“Devotion to the Mass and SSPX”  –Bp. Charles McGuire

Easter II

Bishop’s Note
Bishop Dolan frequently wrote some pretty good anecdotes about the cats, much to everyone’s amusement. Well, the cats pretty much do the same things over and over again—they are great companions, but need to do more newsworthy things if they wish to get back in this bishop’s notes. The foxes and birds, on the other hand, do some pretty interesting things around here! I didn’t know it, but there is a fox that has been here the last couple of nights. The first night he was spotted up high in a tree. I didn’t know dogs could climb trees, but I guess certain ones do! There is a robin that has been hanging around the bishop’s garden the past few days, and keeping me quite entertained as it keeps flying straight into my office window. It’s been doing that every few hours for several minutes at a time. I suppose this is the true description of the term “bird brain!”

The sun eclipse was on most everyone’s mind last week, but it was really very edifying to see so many of you at the Annunciation Mass that day. We guessed there to be over a hundred parishioners present for the three public Masses. This Wednesday, don’t forget, is St. Joseph’s Solemnity, and we will be offering a Solemn High Mass in the late morning. Come if you can! St. Joseph Cords will be blessed in the morning, as well. May Our Lady and good St. Joseph grant you perseverance in your loving devotion to the Mass and our Faith.

What with St. Hermenegild’s feast day on Saturday and the Good Shepherd today, I cannot help but think of the SSPX these days. Oh! I know I caught your attention just by merely mentioning their organization! Many love the controversial subject, others regard it all as mere politics, others don’t care one way or the other, while some regard the broaching of the topic as something which is necessary—a sort of necessary evil, if you will. I fall within this latter group. So many people, otherwise good Catholics, will go to the SSPX Mass out of “devotion” to the holy Mass. I do not see how this can be true devotion to the Mass. After all, placing the name of a heretic in the Canon of the Mass is most offensive to God. At best, the SSPX’s insertion of the name of Bergoglio into the Canon is a lie; at worst, it is schismatic. Take your pick, either way it is not good. It is to take what is most sacred (the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is the sacrifice of God the Son to His Heavenly Father) and to stain it by offering it in union with a heretic. This cannot, objectively speaking, be called devotion. Devotion to the Mass requires one to protect it from such insults, even at great sacrifice—even death itself, if necessary. St. Hermenegild had a deep devotion to the Holy Eucharist, yet when offered Holy Communion from an Arian bishop, he refused. He would not receive the Holy Eucharist because it was offered in the Mass of Arian heretics—a perfectly valid Mass and Holy Eucharist, mind you! It would have been offensive to God for St. Hermenegild to do any differently than he did. The same may be said of the “una cum” Mass of the SSPX.

May God grant us a deeper devotion to the Mass and the Faith of the Ages.

– Bishop McGuire