Emerging from the Shadow of Traditionis Custodes

JMJ

Introduction

I've seen the online anguish over Pope Francis' decision to restrict the celebration of the Tridentine Mass. I think this anguish may be a waste of both tears and energy.

We need to look at this from a strategic point of view, otherwise if we go tactical we may win the battle but lose the war.

What It's All About

This war is about Dogma and Doctrine. There isn't a 'war' over the liturgy, only skirmishes within a larger series of doctrinal battles. Some of the battles have been over liberalism, modernism, neo-modernism, the first and second Vatican Councils, Ecumenism, Novus Ordo Missae, Quattuor abhinc annos (1984 indult), Consecration of SSPX Bishops (1988), Summorum Pontificum (2007), Universae Ecclesiae (2011), Rome / SSPX Doctrinal Discussions (2012+), and Traditionis Custodes (2021).

If Traditional Catholics focus on the skirmishes, ignoring the goals for the war, they will lose in the because they won't pick their battles to win the war.

The Mass is important, but it is not paramount in this ware. This war is for the TRUTH, not our truth, it is THE TRUTH and in the context of this war I mean Dogma and Doctrine.

No matter how charitably you speak the TRUTH, the enemies of the TRUTH will see it as a threat and react accordingly. Take a look at the uproar over minor changes that Pope B16 made (i.e. "for all" vs "for many") and the Good Friday prayers.

The reason why the Tridentine Mass is attacked is because it embodies and teaches a vast number of Dogmas and Doctrines through its actions. In short it teaches the TRUTH and that is why it is attacked continually. The TRUTH makes the LIES clear.

Looking at it in the grand scale, it is easy to see that we have no way of knowing if we are at the end of the beginning, the middle or nearing the end of the war. We just know that we have pick the right hill and keep up the fight for the TRUTH. For the most part, this means doing the grunt work of our duty of state.

We've Been Here Before

For the Summorum Pontificum Catholics, this is the first time that they've had the Mass ripped from their grasp. In reality, this is but the latest time that the authorities have done something evil. In the 60's it was the highjacking of V2 (not an act of the Holy Ghost), in the 70's it was the wreckovations and Novus Ordo Missae.

So understand that you are largely on your own if your bishop isn't conservative and have a steel backbone.

This is where the rest of the Trad's have been fighting for decades leading up to Summorum Pontificum (SP). A victory, as Pope Francis made clear, was won by the SSPX for the benefit of the Church.

What We've Learned

The first thing is that persecution begets strength. So, I see this trial as an opportunity for the SP Trads to either level up or give up.

Persecutions make our perception of time elongate ...

Long harsh persecution carries the danger of bitterness. In my decades as a Trad, I've witnessed a lot of Catholics become bitter, harsh, and judgmental. The greater their ignorance, the greater the risk.

That's why we have to be grateful for what we've received (link)!!!

To thrive in this persecution we have to have a balanced Catholic Life (Sacraments, Spirituality, Study and Practice).

The Difference

Pope Benedict XVI did a good act with Summorum Pontificum and no matter how much he tries to persecute the faithful Catholics, Pope Francis doesn't have enough runway left and even if he did, decades of persecution have shown that it doesn't work.

Hitting the proverbial Traditional Catholic nail on the head, only makes it dig in deeper.

Like it or not, all of this happened because of the SSPX. Over the decades they have matured and I expect that they will continue the drive the changes in the Church.

SP Trads are benefiting from the decades of SSPX battles with Rome and will need to acknowledge that reality.

Next Steps

In my opinion, in this fight there is no room for dead weight, naysayers and the timid. Nor is there room for the ignorant, imprudent, uncharitable.

To fight the Catholic way, every Trad needs to study their faith and Catholic principles, develop a deep spiritual life, and be gentlemen / lady warriors.

It is through prayer and good works that God will work the victory through His people.

P^3

The Catholic Church and the Rule of Law – Part I: Dr. John Lamont

+ JMJ Is a Traditional Catholic who abandons the doctrine of the Catholic Church - are they truly worthy of the name of Catholic? This is why it is important to understand Catholic Doctrine so we don't knowingly abandon it! This is a lecture provided by Dr. Lamont that touches on the topic of obedience. Obedience is one key to emerging from this crisis. P^3 Source Part A: Society of St. Hugh of Cluny Source Part B: Society of St. Hugh of Cluny 8 May 2014 The Catholic Church and the Rule of Law – Part I By John Lamont (Lecture given in New York on Friday, April 4, 2014)

Schism

There is some question as to whether the Pope can be in actual schism as per the Cardinal Torquemada: Citing the doctrine of Pope Innocent III, Torquemada further teaches: "Thus it is that Pope Innocent III states [De Consuetudine] that, it is necessary to obey the Pope in all things as long as he, himself, does not go against the universal customs of the Church, but should he go against the universal customs of the Church, 'he need not be followed' . . . " [Cited from A Theological Vindication of Roman Catholic Traditionalism, Father Paul Kramer, B.Ph., S.T.D., M. Div. (2nd edition, St. Francis Press, India) p. 29. The full quotation from Cardinal Torquemada reads, "By disobedience, the Pope can separate himself from Christ despite the fact that he is head of the Church, for above all, the unity of the Church is dependent on its relationship with Christ. The Pope can separate himself from Christ either by disobeying the law of Christ, or by commanding som...

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

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...

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