The “New Normal” since 1969…
Why You’re Not Novus Ordo Anymore:
A “Eucharistic Celebration” instead of the Holy Sacrifice
It is an open secret that the authorities of the Vatican II Church struggle with the fact that fewer and fewer of their members still bother to show up at church on Sundays, and that many of them even abandon their pseudo-Catholic religion altogether.
In fact, as The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month, the “Catholic” Church is now “losing Latin America”. What might account for such a devastating decline in “practicing Catholics”?
The answer is obvious, staring everyone in the face. More than anything else, it has to do with the one thing anyone who tries to be a serious Catholic will come into constant contact with: the Holy Mass.
Before the “Great Renewal” of the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II), this is what Sunday Mass looked like — and it included an edifying sermon that had relevance to the salvation of souls:
This is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass Catholics in the Roman rite attended every week, and traditional Catholics still do today.
The following clip is a promotional video made in the 1950s to reach young men for the priesthood. It beautifully showcases the dignity and sacredness of the Priestly Vocation, of the Holy Mass, of the Sacred Liturgy:
(Video “Captains in His Army” on Vimeo.)
Contrast all this with the so-called “New Mass”, the Novus Ordo Missae, promulgated by false pope Paul VI in 1969. With only minor modifications, the same liturgical rite is still the norm today, and that’s not going to change:
More detailed information can be found in the following links:
- The Holy Catholic Mass: How the Vatican II Church transformed the August Sacrifice of the Altar into a Liturgical “Happy Meal”
- The True Mass vs. the Novus Ordo Mass (Fr. Benedict Hughes)
In recent months, “Pope” Francis has been cracking down on the “Latin Mass movement” in his church, which had been aiming at a restoration of the pre-Vatican II liturgical traditions. In addition to the July 16, 2021 “Apostolic Letter” Traditionis Custodes, there have also been further clarifications since that severely limit the permitted use of the traditional liturgy within the structures of the Pseudo-Catholic Church of the Second Vatican Council. And there is more to come still.
Meanwhile, local ordinaries are beginning to implement these new liturgical restrictions in their dioceses, such as Chicago’s Archlayman Blase Cupich or Springfield’s “Bp.” Thomas Paprocki.
In Florida, the “Catholic bishop” of the diocese of Venice, Mr. Frank Dewane, released a letter yesterday forbidding all “Masses” offered ad orientem (“facing east”, which usually means facing the Tabernacle rather than the congregation). He is, after all, “obligated to exercise vigilance over the whole of the Diocese’s liturgical life”, as he acknowledges in the document.
To show the absurdity of what passes as acceptable Catholic liturgy in that diocese, Eric Sammons of Crisis magazine tweeted a link to the online broadcast of last Sunday’s “Eucharistic celebration” at Sacred Heart church in Punta Gorda. The presider is Rev. Jerome (“Jerry”) Kaywell, ordained to the invalid Novus Ordo priesthood in 1991.
The thing is so cringeworthy, it’s actually hilarious — you’ve got to watch it:
This is a typical example of what has come to be known as the “Boomer Mass” — a reference to the people of the baby boomer generation (1946-64) to whom this type of “Mass” seems especially, or even exclusively, to appeal.
For those who can’t get themselves to hit the PLAY button on the video above — oh yes, we understand — here is a brief description of what transpires:
The first thing you see after the opening shot is pastoral associate Gwen welcoming you to the “celebration of the Eucharist” at the “Catholic community” of Sacred Heart. Smiling ear-to-ear, she expresses her overflowing joy that you are “journeying with us, with the Lord, through this season” and now want to “worship with us”. So let the celebration begin!
Then the on-site band begins to play: A piano player, a drummer, and a bass guitarist accompany four singers. Meanwhile, the presbyter, “Fr.” Kaywell, walks up to the table, kisses it, and waits for the music to finish. He is dressed in typical Novus Ordo vestments, a chasuble that is a cross between a horse blanket and a Snuggie in a style that somehow screams 1975.
Then the show begins. After the liturgical greeting, the joy-faced presbyter says: “Well, hello everyone, and how are you?” He then launches into a three-pronged breathing ritual that replaces what would be the Confiteor in the real Catholic Mass and even in the official Novus Ordo rite is supposed to be a penitential rite. “Fr.” Jerry opts for neither of these and instead helps you breathe.
“Let’s prepare ourselves with a beautiful in-breath, and let’s breathe out our preoccupations and our projects and our worries, our plans… We become very simple in God’s presence,” the Reverend says. Then he counsels another “big breath” so we can “feel ourselves enter a silence that leads us into the mystical dimension of our faith”. Having received the proper mystical preparation, the hapless viewer is then encouraged to breathe in and out a third time, this time to “sink deeply into the depths of our hearts” so that from that place we can “cry out beautifully and tenderly in song for the Lord to touch, bless, and transform us in just the way we need God’s help the most.” With this breathing exercise having successfully banished from people’s minds any possible thoughts about supernatural contrition, the musicians sing Kyrie Eleison.
Then Gwen steps up to the pulpit and does the two readings and the responsorial psalm. The Gospel is read by “Father”, who then gives the sermon. He doesn’t preach from the pulpit but from the altar table, on which he doesn’t mind leaning as he looks directly into the camera and addresses you. He preaches on joy — after all, the Vatican II Sect is a joyful church — and underscores his words by certain theatrical antics. He ends his uplifting message with the words: “Buon pranzo [have a good lunch], buon appetito [enjoy your meal], cheers.” Heartburn included.
Then follows the Creed, or rather, a question-and-answer session on the Creed. Jerry asks those in attendance if they believe what the Creed says (of course he can’t resist the temptation to mix in some of his own words for good measure), and they respond that they do. He then assures them that he does too.
Then it’s Gwen’s turn again because it’s time for the bidding prayers. Ironically, she asks prayers, among other things, for those who are spiritually blind — a noble intention indeed! Then follows the offertory preparation of the gifts and the whole Eucharistic celebration ritual.
It is common in the Novus Ordo Missae that after “Holy Communion”, the liturgy gets interrupted again for parish announcements or other comments, usually read by the lector. In our case, the Rev. Kaywell opts to give a “pastor’s message”, in which he announces that he wishes Gwen could have given the homily, but since that wasn’t an option, people can at least read her “reflections” on the parish web site. He also gives shoutouts to a few other people and then asks you to hit the “Like” and “Subscribe” button and all that.
“By God’s grace, we’ll see you next Sunday” are his last words as he raises his right hand and the camera moves upwards to a mural of the Sacred Heart.
That was the “Mass” of Jan. 23, 2022, at Sacred Heart in Punta Gorda. Truly, you couldn’t make it up if you tried.
However, there is also a bright spot to all this: Thanks to the swift and heroic action of their intrepid “bishop”, the Novus Ordo faithful in the diocese of Venice no longer have to worry that any “Mass” they might attend will ever be offered facing east.
Image source: youtube.com (screenshots)
License: fair use
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