Ite Missa Est Vocations
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Ite Missa Est Vocations January - February 2016 Bulletin of the SSPX in Great Britain and Scandinavia On 28th November at St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary, Winona, U.S.A., three young men were ordained to the diaconate. Among them was Mr. Paul Franks of Nottingham UK. Deo gratias. The diaconate is the final step before the priesthood. Ite Missa Est Bulletin of the Society of St Pius X in Great Britain Publisher Society of Saint Pius X District of Great Britain Vocations & Scandinavia Editorial: The Vocations Crisis 6 St. George‘s House Vocations – An Unnecessary Mystery 12 125 Arthur Road An Unlikely Vocation 15 Wimbledon SW19 7DR Diaconate 18 United Kingdom Vocation Days 20 +44 20 8946 7916 [email protected] Spiritual Life The Third Order of St. Pius X - Dignity of the Liturgy 21 District Superior Rev. Fr. Robert Brucciani The Eucharistic Crusade 24 The Militia Immaculatae 26 Price St. Edward the Confessor 30 Suggested donation: £1 Catholic Action The Schola Project - Progress Report 31 To Order Send email or write To Donate Visit: http://sspx.co.uk/page_donations.htm By cheque: to “The Society of St. Pius X” Ite Missa est at the above address. By standing order/transfer: email or write to us for bank details Vocations Internet www.sspx.co.uk Society St. Pius X in Great Britain and Scandinavia Chronicle in pictures 32 Announcements 38 Mass Times 41 Addresses 42 The Vocations Crisis Church before the Second Vatican Causes of the Vocations Council which paved the way for Crisis in the Conciliar that council — problems which Church The Vocations still affect those parts of the Church that have not followed the In a sermon entitled On Voca- changes of the Council. tions by an anonymous priest (to Crisis be found on www.audiosancto. org/auweb/20110330-On-Vocations. Vocations in the Society of mp3), the causes of the vocations St. Pius X crisis in the Conciliar Church are eloquently elaborated as follows: Fr. Robert Brucciani, District Superior Looking at the graph of the “I believe that the vocations numbers of priests in the Society of crisis is a created crisis. Not that St. Pius X we can see a steady rise. we wanted it to be here, but things crisis. Some attribute the decline This is encouraging at first glance, have happened which have caused to only external factors of the but in reality it is cause for concern. it. The first thing which has caused world in which we find ourselves If every priest in the field is working it is a crisis of liturgy and preach- — materialism, relativism, secu- for vocations, then more priests ing. When people go to a Sunday larism, licentiousness etc.— and should translate into more Mass and nothing speaks of rev- vehemently deny any connection vocations each year, but they don’t. erence for God, nothing speaks of with the Second Vatican Council or The graph is a straight line graph sacrifice of Christ, how can he feel what was done in its name. What is which means that the number of called, how can he experience Je- needed, they might say, is a greater vocations per priest in the field is in sus Christ in his life? If the homily fidelity to the Council. decline. is empty, as empty as can be and Others place the blame squarely This is also shown by the graph boring, how can a young man or upon the Second Vatican Council of vocations per annum. The five- young woman be attracted to the and hold that a greater fidelity to year average of the number of religious life. the council is akin in to pouring vocations is slowly declining when “The second crisis is in the semi- more petrol on an already calami- it should rise in proportion to the naries. Too many things went on in tous fire in the hope of extinguish- number of priests working for vo- seminaries which were absolutely Vocations in the ing it. cations. Clearly the Society has less scandalous, but less obvious is that Conciliar Church The first group are in denial of of a vocations problem that the the seminaries taught things which the objective doctrinal errors and Conciliar Church, but it neverthe- made the whole faith seem dead Since 1965, there has been a pastoral imprudence contained less has a problem which requires and empty. Seminaries were places dramatic decline in priestly and within the council documents. The investigation. where, if they weren’t outright im- religious vocations. This decline second group are forgetful of the moral, they taught dubious things. is a clear sign that the Church is in problems that afflicted the Virtue was discouraged, goodness 6 January - February 2016 7 The Vocations Crisis doctrine, family life and prayer are courage vocations? indeed the main causes of the voca- Are our families truly solid or is tions crisis in the Conciliar Church. the vicious world allowed to cast These failures were accelerated its morbid shadow across our chil- and concretised by the Second dren’s faces? Do we pray and do Vatican Council and what followed, penance for vocations? but they existed in germ before the One cause of the paucity of Council and we would do well to vocations not mentioned above is examine our own consciences in the lack of images in our children’s each of these areas. minds. The image is the seed of the idea and so, in the case of vocations, if the children see no was frowned upon – really! Semi- fall apart, the vocational situation Causes of Lacklustre role models of priests or religious narians would hide to say the rosa- falls apart. Vocations in the Society? brothers and sisters, then the idea ry, they wouldn’t want to be caught “Finally, in the area of vocations, of themselves as priests or religious wearing the scapular. All that sort we have to do what Christ said; we In our Society we have preserved is missing. The world, of course, of thing. have to pray to the Lord of the har- the most precious jewel which is presents many images of attractive “The third crisis is in families. vest to send labourers into the har- the Tridentine Rite of Mass, but professions and lifestyles, but there Families of course depend upon the vest. It is easy to speak about voca- do we celebrate Church, and when Masses are poor- tions, but we also have to get down it with becoming ly said and sermons are poorly giv- on our knees and admit that if God splendour? Is Low en, the families have no guidance; does not give people who will come Mass on a Sunday and the world, which is becoming into the Church, who will lead the a painful necessity more vicious all the time, slowly Church in the right direction, it or could we have tears them apart. Too often in the will all just crumble. There is no made more effort past with the big questions like guarantee that the faith will last to live the Mass by ‘Birth Control: yes or no?’ Or, ‘What in any given country, so we have devoting scarce does it mean to use the rhythm to pray, humbly, admitting that we time to learning method responsibly?’ Or, ‘How do I have not earned what we need so the chant, to serv- raise my children morally, what desperately: holy priests and holy ing at the altar, or does modesty mean?’ Far too often religious, but acknowledging that if to the beauty of they got the worst possible answer we don’t have them, everything will the vestments and or very vague ones; there was no crumble; the Church first and then sanctuary? guidance. And without guidance, the country.” Similarly, our families deteriorated. Most voca- The points made above are very priests are well-formed doctrinally, are few images of the much more tions come from really good, solid good points: failures in liturgy, but are we lighthouses of virtue spiritually beautiful life consecrat- families. And when families start to preaching, priestly formation, and movers of hearts enough to en- ed to God. At most of our Mass 8 9 The Vocations Crisis Centres, the faithful only briefly see Mr. Richard Cullen to train altar their children to admire those I wish you every grace and a priest in a hurry. servers. Retreats, the Third Order of who have consecrated their lives supernatural virtue through the St. Pius X and the Eucharistic to God. To have a vocation in the hands of our Blessed Mother Mary Crusade are being promoted by family is its greatest honour. in this new year. What Is To Be Done? Frs. Pazat and Vandendaele to help Vocations encourage more vo- build up strong families. First cations, so we need to support our O Lord grant us many holy The main motor of vocations in Friday and First Saturday devotions seminarians, postulants and nov- priests, O Lord grant us many the District is of course the school. are being stepped up in London and ices by our prayers, by our interest holy religious vocations, O Lord We have 3 priests, 3 brothers and 4 Burghclere. There is a weekly and encouragement too. They are grant us many holy Catholic fam- sisters working there together with rosary group at St. Michael’s for the heroes and heroines of the ilies. a number of volunteers and teach- vocations and there will be District, they are the role models ers who are making great sacrifices Vocations Days in five chapels in for our children.