Frequently Asked Questions by Newcomers

Q. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY “TRADITIONAL” ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH?
A. As a chapel served by priests of CMRI, we exclusively celebrate the traditional Latin Mass. We utilize the Roman Rite as promulgated by the Catholic Church through the pontificate of Pius XII, which include his 1955 changes to the Holy Week rites. However, as he was the last known true Pope, we obey and follow his lawfully promulgated liturgy. In addition, we reject the Novus Ordo Missae and the changes forced upon the Catholic Church by the Second Vatican Council, which introduced substantial and essential changes to the Church’s doctrine and her religious practices.

Q. SO ARE YOU IN COMMUNION WITH THE LOCAL DIOCESE OF COLORADO SPRINGS?
A. We are not.

Q. DOESN’T THAT MAKE YOU SCHISMATIC?
A. Not in the proper sense of what schism truly is. We profess obedience to the Roman Pontiff and the true Catholic religion; it is because of this obedience that we must recognize that the occupants of the Holy See since the death of Pius XII (John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and currently Francis) cannot be true Popes, since their actions and magisterial teachings conflict with the doctrine and dogma of the Catholic Church as professed for centuries prior. For as St. Paul warned the Galatians (“As we said before, so now I say again: If any one preach to you a gospel, besides that which you have received, let him be anathema.​” – Galatians 1:9), so too must we say “anathema” to the false gospel of Vatican II.

Q. WHAT’S YOUR THEOLOGICAL POSITION?
A. We profess that we live in a time of sede vacante (Latin for “the seat being vacant”), and as such live and practice our faith in accordance with the laws, liturgy, and norms in place at the time of the death of Pope Pius XII (which means we follow the 1917 Code of Canon Law, not the Code promulgated by John Paul II in 1983). For additional clarification, please see the following article: “The Chair of Peter Today is Vacant“

Q. IF THERE ISN’T CURRENTLY A POPE, DOESN’T THAT MEAN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS FALSE ANYWAY?
A. Even an extended interregnum between pontificates does not necessarily imply that the Church has defected. We believe in the promise of Jesus Christ that the Church He founded would last until the end of time; guided by Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the magisterial teaching of the Church, we therefore conclude that the current occupants of the Vatican cannot truly be the Vicars of Christ. For further explanation and clarification, please see the following articles: “Answering the Objections to the Sedevacantist Position” and “Have the Gates of Hell Prevailed? The Papacy and Sedevacantism“

Q. WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR THEOLOGICAL POSITION?
A. For additional articles regarding CMRI in particular, sedevacantism in general, or how the changes introduced by Vatican II and since are in conflict with the Catholic religion, please view the following links:

CMRI: ​Index of Articles
Novus Ordo Watch
TraditionalMass.org

Q. I WAS RAISED IN THE NOVUS ORDO. CAN I ATTEND YOUR CHURCH?
A. You are certainly welcome to visit! However, please be advised that in order to receive the sacraments here, it is necessary that you attend exclusively the traditional Latin Mass, avoid the new Mass, the reformed sacraments, and any Masses which are offered in union with the Vatican II hierarchy. This is done in order to avoid profaning the Blessed Sacrament, which must be received by a validly baptized Catholic who is not in a state of mortal sin.

Q. “VALIDLY BAPTIZED”? WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
A. Due to the errors introduced after Vatican II to make the Church more “palatable” to Protestants and other non-Catholics, it is quite possible that the form of baptism previously utilized for you was invalid according to the norms of the Catholic Church. Prior to the death of Pius XII, it was very common for converts to undergo “conditional baptism” (as noted in the old Catholic Encyclopedia) prior to receiving the sacraments. If you have any further concerns on this matter, we highly recommend you reach out to our local pastor and set up a time for discussion on this and other matters of importance (such as confession, confirmation, and the like).

Q. WHAT IF I’M SOME OTHER KIND OF NON-CATHOLIC? (EASTERN ORTHODOX, PROTESTANT, JEWISH, MUSLIM, ATHEIST, AGNOSTIC, ETC.)
A. We highly recommend that you reach out to our local pastor for the first steps in religious instruction and catechesis. 

Q. DO YOU HAVE A DRESS CODE?
A. We do. Out of respect for the True Presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, and for the edification of our neighbor, we kindly request that all who come to our church observe the basic traditional Catholic standards of dress for church attendance: women and girls must cover their heads (chapel veils or mantillas are available for loan in the vestibule); women and girls must wear dresses or skirts that cover the knee completely when standing or sitting (slacks, shorts, sleeveless, tight or low-cut clothing, and dresses or skirts with long slits above the knees are not permitted); it is recommended for men and boys to wear suit coats and ties or other formal attire for Mass (jeans and other casual attire are inappropriate for attendance at church). For additional clarity on why modest dress is required, please read Most Reverend Mark A. Pivarunas’s “Pastoral Letter On Modesty“.

Q. I STILL HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS.
A. Please reach out to us for more information. We hope to see you soon!