The Knights of Malta and the Tridentine Mass

1. 

    

   In recent days, a controversy erupted online about this article.

    

   According to one of the Knights who attended:

    

   "The Mass was not "granted subject to a number of restrictions." The question I asked was whether or not there was a Tridentine Mass on Malta and if so who could we contact about our priest saying a Mass when we arrived. As there was not an existing Mass and for several logistical reasons we did not pursue trying to have a publicly celebrated EF Mass. When we came to visit we were kindly given permission to celebrate Mass at St. Catherine's and since it was a private Mass our priest celebrated the TLM for us."

    

   However, according to reliable sources from S.M.O.M. in Malta, a Tridentine Mass had been blocked by then Archbishop Cremona. The group had to petition again the Archbishop and finally, almost at the last minute, was allowed one. This notwithstanding that Pro Tridentina (Malta) had managed to put in place some arrangements, following a request by the group coming to Malta itself.

    

   So what is the real position of the S.M.O.M. as far as the Extraordinary Form of the Mass is concerned?

    

   The situation varies from country to country.

    
   The current Cardinal Patron, Raymond Leo Burke, is very much in favour of  the Tridentine Mass and regularly celebrates it. Cardinal Burke is likely therefore to support and encourage the Tridentine Mass within the Order but there are also a number of Cardinals - who are chaplains of the Order -  that oppose and / or barely tolerate the Tridentine Mass in their own Dioceses.
    
   Within the Grand Priory of England the Tridentine Mass has been prevalent and there are many strong supporters of the Mass there. Some of them were willing to help Pro Tridentina (Malta) but things were halted as described here.
   
   
   Two FIUV Presidents, the late Fra Freddy Crichton-Stuart and James Bogle are Knights of the Order of Saint John.
   
   
   In Malta, whereas the S.M.O.M. has never expressed (as far as is known) a position for or against the Tridentine Mass, one of its Knights, the Marquis Nicholas de Piro, is very much in favour.
    
   The Russian Grand Priory of Malta (not to be confused with S.M.O.M.) is faithful to the Order’s nearly 1000-year-old motto: Pro Fide, Pro Utilitate Hominum (For faith, for service to humanity) and is therefore open to having the Tridentine Mass celebrated in its headquarters in Valletta.

Pro Tridentina (Malta) in the news

Yesterday's exclusive news (about Fr Fabio Attard) by this blog was given prominence by the local media, including:

• The Malta Independent 
• Illum (screenshot above)
• Inews Malta
• Times of Malta 

Interestingly, this news is being followed by both conservative and progressive Catholics alike.

Updated on 4 December to include Times of Malta link.

BREAKING NEWS: Who are the three frontrunners to become Malta's new Archbishop?

Following yesterday's post, we were surprised at the attention given to this modest blog, especially by the local media (more on this in other posts).

Although Fr Fabio Attard has denied the news (and we fully understand his constraints), our sources can be counted upon.

To show this, we are in a position to indicate who the other two frontrunners are:

• a bishop held in high esteem, both locally and in Rome (we cannot indicate if he currently resides in Malta or not);
• a diocesan priest who lectures at the University of Malta.

If the media would like more information, we will be happy to give them more details. But we are sure they have their own tools for this.

Whoever will be selected as Malta's new Archbishop, he can count on Pro Tridentina (Malta)'s support and assistance to fully implement Summorum Pontificum in this island. Thus, traditional Catholics in Malta will be fully involved in the diocese they love so much.

BREAKING NEWS: Malta's NEW Archbishop

Our well informed sources (be it from the Holy See, the Curia or the Nunciature is irrelevant) have confirmed to us that 99.99%, the Holy Father has chosen Fr Fabio Attard, SDB as Malta's new Archbishop. Pro Tridentina (Malta) wishes Fr Attard well and reminds him that one of his responsibilities will be to protect the liturgy under both forms of the Roman Rite.

Brief Biography:

Fr Attard was born on 23 March 1959 in Gozo and was professed as a Salesian on 8 September 1980 in Dublin where he made his novitiate. He received the diaconate on 11 July 1986 and priesthood on 4 July 1987, in Rome. Rector in Sliema, Malta, of  “St Alphonsus” first, and then of “St Patrick”, he received his degree in Moral Theology at the “Alphonsianum” in Rome. He was the Rector of the Institute of Pastoral Formation, which he founded in 2005 in the Archdiocese of Malta; he participated in the 26th General Chapter as delegate of the Salesian Province of Ireland-Malta and was elected Councillor for Youth Ministry. The 27th General Chapter has confirmed Fr Fabio Attard for a second term as Councillor for Youth Ministry of the Salesians.