News from the Diocese of Orange

This bitter news from the Diocese of Orange is disconcerting to say the least. In defiant opposition, it seems, to the motu proprio, Summorum Pontificum, the "extraordinary form" of the Holy Mass is being denied to the faithful. But, Halloween Masses, complete with extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion dressed as devils, are probably still OK...

Here is the email as I received it:

Friends,

Bishop Tod Brown (Diocese of Orange) has delayed, indefinitely, the Tridentine Mass at St. Mary's that was promised to be reinstated on Sept 16, 2007, at the noon Mass (see July 15 bulletin quoted below), according to Pope Benedict's motu proprio. http://romancatholicblog.typepad.com/roman_catholic_blog/2007/07/summorum-pont-1.html

Fr Tran had published the good news about the reinstatement in the St. Mary's bulletin of July 15 and today, Aug 25, Fr. Tran took it away (see bulletin text in blog linked below), just minutes before he left town, under the direction of B. Brown, to go to Vietnam for 2 months.

(Fr. Martin Tran promised the Tridentine in the July 15 bulletin, quoted here) -

"I know that several of us have been so excited about all of this, after prayers and prayers, encouragement and requests. With the expressed permission of our Bishop in his “Memorandum”:“I urge pastors to join me in a common pastoral approach to the implementation of the Motu Proprio. It is the prerogative of pastors when requested by...parishioners in the full canonical sense of that term, and who request the celebration of the Holy Mass according to the rite of the Roman Missal published in 1962…it is their prerogative to “willingly accede” to their request”. Therefore, as your Administrator/Pastor, I wholeheartedly “accede”: We will have the Tridentine Mass officially started on September 16 at 12:00 Noon Mass..."

And today we received "some corrections" from Fr. Martin Tran - NO Tridentine Mass (bulletin quoted on the blog link).

Please read this link and the links on the blog
http://romancatholicblog.typepad.com/roman_catholic_blog/2007/08/the-games-peopl.html?cid=80634817#comments

and then please call the bishop's office and tell him that you will call every day (and then call every day) until he publishes something on the homepage of the www.rcbo.org website that says he will reinstate the Tridentine at St. Mary's by Sept. 16, and notifies the office of St. Mary's by the Sea.

And as a diocese-wide show of support for our Holy Father's motu proprio- please tell Bishop Brown if he if does not do so by Sept 14, that you will withhold your weekly contribution on the week of Sept 16 at your parish, wherever you are in the diocese.

Bishop Brown's phone 714-282-3106

If you have a few extra minutes, please also contact:

Fr. Tuan Pham 282-3108 (Bishop Brown's secretary)
Fr. Michael Heher 282-3110
Bishop Luong 282-3102
Judy Bobier - (Bishop Secretary) 282-3105

Our bishop is refusing to follow direct orders from the Pope - if we must compel him to follow instructions from the Vatican , then, we must. For the sake of his soul, please contact the bishop.

We beg God's help in our effort, and we pray for Bishop Tod Brown's conversion to the true faith IN LINE WITH ROME.

Thank you,
blessings,
carol

Please forward to the nuncio, nuntiususa@nuntiususa.org

the Holy Father, benedictxvi@vatican.va
and to all on your lists.


###
Msg from Massabuse:
Please print and fax a copy of this email to:

ATT: Cardinal Castrillion Hoyos,
President Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei
fax: 011-3906-6988-3412

(if you can, also add a brief personal note on the fax, with your contact information, it might help)

The faithful of Orange could use our prayers - and it seems, the bishop does as well.