Traditionalists at Rorate Caeli Blog tip Pope Francis' way!

The blog Rorate Caeli has been in the news lately.  The AP's article about Catholic Traditionalists being horrified by Pope Francis' election mentions the R-C blog specifically in a story which was even printed in our local newspaper.

The R-C Blog's memorable quote in the AP/Blaze was: “The official end of the reform of the reform — by example,” 

Perhaps the title of R-C Blog's next article will be “The official end  continuation of the reform of the reform — by example,” !!  What happened?  R-C has been won over by watching Pope Francis' reverent papal Masses.

I believe this is great news, as the Vatican is surely keeping track of the 'the usual suspects'.  If the Holy Father sees that his Liturgies draw praise from his old opponents, and 'crickets' from his progressive buddies,  I think he would be, from a strictly human standpoint, less likely to see us traditionalists as the proverbial 'dog in the manger'.  

I certainly hope that the renowned traditionalists, e.g. R-C blog, will appeal directly to the Holy Father and say something like.....

Your Holiness, 

  

We pray for you every day and love your papal liturgies. in particular their reverence!  Nevertheless, we would ask that you consider the trepidation that we still have that....

1) you might be inclined, as many media experts predict, to dispense with Benedict's reform-of-the-reform, perhaps with the idea that the reverence for the Holy Eucharist which Benedict sought to recapture is an obstacle to evangelization and that' the poor' are put off by displays of mystery and reverence, and so we must condescend to them by removing transcendent images from our worship. We respectfully would ask you to consider that the whole of the New World--filled with more poverty and more paganism than it is today-- was evangelized by brave Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries with nothing more than their brave hearts and what is now known as the Extraordinary Form.  'Inculturation' came four centuries later and we frankly are not convinced that its dismal aftermath is not strongly connected with the idea that Church must learn to be more accepting of irreverence and more concerned with building 'self esteem'.  If a lack of humility is what plagues the Church, then shouldn't we learn, first of all, how to behave humbly before God Himself?

2) or that you might sell the beautiful Churches which still exist, in order to help the poor.

We believe, your Holiness, that de-sensitizing and de-sacralizing worship, and making it 'plain vanilla', converting God's temples into gymnasium-like structures with little beauty to behold...., we believe such things hurt the poor more than they hurt anyone else!  The rich --many of whom serve on Church finance boards and themselves have had a hand in the 'stripping of the altars'-- do not have  much of a vested interest in making and keeping churches beautiful.  Many well-to-do folk, regrettably,  seem to care less that their bran new church looks like a factory building (nor that it's locked up tight most of the time!!)  They can always go home to their own houses which look and smell like what cathedrals are supposed to look and smell like!! in the meantime, the poor lose the most beautiful thing in their lives!

We, Catholic traditionalists,  stand ready to be your 'shock troops' and to carry Christ's hope to the uttermost. (as did Isaac Jogues, as did Father Junipero)..but unfortunately, currently,  we are feeling besieged and our energy is spent searching far and wide for parishes which reverently celebrate Christ's mysteries, and faithfully teach our children God's truths.  It certainly cannot be your Holiness' intention that we should be forced into enclaves, little spiritual ghettos.  We also have gifts to give to the entire Church!

Please,  Holy Father,  give us, many of whom are also poor, our beauty and our beautiful churches back!  Tell your bishops .... 

or something like that!