A Little Cultural Perspective on Traditionalism and the 'Four Points'

A Little Cultural Perspective on Traditionalism and the 'Four Points' - Part 3

JMJ

While he has been silent for a while, I'd like to highlight an assertion made by Fr. Greiger:

Unfortunately, it is not only the progressives who have adopted this individualistic spirit. Even in the name of Tradition, some today speak of a pre- and post-conciliar Church, thus creating a rupture between the past and the present. In this way, they submit everything the magisterium has to say to a test that ultimately sets the Church against itself. (source)

In this assertion Father is laying the responsibility for the 'rupture' at the feet of Traditionalists. I think it is safe to assume that he is including the SSPX in that classification.

I've already discussed and exposed how the SSPX understands the phrase 'conciliar Church', so we can lay that accusation to rest.

As noted in part 2, as well as in Dr. Lamont's review, the SSPX bases its position on an understanding of the pre-conciliar magisterium that is not its own creation, but derived faithfully from the theological understanding at the time of the magisterial pronouncements.

The SSPX is caught in a position of being forced to choose between the clear pre-conciliar magisterium and the predominantly cloudy magisterium that has issued since the Council.

Further more as noted here, the SSPX realises that the solution to this crisis will only come from Rome. The SSPX is not setting itself up as the Magisterium of the Traditionalists. It is simply trying to hold fast and not compromise with the storm of heresy that is ravaging the Church.

While many seem to think that they 'know' what the SSPX thinks and its motivations, the surest way is to go the source, the SSPX. Collected below is a number of articles on the relevant topics.

SSPX: Two Interpretations of Vatican 2 - Myth or Reality?
SSPX: Religious Liberty Contradicts Tradition
SSPX: Archbishop Lefebvre and Religious Liberty
SSPX: State of Necessity Part 1
SSPX: State of Necessity Part 2
SSPX: March 2001 - District Superior's Letter Fr. Violette
SSPX: Is the New Mass Legit?

While some may still be in denial of the fact that the problem starts at the top (ie The Pope) and that it is systemic throughout the Church, thereby rejecting the SSPX's response to the crisis - they overlook one key point.

The root of the SSPX's canonical irregularity comes from their adherence to the formation of priests that ran counter to the objectives of the French bishops of the era.

Have those objectives really changed?

P^3

Comments

SSPX and the Resistance - A Comparison Of Ecclesiology

Shining the light of Church Teaching on the doctrinal positions of the SSPX and the Resistance. Principles are guides used to aid in decision making. It stands to reason that bad principles will lead to bad decisions. The recent interactions between Rome and the SSPX has challenged a number of closely held cultural assumptions of people in both sides of the disagreement. This has resulted in cultural skirmishes in both Rome and the SSPX. Since it is the smaller of the two, the skirmishes have been more evident within the SSPX. The cultural fault-line that Bishop Fellay crossed appears to be linked to two points of Catholic Doctrine: Ecclesiology and Obedience. The cultural difference of view points is strong enough that it has resulted in the expulsion of a number of members. It should also be noted that some other priests expelled since the beginning of the latest interactions (starting in 2000) held the same view points and have joined with the l...

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

The Curious Case of Steve Skojec and the Dangers of Deep Diving into the Crisis Sub-Titled: The Failings of Others

+ JMJ It's been a while now since Steve Skojec sold 1P5 and abandoned the Catholic Faith. I've been a 'Trad' since 1982 and in those 40+ years I seen this death-spiral before with a similar end point. It seems that anyone who jumps into the fray unprepared for the enormous task of righting wrongs will, eventually, become discouraged by not the task but the people who surround them. I remember when Skojec complained of the treatment his family received from a traditional priest. This seems to have been the start of the end for him. So what can we learn from the likes of Steve Skojec, Michael Voris (maybe?), Louie Verrecchio, Gerry Matatix and other celebrity Catholics? Probably quite a lot about what not to do. First, don't burn out on the crisis? When you burn out, on work or anything else, little things assume a more greater importance than they are due. This is one of my 'canary in the coal mine' signals that I've been stretching myself too th...

Church Militant TV and the SSPX - Again

+ JMJ The old narrative used to be that the SSPX was 'schismatic' and 'excommunicated'. Now the excommunication has been lifted for a number of years and the only ones who think it still has effect are the 'resistors'. That leaves the other opponents of the SSPX with the label 'schismatic'. Make it clear, the conservative Catholics have issues with the SSPX probably because they violate some of their assumptions about the Faith and this crisis of the Church. Church Militant TV is one of these the exists along the Catholic thought spectrum. They like the Traditional Mass but must ensure that they don't get tarred with the same 'schismatic' brush that the liberals use against the SSPX. So what do they do, they use the same brush against the SSPX. The funny thing is that even when the Church does speak, they don't want to listen and persist in calling the SSPX 'schismatic'. Here's a transcript of the latest s...

The Position of the SSPX on Canonizations by the Saint Factory

+ JMJ I have sometimes been criticized for including 'St' as a title for Pope John Paul II et al. I've given my reasons here in a discussion with Alex Long. The question is one of prudence in discussions with ntCatholics and in some cases with tCatholics. In discussions with: ntCatholics, I will use the title in order to continue the discussion and help them arrive at a realistic understanding of the crisis of the Church. tCatholics, I will use the title in order to broaden their perspective on the doctrine of dogmatic facts. This broader perspective is, in my opinion, essential maintaining a realistic understanding of the crisis of the Church. So from a doctrinal position, I have written the article Dogmatic Fact of Fancy and includes a reference on canonizations. Now, I know the position of the SSPX is that the canonizations are doubtful (see references below) and I also know of at least one non-SSPX theologian who agrees with the level of doubt du...

Tradicat

Search This Blog