Sept. 25, 2018
Dear Parishioners and Priests:
It has come to our attention that there have been unauthorized Masses and other sacraments celebrated in houses, halls, parks and other places. These are usually performed by priests who come from outside the Diocese of Sacramento.
The 2006 Statutes of the Diocese of Sacramento (# 25, 26, and 91), the Code of Canon Law for the Universal Church (c. 932, §1), and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (#288) do not permit the sacraments to be celebrated outside of a parish church or designated chapel, except for grave pastoral reasons, and only with permission of the local pastor. This is in keeping with local norms and the universal law of the Church.
Any priest or deacon from outside the Diocese of Sacramento must first present themselves to the Vicar for Clergy as well as the local pastor and comply with diocesan safe-environment protocols.
Any information about a Mass or other sacrament being performed in violation of these regulations as well as information of a priest or deacon performing these unauthorized rites should be brought to the attention of the local pastor and Vicar for Clergy.
For any questions, please feel free to contact Fr. Glenn Jaron, Vicar for Clergy, at 916-733-0200.
Respectfully,
Jaime Soto
Bishop of Sacramento
From Diocese of Sacramento website.
We must remember that the illicit Masses of the beloved SSPX, and those of the independent chapels it has spawned throughout the state and the world, are likewise unauthorized.
“It has come to our attention that there have been unauthorized Masses and other sacraments celebrated in houses, halls, parks and other places. These are usually performed by priests who come from outside the Diocese of Sacramento.”
Bishop Soto: That’s because many Catholics can’t stand the Novus Ordo Mass.
It’s like going to your parents house and refusing to stay because they remodeled the house, including your childhood bedroom.
Rather, it’s like going to your parents’ house and refusing to stay because they turned the house into a brothel that threatens the wellbeing of your children.
The Holy Mass-the Sacrifice of Calvary renewed- is being compared to a brothel???
What blasphemy!!!!!!!
Vatican II Incorporated multiple heresies that were condemned by previous popes. The new mass is more Protestant than it is Catholic. Vatican II, you will know them by their “fruits”.
Anonymous,
Without commenting on the merits of DJR’s statements, I’ll say that DJR was not commenting on the Mass but on what people do with the Mass.
This is false. Vatican II did NOT “incorporate multiple heresies.” There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with the Ordinary Form offered authentically and devoutly. NOTHING. For you people to cast aspersions upon the liturgies of the Church and daring to weaken the faith of Catholics upon the efficacy and validity of the Church’s sacraments is evil, it’s the work of the devil, it’s heretical.
jon; I encourage everyone to read “AMONG THE RUINS” by Paul L. Williams. Multiple heresies adapted by Vatican II are detailed with references in the book.
Right. So according to this author, Williams, John Paul I was murdered, John Paul II was a heretic, and that the Church is in its death throes, totally contradicting the words of Our Lord who said that the “gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” There will always be buyers of fantastic conspiracy books like this among those already convinced that the Church is not guarded from error on matters of faith and morals. But for responsible Catholics who want a balanced approach, they’ll gladly skip over this. Just sayin’.
Anonymous, I looked up that book and that author and it wasn’t good. When other books he has written are being criticized with reviews saying the author sounds like an atheist,an antiChristian, I take note.
In the intoduction to this book you recommend, he talks about the ruins of his childhood faith, how every story in the book is told from his viewpoint and that he is outraged at the Church.
I don’t have time to go back and check his sources and determine what is true and what is just him.
Actually, this letter may be a signal to priests credibly accused of child abuse (e.g. Father Foley) to stay away from the Diocese of Sacramento and to stop offering their wares to unsuspecting laity in the Diocese.
Even the Novus Ordo Mass in private homes will propagate the Faith. The Church is becoming smaller and more intensely faithful. In Future the Latin Mass will provide the remnant from which it will blossom again once the Vatican Council II Protestantization is left behind.
I’m surprised a validly authorized visiting priest would deliberately violate the local rules in Sacramento. If discovered, Bishop Soto would only have to make a phone call to the Bishop in the priest’s home diocese.
Could he also be talking about “communion services” and other deviant Novus Ordo practices? Recently, Bishop Vasa in Santa Rosa had to order that those services be stopped in at least one parish.
That’s clearly not what he is talking about.
“except for grave pastoral reasons”
Such as Modernism and heresy being prevalent in most CA Catholic dioceses. As St. Athanasius said, They have the buildings, but the faithful laity have the faith.
Asbury,
When I read about St. Athanasius in my Church history book, he quickly became my favorite saint. This guy was Catholic through-and-through and nothing would dissuade him from championing the faith — not popularity, convenience, power, or life.
Thanks for the quote.
And what is the problem of celebrating Mass in a location outside of a Church for “grave pastoral reasons” if the Bishop himself, and the Church itself, allow its celebration for such reasons? I remember a priest telling me what a great comfort and grace it was to celebrate Mass in the home of his dying father, who died a few hours after Mass. That is a grave, pastoral reason. Your rigidity is not only breathtaking, but also lacking in Christian compassion, and a true Catholic spirit. The Bishop is the principal liturgist in his territory. Any legitimate ruling of his, such as this, is law. And your dismissive attitude departs from the true Catholic faith.
It is well-known that many priests and pseudo-priests, laymen who were never ordained, conduct “Confirmations” and “First Holy Communions” at a steep price, but without the benefit of catechetical instruction. A case I knew about many years ago involved a Mexican ex-seminarian who left seminary due to misconduct and appeared in Northern California offering these “services.” Bishop Soto should have mentioned the Safe Environment aspect of this. As mike m hints at, a validly ordained priest in good standing would not be expected to doing these things– and indeed would be violating several canons and the Dallas Charter for the protection of youth if he did– so it makes one wonder about the background of many of these “priests.”
For Barbara who “can’t stand the Novus Ordo Mass”, Bishop Soto makes the Mass in the Extraordinary Form (EF) available licitly and validly from priests with faculties in the diocese in parish buildings specifically consecrated for the celebration of the holy Mass. She need not sneak off to any illicit or invalid Mass here.
This year is the FSSP’s 30th anniversary and their 28th year in our Diocese of Sacramento. Supply the vocations to the FSSP, Barbara, and Bishop Jaime Soto will find additional parishes for them. The EF Mass is also licitly and validly celebrated in other parishes here. You supply the congregants then you’ll see more EF Masses. If it is to be, it is up to thee.
Remember, the founding priests of the FSSP were all ordained by the SSPX.
Ron,
If your statement is true, I think it’s time that the SSPX priests leave SSPX and request full, unambiguous communion with the Catholic Church through membership in FSSP. I think it is time.
In communion with Pope Francis? “there is no Catholic God”
Ron,
Regardless of your view of St. Francis, he is the Pope. It’s being in communion with his office that makes us Catholic.
Steve, they don’t want that.
Before they were in schism.