Tuesday 7 June 2011

Damian Thompson on Ad Clerum of Archbishop Conti

Archbishop Conti of Glasgow
Damian Thompson today looks quizzically at a recent Ad Clerum from Archbishop Conti of the Diocese of Glasgow, Scotland.

The nub of the Ad Clerum is that there is apparently "no call" for the Traditional Latin Mass in Scotland.

Is this true?

Well, one way to find out is if there is just one Catholic from Scotland who reads this blog, who would like a Priest in Scotland to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass, or would like to "call" for it to be celebrated more in Scotland, they can make their name known in the comments box.

Since if there were only one Catholic person in Scotland who would like to see the Latin Mass being celebrated in the Diocese in which he lives, that would mean that there was not "no call" for the Mass of Ages to be celebrated. If just one person, but by all means more may do so, would like to come forward, then that would be appreciated. Just one call (and I think Universae Ecclesiae and Summorum Pontificum will back me up here) is enough for there to be a call - which would be more than "no call". I think I've made my point. God bless readers.

As an afterthought, the Archbishop certainly opens up a debate. If there was "no call" for Confession from the Laity, would the Archbishop recommend that the Sacrament of Reconciliation should not be promoted? Aren't Bishops, Archbishops, Cardinals and Priests meant to be leading the Laity towards Salvation, encouraging prayer, devotion, holiness of life? Isn't that what a good Shepherd does? Or have I missed something?

8 comments:

Stephen Morgan said...

Bones, Archbishop Conti is Archbishop of Glasgow not Paisley. Your picture is, indeed, of the Bishop of Paisley, Bishop Philip Tartaglia.

Et Expecto said...

I know of three priests of tghe Glasgow Diocese who are keen enthusiasts for the Usus Antiquior. Certainly two of them have keen supporters in their parishes. The third is a retired priest.

I think that four of five laymen from the Glasgow Diocese have travelled to the south of England to attend server training conferences organised by the Latin Mass Society.

Tally Man said...

Dear Laurence,
I know it is difficult to tell one Italian Scottish bishop from the other - but the photo is of Phillip Tartaglia, bishop of Paisley. Mama Mia!!

Richard Collins said...

Laurence, trouble is, all those Italians look the same :)

The Bones said...

Tartaglia, Conti. I'm sure they were in the World cup winning team. Looks like we've got ourselves a Baggio, here.

N said...

I've sent this elsewhere because it so illustrates the effect of trad on trad bickering on the general public's perception of Catholicism.

"Can't you guys find somewhere else to talk about your fancy dress parties and not within the pages of a national newspaper?"

Mike said...

I can’t think what on earth N is talking about. It makes as much sense to me as Richard Dawkins talking about God.

I see you have not had any response yet to your request for a response from one person in the Archdiocese of Glasgow. I can tell you that on Sunday May 29th there were 50 people at the 9.45am Traditional Latin Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Glasgow. Sacred Heart Church is the only place in the entire Archdiocese of Glasgow where it is possible, at the moment, to attend the TLM on a Sunday, unless you include the SSPX.

Some time ago (January/February 2010 to be precise) there was an exchange of views in the pages of the Scottish Catholic Observer between a Gerald Warner and Mgsr Peter Smith, the chancellor of the Archdiocese of Glasgow. Mr Warner called for dioceses in Scotland to provide training for priests to say the TLM. Mgsr Smith noted that the attendance at Sacred Heart was in the mid-30s and described the existing provision of the TLM as ‘generous’. He also alleged that people in the Archdiocese were not asking their priests to say the TLM.

However, the information provided by the parish priest of Sacred Heart, Fr Stephen Dunn, is interesting:

Crucially “Summorum Pontificum” lifted the requirement upon priests to receive episcopal approval before saying the old Mass. However, Fr. Dunn explained, soon all the priests in Glasgow received a four page advisory document drafted by the chancellor of the archdiocese, Monsignor Peter Smith.
Fr. Dunn said the advisory note seemed to interpret the Pope’s instructions in a way that effectively turned many of them on their head. In fact, the renowned blogger Fr. John Zuhlsdorf described the advisory document’s interpretation of “Summorum Pontificum” as the “coldest, most hostile I have read so far.”
“There were three Glasgow priests signed up to the course in Oxford. After that note came round, two dropped out.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/universae-ecclesiae-one-priests-story/

Craig said...

I would like to see the Tridentine mass in Scotland and I am a practising Catholic.

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