Colorado Personhood Amendment

There have been many different strategies over the past 35 years as to how to fight the Culture of Death on a political level. From propositions for a Federal Constitutional Amendment to any other numerous forms of legislation, nothing seems to work.

As we bring this issue of Life closer to the local level, the States have tried the outlaw of abortion, parental notification, and other such tactics. Right now, the state of Colorado is being pushed to adopt a Personhood Amendment “to define a person as including any human being from the moment of fertilization.”

This sounds like a straightforward tactic that has deep implications for abortion in the state of Colorado. And yet, about 1/2 way through the article we read this:

The Catholic Conference of Colorado has said this isn’t the right time to try to pass an outright ban, preferring to chip at Roe v. Wade.

How is this even possible? What “chips” has any legislation in Colorado made against Roe v. Wade? How is Colorado any more Pro-Life than it was 35 years ago?

Just in case you do not know, the Bishops of Colorado are:

• Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. – Archbishop of Denver
• Most Reverend Arthur N. Tafoya, D.D. – Bishop of Pueblo
• Most Reverend Michael J. Sheridan, S.T.D – Bishop of Colorado Springs

Back prior to the 2004 presidential election, many Catholics hailed Bishop Sheridan for his defense of the Holy Eucharist by publicly stating he would forbid Holy Communion to pro-abortion Catholic politicians, elected officials and judges.

But according to another article, now is not the right time:

The bishops, however, are not rejecting the amendment. “We commend the goal of this effort to end abortion.  Individual Catholics may certainly choose to work for its passage,” they said.
The reason the Catholic leaders gave for their choice not to back the amendment was that other pro-lifers had raised “serious questions” about the timing and content of the amendment.

Why is timing an issue? How many more babies must die before the timing is “right”?

And what about the “content” of the amendment? Please, Your Excellencies, explain to us what questions pro-lifers have raised about this amendment. Your flocks may not be well educated, but we are not stupid. Show us why the content of the amendment would actually do harm.

Otherwise, you seem to be caving-in to unknown political and economic pressures at the cost of countless human lives.

Bishop-elect James D. Conley at Clear Creek

Some of you may have heard that His Holiness has appointed Msgr. James D. Conley to be the Auxiliary Bishop in Denver, Colorado. He has regularly offered the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (TLM) while serving in Wichita, Kansas.

Here is Msgr. Conley (bio) assisting with the Inauguration and Blessing of the Residence at Our Lady of the Assumption at Clear Creek.

It is refreshing/exciting to have a Bishop (-elect) that has previous experience with the TLM coming to Colorado.

Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., will ordain the new auxiliary bishop during a Mass of Episcopal Ordination Friday, May 30, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, at 1:30 p.m. in the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver.

TLM Instructional Video

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter is making available an instructional video for priests to learn how to say the Traditional Latin Mass.

This 2-DVD disc set has been produced by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter in collaboration with the EWTN Global Television Network to teach priests how to say Low Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. The video includes an introduction by Darío Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. A comprehensive step-by-step explanation and walk-through of the entire ceremony of Low Mass. A real-time demonstration of the Mass filmed from four simultaneous camera angles with the ability to switch the viewing angle at any time! Instruction in the basic principles of gesture and movement as well as all the variable elements commonly encountered when offering Mass. A talk on the fundamental principles of the Extraordinary Form by Fr. Calvin Goodwin, FSSP, and a spiritual commentary on the liturgy. English, Spanish, & Italian audio tracks available. Over three hours of footage on two DVDs!

I am going to work with my parish to buy several copies for distribution to priests in our diocese. I have already spoken with a few priest who are interested in learning the Mass. They were invited to attend the Priest Training at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska by none other than His Excellency Michael Sheridan, Bishop of the Diocese of Colorado Springs.

Previews of the DVD will soon be available here.

Diocesan Regulations

I have to gripe a bit about some of the “Protect Our Children” regulations that go on in many of the diocese’s in the Unites States. In the Diocese of Colorado Springs, an independent auditor found that the diocese was in compliance with the Bishops’ protection charter. Yay! Good for the diocese.

The diocese conducts a criminal background investigation (CBI) on anyone who has “high-risk contact” with children and youth, and each undergoes the two-hour safe environment training

Just to be on the safe side, priests are making sure that anyone who has contact with children goes through the training. I participate in the Gregorian Chant choir at my local parish. Therefore, I had to fill out a form, submit it to the diocese, and schedule a time to view the two-hour video. This was all because my own daughters were going to sing in the choir also.

The video itself is some touchy-feely, corporate Human Resources malarky that focuses on incidents of scandalized children. I learned nothing from the film and was increasingly frustrated by the tenor that parents were not as vigilant as they should be. Any mention of the Scandals having to do with amoral homosexual priests was quickly dismissed by the Facilitators.

Until the Bishops figure out what the real problems are, we volunteers are going to be subject to increased bureaucracy.

The Gavin Group was awarded the audit contract because of its qualifications; more than 90 percent of the auditors trained for the bishops’ charter audit are former FBI agents.

For how much money is the Gavin Group shearing the USCCB? There is always money involved. Even within the Church Herself, my money goes to that which I do not approve.

Immaculate Conception Parish

Emphasis on Parish.

Immaculate Conception Latin Mass Community, staffed by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, will officially be designated with Parish Canonical Status by the Diocese of Colorado Springs.

The declaration will take place at at a Solemn High Mass on Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. The Celebrant will be Very Rev. Ricardo Coronado-Arrascue, J.C.D, Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Colorado Springs. Fr. Thomas Fristchen, F.S.S.P. will act as Deacon. The Sub-Deacon has yet to be announced.

The Mass for the Third Sunday After Easter will be sung from the Graduale.

Bishop Michael Sheridan on Summorum Pontificum

The Bishop’s Voice
From the Colorado Springs Diocesan Newspaper, The Catholic Herald

Aug. 10, 2007 Summorum Pontificum
Bishop Michael J. Sheridan, S.T.D.

Pope Benedict XVI’s long-anticipated apostolic letter (Summorum Pontificum), allowing for wider use of the 1962 Mass of Blessed Pope John XXIII, has been greeted by some as a greater opportunity to worship in the manner to which they were accustomed in the years of their formation in the faith; and greeted, predictably, by others as virtually the beginning of the end of Catholicism as we know it — or have known it for the past 35 years. A brief review of the letter may be a help in understanding just what the Holy Father is trying to accomplish by liberalizing the permission to offer the “old Mass.”

What exactly is now being permitted?

Put briefly, the pope has given permission for the Tridentine Mass (so called because, with only minor revisions, it has been the form of the Mass in use since it was promulgated after the Council of Trent in 1570 until 1969) to be celebrated “privately” by any priest who wishes to do so; and publicly in those parish churches and oratories where a group of the faithful requests it and where there is a priest who is capable of celebrating Mass in the older form.

Will this new permission decrease the availability of the Mass of Pope Paul VI, currently in use?

No. The Holy Father has made it clear that our current liturgy (called the Novus Ordo Missae) will continue to be the ordinary expression of the Latin rite liturgy, while the 1962 Mass will be the extraordinary expression. In fact, only one 1962 Mass is permitted in a parish on a Sunday or holy day, unless the parish as a whole has been dedicated to the exclusive use of the old Mass. We have such a parish in our diocese — Immaculate Conception Parish in Security [This is the local FSSP parish - Ed.].

Why has the pope decided to extend the possibility of the use of the old Mass?

In his letter to the bishops of the world, which accompanied the apostolic letter, the Holy Father noted several things which moved him to grant permission for wider use of the 1962 Mass. First, a good number of people who had been raised in and formed by the Tridentine Mass were expressing their desire to continue to worship in that form. In addition, more than a few younger Catholics have been attracted by the Mass of Trent. Since the 1962 Mass had never been abrogated (i.e., officially suppressed) it was not a difficult thing to accede to the wishes of these people.

Second, because in so many places the celebration of the “new Mass” was done without faithful adherence to the prescriptions of the new Missal and with so many unauthorized innovations, many of the faithful found it very difficult to worship. They longed for a return of the liturgy that preserved the dignity and solemnity proper to the worship of God. The pope makes mention of his own experience of those years following Vatican II in his letter to the bishops: “And I have seen how arbitrary deformation of the liturgy caused deep pain to individuals totally rooted in the faith of the Church.”

Third, the pope is sincerely seeking an “interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church.” The reform of the liturgy after the Second Vatican Council was the occasion for deep divisions in the church, some leading to defection from the faith. It is Benedict’s hope that the more liberal access to the old Mass will invite those who have separated themselves to return to full communion with the church.

What will Pope Benedict’s new permissions mean for the Diocese of Colorado Springs?

It is difficult to answer this question so soon after the publication of the apostolic letter. Because any Catholic has access to the 1962 Mass at the Immaculate Conception Parish, we have made the first step in the implementation of the provisions of the apostolic letter. I do not have any idea at this point how many more Catholics will ask for the old Mass. Several priests in the diocese have indicated to me that they would like to learn to offer Mass in the Tridentine form. I will certainly provide them with that opportunity, and so there will be more priests available to accommodate the faithful. The Holy Father has not called for the promotion of the old Mass — simply that it be more readily available for those who find this form of worship especially meaningful.

Might these new permissions cause some confusion and problems as they are implemented?

Possibly. That’s why the Holy Father has asked the bishops to report on the implementation after three years. If there are serious difficulties, remedies will be sought.

Pope Benedict has made it very clear that these two expressions of the Latin Rite Mass — the ordinary and the extraordinary — do not in any way contradict one another. Both are part of the rich heritage of our church and both are perfectly legitimate forms of eucharistic worship. In a time when “diversity” appears to be the newest virtue, it is just a bit ironic that some of the loudest protests against the pope’s apostolic letter are coming from those who have embraced every other kind of liturgical diversity — and anomaly.

I make the same plea to all of you as does our Holy Father in his letter to the bishops: “Let us generously open our hearts and make room for everything that the faith itself allows.”