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Faith of Our Fathers

Faith of Our Fathers

A Brief History of Catholic Traditionalism in the United States

By Stuart Chessman

162 pp

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About the Book

How comes it that so many centuries-old practices, customs, and beliefs of Roman Catholicism—above all, the traditional Latin Mass—have endured into this third decade of the twenty-first century despite over fifty years of official ecclesiastical disfavor and even violent attempts at suppression? Why the growing interest in and energetic support for so much that was supposed to have been consigned to oblivion after the Second Vatican Council? In the mid-sixties a “traditionalist movement” was born (largely of lay leadership, but numbering many like-minded clergy and religious) that resisted the auto-demolition of the Church and labored mightily to keep her liturgical and doctrinal patrimony alive wherever and however they could. The story of this determined effort needs to be told now more than ever for new “converts” to the Latin Mass and for younger generations unfamiliar with the great sacrifices of their forerunners.    

         In this compact and informative book, Stuart Chessman tells the tale of the traditionalist movement in the United States of America, from its birth in the era of Triumph (1965–1975) to the mounting tensions with “conservative Catholicism” (1975–1985), to the dawning of hope in the “Indult regime” (1985–2007), leading into the broad daylight of Summorum Pontificum (2007–2021), and then descending into progressive darkness under Pope Francis (2013–), who has chosen total war with Traditionis Custodes. Throughout, the author judiciously attributes praise and blame, draws timely lessons, makes warnings and prognoses, and delivers a message of patient determination and well-founded hopes for the future.



Praise

“Stuart Chessman’s Faith of Our Fathers is truly a book for our time, when the Traditional Movement in the Church faces serious opposition from Rome. Its fine history is necessary reading for young priests and laity at the heart of the Movement today. We must know whence we came to understand where we are and whither we would go. One of the chief contributions Mr. Chessman makes is his clear explanation of the difference between Conservatism and the Traditional Movement. He looks to the future when the Traditional Movement must be a force of reform for the whole Church. Required reading for every Traditional Catholic.”

—FR RICHARD CIPOLLA

 

 

“There is no page in Stuart Chessman’s book that fails to draw attention to the underpinnings of the ‘traditional Mass movement’ in the U.S. Despite its title, this is no mere history course. Chapter by chapter, Chessman erases the clichés and occasional slander about traditional Catholics—that they are unhappy old people swimming in nostalgia, for example. Faith of Our Fathers is a real service to the Church, and will be read and welcomed by many, perhaps even by many a bishop quietly cheering us on by now.”

—ROGER A. MCCAFFREY

 

“The clear and informative pages of Stuart Chessman’s Faith of Our Fathers equips us with all we need to delve into the origins and development of American traditionalism, as well as understand the problems and temptations this movement suffers from today, not only in the United States, but throughout the world.”

—ROBERTO DE MATTEI



About the Author

STUART CHESSMAN has been a financial executive with several large multinational corporations. Since 2007 he has been a leader of the Society of St. Hugh of Cluny, which is dedicated to the preservation and spread of the Traditional Latin Mass. Mr. Chessman is married and has five children. He resides in Connecticut.

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