ARCHIVES

June, 2010

TRIBUTE TO FATHER JOHN

I would like to thank everyone for coming this morning to help celebrate Father John’s 2nd anniversary with us.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of both the Catholic Traditionalist Movement and the Ave Maria Chapel and also on behalf of all our members, I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to you for the many sacrifices you have made and continue to make each week. You have provided us with what we need; the unchanged Latin Sacrifice of the Mass and all sacraments.

I want to let all of you know that the Ave Maria Chapel appreciates your never failing generosity. Because of this generosity, we are able to present Father John with a restored paten to match his new chalice.

Permit me for a moment to speak on a personal level. The only goal for the Ave Maria Chapel and the Catholic Traditionalist Movement has always been to keep alive the true Mass and faith which was the raison d’etre of Father De Pauw’s life’s work. My only goal has been to ensure that his work, words and dedicated life are never forgotten. The wisdom of how Father De Pauw set up this Chapel was to ensure that no one could ever touch it as long as those he left behind followed his instructions to the letter. Yes, we could have had someone of various questionable training and background to say some sort of traditional looking Mass if I was willing to settle for less than what Father De Pauw wanted, and yes, we might not have had to endure the religious hardships we did for 3 years, if I was willing to ally this Chapel with religious, political and social organizations which no matter how pious or beneficial their work, nonetheless would have changed the nature of this Chapel. I could not and would not do so because to have done that would have thrown away and destroyed everything Father De Pauw worked and stood for.

Fortunately for us God provided and gave us a priest whose only interest is in being what Pope Pius XI called the “DISPENSER OF THE MYSTERIES OF GOD.” I could not have a better working relationship to keep this Chapel going than I have with you, Father John and I appreciate that you fully understand the sole purpose and function of this Chapel.

Father John, you have helped all of us in so many ways these past 2 years. For some who are not here with us this morning, and I am thinking especially of our good friend and associate Tony Gonzalez whose loss we still mourn and to the many others you were a solace to preparing them to present themselves at the Tribunal of the Divine Judge and to cross the bridge to that better world we all hope to attain some day, heaven.

To those of our members who are sick and in pain you have been a source of strength giving them the courage to accept their sufferings in imitation of Our Lord. To all of us you have truly been the dispenser of the mysteries of God. You have enabled us to hold on to the true Mass and the faith of our forefathers. That faith which we were born in, the faith we were raised in and some day the faith we all hope to die in.

THANK YOU, FATHER!

Richard Cuneo