The Fork in the Road

JMJ

There remain within the SSPX two bishops of the four consecrated 36 years ago on June 30, 1988.

Bishop Williamson who was expelled in August 2012 near the end of the crisis that resulted in the expunging of the 'resistance' from the SSPX with Williamson going on to consecrate a number of bishops for their 'survival'.

Now Bishop Tissier de Mallerais (RIP) has passed way.

With two bishops to bear the burden of providing, worldwide, the sacraments of Confirmation, Ordinations the workload is significant and increases the risk of loss of another bishop due to a variety of factors.

Because at least one bishop is needed to consecrate more bishops and the Church's normal protocol is for there to be at least two consecrating bishops, the risk to the very existence of the SSPX is now moderate to high. With the loss of another bishop, it would be high.

This presupposes that the SSPX would not be able to obtain the assistance of other legitimate bishops such as Cardinal Burke, Bishop Athanasius Schneider and other traditionally minded bishops.

What does this all mean?

That, by providence, the SSPX has arrived at a new decision point, to request permission to consecrate new bishops from a Pope who, by all appearances, is openly hostile to Traditional Catholicism, yet favourable to the SSPX.

If permission / mandate is refused, then the SSPX will have to consecrate bishops again without mandate and incur a new round of excommunication and an extension of its persecution.

In essence nothing will have changed.

If permission / mandate is provided, then the SSPX will have not only secured its future, but reversed the false narrative that it is a schismatic anachronism that the actions of the SSPX tear apart the "seamless robe of Christ" (link).

In essence everything will have changed.

Pray and make sacrifice that Pope Francis makes a new 'mess' by granting the SSPX the mandate to consecrate four or more new bishops from the priests in its ranks.

P^3

References

Wiki:Richard_Williamson_(bishop)

Comments

News Roundup: October 19, 2026

+ JMJ Well ... I was looking in my blog drafts and found this list from after my News is an Addiction post. So ... yep ... not totally able to disconnect from the news world at this point. Frankly, I haven't read all of these articles - they catch my eye as I check for SSPX news regarding the exco's etc. So let's consider these topics as part of a higher level chronicle. They may not be key inflection points but helps to understand the flow of the world as perceived by the authors and myself who captured them as a snapshot in time. P^3 1 Popes Past Present and Future Benedict XVI and the Reforms of the Second Vatican Council: Re-Catholicizing the Liturgy—Part I - Adoremus RORATE CÆLI: France: Pope Lays Down the Law on Euthanasia RORATE CÆLI: "I went to France to preach the Gospel -- the Defense of Life is something that the Church believes very deeply" RORATE CÆLI: Image of the Day: the Pope at the Rebuilt Notre-Dame de Paris RORATE CÆLI: Leo XIV and the Place...

The Debt Canadian Traditional Catholics Owe to Fr. Yves Normandin (RIP)

+ JMJ On this All Souls day, I'd like to remind all Traditional Catholics in Canada the debt that they owe to Fr. Yves Normandin (RIP). Fr. Normandin stepped into the breach in the 1970's offering the Tridentine Mass across Canada for close to a decade before returning to his diocese for a number years before returning to the SSPX. I had the grace to visit him in Quebec twice and each time left with a greater appreciation of the fruits of his efforts. All of us 'old-timers' probably remembers Masses in Chapels, Homes, Halls, Funeral Homes, and event convention centres. I make the assertion that this laid the ground for all the Traditional Mass Communities, SSPX, FSSP, Diocesan and others. Probably a pretty safe assertion! In addition to praying for the repose of the Soul of Fr. Normandin, I'd ask you also pray for the repose of the soul of his Mother. I remember seeing her picture once and everyone has a Mom and she is worthy of our prayers for producing such a so...

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

SSPX: Requiescat in Pace - Nov. Devotions

+ JMJ Recently, the St. Gertrude prayer was recommended to me and given my devotion to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, I thought it a good inclusion in the morning prayers and post it here for as a reminder for November - the Month of the Holy Souls. P^3 Courtesy of SSPX.org “Forget not the dead and hasten to pray for them!” - such is the Church's recommendation, beautifully summarized by St. Augustine. In Purgatory until the End of the World Our Lady Herself referred to Purgatory when, at the first Fatima apparition in May 1917, she was asked by Lucia about the souls of two young village girls who had recently died. The Virgin answered that the first one, Maria das Nevas, who died when about 16 years of age, was in Heaven. But of Amelia, a young lady of 18 years at her death, "will be in purgatory until the end of the world.” The disclosure about Amelia’s prolonged period of expiation never fails to shock and trouble. We are so easily misled to believe that Heaven is our natura...

The News is an Addiction ...

+ JMJ People seem to be mesmerised by train wrecks. They just can't turn away as the disaster creeps forward along train tracks towards the crossing where a car, truck, bus, trailer awaits its destruction. Trads have been watching the train wreck that is this crisis of the Catholic Church for decades. The trade war between the Canada and the US has reminded me that the news is addictive. The first time I was addicted what from 2009 to 2014 when I was closely following the Rome / SSPX discussions. I was at work watching a live-stream as Bishop Fellay disappeared into the Vatican. The lead-up to this moment had been intense as the 'resistance' got freaked out and the cultural cracks between doctrine and conspiracy theory widened. In the decade since then other things have emerged, wars, rumours of wars, conspiracies, celebrity Catholics etc. Now we have a new addiction and its name is Trump. Lately, no matter how much I try, I find myself wonderin...

Tradicat

Search This Blog