So What's Next?

JMJ

I've written some thoughts on War and the present events. These will start to post in April, when perhaps the passage of time will help make clear what in the present is hidden in the fog of the moment.

That said, as it is highly unlikely that Pope Francis will change his path, for the Church the next major step is the next conclave.

After that, for the Church I see only three possibilities.

First, things will stay the same. The next Pope will follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis.

Second, things will get worse. Given the damage that Pope Francis had done in ten years, it sounds impossible. But who would have thought that a validly elected Pope (i.e. Francis) would be so bad??? It is always possible that the next conclave elects an even more deranged Pope.

Third, things will get better. A good to great Pope will be elected and start to set things right. The destruction of the past sixty-plus cannot be undone in an instant. God doesn't work that way as He allows the chaff to grow with the wheat until the harvest is ready.

So, we need to prepare ourselves for all three possibilities by practising virtue (link).

Tied to this is to understand what our responsibilities are in each of the conditions. If the persecution of Catholics by Catholics continues, hunker down and live the life that God has granted you. The same goes if the Church rights itself, then World will persecute the Church.

Remember this is a war not against flesh and blood but principalities and powers.

Our only hope is in the Lord!

P^3

Comments

The Vatican and SSPX – An Organizational Culture Perspective

Introduction The recent and continuing interactions between the Vatican and the SSPX have been a great opportunity for prayer and reflection. The basis for the disagreement is theological and not liturgical. As noted by Dr. Lamont (2012), the SSPX theological position on the four key controversial aspects of the Second Vatican Council are base on prior theological work that resulted from relevant magisterial pronouncements. So it is difficult to understand the apparent rejection of the theological position of the SSPX.

A Reply to Martin Blackshaw’s FLAWED Remnant article titled: FLAWED: SSPX Advice on Abortion-tainted Vaccines

+ JMJ An article has appeared in the Remnant (link to article) and I am afraid that there are a number of flaws in it that need to be addressed. The author, Martin Blackshaw, believes that both the Church and the SSPX are misapplying the principle of Moral Theology called 'Cooperation In Evil'. Unfortunately, Mr. Blackshaw rests most of his arguments on citing authors that support his position, without considering the possibility that they are wrong. This highlights a key factor in this crisis: ignorance of the faith and its application . I don't am not singling out Mr. Blackshaw for this criticism, I have observed that it applies to laity and religious, superior and subject a like. No one seems immune in this enduring crisis, myself included. I further believe that this ignorance is why so many Catholics, both traditional and non, rely on their gut feeling or "Catholic conscience" for charting their way through this crisis of the faith. While...

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...

Doctrinal Preamble April 15, 2012 vs Protocol 1988

+ JMJ Reproduced below are the Doctrinal Preamble of Bishop Fellay (2012) and Protocol of Archbishop Lefebvre (1988) for comparison. Perhaps when I have time I will add detailed commentary. Now, given that Archbishop Lefebvre stated that there was nothing wrong with the 1988 text of the protocol, comparing it with that of Bishop Fellay ... where's the problem? Are as Kaesekopf of Suscipedomine wrote : ...can someone explain why trads would reject this? Or rather, why a sedeplenist trad (who accepts the validity of the NO) would reject this? Update: To make a comparison easier, I have inserted the comparable elements of the Protocol developed by Archbishop Lefebvre with that of Bishop Fellay. I have also included my own commentary in blue . Last thought, when I first read the preamble I thought ... ok so what's the problem? Now I that I've read it again ... I still ask: What's the problem? It was based on the Protocol signed by Ar...

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

Tradicat

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