2, 2001, Leibrecht sent his formal refusal to allow the indult Mass.
On January 5, the formal appeal was made to Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, and arrived at his office at the Congregation for the Clergy on January 8.
"My hope is that all of this work on our part," said Schoeneberger, can assist the commission Ecclesia Dei in its efforts to see that the indult Mass is instituted wherever Catholics desire it.
