Nightmare for Francis: Celebrity Conversion Because of Roman Mass

Nightmare. Actor Shia LaBeouf, who portrays Padre Pio in a new film, has returned to the Church specifically because of the Old Mass, he told Bishop Barron in late August. Liz Yore noted on LifeSiteNews that this news had such wide circulation that it eclipsed the consistory. While Francis fights the Old Mass, this young man found in the Mass a lifeline at a low point in his life. Quote Yore: "I think this is Francis' worst nightmare."

The nightmare goes mainstream. As expected, the oligarch media are furious about LaBeouf's conversion. Slate.com labels the Latin Mass "deeply controversial” [for Slate] adding that the Mass has an allegedly small but very fiery faction in the Church, and is solemn, beautiful, ancient, mysterious, and sacred. And - Slate.com continues: "Traditionalists [that is, Catholics] believe the Latin Mass is the key to reviving the faith among young people."

Car salesman. LeBeouf's conversion is being cheered on social media and used for poking fun at the Vatican. CatholicChack invented a meme showing how Bishop Barron who is no friend of the Old Mass, is surprised about LeBeouf’s love for the Mass with LeBeouf depicted as Padre Pio. In another meme, liturgist Matthew Hazell caricatured LeBeouf's statement that the Novus Ordo presents itself as if it is trying to sell an ideology and the response of the Prefect of the Congregation for the Liturgy, Cardinal Roche, quote: "I'd like to know why he thinks that way."

Dream come true. In a rarely quoted passage of the interview, LaBeouf says that it was very difficult for him to find a Roman Mass he could attend. In the end, he says, Mel Gibson helped him. At another point, LaBeouf says that the New Mass tries to mobilise participants to attend the Eucharist in an artificial way. In contrast, the Old Mass DRAWS the faithful into its Sacred Mystery.