Fr. Richard Futie (Photo credit: The Daily Voice)
We regret having to give a belated report of the death of Fr Richard Futie on August 25. His “Mass of Christian Burial” took place today at St. John’s in Stamford. Let me say a few words about Fr. Futie and the support he gave to the Latin mass.
It was Fr Futie who established at St. Mary’s Stamford an indult traditional mass in 2005. It was an impressive setting – St Mary’s is one of the two or so grandest churches in the Fairfield diocese. It is amazing to look back at those beginnings compared to the post-Summorum Pontificum era. That indult mass got off to a rocky start. There was confusion about the location of the mass( the first congregation found themselves in the basement) , some highly questionable liturgical decisions were made and the corps of servers could not be called professional. It looked like the mass would collapse – as has happened in a number of other cases. Yet the clergy and laity persevered. The mass moved into the main church and the difficulties with ceremony and organization were worked out. Thanks to Fr. Futie’s care for music, these were the first traditional masses in this region outside of those organized by the St Gregory Society in New Haven with anything resembling an adequate musical accompaniment. Fr. Futie did not merely enable others but celebrated the Latin mass himself. The culmination of these developments was the splendid solemn pontifical mass celebrated by bishop Cordileone in 2007. The bishop had preached a lenten retreat at St. Mary’s. To those who were present, it was an almost miraculous development from the beginnings of two years earlier.
(Above and below) The mass with bishop Cordileone in February 2007.
Yet it was not to last. Fr Futie was transferred to an new parish that year, and the new management at St Mary’s had no use for the traditional liturgy and little desire to work with those who did. In fact, there are more than a few disquieting similarities to the change from Pope Benedict to Pope Francis this year. Since, under the indult regime, Traditional Catholics were subject to the arbitrary discretion of the local bishop, a parish priest or chaplain, the indult mass at St Mary’s quickly came to an inglorious end. Yet at this very time Summorum Pontificum was promulgated. A mass pursuant to SP was started at St. Mary’s, Norwalk – a church more historic than St.Mary’s, Stamford, if less grand and well-preserved. Some of the participants in the indult mass at St Mary’s Stamford found a new home there. And pursuant to SP, Traditional masses continued to be celebrated in Stamford at St. Gabriel’s and St. John’s. The present situation of Traditional mass in Fairfield county is a far cry from that of the last days of the indult. But we must look back in gratitude to Fr. Futie and those like him who helped to preserve the Traditional mass and to facilitate the beginnings of a liturgical renaissance in this part of Fairfield county.
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