The Splendor of the Traditional Mass is Needed to Bring People Back to God

David Martin | The Daily Knight

Recently a flyer was posted in a Church announcing an upcoming talk by a layman on the beauty and the ancient “roots of the liturgy,” but the liturgy to be discussed was the liturgy of Vatican II, which is neither beautiful nor rooted in antiquity. The liturgy with the priest facing the altar (ad orientum) is the true liturgy, which was fully established in the first century.

Without undergoing any major change, it was codified in Latin by St. Gregory the Great in the sixth century and later tweaked by St. Pius V in the sixteenth century, after which it was mandated as the one official Mass of the Roman rite. In his 1570 Apostolic Constitution Quo Primum, Pius V warned that any future attempts to change the Mass would incur the wrath of SS. Peter and Paul and of Almighty God. In saying this he wasn’t acting on his own but was acting as Moses holding up the tablets before the people because God had personally instructed him to publish this word. People forget that Pius V wasn’t just a pope but was a saint, mystic, and prophet who was enlightened about the future attempts to ruin the liturgy.

Some argue that the “beauty” of the new liturgy draws people to God, but there is nothing beautiful about the new liturgy. It is boring and humanistic – the work of man, not God. Even Cardinal Ratzinger said that the new Mass was “manufactured” without spirit. The same has led a great many away from God, not to him.

A Historic Shift of Focus

After Vatican II when they turned the priest around to face the people at Mass, we saw a historic shift of focus where the emphasis is now on the community and not on God. It’s more about fellowship and human encounter, not about encounter with God. What the Novus Ordo has done is to secularize the Church and to foster a spirit of mockery against Christ. There’s nothing beautiful about that.

On the other hand, the Traditional Latin Mass radiates with beauty and splendor, which is why it was so effective in drawing people to Christ through the ages. Even so, many today have a mental block against the old Mass, thanks to all the bigotry and prejudice so prevalent today in the Church. If only they would heed the words of the Psalmist who said, “O, taste and see that the Lord is sweet.” (Psalms 33:9)

True Pastoral Care

What is impressive is that so many young people are being attracted to the Latin Mass today, which shatters the argument that ‘the old Mass is just for old people with nostalgia problems.’ The old Mass is truly the most beautiful thing this side of Heaven, which is why it has drawn young people away from childish ways and brought them to their knees before God. Many see the innovations of Vatican II as “pastoral” not realizing that the offering of the Traditional Latin Mass is the most pastoral thing a pastor can do!

Some mistakenly see the liturgy as the object of worship forgetting that the sole object of our worship is HE whom the liturgy is supposed to honor. The purpose of the Liturgy is to glorify Christ in the Mass, not to be glorified.

The old Tridentine Liturgy accomplished this beautifully, and compellingly drew people to God, whereas the new Mass detracts from Christ and has chased people away from God. Liturgical change has contributed mightily to the present post-conciliar debacle as we see homosexuals and heretics overrunning the Church, the same who have spawned all the abuse. The modernists were responsible for this, not the popes.

The Culprits Behind the New Mass

It is a well-known and documented fact that Pope John XXIII’s outline for Vatican II contained no plan to change the Mass. Change was introduced after the Council was hijacked by suspect theologians during the opening session that convened on October 11, 1962. These were Masonically oriented clergy that were previously forbidden to write or to give sermons under Pope Pius XII.

Almost overnight these “theologians” were “exonerated” by the enemy and placed in high ecclesial positions. They proceeded to trash Pope John’s plan for Vatican II and then presented the “Bugnini draft” for the new Mass that Msgr. Annibale Bugnini and several anti-Church scoundrels began drafting in June 1960.

The draft was completed and approved by the Vatican in February 1962 without John XXIII knowing of it. When he learned of it he canned Bugnini from the Vatican and from the upcoming Vatican II Council but his associates were able to smuggle the new draft into the Council, which was cheered by the conciliar majority and then adopted as the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy on December 7, 1962.

Let us not forget the words of Cardinal Ratzinger (later Benedict XVI) who told St. Padre Pio’s close associate Fr. Ingo Dollinger in 1990 that the Third Secret of Fatima spoke of a “bad council” and “bad Mass” to come.

The New Mass is Still Valid

The good thing about the new Mass is that the Sacrifice of Calvary is still reenacted as in the old Mass. The Body of Christ that we receive in the new Mass is identical to that of the old Mass, so people should take their mind off the priest and place their focus on the Real Presence at Mass. Whether the priest be a sinner or a saint, Christ will use him to bring us his Body and Blood provided he is legally ordained. The modifications made to the rite of ordination do not invalidate the sacrament but simply mock it by detracting from the priest’s sacrificial power and setting him up as a mere “co-worker” among “presiders.” The modernist attitude about the priesthood has been a scandal to many.

Even so, the priest is still the representative of Jesus Christ who has the power to change the substance of bread and wine into the substance of Christ’s Body and Blood. When Christ said that the gates of hell will not prevail against his Church (Mt. 16:18) he meant it. Though the infernal gates now wage heavy battle against the Church, Christ nonetheless remains therein in order to make his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity available to those who seek this grace.

Only let us pray that the new rite finally be dropped so that people will be more encouraged to believe this truth.