Objection No.1
“In times of confusion such as now, we are guided by the words of our Lord: “By their fruits you shall know them”. Fruits of the New Mass are 30% decrease in Sunday Mass attendance in U.S. (NY Times, 5/24/75), 43% decrease in France (Cardinal Marty), 50% decrease in Holland (NY Times, 1/5/76)”
Well, the Matthew 7 can’t be used as an argument against the Vatican 2 order of the Mass because the decrease the attendees of the Sunday Mass as they stated was not caused by the reforms of the Vatican 2, rather because some people are attracted and have great time with the earthly things and as well, some of them had abandoned the faith like being converted to the false religions, etc. (1 John 2:19).
The Matthew 7:18 said that the poor tree cannot bear good fruit and a good tree cannot bear bad fruit. If the Novus Ordo Missae of the Vatican 2 was an “evil and a protestant liturgy”, how come that Dr. Scotthann and many protestants were converted to Catholicism using Vatican 2 liturgy? Supposed to be that no converts will be added to the Catholic Church if Vatican 2 liturgy was an evil liturgy and a poor tree that cannot bear good fruit.
However, many Protestants are converted even until now to Catholicism using Vatican 2 liturgy and it shows that the Novus Ordo Missae bears good fruit because of conversions to Catholic faith.
Therefore, that the Vatican 2 liturgy is an effective liturgy and bears good fruit.
Objection No.2
“The New Mass does not manifest faith in the Real Presence of Christ”
Still the Vatican 2 teaches that the Holy Mass or Eucharistic Celebration is a sacrifice and the presence of Christ is in the Holy Eucharist ( See CCC Paragraph 1365 and 1368).
Also, the Vatican 2 documents’ Redemptionis Sacramentum and General Instruction for Roman Missal gave emphasis on how to celebrate Vatican 2 Liturgy properly including the proper treatment towards the Eucharist.
If it’s true that it does not manifest faith in the real presence of Christ, no reason for the Vatican 2 council to release the 2 documents I stated and as well supposed to be that there will be no more words of consecration on the Novus Ordo Liturgy.
However, there were documents and as well words of consecration, so it is concluded that the Novus Ordo Missae manifests the faith in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Objection No.3
“The New Mass favors the heretical theory that it is the faith of the people and not the words of the priest which makes Christ present in the Eucharist”
That is a false accusation because Vatican 2 through its 1983 Code of Canon Law, teaches that the Eucharistic Prayer or Words of Consecration must be performed by priests and still needed to make Christ present in the Eucharist.
1983 Code of Canon Law
Canon 907– In the celebration of the Eucharist, deacons and lay persons are not permitted to say the prayers, ESPECIALLY THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER, nor to perform the actions WHICH ARE PROPER TO THE CELEBRATING PRIEST.
Objection No.4
“The insertion of the Lutheran “Prayers of the Faithful” in the New Mass follows and puts forth the Protestant error that all people are priests”
Take note that the Prayers of the Faithful is a community prayer and intercessions offered for the Church, Kings, people who are in authority, etc. and that is a biblical one, not a Protestant practice. If there were similarities in the Catholic and Protestant Liturgy, it was the Protestants who copied the Catholic practices, not the Catholic Church who copied from the Protestants. Again, Prayers of the Faithful is biblical and take note that it was the Catholic Church who owned the Bible and it is a written tradition (2 Thes 2:14-25, 3:6).
Bible:
1 Tim 2:1-3
“ I exhort therefore, that, first of all, SUPPLICATIONS, PRAYERS, INTERCESSIONS, AND GIVING OF THANKS, BE MADE FOR ALL MEN; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. FOR THIS IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE in the sight of GOD our Savior.
Acts 2:42
“AND THEY continued steadfastly in apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in PRAYERS.”
See, the Prayers of the Faithful is biblical and it does not mean that the priest is discarded in the Mass due to this belief. The priest will be the one to celebrate and perform the sacrifice of the Holy Mass but at the same time, the faithful can pray for the good welfare of the Church and for others also.
Also, it’s a biblical since the Bible tells us that we must pray for ourselves and for others as well (Luke 22, James 5:16).
Objection No.5
“The New Mass does away with the Confiteor of the priest, makes it collective with the people, thus promoting Luther’s refusal to accept the Catholic teaching that the priest is judge, witness, and intercessor with GOD”
You can’t find in any Vatican 2 documents that the “priest is not a judge, witness, and intercessor with GOD”.
In fact, the Vatican 2 teaching about the priest in the Holy Mass is still the same with the teachings of the previous councils and Popes of the Catholic Church.
1983 code of Canon Law
Canon 900- The only minister who, in the person of Christ, can bring into being the sacrament of the Eucharist is a VALIDLY ORDAINED PRIEST.
Canon 901- A PRIEST is entitled TO OFFER MASS FOR ANYONE, LIVING OR DEAD.
Also, the Confiteor in Novus Ordo Missae is not bad because it’s a biblical and they, the “SELF-STYLED TRADITIONALISTS CATHOLICS” must accept also the Bible, since it is owned by the Catholic Church and, it is a written tradition that needs to be keep and follow as well (2 Thes 2:14-25, 3:6).
Regarding the Confiteor, here’s the proof:
James 5:16
“So then, CONFESS YOUR SINS TO ONE ANOTHER AND PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER, so that you will be healed”.
See, there’s nothing wrong with the revised Confiteor under Vatican 2 because St. James the apostle taught about that practice.
Objection No. 6
“Vatican 2 invented the New Mass”
No, because it was said Novus Ordo Missae. Take note that the term “New Mass” is not the exact meaning of the term “Novus Ordo Missae”. Rather, Novus Ordo Missae means New Order of Missal (referring to the new order or sequence of the Mass, not New Mass).
The Holy Mass can’t be changed since Christ, who is in the Eucharist ( Luke 22:19-23, John 6:53-58) is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8).