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Providence Wanderer Forum Calls All To Holiness
By CINDY PASLAWSKI
Providence 3-18-04
"It's all about the Mass."
And the Solemn Pontifical Mass at the faldstool celebrated by Bishop James C. Timlin was a magnificent offering
of thanksgiving to God for 10 years of the indult Traditional Mass in Rhode Island.
To celebrate this anniversary, the Latin Mass Community at Holy Name of Jesus parish in Providence sponsored a
Regional Wanderer Forum on the theme, "Reclaiming Our Catholic Culture." Various speakers, including
Bishop Timlin, addressed the Catholic identity and cultural issues. But as they did so it became clear that the
active Catholic, serious about living the faith, must have his life centered in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
With incense rising around the altar, candle-bearing servers, and sword-bearing Knights of Columbus, this anniversary
Mass was a most reverent and solemn offering to God. Bishop Timlin was assisted at the altar by Fr. Kevin Fisette,
pastor of Holy Name. Fr. John Zuhlsdorf acted as deacon, Fr. Joseph Santos as subdeacon, and Kenny Garrepy as master
of ceremonies, in various roles prescribed for centuries by the Church for her worship. The choir, directed by
Jacob Stott, handled the Latin chant with expertise and a young boy, Christopher Garrepy, gave an exquisite Latin
solo during Communion. Bishop Robert Mulvee, ordinary of the Providence Diocese was present in the sanctuary and
later thanked Bishop Timlin and Fr. Fisette for the weekend celebration. Members of the Priestly Fraternity of
St. Peter were also present at the Mass. The church was filled. Worshippers had come from all over New England
for the Wanderer Forum and the Sunday Mass.
An understanding and appreciation for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mss was clearly given by Wanderer columnist,
Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, in his Saturday opening talk at the regional forum, "The Impact of the Mass on Culture."
The Mass "is a common patrimony Holy Mother Church has given all societies," Fr. Zuhlsdorf stated. The
Mass has formed saints who shaped culture by their actions. This culture then has given back - in architecture,
music, and literature - art to the Church. It is an impact "so deep, so profound" it reaches around the
world, shaping what we see and do.
Through the Mass, he said, "Christ teaches human society how to be a perfect society," modeled after
the Trinity. When people live these beliefs, the "Eucharist is the source and summit of life…of everything
you contribute to society." From the Eucharist, believers reach into the world. The things of the world are
"ripped out of the grasp of the prince of this world and handed over to the King."
The duty of all Catholics, according to Vatican II, he went on, is "proclaiming Christ is the goal of human
history" and he contrasted that calling with modern media which is glorifying the culture of death and debasing
society. That is the reason for the "massive shock wave" created by The Passion of the Christ:
"Christ has been brought back into the public eye."
Fr. Zuhlsdorf spoke of the role of the laity who have their own dignity and work, separate from that of the priest.
"We shape you so you shape society. That's what baptism does for you….You become soldiers of a great King"
who must reclaim the world for Christ.
The work before these soldiers of the great King was examined by C. Joseph Doyle of the Massachusetts Catholic
Action League, in his talk, "The Catholic Identity in a Pluralistic Culture."
"We are isolated," Doyle said in what he described as a "profoundly anti-Catholic culture."
Through an examination of U.S. history, he showed that the trends in government against Catholics began as far
back as the founding fathers. Charles Carroll, signer of the Declaration of Independence is reported to have said,
"I execrate the Church of Rome…for intolerance."
He gave other examples. Article VI of the Constitution regarding no religious test for office was written because
Catholics had not been allowed to hold office, even though their numbers were only one percent of the population.
John Jay debated citizenship for Catholics. Harvard, which was founded in the 1600s sponsored an anti-Catholic
Dudley lecture. Robert E. Lee wished to intervene in Mexico "to destroy the Church" and its influence.
These trends have continued into the 20th century as seen in post World War I negotiations which broke up the Austria-Hungary
empire - the last Catholic state -- and President John Kennedy's promise not to allow the Church to influence his
decisions.
These anti-Catholic events have actually shaped Catholics in this country to be against their own faith, he said.
When bills against public financing of abortion and for funding Catholic schools fail in so-called Catholic states,
"our own Catholic people have defected," Doyle said.
We Catholics do not seek conversion but toleration, he went on. There is an acceptance of compromise. There is
as "ethic of assimilation and accommodation." In fact, he cited the words of Bishop John England, the
first bishop of Charleston, S.C. (1820-1842), "No Pope will tell us how to vote in America." So there
should be no surprises when there are pro-homosexual, pro-abortion "Catholics," Doyle said.
The current collapse of morals demands that we "be countercultural for the first time in 200 years."
The media, organized labor, corporations are anti-Catholic, he said. "Society is closing ranks on Catholics,"
he continued, a prediction fulfilled within days as the California court demanded Catholic Charities offer contraceptive
insurance coverage.
"We must reclaim our educational institutions," Doyle said. "We must promote the sanctity of life
and marriage." Acknowledging the angry response to the civil disobedience of the pro-life rescue movement,
Doyle said "Society fears Catholic resistance and that's exactly why it must be done."
"The Formation of a Catholic Identity" necessary to withstand the world's pressures was the topic of
Bishop Timlin's keynote address at the Saturday evening banquet at the forum.
With the "great many challenges facing the Church at this moment in history," Bishop Timlin said, "some
people are even asking if the Church has a future." But once again, he went on, "God is saying, rebuild
my church," particularly in a spiritual way. "God, in His divine providence, has always seen to it that
an antidote was brought forth to fight the evil of day."
Today the threat is that of "a culture which has looked at God, smiled at Him amusedly, and has turned away….The
threat of a humanism which has known God and has chosen to forget Him" as it crept its way into our civilization
and is now so very deeply rooted.
"Priests can stand in their pulpits and utter severe denunciations about all the evils of the day, and it
is like trying to plug a sieve, one hole at time," Bishop said. "And this is where the laity come in.
The time is right for the layman and laywoman to assume and to fully realize his or her vocation as a follower
of Christ, a sharer in Christ's priesthood. Because if Christ is to be restored to the fields of education, government,
industry, business, labor and the family, then it is the Catholic layman and laywoman, who are in these fields,
who must do the job. These fields, to a great extent, are beyond the reach of priests and religious. Bishops and
priests can enunciate principles and provide guidance, but the on-the-spot leadership must come from the laity."
The enemy is ignorance, Bishop Timlin went on. "Ignorance of the truth is the enemy of the Church, Catholic
education, and indeed, Christ." Since Vatican II, many have sought new ways to reach out with the Gospel message,
he said. "I think it is safe to say that Vatican II was grossly misunderstood by Catholics in general and
even misrepresented by many theologians." The real message of Vatican II reminded us we are all called to
holiness, our essential vocation in life.
"The great people of every age cry out to their spiritual leaders, teachers, prophets, and priests asking
what is holiness and how do I live it in my everyday life?" If we can effectively communicate that answer,
Bishop Timlin promised "people will walk that path. There is nothing more attractive than holiness….Holiness
is our secret weapon….There is no other. Education and evangelization…will transform the present culture,"
he said "as it has so many times over the last 2000 years. There really is no other way that I know of. Sanctity
is the only way and we must start with ourselves."
Sanctity was a theme picked up on by Sunday's speaker in the closing talk, "Women, the Church, and the Culture"
by Sister Katherine Maria, MICM, prioress of the St. Benedict Center, Still River, Mass.
"A lot of today's problems are from a lack of women and men trying to be holy," Sister said. Our goal
is to get to Heaven and, as Fr. Faber said, "Holiness is the thing."
Our calling is "to imitate Jesus Christ crucified. If people believed in this, they'd be so humbled"
they'd never ask for much else.
People now are concerned with careers and self esteem. "Holiness is not achieved by self-esteem," Sister
said. We must "overthrow the things of the world" and live a childhood simplicity. We are not called
to celebrate over self-esteem but rather self respect and self denial.
"We disappear, we only become instruments of Our Lord" to accomplish what He wants.
Saints were humble and God used them, Sister Katherine Maria went on, citing Catherine of Siena. "She emptied
herself. The more [saints]are humbled the more glory" there is for God. "You're nothing. Christ is everything."
She called on everyone to imitate Mary, who said, "My soul magnifies the Lord."
Following Sister Katherine Maria's talk, Bishop Timlin present the Apostolic Blessing to Holy Name of Jesus parish
on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the celebration of the Traditional Mass.
In addition to the New England Wanderer Forum, Holy Name parish is sponsoring Fr. John Perricone of ChristiFideles
in May. Francis Cardinal Arinze will visit the parish in July. Please contact the parish for more information:
401-272-4515.
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