Rorate has obtained a first look at a statement to be released tomorrow
by Fisher More College. In the statement below, the school -- for the first time -- confirms publicly what Rorate has known: that it has rightly appealed to
Ecclesia Dei and expects an answer soon.
Back in March, Rorate broke the exclusive story that the Most Rev. Michael Olson, the
newly-ordained bishop of the Fort Worth Diocese, had suppressed the Traditional
Latin Mass at the college, writing to the president it was for the good of
"your own soul" (read the whole story here).
Maybe most disturbing is that Bishop Olson not only took this unjust
action, but has remained silent on the matter since, refusing to
even meet with some of the students of whom he has banned their God-given patrimony.
Bishop Olson has also ignored a list of questions Rorate asked of him in writing, giving him every opportunity to use our blog to explain his actions to those scandalized by this matter. We still welcome His Excellency to respond to our questions and will run them in full without editorial comment.
Let us pray Ecclesia Dei steps up and stomps out this complete and unjust overreach. The statement from Fisher More College follows:Bishop Olson has also ignored a list of questions Rorate asked of him in writing, giving him every opportunity to use our blog to explain his actions to those scandalized by this matter. We still welcome His Excellency to respond to our questions and will run them in full without editorial comment.
The business operations and programs of the College proceed as usual into normal summer mode. An announcement regarding fall courses and enrollment will be made as soon as it is possible. The College has petitioned the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei for hierarchical recourse against the decision of Bishop Michael Olson prohibiting Mass in the forma extraordinaria of the Roman Rite at the College chapel. Based on our understanding of canonical procedure, the Commission can be expected to rule on this matter by mid-July. At this time, the College intends to withhold making any decisions regarding its campus and residential program until it receives a ruling from the Commission.
The Fisher More Academy online program is healthy and operates with business-as-usual in preparation for next school year. The Academy continues to add exceptional teachers and staff from across the country, has been accepting enrollment for grades 4 thru 12 since the beginning of April, and looks forward to another year of providing an education program to Catholic families that is traditional, formative, excellent, and affordable.
