Charlotte Bishop Grows SSPX!

 The "Catholic" Bishop of Charlotte, NC, has effectively suppressed the Old Rite Mass by shutting down its celebration in four parish churches and moving it to a single 350-seat chapel.  The Mass typically drew 600++ of the faithful so that created a problem.

But it was NOT a problem for the SSPX.  It was a boon.

 

...Jim De Piante, project manager for the new St. Anthony’s Church [SSPX], told LifeSiteNews its chapel has experienced slow but steady growth since Traditionis Custodes was published. The motu proprio, issued by Pope Francis, states that Traditional Latin Masses (TLMs) are not to be celebrated in “parochial” churches, and Bishop Michael Martin accordingly announced in May that the four remaining TLMs in the Diocese of Charlotte were to be suppressed and merged into one new chapel.

The suppression took effect October 2, when families packed the new TLM chapel in Mooresville to overflowing, numbering 625 people. However, the chapel, Little Flower, only seats about 350 people. Martin has admitted it is not meant to fit all the TLM-goers in the diocese. 

Since October 2, the numbers attending the diocesan TLM at Little Flower has plummeted, averaging an attendance of about 370-400 over the past few Sundays. Meanwhile, attendance at the SSPX Mass at St. Anthony’s has grown, as numbers shared by De Piante show. By late October and early November, about 100 more people were attending St. Anthony’s than had been in early July....

Predicting this growth and a resulting new church was as difficult as predicting that rain will fall down.

The SSPX is not subject to that Bishop.  Among other things, that means that the Bishop cannot extract a "cathedrata" (income tax) from that group.  But the Bishop must recognize baptisms and weddings under a decree issued by none other than Franny1, and Catholics may attend Masses celebrated by the SSPX to fulfill their Sunday and Holyday obligations.

Too bad, so sad, Excellency.  

The good news?  Every other Bishop in the US reads the newspapers, too, and they can take a hint.