Please sign this open letter to Cardinal Dolan urging him to save Most Holy Redeemer Church.

Go to this link: https://c.org/tWwgFgd2PS

On Saturday, October 11,  the National Latin Mass Pilgrimage took place once more. Its path lies between the Cathedrals of Arlington, Virginia and Washington DC (two dioceses which introduced some of the most confrontational measures against the Traditional Latin Mass). The Arlington Latin Mass Society sponsored the pilgrimage. Some 50 pilgrims took part. Now certainly dire forecasts of a looming weather disaster – which proved false – diminished participation.   But I can’t ascribe the low turnout entirely to that. We also had noticed a declining numbers at our last visit to the pilgrimage. As in prior pilgrimages, the clergy were conspicuous by their abscence.

Numbers, however, are not everything. Among the pilgrims, spirits were high. This pilgrimage was, as in the past, well organized. And are there not prominent examples of pilgrimages that a smaller core group has preserved through the years that later flowered (in numbers) once again: the “Pilgrimage of the Restoration” in Auriesville, NY or even the “Pilgrimage of Christendom” in Chartres. 

At the beginning it seemed that threatened rain-and windstorms might materialize. Later, the skies cleared and it turned out to be a beautiful day. (Above) In front of the cathedral of the Arlington diocese – with a statue of St. Thomas More looking down.

(Above) Chanting and praying the rosary. Sometimes cars honked approval.

(Above) The Pilgrim Virgin – at the one rest stop for the pilgrims across from the Iwo Jima memorial.

(Above) Processing onward from the Lincoln Memorial. The area around that monument was dominated by a deafening “Jesus Movement” event.

(Above) On the steps of St. Matthew Cathedral. The pilgrimage concluded with the chanting of None and Vespers on the steps of the Cathedral (not within it!).

(Above) The Memorial to 9/11 (and Fr. Mychal Judge) at St. Francis of Assisi Church in 2012. I note that in this and other pictures the “gold-plated rose” is not yet present.

In regard to St. Francis of Assisi, a well-informed reader has kindly pointed out that the opening times of the lower church were restricted after a monstrance was stolen in 2018. (It was later recovered – I note a gentleman once frequently encountered at the TLM in New York was involved in the recovery). In 2018 the church made this announcement:

For Your Safety and Our Security

The New Year didn’t start very happily for us because on Tuesday morning, January 2nd, at approximately 7:20 AM, a monstrance was stolen from the altar in the lower church. The Blessed Sacrament was not in the monstrance at the time. The police were called and they are investigating the theft.

As you are probably aware, security issues have risen over the past few years. We having been working hard to enhance the security and safety of our buildings and property with video surveillance and other measures. However, incidents like this are almost impossible to prevent because we cannot patrol every inch of the property at every moment.

We have decided to try to limit access to parts of the church when they are not in use.

Effective immediately, the lower church will be open only during the following hours:

Monday to Friday: 7:30 to 8:30 AM; 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM; 4:00 to 5:30 PM

Saturday: 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 3:30 to 5:30 PM

Sunday: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM and 4:00 to 5:30 PM

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will take place in the upper church Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 11:30 AM and 1:00 and 4:30 PM.

We regret having to put these measures into effect, but we are concerned about your safety as well as the security of our church and buildings. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation, and remember, if you see something, say something.

“New Safety Measures- St Francis of Assisi”

I do not know if these exact times are still in force. Even AI is stumped when asked about the current opening times at St. Francis. And the dire security situation does not seem to have improved since 2018:

 New York City police are searching for a man accused of stealing a gold-plated rose from a Manhattan church memorial honoring the victims of 9/11.

The metal flower had served as the centerpiece of a memorial at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, whose long-time pastor, Father Mychal Judge, was crushed by falling rubble while praying for victims and rescuers on the morning of the attack. …

The memorial, which rests on a base of twisted steel leftover from the wreckage of the World Trade Center, arrived at the church 22 years ago, he said, through a donation coordinated by a local ironworkers union. …

It was dedicated to the former pastor, Judge, as well as a parishioner, Carole LaPlante, who was also killed in the attacks.

Following his death, the priest’s admirers urged the Catholic Church to grant him sainthood, pointing to his efforts in pushing the church to be more welcoming to LGBTQ people. (my bolding)

Offenhartz, Jake, “Gold-plated rose stolen from NYC 9/11 memorial honoring influential pastor,” apnews.com (November 21, 2024)

Perhaps these events have discouraged visitors. Perhaps some are not “on board” with the recent direction of the parish as compared with its traditional role as an all-purpose Catholic devotional center for those traveling in and out of Manhattan. And is there the same demand for such a “commuter church” at a time where Catholic devotional life is in overall decline? Our reader also pointed out that the declining number of clergy has also contributed to the reduction of both opening times and hours of the sacrament of penance. In any case, St. Francis of Assisi today is a less active place than it was in the 1980’s.

Today Bishop Brennan of Brooklyn has deigned to give an explanation for an action announced on September 28:

(Tablet Staff) “As Diocese of Brooklyn Moves to Site Model, St. Cecilia To Cease Latin Mass,” The Tablet (Brooklyn) (October 6, 2025)

The diocese is moving to a “site model”( what’s that?). Whereas at first only Traditionis Custodes issues were (orally) mentioned, now resource issues are adduced.

Low traditional Latin Mass attendance at the church and a priest shortage led Bishop Robert Brennan to the decision, according to the diocese.

The traditional Latin Mass at St. Cecilia, which typically drew around 25-35 parishioners each week, was celebrated by a rotating group of priests. However, Bishop Brennan deemed this rotation no longer sustainable and therefore switched to the site model, according to the diocese. 

He made the decision pursuant to Traditionis custodes — Pope Francis’s 2021 decree that gave local bishops autonomy to regulate the celebration of the traditional Latin Mass.

“Low traditional Latin Mass attendance” – in the Washington, DC archdiocese and elewhere traditional Masses have been terminated becuse of high attendance.

“(Traditionis Custodes) gave local bishops autonomy to regulate the celebration of the traditional Latin Mass.” I doubt anyone familiar with this motu proprio would describe it this way.

“Bishop Brennan deemed”; “he made this decision.” There was no discussion with the congregation or, as far as I am aware, with the priests celebrating this mass. No “dialogue,” no “accompaniment.” And no thought as to how the congregation – two-thirds or so of which are from the immediate neighborhood – is supposed to get to the two authorized sites. It is all very autocratic, very clerical, very top-down – the true image of how the Church of Francis (and now of Leo) operates in reality. For TC will still be enforced regardless of the impact on anyone. As I wrote, Francis’s persecution is now Leo’s persecution.

In addition to the regularly scheduled 12:10 Low Mass, there will be a Solemn Mass at 10 am for the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary on Tuesday, Oct 7 at St. Mary Church, Norwalk

(Above) The former Catholic Center, surrounded by scaffolding. (Below)) The “Catholic” identifiers are progressively stripped away – you can still barely make out “New York Catholic Center.” An inglorious end to the main legacy of Cardinal Cooke in Manhattan.

Meanwhile, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral:

The new set of “murals” (actually panel paintings, apparently on canvas) in the entrance to St. Patrick’s cathedral were recently unveiled. These works are accompanied by an extravagant dedication to Cardinal Dolan. What can we say? The style is exceedingly similar to Soviet “Socialist Realism” or National Socialist “Heroic Realism” – a combination of photographic realism (almost colored photographs)and idealism. Most of the figures depicted are staring at something in space or above them in the sky, while we, similarly, gaze up at them. For some reason, Mother Cabrini’s image does make “eye contact” with the viewer. Some of the panels follow the lead of contemporary media and advertising by carefully distributing the figures among approved categories: a woman, a black, an “Asian,’ an “Hispanic.”. And, despite the presence of an image of the Virgin Mary, most of it is thoroughly secular as well. The themes are those approved by the secular media: migrants, 9/11 first responders, catholic social activists… The panels are entirely manipulative and propagandistic – art has ceded to the didactic.

Courtesy of Charlotte Latin Mass Community. (Attached to the door the day the last Traditional Mass was celebrated in this church.)

This is the face of the Catholic Church today: manipulation, despotism and deception. In addition to the Church’s other moral problems……