Name of Church St. James the Just
Address 495 N. Harrison Blvd., Ogden UT 84404
Phone number (801) 782-5393
Website www.stjamescatholic.com
Mass times Saturday vigil 5 p.m.; 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 8:30 a.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m. Communion Service. Monday, 6 p.m. Wednesday, Latin Tridentine, 6 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. Holydays: 8:30 a.m., noon, 7 p.m.
Confessions Saturdays, 3:30 – 4:40 p.m., or by appointment.
Names of priests Father Erik Richtsteig, pastor. Father is an orthodox, well-spoken priest and a convert from Mormonism. He’s been outspoken in defense of life, as well as traditional marriage. He’s 49, having been ordained a priest in 1994, and served as a chaplain for the U.S. Air Force Reserve. Read his blog: https://orthometer.blogspot.com/.
Special parish groups and events Adoration on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; St. James Youth Group; Knights of Columbus; Adult Faith Study Group; Women’s Group; Men’s Bible Study; Boy Scouts; Chrisifideles men’s group; Children’s Eucharistic Adoration. Also, the parish bills itself as a pro-life parish, with pro-life literature centers, support for the 40 Days for Life campaign, and a pregnancy care center in Ogden.
Fellow parishioners This is a mostly English-speaking community, but it’s Mormon country, with Catholics are in the minority. Over 80 percent of Ogden residents identify themselves as Mormon, and less than 10 percent as Catholic.
Parking There’s a large lot alongside the church.
Additional observations St. James the Just is a parish of the diocese of Salt Lake City, Utah. It was established in 1966; the current church was dedicated in 2006. It is named for St. James the Lesser, the first bishop of Jerusalem. The church made the national news in 2013, when a man entered the church during the Mass and shot his father-in-law (the victim recovered and the shooter apprehended).
Why a Latin Mass only on WED? So, why is Fr. Richtsteig “orthodox” as he seems like a pretty run of the mill New Church priest? Not enough anymore to babble some Latin here and there; commitment is necessary.
Even with the N.O., does Fr. give out communion in the hand, require people to kneel, say the Mass ad Orientum, not have “Eucharistic Ministers” running around the altar? Have only Traditional music at all masses? Say the Prayer to St. Michael after Mass? Say a “Hail Mary” during Mass? Remember that Christ said that no one can take credit for doing the right thing, as that is expected of all of us (including priests), so it is no big deal to be pro-life, and all that.
The key is stepping beyond, going out into the world of wolves? Going face to face with the apostates within the Church (you know, Cardinal Chuckles-Bravo Dolan and his gang).
The number and days of the Latin Masses depend upon the interest of those within the Parish, so that the Priest can serve all Catholics within his area.
Instead of knocking this Priest (who man be introducing the TLM to his parish), and knocking the other form of the Mass,
you would do better to only positively promote the TLM.
Being a complainer does not encourage others to attend the TLM, or any Catholic Mass for that matter.
Surely you can change your own style for the good of the Church.
LUKE, I agree 100%. There are a noisy few who bash every parish presented here unless it only has the TLM. There is no reasoning with them; I’ve tried. I’m sure this parish is lovely and I would love to go to Utah one day for all it has to offer and to see this parish while I’m there.
“…There is no reasoning with them; I’ve tried.”
And others have tried reasoning with you, Carol. That said, I applaud Father’s efforts to turn more and more toward tradition. The more TLM the better. So prayers for him as he will most definitely be increasingly opposed for his efforts. But that is usually a sign of doing the right thing.
Father Erik is a Roman Catholic priest within a diocese in the US. he can’t require receiving on the tongue or on our knees. But I assure you he highly encourages it and people come from across the county for Mass…passing several other parishes to attend. He is what all US parishes need. But he will not oppose the church or his bishop. He does teach what we ought to do and why. I’d not be who I am today without him his leadership and his friendship. The only hard part about leaving Utah was leaving St. James and the few friends I had outside of the parish. With priest like Father Erk the church will grow as it should with an educated flock.
Crislee Moreno: Most of us love and appreciate the parishes presented here and this one looks wonderful. There are a few people who just complain about every parish. It has nothing to do with the priest there, who I’m sure is very hard working and great, or the parish, which again, looks wonderful. As someone who is traditionally minded my prayer is that those who love the TLM find better ways to express their appreciation other than to complain.
Perhaps introducing why you like the TLM would be a good course of action, Carol, instead of complaining about those who complain.
That said, Crislee Moreno, it is often the case that the Lord removes us from a parish or a priest when we get too attached. Not to say that your relationship with Father wasn’t a good and fruitful one. It was obviously what you needed and when you needed it. But there is a time and a purpose to all things.
As one who has been required to move quite often, I’ve found that, although doing so has been painful, the experience has pushed my family and I to cling ever more to the actual Faith itself. Learning more and striving to maintain the Faith when faced with not having ‘that’ great priest anymore is often the best thing that can happen to a person, for it makes them turn ever more to Christ instead of stopping at the person. Not that you have, but it can happen. We are human and attachments are natural. But they can get in the way.
God bless.
“Stephanie Swee”: Nice that you know the good Father, but a priest is known by his works. He is a Novus Ordo priest and, from the literature provided, seems to do little to educate (by example, and, it is anticipated, by teaching) his parishioners as to the Tradition of the Church.
Your comment is far too much over the top, and personally insulting — “You don’t know what you are talking about”, besides being a tired cliché, is a juvenile way to open a comment. You don’t want to be like the many Catholic Liberals out there, who fail to speak to issues, and not attack people (which does nothing to advance your point).
You raise a point of personal heroism — and a good Novus Ordo priest is worthy of praise and respect — but why is that the case here? From the literature provided, this does not seem to be much different from other NO parishes. How is Father “braving the wrath” of the local bishop? And, if you believe that this is so, have you raised your voice to His Excellency and told him about this great priest and how the bishop is failing this flock?”
And, how does Father catechize his parishioners that is good? Does he teach them that the Church did not begin at Vatican II — as Pope Francis and most the reigning bishops and cardinals now believe? What does he say about Summorum Pontificum and all the sacraments “in the extraordinary form”? Does he offer these? How do people receive communion? Does he speak to respect for the Holy Eucharist? To proper dress at Mass? Does he proselytize the Mormons (and ignore the calls of the Vatican that everyone should stay in their present “faith”)?
it would be interesting to learn more about the basis for your passionate defense of Father Richtsteig, and why he is “orthodox”. Look forward to learning more.
I can vouch for him as the director of music. Throughout his appointment at St James be has insisted on thoroughly orthodox music at all masses and has encouraged chant. At 2 Sunday masses,we are singing the propers of the mass and at the principal mass on Sunday, we regularly sing the Ordinary parts in one of the 18 Latin Mass settings and always include the Sequences. Fr.Erik has brought these, as well as other changes to our parish in a gradual mode. This is the smartest approach when dealing with a body of people coming from very different backgrounds and experiences within our church.
St Christopher, you are a heretic if you do not admit that:
Both Forms of the Mass are Holy – when done in full accord with GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal – Nov 27, 2011) for the Ordinary Form of the Mass;
and the 1962 Missal for the Extraordinary Form of the Mass.
You gain no friends for the EF / Latin / TLM when you bad mouth other approved forms of the Mass. In fact you drive people away, and give bad Bishops fuel to oppose the TLM within his own Diocese.
If you can not say something nice, say nothing at all.
Encouraging your most desired form of the Mass is OK.
Bad mouthing the other Form is NOT OK.
Go to Confession.
“…You gain no friends for the EF / Latin / TLM when you bad mouth other approved forms of the Mass. In fact you drive people away.”
The above is patently false, David. That fallacy has, however, been used as a vehicle to squelch *honest* dialog much like you are doing here. Be not afraid, my friend. And despite what you may believe, nobody is going to pull the wool over the eyes of a Bishop when it comes to bringing the TLM into their diocese. It is a decision that, despite the gag order, speaks volumes upon experiencing the differences.
And being truly kind doesn’t always come in the ‘nice’ package we anticipate. Sometimes, but not always. There’s room for all.
I really don’t see dialogue here, but if that is what you want, we are just laity. The people you need to dialogue with are people at the diocesan level.
St. Christopher,
Let Fr. Richtsteig’s words speak for themselves. You can hear his homilies here: https://orthometer.podbean.com/
Things to keep in mind; he is a diocesan priest and the bishop for Salt Lake is more than a little bit left of center, prudence is a virtue, and he does no one any good if the bishop sticks him in a corner by himself.
I’ve learned more about the Catholic Church and Catholic tradition in the 3.5 years he has been my pastor than the rest of my life combined. I’ve grown closer to God due to Father’s leadership and example. However, my personal experiences will never sway you. The entire parish could post here and that would not sway you. Again, let his own words sway you, or not. I stand firm in my conviction that he is no ordinary Novus Ordo priest, and if you were to take the time to listen to his homilies, and even read his Facebook page, I think you would feel the same. Making up your mind based on the little blurb here is hardly an educated decision. I think you can agree with that.
St. Christopher,
What Father Erik has done with St. James since his arrival is a miracle. Father also has a very liberal bishop. You seem so judgmental and maybe should visit the parish before you make judgements.
“Michelle” and “Cindy Sorley”: It is good that you are learning more about the Catholic Faith, assuming that what you are learning is the true Faith. Many Catholic priests give out something that may seem nice, but is not Catholic.
Perhaps Father should leave this diocese and go public. Let him find a voice that tells all Catholics about a reprobate bishop. Many more priests need to do just this.
Why is it that when someone raises questions about what is taught at a Catholic Church, people start calling you “judgmental” and focus on hating you, rather than listening to what is said. It is good that you feel you are being taught about Catholicism, and perhaps things are better than previously. However, that does not eliminate the very valid questions about the liturgies and parish policy being adopted by the priest that you protect.
Why not ask Father the questions that were raised earlier? Let’s see his answers? Altar boys or girls, too? Kneeling? Hand-holding at Mass? Crazy music and Protestant hymns. All those things are not judgmental, but how things are supposed to be. Do not be misled, pastors have significant power. Just read Summorum Pontificum and its implementing letter Universae Ecclesiae. This is not being judgmental, but giving you some standards by which you can judge if you are receiving the full Faith (and few are so it is unlikely that you are).
If Father is faithful, he will be pleased to respond to you. If he is “offended” or cries about the bad old bishop, then perhaps not. Again, not judgmental, but an effort to be charitable. More Catholics need to rise up and demand that their priests and bishops teach the Faith and live the Faith.
“If Father is faithful, he will be pleased to respond to you. If he is “offended” or cries about the bad old bishop, then perhaps not. Again, not judgmental, but an effort to be charitable. More Catholics need to rise up and demand that their priests and bishops teach the Faith and live the Faith.”
Well stated, St. Christopher…and true.
God bless Fr. Erik! Know that he is in my prayers! He sounds wonderful and so does the parish.
Kenneth. That parish is St Florence. St James is down the canyon and a bit north from the mouth of the Ogden Canyon.
This is a tough situation for a “Novus Ordo” priest to be in when he is trying to implement a TLM in his Novus Ordo parish. Bishop John Chester of Salt Lake City is a liberal and a lefty naturally and no fan of the TLM or Tradition for that matter. Father Richtsteig must “tread” very carefully or have the wrath of a LIBERAL bishop whack him one. We are in the Pope Francis the Humble era and you will not find any support coming from Rome these days. Heck this pope does not even know he is pope by the way he has conducted himself in his almost two years since being elected. Just look at him ‘bowing” and grabbing the arm of the Orthodox Patriarch in Instanbul yesterday begging the “schismatic” Patriarch to bless him and The Roman Catholic Church huh???????? I hope the good Father will be able to turn his parish into a “TLM only” one in the near future, because the Novus Ordo with dancing girls, altar girls, female and male lay lectors, hand holding, kiss of peace, giant puppets, drums, guitars, rock, polka, mariachi, felt banners, dinner table, ripped out high altars, ripped out communion rails will not save you but the TLM will.
Janek, I’m glad you see the difficulty that many priests face and this is why we need to pray for them and support them. But remember, there are no dancing girls, giant puppets or polka at this parish. This priest and this parish need our prayers and support!
Well said, Carol. Any priest who shows any signs of swimming against the tide of PC trash being promulgated in many NO dioceses should be heartily supported and continually prayed for. Most priests and Bishops are too young to remember the Church as She once was, one cannot be expected to love what one has no knowledge of, they must be taught. Our Pope himself raises many eyebrows with his actions so far, one hopes that the Holy Spirit guides him and not some other spirit. Time will tell. If God wishes this watered-down Church to prosper, He will, but if we must dwindle to a faithful remnant, He will bless that too.
Since Pope Francis is a Jesuit, perhaps someone should send him the book “Discernment of Spirits”
based upon the teaching of the Jesuit founder St. Ignatius.
Excellent notion!
Hosemonkey, your latest comment is, in all due respect, garbage! Enough already with the notion that those who live in an “NO diocese” is not a true Catholic. There is no such thing. It is either Catholic or it isn’t. THE Mass of the Catholic church is what you call the NO. Any other form is of the Mass is “extraordinary.” That means it is not the regular form. Got it! Your comments, made on any other site or to non-Catholics interested in joining the Church founded by Christ, will be driven away by your miss-understanding of the Church’s liturgy. Enough already! If you don’t like the Catholic Church as it is, not what it use to be, then go to a parish that has a TLM, but leave the other 99% of us alone to worship as the Church has told us to do on a regular basis. Why do you pine for what was? I lived through those days. Believe me, you don’t want to go back.
Bob One, I agree with you regarding the OF Mass is certainly Catholic. When done as required according to GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal of 2011) it is Holy.
And when the EF Mass is done according to the 1962 Missal, it is Holy.
Arguments over which Mass is better is sinful.
Abuses by the Priest due to ad-libbing, or skipping parts of the Mass, etc.,
and abuses by the Congregation such as hand-holding, raising arms in air (mimicking the Priest), giving the sign of Peace noisily and to people who do not sit on either side of them, any applause during Mass, and not dressing respectfully – is abusive and very distracting to others.
Distractions are not Holy.
Talking inside the Church before and after Mass shows disrespect for God (in the Tabernacle) and for those who wish some time for silent prayer.
Silent Prayer is a requirement in GIRM.
Either Bishops do not know about the abuses, or they do not care.
My Parish is OF, but about 50% of the time I attend an EF Mass about an hour further away.
It is my opinion that it is too bad that they did not keep both forms of the Mass exactly the same as the 1962 Missal except for allowing it in the vernacular language of each specific culture.
Cardinal Bernardin, and others of his ilk held 3 votes because he could not get the votes he needed – so they did not allow people to receive God (Holy Communion) while kneeling,
and only handled by consecrated hands. Phil 2:10-11.
The Vatican overturned Bernardin’s positions but only after the damage of forcing people to conform to his way or the highway was overturned by the Vatican years later.
Bob One you are getting the just deserts of the spirit of Vatican 2 Church closings, mass attendance under 20 percent, Catholics who don’t know the basics of the Faith. The false Catholic church that is currently being implemented will and has misled millions. You say you don’t want to go back to “what was”. You mean a strong vibrant Catholic Church that fought the culture rather than trying to get along with it, seminaries and convents filled, only a self hating liberal catholic would hate something like that….
“Bob One”: You are completely wrong, in several respects:
1. “Going back”: If you did live in “those [past] days, you must have been asleep. The Catholic Church was vibrant, joyful, a pathway toward to salvation (and made no bones about it), and full of priests, religious, and worshippers. Today, none of that is the case. The Church is a sad place, with many self-loathing priests and apostates, who know little of the Faith, and care little about it. How can anyone seriously look up to men such as Cardinals Mahony, Dolan, Wuerl, Abp. Cupich, and many, many more, when compared with the great American cardinals of the recent past (a long, long list). You are foolish to state mistruths and attempt to mislead the younger commenters here.
2. Supporting Traditional Priests: That is what Hosemonkey said, and he is correct. Your graceless response of “garbage” is what is expected of Liberal Catholics, unfortunately. Yes, it is sad to see that all Liberals can argue is, “we have the Church now, so go away”.
Sorry, but it does not work that way. People who love the Church will fight for Her and, ultimately, will win. As St. Athanasius said (paraphrasing), “they have the buildings, we have the Faith”. Keep at it Hosemonkey, you are right; pray for and support all Traditional clergy and religious.
“…Your comments, made on any other site or to non-Catholics interested in joining the Church founded by Christ, will be driven away by your miss-understanding of the Church’s liturgy.”
This is a completely false assumption based on your own personal opinion, Bob One, as is the ”…believe me, you don’t want to go back.” That and fear mongering.
If you didn’t understand the Faith in the days of the TLM that is your problem, Bob One. But you cannot speak for all parties in this regard, not by far. As surveys show prior to the recent Synod, something approaching the 99% that you tout as preferring to do as the Church leadership has directed DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ACTUALLY TEACHES OR DO NOT AGREE WITH THE CHURCH ON MATTERS OF FAITH AND MORALS.
By their fruits you shall know them, Bob One. That said, it would appear that many did understand what the Church taught prior to VII and the reform of the mass, but they didn’t like it. So now the overt suppression of doctrine, to appease the 99%, is leading souls to leave the Faith, although they may still donate to ‘the building of the Church’.
So you may want folks to believe you in that going back is not the way to go. But Our Lord didn’t ponder whether He would find the Catholic Church upon His return, but rather whether He would find any FAITH. Discern spirits, Bob One.
There is no overt suppression of doctrine. That is a lie from the father of lies.
…not mentioning the tough stuff as Cardinal Dolan put it is suppression of doctrine, mous. That is not teaching overtly what the Church teaches. How else to explain the pre-synod survey that showed a majority of Church going Catholics who do not know and/or agree with the moral teachings of the Church, mous?
So look to the ‘Father of Lies’ if you will, but looking to willful sins of omission may be the better course when seeking the root cause.
Matt, it is too bad that you have allowed folks to deceive you about the voting rules of the Catholic Bishops. When important votes do not garner necessary votes by those in the room, they regularly poll those who could not attend. That is exactly what happened in these votes, and that is exactly what happens even now If you happened to watch the votes at the Bishops’ meeting in November, you saw that very thing in action. People who are opposed to the changes that were adopted have lead you to believe it was an irregularity, when in fact it is the way votes are always conducted.
St. Christopher and others: In those wonderful days about which you speak: 1) There had been no priest abuse scandal to make mothers think twice about bringing their children to Church. 2) Second income households were almost unheard of, thanks to the fact that the 1% didn’t occupy such an enormous portion of the national wealth as they do now, meaning in part that there is less family time together. and 3) Those women had to struggle to gain acceptance and equality in the workplace and so are not likely to bring their own daughters to a Church where there is no equality for women. Yet you think it is all about Vatican II. Trust me, none of the women who I went to church with in 1979 are telling me they no longer go because of Vatican II.
And besides which, you ignore the fact that church attendance worldwide is about the same now as it was then. All of the Church is post Vatican II.
Overall Christian Church attendance is also about the same in the United States. But in the western world, where women sought and largely secured an equality they cannot find in the Roman Catholic Church, yes Roman Church attendance is down.
Ann Malley you don’t agree with ecumenical councils of the Church. You don’t agree that only bishops ordained with the permission of the Pope are duly ordained. You don’t believe that the hierarchy believes what the Church believes. So why should any of us give you the credibility to say whether 99% of the Church believes what the Church believes?
Ann Malley, I do not know what the tough stuff you refer to is.
I agree there are a lot of people who do not agree with some of the teachings of the Church.
I hesitate to point this out, but since you are one of them, you could explain it better than I. I do not think the dogma that you disbelieve was suppressed. It is mentioned at every Sunday Mass. So-maybe people just don’t believe it or make excuses for not obeying it. Or ignore because it is inconvenient or maybe people just do what they want in defiance of the Lord and the Church. Story of the human race. I think you would be very hard pressed to find those who do not know the teachings of the Catholic Church on most of the main moral issues of the day, if that is what you are referring to.
If you did live in “those [past] days, you must have been asleep. The Catholic Church was vibrant, joyful, a pathway toward to salvation (and made no bones about it), and full of priests, religious, and worshippers.
If you went back in a time machine, you would be really disappointed. Mumbles prayers sped through, no high Masses, people praying the Rosary during Mass (or dozing), the fashion show aspect was more important (and no, women did not wear veils-they wore hats; veils were only worn for funerals, first communion and confirmation), lots of drinking and smoking by priests and of course card-playing, lots of gossip (that hasn’t changed) people were intimidated by priests and nuns, ethnicism and racism were rampant, people made a lot of jokes about the tunnels between the convents and the rectories,. Anybody else old enough to remember the good ole days?
I am sure I will be asked for my data. Here are the best data we have demonstrating that the worldwide Catholic Church is not, in fact, in some kind of spiralling decline since Vatican II. There are not even spikes in the data that would show any influence whatsoever from any of the indults, papal documents issued sua sponte, or intervening papal actions of any kind. Indeed, there has been worldwide a steady supply of priests, parishes, though a slight decrease in religious. Yet far more lay ministerial employees. Go figure.
https://cara.georgetown.edu/caraservices/requestedchurchstats.html
Mous, you don’t know what I believe. That said, don’t take my word for the results of the pre-Synod survey. Take the word of those prelates you trust. Look to the ‘leadership’ my friend. And if you actually have the Faith, that is what will school you. For even Fr. Bob B who received his education at the Greg in Rome has stated that there has been a woeful lack of catechesis within the Church in the last 40-50 years. So take him to task, friend, or better still, take the leadership to task over WHY there was such a dearth of teaching the actual Faith.
You write, “You don’t agree that only bishops ordained with the permission of the Pope are duly ordained.” There is a difference between valid and licit, friend. You would do well to learn the difference.
Get educated, mous, beyond my ‘team’ or nothing rhetoric and then come back and we’ll chat.
YFC, Church closures, school closures, and Catholic faithful voting in pro-abortion, pro-sodomy leadership is the very visible statistic – as is the latest survey that demonstrates a lack of faith and understanding by even those who attend Church.
It is not the growth of the ‘institution’ which is demonstrative of the Faith, but rather the fruits of what is and/or is not happening real-time on the ground, friend.
Yes, mous, I do recall the good old days and what you describe is not what the family practice was for many. Your assertions against the Rosary are also quite marked which gives significant insight into your lack of understanding of what ‘union of prayer’ implies.
Such shallow misconceptions are the very same that are leading the Church to become more and more a political reflection of ‘feeling’ humanly involved than anything spiritual. But hey, elevate the corporal and you will negate any hope of attaining the spiritual. That rather seems to be the point.
Not sure where you garnered the ‘hats’ data, but perhaps your family was rife with vanity and the superficial. If so, I’m sorry for you. That was not a good example.
Ann Malley, did you not notice that I used neither the words Valid nor Licit??? Duly ordained. A bishop violates canon law and is automatically excommunicated for ordaining another bishop without the Pope’s permission. You stick your finger in the eye of Pope after pope by following these illicitly ordained bishops, then you hide behind juridical hairsplitting language like valid and licit.
I made no assertions against the Rosary. This is a type of twisting of people’s words that is uncharitable and mean-spirited.
It was not my family; it was my parish and diocese where hats were worn. It was not a exclusive ethnic parish and customs may have been different where you lived. Nobody wore veils except for those times mentioned. Catholic school uniforms for girls usually had a cap or beret, not veils. Try Google-the only veils you will see are on brides.
I am surprised that you said that you recall them because previously you said you went to Catholic school post-Vatican II.
“… people praying the Rosary during Mass.” You mock what you do not understand, mous. And that is mean period, not just mean spirited. (Union of prayer is what matters, mous, and understanding the great Sacrifice, not just being a part by taking the priests parts so you can ‘feel’ special in a human way.)
As for being surprised about what I recall, if you have the capacity to recall your youth and all that was so horrific about the TLM and Catholic practice, understand that others recall their youth as well. And yes, I know that my mother and sisters wore mantillas to every mass, that is the older girls. We younger ones wore straw hats with sprays of flowers and the lovely little elastic band beneath the chin – the kind that could snap. I remember that too and my lovely white gloves with the three ridges on each glove, the same with the pearl fasteners.
You know nothing of which speak, mous, save for spin and slander and talking points meant to extract all that is pious, holy, and pure from Catholic practice, choosing instead a cold and hardened pot of lentils. That may serve you well, but others are hungry and have need of that which not only feeds the soul, but increases its hunger by the very depths of beauty provided in that which you disparage.
Begone.
Anonymous you’ve been exposed. You just wrote, “Mumbles prayers sped through, no high Masses, people praying the Rosary during Mass”
“I made no assertions against the rosary.” Yes you did and that was much much more than an assertion. Anonymous pretends and denies that he or she is belittling and undermining the weapon against all heresies. The evidence is right there in anonymous’s own words. This is more “bipolar- like” flip flopping. YOU have been caught red handed on the keyboard. That was a strategic attack on Our Lady. ANYONE who attacks the rosary is NOT like minded with the Church. Dead giveaway.
continued……
Pope Leo XIII’s SUPREMI APOSTOLATUS OFFICIO (on devotion to the rosary)
Encyclical promulgated on 1 September 1883
“It has always been the habit of Catholics in danger and in troublous times to fly for refuge to Mary, and to seek for peace in her maternal goodness; showing that the Catholic Church has always, and with justice, put all her hope and trust in the Mother of God. And truly the Immaculate Virgin, chosen to be the Mother of God and thereby associated with Him in the work of man’s salvation, has a favor and power with her Son greater than any human or angelic creature has ever obtained, or ever can gain. And, as it is her greatest pleasure to grant her help and comfort to those who seek her, it cannot be doubted that she would deign, and even be anxious, to receive the aspirations of the universal Church.’
“May now the Christian nations, excited by Our exhortations, and inflamed by your appeals, seek the protection of Mary with an ardour growing greater day by day; let them cling more and more to the practice of the Rosary, to that devotion which our ancestors were in the habit of practicing, not only as an ever-ready remedy for their misfortunes, but as a whole badge of Christian piety. ”
“The Patroness of the human race will receive with joy these prayers and supplications, and will easily obtain that the good shall grow in virtue, and that the erring should return to salvation and repent; and that God who is the avenger of crime, moved to mercy and pity may deliver Christendom and civil society from all dangers, and restore to them the peace so much desired. ” – Pope LEO XIII
“…You stick your finger in the eye of Pope after pope by following these illicitly ordained bishops, then you hide behind juridical hairsplitting language like valid and licit.”
Sticking one’s finger in the crack to avoid the occasion of sin and sin itself is your issue, mous. If you don’t want to go that route, don’t. If you receive the fullness of Faith and are strong enough to endure the storm where you sit, thank God for it.
I thank God for the food He has provided me and mine and I will not reject the hand that gives it, not when when those duly authorized are suspect in that which they deliver. My duty is clear and I pray, that one day, that duty will take precedence with regard to the fullness of Faith before more souls are lost.
That said, the ‘hairsplitting’ of valid vs licit is there for a reason much like the whole of Church doctrine. These distinctions are there precisely for our understanding *and* our protection. There are those in Church history who were once labeled heretic for standing up for the Faith, mous, and that is where I stand. You may want to cease taking that personally as if it is abrading *your* choice…. or perhaps making you choke on sour grapes because of a longer drive to reach a diocesan TLM.
Sour grapes is the only explanation I can muster for your ongoing personal tirades.
I am a loyal defender of the Rosary. You desire to misinterpret my remark for a reason.
I have no idea how anyone could get “horrific”out of what I wrote about pre-Vatican II Catholicism. I do not get how anyone could interpret my saying that people prayed the Rosary during Mass as an insult to the rosary. I can only assume that they are reading it with an uncharitable and un-Christian attitude of desiring to find fault with another.
It really shouldn’t be that threatening to anybody.
What difference does it make to you, now, what people did 65 years ago? I can’t believe that anybody is so wedded to their own concept of what the Church should be or should have been that they commit sin over it.
Catherine, I like your quote from the great Pope Leo XIII.
I wholeheartedly agree with you anonymous! The quotes from the great Pope Leo XIII on the devotion to the rosary are absolutely beautiful!
YFC is helping build a counterfeit Church…
Janek, thank you for your continued firmness and passion. It is always refreshing to see that you do very much understand the difficulty priests face, even those in the NO. Believing Catholics are all on the same side. That said, your continued promotion of tradition and that which is Catholic is the support we all need, priests included.
God bless!
Janek, I understand your concerns and I share them, but all is in the hands of God. No Mass can “save” you, neither NO or Tridentine. Both are valid, and one, if said properly and reverently, is no “better” than the other. Ah, but the majesty and the dignity and the reverence of a well-offered Tridentine Mass truly makes it a “Mass of the Angels and, I am sure, is greatly pleasing to God. So many have not had the great privilege of seeing the Tridentine Mass offered, perhaps because they have been denied the opportunity by most of our “modern and progressive” shepherds.
Totally agree with this article, St. James is a parish worth driving to!!! And I have been going here since 2001. Not only does our Pastor Father Erik ROCK, the people are kind and friendly and welcoming. Situated in beautiful Utah mountains, the setting is awesome. How entirely blessed I feel to be able to attend Mass here daily!!! Indeed, truly Heaven on Earth.
Some difference between the OF Mass and EF (Latin/Tridentine) Mass.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbwrH53-4oU
– – – – – – – –
When the Priest (or someone else) gives Holy Communion to each person at the OF Mass, he or she says – “Body of Christ”, and the receiver says “Amen”.
At the EF (Latin Mass) the Priest gives Holy Communion to each person who is kneeling to receive the Lord and receives on the tongue – and says in Latin –
” May the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ keep thy soul unto life everlasting. Amen”. The receiver says nothing because he has just received God.
Mantillas are usually worn at Latin Masses by women. They can also be worn at the OF Mass, which I do also.
You can purchase one for less than $7 at EWTN on-line catalogue, and many other Catholic catalogues.
https://www.ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com/shop.axd/Search?keywords=mantilla&sort_by=price_asc
When attending an EF or Latin Mass for the first few times – it is helpful to have an inexpensive Latin-English Booklet Missal.
https://www.fraternitypublications.com/labomi.html
Check your Diocese web site for the Latin (EF) Mass closest to you.
(Verify since sometimes the Diocese site is not always updated.)
Some people seem to be confused about the SSPX (Society of Saint Pius X).
This is the official info as of TODAY:
The Excommunication of the 4 SSXP Bishops was lifted in 2009.
https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cbishops/documents/rc_con_cbishops_doc_20090121_remissione-scomunica_en.html
HOWEVER – ” LETTER of HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI to the BISHOPS of the CATHOLIC CHURCH CONCERNING the REMISSION of the EXCOMMUNICATION of the FOUR BISHOPS CONSECRATED BY ARCHBISHOP LEFEBVRE ” states the following:
https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/letters/2009/documents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20090310_remissione-scomunica_en.html
” The remission of the excommunication was a measure taken in the field of ecclesiastical discipline: the individuals were freed from the burden of conscience constituted by the most serious of ecclesiastical penalties.
This disciplinary level needs to be distinguished from the doctrinal level.
The fact that the Society of Saint Pius X does not possess a canonical status in the Church is not, in the end, based on disciplinary but on doctrinal reasons.
As long as the Society does not have a canonical status in the Church, its ministers do not exercise legitimate ministries in the Church.
There needs to be a distinction, then, between the disciplinary level, which deals with individuals as such, and the doctrinal level, at which ministry and institution are involved.