THE REASON FOR THE CATHOLIC MASS ACCORDING TO THE MISSAL OF HIS HOLINESS SAINT PIUS V

THE REASON FOR THE CATHOLIC MASS ACCORDING TO THE MISSAL OF HIS HOLINESS SAINT PIUS V

By: Lic. Oscar Méndez Casanueva

The Catholic Mass was codified by His Holiness Saint Pius V in the year 1570. This means that this Pontiff did not invent a rite, but rather established the structure of the Mass while respecting the uninterrupted Tradition of Christ, the Apostles, the Holy Fathers, the first centuries of Christianity, and the preceding Pontiffs. Since its origins go back to the Apostles themselves, it is also known as the Apostolic Mass, or the Tridentine Mass, because this codification resulted from the ordering of the dogmatic Council of Trent.

All Catholic priests of the Latin Rite who were ordained more than thirty years ago celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with this missal, at least until the end of the 1960s, when the liturgical reform took place. This Mass remained in force for many centuries in the Catholic Church and produced great saints and enormous fruits throughout the history of Christendom.

THIS RITE IS IN FORCE

This rite, contrary to what some poorly informed people might think, remains in force because of its centuries-old antiquity, in accordance with Canon 28 of the New Code (Canon 30 of the previous Code), which states that a new law does not revoke centuries-old or immemorial customs unless they are EXPRESSLY mentioned. Since it was not explicitly abrogated in the Apostolic Constitution Missale Romanum of His Holiness Paul VI, the traditional rite—which was praised by Paul VI himself—continues to be in force. Furthermore, His Holiness Saint Pius V, in his Bull QUO PRIMUM, decrees in perpetuity that it may always be used in the Church and that, therefore, no priest may—at any time—be sanctioned for its use. This Bull can easily be found at the beginning of all the missals that priests have used to celebrate this rite. Confirming its full validity, His Holiness Benedict XVI published his motu proprio Summorum Pontificum on July 7, 2007, in order to dispel any pre-existing doubt. Moreover, Cardinal Castrillón, as President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, stated that the Pope's desire was for it to be celebrated in all the parishes of the world, and this had already begun at the Roman Basilica of Saint John Lateran under Cardinal Cañizares.

IT CLEARLY AND MAJESTICALLY EXPRESSES CATHOLIC DOCTRINE

The rite, according to the missal promulgated by Saint Pius V, has demonstrated throughout the centuries that it is a bulwark against doctrinal distortions, because it expresses with complete clarity and beauty the Catholic doctrine of the Mass:

· It is the same and identical sacrifice of Calvary, celebrated in an unbloody manner (without the shedding of blood), in order to apply its saving power to the remission of our sins. It is not merely a commemoration of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ, but a true and proper sacrifice.

· It is the same priest, Jesus Christ, represented by His minister, who, through his priestly ordination, acts in the person of Christ Himself. In a certain sense, he “lends Christ his tongue and offers Him his hand.”

· It is the same victim of Calvary: the Divine Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Through the double consecration, the mystical separation of the Body and Blood of Christ is represented, while He is wholly present—with His divinity, soul, blood, and body—in the consecrated species. It is therefore not merely a spiritual presence.

The ends are the same:

1) To adore and glorify God

2) To give thanks to God

3) Expiation and Propitiation (Christ offered Himself as a propitiatory victim to make satisfaction for our sins. In the Mass, the fruits of His Redemption are applied).

4) Impetration (to ask God for graces, favors, and blessings).

All this doctrine, infallibly defined and safeguarded by the Catholic Church, is expressed in an exceptionally clear and majestic manner in the liturgy codified by His Holiness Saint Pius V, whose rubrics have for centuries served as a bulwark against error and anarchy in the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

THE USE OF LATIN: A SIGN OF UNITY

The use of Latin follows the official language of the Church, the same language used by the Pope in Rome, and represents a sign of unity among Catholics. It is false that its abolition was decreed by Vatican II, which merely recommended the use of the vernacular in certain parts of the liturgy, while its use was especially useful for the readings of the Epistle and the Gospel. Today, when Latin has practically fallen into abusive disuse, the Catholic faithful—contrary to what was intended—do not know what the Mass is. It is enough to ask the faithful for their definition of the Mass and its purposes to witness the tremendous ignorance that exists. When Latin was used throughout the world, no foreigner felt like a stranger at Mass; the faithful learned and understood the ritual through bilingual missals, and there was uniformity among the clergy throughout the world. Furthermore, the serious problems and errors in translations did not arise.

HOW TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION:

- In a state of sanctifying grace, through sacramental confession

- Being a member of the body of the Catholic Church

- Dressed modestly

- Kneeling and on the tongue.

At this Mass, Christ is received—in Holy Communion—while kneeling, because if Sacred Scripture prescribes that at His name every knee should bow, it is clear that when receiving His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, this is the outward devotional posture most consistent with an inward attitude of adoration. It is also the posture indicated by Christ in the parable of the Pharisee who proudly prayed standing and the publican who, humbly both inwardly and outwardly, prayed while kneeling. The latter, Christ teaches, was the one who left the temple justified. Furthermore, the faithful—modestly dressed and cleansed of all mortal sin through sacramental confession—receive the sacred Host respectfully on the tongue because they do not have hands consecrated as the priest does; moreover, by not taking the Host in the hand, the falling of consecrated particles (in which Christ is truly present) onto the ground, or any possible profanation, is thereby avoided.

THIS RITE PREVENTS LITURGICAL ANARCHY

Today, when liturgical anarchy is clearly evident to the Catholic faithful, with each priest and each temple adding or removing prayers according to individual discretion; now that the doctrine of the same sacrifice is denied and secondary matters are emphasized in order to silence or deny the fundamental truths of the doctrine of the Holy Sacrifice; today, when we are told that the Mass is merely a memorial, a remembrance, a simple supper, or merely another assembly presided over by a minister, our Catholic conscience requires us to proclaim the true and eternal doctrine infallibly defined by the Church, as well as the due respect and devotion that must exist in the liturgy. We therefore make use of this centuries-old rite, which has demonstrated its effectiveness throughout history in producing fruits of holiness and thus avoiding the liturgical anarchy that, unfortunately, we suffer today. We base ourselves on the authority of the Catholic Church and of the Roman Pontiff, who has permitted and promulgated this Catholic rite in perpetuity.

MANY PRIESTS CELEBRATE WITH THE MISSAL OF SAINT PIUS V

Finally, it is important to consider that not only has it been used throughout the centuries with great fruits, and that the majority of the saints canonized by the Catholic Church celebrated with it or attended this rite, but even after the liturgical reform it continues to be used in almost every country by many Catholic priests.

Thus, for example, we can cite the famous case of Padre Pio, who during his lifetime manifested in his body the very wounds of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ and who, in the 1960s, when the precursors of the liturgical reform were introduced, recognizing the dangers that are evident today, maintained the use of the Missal of Saint Pius V. This priest, recognized throughout his life for his holiness, was beatified in 1999 by His Holiness John Paul II. We could cite other cases, but we will only recall that Cardinals Bacci and Ottaviani continued to use it after the liturgical reform until the end of their lives. Cardinal Ottaviani—to whom His Holiness Paul VI referred as “my teacher,” and whom His Holiness John Paul II praised greatly upon his death, pointing to him as an example of “exemplary fidelity” (*)—was highly renowned for his theological knowledge and precisely for his fidelity to the Church. He was, moreover, none other than the Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of the Faith, one of the most important bodies within the Vatican (the same position that would later be held by Cardinal Ratzinger). These eminent cardinals clearly foresaw all the theological and liturgical risks that were approaching—and which are clearly manifested today—and they recorded them in their now-famous document, “A Brief Critical Analysis of the Novus Ordo.”

CONCLUSION:

This fully Catholic rite is recognized for its antiquity within the Church, since it respects the uninterrupted Tradition of Christ, the Apostles, the Holy Fathers, the first centuries of Christianity, and the Roman Pontiffs. Its missal was promulgated by a Pope as the result of a Council and remains fully in force in the Catholic Church. Its fruits of holiness are more than recognized: the majority of canonized saints celebrated with it—if they were priests—or were sanctified through their attendance at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass—if they were laypeople. It clearly and unequivocally manifests the true Catholic doctrine concerning the Holy Mass and has demonstrated its effectiveness against liturgical anarchy, errors, and abuses. It requires from the faithful the due respect and devotion owed to the same and identical sacrifice of Calvary, which is celebrated on the altar so that the fruits of Christ’s Redemption may be applied to us, He being truly and really present with His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the consecrated species.

(*) NOTE. See the quotation by clicking on this link:

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/1979/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19790806_esequie-card-ottaviani_sp.html

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