Abbey-Roads2

“The times, they are a’changin’!” - Bob Dylan

I wondered what everyone would blog about after the Motu Proprio, (Summorum Pontificum) had been released.  Just as I thought, the blogs are reporting upon the “dissidents” who disagree with it or seem to be protesting it…in great - and at times - tiresome detail.

Not everyone who disagrees is a dissident mind you, and disagreement doesn’t necessarily mean disobedience or prohibition.  There has to be a period of adjustment, especially for older priests, religious and some of their bishops who have been trained for the past 40 years to look with suspicion upon traditional minded Roman Catholics and those who favored the TLM.  They were trained and educated to believe anything pre-Vatican II was evil, suppressed, out of date, reactionary - all of that nonsense.  And it must be remembered, they passed this instruction along to countless school children, college students, their parents - in short, the average person in the pew.

“A long time comin’…” - Crosby, Stlls, and Nash

Not a few of these people would never even categorize themselves as dissident, much less liberal Catholics.  Many, in good faith sincerely accepted the newer theologies, exclusive (inclusive?) peace and justice theories, freedom of conscience misconceptions, and experiments in liturgy, as the force and focus of Catholic teaching.  For instance, many honestly and sincerely believe clerical clothing and religious habits are no longer relevant to contemporary culture.  They believe Kumbaya liturgies with dancers and sway-to-the-beat inspirational music is good liturgy.   Many really do see the presence of Christ in the poor and the marginalized more realistically than in the Eucharistic species.  Remember, this has been the evolution of training many received for over 40 years now.

“A long time gone…” - Crosby, Stills, and Nash

Not a few have been so spiritually hijacked, they have become scandalized by the beautiful patrimony and mysticism of Catholic tradition, which is entering into a renaissance, or ‘new springtime’ as JPII called it.  They need time to adjust, and see, unlike the reforms of Vatican II, the “reform of the reform” is not an imposition, rather an invitation to a greater and more active participation in the fullness of the Mystical Body of Christ and centuries of genuine piety and holiness.  Many have lost the concept, the experience of the sacred…hence, it is foreign and perhaps even fearsome for many of them.  It is going to take some adjustment, and we shouldn’t mock or deride them for it, constantly goading them in their bewilderment.

All of us must have patience and great charity.  I think we ought to carefully ponder the Lord’s words today in the Gospel.  When asked if the weeds that infected the field of grain ought to be pulled up, Our Lord says, “No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the grain along with them.” (Matt. 13)

After 40 years of bad habits, it will take time and patience, humility and charity, to repair what was lost.