Sun, 5 Mar 2017 | Cover | Page 02

Holy Father, Save the Tridentine Mass!

By Walter L. Matt

Reprinted from the December 31, 1969 issue of The Remnant

Regarding the new Mass Ordo, which was discussed only briefly in our last issue, Pope Paul tells us in one of his latest addresses on the subject (See Remnant, Dec. 15, p. 5-A) that the thing for "intelligent persons and conscientious faithful" to do in order to face up to the new Ordo is, in his words, "we should find out as much as we can about this innovation," which, again quoting his words, "will not be hard to do, because of the many fine efforts being made by the Church and by publishers" who have been and will continue to treat this important subject.

In line with Pope Paul’s recommendation, therefore, that "we must (thus) prepare ourselves" for the new Mass rite–which is to be finalized, first, by the various national bishops’ conferences, and then, presumably, by the Sovereign Pontiff himself sometime in March, 1971—we call attention to at least one of the very "fine efforts" currently being made by a distinguished Churchman and also by a respected Catholic publisher to inform the faithful about some of the more questionable aspects of the new Ordo, even though these particular efforts are being sadly ignored in most Catholic circles today.

By ignoring them, however, the result is that Pope Paul’s counsel to "find out as much as we can about this innovation", is actually being thwarted and supposedly mature Catholics are being kept in the dark about it, which, we are sure, is not the Pope’s intention.

The distinguished Churchman to whom we allude here is His Eminence Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani, prefect emeritus of the Sacred Congregation for the Faith.

The respected Catholic publishing house to which we refer is that of Mr.

Brent Bozell, publisher of the erudite TRIUMPH magazine, with headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Both Cardinal Ottaviani and TRIUMPH magazine have, in our humble opinion, rendered an all but unique public service to "intelligent persons and conscientious faithful" by making known to them— despite the usual conspiracy of silence that has been launched against them—