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Saturday 10 January 2015

The Penny Catechism - differences between the 1958 and 1971 edition. Important!

K


Twitter is a great platform for sharing information - and this little gem was on Twitter, posted by a great Catholic blogger called Ben Trovato.

As you know, I am doing much research into the controversies surrounding the Second Vatican Council - it isn't pretty, I can tell you!  But I have a love of Church history and this period leading up to and after Vatican 2 is important. The Penny Catechism edition of 1971 was printed after the council and it seems impossible to me that there could be ANY changes to the Penny Catechism - after all - the Catholic Faith does not change with the times! So you may want to print out the 1958 version - I will. 

The changes are subtle but this is the problem. Even a subtle change of terminology can alter one's perception of the Truths of the Faith.

I have read through it and my biggest worry is no 265 of the penny catechism. It is regarding the new rite of Confirmation - I was confirmed in the new rite. I am worried. Why?

This is what it says.

The 1958 edition says - the words used for confirmation are these: "I sign thee with the sign of the Cross, and I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

The 1971 edition says - with the 1976 revision - says, the words used in Confirmation are these; "N.........be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit." This is extraordinary!

The shocking thing here, is that the new rite of Confirmation omits the sign of the Cross, the chrism of salvation, the words 'I confirm', and the first two Persons of the Holy Trinity. Thus the proper form is absent, and the validity of the sacrament is open to question (see Summa Theologiae by St. Thomas Aquinas, III, a.72,4).

This shocks me - I now ask the question - is my confirmation valid?? Do I need to get confirmed again? If I am not confirmed properly I don't have the fruits of confirmation.

I have made it a policy now, that I only consult catechisms up to 1958 and not after. The ambiguities of Vatican 2 scare and scandalise me.



Here is the link




16 comments:

  1. If you are upset about the changes to the Rite of Confirmation, what about the changes to the priesthood?? The part about the priest offering the Sacrifice and forgiving sins is REMOVED from the Rite of Ordination, are you aware of that? Thus, Novus Ordo priests are NOT really priests.

    The New Mass also changed the Canon--they actually changed the Sacred Words that Christ spoke. Think about that.....

    If you are serious to learn more about V2, I strongly recommend that you read this-QUESTIONING THE VALIDITY OF THE MASSES USING THE NEW, ALL-ENGLISH CANON By Patrick Henry Omlor

    The book is online here:
    http://www.traditio.com/tradlib/validity.txt

    May God bless you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you annonymous - but why are you annonynous?
      Yes I have been looking into Patrick H Omlor - I have seen his book "Robber Council". But I have to trust that the matter and form is there - otherwise billions of souls are bereft of the channels of grace and ultimately Heaven. I do think St Lefebre was right though. I will read the link you sent.

      Delete
  2. It is possible to buy the original Penny Catechism; the traditional Catholic publisher TAN do the original edition and I think that there was another one. Amazing that you should find The Britons Publishing leaflet. I'd do almost anything to have a copy of their 1980s book catalogue, which I once had.I think the leaflet comes from their book COMPLETE CATHOLIC HANDBOOK FOR THE LATTER DAYS.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dominie, I am not sure but I think this may be covered when Our Lord spoke of binding and loosing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have emailed the Fatima centre regarding the teaching of 'binding and loosing'

      Delete
  4. (This is Anonymous Number 1)

    I am glad to hear you will read the late Mr Omlor's writings. (RIP) This was an important work when it was first written and it still is today for those first learning about what really happened during V2. Also, be sure to read, "The Ottaviani Intervention". This is also online.

    I agree too to be careful with TAN books. They have a new owner. I used to buy from them quite a bit years ago.

    May God bless you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. "1300 The essential rite of the sacrament follows. In the Latin rite, "the sacrament of Confirmation is conferred through the anointing with chrism on the forehead, which is done by the laying on of the hand, and through the words: 'Accipe signaculum doni Spiritus Sancti' [Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.]."113 In the ***Eastern Churches***, after a prayer of epiclesis the more significant parts of the body are anointed with myron: forehead, eyes, nose, ears, lips, breast, back, hands, and feet. Each anointing is accompanied by the formula: ***"The seal of the gift that is the Holy Spirit.***"

    Catechism of the Catholic Church

    Dominie,

    Then hundreds of millions Eastern Christians (Catholic nad Orthodox) are not chrismated ("confirmed") and the most ancient rites are not valid. Really?!? Or maybe, you are wrong?

    Mario

    ReplyDelete
  6. "The New Mass also changed the Canon--they actually changed the Sacred Words that Christ spoke. Think about that....."

    ???

    http://jloughnan.tripod.com/mozarab.htm

    Mario

    ReplyDelete
  7. I know. I try to attend old rite mass on Sundays but there are not many in my area

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  8. This is Anonymous Number 1 catching up on your blog. It sounds like you had a very busy Lent studying V2 and the Robber Council, so much that you even updated your blog intro. I was praying for you--it can become overwhelming. I hope and pray your blog reaches more souls.

    I thought you might be interested in reading this too.

    Traditionalists, Infallibility and the Pope
    http://www.traditionalmass.org/images/articles/TradsInfall.pdf

    Happy Easter to you and your family!! May God bless you! Alleluia

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dear Mrs. Stemp, I am so happy to have stumbled upon your blog! I found this post in a search for the Penny Catechism. I had discovered that little booklet above just moments before I found you, and was shocked by it. I assumed the name "Penny Catechism" was a guarantee that it would be the pure, true unadulterated Catholic Faith! (I, too, have been in the throes of research regarding Vatican 2 etc.)

    Do you know if anyone out there still has the original 1958 Penny Catechism?
    Thanks and God bless you and your family.
    Faith Ballesteros, Texas USA

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comments
      I don't know of any original 1958 penny catechisms. I am always on the look out though
      God Bless you!

      Delete
  10. Thank you. And I also have wondered about my N.O. rite Confirmation. I am glad you pointed out this startling difference. My sons will be Confirmed by an SSPX bishop next spring -- God willing -- and I need to find out if I can be reconfirmed. I enjoy your blog. Glad I found it!

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  11. Your last sentence has also been my worry

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