The sad situation in Niafles continues as the people of that little faithful village are taking turns occupying the Church after the Bishop of Laval has ordered an end to the traditional Latin Mass there, which has continued in that village with the permission of diocesan bishops despite the liturgical revolution of Pope Paul VI, that is until Bishop of Laval Diocese (upon the complaints of the village's Socialist mayor) says that the Traditional Latin Mass that the village has always known is no longer allowed. Apparently the Bishop has agreed to allow one Latin Mass every eleven Sundays (the compromise that has been offered by the Bishop), at a location over 40 kilometers away in a renovated Novus Ordo Church. And that Mass is probably a Novus Ordo Mass in Latin (I am trying to figure this out from the French, which I am not very proficient with, and would appreciate any information on this little detail). This is of course at the same time that a lawful priest of the Fraternity of Saint Peter is already in Niafles to offer the Mass for the faithful there. This is completely unjust!

The eyes of the traditional Catholic world are focused upon Niafles to see how the Church handles this situation (on the eve of a major papal pronouncement on the subject), which could be a sign of things to come in the Church. If this misguided bishop is allowed to suppress the Traditional Mass in Niafles, that could not bode well for the expansion of the traditional rite as the Pope wishes throughout the Latin Church.

Apparently His Excellency, Bishop Maillard of Laval, is one of the last people in the Church to get the word that the Traditional Latin Mass was never forbidden to priests and that any priest in the world may lawfully offer it. The Pope himself is expected to make this clear in a Motu Proprio within weeks, which makes the Bishop's timing very questionable. The Bishop has indicated (very wrongly) that the people of Niafles were not integrated fully into the life of the Church in Laval Diocese. This is an insult, to insinuate that attachment to the Traditional Latin Mass, a great treasure of the Roman Church, means that one is not a part of the Church's life. This flies in the face of Pope John Paul II's indult and the clear wishes of Pope Benedict XVI.

Many will accuse the faithful of Niafles of disobedience, as if failure to obey an unjust command is the same as failure to obey a just one. A command of this sort which is unjust and destructive of faith carries no weight of law. The very purpose of law and order within the Church is the reign of Jesus Christ and the salvation of souls. A law which leads against that is no law at all, as St. Thomas teaches in the Summa. The Bishop's handling of this situation has been dismal. He has even threatened to call the police on parishioners!

Meanwhile, there are even more moving pictures online of the struggle between the faithful and their bishop. Take note of the picture of the people kneeling outside of their Church ON THE GROUND while being watched by French Police as if they were criminals! Faith like this ought to be praised, not attacked by the faithful's own shepherd.