MyCatholicSource.com - 'Quick Help' Page: Visitor Charges Error Regarding Coverage of Novus Ordo

Answer / Resources:

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Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry you were troubled by content on our site. Your feedback did not seem to indicate a specific error in the article (see here), but rather a more general 'dislike' of the overall content of the article. It may interest you to know that we relied heavily on facts as well as quotations from others, rather than simply our personal opinions. For example, we would encourage you to read the 'Ottaviani Intervention' in which high-ranking prelates (Cardinals Ottaviani and Bacci) stated the following about the Novus Ordo Mass... (emphasis added)

"To abandon a liturgical tradition which for four centuries stood as a sign and pledge of unity in worship, and to replace it with another liturgy which, due to the countless liberties it implicitly authorizes, cannot but be a sign of division - a liturgy which teems with insinuations or manifest errors against the integrity of the Catholic Faith - is, we feel bound in conscience to proclaim, an incalculable error."

And...

"We have limited ourselves above to a short study of the Novus Ordo where it deviates most seriously from the theology of the Catholic Mass. Our observations touch upon deviations which are typical. To prepare a complete study of all the pitfalls, dangers and psychologically and spiritually destructive elements the new rite contains, whether in texts, rubrics or instructions, would be a vast undertaking."

Cardinal Ottaviani had "formerly headed the Vatican's Holy Office, which had the charge of protecting the integrity of the Catholic Faith" – he surely had a "proper understanding" of the Mass.

Likewise, Cardinal Ratzinger (the future Pope Benedict XVI) also has a "proper understanding" of the Mass and he famously said the following about the Novus Ordo...

"...in the place of liturgy as the fruit of development came fabricated liturgy. We abandoned the organic, living process of growth and development over the centuries, and replaced it - as in a manufacturing process - with a fabrication, a banal, on-the-spot product."

Many other good and faithful Catholics (including prelates, laity, famous converts, etc.) – who certainly have a proper understanding of the Mass – have also expressed concerns about the Novus Ordo. For example, consider these facts (NOT opinions)...

* The fabrication of the Novus Ordo Mass was influenced by Protestant 'observers'

* The "chief architect of the New Mass", Archbishop Bugnini, was a suspected Freemason. He himself said that, "The liturgical reform is a major conquest of the Catholic Church"

* The changes incorporated into the New Mass parallel the changes made by the 16th century Protest-ant 'Reformers' who purposely instituted those changes to destroy the belief of Catholics

* The Novus Ordo Mass parallels Protestant 'worship services' – some Protestants have even used the New Mass in their own 'churches'

* Prayers in the Novus Ordo Mass have been stripped of nearly all 'negative topics' (e.g. sin, judgment, hell, purgatory) and nearly all reference to the supernatural and to the Mass being a sacrifice

It is also undeniable that...

* The 'Tridentine' Mass has a more vertical focus

* The sacrificial character of the Mass is much more clear at a 'Tridentine' Mass

* The Holy Eucharist is typically handled with much more reverence at a 'Tridentine' Mass

* Liturgical abuses are far less common at 'Tridentine' Masses

Although you find our article to have an "extremely bias[ed] opinion", we would simply point to the facts. Unlike the terrific fruits associated with the 'Tridentine' Mass, we see that fruits of the Novus Ordo Mass include a huge drop in Mass attendance, widespread loss of belief in the Real Presence, greatly reduced reverence, significantly fewer conversions, widespread loss of faith, liturgical abuses, etc. These are indisputable facts, not mere opinion.

Also concerning the article in question, you may be interested to know that we've given a printout of it to a faithful, obedient, orthodox (small 'o') priest who has, on more than one occasion, greatly praised the article. In fact, he's said us he'd like to read from it in his homilies. And please note that this faithful priest currently says the Novus Ordo Mass almost exclusively (although he knows both the NO & TLM).

I hope the above has been of some assistance. We do not wish to argue with you and we most certainly presume your good will. We hope you will continue to read more about the fabrication of the Novus Ordo Mass as well as reading about the Traditional Latin Mass. This is a topic where additional research may bring many insights and also great spiritual rewards.

God bless you.

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