Does the Novus Ordo Foster an Environment of Heresy?

Hmm....I was watching Crisis Magazine editor, Eric Sammons, discussing the question Did Online Trads Cause the TLM Crackdown? It's an interesting video. Sammons made the point that if individual's questionable actions cause the suppression of the TLM, then why do not individual's questionable actions cause suppression of the Novus Ordo? Is Fr. James Martin untouchable but Taylor Marshall is a legitimate target?

Fair question isn't it? Sammons makes the point that it's outrageous to shut down a liturgy because of what "some of its attendees might say or do." He's very honest about the way some "trads" go overboard and, frankly, I've experienced that from anonymous critics on the blog. I've been criticized for (take your pick) having short hair, not trashing all my slacks, not wearing a veil all the time, etc. 

Really? That's the essence of Catholic faith and tradition? Sammons says he's been accused of being "trad-lite." Yup, I get it. But the fact that some tradition-minded folks major in the minors with uncharitable and rash judgments, doesn't say anything about the validity of the traditional liturgy and sacraments.

Sammons makes the case that religion in the generic sense is different among those going to the Novus Ordo and those going to the TLM. In average NO parishes, the emphasis is: 

"being nice...not being mean...accepting people...ecumenism...never really calling out sin." At TLM parishes, on the other hand, "repentance is preached, the idea that we must avoid sin...we need to do penance...traditional prayers....I'm just saying the way the typical Catholic practices the faith is radically different."

I can't disagree. I have yet to meet a Catholic at the chapel who endorses contraception. I've met many Catholics in the NO parishes over the years who accept all kinds of non-doctrinal positions, some involving intrinsic moral evils like contraception, abortion, same-sex "marriage," etc.

I used to attend a Cursillo group reunion. For those unfamiliar with the movement, it's a weekend retreat focusing on sharing the faith. After the three-day Cursillo weekend, people are urged to join a group for "the fourth day," a weekly sharing group. They are also encouraged to get involved with the broader community. I saw the group reunion as a great way to support my faith walk. I made some dear friends, but also found myself arguing (in the classic sense) with one woman who had an IUD (intra-uterine contraceptive device). She shared a dream about being in curlers and it was separating her from God. I suspected it was really about her IUD. We had several discussions about Church teaching on contraception.  After one I ended up crying for her because I loved her.

Later on, I dropped out of another group reunion when most of the women defended a couple's decision to marry intending to have no children. I pointed out that, according to Church teaching, that is an impediment to marriage and invalidates the sacrament. They didn't bat an eyelash and argued that people who don't want children shouldn't have them, but should still be able to marry in the Church. They apparently had no problem with a Catholic couple making vows before God that were essentially lies.

Because of my pro-life activism I was in constant conflict situations. I told my husband later that I needed someplace that supported my faith, not another situation where I had to defend it. That was the end of my involvement with Cursillo where one of the local priest involved was a liberal who held many heretical positions. I believe he is still involved with the Association of of US Catholic Priests (AUSCP), a group:

• Promoting women’s sacramental ordination
• Promoting homosexual activism
• Presenting heretical ideas concerning the Eucharist
• Promoting heretical ideas about the Priesthood
• Helping found and lead an international heretical cabal attempting to transform the Church

This is how Sammons summarizes the situation. Why does the pope keep the TLM out of the parishes? Because he doesn't want those who embrace the TLM infecting other Catholics. It has nothing to do with personal holiness of those who attend one form or the other. It's not about preferences. The pope does not want those who embrace the traditional form to infect the average Catholics. In many joint form parishes, there was no conflict between those attending the TLM versus those attending the NO. That has certainly been true for the joint use parishes in my diocese. I think Sammons is absolutely correct. The bottom line is to divide and conquer. Get those TLM folks away from the NO folks so they can't infect them or infect the Novus Ordo liturgy. And so I affirm Sammons' advice:

"Don't fall for the gaslighting!...It's insulting to say [the pope] would shut down the Mass for what a few traditionalist say on line....Don't believe the gaslighting."