Pro Missa Tridentina: Traditional Latin Mass in Germany is Growing

Edit: here's an excerpt from an article on Regina Magazine interviewing Monika Rheinschitt of Pro Missa Tridentina.

Monika Rheinschmitt is a trained computer scientist. These days, however, she keeps a weather eye on some numbers she couldn’t have imagined in her university days — developments in Catholicism and the growth of the Latin Mass in the German-speaking world.

Monika is the Stuttgart-based Director of Pro Missa Tridentina, one of the most active organizations on the planet to practically support the Latin Mass. Since 1990 she has been the editor and publisher of a traditional newsletter, in 2010 upgraded to the magazine “Dominus vobiscum”, which is published twice a year and avidly read in Germany, Alsace, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, Belgium and the Netherlands.

An Interview with Monika Rheinschmitt of Pro Missa Tridentina in Germany

Hers is not an easy job, not the least because in these countries the Latin Mass faces an unimaginable uphill battle. In Germany and its neighboring lands, secular attitudes range from indifferent to hostile about the idea of religion itself. Within the Church, both traditional teachings and the traditional rite are often suppressed, ignored or ridiculed in ways that might astonish outsiders.

Even though the numbers of Mass-goers and Catholics continue to drop precipitously in these countries, there seems to be little awareness on the part of Church leadership of the significant power of the Extraordinary Form to attract converts and indeed to bring Catholics home again. (For more about the German church see here.)

Against this background, the gains that the Latin Mass has made are a testimony to the true grit of Catholics, laity and clergy alike. In this exclusive interview withRegina Magazine, Monika gives us a view into her world.

Q. Tell us about Pro Missa Tridentina. When was it founded, and by whom?
Pro Missa Tridentina was founded in Stuttgart in Spring 1990 as an association of  laypeople dedicated to the care of the Traditional Latin Rite of the Catholic Mass. We work to promote this “Vetus Ordo” by supporting Catholic laity who wish to be able to assist at this beautiful rite. That includes the organization of trainings for priests, altar servers and choirs as well as practical help finding locations for the Mass – and from writing letters to the local bishop to preparing the first celebration of a Traditional Latin Mass.

Link to Regina Magazine...

[Update] End the “Scandalous” Handling of the Franciscans of the Immaculate -- Pressure Grows

(Rome)  The treatment of the Order of the Franciscans of the Imaculate Conception has become a scandalous case, says Corrispondenza Romana. In contrast, Church internal resistance has been encouraged by some cardinals and by a new international signature campaign, which was launched last Saturday. It is supported in the German-speaking area by Pro Missa Tridentina .

Some cardinals and bishops who appreciate this extraordinary apostolate Order have sent Pope Francis an extensive and detailed documentation on the beneficial action of the Franciscans of the Immaculate  and also the current treatment by the  Congregation of Religious and the Commissioner appointed by them. An "outrageous" treatment of the Franciscans of the Immaculate, who were placed under provisional administration because they adhere to the traditional liturgy and the unabbreviated doctrine of the Church.

Last 4 February the traditional   news agency of the historian Roberto de Mattei Corrispondenza Romana  sent to Secretary of State Pietro Parolin a petition with 8,000 signatures which demands the resignation of the Apostolic Commissioner of the Franciscans of the Immaculate , Fr Fidenzio Volpi.

At the same time, an international petition began on the 8th of February.  It’s a Sign of how much the drastic intervention of the Congregation of Religious is understood in a part of the Catholic Church as a fundamental attack on  tradition and its affiliated communities and believers. The new signature collection is supported internationally by several organizations, this includes the German-speaking Pro Missa Tridentina, in the Netherlands Ecclesia Dei, in Canada, theVancouver Traditional Mass Society , in New Zealand the Ecclesia Dei Society and Una Voce Austria .

With the new international call  "justice and self-determination for the Franciscans of the Immaculate" is demanded. The signatories of the international petition are calling for the restoration of the Order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate Conception or a new status according to their choice. 240 brothers, more than half, have already provided a request last fall for establishment of a new order, without obtaining a response about it from the Holy See.

The petition also calls for full respect and "unmolested implementation" of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum of Pope Benedict XVI., it frees any priest to celebrate in the Old or the New Roman Rite. A legally binding provision for  the Franciscans of the Immaculate Conception is not being respected. The petition can be downloaded in different languages ​​from the website Pro Missa Tridentina  (here is the English version of the petition ). A detailed documentation of the Franciscans of the Immaculate is presented together with the Dutch Association of Ecclesia Die.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Messa in Latino

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Katholisches….

AMGD