Dangers of Latching onto Heroes instead of Principles

JMJ

Here's the pattern:

Knowledgeable person discovers Traditional Catholicism,
They say the 'right' things affirming Traditional Catholic beliefs,
Traditional Catholics latch onto this 'Traditional Catholic Personality',
'Traditional Catholic Personality' deviates in some way,
Traditional Catholics have a variety of responses to the 'deviation'.

Point 5 is where things get interesting in the 'variety' of responses. If the Traditional Catholics don't have a firm basis in their spiritual life and understanding of Catholic Principles - they will be lead by the nose wherever the personality goes.

Examples of this are legion in the history of Traditional Catholicism.

To name a couple we have:

Gerry Matatix,
Michael Voris.

Gerry Matatix made a rainbow transition from protestant to sedevacantist.

Michael Voris made a transition from fallen away Catholic to staunch protector of irrationality. Case in point is his policies to:

Not criticise the Pope under any circumstances (absurd with Pope Francis).
The SSPX must be in schism because PSJP2 said so (even though the 'schismatic act' was ficticious).

I understand that it is nice to have your point of view affirmed by someone outside the 'club'. Which is why Traditional Catholics will hang on every word uttered by 'conservative' (Read: Cardinal Burke) and 'Traditional' prelates (Read: Bishop Schneider).

But what if they make a misstep?

Are they worth following because of a sentimental attachment?

The answer is no. If a person deviates from Catholic Principles, the path they are following does not lead to God and Heaven, it leads to the Devil and Hell.

So what's the lesson?

Don't get attached to 'personalities', get attached to Catholic Principles and then follow them.

If some Catholic Personality, happens to acting along the same lines, then they're in good company.

P^3

Comments

Is it sinful to attend the Novus Ordo (New Mass) - Is it Sinful to Not Attend the Novus Ordo on Sunday?

+ JMJ A non-SSPX Catholic is upset over the SSPX statements on not attending the Novus Ordo Missae. Ladies and gentlemen, what the SSPX, or at least its website editor, is advocating is a mortal sin against the Third Commandment. Unless the priest deviates from the language of the Sacramentary, the consecration, and thus the rest of Mass is to be considered valid. No one may elect not to attend Mass simply because abuses are occurring therein. Might I suggest that such absenteeism is its own abuse? The Third Commandment binds under mortal sin. Father So-And-So from the SSPX has no authority whatsoever to excuse attendance at Mass, be that Mass ever so unpalatable. Source:Restore DC Catholicism Well, this is interesting. First why does the SSPX issue this statement? Because it is sinful to put your faith in danger by attending a protestant service. It is likewise dangerous to put your faith in danger by attending a protestantized mass (ie the Novus Ordo Missae

Fr. Burfitt on Fr. Pfeiffer's Attempted Consecration

+ JMJ Amidst the shadows cast by the publication of Traditionis Custodes, I am working on a map of the 'resistance' splinters to put their reaction in contrast with that of the SSPX. In the midst of this, I just came across Fr. Burfitt letter on the attempted consecration. Breaking it down (see below) items 2 and 3 are key. Just as the consecrating bishop is 'doubtful', even if he hadn't muffed the first attempt, Fr. Pfeiffer remain doubtful and therefore this impacts those men is attempts to 'ordain'. There were rumours that Fr. Pfeiffer was seeking episcopal consecration for years as he cast about for various bishops (also doubtful) to help him achieve this goal. I wonder how he convinced the 'doubtful' bishop to provide (twice) the doubtful consecration. What a mess! This creates a danger to the souls of his followers and wonder where it will end. Will he go full sede and have himself 'elected' pontiff as others have done before him

War: Civil Society

+ JMJ Society seems to be ripping itself apart, both morally and socially. Morally, the world continues its steady decline. Israel vs Hamas The confusion over the morality of the Israel vs Hamas War is one example. It is a war and, this time, in response to the October 7th attack. I've noticed two perspectives emerge from the two combatants. For the Israeli, it is that they are the only Nation that is not allowed to win a war. Public opinion is always at play in wars, but in the case of Israel against anyone in the area, public opinion quickly becomes a factor. For Hamas and its supporters it is embodied in the phrase: From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free. This is the goal of Hamas, the elimination of the Jewish state of Israel according to its 2017 Charter (link) . I understand that their original charter was more explicit. Tied to this is that Hamas obviously, prioritizes its goal over the Gazans that they govern. For this I recommend a read of Son of H

Morning and Evening and other sundry Prayers

+ JMJ Along the theme of P^3 (Prayer, Penance, Patience), and for my own reference ... here is a collection of Morning and Evening prayers from the Ideal Daily Missal along with some additional prayers. In this crisis of the Church, I do not think it is possible to do too much prayer, penance and have patience. P^3

What the heck is a congregation of "Pontifical Right"

+ JMJ In a discussion with a friend the question occurred to me that I didn't actually know was is involved in being a religious order of 'pontifical right'. I had a vague notion that this meant they reported to Rome as opposed to the local diocese. I'm also aware that, according to the accounts I have heard, the Archbishop received 'praise' and the written direction to incardinate priests directly into the SSPX. This is interesting because it implies that the SSPX priests were no longer required to incardinate in the local diocese but in the SSPX. This is something that belongs to an order of 'pontifical right'. Anyway here's some definitions: Di diritto pontificio is the Italian term for “of pontifical right” . It is given to the ecclesiastical institutions (the religious and secular institutes, societies of apostolic life) either created by the Holy See or approved by it with the formal decree, known by its Latin name, Decretu

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