The shift from a clear Catholic practice on “Catholic” college campuses seems to have happened after the Vatican two council of the 60s. Mercyhurst University is comparable to St. Bonaventure University, where I was a student. In studying SBU’s history, I saw in the online archives this exact transformation. I imagine if you’d check the MU archives and compare anything pre-Vatican 2 to today’s MHU, it would look like night and day.
So, in a long quest of soul-searching that has not yet concluded, I have embraced sedevacantism, or the belief that we haven’t had a true pope since the 60s.
MU does not have the traditional Latin Mass; the whole campus culture has been radicalized and looks just like any other state school. I don’t know how “mass” attendance is, but I would guess it is pretty low. I don’t see people praying rosaries or dressed formally. The college has been largely secularized and liberalized. The Merciad paper had all about zero mention of Catholicism in a couple of the issues I saw during my first weeks attending the university.
The “modern” disgusting art on campus flies in the tradition of constructing realist depictions of saints, angels, etc. to glorify God and inspire piety in devout believers.
None of this critique will make much sense until you do some research and see for yourself that “what used to be done” still should be done the same way. There was a logic behind why things were done “the old way” which is inferior to some replacements. A great case in point is the Ember Days, which happened just last weekend (Editor’s note: Sept 20) – these were three days of fasting, seasonally, and especial attention to prayer. Jesus notes in Matthew 17:21 that some demons are only cast out by “prayer and fasting”.
The whole traditional Lenten calendar mandated daily fasting, besides on Sunday. This was all abolished in the 60’s, and the result is not freedom but that there are more demons which enslave people because they are unlikely to go out of their way to find these methods to get rid of them. What was institutionally the norm, is now something that people have to go “out of their way” to find? By the way, there is a such thing as literal demons – mental illness is not always simply “chemical imbalances”.
Tradition doesn’t go away, but Satan is trying to bury it. Traditional Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) Abp. Lefebvre was excommunicated within 72 hours of consecrating four bishops for the spread of traditional Catholicism, yet pro-abortion politicians who clearly violate Catholic principles are left in good standing with the “Church”. It is beyond insanity. All that matters is that we do our best to get to heaven. All of this other stuff is a complete distraction and waste of time. Don’t forget Jesus’ words, “For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul?” Mark 8:36. Yes, we can still go to hell. Yes, all the pleasures of the world are passing quickly away. Pray God may restore Mercyhurst to Catholic greatness. Read some St. Thomas Aquinas. Don’t waste time drinking or in idleness, pray up and go for the eternal treasure!
Editor’s note: Mr. Hakel is not a former student. He describes himself as a frequent user of the campus facilities and wanted the opportunity to voice his opinion.