The Traditional Latin Mass planned for April 24th honoring Pope Benedict on his five-year anniversary was scheduled to have Cardinal Dario Castrillon-Hoyos as the celebrant. Not any more.
As you probably know, a significant controversy has erupted over a letter sent by the Cardinal expressing gratitude to a Bishop for not turning over a sexually offending priest to civil authorities. The hue and cry that has erupted from this revelation is significant. As a result, the Cardinal is out as the celebrant at the planned Traditional Latin Mass for the 24th of April.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In consultation with His Eminence, Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, The Paulus Institute has agreed to seek another celebrant for the Pontifical Solemn High Mass taking place on April 24th. This action will help maintain the solemnity, reverence and beauty of the Mass.
The Paulus Institute was formed for the propagation of sacred liturgy. The Traditional Latin Mass planned for April 24th honoring Pope Benedict on his five-year inauguration anniversary is a liturgical event much bigger than the individual celebrant. Cardinal Castrillon was approached to celebrate the Mass early in what has been a three-year effort because of his special experience in celebrating this form of Mass and his efforts under Pope John-Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI in encouraging the traditional form of the Mass, full liturgy and sacraments.
We are in the process of seeking another Bishop to celebrate a Pontifical Solemn Mass on Saturday and are confident that one will agree. However, in any event, a beautiful, dignified Traditional Latin Mass will be celebrated at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday at 1PM and will be the first time in nearly a half century this has occurred. All Catholic faithful are encouraged to attend.
The Paulus Institute regards all sexual abuse as tragic and a heinous sin and supports Pope Benedict’s fight to rid this disease from the Church. It stands on the side of every victim of clerical sexual abuse and earnestly desires to bind up the wounds done to their human dignity, to vindicate their civil and canonical rights, and to help them in the restoration in Christ of all they have lost.
To that end, The Paulus Institute supports the directives by the Supreme Roman Pontiff and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops that all bishops should report crimes of sexual abuse to the police in accordance with the requirements of civil law. However, the Paulus Institute is not competent, nor does it have the facts, to form an opinion about the about recent media reports concerning Cardinal Castrillon.
The Paulus Institute requests respect for the human dignity and civil rights of all who participate in this sacred liturgy and observance for the tranquility and good order of the celebration.
This is probably a wise move for both the Cardinal and those involved with the traditional mass. This would be bad PR for everybody involved, The Pope, the Cardinal, and the TLM community.
Thanks to David L Alexander for the info!
April 21, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Please check out Fr. Z's blog, WDTPRS.com. He has a story on this. Seems that the French Bishop had originally found out he had a molester priest in the Confessional, so it could be that the Cardinal was congratulating him on protecting he seal. Fr. Z has a pretty good discussion of the points.
April 21, 2010 at 11:55 pm
I hope that some who commented on the earlier post regarding
Cardinal Castrillion Hoyos will now take the time to read the
background information that is coming out. It is looking likely
that those people who used the combox to pile on the Cardinal
will end up owing His Eminence an apology.
April 22, 2010 at 2:21 am
I agree. I think there's 'way more to this than meets the eye, and piling on one of the better cardinals, without carefully checking out the facts, is not admirable.
The world wants us to have a knee-jerk reaction every time they shout "child molester." Child molesters are most certainly despicable; so are men who allow their sexual attraction to incline towards teenage boys (which is most of what the problem really is), and so are those who protect them.
But that doesn't mean we should believe every accusation against every clergyman, or that we should allow our critical judgment to be shut off by the legitimate emotions of disgust we feel for the real offenders.
Let's be careful here. If we're not, we'll be doing just what the NY Times wants, and dishonoring some good men.
April 22, 2010 at 4:59 am
I laud the Paulus institute and read their response LOUD AND CLEAR, as would anyone with ears. You don't need a magnifying glass to read between the lines of that letter. Bravo!
As for "learning about the priest" during confession, that is a total smoke-screen. Were this the case, the bishop would have had a duty to FORCE said priest to report himself to the authorities or NOT be absolved of his sin, since it was repetitive. Priests have an obligation not to give the sacrament of reconciliation if they know the sin is being/will be repeated.
Regardless, the point is moot. The letter shows this was at some point known publically and OUT of the confessional. Ergo, action, not subterfuge, should have been the course. I stand with the good Paulus Institute. May they continue to bring glory to God through their liturgy and through their good example.
April 22, 2010 at 12:57 pm
The Paulus Institute statement got it exactly right. Now pray, if you would, that they find a replacement bishop who knows how to say the Tridentine Mass.
April 22, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Maybe Bishop Gumbleton is available???
April 22, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Early Riser, I stand by my point. Let's be cautious and careful here. The Paulus Institute may have made the right choice in avoiding further controversy, but that does not mean Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos is a bad man.
Try to stay out of the stampede to judgment; it runs over guilty and innocent alike.
And try to avoid being "holier-than-thou." It's a bad habit.
April 22, 2010 at 8:59 pm
Paul, you've got it exactly right.
There is nothing in the statement released by the Paulus Institute to
make me think that its members think ill of Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos.
All parties are simply being prudent.
When all of the background information comes out, I hope that the
Cardinal will be vindicated. When and if that day comes, are those
who have rushed to public judgement of the man also rush to publicly
apologize?
April 22, 2010 at 11:04 pm
Paul – try to avoid the "holier-than-thou". It's a bad habit.
Clinton – and if and when it comes out that the Cardinal acted horrificly, will you come out and say, "Gee. Maybe I should open my eyes and think with the mind that God gave me."
April 23, 2010 at 7:27 am
"…the Paulus Institute is not competent, nor does it have the facts,
to form an opinion about the recent media reports concerning
Cardinal Castrillon."
I wholeheartedly agree with the attitude of the good people at the
Paulus Institute. They are thinking with the mind that God gave them.
April 23, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Clinton – we both agree on our high esteem for the Paulus institute and their actions. I can "speak Vatican" and understand what they said quite clearly.