"May Be That Some Think I'm Crazy"

The Mass of All Ages

"People from my community, who are not liturgically educated and therefore don't know that the pre-Conciliar Rite is supposed to be 'evil', speak of the old Mass in the meantime with complete naivete as the 'proper Mass.'"

(kreuz.net) "surely there are not a few German chief shepherds, who are concerned about the unique path of Germany."

There you can read "much that is crying out from between the lines".

Fr. Hendrick Jolie (46) explained this in his most recent interview with the monthly magazine 'Kirchliche Umschau".

Fr. Jolie is the member of a team of speakers of the German 'Priest Network'.

Dissenters will be hard to unpack

"Our shepherds should know that they are not standing alone, if they decide to stand on the side of the Pope." -- he said.

Because: "There are countless priests and believers out there, who are waiting for a sign of solidarity from the Holy Father -- a sign that are not exhausted in words, rather something that can be read in concrete acts."

A bishop will find it much easider to distribute a Roman Instruction to his Diocese if he knows which priests and believers he can leave to its implementation.

Fr. Jolie himself believes the Pontificate of a German Pope is a "moment of grace for the Church".

This must not elapse.

Why since the death of the Fulda Bishop Johannes Dyba (+2000)  is that the Senior Sheperhds don't dance out of line, he finds it hard to explain:

"The case of +Mixa has shown then that the episcopal conduct of "dissidence" can be compared to everything else but brotherly."

"May be that fear rules here" -  concluded Fr. Jolie.

The Old Mass is the Mass of tomorrow

Fr. Jolie was asked how he priestly soul can be relighted.

His answer: "Priesthood and the offering of Sacrifice go together."

The obedience of the priest is shown above all in the offering of the Sacrifice of the Mass:

"How will they show the obedience of Christ in the ritual, if they are at the same time narcissitically attempting ever newer gimmicks?"

For him the Old Rite is an outstanding school of obedience: "The priest opens himself in the requirements of this Rite to be stamped in a certain way, which is completely alien in the new Rite."

Fr. Jolie did not experience the Old Rite in his childhood for long.

Because: "after I had learned this Rite and celebrated my "First Mass" in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, a feeling gripped me of homecoming."

Fr. Jolie also explained the reactions of his Parish:

Afterward: "People from my community, who are not liturgically educated and therefore don't know that the pre-Conciliar Rite is supposed to be 'evil', speak of the old Mass in the meantime with complete naivete as the 'proper Mass.'"

The Clergyman isn't too concerned about his repution:

"May be, some think of me as crazy, but according to my clear understanding the Old Mass is necessary for the healing of the Church."

Then he cited the Priest Rodhaudt from Aachen: "The old Mass is the Mass of tomorrow, because without it there won't be another morning."

© Bild: Christopher.M., Flickr, CC

A True Priest Doesn't Hide Himself

The Soutane which is required as clerical attire in the Church law books, shows itself to be ever a career killer.

(kreuz.net)"I have decided for several years now to almost exclusively wear the Soutane."

Father Hendrick Jolie said this for the most recent interview of the Catholic monthly magazine 'Kirchliche Umschau'.

The Soutane is is in the eyes of the clergyman an acceptable and practical possibility, it makes the clergyman stand out in public:


"The Priest is not >>better<<. but most probably he's, >>other<<'  -- he explains.

The robe offers its wearer in the experience of Father Jole "A Certain protection -- in public as also in private areas."

The priest experiences from that point in the concreteness of his body the blessing of his spiritual attire:

"The Soutane reminds its wearer then, that he is consecrrated i a certain way by God and that this consecrated soul and body embrace."

Father Jolie eplains that there are certain clear requirements, that prescribe clerical clothing:

"The priest must be recognizeable, just like, if in the Soutane or with a collar."

Young Clerics Like to Wear the Soutane

Then the question arises:  "What is it then, when-- irrespective of this prescription -- in a German Diocese the secretary of the Office of Priests is in civilian clothing --- in this case with a poorly tailored suit and mismatched tie  -- comes to the podium next to where his bishop sits and he doesn't distort his image?"

In this case the observer will consider that the entrance of the civil priest is also as a legislator -- and follows his example -- it is:

"The Soutane is  on the other hand  -- bound in any case according to the ecclesiastical law book  as clerical attire -- shown itself in reality to always be a >>career killer<<."

In this consideration Father Jolie sees a familiar and bizarre phenomenon:  "Whoever tries to be obedient, must be prepared to be apologetic and sternly pressured to change."

Read the article in German, kreuz.net...