Traditional Mass Ended at St. Cecilia, Brooklyn

(Above) Solemn Mass at St. Cecilia’s, November 20, 2011.

The congregation at the 2 PM Traditional Mass at St. Cecilia, Brooklyn, was informed after yesterday’s Mass that the Traditional Mass would be terminated as of October 12th. I note that the parish bulletin for Divine Mercy Parish (of which St Cecilia is one of three “worship spaces.”) of October 12th (!) summarily mentions this:

The administrator of this parish (there is only one priest) seems to publish the bulletin weeks in advance – that of October 25 is already online (without the 2 PM Latin Mass):

Divine Mercy Parish – Bulletins

This action of the Bishop seems to have taken the congregation by surprise. Needless to say, “Fr. MIke,” the administrator, did not see fit to publish any words of explanation to his parishioners. Normally, you would expect at least that courtesy – after all, reviewing this blog, I find references to and photographs of TLM celebrations at St. Cecilia’s as far back as 2008.

I spoke to a member of the TLM congregation of long standing. He was given to understand (unofficially?) that Bishop Brennan plans to restrict the TLM in the Brooklyn diocese to two locations: Our Lady of Peace in Carroll Gardens (in Brooklyn) and St. Josaphat (in Queens). Anyone who has tried to travel from one spot to another in these boroughs will know how daunting that prospect can be.

Finally,one thing is clear – whatever actions Pope Leo may take in the future regarding the Traditional Nass(and I am mildly hopeful), as of September 29 Pope Francis’s persecution of traditionalist Catholics is his persecution.