Brother André Marie wrote the following letter to the editor in the Keene Sentinel, published in the Thursday, August 14, edition:
To which Mrs. Terri O'Rorke responded with this letter, in the Sunday, August 24, edition:
Which prompted this response from Brother André Marie, published in the August 29 edition:
Tradition lives in Richmond, by Brother Andre Villarrubia
Thank you for running the article, “For some traditional Catholics, the Latin mass thrives” in your Aug. 9 edition.
The piece, by Lilly Fowler of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, described the young and vibrant following that the traditional Latin mass has in that city, at the beautiful and historic Oratory of Saint Francis de Sales.
Yes, the traditional Latin mass does have a young and vibrant following. Locally, this can be seen at Saint Benedict Center in Richmond.
Those who would like to worship in the ancient form of the Mass in all its integrity are cordially invited to Sunday Mass at 7:30 a.m. (Low Mass) or 9:30 a.m. (High Mass). There is also a daily Low Mass at 7:30 a.m.
The High Mass, with Gregorian chant, Latin hymns, and incense, is the best introduction to the Traditional Rite. The Low Mass is much more quiet and less solemn in its externals.
Both are beautiful.
Brother Andre Villarrubia 95 Fay Martin Road
Richmond
To which Mrs. Terri O'Rorke responded with this letter, in the Sunday, August 24, edition:
An important point missing, by Terri O'Rorke
[TEXT MAY BE READ ON THE SENTINEL'S SITE.]
Terri O’Rorke
320 Whipple Hill Road
Richmond
Which prompted this response from Brother André Marie, published in the August 29 edition:
Priests approved to offer masses in Richmond, by Brother Andre Villarrubia
Mrs. Terri O’Rorke’s letter of Aug. 26 (“An important point missing”) makes a serious error in fact.
The error is the claim that Saint Benedict Center does not “have the permission from their Diocese to offer Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.”
The priest in residence here at the center is a cleric of the Santa Fe, N.M., Archdiocese. He is here with the permission of his own archbishop as well as the last two bishops of Manchester. This permission dates back to October 2010.
The Diocese of Manchester says on its website that our bishop “has granted permission to a priest in good standing to celebrate Mass and hear Confessions at Saint Benedict Center for the residents and their guests. The Bishop has approved a recently constructed building as an appropriate worship space. ...”
Church law allows all Latin-Rite priests to offer the so-called “Extraordinary Form” of the Roman Rite, a.k.a., the Traditional Latin Mass. As of July 7, 2007, this issue is no longer even debatable.
Since our celebrant is a priest in good standing, who has been allowed by the local bishop to offer Mass here, he enjoys all the permissions he needs to offer the Traditional Latin Mass at Saint Benedict Center.
All these claims are easily documented.
In addition to our resident priest, three priests of the Diocese of Manchester have graciously offered the Traditional Latin Mass for our community in these last (almost) four years. We are grateful to them.
Mrs. O’Rorke’s misstatement is typical of the content of the book she recommends, a volume whose authorship is as mysterious as its claims are fantastic.
Brother Andre Villarrubia
95 Fay Martin Road
Richmond
