Latin Mass

Pope Paul VI, quoted in Alden Hatch's biography, page 222. "It cannot be tolerated that any individual on his own authority modify the formulas which were used by the Council of Trent to express belief in the Eucharistic mystery." Ed-This is precisely what Paul VI did when, in a non-infallible statement, he requested that Catholics embrace the New Mass.

The New Mass, authorized by Pope Paul VI after Vatican II, uses the vernacular instead of Latin and many prayers have been omitted. While much easier to follow in the Missal, the New Mass has alienated traditional Roman Catholics who, in numbers alarming to the papacy, insist on using the old Latin Mass.

The Apostolic Constitution MISSALE ROMANUM (April 1969) set the form of the New Mass as we have it now.

Traditionalist charges against the New Mass:

1. Expurgations: Prayer at foot of altar, Aufer a Novis, Oramus Te, Monda Cor Meum, Dominus Sit. 35 prayers, or 70%, discarded. 25 Signs of the Cross discarded

2. Mistranslations - notably the Confiteor

3. Changing the Canon

4. New Form of Consecration

5. Validity and Liciety

6. Dishonoring Mary

7. There is a purpose in archaisms

8. The indiscriminate Rite of Peace

9. Communion

10. Ecumenism

11. Language of the Mass.

Some Traditionalists contend that the Canon of the Mass has been tampered with in the New Mass, and that consecration of the elements is not effected, so therefore transubstantiation does not take place and no real sacrifice is offered.

One group (Church of St. Joseph, Cicero, IL in their church publication of 7/30/72) even branded Paul VI as "antichrist" because he had committed the "abomination of desolations" by allowing Mass in the common tongue.

The Catholic Church, which "never changes", put out an authoritative (but not infallible) book in 1913. It was written by Priest Joseph Baierl and published by The Seminary Press complete with Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur. The book explains "The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass" in the form of questions and answers.

"Q: Why does the Church continue to use a dead language in the divine service?

A: (Latin) is a dead language and consequently does not change its form and meaning. A living language is continually changing. If we were to use a living language in the divine service, all sorts of errors and false meanings might creep in..."