Tradicat

+ JMJ I admit that removing anonymous commenting represents a barrier to discussion. But it does mean that serious comments will be (I hope) provided. P^3

+ JMJ I have a confession to make ... I'm a lurker. Periodically, I will do searches to see what's happening in reference to the SSPX as what affects them ultimately affects myself and those dear to me. Recently I came across the following exchange on a 'resistance' forum: knish said: If it's unilateral, I couldn't see why anyone would oppose it. I know MANY here disagree, but I really don't get the argument. To be honest, I believe this is a schismatic attitude.

+ JMJ Whenever the Pope issues a statement, the question of the level of authority comes up. The podcast in 1P5's post should help in that regard! 1P5: Podcast - Limits of Papal Authority P^3

+ JMJ As expected, the SSPX has published its first review of Amoris Laetitia. Some will see this as biting the hand that feeds it. Others will see it as not strong enough etch. Both opinions. What needs to be considered if whether or not the thoughts and conclusions contained within are the truth. P^3 Courtesy of SSPX.org

+ JMJ One of the fall back positions taken by the 'resistance' is to say "what about GREC?". Up to now I've always said: What the heck was GREC? First let's start with my perspective and early assumptions. Perspective: The SSPX exists for the Catholic Church to help in the recovery from this crisis.  In that view I have seen a number of 'modern' priests visit the SSPX priories.  Some for discussion, others for training in saying the Tridentine Mass. Assumptions based on this perspective when I became aware of the involvement of the SSPX in theological debates at GREC: This is a 'none' item as it is simply the extension of the work of the SSPX to help other Catholics understand: Their position is based on accepted common pre-conciliar doctrine , Help others to see and understand the core issues of the crisis of the Church. The SSPX did not compromise on the core items Four points of the Second Vatican Council New Mass...

+ JMJ Rorate has published excerpts of an interview here .  The full interview is linked on their post. P^3 Of the many confirming statements one caught my attention: Neocathecumenal Way is a Protestant-Jewish community Mr. Fülep:  While the tradition is persecuted , there are some  new modern movements  which are highly supported. One of them is the community of Kiko. What is your opinion about the  Neocatechumenal Way ? [11]

+ JMJ Michael Voris has made a painful admission of the sins of his past life (see Louie's thoughts on it here) . My first comment: Ye who is without sin, throw the first stone. Concerning the allegation that someone in the Diocese is preparing to smear his name

+ JMJ Update 1: I have received a suggestion from an SSPX priest to remove the letter as it was private letter, not intended for distribution beyond its intended reciptients and that it was put on the internet against Fr. Schmidberger's knowledge and wishes. Update 2: The same SSPX priest alerted me to a statement made by Fr. Schmidberger's and posted on Tradinews. Update 3: The New Liturgical Movement has posted an authorized translation of the letter ( h/t Rorate ) Let us remember that they move without haste! (16+ years) so don't hold your breath! P^3

+ JMJ Resistance without Catholic principles (ie obedience) is nothing short of rebellion. P^3 Courtesy of SSPX.ca: Avoiding a false spirit of resistance

+ JMJ Louie Verrecchio has a good article (reproduced below) and I encourage my readers to follow the link and support him. P^3 Courtesy of Louie Verrecchio

+ JMJ I have changed the commenting policy to 'registered' users (including OpenID) because I have no way of knowing if the known unknown's who have been commenting recently are one  or multiple people. Sorry for the anonymous readers - at least you can be pseudonymous.

+ JMJ Context is important for understanding both this crisis of the Church (modernism et al) and the mind of Archbishop Lefebvre as he navigated the murky waters. P^3 Courtesy of SSPXasia

+ JMJ The Care of Souls.  Based on my discussion with a Permanent Deacon, the care of souls is something not being taken care of in many places. This will be one of the keys to emerging from the crisis! P^3 Source: Papal Encyclicals

+ JMJ Developments in the Rome/SSPX relations seem to occur in waves. We appear to be on one now for obvious reasons. We shall see how this particular wave crests. P^3 Courtesy of DICI.org

+ JMJ An unknown anonymous poster posted the following: I think that many of those that left us to rejoin Rome, (isn’t that right,) did not rightly understand what liberalism is and how the Roman authorities at the moment, since the Council in particular, are infested with these errors. They did not understand. If they had understood, they would have fled, they would have avoided, they would have stayed with us. But they do not want to believe these errors. This is serious because by moving closer to these authorities, one is necessarily contaminated. These authorities are imbued with these principles, live with these principles – these principles of liberalism. Inevitably, they act in conformity with their ideas. And therefore, they can only have relations with us. They begin to have relations with us – relations which little by little impose these ideas on us, since they are the authorities. They are the authorities and we are the subordinates, so they impose these ideas on us...

+ JMJ Unless you are totally disconnected from the world, you are aware of Pope Francis' latest attempt to make a mess. ... and what a mess. The document, by its ambiguity, is in perfect continuity with the documents of the Second Vatican Council etc. Anyone who expected different needs to broaden their perspective. Because of this, opinions are rampant and peace of soul will be lost. So ... pray and keep up your interior life ... otherwise you will not last long in this long march. P^3

+ JMJ Life as a Catholic will be interesting when the SSPX is regularized.  I think we will quickly see which Bishops really support the Tridentine Mass and which do not. P^3 Courtesy of SSPX.org

+ JMJ Mundabor has reminded his readers of one aspect of how the SSPX will determine whether or not to accept a serious offer of a Canonical Regularization from Rome. Meeting six conditions The freedom to preserve, transmit and teach the sound doctrine of the constant Magisterium of the Church and of the unchangeable truth of divine Tradition; the freedom to prohibit, correct and reprove, even publicly, those who foment the errors or innovations of modernism, liberalism, the Second Vatican Council and their consequences;  The freedom to use the 1962 liturgy exclusively. To preserve the sacramental practice that we presently have (including: Holy Orders, Confirmation, Matrimony);  A guarantee of at least one bishop. Society should have its own tribunals, in the first instance, Exemption of houses of the SSPX from the diocesan bishops, A Pontifical Commission in Rome for Tradition “answering directly to the Pope, with the majority of its members and governing boa...

+ JMJ Bishop Williamson has opined on Fr. Schmidberger's letter. Three points became apparent as I read his 'reply' such as it may be. It is clear that in the face of principles H.E. has no appropriate and cogent response and resorts to opinions and FUD . For example the requirement of distinguishing the person of the Pope from the office he holds (in other words - the Pope can issue a lawful/legitimate command that meets the conditions for Catholic obedience).  Bishop Williamson does not answer this point instead offers a helping of  FUD  :" This is a relatively superficial view of the utterly radical attack launched against the Faith and Truth itself by Freemasonic churchmen during and after Vatican II " . Nothing like the fear of Freemason lurking in the shadows of the Church to devour helpless little traditionalists.  Bishop Williamson's response misses the actual points of principle. Why?  Because Fr. Schmidberger's position is based on pr...

+ JMJ The German edition of Zenit has an interview by Archbishop Pozzo discussing the framework for a canonical regularization of the SSPX. So this appears to be a more indepth revelation that the La Croix interview (which, sadly, I have not read) - in that some key conditions are laid out. I see that the Google Translation of the last paragraph may have failed me when compared with the La Croix interview - but I will leave it as is for now. P^3 H/T: Eponymous Flower Source: Zenit

+ JMJ When contrasted with AEAL, this truly is something different. Yet, true obedience requires us to look first at the command issued and whether or not in involves in the immediate or proximate sin. In the proximate case, there is a degree of prudence required - a fact missed by many. That is why it is necessary to pray for the leaders of the SSPX so that they act in accordance with virtue following the doctrine of the Church. P^3 Courtesy of SSPX.og

+ JMJ I have placed the article after the AEAL articles on purpose. After all this, the question I would ask the detractors of the SSPX is this: Does not all that has occurred since 1965 not impel one to appropriate and definitive action that is in accordance with Church Teaching? P^3 Courtesy of the Remnant

+ JMJ Obviously there's lots of events right now. First we have the April 1st - I almost thought it was April Fools - meeting between Pope Francis and Bishop Fellay.  Nothing really news worthy as this is a natural progression as Rome appears to be considering fulfilling Archbishop Lefebvre's wish to 'accept us as we are'. Second we have the April 8th publication of what will be a verbose exhortation of the Synod of the Family. I'm willing to bet that the Pope will give with one hand (unilateral regularization of SSPX) and take with the other (ambiguous document that opens the flood gates of sin further). Much to pray for. P^3

+ JMJ What will be the effect of the Apostolic Exhortation  Amoris Laetitia  ? Because of its silence and ambiguity, where the documents of V2 devastated the liturgical and doctrinal life of the Church, AEAL will destroy the moral life the of Church. P^3 Courtesy of the Remnant

+ JMJ More commentary on the Apostolic Exhortation. I will follow my conscience and continue to seek the sacraments from the SSPX. P^3 Courtesy of the Remnant

+ JMJ If one were to apply over sampling to the noise created by Amoris Laetitia, one would notice the following tidbit on La Croix: Main Vatican (Ecclesia Dei) official: Vatican II disagreements no obstacle to SSPX structure Abp. Pozzo, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, spoke to the semi-official daily of the French episcopate, La Croix , on the relations between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X, and among other relevant things said the following: "The difficulties raised by the SSPX regarding Church-State relations and religious freedom,the practice of ecumenism, and the dialogue with non-Christian religions, of certain aspects of the liturgical reform, and of its concrete application, remain the object of discussion and clarification, Abp. Pozzo [of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei] added, but they are not an obstacle for the canonical and legal recognition of the SSPX." Source: Rorate Caeli 

+ JMJ Update: Joseph Shaw published a conclusion here  - see end of this post. There has been a lot (read onslaught) of commentary on the latest issuance of Pope Francis - Amoris Laetitia. First, I am not going to waste my precious time reading it - because time is precious and reading ambiguous phrases that are merely the result / repeat of a subservience the human respect the emerged fully during the Second Vatican Council is wasted.

+ JMJ Mr. Verrecchio points out a number of key problems with the position of Bishop Williamson et al. Specifically, what is the deviation in doctrine of which he alludes to but never reveals in concrete objective terms? I believe it comes down to two elements: The Church Obedience P^3 Courtesy of Louie Verrecchio

+ JMJ I noticed a blog post on 'Catholic Answers' titled:  How to respond to SSPX followers. As is their wont, the posters demonstrated a lack of understanding of the SSPX position and, I assume, instead of going to the SSPX to find out have resorted to 2nd, 3rd, 4th - hand accounts. Once poster even went so far as to post the following:

+ JMJ One of the glaring differences (there are many) between the Novus Ordo and Tridentine Masses is the manner of receiving Holy Communion. I'll give you a hint - one shows a Protestant understanding of the Eucharist, the other Catholic. It literally is that simple. P^3 Courtesy of the Remnant: Commmunion-in-the-hand-the-floor-is-stained-with-his-blood

+ JMJ The home is the nursery of vocations. True a 100 years ago, true 24 years ago, true today. Parents can do much to nurture the vocations within amongst their children. P^3

+ JMJ I know Fr. De La Tour personally and was greatly influenced by his spirituality from my formative years under his tutelage. These words are wise and ring true as much today as they did almost a quarter century ago. P^3