Is It Ever Ok To Attend An Sspx Mass?

[Romans1513]

Here's the situation:

The only Latin Masses here in Vina del Mar/Valparaiso, Chile are SSPX, I looked it up before I came here, and I just figured my next Forma Extraordinaria would be back in Pittsburgh in January. I know that SSPX Masses are valid but not licit (sorry if I messed up the terminology...). Well, my host family here doesn't go to church. I got the impression that my mom and one of my sisters might be willing to go sometimes, but my dad explicitly said (in Spanish): "I'm Catholic, but I have my own beliefs. I don't go to church, except on special occasions" and my aunt said something along the same lines- she prays a lot-the rosary, etc.- but she doesn't usually go to Mass.

Well, somehow today we got on the discussion of Latin Mass, and I said that I've been to Masses in Latin and I love it. My host dad started talking about how he used to be an acolyte, still remembers a lot of the Latin, etc. (He's about 60ish years old). They told me that there is a Latin Mass pretty close to here, etc, and my dad mentioned something about LeFebvre(sp?). (I wasn't following the entire line of the conversation, my Spanish isn't that good yet.) Here's the kicker: my dad said that he and I should go sometime.

So... when he thinks of it again and wants to go, should I? He seems to be one of those Catholics that fell away after Vatican II. On the one hand, anything that could get him back to church would be good, but on the other hand, its not in communion with the Pope. What should I do???
And, would it being after Sept. 14 make a difference?

Thanks!
-Katie

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='Romans1513' post='1350395' date='Aug 5 2007, 01:59 PM']And, would it being after Sept. 14 make a difference?

Thanks!
-Katie[/quote]

Yes. It would not be illicit... at least I don't think...

[journeyman]

While the Latin Mass is one of the most obvious attributes of the priests of the SSPX, the recognition of the forma extraordinairia does not remove the other (canon law type stuff - Canons 83, 84, 1331 ??) attributes . . . while they are talking to the Vatican, the society has not returned to full communion with Rome

Interesting discussion in the Catholic Encyclopedia on the slightly related topic of reordination - illicit yes; null and void . . . ??

where is a scholar when you need one?

[abercius24]

SSPX are very much at odds with the Catholic Church. Don't be fooled that they are simply in disagreement. They publish a lot of material slandering the Holy Father -- particularly Pope John Paul II. Communion with these folks is like eating at the table of a subtle enemy. They believe you and I are completely devoid of grace due to our "illicit" vernacular mass. Furthermore they believe you and I will likely go to hell (along with all the Protestants) as a result on our allegience to our "heretic" pope. Sure, you gotta do what you can to get a fallen away Catholic back into the Church. I would be very careful in dealing with SSPX, though. They are dangerous in many, many ways. If you end up attending an SSPX mass with your father, I would not think of it as fulfilling your Sunday obligation. You should keep communion with your own by attending a separate Catholic Mass at one of your local parishes. Joining in communion with the SSPX is not the same as joining in communion with us.

[Dave]

Romans --

Please go to this link and read EVERYTHING on the page -- [url="http://sspx.agenda.tripod.com/id2.html"]http://sspx.agenda.tripod.com/id2.html[/url]

Trust me -- it'll really clear everything up.

And StThomasMore, I'm afraid that even after Sept. 14, SSPX Masses are still illicit.

[Ora et Labora]

That's what I thought...

[thessalonian]

As I understand it, with regard to Sunday Obligatoin (of concern to you), the only valid reason to go to a Latin or for that matter Orthodox or other schismatic groups Masses is if this is not a Catholic Mass in the area. From your perspective I suppose that you could go to one as well as a Catholic Mass. Your family is not at this point concerned about Sunday obligation. So that is kindof a moot point with them. From the perspective of those whom you are triing to bring back to the Church, I don't think that bringing them into a confusinng situation would be of any real help in removing their current state of confusion. In both cases, you, and your family, I've heard that the SSPX group in many sermons blasts rome so I would not go to them unless I had to. They are still schismatics.

[Aloysius]

[url="http://www.unavoce.org/articles/2003/perl-011803.htm"]http://www.unavoce.org/articles/2003/perl-011803.htm[/url]

Except strike the part about whether it is a "right", because the recent Motu Proprio does make it basically a right, canonically, for priests to say it; and a right for the laity to attend it. So that part has been changed; even retroactively because the Pope said it was never abrogated.

But take the advice in the link from Monseigner Perl: not recommended, but not necessarily sinful.

[Romans1513]

Thanks everyone. I guess just say a prayer that if the idea does come up again, I know how to handle it and what to say, and that if we do end up going, it turns out for the best.
-Katie

[brendan1104]

You can go, receive Communion and even contribute at the collection. This is allowed by the Vatican.

Abercius, I'm not SSPX but back your statgement up. Please show me a quote from any society materials which say that - 1) we're going to hell 2) because we follow the pope, and 3) that he's in heresy.

[quote name='abercius24' post='1350683' date='Aug 5 2007, 07:24 PM']Furthermore they believe you and I will likely go to hell (along with all the Protestants) as a result on our allegience to our "heretic" pope.[/quote]

[brendan1104]

Katie, take a look at a recent article available [b][url="http://www.catholicintl.com/catholicissues/sspxnis.pdf"]here[/url][/b]. It's a PDF file.

[abercius24]

[quote name='brendan1104' post='1351677' date='Aug 6 2007, 10:46 PM']You can go, receive Communion and even contribute at the collection. This is allowed by the Vatican.

Abercius, I'm not SSPX but back your statgement up. Please show me a quote from any society materials which say that - 1) we're going to hell 2) because we follow the pope, and 3) that he's in heresy.[/quote]

The Phatmass moderators usually do not permit links to anti-Catholic websites, which I would need to post to justify my statements. I will send you a message with my response. If a Phatmass moderator is okay with it, I'll post it here as well.

Steve S. -- Abercius24
CatholicQandA.com

Edited August 7, 2007 by abercius24

[Dave]

[quote name='brendan1104' post='1351677' date='Aug 6 2007, 11:46 PM']You can go, receive Communion and even contribute at the collection. This is allowed by the Vatican.

Abercius, I'm not SSPX but back your statgement up. Please show me a quote from any society materials which say that - 1) we're going to hell 2) because we follow the pope, and 3) that he's in heresy.[/quote]

Brendan, please take a look at my earlier post and the link I posted. In addition, all Cardinal Hoyos said was that the case of the SSPX may not be formal schism. "Formal," however, is the key word. It could be informal schism. But whether formal or informal, schism is still schism.

[goldenchild17]

[quote name='Romans1513' post='1350395' date='Aug 5 2007, 01:59 PM']Here's the situation:

The only Latin Masses here in Vina del Mar/Valparaiso, Chile are SSPX, I looked it up before I came here, and I just figured my next Forma Extraordinaria would be back in Pittsburgh in January. I know that SSPX Masses are valid but not licit (sorry if I messed up the terminology...). Well, my host family here doesn't go to church. I got the impression that my mom and one of my sisters might be willing to go sometimes, but my dad explicitly said (in Spanish): "I'm Catholic, but I have my own beliefs. I don't go to church, except on special occasions" and my aunt said something along the same lines- she prays a lot-the rosary, etc.- but she doesn't usually go to Mass.

Well, somehow today we got on the discussion of Latin Mass, and I said that I've been to Masses in Latin and I love it. My host dad started talking about how he used to be an acolyte, still remembers a lot of the Latin, etc. (He's about 60ish years old). They told me that there is a Latin Mass pretty close to here, etc, and my dad mentioned something about LeFebvre(sp?). (I wasn't following the entire line of the conversation, my Spanish isn't that good yet.) Here's the kicker: my dad said that he and I should go sometime.

So... when he thinks of it again and wants to go, should I? He seems to be one of those Catholics that fell away after Vatican II. On the one hand, anything that could get him back to church would be good, but on the other hand, its not in communion with the Pope. What should I do???
And, would it being after Sept. 14 make a difference?

Thanks!
-Katie[/quote]

I would recommend and encourage you going in a heartbeat. Especially if you're dad would go too. I consider them to be a great Catholic order who hasn't gone quite far enough in their philosophy. But according to the Vatican such masses are illicit. So probably not a very good idea.

Edited August 13, 2007 by goldenchild17

[Hirsap]

[quote name='brendan1104' post='1351677' date='Aug 7 2007, 01:46 PM'][b]You can go, receive Communion [/b]and even contribute at the collection. This is allowed by the Vatican.

Abercius, I'm not SSPX but back your statgement up. Please show me a quote from any society materials which say that - 1) we're going to hell 2) because we follow the pope, and 3) that he's in heresy.[/quote]

Remember, even presuming one can attend Mass and fulfill the Sunday obligation, this would not equate to permission to receive holy communion. Remembering, holy communion is a sacrament of unity, and to receive it from schismatics is to show unity towards them, and against the Church; in a word, a sacrilige.