Pope Pius XII's Eradication of the Feast Day of the Holy Apostles Philip and James By Patricius Anthony TRADITIO Traditional Roman Catholic Internet Site E-mail: traditio@traditio.com, Web: http://www.traditio.com Copyright 2022 P. Anthony. Reproduction prohibited without authorization. Last revised: 04/29/22
The 2nd Sunday after Easter this year in the traditional Roman Rite falls on the feast day of the Holy Apostles Philip and James, however, in 1956 Pope Pius XII (under the direction of the arch Modernist Annibale Bugnini) abolished the venerable feast and substituted it with that of "St. Joseph the Workman." In addition, the great feast of the foster father of Christ as "Universal Patron of the Church" was thrown out.
While the change at the time was justified by its promoters, in part, to counter the menace of Communism which was at its apogee, in hindsight the institution of St. Joseph the Workman can now be seen as part of the Modernist agenda which began in earnest during the 1950s to change not only the Sacred Liturgy, but Catholic doctrine as well. This all came to its diabolical fruition at the Vatican II Anti-council (1962-65) and the promulgation of the New Mass by Paul VI/Montini.
There was significant opposition to the removal of the feast of the Holy Apostles. The Sacred Congregation of Rites rejected it and "refused for four years to formulate the Gregorian chant and Office for it." Yet, the scheming Bugnini was able to get the feast included into the calendar by 1960.
St. Joseph the Workman, the changes to the Holy Week Liturgy in 1955 and the appointment of Modernist monsters such as Bugnini to high posts within the Vatican were all done under Pius XII. While initially most of these things were not known by the laity or paid attention to by clerics, over time these matters have come to light, and it is now undeniable that the groundwork for the Vatican II Revolution and the horrific changes which took place in its wake were laid during the pontificate of Pius XII.
Yet, many traditional Catholics continue to hold Pius XII in high esteem and many continue to follow the liturgical calendar which he instituted. In the coming days not only will St. Joseph the Worker be celebrated, but a number of venerable feasts have been purged under the new rites - "St. John Before the Latin Gate" (May 6), "The Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel" at Monte Gargano (May 8).
In retrospect, even Pius XII's encyclical Mediator Dei - considered to be highly orthodox at one time - is no longer seen as the staunch traditional document once believed. Another questionable change which came under his reign was the reduction of the midnight fast for Holy Communion to three hours. Ostensibly, this was a wartime (WWII) emergency measure, however, after the cessation of hostilities, the original fast was never reinstated.
While most traditional Catholics do not see Pius XII as a "transitional figure" who allowed the seeds of the Novus Ordo to be laid throughout his pontificate, Conciliar popes certainly did. JPII/Wojtyla, The Ungreat on the anniversary of Pius XII's election wrote*:
In the fortieth anniversary of the beginning of this important pontificate we cannot forget the whole contribution which Pius XII made to the theological preparation for the Second Vatican Council, especially by his teaching on the Church, by the first liturgical reforms, the new impetus he gave to biblical studies, his great attention to the problems of the contemporary world.
While most traditional Catholics point to the Conciliar popes for the destruction of the Faith, Pius XII received little condemnation. Yet, the evidence speaks for itself and there can be little doubt that he should bear substantial blame for what took place at Vatican II.
The replacement of the feast of the Holy Apostles Philip and James should be a grim reminder of the dubious legacy of Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli.
*Quoted in Michael O'Carroll, C.S.Sp., Pius XII: Greatness Discovered A Documented Study, Dublin: Laetare Press, 1980, p. 6.