Tradicat

 + JMJ So the world continues to spin and break apart - metaphorically. One item that I think I forgot to mention was that the Catholic Family News ceased publication (link) . I met John Vennari at the seminary in Winona where after some discussion he gave me permission to repost articles.  That CFN carried on for eight years after his passing is a testimony to the need for good reporting and articles. I still have over a dozen of his CDs and his ability to see the crisis for what it was and yet be grateful was an example worth following. Along this line of thinking, you'll notice a few links from articles posted on Unam Catholicam. This blog / website is run by an Philip Campbell and provides clear thinking on many topics. I respect his thoughts on the SSPX - even though I don't necessarily agree with many - I can respect his opinions on the matter. NB: This roundup contains some articles that are against Traditionalism and the SSPX. It is always good to have an idea of what...

 + JMJ Principle 1: Realize that something is amiss in the Catholic Church The world in which I had my Traditional Awakening, is one in which practically anything pre-Conciliar such as liturgy, doctrinc, and even dogmas are either suppressed, ignored or re-framed to be acceptable to the ‘world’. What is more, the people adhering to these pre-conciliar teachings and liturgy are persecuted by other members of the Catholic Church. The things that non-Trads say about Trads can be quite extreme. For example, accusations against Traditionalists include that they are: A revival of the Jansenists (link) , Schismatics, Heretics, Uncharitable, Lefebrists Radicals Integrists When one group of Catholics is persecuted by the others for simply wanting to live as Catholics before them did for generations … well something is wrong. Further, we need to realize that when what was previously condemned is now promoted and what was previously promoted as the trut...

 + JMJ After the Second Vatican Council there was a marked decline in many of the Catholic Orders with thousands of priests, nuns and brothers abandoning their religious life or in some cases being pushed out because they didn't want to 'adapt' to the modern age full of self-loathing. As their numbers shrank, properties were sold or repurposed.  I know of one Benedictine Convent built in the sixties that ended up being leased for non-Catholic purposes. The Trappists were not immune to this hollowing out of Catholicism and monasteries were closed and sold off as their numbers vanished. One monastery was visited by Traditional Catholics in the 80's, at which point the Monks had been gone for since the late 70's. The reason given was the encroachment of the nearby city.  In their move the Monks exhumed the bodies of the communities dead and moved them to their new location. What they left behind was telling. A Statue of Our Lady, high up on a pedestal in the Church. Pl...

 + JMJ Introduction Since the 1980’s when my family started going to Fr. Normandin’s mass (link: https://tradicat.blogspot.com/2026/05/stories-early-days-of-tradition-part-5.html ), I have seen the oppressive attrition resulting from the continuous pressure on Traditional Catholics and the inexorable passage of time. In Ecclesia Dei (link) , I intuitively recognized it as an attempt to scare people into submission with vague threats and ambiguities. Later on, when I studied ED, the chasm between disobedience and schism was one that seemed insurmountable – declaring an action contravened Canon 751 when it wasn’t included in the Canonical warning was akin to declaring something illegal after-the-fact (link) . Now we are faced with an objective repeat of the 1988 Episcopal Consecrations and the media frenzy and well / not so well intentioned voices are crying out all over the wilderness of the internet. Are they sirens calling us to our immortal damnation or voices of reason ...

 + JMJ A now the moment that we've all been waiting for ... well not exactly ... but I have been waiting to hear the names of the SSPX candidates for the auxiliary bishops (i.e. no jurisdiction and no schism). It is a sign of the passage of years that I have never met any of the candidates in my years roaming across Traditionalism - whereas in 1988, I had personally met 3 out of 4 of the candidates. I had been told that they would be older than forty and probably not much older than fifty. ... and so it is with two outliers:  Father Pascal Schreiber Swiss 53y German, French, English Father Michael Goldade USA 45y English and some competency in French and Spanish Father Michel Poinsinet de Sivry France 42y French, English and some competency in German and Dutch Father Marc Hanappier France 36y French, English and some competency in German and Spanish Suffice to say, I believe the SSPX is counting on Fr. Schreiber to add additional wisdom and Fr. Hanappier longevity to the SSPX....

 + JMJ At this time the only indication of a Rome (Cdl Fernandez / Pope Leo 14) issuing a Canonical Warning to the SSPX is a press release (link) .   For comparison, I have attached the 1988 version.  Perhaps they (Rome) will issue a formal warning as the date of the consecrations draws nearer.  I really want to see the canons they cite. P^3 2026 Statement of His Eminence Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith  May 13, 2026  Regarding the Society of Saint Pius X, what has already been communicated is hereby reaffirmed. The episcopal ordinations announced by the Society of Saint Pius X do not have the corresponding pontifical mandate. This act will constitute "a schismatic act" (John Paul II, Ecclesia Dei, n. 3), and "formal adherence to the schism constitutes a grave offense against God and carries with it the excommunication established by the law of the Church" (ibid., 5c; cf. Pontifical Council for L...

 + JMJ The chatter of humans discussing the future SSPX Episcopal consecrations continues at a fairly constant pace on Catholic websites and forums. As in 1988, there are threats of excommunication and schism from Rome and protestations of the crisis of the Catholic Church from the SSPX.  So, what I advice would I give to Pope Leo XIV if he ask for it? That is a good question. What is the core issue that needs to be addressed?  What decision needs to be made?  My first thought would be to recommend caling a dogmatic council to correct the 'spirit of vatican 2'.  But that doesn't really get to the core issue. The second was to give the SSPX an official mandate for their consecration of new bishops to ensure the survival of the SSPX. That also is just a surface issue. The core issue, I think, is that the hierarchy of the Church has lost their true fervour for the salvation of souls, replaced by the seeping poison of human respect.  A human respect that occlud...

 + JMJ Definitely one of the Chronicle! Courtesy of FSSPX.News [Tradicat Comments: I have noted that at least one author has missed the point of the declaration. As an SSPX priest noted in a sermon, the Declaration of Catholic Faith stands as a proof that the SSPX meets the conditions for 'Full Communion' as opposed to blind obedience to the Spirit of Vatican 2.] Declaration of Catholic Faith addressed to Pope Leo XIV MAY 14, 2026 SOURCE: FSSPX NEWS Declaration of Catholic Faith addressed to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV by Fr. Davide Pagliarani Superior General of the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X Most Holy Father, For more than fifty years, the Society of Saint Pius X has endeavoured to set before the Holy See a matter of conscience in the face of the errors that are destroying Catholic faith and morals. Regrettably, all the discussions entered into have remained without result, and none of the concerns expressed have received any truly satisfactory response.  For more than f...

 + JMJ From a Catholic Traditionalist perspective the noise surrounding the pending SSPX Episcopal Consecrations 2.0 continues to simmer and bubble. In the background we have the continued signs that something isn't quite right in the Catholic Church.  Blessing of Same-Sex couple Communion for the Married and Civilly Divorces Bishops preparing to ordain married men in the Roman rite where this is forbidden. and to top it off the TransAlpine Redemptorists take the fatal step into the quagmire of Sedevacantism. The first three are signs of the doctrinal and disciplinary crisis and the final one a consequence of people with poor foundations in how to adapt to and survive the crisis as a Catholic. P^3 1 Popes Past Present and Future Papal News and Views RORATE CÆLI: Leo XIV - The First Anniversary: Pope's Brother Says Leo XIV and the President Have Much in Common - Full Interview RORATE CÆLI: HOW CAN WE VIEW THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PONTIFICATE OF LEO XIV? Leo XIV and the Challenge o...