Reblog: What is the 'Resistance' hiding? Review of "How to see clearly through the current situation of Tradition?" Part 2

JMJ

Introduction to the 'Private Conference'

Interestingly at the end of the introduction are the following words:

Firstly, let us say that this is not for us to judge people and to impute motives.
Above all, what is needed is to try to analyze the situation objectively based on facts and official documents.

Given my encounters with "resistors", I expect to find a vary narrow selection official documents used to support what they perceive as facts in order to judge people and impute motives.

Let us see if my expectations are met ... I expect to have to wade through the morass of ideas, assumptions and fallacies in order to get to the heart of the matter.

The Heart of the fight is no longer Christ the King, but the Mass

The battle of the popes, and that of Archbishop Lefebvre
Change of perspective

The distinction between "eternal Rome" and "the Rome of Neo-Modernist and Neo-Protestant tendeancies" - what was the basis of Archbishop Lefebvre's rules of engagement has been obliterated.

Discourse held by Tradition until 2013
The new discourse since February 2013
Bishop Fellay imposes the new discourse in Tradition
The consequence of the new manner of speaking about the Church

Silence regarding the Roman scandals

The painful but necessary duty to warn the faithful about the misguided ways of the successors of Peter.
The silence of the successors of Archbishop Lefebvre

Relations with Conciliar Rome: can a practical agreement be considered without a doctrinal agreement?

The position of the Archbishop and of the Society until the General Chapter of 2012.
Change of orientation

Conclusion

Section 1: Heart of the Fight

Here the argument is made that the 'heart of the fight' is not centered on the Mass, but on the Doctrine of Christ the King, and that the SSPX has shifted from the doctrine to the Mass.

That's what makes our opposition [to current Rome], and that's why we cannot get along. This is not primarily the issue of the Mass ... The real fundamental opposition is the Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ... (Fideliter 1993)

Further, the author asserts that:

Archbishop Lefebvre did not see any possible reconciliation with the Roman authorities as long as they have not re-crowned Our Lord.

In support of this assertion, Archbishop Lebevre's words in the 1993 Fideliter article and Bishop Fellay's November interview (DICI no 286) are quoted.

Its primary concern is truly what keeps the Church alive: the Mass. (DICI 2013)

From this the first question is needs to be resolved is whether or not these two statements are actually on the same topic. Reading the full context of the DICI interview, Bishop Fellay is discussing how to resolve the crisis of the Church: By Grace and that the Mass is the source of this Grace. Hence, the fundamental objective to restore the Church is through the Mass.

In short Bishop Fellay is discussing a solution to the problem of the crisis of the Church.

Now the question is, what is Archbishop Bishop Lefebvre discussing?

First, he states that it is not 'primarily the issue of the Mass'. The Avrille author passes over a key point here, the word 'primarily'. So the Mass IS part of the issue. Secondly, Archbishop Lefebvre is discussing the conflict between Rome and the SSPX, not the problem of the crisis of the Church itself. Thirdly, Archbishop Lefebvre later stated that it would be up to the Superior General to negotiate with Rome when the vitality of Tradition became apparent. Fourthly, if this was the primary focus of the SSPX, I would have thought it would be explicitly mentioned. To my knowlege the purpose of the SSPX is:

The Society’s purpose is the priesthood and all that pertains to it and nothing but what concerns it SSPX Statutes

Ultimately, Archbishop Lefebvre and Bishop Fellay are discussing two different aspects of the crisis of the Church one strategic and another tactical. One the suppression of the Doctrine of Christ the King and the other part of the solution to the crisis.

In short, the first step to the solution is to get Grace to flow via the proliferation of the Traditional Mass. That the Monks of Avrille 'see' a contradiction or departure from the path of Archbishop Lefebvre is simply a confirmation bias.

They are seeing what they want to see ... probably because a fundamental assumption of theirs has been challenged by the SSPX.

P^3

Series Links
Part 1: Background
Part 2: Introduction and Heart of the Fight
Part 3: Distinction between "eternal Rome" and "the Rome of Neo-Modernist ..."
Part 4: Silence regarding the Roman scandals
Part 5: Relations with Conciliar Rome: can a practical agreement ...

The Curious Case of Steve Skojec and the Dangers of Deep Diving into the Crisis Sub-Titled: The Failings of Others

+ JMJ It's been a while now since Steve Skojec sold 1P5 and abandoned the Catholic Faith. I've been a 'Trad' since 1982 and in those 40+ years I seen this death-spiral before with a similar end point. It seems that anyone who jumps into the fray unprepared for the enormous task of righting wrongs will, eventually, become discouraged by not the task but the people who surround them. I remember when Skojec complained of the treatment his family received from a traditional priest. This seems to have been the start of the end for him. So what can we learn from the likes of Steve Skojec, Michael Voris (maybe?), Louie Verrecchio, Gerry Matatix and other celebrity Catholics? Probably quite a lot about what not to do. First, don't burn out on the crisis? When you burn out, on work or anything else, little things assume a more greater importance than they are due. This is one of my 'canary in the coal mine' signals that I've been stretching myself too thin

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

De Veritate - St. Thomas Aquinas - What is necessary to believe explicitly?

I was recently introduced to a work of St. Thomas De Veritate ( Source ) in the course of an argument concerning the minimum content of explicit faith. When I submitted the following quote as proof: Theological faith, that is, a supernatural faith in Revelation, is necessary, and this is an effect of grace (D 1789); nemini unquam sine ilIa contigit iustificatio (D 1793). As far as the content of this faith is concerned, according to Hebr. 11, 6, at least the existence of God and retribution in the other world must be firmly held, necessitate medii (by the necessity of means) with explicit faith. In regard to the Trinity and the Incarnation, implicit faith suffices. The supernatural faith necessary for justification is attained when God grants to the unbeliever by internal inspiration or external teaching a knowledge of the truths of Revelation, and actual grace to make the supernatural act of faith. Cf. De verite 14, I I.Ott - Fundamentals of Dogma p241 In response my opponent wrot

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

Communique about Avrille Dominicans - SSPX.org

+ JMJ Having completed the review of the 'Avrille' perspective, this communique from the French District Superior is perfectly timed. I believe that the 'resistance' has lost rationality and further argumentation simply results in their holding on to their false ideal all the more firmly. Pray much ... First, for them to acquiesce to the grace of humility in order to obtain a clear perspective on the principles involved. Second, that we may remain faithful to the Church, and Her Dogmas, Doctrines and Principles. Lest we become that which against we strove ... P^3 Courtesy of SSPX.org

Tradicat

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