Thanks to all who replied so far. I'm convinced the NO Ordinary is flawed in some ways. That is obvious. But still, it is not non-catholic or evil imo.
H.E.Ottaviani gives a solid argument, but the part I bolded below indicates, imo, that the problem is poor catechesis and lack of Faith......................
"Most Holy Father, Having carefully examined, and presented for the scrutiny of others, the Novus Ordo Missae prepared by the experts of the Consilium ad exequendam Constitutionem de Sacra Liturgia, and after lengthy prayer and reflection, we feel it to be our bounden duty in the sight of God and towards Your Holiness, to put before you the following considerations:
1. The accompanying critical study of the Novus Ordo Missae, the work of a group of theologians, liturgists and pastors of souls, shows quite clearly in spite of its brevity that if we consider the innovations implied or taken for granted which may of course be evaluated in different ways, the Novus Ordo represents, both as a whole and in its details, a striking departure from the Catholic theology of the Mass as it was formulated in Session XXII of the Council of Trent. The "canons" of the rite definitively fixed at that time provided an insurmountable barrier to any heresy directed against the integrity of the Mystery.
2. The pastoral reasons adduced to support such a grave break with tradition, even if such reasons could be regarded as holding good in the face of doctrinal considerations, do not seem to us sufficient. The innovations in the Novus Ordo and the fact that all that is of perennial value finds only a minor place, if it subsists at all, could well turn into a certainty the suspicions already prevalent, alas, in many circles, that truths which have always been believed by the Christian people, can be changed or ignored without infidelity to that sacred deposit of doctrine to which the Catholic faith is bound for ever. Recent reforms have amply demonstrated that fresh changes in the liturgy could lead to nothing but complete bewilderment on the part of the faithful who are already showing signs of restiveness and of an indubitable lessening of faith.
Amongst the best of the clergy the practical result is an agonising crisis of conscience of which innumerable instances come tour notice daily.
3. We are certain that these considerations, which can only reach Your Holiness by the living voice of both shepherds and flock, cannot but find an echo in Your paternal heart, always so profoundly solicitous for the spiritual needs of the children of the Church. It has always been the case that when a law meant for the good of subjects proves to be on the contrary harmful, those subjects have the right, nay the duty of asking with filial trust for the abrogation of that law.
Therefore we most earnestly beseech Your Holiness, at a time of such painful divisions and ever-increasing perils for the purity of the Faith and the unity of the church, lamented by You our common Father, not to deprive us of the possibility of continuing to have recourse to the fruitful integrity of that Missale Romanum of St. Pius V, so highly praised by Your Holiness and so deeply loved and venerated by the whole Catholic world.
" http://www.fisheaters.com/ottavianiintervention.html
The change itself was indeed a revolutionary change. And very bad timing imo. I agree it was a mistake. But some clergy and many of the flock were already losing the Faith, long before the new Mass. H.E. hints at this this twice in the text above.
So, imo, the Mass is just one mistake of many. If it was the intention of the Council to “bring the Church up to date” and meet the challenge of a rapidly changing society that was tipping the balance toward immoral behavior, then it should have fought the battle from the pulpit.
Fighting the challenge of society's influence on our youth with revolutionary changes has proven fruitless. Not just in the Liturgy, but in the errors of modern interpretations of Doctrine.
I really feel it has gone a bit too far. The voice of the traditionalist clergy has been heard long enough. There are obviously many in the Hierarchy that see the writing on the wall. It's a mess.
So, will the phasing out of the NO solve anything without the right catechesis ? What if the Pope were to call H.E. Fellay and asks, "OK, what do you want me to do" , and then does it ? Commands and decrees it. All of it.
Being the Church is now world wide for the most part, and seeing as though some Bishops think collegiality makes themselves something they are not, how would all of this make any difference ? Unless the priests get down to business, and start building Faith from the pulpit, in the manner they ought, the return to the Gregorian Rite exclusively will not bring us out of crisis. If the errors are not denounced from the pulpit, or continue to be spread by the priest's own version of the "spirit of VII", then the flock are going to walk out of Mass the same lukewarm, ignorant, or confused, catholic they were when they walked in.
The right priest in an No parish will build more faith than a liberal priest will in an OF parish. Not many liberal priests are praying the EF, but if the NO were phased out, they would become the rule initially, not the exception.
So my view is, at this point, is that it is all in the hands of the young priests now. They are the only ones that can fix the mess. If the traditionalist clergy want to see a return to Tradition, then it all has to start with the seminaries. And that's what they do in their own.
Cleaning house in the Vatican is only symbolic if not done in conjunction with firm resolve to right the seminaries. Out with Merton, in with St Alponsus.
Again, it's not just the Mass. While we are waiting for Rome to move decisively, in the right direction, we need to pray and find ways to put our energy where it's needed. That poor dead horse has been beaten so long, and gotten so old, that we catch ourselves beating on each other instead on the forums.
That shouldn't be part of the fight for Tradition should it ?
Thanks to anyone who weathered my rant, and thanks again for everyones thoughts, especially those who agree with me :D
Seriously though, carry on, I'm reading and learning what I can.
