Editor, The Remnant: Three weeks ago today I celebrated my last Novus Ordo Missae. Attached is the letter I sent to my Bishop explaining why. I offer it to you for publication with the prayer that priests and laity in your readership who might be on the fence can see a succinct summation of the arguments in favor of authentic Catholicism.

Please pray for me and all priests—and especially for the final coming of the priestly reign of Christ the King sicut in caelo et in terra.

God bless you,

Father Lawrence C. Smith
Sacerdos Vagus

Why I have done what I have done…

The Facts:

• No one has the authority or the right to impose a new Mass on the Church.

• Sacrosanctum concilium neither intended nor mandated the fabrication of the Novus Ordo Missae.

• It is impossible for the clergy or the laity to be bound to worship at such a Mass.

• The missionary mandate of the Church from our Savior requires her to evangelize all people.

• Eastern schismatics, protestants, Jews, Muslims, and pagans are in need of the Sacraments, ecclesial unity, and faith in Christ Crucified for the salvation of their souls.

• The Magisterium has denied, obscured, and attempted to alter this teaching, thereby misleading countless souls into error regarding the need for, the means to, and the source of salvation.

• Sin is an offense against the Divine Majesty and without repentance sinners will be damned.

• The United States of America and the western world at large have given legal sanction to child murder, usury, and sodomy—sins which cry out to Heaven for vengeance.

• No action has been forthcoming from the hierarchy of the Church to publicly, consistently, and unambiguously condemn these sins, and to levy ecclesial penalties commensurate with the gravity of these crimes against Catholic lawmakers complicit in their commission.

Therefore:

I can not in conscience give support to this woeful state of affairs. Neither by word nor by silence, not by action nor by inaction will I permit myself to be allied with principles and practices injurious to the faithful and perilous to my own salvation. Degraded worship, false ecumenism, and cooperation with abominations are not part of the patrimony of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church; none may participate in such outrages against Our Lord.

In Conclusion:

Henceforward, I will seek the Sacraments, dogma, and practice of the Roman Catholic Church in fidelity to her Tradition received from Christ the Lord through His Apostles and handed down in unbroken continuity through the ages. His Holiness and the episcopate will receive my respect in keeping with the dignity of the offices they hold, as well as my prayers, penances, and mortification for their sanctity and the grace to persevere in the Truth. My life shall be devoted to holy poverty, study, contemplation, and witness to the Gospel of Christ Crucified. I ask for your prayers for me in tandem with mine for you. May Our Blessed Mary, St. Joseph her spouse, St. Michael, and Sts. Peter and Paul guard and guide us always in keeping with God’s will and His supreme law of love.

Father Lawrence C. Smith
23 September 2003
St. Linus