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

Comments

Hermeneutic of the Hermeneutic of Continuity - sspx.org

+ JMJ Since I'm looking at the 'four things', I thought this article would be good. Unfortunately, with the new SSPX.org website, I've been unable to locate the original article. This is a copy the I emailed to myself. This is an article that, I believe, was written in response to a conference given by Msgr. Pozzo. 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...

Rome and the SSPX - Version 2026 Part 4 - The Mass (Updated with Postscript)

+ JMJ Introduction "I don’t understand why they are so afraid of this Mass!!!" A Conservative Catholic priest spoke these words to me one evening in his parich parking lot in 2011, mere days before Pope Benedict XVI issued his follow up to Summorum Pontificum ( 2007-07-07 Motu Proprio , Letter to Bishops , ), Universae Ecclesiae ( 2011-04-30 Motu Proprio , Note ). The people who were afraid that night were bishops. This conservative priest had started a project a year or so earlier – very simply a Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapel. Earlier that evening I had visited this chapel with some friends and ended up in a conversation with the priest after everyone had left. Word reached the bishops palace after the completion of the chapel and the priest received a phone call and visit from his local ordinary. My impression (this being now ~15 years ago) was that he was nervous about how the visit would proceed. The bishop came, made a visit to OLJC in the Blessed Sacrament and ...

Rome,the SSPX and this time of Crisis - Updated

+ 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

What the heck is a congregation of "Pontifical Right"

+ JMJ In a discussion with a friend the question occurred to me that I didn't actually know was is involved in being a religious order of 'pontifical right'. I had a vague notion that this meant they reported to Rome as opposed to the local diocese. I'm also aware that, according to the accounts I have heard, the Archbishop received 'praise' and the written direction to incardinate priests directly into the SSPX. This is interesting because it implies that the SSPX priests were no longer required to incardinate in the local diocese but in the SSPX. This is something that belongs to an order of 'pontifical right'. Anyway here's some definitions: Di diritto pontificio is the Italian term for “of pontifical right” . It is given to the ecclesiastical institutions (the religious and secular institutes, societies of apostolic life) either created by the Holy See or approved by it with the formal decree, known by its Latin name, Decretu...

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