Sunday 2 December 2007

Tom Macintyre of Frome and 'the perfected rite'


Someone has brought to my attention this splendid letter from this week's Tablet. It's a classic. Almost so good that one suspects it's a spoof. John Medlin, mentioned in the letter, is in charge of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales.

Tastes and essentials

Does John Medlin's conscience never trouble him when he reads letters like Neil Walker's (17 November)? The Latin Mass Society no doubt does a good job enabling the last few Latinists to pray the Mass and participate actively in Latin. But it also encourages this subjective approach - that the liturgy is what one "wishes" or "feels at home in", so that people seek out revivals of the extraordinary form and, worse, advocate it to others. There is a particular danger - at this time when antiquarianism, early music and mysterious pagan rituals are in vogue, in a liberal culture where personal inclination rules - of the young being lured away from the perfected rite to the beautiful arcane form that emphasises nonessentials, in a language that they cannot understand. Not that one fears for the actual seminarians that that minority enthusiasm generates. In time study and devotion will lead them too along the route from Benedict XIVto St Pius X, Pius XII and Vatican II, and a deep, full understanding of what Pius XI called "the principal organ of the Magisterium of the Church".

Tom McIntyre
Frome, Somerset

3 comments:

Ttony said...

I thought it was a spoof, possibly written by somebody from a group of Seminarians or Priests who are in a competition to see who can get the most ridiculous letter published in The Suppository. this one is a strong contender.

(BTW this blog is excellent.)

Paulinus said...

A quite stunning lack of insight on the part of Mr MacIntyre. As you say, are we absolutely sure this isn't a spoof?

M.J. said...

HAHAHA. Insanity at its best.