Conciliar SSPX New Altar Tables

[TheRecusant.com]

MEDIATOR DEI - ON THE SACRED LITURGY

Pope Pius XII - November 20, 1947

62. Assuredly it is a wise and most laudable thing to return in spirit and affection to the sources of the sacred liturgy. For research in this field of study, by tracing it back to its origins, contributes valuable assistance towards a more thorough and careful investigation of the significance of feast-days, and of the meaning of the texts and sacred ceremonies employed on their occasion. But it is neither wise nor laudable to reduce everything to antiquity by every possible device. Thus, to cite some instances, one would be straying from the straight path were he to wish the altar restored to its primitive tableform; were he to want black excluded as a color for the liturgical vestments; were he to forbid the use of sacred images and statues in Churches; were he to order the crucifix so designed that the divine Redeemer's body shows no trace of His cruel sufferings; and lastly were he to disdain and reject polyphonic music or singing in parts, even where it conforms to regulations issued by the Holy See.

https://thecatacombs.org/showthread.php?tid=1542

Yes, that came to mind too.

I'm a little in two minds. Is what the SSPX is doing strictly speaking the "archaeologism" condemned in Mediator Dei..? I don't think I would go so far as to say you can never have a more primitive form altar like that or that such an altar should never be used. But even if one were to admit that it isn't *in itself* something wrong, it certainly shouldn't become the norm, it ought to be an exception which proves the rule. And one would reasonably expect there to be a serious reason to justify it, even if it's something like: "That's what kind of altar the church had when we acquired it, it was always like that and we didn't want to change it." Fine. That sounds reasonable. But here they're building a church from scratch. Why would you choose not to have gradines or a reredos? The reason or justification is what doesn't make any sense. I haven't seen that anywhere with these new, big fancy altars, Écone seminary and now the Immaculata in St Mary's. What's the reason offered by the video? I've watched it and I can't tell.