It’s a question on the mind of many a caller. Frankly, the apostolate handles issues and problems that no other group will even touch.
We’re small. We’re humble. We get results. The NCCL statement of purpose brochure lists the broad scope of the apostolate’s no-compromise action.
A concrete example? In pamphlet no. 2 (links below) you’ll read correspondence — conducted by NCCL at the request of collaborators — with a chancery and the Commission Ecclesia Dei in Rome.
(Yes, all the requests were finally granted, after a year and an half of persistent, plodding correspondence. Deo gratias!)
Simply click on the link to each numbered page of the correspondence to view the collected contents of the pamphlet — now ‘declassified’ in NCCL’s ‘TOP Secret’ archives.
page 1 of the pamphlet/correspondence — letter dated September 16, 2006 to The Most Rev. Richard J. Malone, Bishop of Portland (Maine), requesting traditional funeral rites using the Roman Missal of 1962
page 2 of the correspondence — letter dated October 19, 2006 from the Portland Chancery communicating His Excellency’s rejection of said request
page 3 of the correspondence — letter dated September 16, 2006 to The Most Rev. Raymond L. Burke, Archbishop of St. Louis, requesting he share with Bishop Malone a letter of clarification from Darío Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei in Rome
page 4 of the correspondence — letter dated September 18, 2006 to Cardinal Castrillón, requesting clarification of the Pope’s intentions apropos of use of the 1962 Missale Romanum for funeral rites
page 5 of the correspondence — letter bearing Protocol no. 127/2006 dated October 11, 2006 from the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei clarifying the law & the Pope’s intentions
page 6 of the correspondence — letter dated October 24, 2006 from the Portland Chancery communicating ‘thanks but no thanks’ to clarification … for the time being [viz., until His Excellency can get over the shock! – ed.]
page 7 of the correspondence — letter dated November 11, 2006 to Bishop Malone from another faithful member of the Diocese requesting funeral rites using the 1962 Missal [or, politely helping His Excellency to ‘get over it’ — i.e., the shock! – ed.]
page 8 of the correspondence — letter dated December 22, 2006 from the Chancery communicating bewilderment over what next to do [or, when in doubt, ask those who are even more clueless! – ed.]
page 9 of the correspondence — letter dated November 21, 2006 to Cardinal Castrillón, requesting further clarification of the law & the Pope’s intentions apropos of use of the 1962 Missale Romanum for all the Sacraments & rites
page 10 of the correspondence — letter bearing Protocol no. 127/2006 dated December 14, 2006 from the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei further clarifying the law & the Pope’s intentions
page 11 of the correspondence — letter dated May 14, 2007 to Cardinal Castrillón, bringing attention (with online examples) to dangers of delaying promulgation of Pope’s long-expected, and urgently needed motu proprio
page 12 – attachment to correspondence — first page of examples of online gibes at said delay
page 13 – attachment to correspondence — second page of examples of online gibes at said delay
page 14 of the correspondence — letter bearing Protocol no. 127/2006 dated June 21, 2007 from the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei asking prayers that the Pope’s pending motu proprio be well received
page 15 of the correspondence — letter (on the eve of the publication of Pope’s motu proprio) dated July 6, 2007 to Bishop Malone politely urging he ‘re-set the clock and adjust his time-table’ to give Catholics in Portland what the Pope’s have for three decades said only accords with their “legitimate aspirations”
page 16 of the correspondence — (short) letter dated August 6, 2007 to Bishop Malone asking for audience
page 17 of the correspondence — letter dated September 4, 2007 signed (finally) by Bishop Malone declining audience and promising instead to confer with advisors, Presbyteral Council et al, and then eventually to ‘get around to it’
page 18 of the correspondence — letter dated October 18, 2007 to Bishop Malone suggesting that, while the clock continues to tick without showing anything for it, he might wish ‘to listen to the laity’ for a change
page 19 of the correspondence — p. 1 of two-page letter dated December 4, 2007 to Bishop Malone politely explaining “legitimate aspirations” and frustrations of so-called traditional Catholics, and offering solutions toward “interior reconciliation” called for by Pope also in Diocese of Portland
page 20 of correspondence — p. 2 of two-page letter dated December 4, 2007
page 21 of the correspondence — letter dated January 18, 2008 from the Chancery: ‘We’re working on it – see?’
page 22 of the correspondence — letter dated February 24, 2008 from Bishop Malone providing for a chaplaincy for Portland’s faithful attached to the “extraordinary” forms of the Roman Liturgy (sacraments etc.)
For going on 30 years, NCCL has helped laity, and clergy, overcome similar confusion and baseless objections (as illustrated in the above correspondence) in order to obtain use of the Roman rites of the 1962 Missale Romanum: the ‘Mass of all times’, all the sacraments, and the traditional disciplines.
But that’s not all the feisty NCCL apostolate does. And neither is any job ‘too small’.
Feel free to e-mail the Executive Director to request examples of NCCL’s other ongoing projects advancing Catholic restoration — for the greater glory of God ad edificationem Eccelsiae.
Look for more pamphlets in the series “What does NCCL do, anyway?” to be published online in the future.
Reform of the Reformer 
