Mgr Eric Barr and His Letter in the Catholic Herald

 Let me say at once that I attend the Mass in English.   The reason is that it does help me understand the Mass better as I reflect on what the priest is saying, and that goes for the majority of parishioners.   However I do love to attend a Latin Mass because of its beautiful liturgy and because you will participate in what Mgr Eric Barr has confessed to despising. 

The Mgr having made some doubtful comments in his introduction, goes on to what can only be called a misguided and foolish rant, which I am sure will embarrass his superiors.    I am not a member of the TLM, but I do not believe that they believe the Sacrifice of the Mass in Latin is superior to the Sacrifice of the Mass in English.    The Mass is offered by Christ Himself and He is offering Himself to the Father and The Father accepts the offering whatever language.   What the Mgr meant to say, I am sure, is that the liturgy of the Mass in Latin is superior to what is called the Novus Ordo because it expresses the beliefs of the Catholic Faith in a much more understandable way.   When a  priest says "This is My Body" we can go back to the early Church and listen to St Justin, we get the insight of the Early Church.   The Christians were being attacked for being incestuous at secret meetings in 'love feasts' with their brothers and sisters, and eating the flesh of a man called Christus. 

 "Far from holding incestuous orgies, Justin goes on to say, Christians rejected all sexual relations except in the context of a marriage ordered towards the begetting of children.    These marriages are exclusive and unto death".   Justin is here witnessing to the early Church prohibition on divorce and remarriage and he also boasts that lifelong chastity was highly prized in the Christian community.   "Many people in their sixties and seventies who have been disciples of Christ from childhood retain their purity, and I am proud that I could point to such people in every nation".

The Mgr should read about the sacrifices offered in Corinth by a letter to them by Pope Clement 1, a contemporary of the Apostles who received his teaching from the Apostles.  You could also try another contemporary Ignatius of Antioch, or listen to a Protestant Historian JND Kelly who said  "It must be understood from the outset that the Early Church took the words of Jesus This is My Body, realistically"   They relied he said on the prophecy of Malachi 1:10.   You recite I hope Mgr, that prophecy at every Mass  "from the rising of the sun until its setting you prepare a spotless victim..."   

"They despise the Pope and His Authority"  How utterly pitiful.   We teach the doctrine of Papal Infallibility.  I just wonder if the Mgr does.

"They snarl at our attempts to serve the supposedly less informed Catholics of the Parish, instead of bowing to their demands"    So does the Mgr support the change to the Catechism of Christian Doctrine where the Bishops of England in 1985 changed the teaching on Adultery in the 6th Commandment taught by Jesus Himself, the Bishops said that adultery could only be committed if one of the partners was married, so they taught sexual relationships outside of marriage were normal, indeed this seems to be the opinion of many 'experts'  sent by bishops to teach the 'New Church'  which many good Catholics had to sit and listen to, and be sneered at if they objected.   But perhaps it showed some shame on their part, leaving the dirty work  to their lay experts.

Then there is the pathetic mention of Gnosticism.   Some elite people who know secrets.   I do not have the foggiest what he is talking about, everything I believe I can find in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

"If only we had altar rails, or communion on the hands"    Now we come to what makes the Latin liturgy superior, so let  the Mgr whine about it.     From the earliest times in the Church, as I have noted, the teaching from the Apostles themselves was that the people received the 'Flesh of Jesus"    And you can be sure whether they received it kneeling or standing they received it with a wonderful love and devotion.  Although I receive reverently in my Catholic Church others do not.  The changing of the Mass to English also brought in a very new teaching for a very new Church, that in fact when we receive the flesh of Jesus, nothing  happens to us as individuals, instead it is only when we return to our seats that with our our parishioners we become the Body of Christ.    So there is no need for people of devotion to kneel.  Indeed the 'experts' told us the host was not meant to be adored.   This was backed up by the sudden removal of the Flesh of Jesus from the altar, into a side altar somewhere, or even another room, so that the people as the 'Body of Christ' could celebrate itself.    Jesus is the Head of our Church and this is heresy, Mgr Eric Barr, and it has nothing to do wit Gnosticism.  If this is what the Mgr is teaching in his parish, may I just say that it is not just the TLM who is despising your efforts, but myself and thousands of others who do not attend the TLM Mass.