History of Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel
Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel, Monroe, Connecticut
The chapel was purchased from the Methodists in 1972 (see old photo of the
chapel below) by the late Father Francis
Fenton of the Bridgeport Diocese and the Orthodox Roman Catholic Movement (ORCM)
which he founded. Its purpose was to preserve the true Mass and other sacred
traditions of the Catholic Church against the new Reformation effected by the
Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). Father (now Bishop) Robert McKenna, a priest
of the Dominican Order (Order of Preachers), was placed in charge of the chapel
and has remained here since.The ORCM was instrumental in organizing the
traditionalist movement in the U.S., enlisting other priests to provide the true
Mass and sacraments across the country. Suffering a split in 1978 when Father
Fenton with four of its 10 priests left to start an organization of their own in
Colorado, the ORCM priests disbanded in 1982, each continuing on his own. In
1986 Father McKenna was ordained a Bishop by the late Bishop Guerard des
Lauriers in France. Bishop Guerard had been a confidante of Pope Pius XII and
was the author of the famous "Ottaviani Intervention" exposing the doctrinal
errors of the New Mass (Novus Ordo).
Attached to the chapel is a convent of Dominican Sisters, formed by Bishop
McKenna, who assist in the care of it and staff St. Dominic's Academy, a day
school in the chapel hall for both grammar and high school boys and girls. A
very small
tuition is charged for students of parents in the chapel which includes an entrance
fee for the books needed. Parents must agree to abide by the school regulations.
Traditional modesty regulations, as displayed on the front of the chapel, are
strictly insisted on, as is silence in the chapel. "My house is the house of
prayer." Those attending the New Mass in their parishes are welcome but must not
at the same time receive Holy Communion here. We urge them rather to join our
congregation here, "holding fast to the traditions we have learned," in the
words of the Apostle, until order is restored to the Church.
Are we "under the Pope?" We reply, "Is there a Pope to be under?" That
is the question to be faced by every honest Catholic in view of the
unprecedented upheaval in Catholic doctrine, worship and discipline since
"Vatican II". How can true Popes teach the doctrine of Ecumenism
condemned by their predecessors, notably by Pope Pius XI some 30 years before
the Council? How can true Vicars of Christ possibly approve a "new" Mass
and modernized sacraments perfectly acceptable to non-Catholics? Six Protestant
ministers in fact, of differing denominations, had a hand in drawing up the
Novus Ordo Mass and were publicly thanked by Paul VI! No true Pope can any more
mislead the faithful than can Christ, Whose visible Vicar on earth he is.
Is Bishop McKenna, without papal appointment, legitimately a Bishop? Yes,
considering the extraordinary circumstances - the crisis indeed - of the Church
today. The Church was not made for Canon Law, but Canon Law for the Church and
the salvation of souls. No Bishops, no priests. No priests, then eventually no
Church! That is the goal of her enemies within. "Strike the shepherd and the
sheep will be scattered."
Note
The traditional Latin Mass offered by Bishop McKenna is that proper to the
Dominican Order, one of the ancient monastic variations in the standard Roman
Rite approved by the Church. Though the Mass may be followed easily enough with
a regular Roman Rite hand missal, booklets with the Dominican "Ordinary" section
of the Mass are available in the bookstore for those who may wish to use it in
conjunction with their Roman missal.
Daniel 8:11-13
"And I heard one of the saints speaking, and one saint said to another (I
know not to whom he was speaking): How long shall the vision concerning the
continual sacrifice, and the sin of the desolation that is made, and the
sanctuary and the strength be trodden under foot?"
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