Ugly Groeschel Liturgy Further Confuses Franciscan Simplicity

In my humble opinion complete silence would have been much more elegant and uplifting and of greater testimony to the deceased man of God (Father Benedict Groeschel), and to all who love him, than all the superfluous verbage and bad music (nothing from the immense Catholic heritage of Gregorian chant and polyphony).

I am one of hundreds (perhaps thousands) of traditional priests influenced by this man.

Pardon me for proudly having Catholic traditional preferences, thanks, in large part to Pope Benedict's life.

Practically the only beautiful aspect about the Groeschel Funeral Liturgy thus far (last night's prayer vigil) was the Cathedral architecture and the open coffin with his embalmed remains (and the removal of the mobile altar; the organ console [the huge box in the sanctuary on the right] should also be permanently removed--the original one being in the choir loft!).

The ambivalent and confusing Longfellow poem given to each mourner on a card brochure (which was done in an elegant printed format) in the name of the deceased is indicative of the eclectic orientation of the modern Catholic mind evidenced in such a disconcerting liturgy.

Don't we have enough sacred texts from Sacred Scripture and the Fathers, Doctors and Saints of the Catholic Church that we have to point people to go for their imbalanced nourishment to inadequate sources alien to our Catholic faith.

It is wrong, even if apparently necessary, for the CFR's and for Sacred Heart Cathedral and EWTN to subject the Catholic world and all of humanity to this awful downgrade of our Catholic patrimony.

We don't use Latin because "they won't understand". Well, here we have ugliness which can be appreciated only by those who have never known or otherwise reject the unfathomably deep treasures of the Roman Ritual in all it's millennial splendor. This is most perplexing and not at all inherently Franciscan! Franciscan liturgy can be traditional and very beautiful in simple elegance. There is no liturgical music more simple and more elegant in it's simplicity than Gregorian chant: the Catholic music par excellence according to the Second Vatican Council!

Two relevant quotes from Sacrosanctum Concilium:

#112. The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as sacred song united to the words, it forms a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy.

#116. The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services.

How can a Catholic Cathedral Basilica reject it's Latin heritage when the Second Vatican Council itself declares that it is an inestimable treasure more splendid than the very walls, ceiling, choir stall latices, statuary and stained glass, marble floors and communion rail intact of the Cathedral itself. Only a wrongheaded negligent conformity to the ugliness of a lost world and a confused (if yet large) sector of the Church can do that, to the demise of our rich musical patrimony and legitimate Catholic sensibilities. In other words, what the Council is saying is that, all things being the same, it is of far greater glory to God and of much more salvific benefit to men, to sing Catholic Latin chant in a barn than to neglect it in a Basilica!

We believe in the triumphant and explicit worship of God! We believe in unabashed Catholic Cultic Worship! Let those who would be offended realize that they need to convert! Superior culture is an acquired taste and it comes from superior (transcendent) Cult! Manifestly from God and for God!

Just one more reason the Traditional Latin Liturgy is better!

Thank you Pope Emeritus Benedict for opening for the Church the largely hitherto hidden treasury of the Liturgy which had been relegated to the peripheral and minority Traditional Movements (who had to disobey in order to obey their Catholic hearts!) and to oblivion! Surely the CFR's are aware of all of this! Perpetuating this ugly status quo (which is more and more passe, and imaginary, and not Catholic) is an omission which in the midst of the present Reform of the Reform is unacceptable and most noticeable. Even Pope Francis has kept his Predecessor's Master of Ceremonies, Don Guido Marini, with his superior Liturgical sense.

Requiem eternam done ei Domine,

et lux perpetua luceat ei.

Requiscat in pace! Amen.