Orthodoxy is not Self-Evident
Since there is much talk about the possible loosening of restrictions on the Indult Mass by the Holy Father, I thought I'd share some thoughts on that.
I have long been a fan of the Tridentine Mass. I am only 31 years old, but I had the privilege of being an altar server for an indult Mass for a year back in 1997. I would have continued to serve at Mass had the pastor of the church (not the celebrant of these Masses) not said that he could not "afford" to allow this monthly Mass to continue. Considering that quite a few people did show up, this seems hard to believe. He himself celebrated a weekly charismatic Mass with the same size crowd, but I guess they gave more at the Offering. Go figure.
At any rate, during my year as an altar boy, I got to hear quite a few interesting conversations amongst the parishioners. The celebrant of the Latin Mass was (and presumably still is) an excellent priest, very learned and articulate, and most importantly, very orthodox. He constantly used to warn me about the extreme views of a few of the Mass attendees. A few of them were constantly mad about Vatican II, mad about the Pope, mad about the Novus Ordo, et cetera. There were a few sedevacantists, a few more SSPX-style "traditionalists", and then orthodox Catholics. Truly an interesting crowd.
The Tridentine Mass attracts all sorts on the Right, as is evinced above. What is interesting is that a group called Traditio, claiming to be "An Independent, Balanced Voice of Traditional Roman Catholicism; Avoiding Heresy on the Left and Schism on the Right", can likely be numbered amongst the schismatics and heretics on the Right. They attack the Novus Ordo in all forms, by citing the extreme examples of some (at the very least) wrongheaded priests and "priestesses" on the Left.
As I said, I have long been a fan of the 1962 rite of Mass. I also am not crazy about the "New" Mass because of the abuses that are constantly foisted upon the Faithful by priests who improvise or unlawfully change the Mass. However, personal preference does not equal orthdoxy. The Mass of Paul VI, as approved by Rome, is a valid and licit Mass. To say otherwise is to impugn the character of the Church and Her Indefectibility. In short, it is heresy. To those who say, "I am Catholic," but don't have obedience to Rome, I say you are fooling only yourself.
