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JMJ
Today Fr. Gruner will be laid to rest after practically a lifetime of striving for the work of the Immaculate.
As with anyone else who has refused to compromise with the 'New Springtime' that erupted after the Second Vatican Council, he had his collection of critics and persecutors.
Persecutors
A simple look at the attempts to label Fr. Gruner as a vagus priest who is disobedient etc is sufficient. Look at both sides, they both can't be right. Either Fr. Gruner is incardinated or he is not. I understand that he demonstrated that he was incardinated (in a similar situation as. Fr. Z), but his persecutors just keep repeating labels with the assurance that if you repeat a lie enough times people (and the liar) will believe it to be true.
Critics
Among other things one of his critics (link below) claim that the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary has occurred. Further, they claim that Fr. Gruner's campaign to have the consecration performed 'sowed mistrust of the hierarchy wherever he went'.
This is a constant canard, along with those of schism and heresy, that are spread by the critics of anyone who has the integrity to state that the emperor has no clothes.
Why this rabid reaction from Fr. Nicholson (fatherpaulnicholson.blogspot.it - The "Scotiabank Cathedral" ) and Michael Voris et al?
Cognitive Dissonance
As far as I can tell the beliefs held by Fr. Nicholson, Voris et al are something like:
- Pope can never, ever be criticized.
- Hierarchy must be obeyed in all cases.
- Hierarchy must be trusted.
Now the problem that is faced by the 'critics' is that the:
- Popes on a number of levels have been more than worthy of criticism.
- Hierarchs must be disobeyed in a number of cases.
- Many in the Hierarchy have both betrayed their fiducial trust and cannot be trusted.
So this creates dissonance (discomfort, mental and spiritual pain and anguish) so they have three choices to reduce the pain of the last 50+ years.
They can change their belief. They appear unwilling to open that can of worms because their belief structure may crumble like an old dried-out Oreo cookie.
They can change the action Well actually, they can't change the action because these are facts not rumours.
They can change their perception of the action. Folks we have a winner!!!
For the likes of the more liberal Catholics, they twist themselves into pretzels with the spinning of the Pope's latest questionable words / actions.
For Voris and friends, they have to ignore the actions of the Pope and criticize those members of the hierarchy who are doing just what the Pope is doing, but not dressed in white.
As a result, because in reality the conflict still exists (ie the problems in the Church go right up to and include the Pope - see last Synod). The reduce the pain they have to:
- Seek out confirmation that they are correct by convincing people to agree with them. The more people that agree with them, the better they'll feel. Basically, hey all these people can't be wrong so I'm right.
- They have to silence dis-confirmation, meaning that they have to lash out against anyone and anything that undermines the fragile mental model that they have constructed.
Hence the irrational attacks of Fr. Nicholson, Michael Voris et al against Fr. Gruner and the SSPX.
They are unable to distinguish between the SSPX & Sede-vacantists because they need affirmation of their position and therefore they devolve into an 'us vs them' mentality.
To paraphrase a modern Catholic, 'they have to be right' therefore everyone else is wrong ... except of course the Pope.
So, while we pray for the repose of the soul of Fr. Gruner, remember to utter a prayer for his critics.
I suspect that they may be more in need of prayer than Fr. Gruner, the Fatima Priest.
P^3
Prayer
Penance
Patience
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