Holy Mother Church proclaims that the older form of the Roman Rite (the Traditional Latin Mass) is to be maintained with honor appropriate to its venerable and ancient usage, not to be prohibited or judged harmful, and offered to all the faithful as a precious treasure to be preserved.
Among the excellent reasons for this teaching are the tremendous spiritual fruits this liturgy has borne throughout the ages, the communion of saints we profess as part of our faith, and the urgent need for reconciliation in the heart of the Church today.
Keith Soko’s inflammatory and unsubstantiated remarks about the Latin Mass (10/6/11, Catholic Messenger) show disrespect not only for the teaching and governing authority of the Church, but also for countless numbers of his fellow Catholics — old, young, and departed — who love or loved this liturgy. False insinuations intended to excuse his uncharitable stance — as if the immemorial rites of the Church have anything to do with “sexism,” “clericalism,” “paternalism,” or “support for pedophiles” — only compound the fault. Nor is his logic sound.
Dr. Soko accuses others of conformity, while expecting that we conform to his opinion without discussion.
Union and peace among Christians is achievable only to the extent that we open our hearts and minds to the guidance of the one holy, Catholic and apostolic Church that Our Lord gave us for this purpose.
In such openness we find not conformity, but a yoke that is sweet and a burden that is light. Indeed, we find abundant life and a truth that sets us free — free, among other things, from rancorous accusations and disputes.
Joe Hebert
Davenport
