Ken

[The following is yet another occurrence of ecclesiastical minutiae, intended for a select audience. Reading may cause glazing-over of the eyes for some viewers who are content to lead ordinary, balanced lives, free of such preoccupations. They are advised to wait for the next exciting installment of the author's progress in ActionScript animation class. -- DLA]

They say a man is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.

The subject of this author's previous post did get a reaction across the Catholic blogosphere, but I cannot vouch for its merit, as there is none:

Besides the obvious which cannot be easily corrected (hideous round church), the Mass itself is dangerously close to a 1960s hybrid Mass... The congregation pretty much said every single altar boy response but, worse, they sang the entire Pater Noster at the request of the pastor.

The most radical part of the Mass, however, was something I've never heard of -- a "presentation of the gifts" by members of the congregation. The cruets were brought down the aisle, in total novus ordo style. The pastor claims Pius XII promoted this...

This is the second parish in the Dicocese of Arlington to implement a traditional Mass with un-traditional elements...

Clearly, two priests... are working hard to merge the novus ordo and the traditional Mass. So, just be aware...

Indeed, let us ALL be aware. A presence no less than that of the Evil One is in our midst. He is working through one of the self-righteous, spreading confusion and discontent for no good reason. This misguided soul is wrong. He is very, VERY wrong. He has spread his errors publicly, and he needs to be called on it -- publicly.

The weblog responsible for this drivel -- much of it misinformation, some of it downright lying -- is known as Traditional Latin Mass Arlington. Its author is identified only as "Ken." It should be said here that the assertions of "Ken" have not only been anticipated months in advance, but have already been easily refuted, both by yours truly, and by Father McAfee. Our responses can be found here and here. "Ken" has opinions and self-admitted biases. Father and I have facts. YOU do the math, people!

But I don't know if it will be enough. There is an insidious element within the movement that has worked to restore tradition in Catholic worship. It is composed of people with just enough knowledge to mislead themselves, and just enough time on their hands to mislead others. Many of them are young, too young to even remember what the Mass used to be like. They occasionally attempt to chastise those of us who do, which is a strange sort of reality game that suggests a deeper set of problems. It is such people who discouraged my own love of the Traditional Mass for a number of years, and I fear they might succeed in continuing to misinform other Catholics in northern Virginia and beyond.

Whoever this "Ken" is -- and I have an idea but cannot prove it -- he should be more than a little ashamed of himself, and I here and now call upon him to recant his filth and clean up his act, before I find out who he is and make an example of him. Father McAfee is an outstanding priest, who loves the Traditional Mass and who loves his Mother the Church. He has been very good to me over the years, not to mention so many others. "Ken" just got on "the fightin' side" of a man who is prepared to watch the good Father's back. "In hoc signo vinces..."

And so, "Ken" has earned this week's Whack Across the Back of the Head with the Black Hat. I considered bestowing a more special award, but I'd have to waste a perfectly good boot.

I'm still thinking about it.
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