Episode 3082: The Mass Was Never Meant to Change, It was Hijacked by Modernists

"The Mass Was Never Meant to Change: It was Hijacked by Modernists"
Welcome to another episode of CR where we defend the timeless truths of Holy Mother Church, expose modern errors, and guide souls back to the treasures of the Catholic faith handed down through the centuries.
We will walk you through:
• What Vatican II actually said about the liturgy,
• What Archbishop Bugnini did that betrayed those directives,
• How Pope Paul VI went beyond his authority in promulgating the Novus Ordo Missae,
• And how Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani and Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre tried valiantly to stop it.
But before we get further let me start with a prayer.
Introductory Prayer
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Almighty and Eternal God,
Source of all truth and fountain of all grace,
we humbly beseech Thee to guide our minds and hearts during this episode, that we may speak only what is pleasing to Thee and according to the perennial teachings of Thy Holy Church.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Seat of Wisdom,
and St. Michael the Archangel protect us from error and confusion.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Part I: What Vatican II Really Said
Let’s start with the document Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, promulgated on December 4, 1963.
Many Catholics are shocked to learn that this document did not call for a new Mass. In fact, it explicitly warned against innovation.
Paragraph 23 states:
“There must be no innovations unless the good of the Church genuinely and certainly requires them; and care must be taken that any new forms adopted should in some way grow organically from forms already existing.”
Paragraph 36 adds:
“The use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites.”
And Paragraph 116:
“The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services.”
So far from abolishing the Latin Mass, Vatican II said it should be preserved, in Latin, with chant retained, and with only minimal, necessary reform.
Yet what happened in 1969 was nothing short of a liturgical revolution.
Part II: Enter Bugnini and the Revolution
The name at the center of this revolution is Archbishop Annibale Bugnini the Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and architect of the Novus Ordo Missae.
Bugnini led the Consilium, the post-conciliar body created to implement liturgical reform. But instead of implementing Vatican II’s cautious adjustments, Bugnini launched a complete rewriting of the Roman Rite.
He boasted that the new Mass would be acceptable to Protestants, and that it would strip away “obstacles” to ecumenism. Six Protestant observers theologians from the Lutheran, Anglican, Calvinist, and Methodist traditions were brought in to advise on the new rite.
The traditional Offertory was replaced with Jewish table prayers. Altars were turned into tables. The priest, now facing the people, became more of a “presider.” And the rich, sacred gestures genuflections, signs of the cross, incense were all drastically reduced or eliminated.
This was not the organic development called for in Sacrosanctum Concilium.
This was rupture.
Part III: The Ottaviani Intervention
One of the greatest defenders of orthodoxy at the time was Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, Prefect of the Holy Office under Pius XII and an intellectual heavyweight in the Church.
In 1969, Ottaviani and Cardinal Antonio Bacci wrote a now-famous letter to Pope Paul VI, submitting a critical theological analysis of the new Mass. This became known as “The Ottaviani Intervention.”
They wrote:
“The Novus Ordo Missae represents, both as a whole and in its details, a striking departure from the Catholic theology of the Holy Mass as it was formulated at the Council of Trent.”
Their theological critique noted that the new Mass:
• Obscured the sacrificial nature of the Mass,
• De-emphasized the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist,
• Was dangerously ambiguous and susceptible to Protestant interpretation.
They concluded:
“It is clear that the Novus Ordo no longer expresses the faith of the Church in the Real Presence, the sacrificial character of the Mass, and the hierarchical priesthood — all of which were dogmatically defined at the Council of Trent.”
Cardinal Ottaviani, though elderly and blind, begged Paul VI to stop the promulgation of this new rite, warning that it would cause confusion, scandal, and doctrinal disintegration.
Paul VI ignored him.
Part IV: Archbishop Lefebvre’s Resistance
Another towering figure who resisted the liturgical revolution was Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, former Apostolic Delegate to Africa and Superior General of the Holy Ghost Fathers.
A Council Father at Vatican II, Lefebvre saw firsthand the manipulation and infiltration of Modernists within the Council. He later said:
“What happened at Vatican II was a true revolution in tiara and cope.”
Lefebvre warned Pope Paul VI that the new Mass would lead to a loss of belief in the Real Presence, a collapse of vocations, and the Protestantization of the Church.
He also insisted that no pope not even Paul VI had the authority to suppress the Mass codified by Pope St. Pius V and guaranteed “in perpetuity” by the Bull Quo Primum in 1570.
Quo Primum reads:
“We order and enjoin that nothing must be added to, omitted from, or changed in this Missal. We concede and grant in perpetuity that it shall be lawful to celebrate Mass according to this Missal.”
And Pope Pius V warned:
“Should anyone presume to tamper with this, let him know that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.”
In 1970, Lefebvre founded the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) to form priests faithful to the traditions of the Church. For this, he was vilified. But many now recognize he was a prophet of our times.
Investigation by Archbishop Édouard Gagnon
In 1975, Pope Paul VI appointed Archbishop Édouard Gagnon to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the Roman Curia, the administrative apparatus of the Holy See. This inquiry aimed to identify any irregularities or influences contrary to Church teachings, including potential Masonic affiliations among clergy and officials. Over several years, Gagnon meticulously gathered information, interviewing numerous individuals and compiling a detailed dossier on his findings.

Presentation of Findings
By May 16, 1978, Gagnon had completed his investigation and sought to present the dossier to Pope Paul VI. According to accounts, including those by Father Charles Murr, a close associate of Gagnon, the contents of the dossier were alarming, suggesting significant issues within the Vatican's hierarchy. However, due to the Pope's declining health and the sensitive nature of the findings, immediate action was not taken.
Aftermath and Legacy
Following Pope Paul VI's death later that year, the dossier's contents remained largely undisclosed to the public. The investigation's findings have since been a topic of speculation and discussion, particularly concerning the extent of Masonic influence within the Church's leadership. Some scholars and commentators argue that the lack of transparency and decisive action contributed to ongoing challenges within the Church's governance and doctrinal integrity.
The Gagnon investigation underscores the complexities of addressing internal issues within large institutions and the importance of transparency and accountability in upholding organizational integrity.

Part V: Pope Paul VI and Authority Misused
Some Catholics claim, “Well, the pope can do what he wants he has the keys.”
But that's not Catholic teaching.
The pope is the servant of tradition, not its master. His authority is bound by divine revelation, apostolic tradition, and defined dogma.
Pope Benedict XVI stated in Summorum Pontificum:
“What earlier generations held as sacred remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful.”
The idea that Pope Paul VI could discard a liturgy that had been developed organically over 1,500 years codified, protected, and sanctified by the Church is an error of the gravest kind.
It wasn’t just a breach of prudence. It was a liturgical rupture a violation of continuity, and an attack on the very orthodoxy that liturgy exists to uphold.

Conclusion: Cling to What is Eternal
Dear listeners, we are not living through a time of reform, but of revolution.
The Mass the highest act of worship on earth was tampered with, minimized, and mutilated. Not because the Council demanded it. But because men with modernist agendas hijacked it.
But the True Mass the Traditional Latin Mass remains. And it is growing again.
More young Catholics are discovering its sacred beauty. More priests are learning it. And many are rediscovering their vocations through it.
Hold fast to the Mass of the Ages. Love it. Defend it. Pass it on.
Closing Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, Eternal High Priest,
we beg Thee to restore reverence to Thy altars,
truth to Thy doctrine, and purity to Thy priests.
May Thy Holy Sacrifice, offered throughout the centuries in the Roman Rite,
be restored in honor, fidelity, and splendor.
Through the intercession of St. Pius V,
Cardinal Ottaviani, and Archbishop Lefebvre,
give us the courage to defend the faith and the liturgy handed down to us by the saints.
Amen.
Our Lady of the Eucharist — pray for us.
St. Pius V — pray for us.
St. Athanasius — pray for us.
Thank you for joining me. If this episode gave you clarity, consider sharing it with others especially those confused by the changes in our Church.
Until next time, hold fast. Stay faithful. And may God bless you.