Just as a still-unknown killer slashed the throat of Latin Mass priest Father Alfred Kunz of Dane, Wisconsin in 1998, Cardinal Blase Cupich has reportedly slashed the spiritual throat of the Latin Mass order Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, whose U.S. provincial headquarters is located in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

(How’s that for a hyperbolic simile?)

According to Catholic priest-blogger Father John Zuhlsdorf, Christian journalist and commentator Rod Dreher and Catholic World News, Cupich is effectively shutting down the ICKSP in the archdiocese effective August 1. The reason? “Cardinal Cupich reportedly made the decision to withdraw faculties from the ICKSP priests when they declined to celebrate the Novus Ordo liturgy once a month,” according to CWN.

Also from the CWN report:

The situation in Chicago is complicated by the fact that the ICKSP owns title to the church—the Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest—where its priests have celebrated the traditional Mass.

In a July 17 post (updated July 23), Zuhlsdorf proposed the following:

Every priest who possibly can on August 1 should celebrate Holy Mass for the intention of Cardinal Blase Cupich. In private, in public, TLM or Novus Ordo, pray that God provides him with exactly what he needs for his own best good…. Do not forget, priests and laity alike, to get on your knees to pray that what Cupich has planned may be averted.

In an earlier post, Zuhlsdorf alluded to Cupich’s decision as “a serious case of ecclesiastical pogrom.”

(How’s that for a hyperbolic metaphor?)

Sad to say: it’s very likely that Rome will back Cupich on this situation. Stay tuned.

Neither the archdiocese nor the ICKSP responded to my email queries.

The Chicago-based Canons Regular of St. John Cantius will still be permitted to offer the TLM, but that’s because they also offer the Novus Ordo Mass. The ICKSP doesn’t. Even so, I wonder if the CRSJC’s permission to offer the TLM will cease after May 20, 2023, as that appears to be the “endgame” according to correspondence from the Vatican to Bishop Stephen Parkes of Savannah, Georgia.

We’ll see.

Meanwhile, from the Rorate Caeli blog:

Cardinal Wilton Gregory, archbishop of Washington (DC), issued a decree today suppressing every traditional Latin Mass offered at parishes in the Archdiocese of Washington. There are currently seven public TLMs on Sundays around the archdiocese, plus numerous private Masses, plus weekday and holy day Masses. Nearly 20 priests – archdiocesan, religious and extern – offer TLMs in the Archdiocese of Washington.

TLMs, except on days like Easter, the Triduum, Christmas and Pentecost (when they will be completely banned!) will be permitted at three non-parish locations; one in DC and two in Maryland. No other traditional sacraments, from nuptials to baptisms to extreme unction, are allowed. No weekday Masses are permitted….

The mass suppression becomes effective September 21 of this year, giving TLM parishioners at churches such as Saint Mary Mother of God (where this writer has attended for over 26 years; the parish had the TLM from 1845 until 1969, then again from the mid-1980s until now) just nine weeks to pack up and say goodbye.

Regarding Gregory and like-minded bishops, Zuhlsdorf writes:

He has contempt for you. Never forget that. They fear the older form of Mass because of the emphasis on sin, propitiation, and conversion. They hate the people who desire the older form of Mass. Both, the rite and the people, make them think bad thoughts about the eschatological joy they would rather assume everyone merits. And, I think, when it comes to these bad thoughts, they have a lot of help.

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.