Another Love Letter

Saint Ignatius taught that we should not crave honour more than dishonour, but all the same it used to bother me that so few letters to the Catholic Register mentioned my articles. Now I am used to it and so am vastly surprised when I find out someone has written in. Here's the latest:

We don't need the Pope or the Bishops. Why? because we have Ms. Theologian herself Dorothy Cummings McLean. 

We already know from Dorothy Cummings McLean that those of us who think Vatican II was a good thing and do not go to a Latin Mass with music from the middle ages are probably going to be kept out of Heaven.

We now that the Bishops are peddling sin. Perhaps Pope Francis will read the article and excommunicate the Bishops.

I must say I am flattered that someone out there considers me a theologian with a capital T, which is far from the case. Of course, any Catholic who seeks to understand what it is we believe is a theologian in that he or she is doing theology. I learned that on Day 1 of "Intro to Theology" (or whatever that class was called). However, I do think we need the Pope and the Bishops because all that administrative work would  kill me. My role is strictly auxiliary.

The second paragraph confuses me. I cannot recall slagging off Vatican II in the Catholic Register or anywhere else.When I quote the documents of Vatican II, it is to point out that they have not been followed. That said, today I would like to know exactly how much influence Gregory Baum actually had at Vatican II, and if anyone would like to reveal surprising new insights into John Courtney Murray (secret Buddhist?) that would be nice, too.

Meanwhile, I occasionally opt for the Novus Ordo without fear of loss of heaven. All the Catholics in my family, with the exception of my husband and me, go to the Novus Ordo. Meanwhile, the music from the Middle Ages is kept to a minimum at my local TLM. When we sing the Missa de Angelis--the oldest bit being the 12th century Sanctus--it is a sign that the Schola is on holiday and it is up to miserable us to keep the musical banners flying. The greater part of the music on any typical Sunday is from the Renaissance, the 19th century, or the organist's dining-room table, composed some time between breakfast and ten years ago.

I note that my admirer couldn't bring himself to write the word "hell". Do I think people go to hell for attending the Novus Ordo? No. Do I think people are in danger of hell when they commit mortal sins? Yes. Remind me what Our Lord Jesus Christ came to save us from. Valhalla?

Yes, various Bishops have indeed been peddling sin. Men picked for their administrative skills should stop listening to right-on professors at notoriously dodgy theology schools like the Atlantic School of Theology and stick with the saints. Some should give up the boyfriends (or girlfriends), the cover-ups and the child p*rn. However, I highly doubt that Pope Francis will read my article, and I doubt even more that he will excommunicate the Maltese bishops for their staggeringly craven take on Amoris Laetitia.