It was easier when the popes just died ...

JMJ

1P5 has an interesting article on the errors of the Benevacantists.

The papacy of Pope Francis has set many new bars for the Church. Many of us, who are faithful Catholics, have been shocked and dismayed as he appointed heterodox clergy and prelates; promulgated highly ambiguous documents that appear to challenge formal teaching; and terrified us with unguarded language of the latest airplane presser like a lightning bolt from the hand of Zeus, poised to strike at any time. “Who am I to judge” and the reluctance to handle the problems stemming from homosexuality in the clergy have caused many faithful even more dismay.

What is missed here is that all the papacies since John XXIII have set new records for demonic shock and awe campaigns ... so really Catholics should have woken up decades ago ... and wished it all away.

But they couldn't because the previous popes were dead and no amount of wishing was going to bring them back.

Frankly, from my perspective it would have been better if Benedict had shown some spine and not fled from the wolves.

Then Catholics would have to face the reality that we've had a series of really bad papacies with significantly flawed pontiffs.

This reality is unpleasant and I know of theologians who are basically resorting to fantasy in order to escape the facts.

So even though Benedict lost his nerve, Catholics need to find it and the follow the symptoms to the cause.

Just because Pope Francis makes Benedict, John Paul II, John Paul I, Paul VI, and John XXIII look like saints, doesn't mean that they 'were' practically perfect in every way.

Just remember to pray, do penance and be patient!

P^3

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The Catholic Church and the Rule of Law- Part II: Dr. John Lamont

+ JMJ This is the second article from Dr. Lamont from his lecture given in May 2014. P^3 Source Part A: Society of St. Hugh of Cluny Source Part B: Society of St. Hugh of Cluny 8 May2014 The Catholic Church and the Rule of Law- Part II By John Lamont To understand how the Jesuit conception of obedience departed from earlier conceptions, it is helpful to compare it with the teaching of St. Thomas on obedience. The fundamental difference between the two is that St. Thomas considers the proper object of obedience to be the precept of the superior (2a2ae q. 104 a. 2 co., ad 3). Obedience that seeks to forestall the expressed will of the superior does not bear on what the superior wants or thinks in general, but only on what the superior intends to command. St. Ignatius’s lowest degree of obedience, which he does not consider to be virtuous, is thus what St. Thomas considers to be the only form of obedience. St. Thomas holds that St. Ignatius’s alleged higher forms of o...

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

News Roundup February 17, 2024

+ JMJ First wishing you a Holy Lent! As usual for this series, attached below are articles that caught my eye since the last 'Roundup'. Catholic Church In CRISIS Looking at the response to MAiD, there is a bright spot amongst all the misc issues within the Church. It is a little disheartening that only the huge issues where the world is bumping up against Church Doctrine are addressed. The elephant in the room remains - the current and previous half dozen pontiffs have led us to this point. The academic discussion between theologians is, believe it or not, a healthy thing for the Church. Hopefully it will gain momentum and follow the general rules academic argumentation and not devolve into name calling (as it has previously). Rome - Fiducia Supplicans The storm created by FS continues. People are starting to talk about the next conclave Hopefully this pontificate will do three things: Wake up the faithful clergy to false obedience Spawn a clarific...

Rome and the SSPX - Version 2026 Part 6c: Principles and Rules for Surviving this Crisis of the Catholic Church (Principle 2)

+ JMJ Principle 2: Know the Faith as the Catholic Church Teaches or Taught it. A knowledge of the Faith and familiarity with the history of the Catholic Church for at least the past 200 years provides a good foundation for weathering this storm. Bias, Opinions and Misbeliefs One landmine that undermines principle #2 is the mixing of personal opinion with doctrine. These opinions, beliefs by another name, are sometimes held in a death grip. In some cases they are just prejudices against various real groups such as immigrants, Jews, communists, masons etc. In some cases it extends to conspiracy theories such as sedevacantism. These firmly held beliefs prevent people from both understanding Doctrine as Taught by the Church and making the necessary distinctions. For example, which religions offer worship to the True God? Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Jews and Muslims. Some people suck in their breath through their teeth creating an noticeable hiss at the above statement....

The Episcopal Consecrations of 1988, 1991 and 2015 - Some Perspectives

+ JMJ In defense of the recent consecration of Fr. Faure by Bishop Williamson, some have argued that the 1991 consecration of Bishop Rangel (RIP) by the Bishops of the SSPX present an equivalent standard of action and principles. From this they conclude that the SSPX's condemnation of Bishop Williamson's action is flawed as the principles of the 1991 consecration and that of 2015 are equivalent.

Tradicat

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