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

If Pope Francis is bad - what about Pope St. John Paul II et al?

+ JMJ So here we are on the apparent cusp of yet another post conciliar Papal canonization. This time we have Pope's John-Paul I and Paul VI canonizations to 'look forward' to. This follows, obviously, on the heels of Pope St. John Paul II's canonization? So the first question that I usually encounter is: How is it possible, keeping in mind the doctrine on infallibility of canonizations (note doctrine not dogma), that Pope St. John Paul II is a Saint? First, what does it mean??? According to the doctrine of dogmatic facts - it is the universal opinion of Theologians that canonizations are infallible. It means that they enjoy the beatific vision. ... that's it. That is the doctrine and it is at the level of universal opinion of theologians. It is called a 'dogmatic fact'. That they made mistakes is obvious. That the miracles seem to not be very miraculous is also a bit of an issue. Here's something to consider: The rush that surrou...

SSPX: Why Is the SSPX So Criticized?

+ JMJ As long as you are ok with what happens in other Catholic Churches, Traditional Catholics will be left 'alone'. This is a paraphrase of words spoken by an Archbishop to Traditional Catholics (with a sprinkling of SSPX) who had requested the Traditional Latin Mass under Summorum Pontificum. This reflects that attitude of the Church towards anyone who takes issue with some of the ambiguities of Vatican II and the post-conciliar magisterium. If you reject the papacy but are ok with V2, the New Mass, and what Rome has stated since 1965 - then you are welcome. Question some of the more abiguous statements and ask for Rome to realise that a circle is not a square - then you are in for a world of hurt. This is where the SSPX exists and has existed from almost its very first moments. Pointing out contradictions with previous magisterium is not acceptable - under any condition. Why? Because it will cause the whole V2 house of cards to fall. I guess only when the contradic...

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

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...

Correcting Caricatures of the SSPX

+ JMJ Introduction First, a little background on the FSSP St. John Vianney Chapel in Mission Hill Kansas. After the 1988 consecrations and the foundation of the FSSP there was a consistent trend of Dioceses allowing the SSPX to run chapels and churches near SSPX locations. As with any 'organizational change' there were those who didn't agree with the change and no longer sought the sacraments from the SSPX. I heard from friends that in that era there was a lot of anger and tension (on both sides) between the St. Mary's SSPX and Mission Hill FSSP. Second, there have been caricatures of the SSPX position (some are evident below) in which personal opinions of SSPX priests and laity are taken as the official position or conflated with those of sedevacantists or 'resistance'. Recent Perspectives of the SSPX Position In the shadow of the consecrations a fever pitch accusations and opinions how surfaced - many of which include caricatures of the SSPX positions, of w...

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