Thursday, December 25, 2014

The Knights of Malta and the Tridentine Mass

  1. http://www.wseas.us/reports/malta_files/john.jpe
     
    In recent days, a controversy erupted online about this article.
     
    According to one of the Knights who attended:
     
    "The Mass was not "granted subject to a number of restrictions." The question I asked was whether or not there was a Tridentine Mass on Malta and if so who could we contact about our priest saying a Mass when we arrived. As there was not an existing Mass and for several logistical reasons we did not pursue trying to have a publicly celebrated EF Mass. When we came to visit we were kindly given permission to celebrate Mass at St. Catherine's and since it was a private Mass our priest celebrated the TLM for us."
     
    However, according to reliable sources from S.M.O.M. in Malta, a Tridentine Mass had been blocked by then Archbishop Cremona. The group had to petition again the Archbishop and finally, almost at the last minute, was allowed one. This notwithstanding that Pro Tridentina (Malta) had managed to put in place some arrangements, following a request by the group coming to Malta itself.
     
    So what is the real position of the S.M.O.M. as far as the Extraordinary Form of the Mass is concerned?
     
    The situation varies from country to country.
     
    The current Cardinal Patron, Raymond Leo Burke, is very much in favour of  the Tridentine Mass and regularly celebrates it. Cardinal Burke is likely therefore to support and encourage the Tridentine Mass within the Order but there are also a number of Cardinals - who are chaplains of the Order -  that oppose and / or barely tolerate the Tridentine Mass in their own Dioceses.
     
    Within the Grand Priory of England the Tridentine Mass has been prevalent and there are many strong supporters of the Mass there. Some of them were willing to help Pro Tridentina (Malta) but things were halted as described here.

    Two FIUV Presidents, the late Fra Freddy Crichton-Stuart and James Bogle are Knights of the Order of Saint John.

    In Malta, whereas the S.M.O.M. has never expressed (as far as is known) a position for or against the Tridentine Mass, one of its Knights, the Marquis Nicholas de Piro, is very much in favour.
     
    The Russian Grand Priory of Malta (not to be confused with S.M.O.M.) is faithful to the Order’s nearly 1000-year-old motto: Pro Fide, Pro Utilitate Hominum (For faith, for service to humanity) and is therefore open to having the Tridentine Mass celebrated in its headquarters in Valletta.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Pro Tridentina (Malta) in the news


Yesterday's exclusive news (about Fr Fabio Attard) by this blog was given prominence by the local media, including:

Interestingly, this news is being followed by both conservative and progressive Catholics alike.

Updated on 4 December to include Times of Malta link.

BREAKING NEWS: Who are the three frontrunners to become Malta's new Archbishop?


Following yesterday's post, we were surprised at the attention given to this modest blog, especially by the local media (more on this in other posts).

Although Fr Fabio Attard has denied the news (and we fully understand his constraints), our sources can be counted upon.

To show this, we are in a position to indicate who the other two frontrunners are:

  • a bishop held in high esteem, both locally and in Rome (we cannot indicate if he currently resides in Malta or not);
  • a diocesan priest who lectures at the University of Malta.
If the media would like more information, we will be happy to give them more details. But we are sure they have their own tools for this.

Whoever will be selected as Malta's new Archbishop, he can count on Pro Tridentina (Malta)'s support and assistance to fully implement Summorum Pontificum in this island. Thus, traditional Catholics in Malta will be fully involved in the diocese they love so much.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

BREAKING NEWS: Malta's NEW Archbishop


Our well informed sources (be it from the Holy See, the Curia or the Nunciature is irrelevant) have confirmed to us that 99.99%, the Holy Father has chosen Fr Fabio Attard, SDB as Malta's new Archbishop. Pro Tridentina (Malta) wishes Fr Attard well and reminds him that one of his responsibilities will be to protect the liturgy under both forms of the Roman Rite.

Brief Biography:

Fr Attard was born on 23 March 1959 in Gozo and was professed as a Salesian on 8 September 1980 in Dublin where he made his novitiate. He received the diaconate on 11 July 1986 and priesthood on 4 July 1987, in Rome. Rector in Sliema, Malta, of  “St Alphonsus” first, and then of “St Patrick”, he received his degree in Moral Theology at the “Alphonsianum” in Rome. He was the Rector of the Institute of Pastoral Formation, which he founded in 2005 in the Archdiocese of Malta; he participated in the 26th General Chapter as delegate of the Salesian Province of Ireland-Malta and was elected Councillor for Youth Ministry. The 27th General Chapter has confirmed Fr Fabio Attard for a second term as Councillor for Youth Ministry of the Salesians.



Sunday, November 23, 2014

Quotes to reflect upon (10)

http://viewerscommentary.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/lost-in-translation-scarlett-johansson-and-bill-murray.jpg
Bill Murray (r.) with actress Scarlett Johansson
"I disagree with what they call the new mass. I think we lost something by losing the Latin. Now if you go to a Catholic mass even just in Harlem, it can be in Spanish, it can be in Ethiopian, it can be in any number of languages. The shape of it, the pictures, are the same, but the words aren't the same."

...
 
"There’s a vibration to those [Latin] words. If you’ve been in the [Catholic] business long enough, you know what they mean anyway. And I really miss the music –- the power of it. Sacred music has an effect on your brain. Instead, we get "folk songs -- top 40 stuff -- oh, brother!"

Bill Murray, Hollywood actor and a traditional Roman Catholic, who has starred in such notable films as Hyde Park on Hudson (2012), Lost in Translation (2003), Groundhog Day (1993), What about Bob? (1991), Ghostbusters (1984), Tootsie (1982), and Stripes (1981).

Source: Guardian

Friday, August 15, 2014

Il-pass li jmiss ...

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Ir-Rit Tridentin għandu futur f'Malta - iż-żerriegħa nibtet...
Għaddew ħafna xhur minn mindu Pro Tridentina (Malta) waqfet taħdem b'mod regolari. F'din il-fażi tranżitorja kien hemm min qata' qalbu u dabbar rasu 'l hemm. Hawn min huwa komdu kif inhu u ma jridx idardar l-għajn li jixrob minnha - hawn qed nirreferi għal min kuntent bil-pożizzjoni li għandu fil-Knisja (kemm lajċi kif ukoll saċerdoti). U hawn min ġenwinament jibża' minn xi riperkussjonijiet mill-awtoritajiet ekkleżjastiċi jekk imqar isemmi 'l-misħuta' Quddiesa bil-Latin. Aħjar tidgħi xi tnejn milli isemmiha ma' xi saċerdoti u isqfijiet.

Min qed jaħseb li mhawnx ċans li f'Malta jkun hawn Quddies bir-Rit Tridentin b'mod regolari iżda qed jgħarralu. Fil-kwiet il-ħidma baqgħet għaddejja u meta jkun il-waqt joħroġ il-frott. Iż-żerriegħa ssaqqiet sew.

Il-proċess ta' liberalizzazzjoni mibdi mill-Kardinal Ratzinger lura fl-1982, kien assolutament wieħed pastorali u prattiku. Minn hemm sar it-tqegħid għall-Quddiesa illum magħrufa bħala 'straordinarja' permezz ta' 'evoluzzjoni omoġenja'. U min jaf lil Ratzinger sew, kemm dawk li ħadmu miegħu fil-viċin (eż. l-Isqof Charles Scicluna) kif ukoll dawk li tagħhom qara r-rapporti dwar is-sitwazzjoni liturġika f'Malta, jafu kif jaħsibha. U jafu għalfejn kellu jsir xi tibdil fis-seminarju ta' Malta. Iżda mmorru lura għal meta kollox deher mitmum għall-Quddiesa Tridentina...

Iċ-ċirkulari Quattuor abhinc annos tat-3 t'Ottubru 1984: Il-Quddiesa tradizzjonali tista' tkun awtorizzata mill-Isqfijiet, iżda taħt ċerti regoli u mhux fil-knejjes parrokkjali;

Il-motu proprio Ecclesia Dei Adflicta tat-2 ta' Lulju, 1988: l-Isqfijiet huma mitluba li jagħtu permess biex iċ-ċelebrazzjoni tagħha (fit-teorija) tkun aktar wiesgħa u jkunu ġenerużi għat-talbiet fid-djoċesijiet rispettivi tagħhom;

L-erezzjoni tal-Fraternita' ta' San Jean-Marie Vianney f'Campos, il-Brażil f'Jannar 2002: għax il-Knisja rrikonoxxiet li l-Quddiesa Tridentina "tista' tkun l-uniku sors tal-ħajja Ewkaristika ta' komunità sħiħa";

Il-motu proprio Summorum Pontificum tas-7 ta' Lulju 2007: Id-deċiżjoni biex jiċċelebraw hija issa (fit-teorija) tal-kappillani għall-parroċċi tagħhom. Ġie ċċarat li l-Quddiesa Tridentina qatt ma ġiet abolita u ċelebrazzjoni tagħha hija dritt għas-saċerdoti kollha tal-rit Ruman mingħajr restrizzjonijiet.

Fi kliem il-Kardinal Cañizares Llovera - li miegħu l-Isqof Scicluna wkoll ħadem mill-qrib - l-iskop aħħari huwa li l-Quddiesa Straordinarja tiġi ċċelebrata fil-knejjes kollha.

Pro Tridentina (Malta) se tibqa' sswgwi u tfiehem kemm lil-lajċi u lill-awtoritajiet ekkleżjastiċi dwar l-importanza li l-Quddiesa Tridentina ssir parti ntegrali mill-ħajja liturġika f'Malta. Ejja ma jasalx dak iż-żmien fejn il-Knisja tistenbaħ meta jkun tard wisq u tiffaċċja xiżma minn xi Kattoliċi tradizzjonalisti li xebgħu minn din is-sitwazzjoni. Opportunitajiet għal liturġija reverenti jeżistu fi Knejjes oħra.  
 

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Profile of the Founder


The Founder is all about spirituality. Those on the IX Life path are destined to travel a humanitarian path. 


They are always sophisticated individuals, are very selfless souls and are often patient, trustworthy and honourable from the very beginning to the end of their life.

These individuals make great environmentalists, teachers, artists, priests and healers. Sometimes a IX's lofty ideals are presented in a manner that others find absurd. Part of a IX's life path is to express spiritual principles through actions, rather than through preaching or proselytizing.

As Saint George Preca once said: 

"Eh, eh ... all the Founders have suffered!"

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Quotes to reflect upon (9)

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2008/10/23/460pius.jpg
Venerable Pius XII

"I hear all around me innovators who want to dismantle the Holy Chapel, destroy the universal flame of the Church, throw away her ornaments, give her a remorse of her historical past. Well my dear friend, I have the conviction that the Church of Peter must assume her past or she will dig her own grave."

Friday, March 21, 2014

Important Statement from Pro Tridentina (Malta)

File:Sint-Gertrudiskathedraal.JPG
Mother church of the Old Catholic Church in Utrecht
A new organisation, calling itself the St. Athanasius ICC (SAICC), has recently organised a Tridentine Mass in Valletta.  Pro Tridentina (Malta) would like to clarify the following:

  • SAICC and Pro Tridentina (Malta) are two distinct organisations;
  • SAICC follows the Old Catholic Church of the Union of Utrecht and therefore is not in communion with Rome and the Pope. 
  • It is however unclear whether SAICC is in fact part of the federation of the Old Catholic Churches.
In view of the above, Pro Tridentina (Malta) cannot co-operate with SAICC because Pro Tridentina (Malta) can only support Tridentine Masses that are celebrated by priests in good standing with the Roman Catholic Church.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Quotes to reflect upon (8)

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Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani

"Recent reforms have amply demonstrated that fresh changes in the liturgy could lead to nothing but complete bewilderment on the part of the faithful who are already showing signs of restiveness and of an indubitable lessening of faith...errors against the Faith are not so much insinuated but rather an inevitable consequence of liturgical abuses and aberrations which have been given equal recognition. To abandon a liturgical tradition which for four centuries was both a sign and pledge of unity of worship is, we feel in conscience bound to proclaim, an incalculable error."

The Ottaviani Intervention - A Short Critical Study of the New Order of Mass. A letter by Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani and Cardinal Antonio Bacci sent to Pope Paul VI on 25 September 1969.





Monday, February 24, 2014

Saċerdot Malti li ħadem favur il-Liturġija bil-Latin

Il-Liturgija fil-Hajja tal-Parrocca - Fuljett il-Marsa Gunju 1973
Artiklu dwar Patri Donat Spiteri fejn tispikka l-ħidma tiegħu favur il-Liturġija bil-Latin.

Saċerdot Malti li ħadem ħafna favur il-Liturġija - inkluża dik bil-Latin - kien il-mibki Kapuċċin Patri Donat Spiteri. Fl-artiklu ppubblikat madwar 40 sena ilu, Patri Spiteri juri kif permezz tal-Missa dialogata għallem il-lajċi tal-Marsa, b'dawn tal-aħħar jieħdu sehem attiv fil-Quddiesa Tridentina. 

Dan seħħ fiż-żmien li Patri Donat kien kappillan tal-parroċċa tat-Trinita' Qaddisa, il-Marsa (bejn l-1958 u l-1967). L-aktar iżda li dan is-saċerdot jibqa' magħruf huwa fil-qasam Bibbliku. Fost l-oħrajn:
  • bejn l-1966 u l-1988 kien għalliem u Professur ta’ l-istudji Bibbliċi fil-Fakulta' tat-Teoloġija fl-Universita’ ta’ Malta; 
  • mal-Prof. Karm Sant u oħrajn waqqaf l-Għaqda Bibblika Maltija li tagħha kien President. L-aqwa opra ta’ din  l-Għaqda kienet il-pubblikazzjoni tal-Bibbja bil-Malti;
  • kellu sehem kbir fit-twaqqif tad-Dar il-Bibbja fil-Furjana bħala Ċentru Bibbliku;
  • kien ukoll awtur ta’ għadd ta’ kotba b’temi teoloġiċi tal-Bibbja fosthom il-Ktieb tas-Salmi, Dizzjunarju Bibbliku – Temi Teoloġiċi, l-Evanġelji ta’ San Mattew u San Luqa, u l-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli; 
  • dar il-parroċċi kollha ta’ Malta u Għawdex jagħmel korsijiet Bibbliċi;
  • ħareġ Kliem il-Ħajja, ktejjeb ta’għajnuna għall-qari tal-Bibbja u paġna ċkejkna kuljum b’silta mit-test tal-Kotba Mqaddsa.