Critique of Sacrosanctum Concilium (Continued)

Radical Adaptation of the Liturgy (SC 40)

Number 40 says, „In some places and circumstances, however, an even more radical adaptation of the liturgy is needed, and this entails greater difficurtors, difficulties, for this reason.‟ Number one, „The competent territorial ecclesiastical authority mentioned in Article 22(2) must in this matter carefully and prudently consider which elements from the traditions and cultures of individual peoples might appropriately be admitted into divine worship. Adaptations which are considered useful or necessary should then be submitted to the Holy See, by whose consent they may be introduced.‟ This is why we get all the weird, funny, and crazy liturgies going on when the pope travels. Sometimes when the pope celebrates a Mass, there’s practically nothing left of the traditional rite, nothing. To the point that, uh, by the way, this will, uh, cause great scandal, but it should be known, that when the pope said Mass in Vienna, with his obsession of the vernacular, he was calling Our Lady, „Grandmother.‟ Instead of Gottesmutter in German, he said, „Großmutter Maria.‟ (laughs) See, if that had happened in Latin, nobody would have noticed it at least. (laughs)

Papal Mass in Vienna and the Importance of Liturgical Routine

And there was, there was, this is an inside information. Some people will deny that, but I don’t care. There was an investigation in the Holy Office on the validity of the papal Mass in Vienna, because he omitted, by mistake, of course, he omitted something in the words of consecration. I’m personally absolutely convinced this was only a mistake. However, this would not have happened in the Latin rite. This would not have happened if the pope says, every day of his life, Hoc est enim Corpus Meum: Hoc est enim Calix Sanguinis mei. Novit aeterni testamenti. Mysterium fidei. De provobis et tramultis, effundetur remissionem peccatorum. Equotiuscumque feceritis mei memoriam patientis. I know the Mass by heart, Oratio Missa at least. I really know it by heart. And you have to. It has to become a holy, a sacred routine, because if it does not become a holy, a sacred routine… I’m not talking about Buddhists rattling with their, uh, prayer mills, (imitates prayer mill) (laughs) It has to become a holy and sacred routine, because otherwise, you would make horrible mistakes at Mass. Sometimes the priest is too tired. Sometimes he had to get up too early. Sometimes he has to say the Mass too late. Sometimes he’s sick. Sometimes he’s just confused, because, uh, we are human beings, and things may happen to us that cause great confusion. Sometimes we are not really present at Mass, spiritually. I mean, uh, sometimes, uh, it, it, hey, it, it happens, believe me, it happens that after Mass you say, „Did I say Mass?‟ You have a scheduled Mass, 7:00 in the morning. For me it’s awful. You have a scheduled Mass, 7:00 in the morning in the parish, and for some reason, maybe it’s your fault, because you went to a celebration and didn’t come home to, to, uh, arrive in, in time. Maybe it’s not your fault, because you had to, uh, give the sacraments to a dying person, you had to assist somebody, uh, with extreme unction and, uh, and, and the Viaticum, the Last Rites, and you come back at 3:00 at night, and then you have to say Mass at 7:00, and you’re really standing there like a zombie celebrating. You better have developed a holy sacred routine in doing this, because otherwise you might just forget the words of consecration. This is another one of, this is another aspect, an evil aspect, of the new Mass. When you’re a traveling bishop and priest in our days, you have to say the Mass in 50 languages. That’s not possible. But Vatican II wanted it. Don’t say Vatican II didn’t want that. Number 40 says they wanted it.

Liturgical Reform as a Messianic Movement (SC 43)

In number 43, they say, „Zeal for the promotion and restoration of the sacred liturgy is rightly held to be the sign of the providential dispositions of God in our time, and as a movement of the Holy Spirit in his church. It is today a distinguishing mark of the life of the Church, and indeed of the whole tenor of contemporary religion through thought, uh, religion, thought, and action.‟ So they are really messianic about their reforms. So the Messiah wants the reform. The liturgical reform is dictated by the Holy Spirit. I can’t blame John Paul II and calling Vatican II a Second Pentecost, and something the Holy Spirit made. If they say it, they say it. And they, they insist it’s today. It is today a distinguishing mark of the life of the Church. Yes, it is a distinguishing mark of the life of agnostic sect called The Church of the New Advent, and indeed the whole tenor of contemporary religious thought and action, but it’s not the tenor of my religious thought, and it’s not the tenor of my religious actions. I don’t want the reform, and I deny the reform, I reject the reform. It’s, uh, illegitimate against the will of God. But they say, they, they attribute an, a, a messianic message to it. Now, finally, we will convert the whole world with a new liturgy. That’s probably the reason all the people are converted so much today that they don’t need to go to church anymore, which is the reason why churches are empty and seminaries are empty.

Liturgical Commissions and "Experts" (SC 44)

In number 44, the council says, „It is desirable that the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority mentioned in Article 22(2),‟ I’m sorry I bore you with this Article 22(2), but they do. Article 22(2), „Set up a liturgical commission to be assisted by experts.‟ We got them again. What experts? (laughs) What experts? The Tridentine Council said a lot about Mass. The popes have said a lot about Mass. Pius XII was an, uh, a real expert when he wrote Mediatio a Dei. I don’t need experts. I have Mediatio a Dei. I have all the beautiful, beautiful writings of the Church fathers-… of the popes, of the councils, of the saints. What do I need experts for? I need an expert to repair my fridge. (laughs) Not liturgy. „To be assisted by experts in the liturgical science, sacred music, art, and pastoral practice. As far as possible, the commission should be ad- aided by some kind of institute for pastoral liturgy.‟ Well, we got them, uh, uh, growing like mushrooms now. „Consisting of people who are eminent…‟ Excuse me. Uh, my eyes are getting old. „Consisting of people who are eminent in these matters.‟ Yes. You know what I would have said? Hopefully, what I would have said being present in the, in the Sacred Aula in S- in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Council, I would have raised my s- my hand and said, „Yes, why don’t you read Mediator Dei by Pius XII?‟ He was a competent man, and he was an expert on liturgy, even if he didn’t show it all the time in his actions. In his writings, he did. So if cer- I, I read again, b- I’m sorry I interrupted this. „As far as possible, the commission should be aided by some kind of institute for pa- pastoral liturgy, consisting of people who are eminent in these matters, not excluding laymen, if circumstances demand. It will be the task of this commission, under the direction of the above-mentioned competent territorial ecclesiastical authority, see Article 22.2,‟ (sighs) to regulate pastoral liturgical action throughout the territory and to promote studies and necessary experiments, whenever there is a qu- a question of adaptations to be proposed to the Holy See. So now the Council that claims that everything has to be according to sound tradition says, „We want experiments, liturgical experiments.‟ Um, at a Holy Mass, if it was a Holy Mass, I don’t know, in the seminary in Vienna in Austria, they replaced the readings of Saint Paul with a reading from Peter Handke, who is a Communist German author. And when Cardinal König was asked, uh, „How come? How is this possible?‟ He said, „Oh, it’s an interesting liturgical experiment.‟ (knocks on wood) (laughs) I need a gulp of wine after that. (laughs) So let’s forget Saint Paul. He was against women anyway. (laughs) Let’s rea- let’s read Karl Marx. (laughs)

Simplification of Rites (SC 50)

In number 50, the Council wants us to simplify. „The Rite of Mass is to be revised in such a way that the intrinsic nature and purpose of its several parts, as well as the connection between them, may be more clearly manifested, and that devout and active participation by the faithful,‟ we ca- we heard that before, „may be more easily achieved. For this purpose, the rites are to be simplified, due care being taken to preserve their substance, facts…‟ Or excuse me, „parts which with the passage of time came to be duplicated or were added with little advantage are to be omitted.‟ First of all, this is an impertinence first class to say that, uh, there are parts in the old Mass that were added with little advantage. The Council Fathers at Trent would have kicked this guy out who said that. And Vatican II now wants, „For this purpose, the rites are to be simplified.‟ The very concept of simplifying the rites has been condemned by Pope Pius VI in Auctorium Fidei as rash and offensive to pious ears. How dare the Council Fathers at Vatican II now to request something that was condemned by a previous pope.

Papal Authority and Binding Successors

When a pope condemns something, no one of his successors may change that. A priest in this country, geographically not far from here, said that the pope cannot bind his successor. I explained in my other tape and Father Paul Kramer in his book explains very well that this is not true. The pope binds his successors in everything that is not disciplinary positive law. Disciplinary laws, he does not bind his successors. Of course not. In positive law, that means the great major part of canon law, he does not bind his successors. If the pope decides to change the, uh, the, uh, the, the law of election to the papacy, he may do so. Many popes did that. The present pope did it, and the next pope will be elected to the law established by John Paul II, rightly so. But the pope cannot change the faith. You read that in Denzinger-Schönmetzer 3070, the fourth chapter of the Constitutio Dogmatica Pastoris Aeternus de Ecclesia Christi of the 18th of July, 1870 at First Vatican Council, defining the infallibility of the pope. And in the fourth chapter, the Council says, „Spiritus Sanctus non enim datus est successoribus Petri ut eo revelante aliquam novam doctrinam patefacerent, sed ut eo assistente, traditam per apostolos revelationem seu fidei depositum sancte custodirent et fideliter exponere.‟ The Holy Spirit was not promised to the successors of Peter, so with his, uh, revealing, uh, they may proclaim a new doctrine, but that with his assistance, they may wholly sa- sa- uh, uh, sancte, that’s, uh, difficult in, in English, they may in a holy way guard it and explain it faithfully. What do they have to guard and explain? They have to guard and explain the depositum fidei, that means the faith that was handed down to us from the apostles.So a pope can very well bind his successor with that. When a pope proclaims a dogma, nobody, not even the conciliar church doubts. I mean, the conciliar church may be, but not, uh, not the pope, the pre- not the present pope. Uh, the pope may not change around the dogma. He’s bound by his predecessor. The pope may not change things of the faith. If Pope, uh, Pius IX condemned the idea of separation of ch- church and state, the present pope may not request the contrary. He’s bound. A decision in moral theology of a pope binds his successors, and this is the reason why in the same dogmatic constitution of the papal infallibility, the, uh, the, uh, the council, va- Vatican I actually says that the pope holds… Now listen to this distinction. The pope holds the primacy, (Latin). He does not hold to primacy only in the matters of faith and morals, but also in the matters of government and discipline of the church. So now they make a very important distinctions, distinction. It is understood any way that he holds the primacy in matters of faith and morals, but he also holds the primacy in matters of discipline and government of the church. So there’s two levels here. A pope cannot bind his successor in the law of discipline and government, but he can very well and does bind his successor in a matter of faith and morals. The church has always said that. The popes have sworn that as the oath of incarnation in writing from 678 to 1302. That we have in writing. So most probably by 678, the popes had sworn to that already for many centuries. And after 1302, the popes certainly, uh, lived in the same spirit, which is proven by church history, by the teaching of the popes and by tradition. The pope is bound to tradition. The pope is subject to tradition. And if a pope makes something part of tradition, if a pope declares that something is part of tradition, he binds his successor. So you cannot turn these things around. And if, uh, uh, Pope Pius VI condemned the idea of, uh, uh, simplifying the rites, then Paul VI is bound to that.

Vernacular in Masses and Communion Under Both Kinds (SC 54)

In number 54, the council says, „A suitable place may be allotted to the vernacular in Masses…‟ Aha, again, „… which are celebrated with the people.‟ But all Masses should be celebrated with the people, the council says, so a suitable place has to be allotted to the vernacular in all Masses. See how you have to read the council? The context? See what the context is? „Especially in the reading at the common prayer and also as local conditions may warrant in those parts which pertain to the people according to the rules laid down in Article 36 of this cons- of, of the constitution.‟ Article 36 is referring to 22:2. We got that again. „Wherever a more extended use of the vernacular in the Mass seems desirable, the regulations laid down in Article 40 of this constitution to be observed.‟ What does the Article 40 of this constitution say? Well, the Article 40 says, „In some places and circumstances, however, an even more radical adapt- adaptation of the liturgy is needed.‟ And it refers to 22:2 again. So let the bishops conferences write up new rites. You see the context? If you read Vatican II in context and with references, you cannot say they didn’t want the vernacular new rite.

Concelebration (SC 57)

The new rite very often is characterized by concelebrations. They say Vatican II didn’t want that. Number 57 says, „Concelebrations whereby the unity of the priesthood is appropriately manifested has remained in use to this day in the Church, both in the East and in the West. For this reason, it has seemed good to the Council to extend permission for celebration in the following cases.‟ I don’t bore you with those cases. Now, you can concelebrate wherever you want. Um, as a matter of fact, that- that’s what I call, uh, historical irony. In the Episcopal Cathedral of Trent, a friend of mine tried to celebrate mass there. They told him, „No. Either you participate in our 9 o’clock in the morning concelebration or you may not celebrate mass here.‟ This is the church in which the Council of Trent was held. Sometimes I s- I’m surprised God did not let it crumble yet, like Assisi. (laughs) By now, this faculty for the concelebration given by the Church has been extended to the point that they even ignore the new Code of Canon Law, which in Canon 902 says that no priest may ever be forced to concelebrate. That doesn’t change the fact that, in very many churches, under the eyes of the bishop in his cathedral, priests are forced to concelebrate, which is why I travel with a travel altar and, sad to say, have celebrated masses in motel rooms. A new rite for concelebration is to be drawn up and inserted into the Pontifical and into the Roman Missal. Why? We have a rite of concelebration in the Latin Church. At an Episcopal consecration, the bishops concelebrate what the bishop consecrates. But… And at the Rite of Priestly Ordination, the priests concelebrate with the bishop who just consecrated them. We have the rite, except that in the old days, every priest and every bishop was saying the full mass. Now they s- they just say the words of consecration, and that’s about it. And for the rest of the mass, they’ve got nothing to do. (book closes) As a matter of fact, there’s nothing more ridiculous. And I’ve done it every day, almost every day, for 10 years in St. Peter’s Basilica, in the sacristy of St. Peter’s Basilica. There are very few things more ridiculous and more scandalous to me than watch future concelebrants before mass, watch the priests dress up waiting for concelebration. I don’t want to go in this type of comedy, but believe me, it would make a good show on TV. They chat around. Very few of them pray. Very few of them prepare for anything sacred. When they sit in the… in, uh, in the sanctuary, usually this is what you get. (laughs) This is concelebrants in mass. And I’ve just given you, uh, one type. There are many others. Some of them don’t say anything. Some of them, uh, are just snoring through the whole thing. (coughs) We had a beautiful rite of concelebration. If the Council had really wanted concelebration, it would not have asked for a new rite to be drawn up. It would have used the one existing. Apart from the fact that it is not a tradition in the Latin Church to concelebrate, except at ordination and consecration.

Revision of Rites of Sacraments and Sacramentals (SC 62-63, 71-72, 76-77, 79)

Number 62 says, „With the passage of time, however, there have crept into the rites of the sacraments and sacramentals certain features which have rendered their nature and purpose far from clear, far from clear to the people of today. Hence, some changes are necessary to adapt them to present-day needs.‟ Again, simplify the rites to the point that the village idiot will understand them. (laughs) The council is very repetitious, as you can see. Number 63, „Because the use of the vernacular in the administration of the sacraments and sacramentals can often be of very great help to the people, it uses to be extended according to the following norms. In the administration of the sacraments and sacramentals, the vernacular may be used according to the norm of Articles 36.‟ We have read that before. You can look it up or wind back the tape. „The competent territorial uh, ecclesiastical authority designated in Article 22-2…‟ I think when you go home tonight, you’ll all be dreaming. You’re not going to have nightmares about Article 22-2 of the… But… Sorry, but, uh, I didn’t write it. (laughs) „According to Article, uh, 22-2 of this Constitution shall further with, prepare, in accordance with the new edition of the Roman Ritual, local rituals adapted linguistically and otherwise to the needs of the different regions.‟ Uh, they have dialect missals now. I mean, uh, uh, there’s something which, in the United States, is, uh, not, uh, as bad a problem as it is in other countries because this is more or less still one country, and even though, uh, there is quite a difference in the accents here, uh, you don’t really have too, too many dialects in this country. But Europe is packed with dialects…. and believe me, once you have heard the Mass in Viennese dialect or Sicilian dialect, you’re sick. (hands thud) I love the Sicilians, but not the dialect at Mass. You heard that, Benita? (laughing) Subtitles are true.

Revision of the Divine Office (Breviary) (SC 91-92)

Number 91. „So that it may be possible in practice to observe the course of the hours proposed in Article 89…‟… the Psalms are no longer to be distributed throughout the week, but through a longer period of time. I mentioned before, and I said I will come back to this, that the priest in his breviary says the Psalms. That’s why Saint Gregory the Great wanted the bishops to memorize them. The oldest rule of the breviary is that you say the 150 Psalms in a week, that there may never be a week in your priestly life without having said all of the 150 Psalms. Number one purpose of the breviary is that. Some ultra traditionalists who go far beyond what, uh, is due and what is right criticize Saint Pius X for having reformed the breviary. They say this was against the explicit will of Pius V. Saint Pius V, and here we have an example when it is needed to reform things according to the times. When Saint Pius V was pope, priests did not have cars. Priests spent a lot of their time walking, traveling. In those days, you had to walk to the next village. A priest has to say prayers seven times a day. He has to give praise to God seven times a day in the breviary. Prima, Tertia, Sexta, Nona, Vespere, Completorium, Matutine, Laudes. Those are what is called the hours of the breviary. In the old days, in order to enable the priest to be able to say at least part of this breviary every day without needing the text of the breviary, the Prima, Tertia, Sexta, and Nona, as the name says, the prayers that should be but do not have to, but should be said at 7 o’clock, 9 o’clock, 12 o’clock, and 3 PM, those prayers were the same every day except Sunday. So, priests, after a while of being priests, memorized them, and on their way to the next parish or the next church could recite them by memory. Also, in those days, it was very difficult and very expensive to obtain a printed breviary. In the 20th century, to obtain a printed breviary is neither expensive nor difficult, except if you want an old breviary, then it might be difficult today, but that’s not the point. At the time of, uh, Saint Pius X, it was easy for a priest to receive his… to, to obtain a, a breviary, and Pius X did not write up a new breviary. He r- restored the breviary to a new organization of the Psalms, a new distribution of the Psalms during the week, so you did not repeat the same Psalm all over and over again Monday through Saturday, but you just said the 150 Psalms. Before Saint Pius X, the prayer at night did not have nine but 12 Psalms. It was endless. And during the day, you repeated the same Psalm over again. Pius X rightly understood that the purpose of the breviary is to make you say 150 Psalms during the week, not 170 and not 130. This is now the purpose of the breviary. But hear, hear what Vatican II says, 91, „So that it may be possible in practice to observe the course of the hours proposed in Article 89.‟ Possible in practice, that means because the priests today are drowned in bureaucracy and paperwork so they don’t have time for the breviary anymore, in the, for the old breviary, so the breviary had to be shortened and made simpler. The, the Psalms are no longer to be distributed throughout the week, but through a longer period of time. Now a priest says all the 150 Psalms, excuse me, 147 Psalms, because the council considered, uh, uh, not the council, the, the liturgical reformers con- considered three Psalms, I’ve forgotten the number, that condemned the heretics to hell, scandalous, and took them out of the breviary. So, in the new breviary, you have 147 Psalms, not 150. This is against a standing tradition of 2- 2000 years in the Latin Church. (coughs) And now the priest says 150 Psalms in three weeks, or four weeks, I don’t remember. This is against the standing tradition of 2000 years in the church. This is, at first sight it means nothing, but if you give it a closer look this is one of the most scandalous paragraphs of this document.

Hymns Restored and Purged (SC, unknown para.)

Hymns. Now, in, in the breviary, you do not only have the, the Psalms, but you also have Latin poetry, gorgeous poetry, magnificent poetry, poetry so beautiful that nothing in the 20th century comes close to it even. These are the hymns. „Hymns are to be restored to their original form.‟That’s another one of these archaeologisms, as Pius XII would have called it in 0000 days. „As far as may be desirable.‟ Whatever that means. „They are to be purged of whatever smacks of mythology or accords ill with the Christian piety.‟ (laughs) Well, I’m saying the, I’m singing the old breviary every day, and I haven’t found a single hymn that I’ve found obs- o- o- offensive to my piety. I made the mistake and said the new breviary in Latin, until I found out it’s disgusting, offensive to my piety, and in vernacular translations, even heretical. This is what the council got in exchange for one of the most beautiful part, uh, pieces of poetry in the history of mankind.

Vernacular in Divine Office (SC 101)

Then again, in paragraph number, uh, 101, one and two and three, we’re talking again about the vernacular. And, uh, this may come as a surprise to you. They quote again 22:2.

Approval of All Forms of True Art (SC 112-113)

Number 112 says, „The church indeed approves of all forms of true art, which have the requi- uh, the requisite qualities and admits them into divine worship.‟ This is why churches today look what they look. I recommend you an exte- extended tour through New England. These New England villages are so cute. They’re so beautiful. You have all the Protestant, heretical, and, and, uh, very often pagan churches there. Beautiful buildings. And then you find one hideous monstrosity there. It is the Catholic Church or the local cement factory. (laughs) But usually, the local cement factory looks much better. Most of the times, the local church is the most hideous building around. Just to show you how the Church interpreted this paragraph 112. „The Church indeed approves of all forms of true art.‟ Well, if they had stuck to this paragraph, they would have had to tear down the churches built before the council already, post-war. Some of them were absolutely hideous and disgusting, but no comparison to what we got after the council. Number 113, „As regards the language to be used, the provisions of Article 36 are to be observed for the Mass, Article 54, for the Sacraments, Article 63, 63 and for the Divine Office, Article 101.‟ That means we get the vernacular again.

Inculturation of Music (SC 119)

119, „In certain countries, especially in mission lands, there are people who have their own musical tradition…‟ (beatboxes) „… and these, and this plays a great part in their religious and social life. For this reason, their music should be held in proper esteem.‟ << Oh, when the saints. Oh, when the saints >> and so on. „And this plays a great part in their religious and social life. For this reason, this should, this music should be held in proper esteem and the suitable place to be given to it, not only informing their religious sense, but also in adapting worship to their native genius.‟ (laughs) That’s the native genius. „As indicated in Articles 39 and 40.‟ My talents of imitation are not good enough to give you another, o- other examples of different type of Aboriginal music that you will find now inserted in Mass. Not that I’m against, uh, against local traditions, believe me. Actually, I’m a real fan of country music. I am. But if I hear it in church, I get sick. (laughs) << Life is like a mountain railroad. With an engineer who’s brave >> and so on. (laughs) << Keep your hands upon the throttle. From the cradle to the grave. >> (laughs) „Therefore, in the musical training of missionaries, great care should be taken to see that they become competent in promoting the traditional music of these people, both in schools and in sacred services, so far as it may be practicable.‟ Offertory. (plays table) It’s local music, isn’t it? Why not have it at the offertory for a change? But other instruments also may be admitted for use in divine worship. This is what I meant. Drums, guitars. Guitars. In the judgment… Electric guitars, mind you. „In the judgment and with the consent of the competent territor- territorial authority as laid down…‟ This is very new to us here. In Article 22:2. (laughs) „This may be done, however, only on condition that these instruments are suitable and, or be made suitable for sacred use.‟ Well, they certainly made all these instruments used, suitable for their kind of sacred use. „And that they accord with the dignity of temple.‟ Yeah, that’s what I would call it now, the dignity of the temple. „And may truly contribute to the edification of the faithful.‟ Saint Pius X wanted Gregorian. Saint Pius… Uh, excuse me, he’s not a saint. Pius XI wanted Gregorian. Pius XII wanted Gregorian. Paul VI made a feeble attempt to make it believable that he wants Gregorian. Well, I haven’t heard Gregorian in a long time.

Inculturation of Art (SC 123)

Number 123 is again another paragraph on inculturation. „The art of our own times from every race and country shall also be given free scope in the Church.‟ They did that. „Provided it bring to the task the reverence and honor due to the sacred buildings and rites. Thus, it is enabled to join its voice to that wonderful chorus and praise in honor of the Catholic faith sung by great men in past ages.‟ How was this? They will say, „Vicious, vicious Dr. Hesse again says that the council wanted all the beau- all the won- all the, the, the disgusting new churches.‟ Vicious Dr. Hesse again is not able to distinguish an abuse from what the council wanted. I say again, I am not the interpreter of the council. The popes and the bish- the popes and the bishops are.I have… It has not come to my notice that the Pope would have condemned any one of these hideous churches, but that he would have told the bishop, „Do not consecrate this.‟ In the Canton of Zug in Switzerland, Z-U-G, the local bishop consecrated a church on which walls there were obscene drawings. He did not ask for the removal of these drawings. He said, „Put up a few curtains,‟ then he consecrated the church. There are consecrated new Catholic churches where a swimming pool is to be found under the altar. Switzerland again. This was in the 1970s. (clears throat)

Revision of Canons on Sacred Buildings and Furnishings (SC 128)

In number 128, the council says, „The canons and exostical statutes which govern the provision of external things, which pertain to sacred worship should be revised as soon as possible, together with liturgical books as laid down in Article 25. These laws refer especially to the worthy and well-planned construction of sacred buildings, well planned, the shape and construction of altars, the nobility, placing, and security of the Eucharistic tabernacle, the suitability and dignity of the baptistry, the proper ordering of the sacred languaget, of the sacred images,‟ I’m sorry, „and the scheme of decoration and embellishment.‟ Uh, the next paragraph, I spare you the next paragraph, 222.2. (laughs) Look, uh, at, uh… Try to find a book, or modern books, or Book Corner, or whatever they’re called, try to find a book on recent ecclesiastical architecture and flip through the book. And compare the interiors of modern churches. Now of course, they’re very, very different from each other because every architect wants to present his masterpiece of art, uh-huh. And, uh, so he makes sure that he doesn’t copy, uh, uh, other people’s, uh, um, uh, plans. But you’ll always find the same hideous altar facing the people with two ashtrays and candles on one side, flowers on the other. You will find the ambo, where, uh, Madam Reader reads the readings, and you will find the tabernacle somewhere over there. And in many churches, when you look into the church, you will not know where to find the center of the church. It’s an octagon, it’s a polygon. There’s the altar here, the ambo over there, tabernacle somewhere there. You enter the church, you have to search, not just to look, to search for the tabernacle. Where is the tabernacle? Most of the times, you will not find the tabernacle because you’re not able to imagine that such a hideous thing could be a tabernacle. You will find the altar, not like… I mean, we, we are not celebrating mass here and yet this table is, uh, uh, it’s, it’s symmetric, it’s centered. Uh, with some churches, you will find the altar over there then the tabernacle over there. It must never be in the middle, you know? Tabernacle over there and the ambo right here. But then it might not right, be right here in the center. It will be somewhat off center. This is the interpretation given to the vast majority… For, to give, given to this paragraph by the vast majority of bishops. Because as you should know, no church can be constructed and consecrated without the bishop’s approval. The majority of the churches in our days look like I described them. So this is the authentic interpretation. The Pope has never refused to celebrate in one of these hideous monstrosities that are rightly called temple here and are not churches. Again, I do not interpret this, they do.

Appendix: The "Time Bomb" of Fixing Easter

And to conclude this torturous reading of one of the most imbecile documents in church history, I read the appendix to you. Why? I’m sure you heard the term time bomb. Archbishop Lefebvre said that there are many things in Vatican II that you should consider spiritual time bombs. They don’t mean much in the context of the council, but they can be interpreted in a way that will be disastrous. I’ll give you a time bomb that has not yet exploded, but will. The Second Vatican Council, the Sacred… Uh, I’m, I’m sorry, I apologize. The Sacred Second Vatican Ecumenical Council… By the way, the word ecumenical does not mean the council is ecumenical like we understand wrongly today. The word ecumenical council means… It’s coming from the Greek term oikos, house. Oikomene is the household. I don’t have a housekeeper, so I, uh, do my own cooking and I clean my apartment, so I’m my own housekeeper. I’m my own hausfrau. Uh, I am responsible for my own oikomene, things pertaining to the house. And ecumenical council means things pertaining to the house. Ecumenical means that everybody who is in union with the Pope is invited and the others are not. So the word ecumenical should mean everything pertaining to the Catholic Church. And here’s the great theological lies of our, lie of our days that I will talk about, uh, uh, in the second part. The Ecumenical Council means everything pertaining to the Catholic Church. Today, that means the sister churches, and nephew, and niece churches, and whatever, and that’s exactly why ecumenism is what it is today. The original meaning means just pertaining to the Catholic Church. The Sacred Second Vatican Ecumenical Council recognizes the importance of the wishes expressed by many concerning the assignment of the feast of Easter to a fixed Sunday, and concerning an unchanging calendar, having carefully considered, et cetera, et cetera. So, that’s the next time bomb to explode. Easter will not be as w- as it used to be after the first full moon. It might be something like, uh, April 7th every year. That would break a tradition as old as the church itself. This time bomb is to come.

Conclusion and Preview of Next Part

In my second part, I will spare you of detailed reading. I gave you the first document considered by some to be harmless, not heretical, not damaging. Well, if this is harmless, then what must be others be like? Tomorrow or in the next par- in the next par- in, in the second part anyway, I’m going to talk about the unacceptable pronouncements of Vatican II in the other documents. Thank you. (clapping)