The following was my reason for starting this blog:
That was before I became heavily involved in discussions (read: arguments) with people who have separated themselves from the SSPX because of the willingness to obey a legitimate command of the Vicar of Christ when such a command is given.
Now I realize that work needs to be done on both sides to 'mend the fence'.
Some Traditionalists, after such a long sojourn in an irregular state seem to have picked up some very odd ideas of the nature of the Church, Her Visibility, and Her Divinely Instituted constitution. When taken to their extreme, these misconceptions resemble a flip side of the most extreme liberal ideas.
Both of these extreme positions warp and / or deviate from the truth.
Plotting a way back for these 'extreme' traditionalists will be just a difficult as it will be for the 'Modern Catholics' if not more so.
The "lessons" learned by the extreme traditionalists as they wandered in the wilderness have been repeated and reinforced to such a degree by the hierarchy that the slightest departure from what their narrowed perception allows results in completely irrational responses.
For example, in one argument (online) a poster wrote the following:
To counter this, I presented the following quotations while concealing their origin:
This demonstrates that some traditionalists have been fighting for so long that, in my opinion, they have lost sight of what we are fighting for, not just against.
We are fighting for the Church, not just against the modernists that are infected within the Church.
PS. The 'Wedge' themed articles are meant to chart a path to separate a Catholic Culture from the Protestant/Modernist Culture that has infiltrated the Church.
Time allowing, I will start a series of 'Glue' themed articles meant to chart a path for preventing 'extreme Traditionalists' from separating themselves from the Church.
The first goal of this blog is to provide a venue to post and discuss different approaches to help the Church to emerge from this crisis. I want to discuss and develop ways to move forward, hence the title of the blog.I had thought that the bulk of the work / discussion would focus on helping 'Modern Catholics' to adjust to a Church that they haven't known. Hence the series on the 'Wedge' focusing on some core elements of Catholic Culture that have been forgotten or worse suppressed since the Second Vatican Council.
That was before I became heavily involved in discussions (read: arguments) with people who have separated themselves from the SSPX because of the willingness to obey a legitimate command of the Vicar of Christ when such a command is given.
Now I realize that work needs to be done on both sides to 'mend the fence'.
Some Traditionalists, after such a long sojourn in an irregular state seem to have picked up some very odd ideas of the nature of the Church, Her Visibility, and Her Divinely Instituted constitution. When taken to their extreme, these misconceptions resemble a flip side of the most extreme liberal ideas.
Both of these extreme positions warp and / or deviate from the truth.
Plotting a way back for these 'extreme' traditionalists will be just a difficult as it will be for the 'Modern Catholics' if not more so.
The "lessons" learned by the extreme traditionalists as they wandered in the wilderness have been repeated and reinforced to such a degree by the hierarchy that the slightest departure from what their narrowed perception allows results in completely irrational responses.
For example, in one argument (online) a poster wrote the following:
Lumen Gentium: "But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the ONE and merciful God"
To say that the Church of Christ prays to, or adores a solitary pagan God is indeed a blasphemy against the Holy Trinity, and the First Commandment.
To counter this, I presented the following quotations while concealing their origin:
12 Q. Who are infidels? A. Infidels are those who have not been baptized and do not believe in Jesus Christ, because they either believe in and worship false gods as idolaters do, or though admitting one true God, they do not believe in the Messiah, neither as already come in the Person of Jesus Christ, nor as to come; for instance, Mohammedans and the like. (Catechism of Pope St. Pius X)
Infidel: in ecclesiastical language those who by baptism have received faith in Jesus Christ and have pledged Him their fidelity and called the faithful, so the name infidel is given to those who have not been baptized. The term applies not only to all who are ignorant of the true God, such as pagans of various kinds, but also to those who adore Him but do not recognize Jesus Christ, as Jews, Mohammed; strictly speaking it may be used of catechumens also, though in early ages they were called Christians; for it is only through baptism that one can enter into the ranks of the faithful. (Catholic Encyclopedia)The response received was:
That is liberal ecumenist hogwash, straight from Vatican II. ...This is an entire waste of time.When I revealed the source ... his reply:
I told you, I am through discussing this with you. It is an entirely fruitless effort, and a waste of time.(Source: http://tradicat.blogspot.ca/2013/01/cognitive-dissonance.html )
This demonstrates that some traditionalists have been fighting for so long that, in my opinion, they have lost sight of what we are fighting for, not just against.
We are fighting for the Church, not just against the modernists that are infected within the Church.
PS. The 'Wedge' themed articles are meant to chart a path to separate a Catholic Culture from the Protestant/Modernist Culture that has infiltrated the Church.
Time allowing, I will start a series of 'Glue' themed articles meant to chart a path for preventing 'extreme Traditionalists' from separating themselves from the Church.
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