A Letter from Michael Davies
Remnant Editor’s Note: Some days ago we received word that a letter
had been written by Michael Davies concerning the situation at St. Mary’s by
the Sea in
Dear Michael [Matt],
I sent this to Father Perez
a few weeks ago. Perhaps I used the
wrong email address. Please pass it on
to Father Perez and feel free to use it yourself.
In Domino,
Michael [Davies]
Dear Father Perez,
I have received a number of letters from
parishioners of St. Mary's by the Sea who are very distressed by the decision
of their Bishop to forbid the continued celebration of Mass according to the
1962 Missal which Father Johnson had celebrated each Sunday for many
years. I have had the privilege of
assisting at Father Johnson's Mass on a number of occasions in recent years.
In his Motu proprio "Ecclesia Dei", our Holy Father, Pope
John Paul II, stated:
To all those Catholic
faithful who feel attached to some previous liturgical and disciplinary forms
of the Latin tradition, I wish to manifest my will to facilitate their
ecclesial communion by means of the necessary measures to guarantee respect for
their rightful aspirations. In this matter I ask for the support of the bishops
and of all those engaged in the pastoral ministry in the Church.
The Pope could hardly have made his will
more clear, and Bishop Todd Brown
complied with the Pope's will by authorizing the Mass at St. Mary's by the Sea
while Father Johnson was the pastor.
For some incomprehensible reason Bishop Brown has now decided to ignore
the will of the Holy Father and forbid the celebration of Mass according to the
1962 Missal. What, then, are the faithful who are attached to the previous form
of Mass to do? All I can say is that if
I were in their position I would not for one moment consider assisting at a
Latin celebration of Mass according to the 1970 missal. I am sure that the majority of those
assisting at Father Johnson's Latin Mass did so because they are attached to
the 1962 Missal. In view of the Bishop's
decision to ignore the wishes of the Pope I would certainly cease assisting at
Mass at St. Mary's by the Sea and come to Mass in your parish, Our Lady Help of
Christians. By celebrating Mass
according to the 1962 Missal you are fulfilling the wishes of the Holy Father,
and I cannot see any reason why any Catholic should have the least qualm of
conscience by assisting at your
Please feel free to make any use of this
letter that you wish.
With every good wish in Domino,
Michael Davies