When is a rebuttal not a rebuttal?

JMJ

When is a rebuttal not a rebuttal?

When it doesn't directly address the point of contention.

In this case we have Bishop Williamson's defense of his actions in 2009.

(Quoting Fr. Wegner) It is brought to my attention that in Queen of Angels, Texas, parish of the SSPX, you said recently that when in November of 2008 I spoke to a Swedish TV interviewer about the "Holocaust", I was perfectly well aware of what harm my remarks would do to the SSPX, and I made the remarks anyway, as though I positively wanted to harm the SSPX.

Key elements:

When Bishop Williamson uttered his opinion in Germany he was definitely aware that he was breaking a civil law of that country.
He would have to be a fool to not foresee the effects that such actions would have on his own person as well as the apostolate of the SSPX in Europe. Especially since he was banned from entering Canada for a number of years for similar comments.
Assuming that Bishop Williamson reasonably could foresee the effects of his words and still made them anyway, the inference made by Fr. Wegner is not out of the bounds of rationality.

(Bishop Williamson continues) I will assume that this report of your words is substantially accurate, because it is a widely shared version of my intentions at that moment.

Here is the truth, with which you must do as you see fit, but you will have been told it.
When I called in question the Six Million and the Gas-chambers, for good or ill the thought of the SSPX was absolutely not in my mind. I had in mind one thing and one thing alone -- to tell what I understood to be the truth on a very important question of modern history and religion, because the "Holocaust" has been made into the most widely spread and influential substitute religion of modern times.
I expect no apology. I might be grateful if you ceased to tell counter-truths about my intention in uttering those famous words. Over to you.
With good wishes in Christ, +Richard Williamson."

So, Bishop Williamson claims that the "SSPX was absolutely not in my mind" ... well it should have been.

He should have had the SSPX forefront in his mind as he brashly proclaimed the 'truth' about a place he has never visited nor a time he has never experienced.

Truly, it is Bishop Williamson who has made a religion, his religion, out of the Holocaust (shoah).

Pray that he realizes his error before he makes his final journey.

P^3

Comments

A Reply to Martin Blackshaw’s FLAWED Remnant article titled: FLAWED: SSPX Advice on Abortion-tainted Vaccines

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The Vatican and SSPX – An Organizational Culture Perspective

Introduction The recent and continuing interactions between the Vatican and the SSPX have been a great opportunity for prayer and reflection. The basis for the disagreement is theological and not liturgical. As noted by Dr. Lamont (2012), the SSPX theological position on the four key controversial aspects of the Second Vatican Council are base on prior theological work that resulted from relevant magisterial pronouncements. So it is difficult to understand the apparent rejection of the theological position of the SSPX.

Rome and the SSPX - the latest

+ JMJ Bishop Fellay gave a conference late last month and provided some more insight into the situation with Rome. There are comments on Deus Ex Machina Blog and Hilary White has now entered the fray. What is one Catholic to think about all these opinions? What a Catholic is to think: With the Church! What does the Church think about obedience? Virtue as it is? If there is no proximate occasion of sin and the other conditions are met, then one cannot resist the command.

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

Tradicat

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