On 2nd July 2008 the chaplains to the apostolate, Frs Tattersall and McDaniels, left the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter and became incardinated in the Archdiocese of Melbourne, continuing their existing pastoral work with the blessing of His Grace, Archbishop Denis Hart. Fr Tattersall explained the reasons for this to the community as follows:
"I foreshadowed some months ago the likelihood that there would be important decisions made in the course of this year, concerning this apostolate. Today, the moment has come to make the first of what will likely be several announcements. I am sorry that I cannot tell you all the news at once. However, all the news is assuredly good – though some of it may be, for some, a little surprising. It will become evident enough in the course of the next few months why I cannot say now everything I might wish to, and why all of the news I have to give you is good news. So I must rely upon your patience and understanding.
Tomorrow week (23rd June) I will be privileged, please God, to celebrate my 7th anniversary of priestly ordination. Fr McDaniel’s 6th anniversary falls the following Sunday, the Solemnity of Sts Peter & Paul.
Although we have both come from afar, we are grateful to God for His Providence in bringing us to work here in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Our priestly lives thus far have been spent happily in the service of those in this Archdiocese who have remained faithful to – or who have discovered - Christ, His Church, and the great Latin liturgical tradition.
Our approaching anniversaries invite us to reflect on the gift of ministerial priesthood. All Christians, by definition, are called to live in fidelity to Christ. How is the call to fidelity tested and refined in the priesthood? In many ways of course, but two stand out in my mind: firstly, by the priest accepting the challenge to be a man of the Church, that is, one who is not only docile to the the teachings, disciplines and commands of the Church, but who desires to think with the Church, and to love the Church as Christ Himself loves Her. Secondly, by placing before one’s own personal desires or interests the good of those souls whom one is sent to serve. We have both striven, by God’s grace, to be men of the Church. And I can say before God that every pastoral decision that has been made during our time here, has been made with the good of souls as its paramount consideration.
These fundamental principles have brought us to a decision – taken at length after much prayer, and having sought the counsel of wise and prudent men – to ask to join the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Archbishop Hart has very kindly indicated that he is happy to receive us, and to confirm us in our pastoral mission to those attached to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. We are deeply grateful to Archbishop Hart for his unwavering support, understanding, and kindness, and also to Bishop Peter Elliott for his constancy and friendship. The truly fraternal support of many priest friends in the Archdiocese has also been a grace for which we are thankful.
In order to join the Archdiocese we must of course leave the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter. The Fraternity’s Superiors have already agreed to our departure, and our transfer to the Archdiocese of Melbourne (called in canon law, ‘incardination’) is now merely a formality which should be completed within the next month or so. This decision will also mean that the Fraternity of St Peter no longer has a presence in the Archdiocese. In fact, some time ago the Fraternity’s Superiors declined an opportunity to erect a canonical house in Melbourne, which would have given the Fraternity an automatic right of residence.
You would be right to think that our reasons for leaving the Fraternity are complex, and some of them very personal. We will do our very best to answer any questions about this on an individual basis, but we do ask you to try to understand that some of the more personal aspects are simply not appropriate subjects for discussion.
However, one central consideration is a matter of public record, and I wish now to turn my attention to it. Several years ago, Archbishop Hart expressed the wish that the priests of the Fraternity in Melbourne concelebrate with him and our brother priests in the Archdiocese, at least at the Chrism Mass, as a sign of our communion with His Grace and with the presbyterate of Melbourne. Fr McDaniels and I did not feel under any pressure at all in this matter, but were pleased to respond affirmatively to a request that we considered to be both understandable and legitimate. However, most Fraternity priests – both in Australia and abroad – would not concelebrate under any circumstances. It would be fair to say that most are fundamentally opposed in principle. You can see that this puts us in an unusual situation within the FSSP. In fact, not long after ‘Summorum Pontificum’ was promulgated, Fr John Berg, the Fraternity’s Superior General, wrote to all of the priests of the Fraternity and suggested that if members did not wish to exclude absolutely any celebration or concelebration of the Ordinary Form, they should give consideration to going elsewhere.
You might well ask, have we considered that perhaps we are the ones who have made the wrong decision? I have to say I have never doubted the rightness of our decision, from the moment it was made. I have seen where the alternative leads: a ghetto, which risks turning the traditional liturgy into a fetish, a substitute for God instead of a privileged road to Him. I have seen too that a policy by clergy which excludes any concelebration in the Ordinary Form ill serves the formation of the young, who as a result of the aloofness of their priests from the life of the local Church can develop a kind of fear, or even allergy, in respect of their fellow Catholics and the wider Church.
But as it happens we can rely on something more than confidence in our own opinions. In his letter to the Bishops which accompanied ‘Summorum Pontificum’, Pope Benedict had this to say: “in order to experience full communion, the priests of the communities adhering to the former usage cannot, as a matter of principle, exclude celebrating according to the new books. The total exclusion of the new rite would not in fact be consistent with the recognition of its value and holiness.” Following this up, and demonstrating the Holy Father’s continuing concern in this matter, Cardinal Castrillon-Hoyos made the following comment in his homily in Lincoln, Nebraska, on the occasion of his ordination to the priesthood of several Fraternity members, on the feast of the Sacred Heart which we have just celebrated on 30th May: “As President of the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei,” I have a particular interest in these young men who will celebrate the holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Sacraments primarily according to the liturgical books of the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, which is a treasure for the entire Church. This obviously meets a desire on the part of a good number of the faithful. While I am pleased to promote the implementation of our Holy Father’s will expressed in his Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum and invite my brother Bishops to be generous in implementing this important document, I also invite you, my dear sons and brothers, to strive to be an integral part of the dioceses in which you will serve, brothers of your brother priests, showing deep respect also for the ordinary form of the Roman Rite, concelebrating with your Bishops at the Chrism Mass and when this sign of priestly communion is especially appropriate.”
There has been no comment from the Fraternity about either of these statements. We do not intend that they fall on deaf ears in Melbourne.
Let us be very clear about this occasional Concelebration in the Ordinary Form. It is not a slippery slope which will lead to the abandonment of the traditional Mass, or a lessening of our commitment to the Extraordinary Form itself or to the people attached to this liturgy. It does not require us to be silent about abuses, or to refrain from respectful and constructive criticism of aspects of the reform itself. In respect to theologically grounded criticism of the current situation, I take the Holy Father himself as a model. What it does require of us as priests is to show ourselves to be truly men of the Church, and in unequivocal communion with the rest of the Catholic Church, obedient to the legitimate requests of the Supreme Pontiff and of the Bishops united with him.
Despite our disagreement with the FSSP, we do wish the Fraternity well, and we hope to collaborate with the FSSP in this Region as much as possible in the future. We especially welcome the appointment of the Fraternity’s new Regional Superior, Fr Bill Define.
Both Fr McDaniels and I are of the conviction that Divine Providence has indicated that our own priestly vocations, and the traditional Mass community of Melbourne, will both be best served by our joining the Archdiocese. Since a new era in the Church commenced with Pope Benedict’s motu proprio, ‘Summorum Pontificum’, this has become abundantly clear to us. This new era means that the traditional liturgy can no longer be monopolised by one or two specialist groups. This is good both for the traditional liturgy, and for the Church. Over time, we can expect more widespread availability of the Extraordinary Form in Parishes celebrated by Diocesan Clergy, and at the same time new specialist initiatives will – we pray - be raised up in God’s Providence.
What will be the practical consequences of this decision? I can assure you that there will be no lessening at any stage of our existing pastoral obligations, or of our current commitment to the traditional liturgy. In fact, quite the contrary, but about such matters I cannot at present speak further. I ask you simply to pray, to be patient, and to be confident in God’s goodness.
A final word concerning the financial stability of the apostolate. It is your generosity, and this alone, which has built, and continues to sustain, this pastoral mission. I pay a special tribute to those who have worked so hard, in some cases for decades, to ensure the continuance of the traditional liturgy in Melbourne. None of their work will be lost. Many of these people have already departed this life, and we continue to pray for them with gratitude. The Fraternity itself has actually never made any financial contribution to the Melbourne apostolate. The only significant asset of the apostolate is the Cromwell Street residence which, until the loan is paid off in some 11 years time, has its legal title vested in the Roman Catholic Trustees of the Archdiocese of Melbourne. There is no reason after that why the legal title should not be transferred to whatever entity is responsible for administering the Latin Mass apostolate at that time, since the house is being paid for by the Faithful of Melbourne, for the use of the priests who serve them in this pastoral mission. However, that having been said, we do not wish to retain any support that people have given in good faith for the Fraternity, as distinct from this apostolate. For this reason, the Archbishop or his delegate will likely contact our benefactors in due course to inquire as to the wishes of each. The express will of the donor will be the guiding principle in this, and we will gladly redirect to the FSSP any support clearly intended for the Fraternity rather than this mission. As the FSSP will no longer have a Melbourne presence, such support would be directed to the Fraternity’s work either elsewhere in Australia, or abroad.
Thank you for your time this morning. Fr McDaniels and I are very happy to live out our priestly lives in your service as members of the Archdiocese of Melbourne. We ask for your prayers, and hope for your understanding and support. May God bless you."