The faithful of the diocese of Leeds are protesting against the closure of churches, including one where the Traditional Mass is said. The parish priest in that case, Fr Mark Lawler, is not even going to be given a new parish, rather undermining the argument that the motivation here is the shortage of priests.
See Damian Thompson's excellent commentary here. The text of the petition is this - click to go to the site to sign it here. (You do NOT have to make a donation to the website, ipetition.co.uk!)
Sorry, but this is the wrong battle.
ReplyDeleteThe parish closure is nothing to do with the Latin Mass - otherwise why would the other parishes be being closed when they have only the NO in English?
Bishop Roache specifically sent two priests to Merton because he wants the EF in every deanery. Hardly the actions of someone who hates the mass.
As for Fr. Lawler, we must remember that not every detail about his ministry is in the public forum, not should it be. That matter should be strickly between a priest and his bishop, and Fr. Lawler should have kept it so - especially as Roache is bound by confidentially in regard to his priests.
We cannot assume to have all the details here.
I believe in supporting our fellow Catholics in their legitimate complaints against their bishop over his handling of this: as traditionalists we have had plenty of experience of injustice and high-handedness from bishops, only to find other Catholics indifferent. Let us not perpetuate this 'I'm all right Jack' attitude'.
ReplyDeleteAnd the stripping of Fr Lawler of parish responsibilities would be grossly unjust without some very good explanation. We have the explanation, from the VG: Fr Lawler says the NO in Latin ad orientem. So much for the 'Reform of the Reform'!