Where to Go to Mass
or Confession today? Traditional Options
for the Sacraments
This
is probably the most frequent question that we receive. The answer is somewhat involved because there
is hardly a solid Catholic priest to be found in the entire country today. We offer some important guidelines here. Please consult this page carefully.
1. One must not receive sacraments until one
is fully convinced of the traditional Catholic Faith, and of all issues of
Catholic Faith covered on this website. (One must also have been baptized, of
course.) If you are not yet at that
point, consult our section on The Steps to convert to the
traditional Catholic faith and for those leaving the New Mass - Baptism and
Conditional Baptism - the Council of Trent's Profession of Faith for Converts. For
example, before receiving the sacraments one must reject the Vatican II sect
and be committed to not attending the New Mass ever again. Moreover, one must believe in Outside the
Church There is No Salvation without exception, the
Trinity, the Incarnation, Papal Infallibility, all the traditional dogmas, etc.
2.
No Catholic may ever attend the New Mass, since it is an
invalid, non-Catholic service, as our material on The
Invalid New Mass shows.
Attending Mass on Sunday and Holy Days is the Church’s law, which is only obligatory if the Church
provides you with an acceptable traditional option within a reasonable
distance. Many Catholics in Church
history have been in situations where there was nowhere to go to Mass and
therefore there was no obligation to go anywhere. So if the only “Mass” you have
is the New Mass, then you must stay home on Sundays and there is no sin in
doing so. It would be a sin to go to the
invalid New Mass. (Further, it
should be understood that the priests who were ordained in The New Rite of Ordination [PDF
File] were not validly ordained. The
Vatican II sect didn’t change the Eastern Rites of Ordination, however.)
Thus,
the only option would be to attend a traditional Latin Mass or an Eastern Rite
Liturgy, which is offered by a priest who has been traditionally ordained. (We speak of an Eastern Catholic liturgy, not
Eastern “Orthodox.” Any church which has
“Orthodox” refers to Eastern schismatics and it must be totally avoided). So, then, what about the traditional Latin
Masses or the traditional Eastern Catholic liturgies? What about going to confession? There is an
option for basically everyone who is convinced of the traditional Catholic
Faith to go to confession (see the bottom of this page), but not
everyone will have an option for Communion or Mass today. That brings us to our third point.
3. The problem is that almost all of even the
“traditionalist” priests who are offering the (correct) forms of traditional
Mass also hold to heretical positions.
Almost all of the priests who are offering traditional forms of Mass
either 1) accept Antipope Benedict XVI as the pope or 2) hold that certain
people can be saved outside the Catholic Faith (by “baptism of
desire”/”invincible ignorance”). This
unfortunately applies to almost every single “traditionalist” priest
today. No priest who accepts Benedict
XVI as the pope or who believes that souls can be saved without baptism or the
Catholic Faith (by “baptism of desire” or “invincible ignorance”) can be
supported financially at all, even if that priest is offering a traditional
form of Mass. That means that almost
every “traditionalist” priest today cannot be supported, since he is holding a
position at variance with Catholic teaching.
But may one go to
such a priest for Communion, if the priest is validly ordained in the
traditional rite of ordination and if one doesn’t support him? Yes, one may go some of these
“traditionalist” priests if they meet certain conditions. This is explained below. There are a few people today who hold that
it’s a mortal sin to receive sacraments from any priest who accepts Benedict
XVI as the pope or holds a heretical position.
This is wrong. Some of these
people are falling into schism on this issue by condemning as heretics or
guilty of mortal sin even traditional Catholics who do take advantage of the
sacraments which are provided by such priests, even with all of the
stipulations (i.e. when they don’t support the priest and the priest is not
notorious or imposing about his heresy).
That schismatic view, that it’s heretical and always mortally sinful to
go to any of these priests, is discussed and refuted in this file:
The Question of
whether one may receive Sacraments in these difficult times
*refuting schismatic views in this
area; updated on occasion when new points come up; note will be posted in
E-Exchanges when it’s updated*
Audio
discussion about the "una cum" issue, where
one may receive sacraments, refuting radical schismatic views [44 min. audio]
This article is for
those who are concerned about this particular issue. We have provided the strictly theological
arguments and the backing for our position on this matter in our other files. However, this article examines the issue from a different angle. It provides a common sense approach to the
issue, and sheds more light on the question by focusing on things which many
people are forgetting.
"Sacraments from
Undeclared Heretics" Debate - Article and Audio [new article and debate]
Quotes on the Benefits and Importance of Holy Communion
4. The “traditionalist” priest whom a Catholic can
approach for Communion today must be validly ordained and cannot be notorious
or imposing about his heretical position and you cannot support him. He cannot condemn you for holding the
sedevacantist position or for rejecting “baptism of desire.” And he cannot be a “notorious” heretic. For example, with regard to a priest in the
Eastern Rite who accepts Antipope Benedict XVI as the pope,
here are some guidelines: you must call the Eastern Rite priest up and ask him
certain questions before receiving Communion from him. You should confirm that he was ordained in
the Eastern Rite and ask him what he thinks of praying with members of other
religions, “ecumenism,” etc. If he’s not
opposed to it, but is in favor of the Vatican II ecumenism, then he is a
notorious heretic and you should not receive Communion from him. Another question to ask him is whether he
believes that non-Catholics, such as the “Orthodox,” need to be converted to
the Catholic Faith. If he doesn’t say
“yes,” then he is a notorious heretic.
But if he answers in a more conservative way, then you could go to him
for Communion without supporting him.
But when you go to such a Mass in order to receive Communion, we
recommend that you simply pray by yourself.
It
should also be noted that some of the Eastern Rite liturgies have been revised
and modernized. For example, liturgies
in the Ruthenian jurisdiction of the United States have been revised and thus
are not an option for Mass or for Communion.
They should not be attended, but other priests of the Eastern Rite (such
as Ukrainian “Catholic” priests) are an option for confession and for
Communion, provided they meet the conditions.
But again, one cannot financially support the Byzantine priests at all
since they accept Benedict
XVI as the pope.
5. Regarding independent “traditionalist”
priests who are offering the Latin
Mass, almost all of these priests hold that souls can be saved without the
Catholic Faith by “baptism of desire” and “invincible ignorance.” We hear all the time from people who say: “my
Latin Mass priest doesn’t believe that…”
Oh yes he almost certainly does;
just ask him the specific questions: Do you believe that souls who are
invincibly ignorant of the Catholic faith can be saved? Do you believe in baptism of desire? Do you believe that all who die as Jews,
Muslims, Buddhists without exception go to Hell? You will see by his answers that he holds
that souls can be saved without the Catholic Faith and the Sacrament of
Baptism, which is contrary to Catholic teaching. And if he imposes his false view of
salvation on you, or imposes his acceptance of Benedict XVI on you – in
other words, if he thinks you’re in heresy or mortal sin for your beliefs –
then you should not go to him for Communion or Mass at all. Some
of the specific groups and priests which must be totally avoided are mentioned
below and in the “Beware” section of our website. Many of the independent Latin Mass
priests are off-limits because they are imposing about their false positions.
But
with some other “traditionalist” priests, you can go to them for confession and
Communion if they are validly ordained and not notorious or imposing about
their false positions and if one doesn’t support them. One must ask the priest certain questions and
consult the file above more specific guidelines. But there is no obligation to attend the Mass of a
heretic or the Mass of a priest holding a heretical position. Thus, there is no obligation to attend the
traditional Mass of a validly ordained “traditionalist” priest who accepts
Benedict XVI as the pope, or who believes in baptism of desire/salvation for
non-Catholics (as almost all so-called traditionalists priests do), since he is
holding a heretical position. That would include almost all of
them. If one doesn’t feel that he
should attend such a chapel, he doesn’t have to. But may one ever go? Yes, as explained in the file above. Here are a few facts which show that one may
receive sacraments from some of these priests.
Canon
2261.2-3, 1917 Code of Canon Law: “… the faithful may for any just
cause ask the sacraments or sacramentals of one who is excommunicated,
especially if there is no one else to give them (c. 2261.2)… But from an
excommunicated vitandus or one against whom there is a declaratory or
condemnatory sentence, the faithful may only in danger of death ask for
sacramental absolution according to canons 882, 2252, and also for other
sacraments and sacramentals in case there is no one else to administer them (c.
2261.3).”
Cardinal
de Lugo, who was a prominent theologian of the 17th century, who was
often quoted by St. Alphonsus, also addresses this issue about receiving
sacraments from a priest who holds a heretical position:
“The second chief doubt is whether we may
communicate with an undeclared heretic only in civil and human affairs or even
in sacred and spiritual things. It is
certain that we cannot communicate with heretics in the rites proper to a
heretical sect, because this would be contrary to the precept of confessing the
faith and would contain an implicit profession of error. But the question relates to sacred matters
containing no error, e.g. whether it is lawful to hear Mass with a heretic,
or to celebrate in his presence, or to be present while he celebrates in the
Catholic rite, etc.
“But the opposite view [i.e. that
attendance at such a Mass is lawful] is general [communis] and true, unless
it should be illicit for some other reason on account of scandal or implicit
denial of the faith, or because charity obliges one to impede the sin of the
heretical minister administering unworthily where necessity does not urge. This is the teaching of Navarro and Sanchez,
Suarez, Hurtado and is what I have said in speaking of the sacrament of penance
and of matrimony and the other sacraments.
It is also certain by virtue of the said litterae extravagantes [i.e. Ad
evitanda scandala] in which communication with excommunicati tolerati is
conceded to the faithful in the reception and administration of the sacraments.
“So as these heretics
are not declared excommunicates or notoriously guilty of striking a cleric,
there is no reason why we should be prevented from receiving the sacraments
from them because of their excommunication, although on other grounds this may
often be illicit unless necessity excuse as I have explained in the said
places.”
(Cardinal John de Lugo S.J. (1583-1660), Tractatus de Virtute Fidei Divinae:
Disputatio XXII, Sectio . According to The Catholic Encyclopedia, St. Alphonsus
regarded Cardinal de Lugo as second only to St. Thomas as a theologian.)
Notice
that Cardinal de Lugo distinguishes between attending a heretical rite (which
is never permitted) and attending a Catholic Mass or rite celebrated by an
undeclared heretic (e.g. a priest of the SSPX who celebrates the
Catholic rite and claims to be
Catholic but is actually a heretic). De
Lugo is thus addressing the very issue
which is confronting people today and which was posed in the question. And what does he say? He teaches that attendance at such a Mass is
lawful and that this is the “general and true” position of Catholic
theologians. Please note that Cardinal
de Lugo also points out that if circumstances are such that scandal or a denial
of the Faith would necessarily arise (e.g., if the priest made an announcement
that everyone who attends must agree with him, such as the priests of the SSPV
have on the salvation issue), then you necessarily couldn’t go; or if the
priest is notorious about his heresy, then you definitely shouldn’t go. But
that is not the case at all Masses celebrated by undeclared heretical priests
in the Catholic rite; otherwise de Lugo would have stated that the teaching of
all theologians is that all such Masses must always be avoided. A Catholic can never support such a priest
and thereby assist him in the propagation of heresy, but he could attend his
Mass in order to receive the Sacrament if the priest professes to be Catholic
and is not notorious about his heresy.
But if the priest agrees with, for instance, what is printed on the SSPX’s website one should
not attend his Mass:
SSPX’s
official website: “Is a Sedevacantist to
be considered a non-Catholic? A… It
is consequently true that there can be some theological discussion as to
whether sedevacantists are formally schismatic or not. The answer to this
depends on the degree of sedevacantism. There
are radical sedevacantists that call us heretics since we are in communion with
a heretic (Wotyla), so they say. These are certainly schismatic, for
they clearly reject communion with true Catholics, who are in no way modernist.
By making their sedevacantism a quasi-article of faith they certainly fall into
the second category of persons that canon 1325, §2 declares to be schismatic: "He
is a schismatic who rejects communion with members of the Church subject to him
(i.e., the Sovereign Pontiff)." It is consequently by their refusal to be a part of the Church, and
effectively making the "church" as they see it consist only in
sedevacantists that they are certainly schismatic.”
So, to summarize: Don’t ever attend the
invalid New Mass, of course. Don’t attend any
Society of St. Pius V chapel,
because they impose upon the people their heretical belief that people can be
saved without the Catholic Faith.
Don’t
attend any Society of St. Pius X chapel if the priest believes that sedevacantists
are heretics or has made an announcement stating that he doesn’t want
sedevacantists or “Feeneyites” at the chapel.
This will probably mean that most SSPX priests are off-limits,
but there may be a few who aren’t notorious or imposing about their
heresy. If so, you may be able to attend
without supporting the chapel.
Don’t attend any Indult Mass.
Don’t attend the Mass of a Byzantine priest or independent priest who is
notorious or imposing about his acceptance of the Vatican II religion. And never attend the Novus Ordo (the New
Mass), of course.
If
you find a priest who is validly ordained, who is not notorious or imposing about
his heresy – for instance, a Byzantine priest or an independent
“traditionalist” priest who believes that Benedict XVI is the Pope –
then you could receive the sacraments from him (although you don’t have to) AS
LONG AS YOU DON’T SUPPORT HIM FINANCIALLY IN ANY WAY. DON’T SUPPORT ANY PRIEST OR GROUP WHICH
ACCEPTS BENEDICT XVI AS
THE POPE OR WHICH BELIEVES IN BAPTISM OF DESIRE; otherwise you will be
assisting in the propagation of heresy and funding heretics.
Pope Innocent III, Fourth Lateran Council,
1215: "Moreover, we determine to subject to excommunication believers who
receive, defend, or support heretics."
These
are just some brief guidelines on this difficult issue of where to go to Mass. This is a fluid situation, since priests
change their positions and groups become more notorious over time. For instance, while people used to be able to
attend the SSPV without supporting them (since they hold heresy), that is not
an option any longer because they made announcements imposing their heretical
view upon people from all their pulpits in 2004.
If a person has
committed mortal sin and needs to go to Confession, he can go to a Novus
Ordo priest who was ordained in the Traditional Rite of Ordination (before
1968) as long as the priest says “I absolve you from your sins in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” This can be done if a person needs to go to
Confession.
Also, if people are
fully convinced on all the issues of Catholic faith which are covered on our
website, then they can call us at the monastery and we can direct them to
possible Mass locations in their area.
Sitemap | Catholic Worship | Holy Rosary
| Rosaries
Beads
www.mostholyfamilymonastery.com