From Frank and Vivian McPhail re liturgy.

I came across your website today and read a few articles posted there. I especially took notice of the book review by Fr. S. Somerville concerning the new rite of Mass as compared to the Roman Latin Mass.

I happen to agree that if it wasn't for Archbishop Lefebvre and the Society of St. Pius X continuing his apostolate throughout the world, many more Catholics would "no longer believe the doctrine of the Real Presence," nor would they have a proper understanding of the Catholic faith.

I am a convert from Anglicanism in 1963 and when I was received into the Church it was the beautiful Latin Mass that was the official liturgy. I prefer to call it the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, since that what it truly is. I find that the sole use of the words "Eucharist" or "Liturgy of the Word" can undermine what is truly happening on the altar.

I relocated to B.C. from Toronto ten years ago and when I went to "Mass" here, I was pretty well shocked as to what the Catholic Church was doing in this province. We went one Saturday to go to confession and found a "locked" church. The next day, the whole congregation (except my husband and myself) received Holy Communion. I concluded that we were the only "sinners" that day. Irreverence is pretty well grounded in all the churches on Vancouver Island. We went from one church to another seeking reverence, but one seemed to be worse than the other.

In the end we were most fortunate to find a little chapel seven years ago run by the Society of St. Pius X and a devout retired priest who offers us the Holy Mass and Sacraments and he has actually re-taught us the entire Catholic faith at sermons and catechism after Mass. If it wasn't for this faithful courageous priest, we would have been lost, and lost our faith as well.

The stigma attached to Archbishop Lefebvre is that of "disobedience" and the word "excommunicated" which is always put forth to remind the lay people and frighten them away. All other "denominations" are praised and are welcome with the exception of traditional Catholics. Archbishop Lefebvre was a holy, and courageous man of God who will one day be recognized for his selfless contribution in saving the Catholic Church from the truly "disobedient" bishops and priests residing in the "official" status of the Church. We have always recognized the Holy Father as the Vicar of Christ and pray for him in every SSPX chapel throughout the world, even if the rest of the world happens to "think" the opposite. The abuses, sacrileges, and irreverences in the official Church structure continue to go on, and many of the bishops remain silent and deaf to the bleat of their own sheep. God will not be mocked.

Vancouver Island, BC

Despite his good points, Archbishop Lefebvre refused to listen to the Pope. Since his death, his followers--with the exception of a group in Brazil--have refused to be reconciled with the Papacy. They remain in schism.--Editor