IRST I WILL comment on the video. Then I’ll share two personal stories of exclusion. With the archbishop of Newark, NJ (JOSEPH CARDINAL TOBIN), Diane Montagna had the following exchange, which was caught on video. Cardinal Tobin had said: “I think the real beauty of our Catholic Church is clear, when the doors are open and welcoming.” In response, Ms. Montagna asked how such a statement is consonant with recent Vatican attempts to kick Catholics out of their parishes, forcing them to celebrate the Holy Mass in other places such as gymnasiums.
Explicit & Specific • Diane Montagna asked specifically about parishes that were flourishing. Inexplicably, CARDINAL TOBIN chose to speak about parishes closed because they weren’t flourishing.
Here’s the direct URL link.
“So Long As They Aren’t Banished Completely” • Watch the video and judge for yourself. From what I can understand—and I’ve watched it twice—CARDINAL TOBIN says excluding EF Catholics is “good” (his word) as long as they’re not completely banished from the Catholic Church.
It’s Good For You! • Cardinal Tobin seems to be saying that moving Holy Mass from a flourishing parish Church into a gymnasium is actually a “good” thing, even though Catholics exercising what Pope Saint John Paul II called “legitimate aspirations” don’t realize it yet. (That’s what Cardinal Tobin said; watch the video.) It’s very difficult for me to understand how encouraging the People of God to treat certain Catholics as lepers is somehow equivalent to “welcoming.” Perhaps the best treatment of this situation so far was the heartfelt article published by Monsignor Charles Pope.
* PDF Download • “From the Peripheries” (Mons. Charles Pope)
—Excerpt: “As a pastor of souls, I wince at this sort of language…”
“Ego Sum Ostium” • For the record, I believe CARDINAL TOBIN is incorrect to say that “the real beauty of our Catholic Church is … when the doors are open and welcoming.” The real beauty of our Catholic Church, at least according to what I was taught, is the REAL PRESENCE of Jesus Christ on our Altars. Jesus Christ, being the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, is infinitely more valuable than an open door. Indeed, our Savior said in John 10:9: “I am the door; a man will find salvation if he makes his way in through Me.”
Jeff Shares Personal
Examples of Exclusion
(1) Consider a Benedictine monk I’ve known for twenty years. A few months ago, he brought up something about the “love” and “tenderness” shown by the Vatican to those who feel excluded. Responding to this, I asked him about recent documents from Rome attempting to strangle communities attached to the Traditional Latin Mass. Several times I asked: “What are we to make of this? Who can explain this?” His response was to cut off all communication with me. Just like that. He didn’t even have the courtesy to say: “By the way, it’s been nice knowing you for the last 20 years.” I dared to ask a question—and that’s my punishment.
(2) Consider a priest in Rome, whom I’ve known for more than a decade. I’ve gone out of my way to help him, even sending books he requested (which cost hundreds of dollars to ship to Rome). A few months after TRADITIONIS CUSTODES was issued, I called him on the telephone. I was trying to come to grips with certain items—but the minute I asked him to help me understand, he hung up the phone and has never spoken to me again.
I have already written about how ignoring someone can be one of the cruelest things you can do. Therefore, I don’t need to go into all that again.
