A Privilege of the Ordained MICHAEL DAVIES THE NEUMANN PRESS, 1990 Published on the Web with Permission of the Author 6. Disloyal Bishops Unfortunately, the Holy See made a calamitous error of judgment within the Instruction. It agreed that, where the abuse had already become firmly established, it could be legalized by a two-thirds majority in a secret ballot of the national episcopal conference, providing that the Holy See confirmed the decision. This concession gave the green light to liturgical anarchists, despite the fact that it clearly referred to countries where the abuse had become established at the time Memoriale Domini was promulgated, i.e., May 1969. Clerical rebels in such countries as England or the U.S.A. would naturally conclude that if rebellion could be legalized in Holland it could be legalized in any country. They decided that if they ignored Memoriale Domini and defied the liturgical law of the Church, their rebellion would be tolerated and eventually legalized. Their judgment proved to be only too accurate. Despite the appeal of the Holy See for bishops to observe zealously the traditional practice, despite the fact that they themselves had voted for the traditional practice, as the abuse spread from country to country the bishops first tolerated it and then voted for its legalization. Only in a few countries, such as Italy or Poland, did the bishops respond to the appeal in Memoriale Domini, and insist upon maintaining the practice of Communion on the tongue "out of concern for the common good of the Church." PURCHASE THE BOOKLET, SITE 1 PURCHASE THE BOOKLET, SITE 2 BACK-------E-MAIL--------HOME--------NEXT www.catholictradition.org/Priests/privilege6.htm