.....
this missal is hereafter to be followed absolutely, without any scruple of
conscience or fear of incurring any penalty, judgment or censure, and may
freely and lawfully be used ..... Nor
are superiors, administrators, canons, chaplains, and other secular priests, or
religious, of whatever title designated, obliged to celebrate the Mass otherwise
than as enjoined by Us. ..... Accordingly,
no one whatsoever is permitted to infringe or rashly contravene this notice of
Our permission, statute, ordinance, command, precept, grant, direction, will,
decree and prohibition. Should any person venture to do so, let him
understand he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the Blessed Apostles
Peter and Paul.
Pope
St. Pius V, Papal Bull, QUO PRIMUM,
Tridentine
Codification of the “received and approved” traditional Roman Rite of the Mass.
Second Sunday of Lent
March 1, 2026
The Station at Rome is in the church of St. Mary’s
in Dominica, because in former times the Christians gathered there on Sundays
in the house of the Lord (Dominicum). It
is said to have been here that Saint Lawrence distributed the goods of the
Church to the poor. It is one of the
fifth century parishes of Rome.
Just as on Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and
Quinquagesima Sundays, the subject matter of the Divine Office forms the
texture of the Masses for the Second, Third and Fourth Sundays of Lent in such
a way, that past ages still carry on their work of illustrating the Paschal
mystery and so preparing us for it. And
indeed our Lord’s ancestors, according to the flesh, are types of both Him and
His Church.
Today in the breviary we read of the
Patriarch Jacob, model of the most complete trust in God in the midst of all
adversities. The Holy Scriptures often
call Jehovah the God of Jacob or Israel, when He is referred to as the
protector of His people. In the Introit
we say “O God of Israel deliver us from all our tribulations.” It is then, to the God of Jacob, the God of
those who serve Him, that the Church addresses herself today. In the Introit we read that he who puts his
trust in God will never be ashamed. In
the Collect we ask almighty God to keep us both inwardly and outwardly, that we
may be preserved from all adversities.
In the Gradual and Tract we beseech our Lord that He will deliver us
from our troubles and adversities and “visit us with His salvation.” The life of the patriarch Jacob could not be
summed up in a better way: he whom God always helped in the midst of his
trouble and in whom, as Saint Ambrose says, “we must acknowledge singular courage
and great patience in labors and trials.”
Jacob was chosen by almighty God to be
the heir of His promises, just as formerly He had selected Isaac, Abraham, Sem
and Noah. The name Jacob really means
“Supplanter,” and he fulfilled the meaning of his name when he bought Esau’s
first birthright from him for a mess of pottage, and obtained by a trick, that
blessing of the elder son which his father meant to give to Esau. Isaac blessed indeed his younger son, after
having touched his hands which Rebecca had covered with goatskin, with the
words: “Let peoples serve thee…and be thou lord of thy brethren.”
Further, when Jacob had to flee to escape
Esau’s vengeance, he saw in a dream a ladder reaching to heaven upon which the
angels ascended and descended. At the
head of the ladder was the Lord who told him: “in thee and thy seed all the
nations of the earth shall be blessed.
And I will be thy keeper wither so ever thou goest, and will bring thee
back into this land; neither will I leave thee, till I shall have accomplished
all that I have said.” After twenty
years Jacob returned to his brother’s confidence and they were reconciled.
Every feature of the history of this
patriarch is typical of Christ and the Church in the Paschal mystery. Saint Augustine writes: “The blessing which
Isaac gave Jacob, has a symbolic meaning in which the goatskins represent sins,
while Jacob clothed in these skins is the figure of Him Who, having no sins of
His own, bore those of others.” In
somewhat the same way a Bishop uses gloves at a Pontifical Mass and says in
effect, that Jesus was offered for us in the likeness of the flesh of sin. Saint Leo, in his exposition, says: “That for
the restoration of the human race, His unchangeable divinity stooped to take
the form of a slave and that this is why our Lord promised in formal and
precise terms, that some of His disciples should not “taste of death till they
see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom,” that is, in the royal glory which
belongs spiritually to His adopted human nature, a glory which the Lord willed
to reveal to His three disciples; since “although they were aware of the divine
majesty which lay hidden within Him, they were ignorant of the possibilities of
the very Body which clothed the divinity.”
Again, on the holy mountain, where our Lord
was transfigured, a voice was heard saying: “This is my beloved Son in whom I
am well-pleased. Hear ye Him.” So God the Father blesses His Son clothed
with our sinful flesh, as Isaac blessed Jacob, clothed with the goatskins,
which blessing given to Christ is given also to the Gentiles in preference to
the faithless Jews, just as Jacob was blessed in preference to his elder
brother. When the Bishop puts on his
pontifical gloves, he addresses the following prayer to almighty God. “Encompass my hands, O God, with the purity
of the New Man come down from heaven, that as Jacob who had covered himself
with goatskins obtained his father’s blessing having offered him meats and good
wine, so also may I, offering to Thee the victim of salvation at my hands,
obtain the blessing of Thy grace through our Lord.”
It is in Christ that we are blessed by the
Father. He is our elder brother and our
head: to Him must we listen for He has chosen us for His people. “We pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus,”
says St. Paul, “that as you have received from us, how you ought to walk and to
please God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more. For you know what precepts I have given you
by the Lord Jesus…For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto
sanctification in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Epistle).
In St. John’s Gospel, our Lord applies the
vision of Jacob’s ladder to Himself, to show that in the midst of the
persecutions of which He was the object, He was constantly under the protection
of almighty God and His angels. So St.
Hippolytus says: “As Esau planned his brother’s death, so the Jews plotted
against Christ and the Church. Jacob
must needs fly into a far country; in the same way Christ, thrust out by the
unbelief of His own nation, had to depart into Galilee where the Church, sprung
from the race of Gentiles, is given to Him as His Spouse.” Moreover, at the end of time, these two
peoples will be reconciled as were Esau and Jacob.
INTROIT:
Ps.
24. Remember,
O Lord, Thy compassions and Thy mercies, which are from the beginning, lest at
any time our enemies rule over us: deliver us, O God of Israel, from all our
tribulations.
Ps. To Thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul: in Thee,
O my God, I put my trust; let me not be disappointed. Glory be, etc. Remember, O Lord, Thy compassions and Thy
mercies, etc.
COLLECT:
Almighty
God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves, keep us both inwardly and
outwardly, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the
body, and from all evil thoughts which may hurt the soul. Through our Lord,
etc.
From all perils of soul and body
defend us, O Lord, we beseech Thee, and by the intercession of the blessed and
glorious ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of blessed Joseph, of Thy blessed
Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, graciously grant us safety and
peace, that all adversities and errors being overcome, Thy Church may serve
Thee in security and freedom. Through
our Lord, etc.
Almighty and everlasting God, Who
rulest the living and the dead, and Who art merciful to all those whom Thou
foreknowest to be Thine by faith and good works, we suppliantly implore Thee
for all those for whom we have decided to pray- whether still in the body they
live in this world, or separated from the body they have entered the future
life- that through the intercession of all Thy saints they may obtain from Thy
loving clemency the pardon of all their offenses. Through our Lord, etc.
EPISTLE: 1 Thess. 4, 1-7
Brethren,
We pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus that, as you have received from us
how you ought to walk and to please God, so also you would walk, that you may
abound the more. For you know what precepts I have given to you by the Lord
Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should
abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his
vessel in sanctification and honor; not in the passion of lust, like the
Gentiles that know not God: and that no man overreach nor circumvent his
brother in business: because the Lord is the Avenger of all these things, as we
have told you before and have all testified. For God hath not called us unto
uncleanness, but unto sanctification: in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Explanation
St.
Paul exhorts all Christians to live chastely and honestly, and continually to
aspire to higher perfection. Such is the will of God, Who has called us to
holiness, and will punish severely all impurity and injustice.
Prayer
Grant,
O Lord, that, according to my vocation, I may never be addicted to earthly and
fleshly lusts like the heathen, who know Thee not, but may live in modesty,
chastity, and holiness, and adorn my name as a Christian with good works. Amen.
GRADUAL:
Ps.
24. The
troubles of my heart are multiplied; deliver me from my necessities, O
Lord. See my abjection and my labor and
forgive me all my sins.
TRACT:
Ps.
105. Give
glory to the Lord, for he is good: for His mercy endureth forever. Who shall declare the powers of the Lord; who
shall set forth all His praises? Blessed
are they that keep judgment, and do justice at all times. Remember us, O Lord, by favor towards Thy people:
visit us with Thy salvation.
GOSPEL: Matt. 17, 1-9
At that
time Jesus took Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up
into a high mountain apart: and He was transfigured before them. And His face
did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as snow. And behold there
appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with Him. Then Peter answering said to
Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us make here three
tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was
yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of
the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye
Him. And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face and were very much afraid.
And Jesus came and touched them, and said to them: Arise, and fear not. And
they, lifting up their eyes, saw no one, but only Jesus. And as they came down
from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man till
the Son of Man be risen from the dead.
Why was Christ transfigured in the presence of His
apostles on Mount Thabor?
To
permit them to see the glorious majesty of His divinity; to guard them from
doubts when they should afterwards see Him die on Mount Calvary; to encourage
the disciples and all the faithful to be patient in all crosses and afflictions,
for the bodies of the just at the resurrection will be made like the glorified
body of Christ. (Phil. 3, 21.)
Why did Moses and Elias appear there?
That
they might testify, that Jesus was really the Saviour announced by the law and
the prophets, and that the law and the prophets received fulfillment in Him.
The former was represented by Moses, the latter by Elias.
Why, did Peter wish to build three tabernacles
there?
The
delightful sweetness of the apparition in which Jesus made him participator so
enraptured him, that he knew not what he said, not considering that glory can
be attained only through sufferings, the crown through fight, joy through
crosses and afflictions.
ASPIRATION Draw
us, O Jesus, to Thee, that by the contemplation of the sacred joys awaiting us,
we, by Thy grace, may not be defeated in the spiritual contest, but conquer
through Thy grace and carry off the unfading crown of victory.
OFFERTORY:
Ps.
118. I will meditate on Thy
commandments, which I have loved exceedingly: and I will lift up my hands to
Thy commandments, which I have loved.
SECRET:
Be appeased, O Lord, and give heed to these our present sacrifices, that they may avail at once for our devotion and our salvation. Through our Lord, etc.
Hear us, O God, our salvation, that through the power of this sacrament Thou mayest defend us from all enemies of soul and body and bestow upon us grace here and glory hereafter. Through our Lord, etc.
O God, to whom alone is known the number of the elect who will be assigned to the happiness above, grant, we beseech Thee, through the intercession of all Thy saints, that all those for whom we have resolved to pray and all the faithful may have their names written and kept in the book of blessed predestination. Through our Lord, etc.
PREFACE FOR LENT:
It is truly meet and just, right and for our
salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto
Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God; Who by this bodily fast,
dost curb our vices, dost lift up our minds and bestow on us strength and
rewards; through Christ our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty,
the Dominations worship it, the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the
heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to
celebrate it. Together with these we entreat Thee that Thou mayest bid our
voices also to be admitted while we say with lowly praise: Holy, Holy, Holy etc.
COMMUNION:
Ps. 5. Understand my cry: hearken to the voice of my
prayer, O my King and my God: for to Thee will I pray, O Lord.
POSTCOMMUNION:
We ask Thee, almighty God, in humble supplication
graciously to grant that they whom Thou dost refresh with Thy sacraments may
serve Thee by such behavior as is pleasing to Thee. Through our Lord, etc.
May the
offering of this divine sacrament cleanse and protect us, O Lord, we beseech
Thee; and by the intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of
blessed Joseph, of Thy blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints, may
it purify us from all sin and free us from all adversity. Through our Lord, etc.
We beseech Thee, almighty and
merciful God, that the sacraments we have received may purify us; and through
the intercession of all Thy Saints, do Thou grant that from this sacrament we
may not incur guilt and punishment, but may derive a saving intercession for
pardon; may it wash away our sins; may it be strength to the weak and a bulwark
against every evil of the world; may it bring remission of all their faults to
the faithful, living and dead. Through our Lord, etc.
God is patient; He
waits a long time: but when His anger bursts upon a guilty people like the
Jews, the chastisement is without mercy, and serves as an example to future
generations. O sinners! You who, so far,
have turned a deaf ear to the admonitions of the Church, and have refused to be
converted to the Lord your God, tremble at these words of Jesus: I go. If this Lent is to be spent like
so many others, and to leave you in your present state, are you not afraid of
that terrible threat: You shall die in
your sin? By remaining in your sins,
you number yourselves with those who cried out against Jesus “Crucify Him,
crucify Him!” Oh! If He chastised a
whole people – a people that He had loaded with favours, and protected and
saved innumerable times – think you, He will spare You? He must triumph; if it be not by mercy, it
will be by justice.
Dom Gueranger, The Liturgical Year, Second week of Lent
The month of March is dedicated to the honor of St. Joseph,
patron of the universal Church
This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased:
hear ye Him.
PROPER OF THE SAINTS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 1st:
Date Day
Feast Rank Color F/A
Time
|
1 |
Sun |
2nd Sunday of Lent |
sd |
V |
|
Mass 9:00 AM; Confessions
& Rosary of Reparation 8:30 |
|
2 |
Mon |
Ferial Day |
|
V |
F |
Mass 8:30 AM; Rosary of
Reparation before Mass |
|
3 |
Tue |
Ferial Day |
|
V |
F |
Mass 8:30 AM; Rosary of
Reparation before Mass |
|
4 |
Wed |
St. Casimir, C St.
Lucius I, PM |
sd |
W |
F |
Mass 8:30 AM; Rosary of
Reparation before Mass |
|
5 |
Thu |
Ferial Day |
|
V |
F |
Mass 8:30 AM; Rosary of
Reparation before Mass |
|
6 |
Fri |
Ss. Perpetua & Felicitas, Mm Most
Holy Shroud of our Lord Jesus Christ |
d |
R |
F/A |
Mass 8:30 AM, preceded by
Rosary and followed by Benediction & Holy Hour of Reparation; Rosary at 5:00 PM,
Stations of the Cross 5:25 PM, followed by evening Mass |
|
7 |
Sat |
St. Thomas Aquinas, CD |
d |
W |
F |
Mass 9:00 AM; Confessions
8:30 AM; Benediction & Holy Hour of Reparation with Rosary following Mass |
|
8 |
Sun |
3rd Sunday of Lent St. John of God |
sd |
V |
|
Mass 9:00 AM; Confessions
& Rosary of Reparation 8:30 |
The doctors of the law
were sitting on the Chair of Moses; therefore,
Jesus bids the people abide by their teachings.
But this chair – which, in spite of the unworthiness of them that sit on
it, is the chair of truth – is not to remain long in Israel. Caiphas, because he is a high priest for the
year, will prophesy; but his crimes have rendered him unworthy of his office;
and the chair, on which he sits, is to be taken away and set in the midst of
the Gentiles. Jerusalem, which is
preparing to deny her Saviour, is to be deprived of her honours; and Rome, the
very centre of the pagan world, is to possess within her walls that chair which
was the glory of Jerusalem, and from which were proclaimed the prophecies so
visibly fulfilled in Jesus. Henceforth,
this chair is never to be moved, though all the fury of the gates of hell will
seek to prevail against it; it is to be the unfailing source, at which all
nations are to receive the teaching of revealed truth…. What is the cause of
Israel’s loss? His pride… he scorned to
recognize any one for the Messias, who was not great in the world’s glory… he
sought to imbrue his hands in the Blood of the God-Man, and this because He
reproached him for the hardness of his heart.
These proud Jews, even when they saw that the day of God’s judgment was
close upon them, kept up their stubborn haughtiness. They despised the rest of the world as
unclean and sinners….
Dom Gueranger, The Liturgical Year, Second week of Lent
"We must remember the grand
things of Thabor, and the adorations paid Him by Moses and Elias, and the
bright cloud, and the voice of the eternal Father. The more we see Him humbled, the more must we
proclaim His glory and divinity; we must join our acclamations with those of the
angles and the four-and-twenty elders, whom St. John, one of the witnesses of
the Transfiguration, heard crying out with a loud voice: ‘The Lamb that was
slain, is worthy to receive power and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and
honour, and glory, and benediction!’"
Dom Gueranger, The
Liturgical Year, Second Sunday of Lent
Israel is deaf and blind. The
fiercest passions are raging in his heart; nor will he rest, till the Synagogue
shall have imbrued its hands in the blood of Jesus. But then the measure of iniquity will be
filled up, and God’s anger will burst upon Israel in one of the most terrible
chastisements that the world has ever witnessed. It makes one tremble to read the horrors of
the siege of Jerusalem, and the massacre of that people that had clamored for
the death of Jesus. Our Lord assures us
that nothing more terrible had ever been from the beginning of the world, or
ever would be. God is patient; He waits
a long time: but when His anger bursts upon a guilty people like the Jews, the
chastisement is without mercy, and serves as an example to future
generations.
Dom Gueranger, The Liturgical Year, Reflection on the Second Week of
Lent
The holy season of Lent
is fast advancing; the choicest graces are being daily offered us; woe to the
man whose mind is distracted by the fashion of this world that passeth away,
and takes no thought for eternity and heaven, and, even in this time of grace,
is like tamarick, a worthless weed of the desert. Oh how numerous is this class! And how terrible is their spiritual
indifference! Pray for them, O ye
faithful children of the Church, pray for them without ceasing. Offer up your penances and your almsgivings
for them. Despair not; and remember
that, each year, many straying sheep are brought to the fold by such
intercession as this.
Dom Gueranger, The Liturgical Year, Second week of Lent
May His Majesty be
pleased to make us fear Him whom we ought to fear and understand that one
venial sin can do us greater harm than all the forces of hell combined.
St. Teresa of Avila
Always be fearful if
you do not feel sorry for the faults you commit, for even venial sin ought to
fill you with sorrow to the very depths of your soul… For the love of God, take
care not to commit any deliberate venial sin, even the smallest… And can
anything be small if it offends God?
St. Teresa of Avila, Way of Perfection
Reflect every day on
the fact that He Who has granted you the morning has not promised the evening, and,
should He grant this, He gives no assurance of the following morning. Spend
each day, therefore, as if it were the last; cherish nothing but the will of
God, for you will have to render a strict account for every moment. A final
observation should be made. Although you have transacted a great deal of
business and have undergone many hardships, you may consider the day worthless
and your labor unprofitable, unless you have gained many victories over your
passions and your own will, unless you have gratefully acknowledged the
benefits received from God, particularly His death on the Cross, unless you
have accepted as blessings whatever chastisements the Father of infinite mercy
has inflicted as an expiation for your many sins.
Dom Lorenzo Scupoli, The
Spiritual Combat
Curiosity is another
vice from which the mind must be free. If we indulge in vain, frivolous, or
sinful dreams, our minds will become incapable of choosing the proper
mortification of our disorderly affections.
All earthly things,
except those absolutely necessary, must die through our complete disregard for
them, even though they are not wrong in themselves. We must control our minds
and not permit them to wander aimlessly about. Our minds must become insensible
to mundane projects, to gossip, to the feverish search for news. Our
indifference to the affairs of this world must give them a dream-like
quality.
Dom Lorenzo Scupoli, The
Spiritual Combat
If you are tempted to gluttony or sensuality, retrench something from your usual repasts, even though they in no way exceed the limits of sobriety, and give yourself with more fervor to fasting and other practices of devotion. If you are assailed by avarice, increase the amount of your alms and the number of your good works. If you feel the promptings of vainglory, lose no opportunity of accepting humiliations. Then, perhaps, the devil may fear to tempt you, seeing that you convert his snares into occasions of virtue, and that he only affords you opportunities of greater good. Above all things fly idleness. Even in your hours of relaxation do not be wholly unoccupied. And, on the other hand, do not be so absorbed in your labors that you cannot from time to time raise your heart to God and treat with Him in prayer.
Ven. Louis of Granada 1504-1588 The Sinner's Guide
While venial sin always
consists in a more or less a light transgression of one of God’s laws,
imperfection is the omission of some good act to which we are not obliged by
any law, but one which charity invites us to do. To illustrate: when I am aware of the
possibility of performing a better act suited to my state, in accord with my
actual capabilities, in harmony with my duties, and for the accomplishment of
which I may reasonably believe that I am inspired by the Holy Ghost, I cannot
deliberately refuse to do it without real actual imperfection. In this case, my refusal to perform a better
act cannot be judged to be good, nor can it be justified by the thought that I
am free to omit this better action since no law or commandment obliges me. This would be an abuse of the liberty which
was given me by God for… St. Thomas teaches that man is always bound to act
through a reasonable motive and for a good end.
Rev. Gabriel of St.
Mary Magdalen, O.C.D., Divine Intimacy
"Fight,
children of light, you little number who see clearly, for behold the time of
times, the end of ends is at hand."
Blessed Virgin
Mary, LaSalette
The good of all good is
the Divine Good, just as God is for all men the Neighbor of all neighbors. In consequence
the love due to a man inasmuch as he is our neighbor ought always to be
subordinated to that which is due to our common Lord. For His love and in His
service we must not hesitate to offend men. The degree of our offense towards
men can only be measured by the degree of our obligation to Him. Charity is
primarily the love of God, secondarily the love of our neighbor for God's sake.
To sacrifice the first is to abandon the latter. Therefore to offend our
neighbor for the love of God is a true act of charity. Not to offend our
neighbor for the love of God is a sin.
Don Felix Sarda Y Salvany, Liberalism Is A Sin
The history our Saviour
gives us is that of a man who led a quiet life; he was agreeable in company,
and sought after; he was respected, and did honour to the position he held in
society. He is not accused of any public
scandals; there is no mention made of any atrocious crime; our Saviour simply
says of him : he was clothed in purple and fine linen and
feasted sumptuously every day. It is
true, he was not charitable to the poor man who lay at his gate; but he did not
ill-treat him : he allowed him to lie there, and did not even insult his
misery. Why, then, was this rich man condemned to burn eternally in that fire which
God created for the wicked? It is
because a man who leads a life of luxury and feasting, such as he lived – never
thinking of eternity, caring for nothing but this world, which we are told to
use as though we used it not, with nothing about him of the spirit of the cross
of Christ – such a man as this is already a victim to the triple concupiscence
of pride, avarice, and luxury; he is their slave, and seems determined to
continue so, for he never makes an effort to throw off their tyranny. He has yielded himself up to them; and they
have worked their work in him – the death of the soul.
Dom Gueranger, The Liturgical Year, Second week of Lent
The
14 promises revealed to Brother Estanislao by Our Lord for those who pray the
Way of the Cross
·
I promise
Eternal Life to those who pray from time to time, The Way of the Cross.
·
I will
grant everything that is asked of Me with faith, when making The Way of the
Cross.
·
I will
follow them everywhere in life and help them, especially at the hour of death.
·
Even if
they have more sins than blades of grass in the fields, and grains of sand in
the sea, all of them will be erased by praying The Way of the Cross.
·
Those who
pray The Way of The Cross often, will have a special glory in Heaven.
·
I will
deliver them from Purgatory, indeed if they go there at all, the first Tuesday
or Friday after their death.
·
At the
hour of death I will not permit the devil to tempt them; I will lift all power
from him in order that they shall repose tranquilly in My Arms.
·
If they pray
it with true love, I will make of each one of them a living Ciborium in which
it will please Me to pour My grace.
·
I will
fix My Eyes on those who pray The Way of The Cross often; My hands will always
be open to protect them.
·
I will
bless them at each Way of The Cross, and My blessing will follow them
everywhere on earth and after their death, in Heaven for all Eternity.
·
As I am
nailed to the Cross, so also will I always be with those who honor Me in making
The Way of The Cross frequently.
·
They will
never be able to separate themselves from Me, for I will give them the grace
never again to commit a Mortal sin.
·
At the
hour of death I will console them with My Presence and we will go together to
Heaven. Death will be sweet to all those who have honored Me during their lives
by praying The Way of the Cross.
·
My Soul
will be a protective shield for them, and will always help them, whenever they
have recourse.
The essence of Christian
perfection consists in union with God by charity. While charity, by conforming our wills to
God’s, unites us to Him, grave sin, which directly opposes His will, produces
the opposite effect. In other words,
charity is the force uniting man to God, and sin the force drawing him away. Serious sin is therefore the greatest enemy
of the spiritual life, since it not only injures it, but destroys it in its
constituent elements: charity and grace…. Charity is the essence of Christian
perfection, for charity alone has the power to unite man to God, his last end. But for us poor, miserable creatures, whom
God wishes to raise to union with Himself, is charity the ultimate basis of the
spiritual life? No. There is something deeper still which is, so
to speak, the basis of charity, and that is humility. Humility is to charity what the foundation is
to a building…. Humility is the firm bedrock upon which every Christian should
build the edifice of his spiritual life…. It forms the foundation of charity by
emptying the soul of pride, arrogance, disordered love of self and of one’s own
excellence, and by replacing them with the love of God and our neighbor.
Father Gabriel of St. Mary
Magdalen, O.C.D., Divine Intimacy
For the Holy Spirit was promised to the successors of Peter not
so that they might, by His revelation, make known some new doctrine, but that,
by His assistance, they might religiously guard and faithfully expound the
revelation or Deposit of Faith transmitted by the Apostles.
First Vatican Council
What is essential to the virtue of fortitude is not aggression or self-confidence
or wrath but rather steadfastness and patience.
This, however – and this point cannot be repeated too frequently – is
not because patience and steadfastness are simply better and more perfect than
aggressiveness and self-confidence but rather because the real world is so
structured that it is in the most extreme emergency, where the only resistance
possible is steadfastness, that the final and most profound spiritual strength
of the person can become manifest.
Josef Pieper, A Brief Reader on
the Virtues of the Human Heart
THE TRANSFIGURATION SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
Presence of God: O Jesus, grant that Your grace may triumph in me
and make me worthy to participate in Your glorious
Transfiguration.
MEDITATION:
I.
The soul of Jesus, personally united to the Word, enjoyed the Beatific Vision,
which has as its connatural effect the glorification of the body. But this
effect was impeded by Jesus, who, during the years of His life on earth, wanted
to resemble us as much as possible by appearing "in the likeness of sinful
flesh" (Rom 8,3). However, in order to confirm the faith of the Apostles
who were shaken by the announcement of His Passion, Jesus permitted some rays
from His blessed soul to shine forth for a few brief instants on Thabor, when
Peter, James, and John saw Him transfigured: "His face did shine as the
sun and His garments became white as snow." The three were enraptured by
it, and yet Jesus had revealed to them only one ray of His glory, for no human
creature could have borne the complete vision.
Glory is the fruit of grace the grace
possessed by Jesus in an infinite degree is reflected in an infinite glory
transfiguring Him entirely. Something similar happens to us: grace will
transform us "from glory to glory" (2 Cor. 3, I8), until one day it
will bring us to the Beatific Vision of God in heaven. But while grace
transfigures, sin, on the other hand, darkens and disfigures whoever becomes
its victim.
Today's Gospel (Mt. 17, 1‑9) brings out
the close connection between Transfiguration and the Passion of Jesus. Moses
and Elias appeared on Tabor on either side of the Savior. They conversed with Him, and as St. Luke
explains, talked specifically about His coming Passion: "They spoke of His
decease, that He should accomplish in Jerusalem" (Lk. 9, 31).
The divine Master wished to teach His disciples
in this way that it was impossible -for Him as well as for them- to reach the
glory of the Transfiguration without passing through suffering. It was the same
lesson that He would give later to the two disciples at Emmaus: "Ought not
Christ to have suffered these things and so to enter into His glory?" (Lk 24,
26). What has been disfigured by sin cannot regain its original supernatural
beauty except by way of purifying suffering.
2.
In ecstasy before the vision on Thabor, Peter cried out with his usual
eagerness, "It is good for us to be here," and offered to make three
tabernacles: one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elias. But his proposal
was interrupted by a voice from heaven: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased; hear ye Him!" and the vision disappeared.
Spiritual consolations are never an end in
themselves, and we should neither desire them nor try to retain them for our
own satisfaction. Joy, even that which is spiritual, should never be sought for
itself. Just as in heaven, joy will be the necessary concomitant of possessing
God, so too on earth, it should be nothing but a means, enabling us to give
ourselves with greater generosity to the service of God. To Peter, who wanted
to stay on Thabor in the sweet vision of the transfigured Jesus, God Himself
replied by inviting him to listen to and follow the teachings of His beloved
Son. The ardent Apostle would soon learn that following Jesus meant carrying
the Cross and ascending Calvary with Him.
God does not console us for our entertainment
but rather for our encouragement, for our strengthening, for the increase of
our generosity in suffering for love of Him.
The vision disappeared; the Apostles raised
their eyes and saw nothing "nisi solum Jesum" save Jesus
alone, and with "Jesus alone," they came down from the mountain. This
is what we must always seek and it must be sufficient for us: Jesus alone, God
alone. Everything else ‑consolations, helps, friendships (even spiritual
ones), understanding, esteem, encouragement (even from superiors) ‑ may
be good to the extent that God permits us to enjoy them. He very often makes
use of them to encourage us in our weakness; but if, through certain
circumstances, His divine hand takes all these things away, we should not be
upset or disturbed. It is precisely at such times that we can prove to God more
than ever‑ by deeds and not by words only‑ that He is our fill and
that He alone suffices. On these occasions the loving soul finds itself in a
position to give God one of the finest proofs of its love : to be faithful to
Him, to trust in Him, and to persevere in its resolution to give all, even if,
by removing His gifts, He has left it alone. The soul may be in darkness, that
is, subject to misunderstanding, bitterness, material and spiritual solitude
combined with interior desolation. The time has come to repeat, "Jesus
alone," to come down from Thabor with Him, and to follow Him with the
Apostles even to Calvary, where He will suffer, abandoned not only by men, but
even by His Father.
COLLOQUY:
"You only do I love, my God. You only do
I wish to seek and to follow; I am ready to follow You alone. I wish to be
entirely at Your disposal. I beg You to order and command whatever You will,
but cure me, open my eyes, that I may see Your slightest gesture. Cure me
completely, that I may recognize You. Tell me which way to turn my attention in
order to see You; and I hope that I shall be able to do all that You command
me" (St. Augustine).
Permit me to follow you, O Jesus, not only to
Thabor, but especially to Calvary. I am attracted by the light and splendor of
Thabor; I want to see Your face, O my God, if only for an instant! Calvary is
night, solitude, mournful sorrow which terrifies me, but in the darkness there
stands a Cross on which I contemplate You, crucified for love. I glimpse Your
face, not transfigured by glory, but disfigured by sorrow, the result of our
sins!
O Jesus, destroy sin in me, the sin which has
disfigured Your face and disfigured my soul created to Your image and likeness.
But to bring about this destruction, I must share Your Calvary, Your Cross.
Deign then, O Lord, to unite to Your Passion all the sufferings, little or
great, of my life, that they may purify me and prepare me to rise from light to
light, until I am completely transformed in You.
The
light and glory of Thabor encourage me. Thank You, O Lord, for having allowed me, if only
for a few moments, to contemplate Your splendor and to enjoy Your divine consolation.
Fortified and encouraged by this, I come
down from the mountain to follow You, You alone, to Calvary.
Nothing seems to me more grave, contrary to the holiness of God, than
the presumption of clerics who believe, with a pride that is purely diabolical,
that they can manipulate the truth, who presume to renew the Church and to save
the world without renewing themselves. In all the history of the Church nothing
is comparable to the latest Council, at which the Catholic episcopate believed
that it could renew all things by obeying nothing other than its own pride,
without the effort of holiness, in such open opposition to the law of the
gospel that it requires us to believe how the humanity of Christ was the
instrument of the omnipotence of the love that saves, in his death.
Fr. Divo Barsotti (1914-2006), esteemed author of several
works of spirituality
Custody
of the Eyes
"He who through these windows of the body, recklessly looks
abroad, very often falls, even against his will, into the sweetnesses of sin,
and being fast fettered by desires, begins to will what before he had never
willed."
St. Gregory the Great
St. Peter, foretelling
that "there shall be lying teachers, who shall bring in damnable heresies,
and bring upon themselves swift destruction," immediately adds, "and
many shall follow their riotousness" [or, as the Protestant translation
has it, their pernicious ways], "through whom the way of truth
shall be evil spoken of" (2 Pet. 2, 2). Now, to whom are these ways
pernicious but to those who follow them?
The whole Epistle of
St. Jude contains a description of all those who follow these pernicious ways,
and of their miserable fate, and says, "That they are raging waves of the
sea, foaming out their own confusion; wandering stars, to whom the storm of
darkness is reserved for ever" (ver. 13).
St. Paul declares,
"That in the last times some shall depart from the Faith, giving heed to
spirits of error and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, and
having their consciences seared" (1 Tim. 4, 1). Can any one imagine
salvation possible to those who follow the spirit of error as their guide, and
embrace the doctrine of devils?
Bishop George Hay of Scotland [1729-1811], The Sincere
Christian
One single sentence from Sacred Scripture can nourish the soul,
illuminate it, strengthen it in adversity. Sacred Scripture is something far
superior to a simple exposition of dogma, subdivided into special tracts: it is
an ocean of revealed truth in which we can taste in advance the joys of eternal
life.
Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange
Charity is man’s friendship
with God based on man’s share in the Divine Life, in the happiness of God
Himself. But man cannot naturally share
in God’s own life. Man’s participation
in the Divine Life is a free supernatural gift which God gives to man. Charity then cannot be acquired by any purely
human effort. It is a gift of God
infused in man’s soul by God’s goodness and generosity. Charity, like the other theological virtues,
is a supernatural virtue infused in the will by God Himself. Who can give man a share in the Divine Love
except God Himself?
Rev. Walter Farrell, O. P., My Way of Life, Pocket Edition of St.
Thomas
In
those questions concerning Purgatory which the Church has not decided one must
be guided by the thoughts which harmonize with sayings and revelations of the
saints. St. Thomas Aquinas
For two hours she walked up and down the large garden, stopping here
and there when she was shown some particularly severe penalty, wringing her
hands, turning pale and stooping as under a heavy load and showing such signs
of terror that her companions shuddered.
When she came to the spot where the clergy suffered, she sighed heavily
and cried out: “Good God, and you, too?” According to her vision those who had
sinned without full knowledge and had died young suffered less and were
consoled by their angles. The hypocrites were punished most severely and amid
terrors close to Hell. The impatient and stubborn appeared laden with a
crushing burden. At one period of her
vision she became terror-stricken and called on Heaven for assistance. Then she
came to the place where molten lead was poured into the mouths of liars while
the misers, who could never acquire enough goods on earth, were over-burdened
with pain and the impure were detained in an insufferable stench. Finally, she
was shown those who had not been given much to any one sin but had committed
nearly all to some degree. They shared the torments of all in a smaller degree.
When the vision had passed the saint begged God to never again let her see such
misery as her soul would perish (Goerres, Christian Mysticism, 111, 473).
St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, Vision of Purgatory
The
"failure" of St. Francis Xavier - "Unless the grain of wheat falling to the ground die...."
But even that was not all. He
left Malacca in July; in November he lay a dying man on the hillside of
Sancian. The ship that had brought him had slipped away home without giving him
a word of warning; there remained in the harbor a single Portuguese sloop,
waiting for good weather. Xavier lay beneath a temporary shelter, open on every
side, the cold north wind beating mercilessly upon him. His companions and
nurses were his two boys, one a Chinese. the other an Indian; during all his
illness not a single European from the vessel in the harbor went near him. So
he died, deserted in death as for the most part he had been in life, within
sight of a goal which again he was doomed not to reach, repeating again and
again in mingled sadness and resignation: "Jesus, Son of David. have mercy
on me." Meanwhile in Goa a letter from Ignatius was awaiting him, bidding
him come home to Europe. He had failed in his childish ambitions, failed as a
University professor, failed as a monk or a hermit, failed as an Italian
preacher, failed as a Court orator, and after all that he was to reap a harvest
which he was never to know. No, St. Francis Xavier, the Apostle of the East,
was not wholly a success; had he been that he would have failed to resemble his
Master, the Failure of Calvary. And in that very failure. more than in all his
triumphs, is the real greatness of the saint to be found. For through it all he
never once flinched or surrendered. He appealed to be brought home, but he did
not linger for the recall. He appealed for better support, but he went on using
what he had at his disposal. He saw in all his failures proof of his own
incompetence: but he strove with might and main to give without reserve the
little he had to give. Xavier was great, not so much because of what he did as
because of what he failed to do. This, then, is the other side of the life of
one of the most successful of the chosen servants of God. There is a greater
greatness than the greatness of success and that is the greatness of failure.
For that is the greatness of being, without the encouragement of doing: the
greatness of sacrifice, of which others less great may reap the fruits.
Fr. Alban Goodier, S.J., St.
Francis Xavier, Saints for Sinners
My orders are to fight;
Then if I
bleed, or fail,
Or strongly
win, what matters it?
God only doth
prevail.
The servant craveth
naught,
Except to
serve with might.
I was not told
to win or lose, –
My orders are
to fight.
Ethelwyn
Wetherald
What is found to have its origin (i.e.: ecumenism, religious
liberty, collegiality, etc.) in the opinion of some Holy Father or particular
Council is not a Divine Tradition, even though it should be celebrated
throughout the entire Church. For if we did not attend to this rule, we should
have to admit without certain foundation, new revelations regarding faith or
morals, which has been always abhorred and impugned in the Church by men the
most attached to religion. Hence, the sovereign pontiffs, the Councils, and the
Fathers, have been most careful to reject all novelties or new doctrines on
matters of faith, which differed from those that had been already received.
St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori
St. Thomas of Aquinas is an honour to
mankind, for perhaps there never existed a man whose intellect surpassed
his. He is one of the brightest
ornaments of the Church, for not one of her doctors has equaled him in the
clearness and precision wherewith he has explained her doctrines. He received the thanks of Christ Himself, for
having well written of Him and His mysteries.
How welcome ought this feast of such a saint to be to us during this
season of the year, when our main study is our return and conversion to
God!
Dom Gueranger, The Liturgical Year,
Feast of St. Thomas of Aquinas
But, didn’t the Holy Spirit
help the Council Popes? The assistance of
the Holy Spirit presupposes that on the part of the Pope, there would be
unreserved correspondence with the Holy Spirit; without it, the assistance of
the Holy Spirit is purely negative i.e.: it only prevents the Vicar of Christ
from imposing an error as an infallible dogma.
Msgr. Francesco Spadafora
The Price Our
Ancestors Paid to Bring Us the Faith
I know that it is very usual to
magnify the merits of the deceased, as usual as it is to detract from them when
living, and I very much fear that, after death, we often canonize those in our
discourse, on whom God has decided in a very different manner; but when I say
that Bishop Challoner was a model of Christian virtue, every breast glows with
a conviction of this truth; whatever I can allege in his commendation will
barely answer the idea you have already formed of him; and when on every
occasion I represent Bishop Challoner as a saint, I say no more of him now
after his death, than all who knew him have said of him during his life.
Bishop John Milner of
Winchester, on the death of the heroic Bishop Richard Challoner, who died at 90
years of age in 1781, six months after, and in consequence of, the "Gordon
Riots" where English Protestant rioters destroyer countless Catholic
chapels and homes in response to the Catholic Relief Act of 1778 which ended
the penalty of imprisonment for life for Catholic priests.
Perpetua, who though
only twenty-two years of age, relates, with all the self-possession of an
angel, the trials she had to go through for God; and when she has to hurry off
to the amphitheatre, she puts her pen into another’s hand, bidding him go on
where she leaves off, and write the rest of the battle. As we read these charming pages, we seem to
be in the company of the martyrs; the power of divine grace, which could
produce such heroism amidst a people demoralized by paganism, appears so great
that even we grow courageous; and the very fact that the instruments employed
by God for the destruction of the pagan world were frequently women, induces us
to say with St. John Chrysostom: “For the frailer the instrument, the greater
is the grace, the brighter the trophy, the grander the victory; …the devil is
conquered by her, by whom he once conquered us.”
Dom Gueranger, The
Liturgical Year, Feast of Ss. Perpetua and Felicitas
Again, if we are to avoid the errors which are the source and
fountain-head of all the miseries of our time, the teaching of Aquinas must be
adhered to more religiously than ever. For Thomas refutes the theories
propounded by Modernists in every sphere:
· in
philosophy, by protecting, as We have reminded you, the force and power of the
human mind and by demonstrating the existence of God by the most cogent
arguments;
· in
dogmatic theology, by distinguishing the supernatural from the natural order
and explaining the reasons for belief and the dogmas themselves;
· in
theology, by showing that the articles of faith are not based upon mere opinion
but upon truth and therefore cannot possibly change;
· in
exegesis, by transmitting the true conception of divine inspiration;
· in
the science of morals, in sociology and law, by laying down sound principles of
legal and social, commutative and distributive, justice and explaining the
relations between justice and charity;
· in
the theory of asceticism, by his precepts concerning the perfection of the
Christian life and his confutation of the enemies of the religious orders in
his own day.
· Lastly,
against the much vaunted liberty of the human reason and its independence in
regard to God he asserts the rights of primary Truth and the authority over us
of the Supreme Master.
Pope Pius X, Doctoris Angelici (1914)
Why the Modern
Clerics Lack “Counsel, Reason, and Inspiration”?
They have been
“gathering from strange and unwholesome streams”!
But the chief and special glory
of St. Thomas, one which he has shared with none of the Catholic Doctors, is
that the Fathers of Trent made it part of the order of conclave to lay upon the
altar, together with sacred Scripture and the decrees of the supreme Pontiffs,
the Summa of Thomas Aquinas, whence to seek counsel, reason, and inspiration.
Our first and most cherished idea is that you should all furnish to studious
youth a generous and copious supply of those purest streams of wisdom flowing
inexhaustibly from the precious fountainhead of the Angelic Doctor…. be careful
to guard the minds of youth from those which are said to flow thence (from St
Thomas), but in reality are gathered from strange and unwholesome streams.
Pope Leo XIII, Aeterni Patris
(1879)
The gravity of sin is
determined by the interval which it places between man and God; now sin against
faith, divides man from God as far as possible, since it deprives him of the
true knowledge of God; it therefore follows that sin against faith is the
greatest of all sins.
St. Thomas Aquinas
What Unites All Modernist
Theologians and Philosophers is their Rejection of St. Thomas
We admonish professors to bear well in mind
that they cannot set aside St. Thomas, especially in metaphysical questions,
without grave disadvantage. Pope St. Pius X, Pascendi, September 8, 1907
Novena of Grace
Most amiable
and most loving Saint Francis Xavier, in union with thee I reverently adore the
divine Majesty. I rejoice exceedingly on
account of the marvelous gifts which God bestowed upon thee. I thank God for the special graces He gave
thee during thy life on earth and for the great glory that came to thee after
thy death. I implore thee to obtain for
me, through thy powerful intercession, the greatest of all blessings- that of
living and dying in the state of grace.
I also beg of thee to secure for me the special favor I ask in this
novena: ______________.
In asking
this favor I am fully resigned to the divine will. I pray and desire only to obtain that which
is most conducive to the greater glory of God and the greater good of my soul.
V. Pray for us, Saint Francis Xavier.
R. That we may be worthy of
the promises of Christ.
Let us pray
O God, Who didst vouchsafe, by the preaching and miracles of St. Francis Xavier, to join unto Thy Church the nations of the Indies; grant, we beseech Thee, that we who reverence his glorious merits, may also imitate his example, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen
Prayer of St. Francis Xavier for the Conversion of the Infidels
Eternal God, Creator of all things, remember that Thou alone didst
create the souls of infidels, framing them to Thine own image and likeness; behold,
O Lord! how, to Thy dishonor, hell is daily replenished with them. Remember, O Lord! Thine only Son, Jesus
Christ, Who suffered for them, most bountifully shedding His precious blood;
suffer not, O Lord! Thy Son and our Lord to be any longer despised by infidels;
but rather, being appeased by the entreaties and prayers of the elect, the
saints, and of the Church, the most blessed spouse of Thy Son, vouchsafe to be
mindful of Thy mercy, and forgetting their idolatry and infidelity, cause them
also to know Him Whom Thou didst send, Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord, Who is
our health, life, and resurrection, through Whom we are freed and saved, to
Whom be all glory forever.
Hymn
O Father St. Francis, we kneel at thy feet,
while blessings and favors we beg and entreat,
That thou from thy bright throne in heaven
above, wouldst look on thy clients with pity and love.
St. Francis Xavier, O pray for us!
O, Father St. Francis, thy words were once
strong, against Satan’s wiles and an infidel throng,
Not less is thy might where in heaven thou
art; O come to our aid, in our battle take part.
St. Francis Xavier, O pray for us!
O God, Thou art the object of
my love, not for the hope of endless joys above,
nor the fear of endless pains
below, which those who love Thee not must undergo.
For me, and such as me, Thou
once didst bear, the ignominious cross, the nails, the spear
A thorny crown transpierced Thy
sacred brow; what bloody sweats from every member flow!
Such as then was and is Thy
love for me, such is and shall be still my love for Thee;
Thy love O Jesus, will I ever
sing-----O God of love, sweet Savior, dearest King!
“Could You Not Watch One Hour With Me?” (Matt.26, 40)
Holy Hour of Adoration and Reparation
"He is The Bread sown in the virgin, leavened
in the Flesh, molded in His Passion, baked in the furnace of the Sepulcher,
placed in the Churches, and set upon the Altars, which daily supplies Heavenly
Food to the faithful." St.
Peter Chrysologus (400-450)
“A virgin can
conceive, a barren woman can bring forth a child, a rich man can be saved;
these are three miracles, of which the holy Scriptures give us no other reason,
but that God is all powerful.”
Bishop Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
The
Church has ever proved indestructible. Her persecutors have failed to destroy
her; in fact, it was during times of persecution that the Church grew more and
more; while the persecutors themselves, and those whom the Church would
destroy, are the very ones who came to nothing.
St. Thomas Aquinas
Be converted to me, and you shall be saved, all ye ends of the earth:
for I am God, and there is no other.
Isaias 45:22
You shall seek me, and shall find me: when you shall seek me with all
your heart. Jeremias 29:13
Now therefore saith the Lord: Be converted to me with all your heart,
in fasting, and in weeping, and in mourning. Joel 2:12
Therefore will I judge every man according to his ways, O house of
Israel, saith the Lord God. Be converted, and do penance for all your
iniquities: and iniquity shall not be your ruin. Ezechiel 18:30
Be penitent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted
out. Acts 3:19
“No, I say to you: but unless
you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen upon
whom the tower fell in Siloe, and slew them: think you, that they also were
debtors above all the men that dwelt in Jerusalem? No, I say to you; but except
you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.”
Jesus Christ, Luke 13:3-5
"A lamentable spectacle is that presented by the aberrations of
human reason when it yields to the spirit of novelty, when against the warning
of the Apostle, it seeks to know beyond what it is meant to know, and when
relying too much on itself it thinks it can find the truth outside the Catholic
Church wherein truth is found without the slightest shadow of error.”
St. Pius X, Pascendi
"With her own lips the Blessed Virgin Mary told St Bridget, “I am
the Mother of all sinners who wish to amend.” Let the sinner remember too, what
befell Thomas a Kempis, who saw the Virgin distribute to his companions a
nectar of Paradise, while on coming to him, she looked at him coldly, and
passed on without bestowing upon him the like favour: the reason was, that he
had omitted some of his accustomed prayers in her honour. Nothing is so
pleasing to the Blessed Virgin as fidelity and constancy in the honour which we
render to her."
Rev. John Baptist Scaramelli, S.J., Guide
to the Spiritual Life
The progressives have found no substitute for virtue. They can offer
only such morbid stopgaps as contraception, abortion, and euthanasia. The Dark
Ages understood virtue built a civilization; the progressive age doesn’t
understand virtue and is tearing down the civilization it inherited. Euthanasia
is a fitting symbol: the last sacrament of a society that cannot aspire to
heaven, but only to painless annihilation.
Joe Sobran, “Dark Ages, New Morality”
“The Blessed Virgin rules in My Kingdom, not as the other Saints, but as
My Mother, as Queen and Mistress; and hence to her it is granted to dispense
with general laws as often as there is a just cause. There was a most just
reason for dispensing with the soul of Charles, for it was right that one who
had in his lifetime so honoured and loved her should be honoured and favoured
at his death.”
Jesus Christ addressing Satan who complained that the Mother of God did
not permit him to tempt Charles, the son of St. Bridget of Sweeden, while in
his agony of death thus obtaining his salvation.
The observance of Lent is the very badge of the Christian warfare. By
it, we prove ourselves not to be enemies of the Cross of Christ. By it, we
avert the scourges of divine justice. By it we gain strength against the
princes of darkness, for it shields us with heavenly help. Should mankind grow
remiss in their observance of Lent, it would be a detriment to God’s glory, a
disgrace to the Catholic religion, and a danger to Christian souls. Neither can
it be doubted, but that such negligence would become the source of misery to
the world, of public calamity, and of private woe.
Pope Benedict XIV, encyclical, May 30, 1741
St.
Teresa of Avila considered her greatest honor: “I am a daughter of the Church.”
“Because outside the unity of faith and love which makes us sons and
members of the Church, no one can be saved, hence if the Sacraments are
received outside the Church, they are not effective for salvation, although
they are true Sacraments. However, they can become useful if one returns to Holy
Mother the Church, the only Spouse of Christ, whose sons alone Christ deems
worthy of eternal inheritance.”
St. Bonaventure, Breviloquium
Hermeneutics of Continuity/Discontinuity
Modernist
Heresy
“The medieval concept of substance
has long since become inaccessible to us. In so far as we use the concept of
substance at all today we understand thereby the ultimate particles of matter,
and the chemically complex mixture that is bread certainly does not fall into
that category.” Benedict/Ratzinger,
Faith and the Future
Catholic
Truth
If anyone does not confess that the world and all things which are
contained in it, both spiritual and material, were produced, according to their whole
substance, out of nothing by God; or holds that God did not create by
his will free from all necessity, but as necessarily as he necessarily loves
himself; or denies that the world was created for the glory of God: let him be
anathema
Vatican Council I, Dogmatic
Constitution on the Catholic Faith
Modernist
Heresy
“At this time the idea of salvation history had moved to the
focus of inquiry posed by Catholic theology and this had cast new light on the
notion of revelation, which neo-scholasticism had kept too confined to the
intellectual realm. Revelation
now appeared no longer simply as a communication of truths to the intellect but
as a historical action of God in which truth becomes gradually unveiled.”
Benedict/Ratzinger, Milestones (Memoirs 1927-1977), published 1998
Catholic
Truth
For the doctrine of faith which God has revealed has not been
proposed, like a philosophical invention, to be perfected by human ingenuity;
but has been delivered as a divine deposit to the Spouse of Christ, to be
faithfully kept and infallibly declared. Hence also, that meaning of the sacred
dogmas is perpetually to be retained which our holy Mother the Church has once
declared; nor is that meaning ever to be departed from, under the pretext of a
deeper comprehension of them. Vatican I
Nor is this all (the Neo-modernist theologians do). Disregarding the
Council of Trent, some pervert the very concept of original sin, along with the
concept of sin in general as an offense against God, as well as the idea of
satisfaction performed for us by Christ. Some even say that the doctrine of transubstantiation,
based on an antiquated philosophic notion of substance, should be so
modified that the real presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist be reduced to a
kind of symbolism, whereby the consecrated species would be merely efficacious
signs of the spiritual presence of Christ and of His intimate union with the
faithful members of His Mystical Body.
Pope Pius XII, Humani Generis
“Fourthly, I sincerely hold that the doctrine of faith was
handed down to us from the apostles through the orthodox Fathers in exactly the
same meaning and always in the same purport. Therefore, I entirely reject the
heretical misrepresentation that dogmas evolve and change from one meaning to
another different from the one which the Church held previously. I also condemn
every error according to which, in place of the divine deposit which has been
given to the spouse of Christ to be carefully guarded by her, there is put a
philosophical figment or product of a human conscience that has gradually been
developed by human effort and will continue to develop indefinitely.”
Oath Against Modernism
“If anyone says that divine faith is not to be distinguished from
natural knowledge about God and moral matters, and consequently that for divine
faith it is not required that revealed truth should be believed because of the
authority of God who reveals it: Let him be anathema.”
Vatican I
On
Faith and Works
If, without keeping the commandments, it be possible to attain unto life by
faith only, and faith, if it hath not works, is dead, James ii.
17, how can it be true that the Lord will say to such as He shall have set
on His left hand Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for
the devil and his angels? He rebuketh them, not because they have not believed
in Him, but because they have not wrought good works. Yea, lest any man should
promise himself life eternal by faith only, (and faith, if it hath not works,
is dead,) the Lord saith that He will gather together all nations, nations who
have lived mingled together in the same countries, that we may seem to hear
them which have believed indeed in Him, but have not wrought good works, (as
though that their dead faith could, being alone, lead them into life eternal,)
that we may seem to hear such crying unto Him, Lord, when saw we thee suffering
such and such things, and did not minister unto thee?
If they shall go into everlasting fire who have not done works of
mercy, shall not they go who have taken their neighbour’s goods? Or shall not
they go who have outraged the temple of God in their own selves, and so been
merciless to themselves? As if works of mercy could avail anything without
love, contrary to the words of the Apostle, Though I bestow all my goods to
feed the poor, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 1 Cor. xiii.
3. And what manner of love to his neighbour hath he who loveth him as
himself and loveth not himself? Remembering that he that loveth iniquity hateth
his own soul. Ps. x. 6.
Neither dare we say here that by which some delude themselves, namely,
that the fire indeed is everlasting, but that they will not burn therein
everlastingly. Such men say that they whose faith is dead, will pass through
that everlasting fire, and that they are they to whom it is promised that they
themselves shall be saved, yet so as by fire. 1 Cor. iii. 15. So
that, though the fire itself be everlasting, the burning of the damned therein,
that is, the work of the fire upon them, will not be everlasting. As though the
Lord were answering this beforehand, the last words of His Sermon are And these
shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.
As the fire, so shall the burning be; and the Truth biddeth us know that they
shall burn therein, who have lacked, not faith, but good works.
St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, Homily, xv, 4, taken from the
traditional Divine Office
Thus saith the Lord: Stand ye on the ways, and see and ask for the old
paths which is the good way, and walk ye in it: and you shall find refreshment
for your souls. And they said: we will not walk. And I appointed watchmen over
you, saying: Hearken ye to the sound of the trumpet. And they said: We will not
hearken. Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what great
things I will do to them. Hear, O earth: Behold I will bring evils upon this
people, the fruits of their own thoughts: because they have not heard my words,
and they have cast away my law. To what purpose do you bring me frankincense
from Saba, and the sweet smelling cane from a far country? Your holocausts are
not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing to me.
Jeremias, 6, 16-20
“The purpose of this is, then, not that dogma may be tailored according to what seems
better and more suited to the culture of each age; rather, that the absolute and immutable truth preached
by the apostles from the beginning may never be believed to be different, may never be understood in any
other way.”
St. Pius X, Oath
Against Modernism
Dogma is the
Proximate Rule of Faith
Modernism is condemned because it virtually
destroys Christian dogma by denying that the dogmas of faith are contained in
the revelation made by the Holy Spirit to the Catholic Church and subsequently
defined through the supreme authority of the same Ecclesia docens{1}. Once the Holy Spirit,
speaking through the supreme magisterium{2} of the Church,
defines a doctrine as de fide{3} the dogma in question remains, both in se{4} and
in its external formula or terminology, unchanged and unchangeable, like God, Whose voice it
communicates to us, in the shape of definite truth. Modernism tells us
quite the reverse.
{1} Ecclesia docens -- i.e., 'the teaching
Church.'
{2} Magisterium = 'teaching
authority.'
{3} De fide = 'what is of faith.'
{4} In se = 'in itself.'
Rev. Father
Norbert Jones, C.R.L., Old Truths, Not Modernist Errors, Exposure of Modernism
and Vindication of its Condemnation by the Pope, 1908, (footnotes in original)
STOP
GIVING Neo-Modernists of Rome the benefit of doubt. Vatican II is doing exactly
what it was intended to do!
“Kindness is for fools. They want them to be treated with oil, soap,
and caresses but they ought to be beaten with fists! In a duel you don’t count
or measure the blows, you strike as you can. War is not made with charity, it
is a struggle, a duel. If Our Lord were not terrible he would not have given an
example in this too. See how he treated the Philistines, the sowers of error,
the wolves in sheep’s clothing, the traitors in the temple. He scourged them
with whips!”
St. Pius X, how Modernists should be treated
Sweet Jesus, my soul ardently desires to be bathed and entirely
submerged in Your Blood... since in Your Blood I find the source of all mercy;
in Your Blood are clemency, fire, piety. In Your Blood, mercy abounds for our
faults. In Your Blood, justice is satisfied and our hardness is melted; what is
bitter becomes sweet and what is heavy becomes light. And since all virtues
reach maturity in Your Blood, O Christ,
inebriate my soul, engulf it in Your Blood, so that it will be adorned with
real and solid virtues.
St. Catherine of Siena
Be not without fear about sin
forgiven. (Eccles. 5:5)
Man knoweth not, whether he be
worthy of love or hatred. (Eccles 9:1)
Unless ye do penance, ye shall
all perish. (Luke 8:3)
Prayer is good with fasting and
alms, more than to lay up treasures of gold for alms delivereth from death, and
the same is that which purgeth away sins, and maketh to find mercy and life
everlasting. (Tob 12:8-9)
Virgin most faithful, pray for us! As
the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ is Recapitulated in His Church!
At the time of the Passion of our Lord who, I
ask you, were the faithful ones that continued with our Lord to the end?...
Weigh well the answer: Those who remained in the company of Mary. Whence had
they this great grace? From her all-powerful intercession. As it was then, so
will it be again: and it will be well for us to think of this earnestly,
seriously: not carelessly, but with thought and prayer.
Venerable Mother Mary Potter, Foundress of
the Little Company of Mary, known as the “Blue Nuns”
"It has recently come to our ears, not without great pain to us,
that in some parts of upper Germany, as well as in the provinces, cities,
territories, regions, and dioceses of Mainz, Koln, Trier, Salzburg, and Bremen,
many persons of both sexes, heedless of their own salvation and forsaking the
Catholic Faith, give themselves over to devils male and female, and by their
incantations, charms, and conjurings, and by other abominable superstitions and
sortileges, offences, crimes, and misdeeds, ruin and cause to perish the
offspring of women, the foal of animals, the products of the earth, the grapes
of vines, and the fruits of trees, as well as men and women, cattle and flocks
and herds and animals of every kind, vineyards also and orchards, meadows,
pastures, harvests, grains and other fruits of the earth; that they afflict and
torture with dire pains and anguish, both internal and external, these men, women,
cattle, flocks, herds, and animals, and hinder men from begetting and women
from conceiving, and prevent all consummation of marriage; that, moreover, they
deny with sacrilegious lips the Faith they received in holy Baptism; and that,
at the instigation of the enemy of mankind, they do not fear to commit and
perpetrate many other abominable offences and crimes, at the risk of their own
souls, to the insult of the divine majesty and to the pernicious example and
scandal of multitudes."
Pope Innocent VIII, Sumnis
desideranter affectibus, 1484, condemnation of Witchcraft
The
Fundamentals of the Spiritual Life Never Change
St. Oswald made quick progress in the path of perfect virtue, because
he studied with the utmost earnestness to deny himself and his own will,
listening attentively to that fundamental maxim of the Eternal Truth which St.
Benedict, of whose holy order he became a bright light, repeats with great
energy. This holy founder declares in the close of his rule, that, he who
desires to give himself up to God, must trample all earthly things under his
feet, renounce everything that is not God, and die to all earthly affections,
so as to attain to a perfect disengagement and nakedness of heart, that God may
fill and entirely possess it, in order to establish therein the kingdom of his
grace and pure love for ever. And in his prologue he cries out aloud, that he
addresses himself only to him who is firmly resolved in all things to deny his
own will, and to hasten with all diligence to arrive at his heavenly kingdom.
Fr. Alan Butler, Lives of the Saints, St. Oswald, O.S.B., Bishop of Worcester,
d. 992, Feast Day February 28 (or 29)
Explains
why Newman is now a "Doctor" of the Novus Ordites
He (Henry Cardinal
Newman) was led into his error by the false philosophy of the age, which
asserts that the mind apprehends truth only under subjective forms, and by
his Protestantism, which misapprehends the real character of those new
definitions and further explications of the faith opposed by the Church to
novel heresies and errors as they arise (i.e.:DOGMA). Confounding the
simple belief of the truth with the intellectual process of comprehending it,
he fell into the mistake of supposing that heresy has always an honest origin,
that it always springs from the necessary and laudable effort of the mind, an
effort which every true believer must make, to ascertain and comprehend the
truth, and that it always presupposes the faith on the point it contradicts was
previously unknown even to the pastors of the Church; — a sad mistake, for the
Church has never hesitated as to the faith to be opposed to the novel heresy,
which proves that she knew it prior to the heresy, and the heresy never
originates in ignorance of the faith or in an honest endeavor to ascertain it,
but in the desire to establish a favorite theory, or to follow one's own
private judgment.
Orestes Brownson,
on the fundamental err of Cardinal John Henry Newman, who Modernist Heretics
regard as their principle inspiration, from Newman's theory, written as a
Protestant, Essay on the Development of Christine Doctrine
“This faith, which is the beginning of human salvation, the Catholic
Church professes to be a supernatural virtue, by means of which, with the grace
of God inspiring and assisting us, we believe to be true what He has revealed,
not because we perceive its intrinsic truth by the natural light of reason, but
because of the authority of God himself, who makes the revelation and can
neither deceive nor be deceived.”
Vatican I
The
West has finally managed to get governments that are directed by 'idiotic
lunatics'!
The human race may be now and then afflicted with lunacy, but it is
never an idiot. An idiot is one who has just premises, but cannot
draw from them just conclusions, that is, one who cannot reason; a
lunatic is one who has false premises, but who is, nevertheless, able to draw
logical conclusions from them. His insanity is precisely in his
inability to seize and hold true premises.
Orestes Brownson, “Saint-Bonnet on Social Restoration,”
Brownson’s Quarterly Review, Oct., 1851
The
SINS of the Novus Ordo Church:
Characterized
first and foremost by its SINS against the Theological Virtues and its SINS
against the Virtue of Religion - the most Malicious of all SINS because they
have God as their direct objects!
From a theological point of view, evils may be divided into two classes
: Voluntary evils (Sins) and Involuntary evils (Pain and Suffering). The evils
of the first class are really "the" evil, that is, objects to be
avoided and hated. They are also the greatest evils, because they injure at the
same time their own author and the Author of nature. God cannot cause, but only
permit and oppose them. The evils of the second class are only evils of the
subject which naturally abhors them, yet they are not so detestable as to be
avoided in all cases. God may cause them and use them as means to His ends;
notably, as a penalty for sin. In the original order established by Him, there
was no room for evils of this class. They came into the world with sin. As a
matter of fact, then, all evils existing in this world spring from sin, the
greatest and original evil. Hence the above division is equivalent to another
which distinguishes "Evils of Guilt" and "Evils of Penalty"
(mala culpae, mala poenae). Many
evils may, however, be at the same time a guilt and a penalty. Sin in its
theological and proper sense, consists in the conscious and voluntary
transgression, lesion, or denial of the moral order imposed upon the creature
by Divine Law. The philosophical notion of sin does not contain the element of
Divine command. What to the theologian is a voluntary transgression of the law
of God is looked upon by the philosopher as a transgression of the rational and
natural order. Yet even in sound philosophy the notion of sin ought not to be
dissociated from disobedience to the Lawgiver, for sin is always an action
against the dictates of conscience, and these are but the commanding voice of
God (Rom. ii. 14-16).
Hence the essence of sin consists in the more or less express
opposition of the human will against the Divine Will, an opposition which
implies a certain neglect or contempt of the Divine Will itself. This contempt
involves an "aversion from God as the ultimate End," that is, a
refusal of the submission and love which are His due. Sin averts or turns away
the creature from God as the Highest Good in Himself, and from God as the
Highest Good of the creature itself, in Whom alone it can find perfect
beatitude. It seeks outside God a satisfaction or pleasure incompatible with
the possession and fruition of God. On God's side, the contempt of His will by
the creature constitutes an offence and an insult, according to the saying,
"The lawbreaker offends the lawmaker." And this offence always
includes an "injury;" that is, it injures or damages the external
glory of God. For this reason, Holy Scripture describes sin as injustice, and
iniquity. Again, sin being always committed under the very eyes or in the face
of God, it must needs excite His displeasure, abhorrence, indignation, and
anger. These affections in God are not accompanied by the same feelings as in
man, yet they exist in Him eminently; and it is not the defect of malice in
sin, but God's own immutability, which prevents Him from being affected with
infinite pain by the sinner. In
sins against the theological virtues, and against the virtue of religion, the
aversion and offence assume a direct character, because God is the immediate
object of these virtues. Sin is clearly the greatest of evils — and an
absolute evil, because it deprives the Greatest and Absolute Good of the honour
due to Him.
Scheeben's Manual of Catholic Theology by Rev. Joseph Wilhelm, D.D.,
Ph.D. and Rev Thomas B. Scannell, D.D.
Separation
of Church and State is impossible. Every
state has an established religion with a creedal profession containing articles
of faith that it demands its citizens profess.
These articles of faith cannot be proven to be true or even demonstrated
as consistent with natural law. The
U.S.A. is no exception to this rule. We have a state religion but it is called
by another name. The secular dogma,
‘Separation of Church and State’, is nothing more than a tool to prevent competition
against the state religion in the public forum.
The state demands a “faith” in “general values” that are always
“relative and changing.”
All organization is action and all action is rude. […..] There is a
hierarchy of values which have been expressed in nearly every revolutionary
slogan in history…. These values are up
on top. The democratic way of life is nothing more than a process, a device, a modus operandi, designed as the best
way, we believe, of achieving those values, of growing into them so to speak.
Now, those values that I have mentioned cannot be discussed, they cannot be
argued, they cannot be debated, they are articles of faith. [..…] In a free and
open society, equality is a value you cannot discuss or debate or put on a
ballot. If you do not accept our values then you can have no voice in a
democratic process. Then get out of our system and go someplace else. [……]
These values and goals, out of necessity, are always stated in general
terms. Every literate revolutionary
knows that you cannot be any more than general (in your) terms because all
values are relative and are changing.
Saul Alinsky, Jewish revolutionary, explaining the ‘religion’ of the
modern democratic state, 1/17/69, UCLA
Society
has already reached a sense of being “defeated” and “futureless.” The Novus Ordo Church is an essential cause
and contributor to this sense rather than a light of hope of union with Jesus
Christ!
[You must help] the people in the community… feel so frustrated,
so defeated, so lost, so futureless in the prevailing system that they are
willing to let go of the past and chance the future. [An] organizer must
shake up the prevailing patterns of their lives –agitate, create disenchantment
and discontent with the current values, to produce, if not a passion for
change, at least a passive, affirmative, non-challenging climate. [You
must] fan the embers of hopelessness into a flame of fight.
Saul Alinsky, Rules for Radicals
Traditionalist
Catholic group doubles down on illicit consecrations, setting course for
potential schism
Vatican News |
Vatican City | Justin McLellan | February 19, 2026
The traditionalist Catholic society long a
thorn in the side of the Vatican will move forward with plans to create its own
bishops without approval from the pope. The plan escalates its standoff with
Rome and sets the group on a path toward an outright break from the Catholic
Church.
The Feb. 19 announcement marks the latest turn in a back-and-forth
between the Society of St. Pius X and the Vatican that sought to avoid a
full-blown rupture between the two. Now, the situation poses a major test for
Pope Leo XIV, who has made church unity a priority of his pontificate.
Fr. Davide Pagliarani, superior general of the Society of St. Pius X,
said in a letter that the society would not postpone its announced bishop
consecrations. The letter was sent to Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect
of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which oversees the Vatican's
relationship with the group.
The two met one-on-one on Feb. 12 to discuss a resolution to the
society's threat of consecrating new bishops in defiance of Rome.
In their meeting, the cardinal offered to engage in a theological
"path of dialogue" with the society to establish "the minimum
requirements necessary for full communion with the Catholic Church" on the
condition the society suspend their planned episcopal consecrations.
Notably, Fernández met with the pope on Feb. 19, the day the letter was
made public.
The Society of St. Pius X has long operated in a canonical gray zone.
While its priests have been granted faculties in certain cases, including
permission for the valid administration of confession and marriage, the society
continues to function without full canonical recognition and in open defiance
of church authorities.
Pagliarini wrote that the society is not seeking canonical regularity
in the church,which he said "in the current state of affairs, is
impracticable due to doctrinal divergences."
The Society of St. Pius X, which counts 733 priests worldwide according
to its latest figures, rejects key teachings of the Second Vatican Council.
That includes the church's teaching on interreligious dialogue and the
postconciliar liturgical reform promulgated in 1970 and now celebrated by
nearly all Latin-rite Catholics.
Among the topics Fernández proposed for discussion with the Society of
St. Pius X were "the different degrees of assent required by the various
texts of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and their interpretation."
In response, Pagliarani wrote that the society and the Vatican
"cannot agree doctrinally" in light of the insistence that "the
texts of the Council cannot be corrected, nor can the legitimacy of the
liturgical reform be challenged."
The society's decision sets up a direct confrontation with the Vatican
ahead of its planned July 1 bishop consecrations, a move widely interpreted as
an attempt to pressure Rome into addressing the Society of St. Pius X's
shrinking number of bishops. [......]
COMMENT:
It is unfortunate that the SSPX is incapable of effectively defending
the Catholic Faith against the Neo-Modernists that control the Vatican. It is
absurd to say, "we 'cannot agree doctrinally' in light of the insistence
that 'the texts of the Council cannot be corrected, nor can the legitimacy of
the liturgical reform be challenged.'" It is not a question of exchanging
legitimate theological opinions on open questions. It is question defending the
faith against the claims of heretics. Vatican II and the Novus Ordo communion
service are heretical. SSPX should confront aberrant theological opinions and
the corruption of divine worship of the Neo-Modernists with Catholic dogma.
They should begin by asking how is it possible that a pastoral council of
churchmen teaching merely by their grace of state that called everything in the
Church into question itself cannot be questioned, especially when its
implementation has caused the greatest destruction of faith and worship in the
history of the Church? Their reason for this is no mystery. It is perfectly
legitimate to conclude that the destruction of the Church is the intention of
the Neo-Modernists. That is why they will not question Vatican II is because,
in their estimation, it is magnificent success! It is doing exactly what it was
intended to do.
Pope Leo has begun a series of Vatican II "catechesis." The
most recent on February 18 was on the document, Lumen gentium, the constitution
on the Church, and subtitled, "The
mystery of the Church, sacrament of the union with God, and the unity of all
humanity," wherein he cited this Lumen gentium teaching:
"The Church
is in Christ like a sacrament or as a sign and instrument both of a very
closely knit union with God and of the unity of the whole human race."
Vatican II, Lumen Gentium
Is this true? No it is not. The Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. This is an identity and it is heresy to obfuscate this truth by claiming, as Lumen Gentium did, that the "Mystical Body of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church" implying there are other members of the Church of Chrst that are not Catholics. The members of the Catholic Church, and therefore, the Mystical Body of Christ, profess the one, holy, Catholic, and Apostolic faith; they have, while professing this faith, by the sacrament of Baptism been made members of this Body; and they as members of this Body are subject to her ecclesiastical superiors. Those that have not been baptized are not members of the Church; those that are baptized and reject the truths revealed by God are apostates and/or heretics and are not members of the Church; those that reject the universal jurisdiction of the pope are schismatics and are not members of the Church. The Church is NOT a "sign.... of a very close knit union.... of the whole human race" because the "whole human race" is not a member of the Church. There is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. Those members of the "whole human race" who reject the Catholic faith stand only in potentia to this membership and the possibility of salvation. The duty of the pope is to preach the gospel message for the purpose bringing those in potentia to membership in the Church to being members in actu. This is why for the post Vatican II Novus Ordo popes proselytism is "solemn nonsense" because if the "whole human race" is somehow already united to the Church they do not need to be converted. Pope Leo in affirming this corrupt pastoral opinion from Vatican II is joining himself with its heresy, and as St. Thomas made perfectly clear, "all heretics are schismatics." Furthermore, it is an absurdity, a violation of the first principles of the understanding, to affirm that disobedience to the pope who is a heretic, and therefore a schismatic, is a schismatic act! It would be to claim that a schismatic pope makes the entire Church schismatic.
Remember in your charity:
Remember the welfare of our expectant mother: Vanessa LoStrocco and Maria Castillo
Gonzalez,
For Anthony
Niekrewicz, spiritual and temporal welfare is the petition of all the
members of Ss. Peter & Paul,
Mary Lou Loftus' aunt, Susan Hendricks, who is gravely ill after emergency surgery,
Fred Holder,
for his
spiritual and physical welfare,
Thomas Soul,
a
nursing home patient who has suffered a stroke,
Donna Kallal, a dear friend of the
Schiltz family who is dying,
Philip Thees requests our prayers for the heath of Mary Glatz and Lenny and Agnus Messineo,
For the welfare of Aaron, a York resident in need of conversion,
For the spiritual welfare of Margaret Connelly is the petition of Camilla Meiser,
Linda Boyd, for her health,
Pete
Schiffbauer, a cousin of Monic Bandlow who is gravely ill,
Joan R.
Barr,
the widow of F. Donald Barr who died March 7, they were married 70 years
Cole
Schneider, prayers for his welfare are requested by Camilla Meiser,
JoAnn
Niekrewicz,
for her recovery from a recent fall and shoulder injury,
The Drews ask prayers for the spiritual and physical
welfare of Robert Carballo,
Conversion of Jack
Gentry, the nephew of Camilla Meiser,
For Sr.
Maria Junipera, who took her final vows as a nun with the Slaves of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary in Richmond, New Hampshire April 8,
Stephen Bryan, the brother of a devout
Catholic religious, for his spiritual welfare,
Marie
Kolinsky,
for her health and spiritual welfare is the petition of her family,
Gene Peters requests our prayers for the conversion
of Shirley Young and Carl Loy who are dying, the
conversion of Dawn Keithley
and Nate Schaeffer,
Rev. Leo
Carley,
an eighty-nine year old priest faithful to Catholic tradition, who is seriously
ill,
For the recovery of Hayden Yanchek, the grandson of Francis Yanchek, injured in
a farming accident,
Maureen
Nies, for
the recovery of her health is the petition of Camilla Meiser,
Daniel
Vargs, for
his health is the petition of his parents,
Art Noel, for the restoration of his
health,
For the welfare of Peg Berry and her husband, Bill,
Marianne Connelly asks prayers for Chris Foley, who is gravely ill,
and the welfare of his wife, Mary
Beth,
The spiritual welfare of the Sal & Maria Messineo family is the petition of the
Drew’s,
Liz Agosta, who is seriously ill, for her
spiritual and temporal welfare,
Warren
Hoffman, a
long time member of our Mission who is in failing health,
Patrick
Boyle,
for the recovery of his health and his spiritual welfare,
For the spiritual welfare of the Drew children,
Monica Bandlow request our prayers for the welfare of
Ray who is recovering from a
MVA, and his daughter, Sonya,
and Tera Jean Kopczynski, who
is in failing health, and for a good death for Mr. Howald, Kathy
Simons, Regina Quinn, James Mulgrew, Ruth Beaucheane, John Kopczynski, Roger
& Mandy Owen
Peg Berry requests our prayers for her brother, William Habekost,
For the recently widowed, Maike Hickson, and her children,
For the spiritual welfare of the Carmelite nuns in Fairfield, PA,
Geralyn
Zagorski, recovery of her health and spiritual welfare and
the conversion of Randal Pace is the petition of Philip Thees,
For the grandson of
Joe & Liz Agusta,
Fr. Waters requests our
prayers for the health and spiritual welfare of Elvira Donaghy,
For the health and
conversion of Stephen Henderson,
Fr. Paul DaDamio requests our
prayers for the welfare of Rob Ward, and his sister, Debra
Wagaman,
Kaitlyn McDonald, for the recovery of her health and spiritual
welfare,
Roco
Sbardella,
for his health and spiritual welfare,
The Vargas’ request our prayers for the spiritual
welfare of their son, Nicholas,
Family, for the welfare of Lazarus Handley, his mother, Julia, and his brother, Raphael, with Down’s Syndrome,
Fr. Waters requests prayers for the spiritual and
physical welfare of Frank McKee,
Nancy
Bennett, for the recovery of her
health,
For the spiritual welfare of Mark Roberts, a Catholic faithful to tradition,
Michael Brigg requests our prayers for the health of John Romeo,
The health and welfare of Gene Peters and his sons,
Conversion of Anton
Schwartzmueller, is the prayer request of his children,
Christine
Kozin, for
her health and spiritual welfare,
Teresa
Gonyea,
for her conversion and health, is the petition of her grandmother, Patricia
McLaughlin,
For the health of Sonya Kolinsky,
Jackie Dougherty asks our prayers for her brother, John Lee, who is gravely ill,
For the health and spiritual welfare, Meg Bradley, the granddaughter
of Rose Bradley,
Timothy
& Crisara, a couple from Maryland have requested our prayers for their spiritual
welfare,
Celine
Pilegaard, the seven year old daughter of Cynthia Pilegaard, for her recovery from
burn injuries,
Rafaela de
Saravia, for
her health and welfare,
Abbe Damien
Dutertre,
traditional Catholic priest arrested by Montreal police while offering Mass,
Francis
(Frank) X. McLaughlin, for the recovery of his
health,
Nicholas
Pell,
for his health and spiritual welfare is the petition of Camilla Meizer,
Mary Kaye
Petr,
her health and welfare is petitioned by Camilla Meizer,
The welfare of Excellency Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò,
The welfare of Rev.
Fr. Martin Skierka, who produces the traditional Ordo in the U.S.,
For the health and welfare of Katie Wess, John Gentry, Vincent Bands, Todd Chairs, Susan Healy and
James O’Gentry is the petition of Camilia,
Marieann
Reuter, recovery of her health, Kathy Kepner, for her health, Shane Cox, for his health,
requests of Philip Thees,
The Joseph
Cox Family, their spiritual welfare,
For the health of Kim Cochran, the daughter-in-law of Joseph and Brenda
Cochran, the wife of their son Joshua,
Louie
Verrecchio,
Catholic apologist, who has a health problem,
John
Minidis, Jr. family, for help in their spiritual
trial,
Joann
DeMarco, for her health and spiritual
welfare,
Regina
(Manidis) Miller, her spiritual welfare and health,
Melissa
Elena Levitt, her conversion, and welfare of her children,
For the grace of a holy death, Nancy Marie Claycomb,
Conversion of Annette
Murowski, and her son Jimmy,
Brent Keith from Indiana has petitioned our prayers
for the Keith Family,
The welfare of the Schmedes Family, and the Mike and Mariana Donohue Family,
The spiritual welfare Robert Holmes Family,
For the spiritual and temporal welfare of Irwin Kwiat,
Fr. Waters asks our prayers for Elvira Donaghy,
Kimberly Ann, the daughter of John and
Joann DeMarco, for her health and spiritual welfare,
Rende and
Mary Mufide, a traditional Catholics from India ask our prayers for her welfare and
he family members, living and deceased,
Mary Glatz, her health and the welfare
of her family,
Barbara
Harmon,
who is ill,
Jason Green, a father of ten children,
his health,
For the health and welfare of Sorace family,
Fr. Waters asks our prayers for the health and
spiritual welfare of Brian Abramowitz,
Thomas
Schiltz family, in grateful appreciation for their contribution to the beauty of our
chapel,
John Rhoad, for his health and
spiritual welfare,
Kathy Boyle, requests our prayers for
her welfare,
Joyce
Laughman and Robert Twist, for their conversions,
Michael J.
Brigg & his family, who have helped with the needs of the Mission,
Nancy Deegan, her welfare and conversion
to the Catholic Church,
Francis Paul
Diaz,
who was baptized at Ss. Peter & Paul, asks our prayers for his spiritual
welfare,
The conversion of Rene McFarland, Lori Kerr, Cary Shipman
and family, David Bash, Crystal and family, Larry Reinhart, Costanzo Family,
Kathy Scullen, Marilyn Bryant, Vicki Trahern and Time Roe are
the petitions of Gene Peters,
For the conversion of Ben & Tina Boettcher family, Karin Fraessdorf, Eckhard Ebert,
and Fahnauer family,
Fr. Waters requests our prayers for Br. Rene, SSPX, and for Fr. Thomas Blute,
For the welfare of Fr. Paul DaDamio and Fr. William T. Welsh,
The Drew’s ask our prayers for the welfare of Joe & Tracey Sentmanat family, Keith
& Robert Drew, Christy Koziol & her children, Fred Nesbit and Michael
Nesbit families, and Gene Peters Family,
the John Manidis Family, the Sal Messinio Family, Michael Proctor Family,
Ryan Boyle grandmother, Jane Boyle, who is failing health,
Mel Gibson
and his family, please remember in our prayers,
Rev. Timothy A. Hopkins requested our prayers for the
welfare of his friend, Fr Jean-Luc Lafitte,
Ebert’s request our prayers for the Andreas & Jenna Ortner Family,
Joyce Paglia has asked prayers for George Richard Moore Sr. & his
children, and her brother, George
Panell,
Philip Thees asks our prayers for his family, for McLaughlin Family, the welfare
of Dan & Polly Weand, the
conversion of Sophia Herman,
Tony Rosky, the welfare Nancy Erdeck, the wife of
the late Deacon Erdeck, John Calasanctis, Tony Rosky, James Parvenski, Kathleen Gorry, health of mind and body of Cathy Farrar.
Pray for the
Repose of the Souls:
For Jo Ann Niekrewicz,
our dear friend, died March 1, for the blessed repose of her soul is the
petition of all the members of Ss. Peter & Paul,
Katherine
Veronica Wedel, the mother of Mary Baer, died February 6,
James
Condit, Jr., traditional Catholic activist, died December 27,
Beverly
Harmon, died
December 16, requested by the Sentmanat family,
Rev.
Nicholas DeProspero, a faithful Ruthenian Eastern rite Catholic priest, died December 10,
Monica Bandlow petitions our prayers for her friend, Patricia Messineo, died November
28,
Guy
Berthault,
died November 23, a great Catholic scientist whose work in sedimentology
destrooyed Lyellian geology and the theory of evolution,
Thomas Soul,
died
November 8 after receiving the last rites of the Church,
Etta Van Der
Werken, a
dear friend of Barbara Taffe, died 10-21-2025,
Gary Potter, Catholic writer and
apologist and great long time defender of Catholic doctrine and tradition, died
9-9-2025,
Elizabeth
Gorska,
who died September 9, a relative of Lidia Gjec,
Camilia Meiser request our prayers for the souls of Peggy Cummings and Elizabeth Genter,
Thomas A.
Nelson, founder of TAN Books and
Publishers, died August 16,
Juan D.
Gonzalez,
our former sacristan, choir director, and dear friend, died July 23,
Sal
Messineo,
a faithful traditional Catholic, died Augsut 14,
Patricia
Askew, a
friend of Camilla Meiser, died July 3,
Joseph
Kerney, a
young man whose family provided the statues of the Sacred Heart, Mary and
Joseph in our sanctuary, died May 30,
Louis
Richard Ajlouny, the father of Randa Sharpe, died May 15,
Rene Guidicessi, died April 25, an old
friend of the Drews,
F. Donald
Barr, died
March 7 at 94 years of age, co-founder of Robert Francis Religious Goods, in
Philadelphia,
Dr. David
Allen White, a well known defender of the Catholic faith, died February 11,
Bishop
Richard Williamson, a renowned defender of the Catholic faith and most charitable gentleman,
died January 29,
Rodolfo
Alberto Lacayo, a cousin of Claudia Drew, died January 4,
Genieve
Wallace, died
Christmas day,
Ruth Marion
Beaucheane, died December 8, is the
petition of Monica Bandlow,
Ana Maria Salcedo, the sister of Mario Fiol, died November 26,
Fr. Johin Cardaro, a
traditional Catholic priest who was found dead in his home November 2,
Robert Carballo asks that we
remember his parents, Roberto & Aida Carballo, and his friend, David
Duclos, who died April 15,
Bishop Bernard Tissier de
Mallerais who may have been responsible for preventing the SSPX's public
reconciliation with Rome in 2012, died October 8,
Lorna
Edwards, our
dear friend and loyal supporter of this Mission, died August 10,
Lois Petti, died July 28 two hours after
receiving the Last Sacraments from Fr. Waters,
Wolfgang
Smith, a
renowned Catholic scholar, mathematician, scientist, philosopher, who helped
the Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation, died July 19,
Willaim
Glatz, a
good and faithful Catholic, died July 17,
Alicio
Gonzalez, a
Catholic who asked for the sacrament of Extreme Unction, unfortunately did not
receive, died July 9,
John
Zavodny, a faithful Catholic who died wearing the
scapular of Mt Carmel on the first Saturday of May, requested by Phyllis Virgil,
Catherine
Martel, a lapsed Catholic, received
the last sacraments in a good disposition from Fr. Waters on March 25 and died
on April 4,
Father
Basilio Méramo, a faithful priest, died March 5, removed from the SSPX for opposing
their accommodation with Rome,
Julia
McDonald,
the mother of Kyle McDonald, died March 1,
Agnus
Melnick,
died February 28, a long time faithful Catholic and mother of eight children,
including a traditional priest,
Kathryn
(Drew) Lederhos, of Wellesley, MA, died
February 3, 2024,
Chris Foley, the
brother of Mary Lou Loftus, died February 1,
Louis Zelaya, the brother of Claudia
Drew, died January 30,
Fr. James
Louis Albert Campbell, a faithful priest who died December 18 at 91 years of age, and her
mother and father, Teresa and Thomas
Maher,
Charles
Harmon,
the father of Tracey Sentmanet, died October 1, after receiving the rites of
the Church,
Fr. Waters requests prayers for Elvira Donaghy, his friend and former secretary a for Bishop
Gerado Zendejas, died September 9,
Robert
Hickson,
a faithful Catholic apologist who died Septembber 2,
Monica Bandlow requests prayers for her parents, Thomas & Teresa Maher, her
husband, William Bandlow, her
brother-in-law, Richard Bandlow,
her sister, Mary Maher, Fr. Christopher Darby, SSPX, who died March 17, Robert Byrne, Michelle Donofrio McDowell, her cousin, Patricia Fabyanic, the Prefect
of Our Lady’s Sodality, March 8, for
John Pfeiffer who died August 20, Theresa
Hanley, died July 23, Fr.
Juan-Carlos Iscara, SSPX, who died December 20, John Kinney, died December 21, Willaim Price, Jr., and Robert Arch Ward, died January 10,
and Myra, killed in a MVA
June 6,
John Sharpe,
Sr.,
died July 20,
Maria
Paulette Salazar, died June 6,
Dale Kinsey requests prayers for his wife, Katherine Kinsey, died May 17,
Richard
Giles,
who died April 29, the father of Traci Sentmanat who converted to the Catholic
faith last All Saints' Day,
Joseph
Sparks,
a devout and faithful Catholic to tradition died February 25,
Joyce Paglia, died
January 21, and Anthony Paglia,
died January 28, who were responsible for the beautiful statuary in our chapel,
Joe Sentmanet request prayers for Richard Giles and Claude Harmon who converted to
the Catholic faith shortly before their deaths,
Rodolfo
Zelaya, the brother of Claudia Drew,
died January 9,
Elizabeth Agosta petitions our prayers for Joseph Napolitano, her brother,
who died January 2,
Michael
Dulisse,
died on December 26,
Michael
Proctor, a close friend of the Drews,
died November 9,
Richard
Anthony Giles, the father-in-law of Joe Sentmanat converted to the Catholic faith on
All Saints Day, died November 5,
Robert
Kolinsky,
the husband of Sonja, died September 18,
Gabriel
Schiltz,
the daughter of Thomas & Gay Schiltz, died August 21,
Mary Dimmel, the
mother –in-law of Victoria Drew Dimmel, died July 18,
Michael
Nesbit,
the brother-in-law and dear friend of the Drew's, died July 14,
Thomas
Thees, the brother of Philip, died
June 19,
Carmen Ragonese,
died June 22,
Juanita
Mohler, a friend of Camella Meiser,
died June 14,
Kathleen
Elias, died February 14,
Hernan Ortiz, the
brother of Fr. Juan Carlos Ortiz, died February 3,
Mary Ann
Boyle,
the mother of a second order Dominican nun, a first order Dominican priest, and
a SSPX priest, died January 24,
John DeMarco, who
attended this Mission in the past, died January23,
Charles
O’Brien, the father of Marlene Cox,
died December 30,
Mufide Rende requests our prayers for the repose of
the souls of her parents, Mehmet
& Nedime,
Kathleen
Donelly,
died December 29 at 91 years of age, ran the CorMariae website,
Matthew
O'Hare,
most faithful Catholic, died at age 40 on November 30,
Rev. Patrick
J. Perez, a Catholic priest faithful to
tradition, pastor Our Lady Help of Christians, Garden Grove, CA, November 19,
Elizabeth
Benedek,
died December 14, requested by her niece, Agnes Vollkommer,
Dolores
Smith and Richard Costello, faithful Catholics, died
November,
Frank
D’Agustino,
a friend of Philp Thees, died November 8,
Fr.
Dominique Bourmaud, of the SSPX, Prior of St.
Vincent in Kansas City, died September 4,
Pablo Daniel
Silva, the brother of Elizabeth
Vargas, died August 18,
Rose Bradley, a
member of Ss. Peter & Paul, died July 14,
Patricia
Ellias, died June 1, recently
returned to the Church died with the sacraments and wearing the brown scapular,
Joan Devlin, the sister-in-law of Rose
Bradley, died May 18,
William
Muligan, died April 29, two days after
receiving the last sacraments,
Robert Petti, died
March 19, the day after receiving the last sacraments,
Mark
McDonald, the father of Kyle, who died
December 26,
Perla Otero, died December 2020, Leyla Otero, January 2021,
cousins of Claudia Drew,
Mehmet Rende, died
December 12, who was the father of Mary Mufide,
Joseph
Gravish, died November 26, 100 year
old WWII veteran and daily communicant,
Jerome
McAdams,
the father of, died November 30,
Rev. James
O’Hara, died November 8, requested by
Alex Estrada,
Elizabeth
Batko, the sacristan at St. John the
Baptist in Pottstown for over 40 years, died on First Saturday November 7
wearing the brown scapular,
William Cox, the
father of Joseph Cox, who died September 3,
James Larson, Catholic
apologists, author of War Against Being
publication, died July 6, 2020,
Hutton
Gibson, died May 12,
Sr. Regina
Cordis,
Immaculate Heart of Mary religious for sixty-five years, died May 12,
Leslie Joan
Matatics, devoted Catholic wife and
mother of nine children, died March 24,
Victoria
Zelaya, the sister-in-law of Claudia
Drew, died March 20,
Ricardo
DeSilva,
died November 16, our prayers requested by his brother, Henry DeSilva,
Rev. Fr.
Joseph F. Collins, died April 27, 2019 to whom we are indebted for establishing our
traditional pre-Bugnini Holy Week in all
its beauty,
Roland H.
Allard,
a friend of the Drew’s, died September 28,
Stephen
Cagorski
and John Bogda, who
both died wearing the brown
scapular,
Cecilia
LeBow, a most faithful Catholic,
Rose Cuono, died Oct 23,
Patrick
Rowen,
died March 25, and his brother, Daniel
Rowen, died May 15,
Sandra
Peters, the
wife of Gene Peters, who died June 10 receiving the sacraments and wearing our
Lady’s scapular,
Rev. Francis
Slupski, a
priest who kept the Catholic faith and its immemorial traditions, died May 14,
Martha
Mochan, the
sister of Philip Thees, died April 8,
George
Kirsch,
our good friend and supporter of this Mission, died February 15,
For Fr.
Paul J. Theisz, died October 17, is the petition of Fr. Waters,
Fr. Mecurio
Fregapane,
died Jan 12, was not a traditional priest but always charitable,
Fr. Casimir
Peterson,
a priest who often offered the Mass in our chapel and provided us with sound
advice, died December 4,
Fr.
Constantine Bellasarius, a faithful and always
charitable Eastern Rite Catholic Melkite priest, who left the Roman rite, died
November 27,
Christian
Villegas,
a motor vehicle accident, his brother, Michael, requests our prayers,
John Vennari, the former editor of
Catholic Family News, and for his family’s welfare, April 4,
Mary Butler, the aunt of Fr. Samuel
Waters, died October 17,
Joseph
DeMarco,
the nephew of John DeMarco, died October 3,
John Fergale, died September 25 after
receiving the traditional sacramental rites of the Church wearing the brown
scapular,
John Gabor, the brother of Donna
Marbach, died September 9,
Fr. Eugene
Dougherty,
a faithful priest, fittingly died on the Nativity of the BVM after receiving
the traditional Catholic sacraments,
Phyllis
Schlafly,
died September 5,
Helen
Mackewicz,
died August 14,
Mark A.
Wonderlin,
who died August 2,
Fr. Carl
Cebollero,
a faithful priest to tradition who was a friend of Fr. Waters and Fr. DeMaio,
Jessica
Cortes,
a young mother of ten who died June 12,
Frances
Toriello, a
life-long Catholic faithful to tradition, died June3, the feast of the Sacred
Heart, and her husband Dan,
died in 1985,
John
McLaughlin, a friend of the Drew’s, died May 22,
Angela
Montesano,
who died April 30, and her husband, Salvatore,
who died in July 3, 2013,
Charles Schultz, died
April 5, left behind nine children and many grandchildren, all traditional
Catholics,
Esperanza Lopez de Callejas,
the aunt of Claudia Drew, died March 15,
Fr. Edgardo Suelo, a
faithful priest defending our traditions who was working with Fr. Francois Chazal
in the Philippines, died February 19,
Conde McGinley, a long time
laborer for the traditional faith, died February 12, at 96 years,
The Drew family requests
your prayers for Ida Fernandez and Rita Kelley,
parishioners at St. Jude,
Fr. Stephen Somerville, a traditional priest who
repented from his work with the Novus Ordo English translation, died December
12,
Fr. Arturo
DeMaio,
a priest that helped this Mission with the sacraments and his invaluable
advice, died December 2,
J. Paul
Carswell,
died October 15, 2015,
Solange
Hertz, a
great defender of our Catholic faith, died October 3, the First Saturday of the
month,
Paula P.
Haigh,
died October 22, a great defender of our Catholic faith in philosophy and
natural science,
Gabriella
Whalin,
the mother of Gabriella Schiltz, who died August 25,
Mary
Catherine Sick, 14 year old from a large traditional Catholic family, died August 25,
Fr. Paul
Trinchard,
a traditional Catholic priest, died August 25,
Stephen J.
Melnick, Jr., died on August 21, a long-time faithful traditional Catholic husband
and father, from Philadelphia,
Patricia
Estrada,
died July 29, her son Alex petitions our prayers for her soul,
Fr. Nicholas
Gruner,
a devoted priest & faithful defender of Blessed Virgin Mary and her Fatima
message, died April 29,
Sarah E.
Shindle,
the grandmother of Richard Shindle, died April 26,
Madeline
Vennari,
the mother of John Vennari, died December 19,
Salvador
Baca Callejas, the uncle of Claudia Drew, died December 13,
Robert Gomez, who died in a motor vehicle
accident November 29,
Catherine
Dunn,
died September 15,
Anthony
Fraser,
the son of Hamish Fraser, died August 28,
Jeannette
Rhoad,
the grandmother of Devin Rhoad, who died August 24,
John Thees, the uncle of Philip Thees,
died August 9,
Sarah
Harkins, 32 year-old mother of four
children, died July 28,
Msgr. Donald
Adams, who
offered the Indult Mass, died April 1996,
Anita Lopez, the aunt of Claudia Drew,
Fr. Kenneth
Walker,
a young traditional priest of the FSSP who was murdered in Phoenix June 11,
Fr. Waters petitions our prayers for Gilberte Violette, the mother of
Fr. Violette, who died May 6,
Pete Hays petitions our prayers for his brothers, Michael, died May 9, and James, died October 20, his
sister, Rebecca, died March17, and his mother, Lorraine Hayes who died May 4,
Philip
Marbach,
the father of Paul Marbach who was the coordinator at St. Jude in Philadelphia,
died April 21,
Richard
Slaughtery,
the elderly sacristan for the SSPX chapel in Kansas City, died April 13,
Bernedette
Marie Evans nee Toriello, the daughter of Daniel Toriello , died March 31, a
faithful Catholic who suffered many years with MS,
Natalie
Cagorski,
died march 23,
Anita Lopez
de Lacayo,
the aunt of Claudia Drew, who died March 21,
Mario
Palmaro,
Catholic lawyer, bioethicist and professor, apologist, died March 9, welfare of
his widow and children,
Daniel Boyle, the
uncle of Ryan Boyle, died March 4,
Jeanne
DeRuyscher,
who died on January 25,
Arthur
Harmon,
died January 18,
Fr. Waters petitions our prayers for the soul of Jeanne DeRuyscher, who died
January 17,
Joseph
Proctor,
died January 10,
Susan Scott, a devote traditional
Catholic who made the vestments for our Infant of Prague statue, died January
8,
Brother
Leonard Mary, M.I.C.M., (Fred Farrell), an early supporter and friend of Fr. Leonard
Feeney, died November 23,
John Fergale, requests our prayers for
his sister Connie, who died December 19,
Jim Capaldi, died December 15,
Brinton
Creager,
the son of Elizabeth Carpenter, died December 10,
Christopher
Lussos,
age 27, the father of one child with an expecting wife, died November 15,
Jarett
Ebeyer,
16 year old who died in his sleep, November 17, at the request of the
Kolinsky’s,
Catherine
Nienaber,
the mother of nine children, the youngest three years of age, killed in MVA
after Mass, 10-29,
Nancy Aldera, the sister of Frances
Toriello, died October 11, 2013 at 105 years of age,
Mary Rita
Schiltz,
the mother of Thomas Schiltz, who died August 27,
William H.
(Teddy) Kennedy, Catholic author of Lucifer’s Lodge, died August 14, age 49, cause of
death unknown,
Alfred
Mercier,
the father of David Mercier, who died August 12,
The Robert Kolinsky asks our prayers for his friend, George Curilla, who died August
23,
John Cuono, who had attended Mass at
our Mission in the past, died August 11,
Raymond
Peterson,
died July 28, and Paul Peterson,
died February 19, the brothers of Fr. Casimir Peterson,
Margaret
Brillhart,
who died July 20,
Msgr. Joseph
J. McDonnell, a priest from the diocese of Des Moines, who died June 8,
Patrick
Henry Omlor, who wrote Questioning The Validity of the Masses using
the New, All English Canon, and for a series of newsletters which were
published as The Robber Church, died May 2, the feast of St Athanasius,
Bishop
Joseph McFadden, died unexpectedly May 2,
Timothy
Foley,
the brother-in-law of Michelle Marbach Folley, who died in April,
William
Sanders,
the uncle of Don Rhoad, who died April 2,
Gene Peters ask our prayers for the repose of the
soul of Mark Polaschek, who
died March 22,
Eduardo
Gomez Lopez, the uncle of Claudia Drew, February 28,
Cecelia
Thees,
died February 24,
Elizabeth
Marie
Gerads, a
nineteen year old, the oldest of twelve children, who died February 6,
Michael
Schwartz,
the co-author with Fr. Enrique Rueda of “Gays, Aids, and You,” died February 3,
Stanley W.
Moore,
passed away in December 16, and Gerard (Jerry) R. Pitman, who died January 19,
who attended this Mission in the past,
Louis
Fragale,
who died December 25,
Fr. Luigi
Villa, Th.D. author of Vatican II About
Face! detailing the heresies of Vatican II, died November 18 at the age of 95,
Rev. Michael
Jarecki,
a faithful traditional Catholic priest who died October 22,
Jennie Salaneck, died September 19 at 95
years of age, a devout and faithful Catholic all her life,
Dorothy Sabo, who died September 26,
Cynthia
(Cindy) Montesano Reinhert, the mother of nine children, four who are still at
home, died August 19,
Stanley
Spahalski, who died October 20, and his wife, Regina
Spahalski, who died June 24, and for the soul of Francis Lester, her son,
Julia
Atkinson,
who died April 30,
Antonio P.
Garcia,
who died January 6, 2012 and the welfare of his teenage children, Andriana and
Quentin,
Helen Crane, the aunt of David Drew who
died February 27,
Fr. Timothy
A. Hopkins,
of the National Shrine of St. Philomena, in Miami, November 2,
Frank Smith, who died February 7, and
the welfare of his wife, Delores,
Eduardo
Cepeda,
who died January 26,
Larry Young, the 47 year old father of
twelve who died December 10 and the welfare of his wife Katherine and their
family,
Sister Mary
Bernadette, M.I.C.M., a founding member of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, died
December 16,
Joeseph
Elias, who
died on September 28,
William, the brother of Fr. Waters,
who died September 7,
Donald
Tonelli,
died August 1,
Rev. Fr.
Gregory Hesse, of Austria, a great defender of Catholic Truth, died January 25, 2006,
Emma
Colasanti, who died May 29,
Mary Dullesse, who died April 12, a
Catholic convert who died wearing our Lady’s scapular,
Ruth Jantsch, the grandmother of Andre
Ebert, who died April 7, Derrick and Denise Palengat, his godparents,
Philip D.
Barr,
died March 5, and the welfare of his family,
Judith Irene
Kenealy,
the mother of Joyce Paglia, who died February 23, and her son, George Richard
Moore, who died May 14,
For Joe
Sobran who died September 30,
Fr. Hector
Bolduc,
a great and faithful priest, died, September 10, 2012,
James &
Jean Rowan
and their sons, Patrick & Daniel,
John Vennari asks our prayers for Dr. Raphael Waters who died
August 26,
Stanley
Bodalsky,
the father of Mary Ann Boyle who died June 25,
Mary Isabel
Kilfoyle Humphreys, a former York resident and friend of the Drew’s, who died June 6,
Rev. John
Campion,
who offered the traditional Mass for us every first Friday until forbidden to
do so by Bishop Dattilo, died May 1,
Joseph
Montagne, who
died May 5,
For Margaret
Vagedes, the aunt of Charles Zepeda, who died January 6,
Fr. Michael
Shear, a
Byzantine rite Catholic priest, died August 17, 2006,
Fr. James
Francis Wathen, died November 7, 2006, author of The
Great Sacrilege and Who Shall
Ascend?, a great defender of dogma and liturgical purity,
Fr. Enrique
Rueda,
who died December 14, 2009, to whom our Mission is indebted,
Fr. Peterson asks to remember, Leonard Edward Peterson, his cousin, Wanda, Angelica Franquelli, and the six
priests ordained with him.
Philip Thees petitions our prayers for Beverly Romanick, Deacon Michael Erdeck,
Henry J. Phillips, Grace Prestano, Connie DiMaggio, Elizabeth Thorhas,
Elizabeth Thees, Theresa Feraker, Hellen Pestrock, and James & Rose Gomata,
and Kathleen Heinbach,
Fr. Didier
Bonneterre,
the author of The Liturgical Movement, and Fr. John Peek, both were traditional
priests,
Brother
Francis, MICM, the superior of the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in
Richmond, NH, who died September 5,
Rodolfo
Zelaya Montealegre, the father of Claudia Drew, who died May 24,
Rev. Francis
Clifford,
a devout and humble traditional priest, who died on March 7,
Benjamin
Sorace,
the uncle of Sonja Kolinsky.
For
the Indult Catholic Community: This is who they are dealing with!
Is church
unity worth a Latin Mass?
Religion News Service |Thomas Reese | February 6, 2026
"Paris is well worth a Mass" was reportedly the attitude of
King Henry IV when he was trying to secure the French throne. As a result, he
converted from Protestantism to Catholicism in 1593.
Today, the Eucharist, which is supposed to be the sacrament of unity,
is too often a battlefield between Catholics who support the Traditional Latin
Mass and those who want to see it disappear. Both sides need to ask themselves
whether the fight is worth something more important than Paris: the unity of
the church.
You must be my age to remember before the Second Vatican Council, when
the liturgy was entirely in Latin in Catholic churches, except in those using
Eastern Rite liturgies, where it was often in Greek. In Rome, it had been
changed from Greek into Latin in the third and fourth centuries so the common
people could understand it — a pragmatic decision, not a theological one.
When
I was young, we took it for granted that the Mass was in Latin. It was something
that made us different from Protestants. We could go to the same Mass anywhere
in the world. The Scripture readings were in Latin, although on Sunday the
priest would reread the Gospel in English before giving his sermon. Otherwise,
unless you had a translation, you had no idea what the readings were.
The Eucharistic prayer was the priest' s prayer, which he said with his
back to us. The altar boy would ring the bells to notify us when the priest
raised the host and chalice for us to adore. The bell also rang to call us to
Communion.
Other than that, the priest did his thing and the congregation
passively watched or prayed in silence.
In high school from 1958 to 1962, I had a St. Joseph's Missal with
Latin on one side of the page and English on the other so that I could follow
what the priest was praying when I went to daily Mass, but that was not the
norm. My parents had prayerbooks they read during Mass that had no connection
to what the priest was doing. Others in the church silently said their rosaries
during Mass.
And prior to the 20th century, Communion was infrequent. My parents
were among the first children allowed to go to Communion. Those who want to bring back the
Tridentine liturgy, if they want to be truly traditional, should go to
Communion less frequently and not allow their children to go to Communion.
Otherwise they are accepting early 20th-century innovations.
Although I entered the Jesuits prior to the Second Vatican Council and
went through a very traditional novitiate, I did not find the liturgical
changes difficult to accept. Our
conservative novice master taught us a course on the history of the Mass using
Josef A. Jungmannn's "Mass of the Roman Rite," which was published in
English in 1951. It taught us that the Mass was always changing throughout
history.
The transition was
also made easier by our traditional novitiate's emphasis on obedience. If the
church decided to change the liturgy, we were to accept it without question. To
do otherwise would be disobedient.
The Jesuits in
charge of formation were no help during the transition. They were clueless
about what was happening. The classics professors argued about how we
should pronounce "Amen" in English. The first time our superior said
the Eucharistic prayer in English, he got as far as the institutional narrative
and switched to "Hoc est enim corpus meum." The next day, he was able
to do it all in English.
Some of my
classmates had problems with the transition. Before ordination in 1973, one
confessed that it just wasn't the same because in the old church, after
ordination, he would be allowed to touch the consecrated bread for the first
time. Now anyone could receive Communion in the hand. It was as if part of his
priesthood had been taken away.
But for the most
part, the liturgical changes were accepted and implemented with excitement and
joy. They were the most visible reforms of Vatican II. And after a bit
of confusion, they were accepted overwhelmingly by Catholics in the pews.
But there were two
groups of holdouts.
First, there were
those who found the change difficult because they were used to the old ways and
the reforms were not well explained. Popes Paul VI and John Paul II wanted to
deal with these people with pastoral sensitivity and patience, but the popes
made clear that eventually, the old Mass was to fade away.
The other group of
holdouts was more problematic. They objected to the new liturgy in principle
and felt it was blasphemous. In truth, these ideologues objected to all the
reforms of the council, not just liturgy. They were divisive and contentious.
Some of these
dissenters were led into schism by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, despite
all the Vatican's efforts to appease him. To undermine Lefebvre and win
back schismatics to the church, the Vatican permitted more frequent celebration
of the Traditional Latin Mass. This strategy was partially successful, as
exemplified by Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, which celebrates the old Mass
but is in unity with the pope.
But there was an
unanticipated side effect: Some who grew up after Vatican II began to attend
these Latin Masses. Most were not ideologues, but pious, theologically
unsophisticated Catholics who were attracted by the ritual and mysterious
ceremony that allowed them to focus on adoration and private prayer without the
distraction of communal participation.
It is a mistake for liturgical reformers to lump this third group in
with the ideologues who reject Vatican II. These are good, devout people who
want to come closer to Jesus and find spiritual nourishment in the old liturgy.
Their existence is a
result of our failure to better explain the reforms and to make the new liturgy
more appealing to them. We should have encouraged them to go to Benediction and
explained how it is different form Mass.
Pope Benedict XVI
erred in taking away the local bishop's control over the Latin Mass and
allowing any priest to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass anywhere, any time.
Pope Francis erred in seeing only the ideologues and not the pious Catholics
who liked the old Mass.
Now, poor Pope Leo
XIV must figure out how to deal with this mess in a pastoral way that does not
empower the ideologues and affirms that the Traditional Latin Mass must
eventually fade away. This is why he gets the big bucks.
Leo should keep in
place the Francis mandate that seminarians are to be trained and ordained for
the reformed liturgy. If they prefer the old Mass, they should not be ordained.
On the other hand, Francis' ban on the Latin Mass in parishes could
have more flexibility. It might make sense to return the authority over this to
diocesan bishops, although some may prefer to blame the Vatican for not
allowing it. And yet, this is exactly the kind of issue that should be handled
in a synodal fashion at the local level. And diocesan bishops can more easily
determine whether those asking for the Latin Mass are pious Catholics or
ideologues, and respond accordingly.
In any case, I
would keep some limits on the availability of the Latin Mass. It should be
banned on major feasts like Christmas, Holy Week, Easter and holy days, so that
the entire community can gather for and take part in these feasts. And, the
Latin Mass should not be available every Sunday. Everyone should experience the
new liturgy on a regular basis, at least once a month, especially families with
children. If one totally rejects the reformed liturgy, then one is out of step
with the church.
Meanwhile, Leo
should relaunch liturgical reform. The 1998 English translation of the Roman
missal by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy should be
permitted. Individual prefaces should be written for each Sunday in the A, B
and C cycles of Scripture readings. New Eucharistic prayers that are more
scriptural should be written.
Henry IV compromised his faith to win Paris. Catholics of all stripes
should be able to compromise on the liturgy to maintain the unity of the
church. We must respect and love one another, despite our liturgical
differences. And everyone should know that we are Christians by our love, not know
that we are Catholics by our fights.
COMMENT: Thomas Reese, S.J., the author of this editorial,
is a progressive liberal Jesuit who is about 81 years of age. His entire
religions life directly tied to liberal causes. For example, he is involved
with the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at the Jesuit Santa Clara
University which holds as a first principle the Vatican II humanistic
philosophy of the dignity of the human person which ends up in defending
abortion rights. He is also the former editor-in-chief from 1998 to 2005 of the
Jesuit magazine America. The Jesuit
order he is a member of during his religions life has become largely a
homosexual collective.
His recounting of his liturgical formation is interesting. He was
formed by his Jesuit novice master at the beginning of Vatican II. His novice
master, using Josef Jungmann, S. J. as his authority, is credited for his
liturgical views. Jungmann was a professor of pastoral theology in Austria who
wrote the two-volume The Mass of the
Roman Rite, Its Origin and Development. He held that the primary purpose of
the liturgy from the beginning of the Church was pastoral. He was active in the
liturgical reform with Rev. Annibale Bugnini from the beginning of the
liturgical commission in 1948. He envisioned a Novus Ordo Mass with a primary
pastoral purpose. He was largely a self instructed liturgical
"expert" who functioned as a peritus
at Vatican II and the major contributor
to its Constitution on the Liturgy.
Jungmann's idea of a pastoral liturgy was to return to the liturgical practices
around the 4th to the 6th century. Over the last 40 years beginning in the
1980s, there has been a tremendous amount of liturgical academic research and
publications as well as the reprinting of liturgical works. The upshot of this
is that Jungmann was exposed as a fraud selective picking and choosing
anecdotal historical elements that served his ideology and not the Catholic
faith or true liturgical development.
One example, he wrote that the ancient Roman rite was offered versus populum and not ad orientem. When real liturgical
scholars demonstrated his error he argued that versus populum may not be what was done but should be done now for
pastoral reasons. Msgr. Klaus Gamber made it clear in his work on the Roman
rite that this practice can be traced to Luther and the Protestant reformation
and nowhere before. Jungmann was an ecumenical ideologue and not ashamed to
publish lies if they helped his cause.
An ideology is a man conceived intellectual system pertaining to some
specific form of thought and/or action based upon human presuppositions that
are held be faith alone, that is, they cannot be demonstrated or proved. A
Catholic is not an ideologue because his presuppositions rest upon divine
authority. Reese, like the former Jesuit pope, holds traditional Catholics as
ideologues while it is Reese himself, like Francis/Begoglio, who is tied to a
hopeless, loosing, antiquated, boring ideology. Francis/Bergoglio is the only
one who ever tried to identify the "traditional" ideology as a form
of the Pelagian heresy. That was so
stupid it merited no intellectual exposition by anyone. Liberals like Reese
effectively deny original sin. They are faced with the reality of a fallen
human nature and thus constantly spend themselves on determining its causes and
proposing their remedies. Since their diagnosis excludes the need for divine
redemption and salvation, it is always wrong and their remedies always fail.
Yet the liberal never repents his folly. The failures are always attributed to
others who did not implement the plan with sufficient rigor, for sufficient
time, and with sufficient purity. They
never take responsibility for the ruin they cause in countless lives.
Reese is a shining example of this. He has been a Catholic religious
with the Jesuits from the beginning of Vatican II Council and standing in the
worst collapse in Catholic faith and morals in the shortest period of time
recommends a "relaunch" (of the) liturgical reform." The PEW
pole that Reese sites determined that only about 30% of those who identify as
Catholics believe in the dogma of transubstantiation. The purpose of the
American bishops poll was to bump these numbers up. They did this by avoiding
any technical terminology that would be found in a grade school catechism and
asking multiple questions to arrive at the conclusion that the respondent, who
were restricted to those who actually attended a weekly communion service, had
some sense of Catholic teaching. Reese is responsible for this as much as any
of his fellow religious and yet he still thinks his opinions have value! This
idiot will soon follow Francis/Bergoglio to his eternal judgment. At that
judgment the fruits of Vatican II and the Novus Ordo service will condemn him
because it is by these fruits that he is known. He will plead to the just Judge
that he was only being
"obedient" religious and anyway, since Francis/Bergoglio pointed out,
"time greater than space", he just did not have enough time to see
that things were going wrong? He will be told, 'No, space is greater than
time', for you, "time" is over and your "space" is awaiting
and prepared for you and it is not with the blessed.
Letter from
Father Pagliarani to Cardinal Fernández
February 19, 2026
Source: FSSPX News
Response of the General Council
of the Society of Saint Pius X to the Prefect of the Dicastery for the
Doctrine of the Faith.
Menzingen, 18 February 2026
Ash Wednesday
Most Reverend Eminence,
First of all, I thank you for receiving me on 12 February, and for
making public the content of our meeting, which promotes perfect transparency
in communication.
I can only welcome the opening of a doctrinal discussion, as signalled
today by the Holy See, for the simple reason that I myself proposed it exactly
seven years ago, in a letter dated 17 January 2019. At that time, the Dicastery
did not truly express interest in such a discussion, on the grounds—presented
orally—that a doctrinal agreement between the Holy See and the Society of Saint
Pius X was impossible.
For the Society’s part, a doctrinal discussion has always been—and
remains—desirable and useful. Indeed, even if we do not reach an agreement,
fraternal exchanges allow us to better know one another, to refine and deepen
our own arguments, and to better understand the spirit and intentions behind
our interlocutor’s positions—especially their genuine love for the Truth, for
souls, and for the Church. This holds true, at all times, for both parties.
This was precisely my intention in 2019, when I suggested a discussion
during a calm and peaceful time, without the pressure or threat of possible
excommunication, which would have undermined free dialogue—as is,
unfortunately, the situation today.
That said, while I certainly rejoice at a new opening of dialogue and
the positive response to my proposal of 2019, I cannot accept the perspective
and objectives in the name of which the Dicastery offers to resume dialogue in
the present situation, nor indeed the postponement of the date of 1 July.
I respectfully present to you the reasons for this, to which I will add
some supplementary considerations.
1. We both know in advance that we
cannot agree doctrinally, particularly regarding the fundamental orientations
adopted since the Second Vatican Council. This disagreement, for the Society’s
part, does not stem from a mere difference of opinion, but from a genuine case
of conscience, arising from what has proven to be a rupture with the Tradition
of the Church. This complex knot has unfortunately become even more
inextricable with the doctrinal and pastoral developments of recent
pontificates.
I therefore do not see how a
joint process of dialogue could end in determining together what would
constitute “the minimum requirements for full communion with the Catholic
Church”, since—as you yourself have recalled with frankness—the texts of the
Council cannot be corrected, nor can the legitimacy of the liturgical reform be
challenged.
2. This dialogue is supposed to clarify
the interpretation of the Second Vatican Council. But this interpretation is
already clearly given in the post-Conciliar period and in the successive
documents of the Holy See. The Second Vatican Council is not a set of texts
open to free interpretation: It has been received, developed, and applied for
sixty years by successive popes, according to precise doctrinal and pastoral
orientations.
This official reading is
expressed, for example, in major texts such as Redemptor hominis, Ut
unum sint, Evangelii gaudium, or Amoris lætitia.
It is also evident in the liturgical reform, understood in the light of the
principles reaffirmed in Traditionis custodes. All these
documents show that the doctrinal and pastoral framework within which the Holy
See intends to situate any discussion has already been firmly established.
3. One cannot ignore the context of the
dialogue proposed today. We have been waiting for seven years for a favourable
response to the proposal of doctrinal discussion made in 2019. More recently,
we have written twice to the Holy Father: first to request an audience, then to
clearly and respectfully explain our needs and the real-life situation of the
Society.
Yet, after a long silence, it is
only when episcopal consecrations are mentioned that an offer to resume
dialogue is made, which thus seems dilatory and conditional. Indeed, the hand
extended to open the dialogue is unfortunately accompanied by another hand
already poised to impose sanctions. There is talk of breaking communion, of
schism, and of “serious consequences”. Moreover, this threat is now public,
creating pressure that is hardly compatible with a genuine desire for fraternal
exchanges and constructive dialogue.
4. Furthermore, to us
it does not seem possible to enter into a dialogue to define what the minimum
requirements for ecclesial communion might be, simply because this task does
not belong to us. Throughout the centuries, the criteria for belonging to the
Church have been established and defined by the Magisterium. What must be
believed in order to be Catholic has always been taught with authority, in
constant fidelity to Tradition.
Thus, we do not see how these criteria
could be the subject of joint discernment through dialogue, nor how they could
be re-evaluated today so as not to correspond to what the Tradition of the
Church has always taught—and which we desire to observe faithfully in our
place.
5. Finally, if a dialogue is envisaged with
the aim of producing a doctrinal statement that the Society could accept
regarding the Second Vatican Council, we cannot ignore the historical
precedents of efforts made in this direction. I draw your attention to the most
recent: the Holy See and the Society had a long course of dialogue, beginning
in 2009, particularly intense for two years, then pursued more sporadically
until 6 June 2017. Throughout these years, we sought to achieve what the
Dicastery now proposes.
Yet, everything ultimately ended
in a drastic manner, with the unilateral decision of Cardinal Müller, the
Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, who, in June 2017,
solemnly established, in his own way, “the minimum requirements for full communion
with the Catholic Church”, explicitly including the entire Council and the
post-Conciliar period. This shows that, if one persists in a doctrinal
dialogue that is too forced and lacks sufficient serenity, in the long term,
instead of achieving a satisfactory result, one only worsens the situation.
Thus, in the shared recognition that we cannot find agreement on
doctrine, it seems to me that the only point on which we can agree is that of
charity toward souls and toward the Church.
As a cardinal and bishop, you are above all a pastor: allow me to
address you in this capacity. The Society is an objective reality: it exists.
That is why, over the years, the Sovereign Pontiffs have taken note of this
existence and, through concrete and significant acts, have recognised the value
of the good it can accomplish, despite its canonical situation. That is also
why we are speaking today.
This same Society asks you only to be allowed to continue to do this
same good for the souls to whom it administers the holy Sacraments. It asks
nothing else of you—no privileges, nor even canonical regularisation, which, in
the current state of affairs, is impracticable due to doctrinal divergences.
The Society cannot abandon souls. The need for the sacraments is a concrete,
short-term need for the survival of Tradition, in service to the Holy Catholic
Church.
We can agree on one point: neither of us wishes to reopen wounds. I will
not repeat here all that we have already expressed in the letter addressed to
Pope Leo XIV, of which you have direct knowledge. I only emphasise that,
in the present situation, the only truly viable path is that of charity.
Over the last decade, Pope Francis and yourself have abundantly
advocated “listening” and understanding of non-standard, complex, exceptional,
and particular situations. You have also wished for a use of law that is always
pastoral, flexible, and reasonable, without pretending to resolve everything
through legal automatism and pre-established frameworks. At this moment, the
Society asks of you nothing more than this—and above all it does not ask it for
itself: it asks it for these souls, for whom, as already promised to the Holy
Father, it has no other intention than to make true children of the Roman
Church.
Finally, there is another point on which we also agree, and which should
encourage us: the time separating us from 1 July is one of prayer. It is a
moment when we implore from Heaven a special grace and, from the Holy See,
understanding. I pray for you in particular to the Holy Ghost and—do not take
this as a provocation—His Most Holy Spouse, the Mediatrix of all Graces.
I wish to thank you sincerely for the attention you have given me, and
for the interest you will kindly take in the present matter.
Please accept, Most Reverend Eminence, the expression of my most sincere
greetings and of my devotion in the Lord.
Davide
Pagliarani, Superior General
+ Alfonso de Galarreta, First Assistant General
Christian Bouchacourt, Second Assistant General
+ Bernard Fellay,
First Counsellor General, Former Superior General
Franz Schmidberger,
Second Counsellor General, Former Superior General
COMMENT: Among Protestants there are a few doctrinal
positions that unite them all: They without exception profess that God did not
establish His Church with the divine attributes of infallibility,
indefectibility and authority. Beyond this level of agreement Protestants
differ radically from one another in doctrine, worship, and morality. The
Protestant modus vivendi then is to
respect the errors of each other since none claim the attribute of
infallibility regarding truth in belief and practice. Christ's Church is
altogether different. The Church speaks with authority the truth of God's
revelation and of this truth will not be compromised one iota. The Novus Ordo Church,
like all Protestants, seeks an accommodation with the world and its lies. The
only thing they hate with one voice is the Catholic Church because it does not.
G.K. Chesterton said, 'The Catholic Church is intolerant in principle because
she believes; she tolerant in practice because she loves. The world is tolerant
in principle because it does not believe; it is intolerant in practice because
it does not love.' The Novus Ordo Church, like the Protestants, is of the world
that Jesus Christ said, "I pray not for the world" (John 17:9). It is
complete folly for the SSPX to beg from the Novus Ordites a tolerance in belief
based upon a charity in practice because without faith, there is, and never can
be, charity. The dialogue with the SSPX began in 1997 and will go on as long as
the SSPX stands upon opinion and not on God's revealed truth.
Hermeneutics of
Continuity/Discontinuity
Explains why Novus Ordo Catholics have dumped the season
of Septuagesima and do not do penance for Lent – they have ‘dialogued’
themselves out of Original Sin!
Original Sin:
Benedict/Ratzinger teaches:
The account (of Genesis 3) tells us that sin begets sin, and that
therefore all the sins of history are interlinked. Theology refers to this
state of affairs by the certainly misleading and imprecise term ‘original sin’. What does this mean?
Nothing seems to us today to be stranger or, indeed, more absurd than to insist
upon original sin, since, according to our way of thinking, guilt can
only be something very personal, and since God does not run a concentration
camp, in which one’s relatives are imprisoned because he is a liberating God of
love, who calls each one by name. What
does original sin mean, then, when we interpret it correctly?
Finding an answer to this
requires nothing less than trying to understand the human person better. It must once again be stressed that no human being is closed in upon
himself or herself and that no one can live of or for himself or herself alone.
We receive our life not only at the moment of birth but every day from without
– from others who are not ourselves but who nonetheless somehow pertain to us.
Human beings have their selves not only in themselves but also outside of
themselves: they live in those whom they love and in those who love them and to
whom they are ‘present.’ Human beings are relational, and they possess their lives – themselves – only by way of relationship. I alone am not myself, but only in and with you am I myself. To be
truly a human being means to be related in love, to be of and for. But sin means the damaging or the
destruction of relationality. Sin is a rejection of relationality because it wants to make the human being a god. Sin is loss of relationship, disturbance of relationship, and therefore it is not
restricted to the individual. When I destroy a relationship, then this event – sin – touches the other person involved in the relationship. Consequently sin is always an offense that touches others, that
alters the world and damages it. To the extent that this is true, when the
network of human relationships is damaged from the very beginning, then every human being enters into
a world that is marked by relational damage. At the very moment that
a person begins human existence, which is a good, he or she is confronted by a
sin- damaged world. Each of us enters into a situation in which relationality has been hurt. Consequently each person is, from the very start,
damaged in relationships and does not engage in them as he or she ought. Sin pursues the human
being, and he or she capitulates to it.”
Benedict XVI/Ratzinger, Catholic
Understanding of the Story of Creation and the Fall
(1995)
Catholic
Church teaches divine Truth with precision and clarity:
“For that which the Apostle has said, ‘By one man, sin entered into this world, and by sin death, and so death passed upon all men in whom all have sinned.’ (Rom 5:12), is not to be understood otherwise than as the Catholic Church spread everywhere hath always understood it. For, by reason of this rule of faith, from a tradition of the Apostles, even infants who could not as yet commit any sin of themselves, are for this cause truly baptized for the remission of sins, that in them that may be cleansed away by regeneration which they have contracted by generation. For, ‘unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:5).
Council of Trent, Decree on Original Sin
“I was
under a necessity to write unto you: to beseech you to contend earnestly for
the faith once delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3).
COMMENT:
Benedict/Ratzinger’s (B/R) heretical theology presupposes modern
doctrine of scientism that material reality consists of atoms and the void in
constant evolutionary progress. He therefore denies the existence of substantial reality in the place of substance, he offers the accident of relationship as the fundamental essence
of all reality beginning with the reality of God. Being is rejected for becoming.
The pursuit of Truth is favored over its possession. This theology of B/R is
applied to man and sin including Original Sin. For the Catholic, sin is a
transgression of the will of God in a more or less serious degree. A serious
violation of God’s will is a mortal sin ending the life of grace in the substantial soul of an individual man.
The relationship of friendship with God is ended but God remains in a
relationship with all creatures including sinners because without a
relationship with God they would not exist. But while sin ends the life of
grace in the soul, the sin itself does not touch God.
And where does “relationality” lead? B/R’s “essential” Christianity? It
is a religion of fantasy that has no real doctrinal or moral impediments and
offers ‘dialogue’ as a nostrum for healing all problems of “relationality.”
But who in their right mind would want to join the ‘Church of
Relationality’, which explains why the Novus Ordo Church has massive defections
and few conversions. It also explains why for Francis/Bergoglio “proselytism is
solemn nonsense.” How can you
“proselytize” for a religion that does not know what it believes or for what
end it was established?
As for “relations,” if we want to “essentialize our faith,” Jesus
Christ makes perfectly clear just what is really “essential”: “If any man come to me, and hate
not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters,
yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). The
“essential… relation” is with Jesus Christ, not man, and this “relation” is
only possible by believing what Jesus Christ has revealed and doing what Jesus
Christ commands.
Seewald: “The Church prays for Christians to be reunited. But who ought
to join up with whom?”
Benedict/Ratzinger:
“The formula that the
great ecumenists have invented is that we go forward together. It’s not a
matter of our wanting to achieve certain processes of integration, but we hope
that the Lord will awaken people’s faith everywhere in such a way that it
overflows from one to the other, and the one Church is there. As Catholics, we
are persuaded that the basic shape of this one Church is given us in the
Catholic Church, but that she is moving toward the future and will allow
herself to be educated and led by the Lord. In that sense we do not picture for
ourselves any particular modes of integration, but simply look to march on in
faith under the leadership of the Lord – who knows the way.”
“We can only humbly seek to essentialize our faith, that is, to
recognize what are the really essential elements in it – the things we have not
made but have received from the Lord – and in this attitude of turning to the
Lord and to the center, to open ourselves in this essentializing so that he may
lead us onward, he alone.”
Benedict/Ratzinger, God and the
World, interviewed by Peter Seewald, pp 452-453
Lastly,
if there is no Original Sin and the Church of Jesus Christ lies somewhere in
the unknown future, the sacrament of Baptism becomes meaningless! What the
Church has taught always and everywhere is now regarded as “unenlightened” and
“problematic” for him.
Mr.
Seewald: “In canon 849 of
Church canon law it says: ‘Baptism… [is] necessary to salvation in fact or at
least in intention.’ But what happens, when a man dies unbaptized? And what
happens to the millions of children who are killed in their mothers’ wombs?”
Benedict/Ratzinger:
“The question of what
it means to say that baptism is necessary for salvation has become ever more
hotly debated in modern times. The Second Vatican Council said on this point
that men who are seeking for God and who are inwardly striving toward that
which constitutes baptism will also receive salvation. That is to say that a
seeking after God already represents an inward participation in baptism, in the
Church, in Christ.
To that extent, the
question concerning the necessity of baptism for salvation seems to have been
answered, but the question about children who could not be baptized because
they were aborted then presses upon us that much more urgently.
Earlier ages had devised a teaching that seems to me
rather unenlightened. They said that baptism endows us, by means of sanctifying
grace, with the capacity to gaze upon God. Now, certainly, the state of
original sin, from which we are freed by baptism, consists in a lack of
sanctifying grace. Children who die in this way are indeed without any personal
sin, so they cannot be sent to hell, but, on the other hand, they lack
sanctifying grace and thus the potential for beholding God that this bestows.
They will simply enjoy a state of natural blessedness, in which they will be
happy. This state people called limbo.
In the course of our century, that has gradually come to
seem problematic to us. This was one way in which people
sought to justify the necessity of baptizing infants as early as possible, but
the solution is itself questionable. Finally, the Pope made a decisive turn in the encyclical Evangelium Vitae, a change already
anticipated by the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Note: Not so, even the
compromised CCC teaches the necessity of Baptism for salvation), when he
expressed the simple hope that God is powerful enough to draw to himself all
those who were unable to receive the sacrament.”
Benedict/Ratzinger, God and the World, interviewed by Peter Seewald, pp
401-402
Catholic
Church teaches divine Truth with precision and clarity:
Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God….. Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water
and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Jesus Christ,
(John 3:3, 5)
If any one saith, that true and natural water is not of necessity for
baptism, and, on that account, wrests, to some sort of metaphor, those words of
our Lord Jesus Christ; Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost;
let him be anathema.
Council of Trent, Canon II on the sacrament of Baptism
If anyone saith, that Baptism is optional, that is, not necessary for
salvation, let him be anathema.
Council of Trent, Canon V on the sacrament of Baptism
Limits
of Papal Authority imposed by the Faith itself!
“The gravity of sin is
determined by the interval which it places between man and God; now sin against
faith, divides man from God as far as possible, since it deprives him of the
true knowledge of God; it therefore follows that sin against faith is the
greatest of all sins.”
St. Thomas Aquinas
“If the Faith were endangered, a subject ought to rebuke his prelate
even publicly.”
St. Thomas Aquinas
“Were the pope to command
anything against Holy Scripture, or the articles of faith, or the truth of the
Sacraments, or the commands of the natural or divine law, he ought not to be
obeyed, but in such commands is to be ignored.”
Juan Cardinal de Torquemada (1388–1468)
“You must resist, to his face, a pope who is openly tearing the Church
apart—for example, by refusing to confer ecclesiastical benefices except for
money, or in exchange for services… A
case of simony, even committed by a pope, must be denounced.”
Thomist Cardinal Cajetan (1469–1534)
“If the Pope lays down an order contrary to right customs one does not have to
obey him; if he tries to do something manifestly opposed to justice and to the
common good, it would be licit to resist him; if he attacks by force, he could
be repelled by force, with the moderation characteristic of a good
defense.”
Francisco Suárez, S.J. (1548–1617)
“In answer to the question, ‘What should be done in cases where the Pope
destroys the Church by his evil actions?’ [I reply]: ‘He would certainly sin;
he should neither be permitted to act in such fashion, nor should he be obeyed
in what was evil; but he should be resisted with a courteous reprehension.… He
does not have the power to destroy; therefore, if there is evidence that he is
doing it, it is licit to resist him. The result of all this is that if the Pope
destroys the Church by his orders and acts, he can be resisted and the
execution of his mandate prevented. The right of open resistance to prelates’
abuse of authority stems also from natural law.’”
Sylvester Prieras, O.P. (1456–1523), Dominican theologian, appointed
master of the Sacred Palace by Pope Leo X who wrote the rebuttal to Luther’s 95
Theses
“As it is lawful to resist the pope, if he assaulted a man’s person, so it is
lawful to resist him, if he assaulted souls, or troubled the state, and much
more if he strove to destroy the Church. It is lawful, I say, to resist him, by
not doing what he commands, and hindering the execution of his will; still, it
is not lawful to judge or punish or even depose him, because he is nothing
other than a superior.”
St. Robert Bellarmine (1542–1621), Doctor of the Church
And then, pure papalolatry!
“There is in the world … one man in whom the greatness of God is reflected in
the most outstanding way of all. He participates in the authority and in a
certain sense in the personality of Christ. This man is the Vicar of Jesus
Christ, the Pope. … His power extends to the ends of the world and is under the
protection of God, Who has promised to confirm in Heaven whatever he will
decree upon earth. His dignity and authority, then, are almost divine. Let us
bow humbly before such greatness. Let us promise to obey the Pope as we would
Christ. … We cannot dispute or murmur against anything which he teaches or
decrees. To disobey the Pope is to disobey God. To argue or murmur against the
Pope is to argue or murmur against Jesus Himself. When we are confronted with
His commands, we have only one choice—absolute obedience and complete
surrender.”
Cardinal Antonio Bacci (1885-1971), the Vatican’s chief Latinist under
four successive popes (Pius XI, Pius XII, John XXIII, and Paul VI) and the
co-author of the Ottaviani Intervention with Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, the
head CDF.
SSPX bid farewell to Bishop Richard Williamson as only
they could do!
His defiance of the Society's authorities ultimately made a separation
inevitable. God forgive him for the errors and confusion he caused in the years
that followed with his Kyrie eleison
comments, and even more so for his episcopal
consecrations, which lacked and still lack any objective necessity and any sensus
ecclesiae.
Fr. Franz Schmidberger, former superior general of the SSPX, published
in his weekly newsletter, on the death of Bishop Richard Williamson on January
29, 2025
COMMENT: The good bishop Williamson has only been dead for a little over
one year. At the time of his death the SSPX judged him to be in need of God's
forgiveness for the sin of consecrating bishops
"which lacked and still lack any objective necessity and any sensus ecclesiae." They now
threaten Rome with doing their own episcopal consecrations because their own
"sensus ecclesiae" has now
discovered that there is in fact an existing "objective
necessity"! Nothing has changed
with regard to the Church but something has changed with regard to the SSPX.
They are concerned only with their "objective necessity"!
Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issues statement
following today’s meeting at the Vatican between SSPX Superior General Fr.
Davide Pagliarani & DDF Prefect Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández on 2-12-2026
STATEMENT OF THE DICASTERY FOR THE DOCTRINE
OF THE FAITH Regarding the Meeting between the Prefect of the Dicastery for the
Doctrine of the Faith and the Superior General of the FSSPX On 12 February
2026, a cordial and sincere meeting took place at the Dicastery for the
Doctrine of the Faith between the Prefect, His Eminence Cardinal Victor Manuel
FERNANDEZ, and the Superior General of the FSSPX, Reverend Don Davide
PAGLIARANI, with the approval of the Holy Father Leo XIV. After clarifying
certain points presented by the FSSPX in various letters, particularly those
sent between 2017 and 2019 — including, among other topics, the question of the
divine will concerning the plurality of religions — the Prefect proposed a
pathway of specifically theological dialogue, following a precise methodology,
on issues that have not yet received sufficient clarification. These include:
the distinction between an act of faith and the “religious submission of mind
and will,” as well as the differing degrees of adherence required by various
texts of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and their interpretation. At the
same time, he proposed addressing a series of topics listed by the FSSPX in its
letter of 17 January 2019. The aim of this dialogue is to highlight, in the
topics under discussion, the minimum requirements for full communion with the
Catholic Church, and consequently to outline a canonical statute for the
Fraternity, along with other aspects requiring further study. The Holy See
reaffirmed that the ordination of bishops without the mandate of the Supreme
Pontiff, who possesses ordinary, supreme, universal, immediate, and direct
power (cf. CIC, can. 331; Dogmatic Constitution Pastor aeternus, chs. I and
III), would constitute a decisive rupture of ecclesial communion (schism), with
serious consequences for the Fraternity as a whole (John Paul II, Apostolic
Letter Ecclesia Dei, 2 July 1988, nn. 3 and ff.; Pontifical Council for
Legislative Texts, Explanatory Note, 24 August 1996, n. 1). Therefore, the
possibility of undertaking this dialogue presupposes that the Fraternity
suspend the announced episcopal ordinations. The Superior General of the FSSPX
will present the proposal to his Council and will provide his response to the
Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. In the event of a positive response,
the steps, stages, and procedures to be followed will be established by mutual
agreement. The Church is asked to accompany this process, especially in the
coming times, with prayer to the Holy Spirit, who is the principal agent of
true ecclesial communion willed by Christ.
Viganò
Urges SSPX To Cut Off 'Dialogue' With Fernandez, Proceed With Consecrations
'True ecclesial communion is not
measured by canonical recognition granted by a Hierarchy that has lost the Faith,
but by integral fidelity to divine Revelation.'
I cannot but note with sorrow and
indignation the Statement released today by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of
the Faith, signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, at the end of his
meeting with Father Davide Pagliarani, Superior General of the Priestly Society
of Saint Pius X. After decades of humiliation, inconclusive dialogues, partial
concessions revoked by “Traditionis Custodes,” deafening silences regarding
doctrinal and liturgical deviations widespread throughout the Church, and even
more serious doctrinal and moral errors promoted by the Supreme Throne, Rome
now claims to make the suspension of the episcopal consecrations announced by
the SSPX for next July 1st a preliminary condition for dialogue. These
consecrations are not acts of rebellion, but a supreme act of fidelity to the
One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, Roman Church, which has been deprived for
almost sixty years of Bishops who preach integral Doctrine and administer the
Sacraments without any compromise with error. The Dicastery’s Statement subtly
repeats the same modernist scheme seen in 1988: it offers a “theological
dialogue” on issues the Holy See has always refused to seriously
address—religious freedom, destructive episcopal “collegiality,” pan-heretical
ecumenism, the Nostra Ætate declaration that equates false religions with the
one true Faith, and the Abu Dhabi Document—while threatening “schism” for the
only gesture that is able to guarantee the certainty of Apostolic Succession.
But who wields “schism” as a weapon today? Who excommunicated the Bishops
consecrated in 1988 for defending Tradition and its beating heart, the Catholic
Mass? Who excommunicated me and silenced me, while promoting declared heretics
and covering up abuses of every kind? Who forced the faithful to submit to an
authority that has renounced immutable Catholic doctrine in the name of a “new
humanism” and a “synodality” that is nothing other than the cancer of democracy
applied to the Catholic Church in order to destroy from within its divine
hierarchical Constitution and Petrine Primacy? The true schism is not that of those who consecrate
Bishops to guard and transmit the Catholic Faith in its entirety, but rather
the schism of the conciliar and synodal Hierarchy, which has denied Apostolic
Tradition, replacing sound Doctrine with heretical ambiguities, true Catholic
Worship with a Protestantized liturgy, and legitimate Authority with a
totalitarian power exercised against the faithful who refuse to apostatize.
The Society of Saint Pius X does not need the permission of those who have
renounced the Faith to do what Providence asks of it: namely, to perpetuate the
episcopal line faithful to Tradition. Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre acted not out
of schism, but out of necessity – same state of necessity that persists today,
aggravated by the systematic persecution of the Traditional Mass and the
imposition of false doctrines that contradict the perennial Magisterium.
GENERAL
COMMENT: The SSPX is buried in the Neo-modernist
heresy that believes that the dogmas of our faith contain both divine and human
elements and must necessarily continually evolve by a distillation process
where the divine elements are progressively purified by removing the
historically dated human encrustations. This Neo-modernist heresy is the
unstated pre-supposition for the Vatican II pastoral council. For the
Neo-modernist, the proximate rule of faith is no longer Dogma, but however the
current pope interprets the dogma to mean. That being the case, the SSPX,
having abandoned dogma as their proximate rule of faith must turn to the
present pope to tell him the current version of the Catholic faith.
Neo-modernism is just a variation of the heresy of Modernism which St. Pius X
called "the synthesis of all heresies." It is the "synthesis of
all heresies" because it denies all dogmas as dogmas. It attacks the very
nature of what dogmas are. Dogma contains no human elements. They are divine
revelation that is formally defined by the infallible Magisterium of the
Church. They are the infallible word of
God in both the truth expressed and the words used to express that truth. The
pope is only the necessary but wholly insufficient material and instrumental
cause of dogma. It is God who is the formal and final cause of dogma.
Therefore, the pope is just as much a subject to dogma as any of the faithful.
Truth is the only weapon possessed against an abusive authority and the SSPX
has entered into a "dialogue" with an opponent that claims for itself
personally the divine attribute of infallibility and the right to dictate their
personal conceptions of truth even against the divine infallible revelation of
God. Archbishop Viganò is politely telling the SSPX that it is the FAITH
itself that is being attacked and they need to wake up. The SSPX has been in
constant interminable doctrinal discussions with Rome since 1997. The reason
Rome dialogues with the SSPX is because the SSPX is defenseless having
abandoned the infallible truth of Catholic dogma as their weapon. This dialogue
between Rome and the SSPX never raises above the level of exchanging opinions.
Because our Mission of Ss. Peter & Paul stands on the truth of Catholic
dogma, the local ordinaries will never enter into open discussions. Always
remember: A heretic is a baptized Catholic who rejects one or more Catholic
dogmas AND all heretics are schismatics! If the SSPX can learn this simple but
essential truth, then they will stop seeking a place at the table of apostates
and start defending the faith.
“Only take heed to yourself and guard your soul diligently.” Deut 4:9
"It is a sin to believe there is salvation outside the Catholic
Church!"
Blessed Pope Pius IX
Modernism
vs. Neo-modernism: A difference in method, an agreement in ends
The heresy of Modernism denies
dogma directly. Neo-modernism is a more subtle heresy. The end remains the denial of dogma but the
method of denial is indirect. Dogma, the
revelation of God that forms the formal objects of divine and Catholic faith,
is formulated in categorical propositions that are always and everywhere true
or false. There are two methods the
Neo-modernist employs to destroy dogma. The first method is to change the
category of dogma from truth-falsehood to the category of
authority-obedience. They treat dogma as
if it were laws, commands, precepts, injunctions, etc., etc., etc., and then
limit the universal truth with all the moral restrictions that apply to laws,
etc. For example, the dogma that the
sacrament of baptism is necessary for salvation is treated as a law and
therefore as a law, it does not bind in cases of impossibility, necessity,
unreasonable burden, psychological impediment, etc., etc.
The second method is to corrupt
the dogmatic proposition be changing the meaning of the terms OR altering the
universality of the copula. An excellent example of this corruption of
terminology can be seen in Benedict/Ratzinger’s treatment of the word, substance.
“…the medieval concept of
substance has long since become inaccessible to us. In so far as we use the
concept of substance at all today we understand thereby the ultimate particles
of matter, and the chemically complex mixture that is bread certainly does not
fall into that category.”
Joseph Ratzinger, Faith and
the Future, p. 14
It is impossible to affirm the
Catholic dogma that “Lord Jesus Christ... is consubstantial with the Father” or
the Catholic dogma of Transubstantiation if the concept of “substance” is
rejected in the sense as used by scholastic theologians found in the perennial
realist philosophical tradition. And so
we have Benedict/Ratzinger writing:
“Eucharistic devotion such as
is noted in the silent visit by the devout in church must not be thought of as
a conversation with God. This would assume that God was present there locally
and in a confined way. To justify such an assertion shows a lack of
understanding of the Christological mysteries of the very concept of God. This
is repugnant to the serious thinking of the man who knows about the
omnipresence of God. To go to church on the ground that one can visit God who
is present there is a senseless act which modern man rightfully rejects.”
Joseph Ratzinger, Die Sacramentale
Begrundung Christliche Existenz
The
Catholic Church infallibly teaches:
“By the consecration of the
bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord
and of the whole substance of the
wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has
fittingly and properly called transubstantiation.”
Council of Trent, Session XIII,
chapter IV
“If anyone denies that in the
sacrament of the most Holy Eucharist are contained truly, really and substantially the body and blood
together with the soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and consequently the
whole Christ, but says that He is in it only as in a sign, or figure or force,
let him be anathema.”
Council of Trent, Session XII,
Canon I
Benedict/Ratzinger’s
affirmation of these dogmas is done within the corrupted context of mutilating
the meaning of the terms. The entire hermeneutic of discontinuity/rupture vs.
the hermeneutic of reform proposed by Benedict/Ratzinger is predicated upon
accepting or rejecting his false philosophy which ultimately elevates the
accident of relationship to overthrow
the concept of substance. Reciting
the Credo is no longer evidence of the Catholic faith without clearly defining
every term.
Cardinal
Henry Edward Manning – The true Revelation of God is both a Definite and
Certain participation in God’s own knowledge.
IT is this fundamental truth of revelation that our Neo-Modernist
hierarchy reject!
What, then, is the knowledge which God has restored to man through
revelation but a definite knowledge, a participation of His own? The
truth which has been revealed, what is it in the mind of God who reveals it,
but one, harmonious and distinct? What was that knowledge as revealed by the
Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, but one, harmonious and distinct? What was
the conception of that knowledge in inspired men, but one, harmonious and
distinct also? And what was that knowledge when communicated by those who were
inspired to those who believed, but one, harmonious and distinct as before? And what is this unity and
harmony and distinctness of knowledge, which God revealed of Himself through
Jesus Christ, but the faith we confess in our creed? Our baptismal faith, its
substance and its letter, the explicit and the implicit meaning, article by
article, is as definite, severe, and precise, as any problem in science. It is
of the nature of truth to be so; and where definiteness ends, knowledge ceases.
Observe, then, the distinction between finite knowledge and definite knowledge.
Is not science definite? And yet it is also finite. The theory of gravitation,
definite as it is, it is finite too. [……] Go through the whole range of
physical sciences, what is it but an example of the same condition of
knowledge, definiteness in conception with finiteness of reach? [….] If we have not a definite
knowledge of what we believe, we may be sure we have no true knowledge of it.
But, further, it is evident that knowledge must also be certain.
When we speak of certainty, we mean one of two things. Sometimes we say, that a
thing is certain; at other times, that we are certain. When we say a truth is
certain, we mean, that the proofs of that truth are either self-evident, or so
clear as to exclude all doubt. This is certainty on the part of the object
proposed to our intelligence. But when we say we are certain, we mean that we
are inwardly convinced, by the application of our reason to the matter before
us, of the sufficiency of the evidence to prove the truth of it. In us,
certainty is rather a moral feeling, a complex state of mind. As light manifests itself by its
own nature, but sight is the illumination of the eye; so certainty means truth
with its evidences illuminating the intelligence, or, in other words, the
intelligence possessed by truth with its evidences.
This we call certainty. I ask, then, is there not this twofold
certainty in the revelation which God has given? Was not the revelation
which God gave of Himself through Jesus Christ made certain on His part by
direct evidence of the divine act which revealed it? Is it not also certain on
our part by the apprehension and faith of the Church? Was not God manifest in
the flesh that He might reveal Himself? Did not God dwell on earth that He
might teach His truth? Has not God spoken to man that man might know Him? Did
not God work miracles that man might believe that He was present? What evidence
on the part of God was wanting that men might know that Jesus Christ was indeed
the Son of God? And if
there was certainty on the part of God who revealed, was there not certainty
also on the part of those that heard? Look back into the sacred history.
Had not Prophets and Seers certainty of that which they beheld and heard? […..]
What, then, is the first
condition of faith but certainty? He that has not certain faith has no faith.
We are told that to crave for certainty implies a morbid disposition. Did not
Abraham, and Moses, and Daniel, the Apostles and Evangelists desire certainty
in faith, and crave to know beyond doubt that God spake to them, and know with
definite clearness what God said? Was this a morbid craving? Surely this is not
to be reproved. But rather
the contrary disposition worthy of rebuke. How can we venture to content
ourselves with uncertainty in matters where the truth and honour of God and the
salvation of our own souls are at stake? This truly is not without sin.
[…..] And yet, what is the very idea of Revelation but a Divine assurance of
Truth? Where faith begins uncertainty ends. Because faith terminates upon the
veracity of God; and what God has spoken and authenticated to us by Divine
authority cannot be uncertain.
Cardinal Henry Edward Manning, Grounds of Faith
"The
group holding power in the SSPX have decided to stage a drama, unfortunately
not a good Shakespearean play, but a poor play by Fernandez. They will follow
two narratives: one for liberals, the other for hardliners. Unfortunately,
nothing has changed for many years – secret meetings with the Roman hierarchy
and the search for a practical agreement without doctrinal agreement. This
makes no sense. As Bishop Richard Williamson said, it is a betrayal of Archbishop
Marcel Lefebvre's struggle, a betrayal of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His
Church." -
Bishop
Michal Stobnicki. Comment on the SSPX threat to consecrate new bishops
Pope Leo XIV
is continuing ‘irreversible trajectory’ of Pope Francis: SSPX statement
In addition to
spelling out the Francis/Leo crisis, the statement addresses the silence of
conservative bishops in the Church, the Traditional Latin Mass and the Novus
Ordo, and more.
LifeSiteNews | John-Henry Westen | Feb 5, 2026 — Today the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX)
released a major statement explaining the reasons behind their announcement of
upcoming episcopal consecrations. This comes from Superior General Davide
Pagliarani, and it directly addresses the current pontificate of Pope Leo XIV,
describing it as continuing the “irreversible trajectory” set by Pope Francis.
The document outlines why the SSPX believes these consecrations are necessary,
while still expressing some hope for dialogue with Rome.
In addition to spelling out the Francis/Leo crisis, the statement
addresses the silence of conservative bishops in the Church, the possibility of
sanctions, their hopes, the ultimate reason for their action and their
perspective on the Traditional Latin Mass. Let me read the key portions
directly from the statement, but I encourage you to read the full statement.
They spell out the
Francis and Leo crisis
Furthermore, the major orientations already taking shape in this new
pontificate – particularly through the most recent consistory – only confirm
this. An explicit
determination to preserve the line of Pope Francis as an irreversible
trajectory for the entire Church is discernible.
It is sad to
acknowledge, but it is a fact that, in an ordinary parish, the faithful no
longer find the means necessary to ensure their eternal salvation. Missing, in
particular, are both the integral preaching of Catholic truth and morality, and
the worthy administration of the sacraments as the Church has always done. This
deprivation is what constitutes the state of necessity. In this critical
context, our bishops are growing older, and, as the apostolate continues to
expand, they are no longer sufficient to meet the demands of the faithful
worldwide.
In what way do you
believe that last month’s consistory confirms the direction taken by Pope
Francis?
DP: Cardinal Fernández, speaking in the name of Pope Leo, invited the
Church to return to Pope Francis’s fundamental intuition expressed in his key
encyclical, Evangelii gaudium.
Put simply, he believes that the Gospel should be proclaimed by reducing it to
a primitive and essential expression, a series of concise and striking formulas
– the “kerygma” – with a view to eliciting an “experience,” an immediate
encounter with Christ. Everything else should be set aside, however precious it
may be.
In concrete terms, all that is Tradition is considered as accessory and
secondary. It is this method of the new evangelization that has produced the
doctrinal emptiness characteristic of Pope Francis’s pontificate, and is keenly
felt by many in the Church.
In a similar vein, one must provide new and relevant answers to the
emerging questions of our time, but, according to Cardinal Fernández, this is
to be done through synodal reform, rather than by rediscovering the classical
and ever-valid answers provided by the Tradition of the Church. It is by these
means, in the “breath of the Spirit” of this synodal reform, that Pope Francis
has been able to impose catastrophic decisions upon the whole Church, such as
authorizing Holy Communion for the divorced and civilly remarried, or the
blessing of same-sex couples.
In summary, through the “kerygma,” the proclamation of the Gospel is
isolated from the whole corpus of traditional doctrine and morality. And
through synodality, traditional answers are replaced by arbitrary decisions,
with a high risk of being absurd and doctrinally unjustifiable. Cardinal Zen
himself considers this method manipulative and considers attributing it to the
Holy Ghost blasphemous. Unfortunately, I fear that he is right.[…]
[…] the Church is in danger of busying herself with both everything and
nothing. Ecological concerns, for example, or the preoccupation with the rights
of minorities, of women, or of migrants, risk causing the essential mission of
the Church to be lost from view. If the Society of Saint Pius X strives to
preserve Tradition, with all that this entails, it is solely because these
treasures are vital for the salvation of souls, and because it aims at nothing
else but the good of souls, and that of the priesthood—ordered to their
sanctification.[…]
[…] 2019, when Pope Francis, on the occasion of his visit to the Arabian
Peninsula, signed, together with an imam, the well-known Abu Dhabi declaration.
Together with the Muslim leader, he affirmed that the plurality of religions
had been willed as such by divine Wisdom.
It is evident that a communion founded upon the acceptance of such a
statement, or which would include it, would simply not be Catholic, since it
would constitute a sin against the First Commandment and the denial of the
first article of the Creed.
I consider such a statement to be more than a simple error. It is
simply inconceivable. It cannot be the foundation of Catholic communion, but
rather the cause of its dissolution. I believe that a Catholic should prefer
martyrdom rather than accept such an affirmation.
They address the
silence of conservative bishops in the church to the crisis of Pope Francis and
Leo
[…] the fear of breaking a fragile stability by behavior deemed
“disturbing” reduces many pastors to a constrained silence, when they should be raising
their voices against scandalous teaching which corrupts faith or morals.
The necessary denunciation of errors that undermine the Church – required by
the very good of souls who are threatened by this poisoned nourishment – is
thereby left undone. One may enlighten another in private, if able to discern
the harmfulness of a given error, but it may be only a timid whisper, in which
truth struggles to express itself with the required freedom – especially in the
shadow of tacitly accepted, contradictory principles. Once again, souls are no
longer enlightened and are deprived of the bread of doctrine for which they
remain hungry. Over time, this progressively alters mentalities and gradually
leads to a general and unconscious acceptance of the various reforms affecting
the life of the Church. Towards these souls, too, the Society feels a
responsibility to enlighten and not to abandon.
Realistically sees
possibility of sanctions
[…] Cardinal Fernández’s response does not address the possibility of
an audience with the Pope. It also evokes the possibility of new sanctions.
What will the Society
do if the Holy See decides to condemn it?
DP: First of all, let us recall that in such circumstances any
canonical penalties would have no real effect.
Nevertheless, should they be pronounced, the Society would certainly accept
this new suffering without bitterness, as it has accepted past sufferings, and
would sincerely offer it for the good of the Church. It is for the Church that the Society works.
And there is no doubt that, should such a situation arise, it could only be
temporary, for the Church is divine and Our Lord will not abandon her. […]
We are sure that one day the Roman authorities will acknowledge, with
gratitude, that these episcopal consecrations providentially contributed to
preserving the faith, for the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls.
They make the
comparison to the China Communist Party naming bishops without the Pope’s
approval
Let us take the current case of relations with the Chinese government.
Despite a genuine schism of the Chinese Patriotic Church, despite the
uninterrupted persecution of the underground Church faithful to Rome, despite
agreements regularly renewed and then broken by the Chinese authorities, in
2023, Pope Francis approved, a posteriori, the appointment of the Bishop of
Shanghai by those authorities.
More recently, Pope Leo XIV himself ultimately accepted, a posteriori, the appointment of the
Bishop of Xinxiang, designated in the same manner during the vacancy of the
Apostolic See, while the bishop, faithful to Rome—who had been imprisoned
several times—was still in office.
In both cases, these were clearly pro-government prelates, imposed
unilaterally by Beijing to control the Catholic Church in China. It should be
clearly noted that these were not merely auxiliary bishops, but residential
bishops, that is, ordinary pastors of their respective dioceses (or
prefectures), possessing jurisdiction over the local clergy and faithful. In
Rome, it is perfectly well known for what purpose these pastors were chosen and
unilaterally imposed.
The Society’s case is entirely different. For us, it is obviously not a
matter of favoring a communist or anti-Christian power, but solely of
safeguarding the rights of Christ the King and of the Tradition of the Church,
at a time of general crisis and confusion in which these are gravely
compromised. The intentions and the ends are clearly not the same.
They lay out the
request ignored by the Pope since last summer
Last summer, I wrote to the Holy Father to request an audience. Having
received no reply, I wrote to him again a few months later, in a filial
and straightforward manner, without concealing any of our needs. I
mentioned our doctrinal divergences, but also our sincere desire to serve the
Catholic Church without respite, for we are servants of the Church despite
our irregular canonical status.
To this second letter, a reply from Rome reached us a few days ago,
from Cardinal Fernández. Unfortunately, it took no account whatsoever of the
proposal we put forward, and offers nothing that responds to our requests.
Still retains hope
Pope Leo will acquiesce
A Pope is first and foremost a father. As such, he is capable of
discerning a right intention, a sincere will to serve the Church, and above
all, a genuine case of conscience in an exceptional situation. […]
In fact, the superior
general suggests that the consecration of new bishops will be a grace for the
whole church when they happen
I would like to emphasize that this is a time for prayer and
preparation of hearts, souls, and minds. We must prepare ourselves to receive
the grace that these consecrations will occasion for the whole Church. This
should be done with recollection, peace, and trust in Providence, which has
never abandoned the Society and will not abandon it now.
The ultimate reason:
for the salvation of souls
[…] it is for the Pope himself, as such, that we preserve this treasure
until the day when its value will once again be understood and when a Pope will
wish to make use of it for the good of the whole Church. […]
[…] The very law of the Church provides for it. In the spirit of
ecclesiastical law, which is the juridical expression of this charity, the good
of souls comes before everything else. It truly represents the law of laws, to
which all others are subordinate and against which no ecclesiastical law can
prevail.
The axiom “suprema lex, salus animarum” —”the supreme law is the
salvation of souls”—is a classic maxim of canonical tradition which is
explicitly taken up by the final canon of the 1983 Code. In the present state
of necessity, it is upon this highest principle that the entire legitimacy of
our apostolate and of our mission towards the souls who turn to us depends. For
us, we fulfil a role of supplying for a deficiency, in the name of that same
charity.
About the Traditional
Latin Mass
As far as I am aware, Pope Leo XIV has maintained a certain
discretion on this subject, which arouses great expectation in the conservative
world. Very recently, however, a text by Cardinal Roche on the liturgy—intended
initially for the cardinals participating in last month’s consistory—was made
public. There is no reason
to doubt that it corresponds, in its broad lines, to the orientation desired by
the Pope. It is an unambiguous text, and above all, logical and coherent.
Unfortunately, it is based on a false premise.
Concretely, this
text, in perfect continuity with Traditionis custodes, condemns the
liturgical project of Pope Benedict XVI, according to whom, the ancient rite
and the new rite are two more or less equivalent forms, expressing the same
faith and the same ecclesiology, and therefore capable of mutually enriching
one another. Concerned for the unity of the Church, Benedict XVI sought to
promote the coexistence of the two rites and, in 2007, published Summorum
Pontificum. For many, this occasioned a providential rediscovery of the
Mass of all time; but over time, it also gave rise to a movement calling the
new rite into question—a movement deemed problematic and which Traditionis
custodes, in 2021, sought to stem.
Faithful to Pope Francis, Cardinal Roche is now attempting to promote
an elusive unity of the Church according to an idea contradictory to that of
Benedict XVI. While maintaining the assertion of a continuity from one rite to
the other through reform, Cardinal Roche firmly opposes their coexistence. He
sees in it a source of division, a threat to unity, which must be overcome by
returning to an authentic liturgical communion. “The primary good of the unity
of the Church is not achieved by freezing division, but by finding ourselves in
the sharing of what cannot but be shared.” In the Church, “there ought to be
only one rite”, in full syntony with the true meaning of Tradition.
This is a just and coherent principle, since the Church, having one
faith and one ecclesiology, can have only one liturgy capable of expressing
them adequately. But it is a principle applied to a wrong conception of
Tradition. Consistent with the new post-conciliar ecclesiology, Cardinal Roche
conceives Tradition as something evolving, and the new rite as its sole living
expression for our time. The value of the Tridentine rite can therefore only be
regarded as obsolete, and its use, at most, a “concession”, and “in no way a
promotion.”
That there is a present “division” and incompatibility between the two
rites now appears more apparent than ever. But let there be no mistake, the
only liturgy that adequately expresses, in an immutable and non-evolving
manner, the traditional conception of the Church, of Christian life, and of the
Catholic priesthood—that is, Tradition—is the liturgy of all time. On this
point, the opposition of the Holy See appears more irrevocable than ever.
Direct calling into
question of the Novus Ordo
[…] instead of sincerely questioning the intrinsic deficiencies of the
new Mass, and therefore the overall failure of the reform, instead of facing
the reality that churches are emptying and vocations are declining, instead of
asking why the Tridentine rite continues to attract so many souls, Cardinal
Roche sees no other solution than an urgent preliminary formation of the
faithful and seminarians.
[…] For almost two thousand years, souls—often illiterate—were edified
and sanctified by the liturgy, without the need for any prior formation.
Failing to recognise the intrinsic incapacity of the Novus Ordo to
form and edify souls and continuing to demand ever better prior formation seems
to me to be the sign of an irremediable blindness. One arrives at shocking
paradoxes: the reform was intended to foster a greater participation of the
faithful; yet the faithful abandoned the Church en masse, because this insipid
liturgy failed to nourish them—and this would supposedly have nothing to do
with the reform? […]
[…] how can it then be understood that this Mass of all time stands in irreducible
opposition to the new Mass, remains the sole true liturgy of the whole Church,
and that no one may be prevented from celebrating it? How can it be known that
the Mass of Paul VI cannot be recognized, because it constitutes a considerable
departure from the Catholic theology of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and
that no one may be compelled to celebrate it? And how are souls to be
effectively turned away from this poisoned liturgy, to drink from the pure
sources of Catholic liturgy?
COMMENT:
Complaining about conservative bishops being mute dogs is rank hypocrisy
coming from the SSPX who have been dancing the two-step with Neo-modernist Rome
since 1997, nearly thirty years of "doctrinal discussions"! Dogma is
the proximate rule of faith for all the faithful. It is immutable in both the
truth it expresses and the manner in which it is expressed. It forms the formal
object of divine and Catholic faith. The very definition of heresy is the
denial of dogma. The heresy of Neo-modernism denies this truth. They believe
that dogma evolves and changes its meaning over time as the Church develops a
deeper and richer understanding of God's revealed truth. Consequently, a
Catholic must always turn to the pope to know what any particular dogma means
today. Thus, the pope becomes the proximate rule of faith for Neo-modernists.
The SSPX, just like Rome, are Neo-modernists. The SSPX cannot call the
Neo-modernist heretics because the SSPX does not hold dogma as their proximate
rule of faith. They can only offer opinions and thus, for thirty years they
have been exchanging opinions with Neo-modernist Rome. The SSPX during the
entire pontificate of Francis/Bergoglio did and said nothing to oppose his
gross heresy and immorality. Why is it suddenly an issue now? Because at that
time it was not in the interest of the SSPX to stir the pot. Their pretense of
being at the service of the Church has never been true. From the beginning they
have worked to consolidate control of Catholic tradition imposing upon it their
own distorted conceptions of doctrine and liturgy while denying any help to
those who do not conform in every detail. Bishop Richard Williamson, since
being expelled from the SSPX, helped our little Mission. He did not agree with
us entirely but his charity was not thereby stifled. Supplied jurisdiction is
entirely generated by the needs of each individual Catholic faithful and Bishop
Williamson exercised that supplied jurisdiction in helping us at Ss. Peter
& Paul Roman Catholic Mission. Bishop Williamson's charity extended to the
needs of the faithful over the world and he provided six bishops, at least some
of which are continuing as he did. That is really the reason the SSPX got rid
of him. For the SSPX, there is no state of necessity. They have denied it certainly
over the last 15 years and they cannot reclaim it now. If they want to get
their house in order they should ask Bishop Michael Stobnicki, consecrated by
Bishop Williamson for the eastern Slavs, and who the SSPX expelled from their
seminary, to help them.
"A Dark
Cloud of Fog Instead of a Head"
I saw a strange church being built against every rule.... No angels
were supervising the building operations.
In that church, nothing came from high above... There was only division
and chaos. It is probably a church of
human creation, following the latest fashion, as well as the new heterodox
church of Rome, which seems of the same kind...
I saw all sorts of people, things, doctrines, and opinions. There was something proud, presumptuous, and
violent about it, and they seemed to be very successful. I did not see a single Angel nor a single
saint helping in the work. But far away in the background, I saw a
laughing figure which said: 'Do build it as solid as you can; we will pull it
to the ground'.... Among the strangest things that I saw, were long processions
of bishops. Their thoughts and utterances were made known to me through images
issuing from their mouths. Their faults towards religion were shown by external
deformities. A few had only a body, with a dark cloud of fog instead of a head.
Others had only a head, their bodies and hearts were like thick vapors. Some
were lame; others were paralytics; others were asleep or staggering.
Blessed Anna-Katarina Emmerick, Yves Dupont, Catholic Prophecy
Purgation Now
with Merit, or Purgatory Later Without
When I look to God, I see no gate to Paradise, and yet he who wishes to
enter there does so, because God is all mercy.
God stands before us with open arms to receive us into His glory. But well I see the divine essence to be of
such purity, far greater than can be imagined, that the soul in which there is
even the least note of imperfection would rather cast itself into a thousand
Hells than find itself thus stained in the presence of the Divine Majesty. Therefore the soul, understanding that
Purgatory had been ordained to take away those stains, casts itself therein,
and seems to itself to have found great mercy in that it can rid itself there
of the impediment that is the stain of sin.
No tongue can tell nor explain, no mind understand, the grievousness of
Purgatory. But although I see that there
is in Purgatory as much pain as in Hell, I yet see the soul that has the least
stain of imperfection accepting Purgatory as though it were a mercy, as I have
said, and holding its pains of no account as compared with the least stain that
hinders a soul in its love. I seem to
see that the pain that souls in Purgatory endure because of that in them which displeases
God (that is, what they have willfully done against His great goodness) is
greater than any other pain they feel in Purgatory. And this is because they see the truth and
the grievousness of the hindrance that prevents them from drawing near to God,
since they are in grace.
St. Catherine of Genoa, Purgation
and Purgatory
All
Are Called to be Co-Redeemers with Christ
God has entrusted to each one
of us a share in the great redemptive work of Jesus. As consecrated souls, we are especially
called to cooperate in Christ’s work.
First of all, we must cooperate with grace, so that the fruits of the
redemption can be fully applied to our souls.
This is the work of our own personal sanctification. It is not limited to this one aspect,
however. We are called to sanctify
ourselves in order to be able to bring others to sanctity. Each one of us has a mission to fulfill for
the good of others and for their sanctification. We must collaborate with Christ in extending
the fruits of the Redemption to as many souls as possible. This work is entrusted to us by the heavenly
Father, and we must apply ourselves to it with the interior disposition of
Christ: a total, generous, exclusive dedication, a dedication capable of making
even the greatest sacrifices. All
actions are of value only insofar as they help toward the accomplishment of
this work. Anything that does not
contribute to our own sanctification or to the sanctification of other is
useless, a waste of time, and should be courageously eliminated.
Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary
Magdalen, O.C.D., Divine Intimacy
And
yet, the fathers of Vatican II professed to worship the same god as the
Mohammedans!
He [Muhammad] seduced the people by promises of carnal pleasure to
which the concupiscence of the flesh goads us. His teaching also contained
precepts that were in conformity with his promises, and he gave free rein to
carnal pleasure. In all this, as is not unexpected, he was obeyed by carnal
men. As for proofs of the truth of his doctrine, he brought forward only such
as could be grasped by the natural ability of anyone with a very modest wisdom.
Indeed, the truths that he taught he mingled with many fables and with
doctrines of the greatest falsity. He did not bring forth any signs produced in
a supernatural way, which alone fittingly gives witness to divine inspiration;
for a visible action that can be only divine reveals an invisibly inspired
teacher of truth. On the contrary, Mohammed said that he was sent in the power
of his arms—which are signs not lacking even to robbers and tyrants. What is
more, no wise men, men trained in things divine and human, believed in him from
the beginning. Those who believed in him were brutal men and desert wanderers,
utterly ignorant of all divine teaching, through whose numbers Mohammed forced
others to become his followers by the violence of his arms. Nor do divine
pronouncements on the part of preceding prophets offer him any witness. On the
contrary, he perverts almost all the testimonies of the Old and New Testaments
by making them into fabrications of his own, as can be seen by anyone who
examines his law. It was, therefore, a shrewd decision on his part to forbid
his followers to read the Old and New Testaments, lest these books convict him
of falsity. It is thus clear that those who place any faith in his words
believe foolishly.
St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Contra Gentiles
The
Principle Muslim objections to the Catholic Faith – Utterly carnal!
“We
preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling block, and unto the
Gentiles foolishness” 1 Cor 1:23.
These, then, are the points, which, as you affirm, are attacked and
ridiculed by the unbelievers. For the Muslims (Saraceni), as you say, ridicule
our claim that Christ is the Son of God, since God does not have a wife; and
they think us mad, assuming we profess there are three gods. They also mock our
belief that Christ, the Son of God, was crucified for the salvation of the
human race, because if God is omnipotent, He could have saved the human race
without the suffering of His Son; He could also have so constructed man that he
could not have sinned. They rebuke Christians because daily at the altar they
eat their God and because the body of Christ, were it even as big as a
mountain, should long since have been consumed.
St. Thomas, De Rationibus Fidei (The Reasons for Our Faith)
Behold, then the whole
of Christian perfection: love and sacrifice. Who cannot with
God's grace, fulfil this twofold condition? Is it, indeed, so difficult to love
Him Who is infinitely lovable and infinitely loving? The love that He asks of
us is nothing extraordinary; it is the devotedness of love - the gift of
oneself - consisting chiefly in conformity to the divine will. To want to love
is to love. To keep the commandments for God's sake is to love. To pray is to
love. To fulfil our duties of state in view of pleasing God, this is likewise
to love. Nay more, to recreate ourselves, to take our meals with the like
intention is to love. To serve our neighbor for God's sake is to love. Nothing
then is easier, God's grace helping, than the constant exercise of divine love
and through this, steady advance toward perfection.
Rev. Adolphe
Tanquewrey, S.S., D.D., The Spiritual Life
Vatican II and
the Leap of Faith for the Hermeneutics of Continuity
ON CATHOLIC UNITY
Vatican II pastoral
opinion:
And
we now ask: What does it mean to restore the unity of all Christians?... This
unity, we are convinced, indeed subsists in the Catholic Church, without
the possibility of ever being lost (Unitatis Redintegratio) the Church
in fact has not totally disappeared from the world. On the other hand, this
unity does not mean what could be called ecumenism of the return: that is,
to deny and to reject one’s own faith history. Absolutely not! Pope Benedict XVI, to Protestants at World
Youth Day, August 19, 2005
Catholic Doctrine:
… the union of Christians can only be
promoted by promoting the return to the one true Church of Christ of
those who are separated from it… Pope
Pius XI, Mortalium Animos
ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Vatican II pastoral
opinion:
The
Council further declares that the right to religious freedom has its foundation
in the very dignity of the human person... This right to religious freedom is
to be recognized in the constitutional law whereby society is governed. Thus it
is to become a civil right. Declaration on Religious Liberty, Dignitatis
Humanae
Catholic Doctrine:
And from this wholly false idea of social organization they do not fear to
foster that erroneous opinion, especially fatal to the Catholic Church
and the salvation of souls, called by our predecessor, Gregory XVI, insanity,
namely that the liberty of conscience and worship is the proper right of every
man, and should be proclaimed by law in every correctly established society...
Each and every doctrine individually mentioned in this letter, by Our Apostolic
authority We reject, proscribe and condemn; and We wish and command that
they be considered as absolutely rejected by all the sons of the Church.
Pope Pius IX, Quanta Cura
ON
SALVATION
Vatican II pastoral
opinion:
The separated churches and communities
as such, though we believe they suffer from the defects already mentioned, have
been by no means deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of
salvation. For the Spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as
means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of
grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church. Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis
Redintegratio
Catholic Doctrine:
The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of
those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and
heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will
go into the eternal fire which was prepared for the Devil and his angels, unless
before death they are joined with her... Pope Eugene IV, Council
of Florence
ON ACCOMODATION OF
CATHOLIC TRUTH TO THE WORLD
Vatican II pastoral
opinion:
May the faithful, therefore,
live in very close union with the men of their time. Let them strive to
understand perfectly their way of thinking and feeling as expressed in their
culture. Let them blend modern science and its theories and the understanding
of the most recent discoveries with Christian morality and doctrine.... Thus
their religious practice and morality can keep pace with their scientific
knowledge and with an ever - advancing technology... Decree on the Church in the
Modern World, Gaudium
et Spes
Catholic Doctrine:
The Roman pontiff can and must reconcile himself
with human progress, with liberalism and with modern and human culture. – condemned.
Blessed Pope Pius IX, Syllabus of Errors
ON RELATIONS WITH FALSE
RELIGIONS
Vatican II pastoral
opinion:
Upon the Moslems, too, the Church looks with esteem...They adore
the one God...though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God they revere Him as a
prophet.... In addition they await the day of judgment when God will give each
man his due.... and give worship to God especially through prayer, almsgiving
and fasting. Decree
on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, Nostra Aetate
Catholic Doctrine:
...that
false opinion which considers all religions more or less good and
praiseworthy... Not only are those who hold this opinion in error and deceived,
but also in distorting the idea of true religion they reject it, and little by
little, turn aside to naturalism and atheism...from which it clearly follows
that one who supports those who hold on these theories and attempt to realize
them, is altogether abandoning the divinely revealed religion. Pope Pius XI, Mortalium Animos
Why
is John Henry Cardinal Newman regarded by Modernists as their Spiritual Father?
– Because he was! So why do “Conservative
Catholics” admire Newman? Because he
explained how dogma can be discarded.
“Dr. Newman is the most
dangerous man in England. And you will see that he will make use of the laity
against your Grace. You must not be afraid of him. It will require much
prudence, but you must be firm, as the Holy father sill places his confidence
in you; but if you yield and do not fight the battle of the Holy See against
the detestable spirit growing up in England, he will begin to regret Cardinal
Wiseman, who knew how to keep the laity in order.”
Msgr. George Talbot, Papal
Chamberlain, Letter to Cardinal Henry Edward Manning, after Pope Pius IX
suppressed a plan for Dr. John Henry Newman going to Oxford to establish an
inter-faith oratory.
An English Catholicism, of
which Newman is the highest type, is the old Anglican, patristic, literary,
Oxford tone transplanted into the Church... In one word, it is a worldly
Catholicism, and it will have the worldly on its side, and will deceive many.
Cardinal Henry Edward Manning,
on Dr. John Henry Cardinal Newman
Another influential writer during the last century was Lord Acton (Sir
John Dalberg), who was famous for his critical historicism and also renowned
for his friendship with (Rev. Johann von) Dollinger (a Munich priest and
professor at the University, excommunicated for rejecting the dogma of papal
infallibility). Acton was almost excommunicated, as Dollinger was, but managed
to maintain the appearance of orthodoxy and remain in the Church. As liberal as
Lord Acton was, and although he sided with Newman in fighting the dogma of
Infallibility, he came to the same conclusion as (Cardianl Henry Edward)
Manning regarding Newman’s heterodox position. In a letter written by Acton a
few weeks before Manning’s death, after mentioning the ‘personal aversion to
Manning’ displayed by Newman he said, “Many will wonder how anybody who saw
much of him (Newman) could remain a Catholic — assuming that Newman really was
one.” Acton, although an ally of Newman in editing the liberal journal The
Rambler, was not baffled by Newman’s prosaic tact. Acton went much further than
Manning in his strictures on his old ally. He described Newman as “a sophist,
the manipulator and not the servant of truth.” When men of diametrically
opposed beliefs, as Acton and Manning, agree in their judgment of another man
whom they so well knew, the assumption that they are not both in error is not
unreasonable.
John Edward Courtenay Bodley, On Cardinal John Henry Newman
DOGMA IS THE PROXIMATE RULE OF FAITH; DOGMA is revealed
doctrine formally defined by the Church. The pope is the necessary but
insufficient means by which DOGMA is declared.
Hence, the distinction is made betewen
the Remote and the Proximate Rule of Faith.
The remote Rule of Faith is the Objective Deposit, [Scripture and
Tradition], It contains revealed truths which - for some reason or other - were
forgotten, obscure, or not sufficiently understood. Hence, they were broght into discussion, or
denied without injury to the Faith until they became clear or werer defined by
the Church. The Proximate Rule of Faith
is the teaching of the Church sufficiently proposed and manifestly promulgated
to the Faithful, [DOGMA]. If this
Proximate Rule of Faith proclaims anything as belonging to the Remote Rule
of Faith, it can no longer be challenged
without shipwreck of the Faith. For
unity of faith is whole and entire only while there is no dissent with the
Proximate Rule of Faith. On this point Gregory
of Valentia declares: "The Church has from darkness brought to light wth
her infallible authority some doctrines which, through human negligence or
malice or perversity of mind, remained concealed. And mayhap there are some still hidden in the
Church."
Msgr. George Agius, D.D., J.C.D.,
Tradition and the Church
Worth
Repeating: The SCHISM is HERE and Leo is just a dull echo of Francis/Bergoglio!
COMMENT: This
book in the article below provides an interpretation of Chapter 8 of Amoris Laetitia. It is addressed to
bishops with a “merciful heart” and offers an interpretation that is consistent
with the interpretation approved in the private letter sent by Pope Francis to
the bishops of Argentina as well as with the interpretation of Cardinal Schornborn
who Pope Francis publically identified as its ‘official interpretor.’ These
bishops say that the proper understanding and application is that any Catholic
living in public adultery based upon their own private judgment in the internal
forum can declare themselves worthy to receive Holy Communion and absolution in
the sacrament of Penance and therefore cannot be denied these sacraments. It is given semi-official approval by its
publication in L’Osservatore Romano.
Pope
Leo XIV in a message to to the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life holding
a seminar entitled, “Evangelizing
with Families Today and Tomorrow,” endorsed Amoris Laetitia by directly quoting his predecessor from Amoris
Laetitia §76, writing the “Gospel of the family also nourishes seeds that
are still waiting to grow,” praising its “basis for caring for those plants
that are wilting and must not be neglected.”
Now the Novus Ordo, which may
be nothing more than a memorial meal as it was initially and officially defined
by Pope Paul VI, perhaps giving the Novus Ordo communion wafer to a person in
objective mortal sin is not a real problem. But what is certainly a grave sin
is that these persons can expect to be absolved by a confessor in the sacrament
of Penance without confessing or repentance of mortal sin. This does not
represent a change in the Church’s teaching.
It represents the active effort of a Francis (and now Leo) and his
minions to destroy Catholic doctrine and morality. As St. Thomas said, “All
heretics are schismatics,” the schism has long been present with every
post-conciliar pope who have repeatedly denied Catholic dogma. It is more
evident each passing day and every Catholic will have to pick sides. God cannot
let an open attack upon the sacrament of marriage go unpunished. Their
hypocrisy is oozing from every pore. Imagine if a Catholic with “humility,
discretion and love for the Church and her teaching, in a sincere search for
God’s will and a desire to make a more perfect response to it” arrives at
traditional Catholicism, what kind of response can be expect from the local
bishop and Rome? If you want to know
read our OPEN LETTERS! After all, a “merciful heart” has its limits!
“If, as a result of the process
of discernment, undertaken with “humility, discretion and love for the Church
and her teaching, in a sincere search for God’s will and a desire to make a
more perfect response to it” (Amoris
Laetitia 300), a separated or divorced person who is living in a new
relationship manages, with an informed and enlightened conscience, to
acknowledge and believe that he or she are at peace with God, he or she cannot
be precluded from participating in the sacraments of Reconciliation and the
Eucharist (see AL, notes 336 and 351).”
Bishops Charles J Scicluna and
Mario Grech, Guide for the Interpretation
of Chapter 8 of Amoris Laetitia: An Invitatiion to the Bishops of Merciful
Hearts. This received semi-official
approbation by being featured in the publication, L’Osservatore Romano, 1-2017
"You know Gaza is interesting. It's a phenomenal location on the
sea, the best weather—you know, everything's good. It's like some beautiful
things could be done with it. It's very interesting. Some fantastic things
could be done with Gaza."
President Donald Trump, On the rebuilding of Gaza for Israel
COMMENT:
According to the latest figures released by the Gaza Ministry of Health
on December 23, 2025, Israel had killed at least 70,937 Palestinians and
wounded 171,192; of those identified fatalities, 53% were women, children or
elderly. But the estimate is difficult to make. This estimate from the Ministry
of Health is collected from hospital records and in May of 2025 the United
Nations reported that 94% of the hospitals in Gaze had been destroyed. It is
not possible 
to know how many Palestinians are buried under the rubble, nor how many
will die from starvation and disease. There were 2.23 million Palestinians in
Gaza before the conflict and relief workers estimate the current population
requiring aid at 1.87 million. The difference is 360,000.
The picture on the right is six bags containing the remains of children
killed in the bombing of a school. The picture on the left is northern area of
Gaze with no structure left standing. This killing and destruction was
accomplished by American made planes dropping 2,000 pound American made bombs.
The specific bomb used by Israelis on the school building was a Boeing GBU-39
designed to penetrate warships and hardened targets. It splinters into small
fast moving shrapnel segments that can penetrate three feet of reinforced
concrete. In an interview Jonathan
Pollard, the Jewish spy while working as a clerk for Naval Intelligence
delivered to Israel what Scott Ritter called the "Crown Jewels" of
U.S. Intelligence Singles and was sentenced to life in prison in 1987, said
that Israel has promised President Trump tax free concessions on anything he
builds in Gaza. The picture below is the visionary Trump plan, directed by his
Jewish son-in-law Jared Kushner, for turning Gaza everything in life Trump thinks
is important. The Blessed Virgin Mary said at Fatima, "Only the Lady of
the Rosary can help you" through devotion to her Immaculate Heart, the
Rosary, and the First Saturdays of Reparation. Whatever good President Trump
may occasionally do, in the end he cannot fix anything.
Pope Leo appoints pro-LGBT archbishop as secretary for Dicastery for
Clergy
Archbishop Carlo Roberto Maria Redaelli's pro-LGBT views were recounted
in a description of his response to the same-sex 'marriage' of a Catholic scout
leader.
LifeSiteNews | Jan 22, 2026 — Pope
Leo XIV has appointed a controversial and homosexualist archbishop to a
prominent role in the Vatican.
Archbishop
Carlo Roberto Maria Redaelli of Gorizia was named today as the new Secretary
for the Dicastery for Clergy.
Raedelli and his pro-LGBT views were
mentioned in a 2020 book by Luciano Moia, a senior journalist for the Italian
Bishops’ Conference’s daily newspaper Avvenire. In his book, Moia argues that
the Church should look at “chastity” within a same-sex relationship the same
way in which it looks at chastity within marriage.
As an example of how the Church should
begin to do this, the author cited Raedelli’s response to the same-sex
‘marriage’ in 2017 of a homosexual Catholic scout leader.
In Moia’s words, Raedelli “threw everyone off. He refused the role of
the judge, he didn’t absolve, but neither did he condemn. He invited the
community to reflect together to understand if, even from such a divisive
occurrence, one can receive aspects of grace. An intervention in search of
moderation and of that invitation to welcome, discern and integrate that
impregnates the magisterium of Pope Francis.”
Contrary to the attitudes of Moia and
Archbishop Redaelli, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is very clear on
homosexuality:
Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which
presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always
declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’ They are contrary
to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not
proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no
circumstances can they be approved.
Only after stating that homosexual acts
cannot be approved does the catechism move on to a discussion of chastity. In
other words, chastity for people with homosexual inclinations plainly means
absolute continence.
Redaelli has served as auxiliary bishop of
Milan from 2004 to 2012, and as Archbishop of Gorizia, in northeastern Italy,
since 2012. A canon lawyer by training, he has been at the center of several
controversies over the years. For example, the archbishop has previously
attracted attention for his positions on the Traditional Latin Mass.
During the Italian Bishops’ Conference General Assembly in Rome in November
2018, Redaelli had questioned the legal basis of Pope Benedict XVI’s 2007 motu
proprio Summorum Pontificum.
The Pope stated that the 1962 Roman Missal had never been abrogated and
could be freely used. However, according to the Italian blog Messainlatino.it,
Redaelli stated that the Missal promulgated by Pope John XXIII had in fact been
abrogated by Pope Paul VI, rendering Summorum Pontificum juridically
ineffective. On this basis, the motu proprio was described as a “juridical
non-sense,” and the Traditional Latin Mass as not legitimately liberalized.
However, Redaelli’s claim is juridically
wrong because it rests on a false premise. No explicit act ever abrogated the
1962 Roman Missal. Under canon law (see canon 21), “in a case of doubt, the
revocation of a pre-existing law is not presumed.” Furthermore, Pope Benedict
XVI did not grant a derogation or indult but formally recognized a right that
had never been suppressed.
As Secretary of the Dicastery for Clergy,
Archbishop Redaelli will hold a key administrative role within one of the most
influential departments of the Roman Curia. Under articles 113–120 of
Praedicate Evangelium, the dicastery oversees matters relating to diocesan
clergy, including their pastoral ministry, discipline, ongoing formation, and
material support. [.....]
COMMENT: Pope Leo's appointment meets two
important criteria: He is accepting of homosexuals, and therefore, will not be
a problem for homosexuals in the clergy that he will oversee; and, he is intent
in doing away with the Indult. It is Bishop Redaelli that understands the legal
standing Summorum Pontificum while the Indult conservative Catholics cannot
figure it out. Summorum Pontificum was abrogated by Pope Francis' Traditionis
Custodes so the argument is really moot. Be that as it may, there was never a
Roman Missal published in 1962. There were several changes in the Missal in
1962 just as there were changes before 1962 and there would be in the years
that followed 1962. Each change in the Missal abrogated the previous usage. The
Missal that was in usage at the end of 1962, the last change being addition of
St. Joseph's name to the canon in December, was changed in 1965, 1967, and
1969. Redaelli's claim that the 1962 Missal usage was juridically suppressed by
Paul VI is correct. It was Benedict/Ratzinger who was dealing from the bottom
of the deck when he said that the 1962 usage had not been abrogated or legally
suppressed. Shortly after the publication of Summorum Pontificum
Benedict/Ratzinger tried to clean up the historical record by abrogating the
two documents of Paul VI that did so. What should be recognized is that
Benedict/Ratzinger implied that the 1962 usage could be suppressed but lied in
claiming that that did not happen. What is certain is that Benedict/Ratzinger
said that those who used the 1962 Missale were exercising the privilege of a
"legal right" granted by the legislator and not a moral and doctrinal
right from God. He changed the 1962 usage from the Indult of JPII into a grant
of legal privilege. It was Francis/Bergoglio who returned it to an Indult in
Traditionis Custodes where it exists today. Those who have accepted the use of
the 1962 Bugnini transitional Missal by grant of Indult and/or legal privilege
have no legal grounds to complain when the grant is taken away. Ss. Peter & Paul Roman Catholic Mission
refused the offer to become an Indult community for this very reason. We offer
the pre-Bugnini "received and approved" immemorial Roman rite not by
grant of legal privilege or Indult but by our rights as baptized Catholics
derived from of our duty to worship God as God Himself has determined that He
wants to be worshiped.
St. Raymond of
Pennafort: Dominican Friar, Priest, Master of the Order
A renowned doctor of canon law and notable writer, Raymond of Pennafort
(1175 – 1275) joined the Dominican Order in 1222, after a distinguished
academic career in Barcelona and Bologna. His two principal works are his Summa
Casuum on penitential discipline and his compilation of the
decretals of canon law, commissioned by Pope Gregory IX. This collection of
conciliar and papal decrees became a standard work for canon lawyers for nearly
seven hundred years. St. Raymond later became the third master of the Order.
According to Dominican tradition, he once rebuked the king of Aragon for his
immoral behavior. When St. Raymond attempted to leave the island of Majorca and
return to Spain, he could not because the kind had forbidden all sailors to
give him passage. St. Raymond placed his cappa, the black mantle of the
Dominican habit, on the water, stepped on it, and sailed to the mainland.
CANON LAW and the Judgment of a heretical
pope
Comment:
The Decretals of Gratian is a collection of canonical
texts compiled in the 12th century. Pope Gregory IX in 1230 directed St.
Raymond of Pennafort, the distinguished Dominican, to organize an addendum
to the code to include legal codes adopted since the time of Gratian but the
work became a much more extensive revision. Working from
the Decretals of Gratian, St. Raymond wrote a five volume edition of
the Decretals that became
the Corpus iuris canonici which served as the legal code
for the Latin Church’s canon law from that time until the promulgation of the
Code of Canon Law in 1917.
Decretum Gratiani, which was included in the
old Corpus Iuris Canonici, affirmed that a Pope who deviates
from right doctrine (i.e.: a notorious public heretic) can be
judged. The canon states that the "pope judges all and is judged by
no-one, unless he is found to have departed from the faith":
‘Hujus culpas redarguere præsumit mortalium nullus, quia cunctos ipse judicaturus a nemine est judicandus,
nisi
deprehendatur a fide devius (dist. XL, C. 6)’.
When the revised Code of Canon Law
(Codex Iuris Canonici 1917) came into force, the Church
eliminated from the new legislation the phrase "unless he is found to have departed from the
faith." This deletion was continued in the 1983 code. Although the
phrase, "unless he is found to have departed from the
faith," was not included in the 1917 and the 1983 codes, the
canonical commentary still regards the phrase as legally binding:
‘Canon 1404 – The
First See is judged by no one.‘
COMMENTARY: "Canon 1404 is not a
statement about the personal impeccability or inerrancy of the Holy Father.
Should, indeed, the pope fall into heresy, it is understood that he would lose
his office. To fall from Peter’s faith is to fall from his chair."
New Commentary on
the Code of Canon Law, John P. Beal, James A. Coriden, and Thomas J. Green
eds. (New York: Paulist, 2000), p. 1,618.
The code is the compilation of laws governing the Church as social
institution. Most of the laws in the code are of ecclesiastical positive human
laws grounded upon human authority, however, many of the legal codes are divine
positive laws grounded upon divine authority or upon natural law. If a human
law is deleted from the code, the law ceases to bind. If a law of divine
authority is deleted from the code, the law continue in force for the human
authority of the Church cannot overturn the law of God. This self-evident
principle is stated in the code itself. Consequently, the commentary cited above is a recognition
that the pope cannot be judged "unless he is found to have departed from
the faith" is of divine origin. It is necessarily a divine law
because the papacy is a divine institution established directly by Jesus Christ
and therefore governed in its essence only by divine laws. In other words,
if it were not a divine law, the Church could not propose a human law to judge
what was established by God.
Therefore, it is of divine law that permits a heretical pope to be
judged. Importantly, although the law permits a heretical pope to be judged, it
says nothing about who and how a pope is to be judged regarding heresy and it
does not address penalties. It says nothing about removal from office. If the
law intended the removal from office the law itself would have to state the
penalty and provide a mechanism for its determination and enforcement.
So now it falls to opinions regarding the judgment of a heretical pope.
Most theologians believe that it is "understood" that the removal
from office necessarily follows from a judgment of heresy often citing the
scriptural and traditional admonition to avoid heretics:
"A man that
is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid: Knowing that he,
that is such a one, is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned by his own
judgment" (Titus 3:10-11).
They argue that since the faithful cannot avoid a pope as head of the
Church therefore the heretical pope must lose his office. A serious problem
with this argument follows, that is, if the faithful cannot "avoid" a
pope, then there must necessarily be a pope who in fact cannot be avoided. Therefore,
those who would make the papacy vacant must also be able to fill the office
with a true pope.
But can a heretical pope be avoided? It really becomes a problem for
those who hold the pope as their proximate rule of faith and not, as they
should, dogma. For if dogma is not the proximate rule of faith then the pope
must be and he then can never be a heretic for whatever the pope holds the
dogma or doctrine to mean is what it then means and only those who disagree
with the pope are heretics. For a Catholic, dogma is the proximate rule of
faith and although a heretical pope can do immeasurable damage to the Church he
cannot touch individual souls of the faithful.
If we adhere to what the law says and nothing more we can say this: The
definition of heresy is the denial of dogma. The heretic denies dogma and the
faithful keep dogma. Those who can judge a heretical pope are the faithful. The
law does not distinguish or discriminate among the faithful as to the judgment.
Dogma is articulated for all the faithful. Its understanding does not require
any theological competence. It requires proper definition and correct grammar.
Any of the faithful, that is those who hold dogma as their proximate rule of
faith, can judge a manifestly heretical pope such as Pope Francis was. Any of
the faithful can know when a dogma is directly contradicted for the first
principles of the understanding, such as the principle of non-contradiction,
are innate in human nature. Thus all the faithful can judge, in fact must
judge, a heretical pope and so that they may not follow him in his heresy for
God has said that 'it
is not possible to deceive His elect' (Matt. 24:24). The law does
not specify the judge because the judgment rests with all the faithful, it is
universal. The law does not specify a penalty because none of the faithful have
the competency to impose a penalty and remove a heretical pope from office. It
is God who is the formal and final cause of the pope and the office of the
papacy. It is God who 'marries' the designated candidate to the papal office
and only God can remove him from it just as God removed the High Priest and
destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and the Levitical priesthood which
can never be reconstituted.
Those who hold dogma as their proximate rule of faith recognize Pope
Francis as a heretic because he denies dogmatic truth. He preaches a different
gospel so we "receive him not into the house nor say to him, God speed
you" (2 John 10). Since he preaches a different gospel, "Let him be
anathema" because we are first "servants of Christ" (Gal 1: 8).
For in dogma, the Church has spoken and the heretic Pope Francis "will not
hear the church, (therefore) let him be to thee as the heathen and publican
(Matt 18:17).
The job of the faithful is to keep the faith.
Dogmas
“are to give light, not to receive light from human reason”!
I answer: The obligation to
believe what God says is a natural duty, it is a natural law, dictated by the common
sense of reason which the Creator has deposited in every human soul. The Church
only enforces this law, which existed before she herself existed, because from
all eternity it was a truth that the creature is bound to believe the word of
the Creator. If the Church allows no denial, no doubt, no alteration or
misconstruction of any of her dogmas, it is because the veracity of the Son of
God, who has revealed these truths, is attacked when any of His doctrines are
denied or doubted. These dogmas are so many fixed stars in the firmament of
holy Church. They cannot be reached by the perversity and frivolity of man. He
may close his eyes against them and deny their existence; he may misrepresent
them and look at them through glasses stained the color of every prejudice; but
he cannot do away with them altogether, nor change in any way their natural
brightness and brilliancy. Like the stars that deck the vault of heaven, they
are to give light, not to receive light from human reason. They are the word of
God, and what God says is truth, that cannot be made untruth. The mind that
receives truth is enlightened thereby; the mind that denies or misrepresents it
is darkened and corrupted.
Besides, every dogma of faith is
to the Catholic cultivated mind not only a new increase of knowledge, but also
an incontrovertible principle from which it is able to draw conclusions and
derive other truths. They present an endless field for investigation so that
the beloved Apostle St. John could write at the end of his Gospel, without fear
of exaggeration: “But there are also many other things which Jesus did: which
if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, world not be able to
contain the books that should be written.”
The Catholic Church, by
enforcing firm belief in her dogmas—which are not her inventions, but were
given by Jesus Christ—places them as a bar before the human mind to prevent it
from going astray and to attach it to the truth; but it does not prevent the
mind from exercising its functions when it has secured the treasure of divine
truth, and a “scribe thus instructed in the kingdom of heaven is truly like a
man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things
and old.” …. They are new because newly enacted, declared, defined; they are
old because they contain no new revelation or any assumption of power never
granted by Christ, but simply old truths under new forms, the old power
exercised under new circumstances.
Rev. Joseph Prachensky, S.J., The
Church of the Parables and True Spouse of the Suffering Savior
When Pope Leo XIV met with cardinals and bishops residing in Rome at
Christmas, his Master of Ceremonies, Monsignor Marco Agostini, outed them by
identifying them on an open microphone as “culattoni tutti insieme” (all the
faggots together).
Anyone who questions Agostini’s statement is encouraged to read In
the Closet of the Vatican
by Frédéric Martel who estimated that around 80% of the
clergy working in the Vatican are homosexuals. The 555-page work is the
result of over 1,500 interviews with people in the Vatican and in 30 countries:
among them, 41 cardinals, 52 bishops and monsignors, 45 apostolic nuncios and
foreign ambassadors.
Some of Martel’s conclusions include:
·
The
Vatican has one of the biggest gay communities in the world….it is one huge
closet.
·
The
Church has become sociologically homosexual. It is responsible for countless
instances of sexual abuse that are undermining it from within.
·
The
priesthood is (now) the ideal escape route for young homosexuals. Homosexuality
is one of the keys to their vocation.
·
There are
more and more homosexuals as one rises through the Catholic hierarchy. In the
College of Cardinals and at the Vatican, the preferential process is said to be
perfected; homosexuality becomes the rule, heterosexuality the exception.
Gene Thomas Gomulka, is a sexual abuse victims’ advocate,
investigative reporter, author, and screenwriter. A former Navy Captain
Chaplain Corps, seminary instructor, and diocesan Respect Life Director.
Gomulka was ordained a priest for the Altoona-Johnstown diocese and later made
a Prelate of Honor (Monsignor) by JPII.
COMMENT: Apparently Msgr. Agostini did not realize that the microphone
was on when he said, "All the faggots together." For his indiscretion
he has been dismissed from his position. While not knowing anything about
Martel's book that is recommended by Rev. Gomulka, it is just another addition
to the a long list, and growing longer, of documentation of the Homosexual
Lobby's infiltration and control of the Novus Ordo Church. Traditional
Catholics have been exposing this crime for a long time. One of the priests
that help in the establishment of Saints Peter & Paul Roman Catholic
Mission was the late Rev. Enrique Rueda authored The Homosexual Network
published in 1982. Rev. Rueda inspired the work of Randy Engel who continued
his work with her book, Rite of Sodomy published in 2006. The late Rev. John
O'Connor, O.P., a traditional Dominican, exposed in detail the homosexual
takeover of the Dominican Order in the United States and the failure of Rome to
do anything about it. The Polish priest, Rev. Dariusz Oko, a theology professor at the Pontifical
University of John Paul II in Krakow, was fined in Germany in 2022 along with
his published, for "hate speech" in an article that referred to
homosexual priests as "a colony of parasites", "a cancerous
growth" and "a homosexual plague" in the Church. He also called
the "gay-affirming movement" a "homo-heresy." The book
Goodbye, Good Men by Michael S. Rose is another work that documents the
homosexual infiltration of the Church. Should we be surprised? Remember Bella Dodd, under sworn testimony before
Congress in the 1950s, claimed that she had helped place 1,500 committed
communists into Catholic seminaries. None of these homosexuals will ever give
up their sinecures in the Novus Ordo church network. Jesus Christ began and
ended His public life with the 'cleansing of the Temple' driving the profane
from the house of God. Call to mind what God did to Rome in 1527 when the
mercenary Protestant army of Charles V sacked Rome. The destruction and death
lasted about nine months. This cleansing of Rome made possible the rebuilding
and reformation accomplished by the Council of Trent. The punishment that is at
the door today will be a pitiless destruction of the entire Novus Ordo
structure and make possible the great restoration that will follow.
"All ceremonies are professions of
faith, in which the interior worship of God consists. Now man can make
profession of his inward faith, by deeds as well as by words: and in either
profession, if
he makes a false declaration, he sins mortally."
St. Thomas Aquinas, (ST, I-II, Q. 103,
Art. 4)
Queers Always
Hang Together
“Sodomy Is a Gift from God….
Those who oppose sodomy should be debarred from church seminaries.”
Rev. Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., an Oxford
scholar and international celebrity appointed by Pope Francis to the Pontifical
Council of Justice and Peace in 2015. On 6 October 2024, Pope Francis announced
that Radcliffe would be created a cardinal on December 8 but was the date was
later changed to 7 December. Pope Francis, granting him a dispensation from the
current requirement that all cardinals must be bishops, made him a cardinal
deacon and assigned him to the Chiesa dei
Santi Nomi di Gesu e Maria. He participated as a cardinal elector in the
2025 conclave that elected Pope Leo as the sole elector that was not a bishop.
Pro-LGBT Cdl. Radcliffe urges ‘openness to novelty’ in address to extraordinary
consistory
Reports from inside the Vatican suggest growing unease among the
cardinals after Pope Leo’s two-day gathering opened with tightly controlled
group sessions led by liberal voices.
LifeSiteNews | Gaetano Masciullo | Thu
Jan 8, 2026
VATICAN CITY— Pro-LGBT Cardinal Timothy
Radcliffe delivered the opening meditation at the consistory in Rome by urging 
cardinals to remain “in the boat of Peter” amid global crises and
Church divisions while suggesting “memory and openness to novelty must coexist
in the life of the Church.”
On the afternoon of January 7, Pope Leo XIV
opened a two-day extraordinary consistory at the Vatican, convening cardinals
from around the world to reflect on four major themes – the mission of the
Church in today’s world, synodality, the relationship between the Holy See and
the particular Churches, and the liturgy – though only the former two were
selected for detailed discussion, a decision that, according to off-the-record
accounts reported by the Italian blog Messainlatino, prompted discouragement
and concern among several participants.
“I
am here to listen,” Pope Leo XIV told the cardinals in his opening address,
stressing that the meeting was intended not to produce documents but “to
continue a conversation that will help me in serving the mission of the entire
Church.”
According to the blog Messainlatino,
multiple unnamed cardinals described the first session as poorly prepared and
structurally restrictive, noting in particular that there were no free
interventions scheduled for the opening day. Discussions were conducted in
small, pre-assigned working groups based on language and curial affiliation, a
format some participants reportedly said did not resemble the traditional
consistory model of the past.
The same source reported that, for reasons
of time, the theme of the liturgy was effectively excluded from substantive
group discussion, despite being listed among the four initial topics. Several
cardinals allegedly lamented what they perceived as a lack of interest in the
Church understood as “mystery,” and said that the overall approach appeared to
be in continuity with the synodal processes of recent years.
The opening meditation was delivered by
Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, O.P., a leftist prelate who has praised “gay
sexuality” in blasphemous remarks, celebrated “LGBT Masses,” supported
admitting homosexuals to the priesthood, and encouraged Catholics to watch
homosexual movies and read homosexual novels.
In his reflection on the Gospel of Mark
(6:45–52), Radcliffe urged the cardinals to “remain in the boat of Peter” amid
contemporary storms facing both the world and the Church, including war,
inequality, sexual abuse scandals, and ideological divisions.
Radcliffe warned against remaining “on the
shore” out of fear or disagreement, arguing that unity and mutual charity among
the cardinals were essential to supporting the Pope. He stated that “memory and
openness to novelty must coexist in the life of the Church,” citing Evangelii
Gaudium and Saint Augustine to argue that Tradition and renewal are
inseparable.
Messainlatino also reports that upcoming
sessions of the consistory are expected to open with reflections by pro-LGBT
Cardinal José Tolentino de
Mendonça and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, both widely regarded as prominent
liberal voices within the College of Cardinals.
COMMENT: Cardinal Radcliffe
is a notorious homosexual. Pope Leo in selecting him as the spiritual director
of the consistory is making an open declaration that the spirit of the
consistory is NOT the Holy Spirit. The Mission of the Church was established by
its founder, Jesus Christ. It was established with a specific commission to
"make disciples of all nations." Synodality is a denial of the dogma
of the universal jurisdiction of the pope. The Church's relationship with
non-Catholic churches is established by God: "There is no salvation
outside the Catholic Church." It is the relationship is between those who
can be saved and those who are not. Finally, the liturgy is the work of God Who
dogmatically established at the Council of Trent: "Those that say that the
received and approved rites customarily used in the solemn administration of
the sacraments may be changed into other new rites... by any pastor of the
churches whomsoever: anathema sit.
Pope Leo begins a new catechism series dedicated to Vatican II
Pope Leo on Wednesday praised the ‘liturgical reform’ launched by
Vatican II that laid the groundwork for the revolutionary Novus Ordo Missae,
the new Mass.
LifeSiteNews | Emily Mangiaracina | Jan
8, 2026
VATICAN CITY— Pope Leo XIV announced
Wednesday that he is beginning a catechesis series to “closely” study the
Second Vatican Council, which many priests and scholars have affirmed to be in
need of correction.
“We are beginning a new catechesis series dedicated to the Second
Vatican Council and to a fresh reading of its Documents,” Leo wrote in an X
post on January 7. “The Council’s Magisterium remains even today the North Star
guiding the Church’s journey.”
“Closely studying the Council documents
will help us to be attentive interpreters of the signs of the times, and to
proclaim the Gospel to all,” Leo said Wednesday during his general audience.
In Leo’s strong support for Vatican II, he aligns himself with Pope
Francis, who described the Council as “a visit of God to His Church,” and as
“irreversible.”
The pope has not given further details thus far on the forthcoming
“catechesis” of Vatican II. However, during his general audience on Wednesday,
he highlighted aspects of the Council that he highly esteems.
For example, Leo praised the “liturgical reform” launched by Vatican
II, which laid the groundwork for the revolutionary Novus Ordo Missae,
the new Mass. The Council “set in motion an important liturgical reform by
placing at the center the mystery of salvation and the active and conscious
participation of the entire People of God,” Leo said in his general audience.
Liturgist and author Dr. Peter Kwasniewski
has pointed out that the idea articulated in the Second Vatican Council’s Sacrosanctum Concilium that “In the
restoration and promotion of the sacred liturgy, this full and active
participation by all the people is the aim to be considered before all else” is
backward.
“It cannot escape our notice that this text
turns things on their head,” Kwasniewski remarked in 2019. “Where Pius X had
said that what should be ‘provided for before everything else’ is the ‘sanctity
and dignity of the temple,’ Vatican II says that ‘the aim to be considered
before all else’ is ‘full and active participation by all the people.’ In doing
so, it inverts the hierarchy of goods. Now the worship of God and its right
condition becomes secondary to the people’s involvement.”
Pope Leo also on Wednesday lauded Vatican II for being responsible for
a Church committed to “seeking the truth through the way of ecumenism,
interreligious dialogue and dialogue with people of good will,” as if the
Church needs to seek truth outside of Herself. The idea that the fullness of
the truth is not found within the Catholic Church is heretical.
Leo’s description of the Second Vatican
Council during his general audience and in his social media post as the
“guiding star” of the Church’s path suggests he sees this council as surpassing
in importance every other council of the Church, which is especially
significant given that Vatican II appeared to contradict previous magisterial
councils in certain respects.
Prelates such as Bishop Athanasius Schneider and Archbishop Carlo Maria
Viganò have pointed to errors in the Second Vatican Council regarding religious
freedom and other religions, and in doing so have been supported by many
priests and scholars.
For example, Bishop Schneider has said Lumen Gentium is “wrong” and errs by suggesting that Christians and
Muslims participate together in the same act of adoration when it states that
“Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the
one and merciful God.”
It errs because Muslims worship on a
natural level, at the same level of anyone who adores God with the “natural
light of reason,” whereas Christians adore God on a supernatural level as His
adopted children “in the truth of Christ and in the Holy Spirit.”
“This is a substantial difference,”
Schneider observed. He explained that the use of the phrase “with us”
represents a relativization of the act of adoration of God and also of
Christians’ “sonship.”
In addition, Muslims reject the Trinity,
which they consider to be an idolatrous idea. Christ made clear that “whoever
rejects me rejects the one who sent me” (Luke 10:16) and “no one comes to the
Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Schneider criticized texts suggesting that
Buddhists and Hindus can attain illumination on their own, without “the grace
of Christ,” as a heresy. Nostra Aetate
claims that “in Hinduism, men contemplate the divine mystery,” and that
Buddhism “teaches a way by which men, in a devout and confident spirit, may be
able either to acquire the state of perfect liberation, or attain, by their own
efforts or through higher help, supreme illumination.”
The German prelate has also criticized Dignitatis Humanae for putting forth “a
theory never before taught by the constant Magisterium of the Church, i.e.,
that man has the right founded in his own nature, ‘not to be prevented from
acting in religious matters according to his own conscience, whether privately
or publicly, whether alone or in association with others, within due
limits.’”
Archbishop Viganò agreed with Bishop
Schneider in his criticism of the Second Vatican Council, noting that Vatican
II’s formulation of religious freedom “contradict[s] the testimony of Sacred
Scripture and the voice of Tradition, as well as the Catholic Magisterium which
is the faithful guardian of both.”
It is also noteworthy that Vatican II’s
Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis
Redintegratio, condones “prayers in common” with our “separated brethren”
in “certain special circumstances, such as the prescribed prayers “for unity,”
and during ecumenical gatherings.”
However, the Councils of the Church have
repeatedly made clear that Catholics cannot pray with heretics or schismatics,
let alone those of other religious practices:
· “One must neither pray nor sing psalms with heretics, and whoever shall
communicate with those who are cut off from the communion of the Church,
whether clergy or layman: let him be excommunicated.” — Council of Carthage
· “No one shall pray in common with heretics and schismatics.” — Council
of Laodicea
· If any ecclesiastic or layman shall go into the synagogue of the Jews
or to the meeting houses of the heretics to join in prayer with them, let them
be deposed and deprived of communion. If any bishop or priest or deacon shall
join in prayer with heretics, let him be suspended from communion. — II Council
of Constantinople
COMMENT: Pope
Leo is just another heretic embracing the heresies of Vatican II, a pastoral
council that has by every statistical analysis has proven to be an utter
pastoral failure. A pastoral approach to pastoral problem is comparable to a
business plan to the operation of the business. Now is a business plan leads to
financial ruin of a business the board of directors will immediately fire the
CEO, his staff and advisors, and seek another with a different business plan.
What can be said about the Novus Ordo popes is that the "pastoral
plan" they have adopted from Vatican II is not a failure but rather a
resounding success because the purpose of the plan is to destroy the Church of
Jesus Christ. What they are doing is what they have always intended to do. The
Church was established in Truth by Truth Itself and does not "seek" truth
from those who deny it.
In 2005 the Dover, PA electorate removed the School Board
members that permitted Intelligent Design to be considered in as a possible
explanation for the natural order found in the material universe. Scientists,
while affirming that the natural order in the universe must necessarily be the
result of mechanical chance, “listened with a vast radio telescopic network for
signals (from outer space) that resembled coded intelligence and were not
merely random” for evidence of intelligent life in the universe. If these scientists affirm that the DNA code
of biological life, which is clearly goal directed, is “merely random” and not
a sign of “intelligence” how can they be open to recognize any sign of
intelligible communication!? Is this WSJ article evidence that there is no
intelligence design in the Dover, PA electorate or in modern science?
Science
Increasingly Makes the Case for God
The odds of life existing on
another planet grow ever longer. Intelligent design, anyone?
Eric Metaxas: Dec. 25, 2014
In 1966 Time magazine ran a cover story asking: Is God Dead? Many have accepted the cultural narrative that he’s obsolete—that as science progresses, there is less need for a “God” to explain the universe. Yet it turns out that the rumors of God’s death were premature. More amazing is that the relatively recent case for his existence comes from a surprising place—science itself.
Here’s the story: The same year Time featured the now-famous headline, the astronomer Carl Sagan announced that there were two important criteria for a planet to support life: The right kind of star, and a planet the right distance from that star. Given the roughly octillion—1 followed by 27 zeros—planets in the universe, there should have been about septillion—1 followed by 24 zeros—planets capable of supporting life.
With such spectacular odds, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, a large, expensive collection of private and publicly funded projects launched in the 1960s, was sure to turn up something soon. Scientists listened with a vast radio telescopic network for signals that resembled coded intelligence and were not merely random. But as years passed, the silence from the rest of the universe was deafening. Congress defunded SETI in 1993, but the search continues with private funds. As of 2014, researches have discovered precisely bubkis—0 followed by nothing.
What happened? As our knowledge of the universe increased, it became clear that there were far more factors necessary for life than Sagan supposed. His two parameters grew to 10 and then 20 and then 50, and so the number of potentially life-supporting planets decreased accordingly. The number dropped to a few thousand planets and kept on plummeting.
Even SETI proponents acknowledged the problem. Peter Schenkel wrote in a 2006 piece for Skeptical Inquirer magazine: “In light of new findings and insights, it seems appropriate to put excessive euphoria to rest . . . . We should quietly admit that the early estimates . . . may no longer be tenable.”
As factors continued to be discovered, the number of possible planets hit zero, and kept going. In other words, the odds turned against any planet in the universe supporting life, including this one. Probability said that even we shouldn’t be here.
Today there are more than 200 known parameters necessary for a planet to support life—every single one of which must be perfectly met, or the whole thing falls apart. Without a massive planet like Jupiter nearby, whose gravity will draw away asteroids, a thousand times as many would hit Earth’s surface. The odds against life in the universe are simply astonishing.
Yet here we are, not only existing, but talking about existing. What can account for it? Can every one of those many parameters have been perfect by accident? At what point is it fair to admit that science suggests that we cannot be the result of random forces? Doesn’t assuming that an intelligence created these perfect conditions require far less faith than believing that a life-sustaining Earth just happened to beat the inconceivable odds to come into being?
There’s more. The fine-tuning necessary for life to exist on a planet is nothing compared with the fine-tuning required for the universe to exist at all. For example, astrophysicists now know that the values of the four fundamental forces—gravity, the electromagnetic force, and the “strong” and “weak” nuclear forces—were determined less than one millionth of a second after the big bang. Alter any one value and the universe could not exist. For instance, if the ratio between the nuclear strong force and the electromagnetic force had been off by the tiniest fraction of the tiniest fraction—by even one part in 100,000,000,000,000,000—then no stars could have ever formed at all. Feel free to gulp.
Multiply that single parameter by all the other necessary conditions, and the odds against the universe existing are so heart-stoppingly astronomical that the notion that it all “just happened” defies common sense. It would be like tossing a coin and having it come up heads 10 quintillion times in a row. Really?
Fred Hoyle, the astronomer who coined the term “big bang,” said that his atheism was “greatly shaken” at these developments. He later wrote that “a common-sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a super-intellect has monkeyed with the physics, as well as with chemistry and biology…. The numbers one calculates from the facts seem to me so overwhelming as to put this conclusion almost beyond question.”
Theoretical physicist Paul Davies has said that “the appearance of design is overwhelming” and Oxford professor Dr. John Lennox has said “the more we get to know about our universe, the more the hypothesis that there is a Creator . . . gains in credibility as the best explanation of why we are here.”
The greatest miracle of all time, without any close seconds, is the universe. It is the miracle of all miracles, one that ineluctably points with the combined brightness of every star to something—or Someone—beyond itself.
Mr. Metaxas is the author, most recently, of “Miracles: What They Are, Why They Happen, and How They Can Change Your Life” (Dutton Adult, 2014).
JP II the
'Grate' - if somehow he made it to Purgatory -
ask him to turn out the lights and lock the place up when he is the last
to leave.
John
Paul II was a pope under whose reign we had the most horrific scandal in the
Church's 2000-year history. Thousands of
children were molested by priests and bishops he ordained. By the end of his pontificate, lawsuits were
bankrupting Catholic Churches all over the world; and between one third and one
half of the clergy (sources available upon request) were admittedly homosexual,
with a significant percentage being pederasts whom the pope didn't even admit
existed when he was told of their crimes, much less did anything to stop them,
even when stark evidence was brought before him, as in the case of Legionnaires
leader Marciel Maciel. At the same time
he hid other clerics from prosecution, as in the case of Cardinal Bernard Law
of Boston.
This
was the pope who allowed the Vatican Bank's corruption that started under Paul
VI to continue with little or no reform; and who protected its chief
perpetrator, Bishop Paul Marcinkus, from prosecution. He did nothing to investigate the suspected
murder of John Paul I, the very pope who made it known in the first days of his
reign that he was going to clean up the financial misdealings of his
curia. This was the pope who took 250
million dollars of the Vatican's money and gave it to Solidarity in Poland,
thereby making the Church a political institution instead of a spiritual one. By the same token he condemned Liberation
theology because if its tendency to get involved in politics.
This
was the pope who went to the hut of an African witch doctor in 1985 and
afterward wrote, "the prayer meeting in the sanctuary at Lake Togo was
particularly striking. There I prayed
for the first time with animists."
In December 1984 he sent a
Vatican representative to the laying of the
foundation of the largest mosque in Europe.
In September 1989 he wrote to Muslim leaders and said: "In the name
of the same God we adore," without any qualifications whatsoever. In May 1999 he kissed the Koran in a public
ceremony; and in 2000 asked John the Baptist "to protect Islam." In February 1986 he received the red dust of
the Hindu religion on his forehead in honor of the goddess Shiva. In March 1986 in New Delhi he stated that
"collaboration between all religions is necessary for the good of
mankind... as Hindus, Buddhists, Jainists, and Christians, we unite to proclaim
the truth about man."
This
was the pope who invited all the world's non-Christian and pagan religions to
pray for world peace at Assisi in 1986 and Assisi in 2002 (with five additional
Assisi-like gatherings in the 1990s in various countries) and never once in
those 16 years did he preach the Gospel to them about conversion to Christ for
salvation. Instead he sent them all back
to their countries encouraging them to continue to pray to their false gods,
the very opposite that St. Paul did in Acts 17.
He paid no attention to any of his high-placed clerical advisors who
told him these acts were abominations.
This
was the pope who, against two millennia of Catholic tradition, told husbands to
be mutually submissive to women; dispensed with head coverings for women; and
allowed women and girls to be communion ministers, altar girls, and directors
of chanceries, thereby increasing the feminization of the Church amidst an
already feminized clergy who were by this time at least a third homosexual,
while another significant portion were receiving paternity suits.
This
was the pope who profusely apologized for the ecclesiastical policies of
previous popes; who had his Vatican envoy sign the 1998 Lutheran/Catholic Joint
declaration which, in direct contradiction to the Council of Trent, said
"man is justified by faith alone."
This was the pope who told the Lutherans they had a "profound
religiousness and spiritual heritage" and that Martin Luther was driven by
a "burning passion of the question of eternal salvation," and who
told the Lutheran bishops that Rome's excommunication of Luther had expired,
and that "There is a need for a new evaluation of the questions raised by
Luther and his teaching." This was
the pope who implied or taught universal salvation and that hell may not be
applicable to any human being. This was
the pope who at the very beginning of his pontificate in the 1979 encyclical Redemptor Hominis used the word
"church" 150 times but never once mentioned the word
"Catholic." This was the pope
who continually sided with liberals like Karl Rahner, Urs von Balthasar and Raymond
Brown but who would hardly give an ear to those, such as Archbishop Lefebvre,
who wanted to preserve the tradition and who decried the anti-Catholic
innovations being foisted on the Catholic populace. (Fortunately, Pope Benedict XVI saw John Paul
II's mistake and reversed the decision against Lefebvre). This was the pope who was criticized by his
own admirers for failing to discipline wayward clerics, both in their doctrinal
aberrations and moral laxity (Charles Curran, Edward Schillebeeckx, Hans Kung,
et al). Ironically, the only cleric that
was excommunicated was Lefebvre, yet he was one of the most doctrinally sound
and morally upright clerics the Church had ever known.
This
was the pope who in 1981, contrary to tradition, implied or taught that the
Jewish Old Covenant is not revoked and that Jews have a special relationship
with God, as does Paragraph 121 of his papally-signed 1994 Catechism. He continued to propagate confusing and
doctrinally fallacious teaching about the Jews and Judaism through his
cardinals who taught that the Jews did not need to convert to Christianity to
be saved since they have their own covenant with God (Kasper, Keeler,
Willebrands, George, Ratzinger, et al).
This was the first pope in history to visit Israel and who then placed
himself under Judaism by praying at the Jerusalem's Wailing Wall. This was the pope who, for the first time in
the history of the papacy, visited and prayed in Jewish synagogues - the
religion that denies more than any other that Jesus Christ is God.
Last
but not least, this was the pope who changed the Church's criterion for
sainthood, which now allows him and all his fellow 20th century popes to be
easily canonized in the face of the fact that there have been only three popes
canonized since 1294 (Pius X, d. 1914; Pius V, d. 1572; Celestine V, d.
1294). As such, the very popes who lived
and reigned during the Church's worst corruptions and scandals are now being
exonerated and place in heaven.
Robert Sungenis, Ph.D., Letter to Editor, Culture Wars Magazine
In pastoral letter, Charlotte's Bishop Martin ends altar rails for holy
Communion
National Catholic Reporter | Patricia L.
Guilfoyle | Charlotte, N.C. — December 23, 2025
Bishop
Michael Martin has established guidelines for the reception of holy Communion in the Diocese
of Charlotte to strengthen unity in worship, uphold the church's
liturgical norms and encourage active participation by the faithful.
Martin announced the new norms in a pastoral letter that affirms
the common posture of standing to receive holy Communion, encourages
priests to offer Communion under both bread and wine more often, and calls
for the broader use of trained laypeople to serve as Eucharistic ministers.
"The liturgy of the Church is the work
of God and the work on behalf of God in the life of the Church," Martin
wrote in the Dec. 17 letter. "These norms for our diocese move us together toward the
Church's vision for the fuller and more active participation of the
faithful."
In his pastoral letter, the bishop
emphasized that the celebration of the Eucharist is a communal act of worship,
not only an individual act of piety.
"Throughout the ages and within the context of our rich liturgical
traditions from the East to the West, our unity as believers in
Holy Communion is expressed through our postures and gestures that reflect
our mystical communion and unity as fellow believers," he said.
The new guidance does not replace the
diocese's general liturgical norms established in 2005, but builds upon them
and aligns closely with the Catholic Church's universal norms (what
is called the "General Instruction of the Roman Missal") and
directives set by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The pastoral letter follows months of
consultation with the diocese's Office for Divine Worship and the Presbyteral
Council of priests, which represents all priests of the diocese in
administrative and policy discussions.
In his pastoral letter, Martin affirmed the "normative
posture" for receiving holy Communion in the United States is
standing, after bowing the head as a sign of reverence.
The directive instructs any parishes that currently use altar rails for
distributing Communion to discontinue the practice and remove any portable
kneelers or prie-dieus by Jan. 16, noting that such practices are "a
visible contradiction" to the prescribed posture of standing.
"Instead," his pastoral letter states, the church
"emphasizes that receiving Holy Communion is to be done as the
members of the faithful go in procession, witnessing that the Church journeys
forward and receives Holy Communion as a pilgrim people on their
way."
In many churches, altar rails are architectural elements that
differentiate the sanctuary from the nave and once were used for Communion
distribution.
Over the past decade or so, a small number
of churches in the diocese reintroduced the use of rails or kneelers to
distribute Holy Communion, but most diocesan churches already follow the
practice of receiving Communion while standing, consistent with
U.S. norms.
In his pastoral letter, the bishop
reiterated that individuals may not be denied holy Communion if they
choose to kneel, yet he encouraged the faithful to "prayerfully consider
the blessing of communal witness that is realized when we share a common posture."
Clergy and catechists, he added, "are
to instruct communicants according to the normative posture in the United
States" and "are not to teach that some other manner is better,
preferred, more efficacious, etc."
In guidance to pastors that accompanied the
bishop's pastoral letter, the diocese's Office for Divine Worship noted
that if a communicant wishes to kneel but is physically unable, the pastor
should address the situation privately.
"He is to catechize and remind the person that standing to receive
is no less reverent or worthy a way to receive Our Lord," advised Fr. Noah
Carter, diocesan liturgy director. "In both ways, the communicant
who is properly disposed to receive holy Communion gains the same graces
and gifts contained in the Eucharist, regardless of standing or kneeling."
In his letter, Martin also encouraged pastors, where and when
possible, to distribute holy Communion under the forms of both bread and
wine more often.
While affirming church teaching that Christ
is fully present — body, blood, soul and divinity — under either bread or wine,
he encouraged priests to consider the "fuller sign" of distributing
holy Communion under both kinds to foster "a deeper participation in
the Eucharistic mystery," consistent with prevailing church practice.
The bishop specifically noted that "a
significant number of parishes" did not resume distribution of the
Precious Blood in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. "To foster unity, it
is helpful that we all practice a similar way of distributing Holy Communion,"
he said.
"Parishioners who travel from parish
to parish because of their own needs may otherwise rightly question why the
Precious Blood is always available in one church and never available in
another."
The pastoral letter specifically
recommends distributing the Precious Blood for at least one Mass every Sunday
and for major solemnities, including: Christmas, the Easter Vigil, Divine Mercy
Sunday, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, Christ the King Sunday, and
Holy Thursday. It also encourages distributing holy Communion under both
kinds for first holy Communion Masses, wedding Masses, parish patronal
feast days and church anniversaries.
It reaffirms that the consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or
in the hand, at the discretion of the communicant.
It explicitly prohibits the practice of
intinction — dipping the host into the Precious Blood before placing it on the
communicant's tongue — at public liturgies.
In his pastoral letter, the bishop also encouraged parishes to enlist more
laypeople to help clergy with distributing holy Communion.
Priests and deacons are the "ordinary
ministers of holy Communion," while laypeople may serve as
"extraordinary ministers of holy Communion" when needed, such as
when there are too many communicants for the clergy to
distribute Communion efficiently.
In many parishes, extraordinary ministers
also take Communion to the sick and homebound.
The diocese's existing
liturgical norms already call for extraordinary ministers in such
situations and provide for people to serve in three-year terms. The new
guidelines formalize practices that are already commonplace in the diocese and
across the U.S.
They set eligibility and formation
requirements, and direct parishes to have enough eucharistic ministers
"for roughly 75 communicants" at each Mass. Parishes are also
directed to invite people to serve as extraordinary ministers and offer
training at least once a year.
To be appointed as such, a layperson must:
be a practicing Catholic who has received the sacraments of initiation; be
at least 16 years old; "demonstrate a deep reverence for and devotion to
the holy Eucharist"; be "distinguished in their Christian life, faith
and morals"; and take part in the diocese's safe environment training.
COMMENT: The immemorial rule
of receiving Holy Communion in the Catholic Church is kneeling and on the
tongue from the hands of a Catholic priest or deacon. In the Latin Rite
communion is distributed only under the appearance of bread. The current
practice of the Novus Ordo Church is by Indult granted by the Vatican at the
petition from the Novus Ordo National Conference of Catholic Bishops in the
United States. An Indult is a permission to NOT obey the law. Bishop Martin's
Letter begins with a lie. It ends with imposing the norms of the Lutheran
church on the Novus Ordites and his determination to prevent anyone from
building a Catholic sanctuary. The Lutherans do not believe in the True
Presence in their services and neither does Bishop Martin. The Novus Ordo Mass
was initially defined as a memorial meal, and if that is all it is, then the
Lutheran norms are perfectly reasonable and there is no problem with Bishop
Martin's arguments. But Bishop Martin is liar and therefore we cannot expect
him to acknowledge this truth. A PEW poll in 2019 found that only 26% for all
Catholics under 40 years of age (and only 63% of all Novus Ordites who go to
Mass at least once each week) believe in the Catholic dogma of the True
Presence. These Catholics under 40 years of age were raised on the current
Indult and have lost the Catholic faith. What an established practice does in its signification is
what it was intended to do. The intention of Bishop Martin is to destroy
the belief in any remaining Catholics of the True Presence. The argument that
standing better symbolizes that we are a "pilgrim people" has been
used for more than fifty years. It was a stupid argument in the beginning and
remains a more stupid argument today because the result of the practice are
evident. The Novus Ordo church has yet to publically acknowledge that their
church is on a pilgrimage to hell!
"ALL
HERETICS ARE SCHISMATICS." St. Thomas Aquinas quoting St. Augustine
“It is not to be
excluded that I will enter history as the one who split the Catholic Church.”
Pope Francis,
concluding remarks attributed to him in the Der Spiegel article on the Crisis
in the Catholic Church.
COMMENT: As if that was not Pope Francis' intention
and what in fact he had long been doing throughout his pontificate? The
question remains as to what name in history will Francis be known? But let's
leave that for later. The truth is that Conservative Catholics have never
gotten anything in its right hierarchical order. They stupidly thought the
“split” in the Church began when traditional Catholics were disobedient to
legitimate exercise of authority by resisting the overthrow of our
Ecclesiastical Traditions by which alone the Faith can be known and communicated
to others. Conservative Catholics are only now turning to face the front of
this conflict but they are unarmed for the fight. Pope Francis, who professed
the same doctrine as his conciliar predecessors, only drovethe wedge far deeper
into the Bark of Peter to “split” the Church. The Conservative Catholics are at
last alarmed because the Ship is taking on massive amounts of water.
Unfortunately, the poor Conservative Catholics who are raising their voices
against the corruption of Francis and his successor Leo will surely fail. Let's
call them the Dubiaists. The Dubiaists have doubts but no real convictions.
They will fail because they turned their backs against the literal meaning of
DOGMA long ago and cannot recognize heresy. They now have nothing from which to
mount their defense for DOGMA is the one and only weapon against an abusive
authority. Authority is subject only to Truth. and DOGMA is the most perfect
expression of Truth available to all men.
Greetings from Pope Leo to
Father Franz Schmidberger, SSPX
Pope
Leo extends his heartfelt congratulations to venerable Father Franz
Schmidberger, SSPX on the occasion of his fiftieth anniversary of his priestly
ordination and extends his apostolic blessing.
Friedrichshafen,
Germany, December 14, 2025
COMMENT: We have publically
affirmed that the SSPX was formally regularized with modernist Rome no later
than 2015 and most likely in 2012 although this is not commonly shared with its
member priests or those faithful who attend their chaples for Mass. Fr.
Schmidberger was the general superior of the SSPX after the retirement of
Archbishop Lefebvre, and after his death when Bishop Fellay became the general
superior, Fr. Schmidberger was his direct assistant. It was under the guidance
of Fr. Schmidberger that the secret negotiations with modernist Rome began in
the 1990s that would eventually lead to their regularization. This
"heartfelt" greetings and congratulations from Pope Leo is in
acknowledgment of Fr. Schmidberger's untiring commitment to betray Catholic
tradition.
"There will be two worm-ridden popes".
Blessed Virgin
Mary, Our Lady of La Salette to Melanie
The idea that there would be two worm-ridden popes is an unofficial, unpublished
prophecy of Melanie, one of two children at the apparition of La Salette in
France. It pops up in one of her letters to Fr. Roubaud back on September 30,
1884, and it was brought to light by author Michel Corteville in his book, Découverte
du secret de La Salette. Some say that the phrase actually
translates to: “two shaky, servile, doubtful popes.” The original French reads:
Mais avant ce temps
(des tribulations) il y aura deux fois une paix de peu de durée, deux Papes
vermoulus, plats, douteux.*
TRANSLATION: “But
before this time (of tribulations) there will be twice a peace of short
duration, two worm-eaten, flat, and doubtful Popes.”
“Living Tradition,” synonym for Immanentism of
the Modernist
The term, “living tradition,” a novelty of modernist construction
given official standing at Vatican II, conflates the subjective understanding
with the objective truth, is part of the theological justification to replace
our received traditions with novelties grounded in fantasy.
“The root of this schismatic act can be discerned in an incomplete and
contradictory notion of Tradition. Incomplete, because it does not take
sufficiently into account the living character of Tradition, which, as
the Second Vatican Council clearly taught, “comes from the apostles and
progresses in the Church with the help of the Holy Spirit. There is a growth in
insight into the realities and words that are being passed on. This comes about
in various ways. It comes through the contemplation and study of believers
who ponder these things in their hearts. It comes from the intimate sense of
spiritual realities which they experience. And it comes from the preaching
of those who have received, along with their right of succession in the
episcopate, the sure charism of truth”.
John Paul II, explaining the
problems with Archbishop Lefebvre’s consecration of four bishops from his
failure to understand the novel Vatican II definition of tradition
Hermeneutics of Continuity/Discontinuity
– Even JPII did not deny this dogma!
Pope Francis Teaches:
We hold the Jewish people in special regard
because their covenant with God has never been revoked, for “the gifts and the
call of God are irrevocable” (Rom.11:29). The Church, which shares with Jews an
important part of the Sacred Scriptures, looks upon the people of the covenant
and their faith as one of the sacred roots of her own Christian identity (cf.
Rom. 11:16-18). As Christians, we cannot consider Judaism as a foreign
religion; nor do we include the Jews among those called to turn from idols and
to serve the true God (cf. 1 Thes. 1:9). With them, we believe in the one God
who acts in history, and with them we accept his revealed word. Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium
The Church officially recognizes that the People
of Israel continue to be the Chosen People. Nowhere does it say: “You lost the
game, now it is our turn.” It is a recognition of the People of Israel.
Pope Francis, On Heaven and Earth
The Catholic Church Teaches:
Hebrews 7:18: “On the one hand, a former commandment is annulled because of its weakness and uselessness…”;
Hebrews 10:9: “Then he says, ‘Behold, I come to do your will.’ He takes away the first [covenant] to establish the second [covenant]…”;
2 Corinthians 3:14: “For to this day when they [the Jews] read the Old Covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away”;
Hebrews 8:7: “For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another”;
Colossians 2:14: “Having canceled the written code, with its decrees, that was against us and stood opposed to us; He took it away nailing it to the cross”;
Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporis, para. 29: “…the New Testament took the place of the Old Law which had been abolished…but on the gibbet of His death Jesus made void the Law with its decrees fastened the handwriting of the Old Testament to the Cross”;
The Catechism of the Council of Trent: “…the people, aware of the abrogation of the Mosaic Law…”;
Council of Florence: [This council] firmly believes, professes, and teaches that the matter pertaining to the law of the Old Testament, of the Mosiac law, which are divided into ceremonies, sacred rites, sacrifices, and sacraments, because they were established to signify something in the future, although they were suited to the divine worship at that time, after our Lord’s coming had been signified by them, ceased, and the sacraments of the New Testament began; and that whoever, even after the passion, placed hope in these matters of the law and submitted himself to them as necessary for salvation, as if faith in Christ could not save without them, sinned mortally. Yet it does not deny that after the passion of Christ up to the promulgation of the Gospel they could have been observed until they were believed to be in no way necessary for salvation; but after the promulgation of the Gospel it asserts that they cannot be observed without the loss of eternal salvation. All, therefore, who after that time observe circumcision and the Sabbath and the other requirements of the law, it declares alien to the Christian faith and not in the least fit to participate in eternal salvation, unless someday they recover from these errors. Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, Cantate Domino
Council of Trent: “but not even the Jews by the very letter of the law of Moses were able to be liberated or to rise therefrom”;
Cardinal Ratzinger: “Thus the Sinai [Mosaic] Covenant is indeed superseded” (Many Religions – One Covenant, p. 70).
St. John Chrysostom: “Yet surely Paul’s object everywhere is to annul this Law….And with much reason; for it was through a fear and a horror of this that the Jews obstinately opposed grace” (Homily on Romans, 6:12); “And so while no one annuls a man’s covenant, the covenant of God after four hundred and thirty years is annulled; for if not that covenant but another instead of it bestows what is promised, then is it set aside, which is most unreasonable” (Homily on Galatians, Ch 3);
St. Augustine: “Instead of the grace of the law which has passed away, we have received the grace of the gospel which is abiding; and instead of the shadows and types of the old dispensation, the truth has come by Jesus Christ. Jeremiah also prophesied thus in God’s name: ‘Behold, the days come, says the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah…’ Observe what the prophet says, not to Gentiles, who had not been partakers in any former covenant, but to the Jewish nation. He who has given them the law by Moses, promises in place of it the New Covenant of the gospel, that they might no longer live in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the spirit” (Letters, 74, 4);
Justin Martyr: “Now, law placed against law has abrogated that which is before it, and a covenant which comes after in like manner has put an end to the previous one; and an eternal and final law – namely, Christ – has been given to us, and the covenant is trustworthy…Have you not read…by Jeremiah, concerning this same new covenant, He thus speaks: ‘Behold, the days come,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah…’” (Dialogue with Trypho, Ch 11).
John Paul II: “Christ fulfills the divine promise and supersedes the old law.” (Redemptoris Mater)
Taken from Robert Sungenis, The
Old Covenent: Revoked or Not Revoked?
Pope Leo: Don’t let tension between tradition, novelty become ‘harmful
polarizations’
EWTN | Victoria Cardiel | October 27, 2025
Pope Leo XIV said at a Mass on Sunday that
no one in the Church “should impose his or her own ideas” and asked that
tensions between tradition and novelty not become “ideological contrapositions
and harmful polarizations.”
“The supreme rule in the Church is love. No
one is called to dominate; all are called to serve,” Leo said in St. Peter’s
Basilica on Oct. 26.
“No one should impose his or her own
ideas; we must all listen to one another,” he continued. “No one is excluded;
we are all called to participate. No one possesses the whole truth; we must all
humbly seek it and seek it together.” [.....]
COMMENT: The problem
is this: the love of novelty is an ideology, Tradition along with sacred
Scripture is divine revelation. The Church always and everywhere has condemned
novelty until Vatican II and the Novus Ordo Church of Novelty embraced it. The
conflict between novelty and tradition is the conflict between God's revelation
and demonic lies; the conflict between the Church and the World. Those who are
faithful to tradition do not "impose their own ideas" but defend
God's revealed truth against the novelty of the world. The Novus Ordo Novelty
Church is "seeking truth"; the Church of Jesus Christ possesses it.
Pope Leo like his predecessor likes to characterize tradition as rigid and dead
and the novelty of modernism as mature and hopeful. This was once an intensely
debated matter but, at this time, after all the wreckage of the last 50 years
all tradition has to do is to point at the fruit of Vatican II novelty. Both
Leo and his predecessor Francis worked in South America. The total population
of South and Central America is about 600 million. Since Vatican II about 300
million have apostatized from the Catholic Church. These last two popes have
personally presided over the greatest apostasy over the shortest period of time
in the history of the Catholic Church. Anything Leo has to say, as long as he
is not sitting in the Chair of Peter, must be examined in light of this record.
Fruit of
Vatican II - Apostasy
In Honduras,
the country of the once most powerful man in the Roman Curia under
Francis/Bergoglio, Cardinal Rodríguez Maradiaga, a personally corrupt and
immoral man who had been a bishop in the capital since 1978, first as auxiliary then as Archbishop for 30 years,
the hierarchy led by him managed the
amazing feat of transforming that country in the first Catholic-minority nation
in Central America, a vertiginous fall from 94% to 46% in the same period -
and the same happened in Uruguay, across the Rio de la Plata from (Bergoglio's
home) Buenos Aires.
Rorate Caeli
Data Collapse of Catholic Faith in Latin America from 2014 presided
over by Pope Leo/Provost and his predecessor Francis/Begoglio
The “received and approved rites of the Catholic Church,
accustomed to be used in the solemn administration of the sacraments”:
…..Because, as we will see, Catholics must
celebrate only the “received and
approved rites” of the Church as a matter of Divine Law.
God revealed this truth in Scripture
through St. Paul. Before St. Paul teaches the Corinthians liturgical and
theological details concerning the Holy Mass (consecration formula, Real
Presence), he prefaces his teaching by affirming: “For I have received of the Lord that
which I also delivered unto you…”
(I Cor 11:23). St. Paul says again: “For I delivered unto you first of all,
which I also received” (1Cor 15:3). In these and other verses, St. Paul
emphasizes that we must believe and practice only what we have “received” from
Christ and the apostles which has been “delivered” unto us, and which includes
the liturgical rites of the Church. This is a divinely revealed truth and a
matter of Faith.
The Church has taught this divine truth
throughout her history. For example, in the Papal Oath of Coronation, which
originates at least as far back as Pope St. Agatho in 678 A.D. (and which was
set aside by Paul VI), every Pope swore to change nothing of the “received
tradition.” Pope Pius IV’s Tridentine Profession of Faith,
which is binding on the souls of all Catholics, likewise expresses this
principle by requiring adherence to the
“received and approved rites of the Catholic Church used in the solemn
administration of the sacraments.” The “received
and approved rites of the Church” originate from the Spirit of Christ and
the traditions of the apostles which have been handed down to us through the
ages.
Because the “received and approved rites” are part of the Church’s infallible
expression of the unchanging Deposit of Faith, as inspired and nurtured by the
Holy Ghost, they cannot be set aside or changed into new rites. This is why the
Ecumenical Council of Trent (1545-1563) infallibly declared:
“If anyone says
that the received and approved
rites of the Catholic Church, accustomed to be used in the
administration of the sacraments, may be despised or omitted by the ministers
without sin and at their pleasure, or
may be changed by any pastor of the churches to other new ones, let him be
anathema.”
Because the Council declares anathema (that
is, condemned, or severed from the Body of Christ) anyone who would set aside
or change into new rites the already “received
and approved rites” of the Church, proves that adherence to the “received and approved rites” is a
matter of Divine Law. The absolute necessity to preserve the substance of the
Church’s ancient liturgical rites is a requirement of the Faith because the
rites preserve and express that Faith. To hold that the Church’s rites can
change implies a belief that the Church’s doctrines can change, because the
rites preserve and express the doctrines. Hence, those who do not preserve the
Church’s rites (by omitting or changing them) are objectively anathema because they sin
against the Faith itself.
In light of the foregoing
condemnation, the Holy Council of Trent directed that the Roman Missal be
restored so that the faithful would know once and for all what is the “received and approved rite” of Mass.
To that end, Pope St. Pius V issued his papal bull Quo Primum Tempore to legally codify “the decrees of the Holy Council of Trent”
and render a definitive application of the Divine Law dogmatized by the
Council. This judgment mandated a single usage of the Roman rite for the Latin
Church, with some minor exceptions for usages greater than 200 years old, “in order that what has been handed down by
the most holy Roman Church, the Mother and Teacher of the rest of the churches
may be accepted and observed by all everywhere.” Hence, the sainted Pope
declared the oft-called “Tridentine
Mass” to be the “received and
approved rite” of the Church, and which precluded the creation of any “new
rite” of Mass in the future. Further, because Quo Primum is an infallible application of
Divine Law (that is, we must use only the “received
and approved rites”), St. Pius V rightly declared the decree to be
irreformable and valid forever.
This brings us to the inevitable and
troubling question: Is the
Novus Ordo a “new rite” of Mass that comes under the anathema of the Council of
Trent, as definitively interpreted by St. Pius V in Quo Primum? The name of the
rite itself (Novus Ordo
which means “new order” or “new ordinary” of the Mass) certainly suggests the
same. More importantly, so do the words of Pope Paul VI. In his November 19,
1969 General Audience address, Paul VI refers to the Novus Ordo as a “new rite” of
Mass several times, for example: “We wish to draw your attention to an event
about to occur in the Latin Catholic Church: the introduction of the liturgy of
the new rite of the Mass.”
He also says, “In the new rite you will find the relationship between the
Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist...”
We also consider the statements of
the members of Paul VI’s liturgical commission that created the New Mass, such
as the secretary and head of the commission, Fr. Annibale Bugnini, who said:
“It is not simply a question of restoring a valuable masterpiece, in some cases
it will be necessary to provide new
structures for entire rites…it will truly be a new creation.” Bugnini’s
assistant, Fr. Carlos Braga, also stated that the New Mass has “an entirely new foundation of
Eucharistic theology” and whose “ecumenical requirements” are “in harmony with
the Church’s new positions.”
Fr. Joseph Gelineau, one of the most influential members of the commission,
also said: “To tell you the truth, it is a different liturgy of the Mass. This
needs to be said without ambiguity: the
Roman rite as we knew it no
longer exists.” Therefore, both Paul VI and his appointed
authors of the Novus Ordo admitted that the New Mass is not the rite “received”
from tradition, but rather a rite created by innovation – an entirely
unprecedented act in the history of the Church.
But we should not rely on these
statements alone. While they may reveal the intent of the innovators, it is
still necessary to look at the substance of the Novus Ordo rite itself. As we have seen, the
Council of Trent and St. Pius V intended to preserve the substantial identity
of the Roman rite forever. If the New Mass does not preserve this identity,
then it cannot be considered the “received
and approved rite” of the Catholic Church no matter what anyone says. Even
the Second Vatican Council, which did not (and could not) mandate the creation
of a new rite of Mass, recognized this truth by directing that the rites “be revised carefully in the light of sound
tradition” with “due care being
taken to preserve their
substance.”
The Council of Trent’s condemnation
of omitting or changing the “received
and approved rites” into “new rites”
is best understood by referring to one of the oldest maxims of the Church’s
sacred theology: “legem credendi statuit lex orandi.”
This is a Latin phrase which means “the rule of prayer determines the rule of
faith” (often referred to as “lex
orandi, lex credendi”). In other words, the way we pray determines
what we believe. If a liturgical tradition which expresses a doctrine of the
Faith is altered or removed altogether, the underlying doctrine will
necessarily be compromised. This is why the “received and approved rites” must be faithfully preserved and
never transformed into “other new ones”
as declared by Trent.
…… However, the Novus Ordo Missae deviates from the Roman Missal
of St. Pius V to such an extent that it no longer retains the substantial
identity of the Roman rite. Even before the introduction of such abuses as
audible canons, vernacular and versus
populum (toward the people) celebrations, lay ministers, Communion
under both species, Communion in the hand to standing communicants and the
like, Cardinals Ottaviani and Bacci advised Paul VI that “the Novus Ordo
represents, both as a whole and in its details, a striking departure from the
Catholic theology of the Mass as it was formulated in Session XXII of the
Council of Trent.” Consequently, Cardinal Ottaviani (who, as head of the
Holy Office, was responsible for safeguarding the doctrine of the Faith), in
his famous intervention, concluded that the Novus Ordo was indeed a different
rite of Mass.
For example, Ottaviani says: “To abandon a liturgical tradition which
for four centuries stood as a sign and pledge of unity in worship, and to replace
it with another liturgy which, due to the countless liberties it
implicitly authorizes, cannot but be a sign of division – a liturgy which
teems with insinuations or manifest errors against the integrity of the
Catholic Faith – is, we feel bound in conscience to proclaim, an
incalculable error.” He also says,
“It is obvious that the New
Order of Mass has no intention of presenting the Faith taught by the
Council of Trent. But it is to this Faith that the Catholic
conscience is bound forever.” Accordingly, Ottaviani appealed to Paul VI “not to deprive us of the possibility of
continuing to have recourse to the integral
and fruitful Missal of St. Pius V, so highly praised by Your
Holiness, and so deeply venerated by the whole Catholic world.” Therefore,
both the critics and the
creators of the New Mass, including Paul VI himself, agree that the
Novus Ordo differs
in substance from
the Tridentine Missal and, hence, constitutes a “new rite” of Mass.
John Salza, J.D., The Novus Ordo Mass and Divine Law, excerpt from Catholic Family
News
He failed on
two occasions, 1942 & 1952, to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of
Mary as our Lady requested! He
contributed his share in liturgical destruction by establishing the liturgical
commission under Bugnini in 1948 and having Bea, his personal confessor,
undertake a new Latin translation of the Psalms.
“I am concerned
about the messages of the Virgin to the little Lucia of Fatima. This
persistence of the Good Lady in face of the danger that threatens the Church is
a divine warning against the suicide that the alteration of the Faith, in its
liturgy, its theology, and its soul, would represent. I hear around me
innovators who wish to dismantle the Sacred Chapel, destroy the universal flame
of the Church, reject her ornaments, and make her remorseful for her
historical past.”
Pope Pius XII,
1933
And now, addressing the “false prophets that exploit fear
and hopelessness to sell magical formulas of hate and cruelty,” Pope Francis
again insults the Catholic Faith as known and practiced by all our forefathers!
COMMENT: Pope Francis often
referenced St. Vincent of Lérins as if his understanding of Tradition is in
accord with that of the great Church Father.
It most certainly was not which is evident to anyone familiar with his
writings. This corruption can only be attributed to malice. Francis the Lutheran and St. Vincent the
Catholic did not profess the same Faith and only one of them is the Faith
without which it is impossible to please God.
Francis characterized faithfulness to the revelation of God as “rigidity”
which was itself attributed to deeper psychological and moral failings of
traditional Catholics. “Love is not rigid,” claimed Francis while he counseled
the overthrow of God’s commandments, but St. John the Apostle of Love and
devotee of the Sacred Heart reports a very different Gospel of Jesus
Christ:
· If you love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15
· If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; as I also have
kept my Father’ s commandments, and do abide in his love. John 15:10
· He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them; he it is that loveth
me. And he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father: and I will love him,
and will manifest myself to him. John 14:21
· Jesus answered, and said to him: If any one love me, he will keep my
word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our
abode with him. John 14:23
· In this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God, and
keep his commandments. 1 John 5:2
· And by this we know that we have known him, if we keep his
commandments. 1 John 2:3
Love is never lax or slothful in its pious
attention to duty. The laxism and sloth
of Pope Francis was because without Faith, he had no true love of God.
Leo the Homosexual following in the way of Francis the
Homosexual.
Pictured below is Leo and Francis both greeting
homosexual "married" couples for public photo-ops. The other pictures
are Francis and Leo both slumming around with the pervert James Martin.
The Vatican is in the hands of the Homosexual Lobby. We
must pray to God to purge His Church of this gross perversion.
Preaching to the DEAF!
You gather here today, present-day
apostles, as the Church and, therefore, the world stand perched on the edge of
a cliff. And yet you who are entrusted with the keeping of souls choose to
speak not a word of the spiritual danger which abounds. Today we stand on the cusp of all
that has been prophesied about the Church and the abominations which would come
forth in these times, a time when all of hell attacks the Church of Jesus
Christ, and a time when the fallen angels of hell no longer seek entry into her
sacred halls but instead stand inside, peeking out of her windows and unlocking
doors to welcome in more diabolical destruction.
Do you not know that Our Lord will
send forth His avenging angels to heap coals of fire upon the heads of those
who were called to be His apostles and who have not guarded what He has given
unto them?
And yet almost all of you, my
brothers, stood by silently watching as the Synod on Synodality took
place, an abomination constructed not to guard the Deposit of Faith, but to
dismantle it, and yet few were the cries heard from you – men who should be
willing to die for Christ and His Church.
The Synod’s final document has
been released, yet with the sleight of hand which is so characteristic
of the Francis-controlled Vatican. By drawing attention to the issues which
worried many, they have slipped in what was always their real goal without
anyone even noticing. What they were after in the first place was the
dismantling of Christ’s Church by replacing the structure of the Church as
Our Lord instituted it with a diabolically-inspired new structure of
“synodality” which in actuality is a new church that is in no way Catholic.
Bishop Joseph Strickland, former bishop of
Tyler, TX who was removed from his office by Pope Francis the Diabolical for
preaching Catholic truth, addressing the U.S. bishops gathered at their annual
meeting
Latae sententiae crimes in the external forum require a determination of guilt!
“A
sentence declaratory of the offence is always necessary in the forum externum,
since in this tribunal no one is presumed to be excommunicated unless convicted
of a crime that entail such a penalty.”
Pope
Benedict XIV, De syndod, X, I, 5
COMMENT: Recently
a group of young men and women missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints (Mormons) were doing their required missionary work in
central city York. A friendly theological discussion took place on the steps of
our Mission chapel. The friendly exchanged ended and the climate cooled when
the question about the exact number of Joseph Smith's and Brigham Young's wives
was brought up. Mormons believe that Jesus Christ founded one Church. They
believe that that Church became corrupted and God abandoned it. God then,
centuries later, reconstituted His Church when the angel Moroni lead the
illiterate Joseph Smith to a hidden book and provided him with mystical
spectacles permitting him to read it. When you ask a Mormon how is it that
Jesus Christ promised to be with His Church until the end of time and taught
that marriage is between one man and one woman until death, why is it that they
believe Joseph Smith or Brigham Young and not believe Jesus Christ? They answer
by walking away. Jesus Christ uses the metaphor of marriage to describe His
relationship with His Church and with each of the faithful individually. Every
man-made heretical and schismatic sect eventually repudiates marriage because
they cannot abide the metaphor. Luther permitted bigamy. The Orthodox permit
divorce and remarriage three times. Joseph Smith had "up to forty
wives" and Brigham Young had "fifty-six wives, twenty-one had
never been married before; seventeen were widows; six were divorced; six had
living husbands; and the marital status of six others is unknown. Nine of his
wives had previously been plural wives of Joseph Smith, and Young was sealed to
them as a proxy for Smith" (WIKI). The first clue to the Mormons that they were being lead into a spiritual desert was
polygamy but some like the desert. Mormons claim that Brigham Young saw the
light and abandoned the practice for the Latter Day Saints but this occurred
only after the U.S. government told they to give it up or get out. Although
Mormons are no longer polygamists, they permit divorce and "temple"
remarriage which is just serial polygamy. These "missionaries" now
know that Jesus Christ did not abandon His Church and will not do so no matter
how corrupt churchmen become. The Catholic Church alone offers the possibility
of salvation.
It’s Official: Mormon Founder Had Up
to 40 Wives...
Mormon leaders have acknowledged for the first time that the church’s
founder and prophet, Joseph Smith, portrayed in church materials as a loyal
partner to his loving spouse Emma, took as many as 40 wives, some already
married and one only 14 years old.... The biggest bombshell for some in the essays is that Smith married women
who were already married, some to men who were Smith’s friends and followers.
Religious Liberty from Vatican II has its root in the
Americanist Heresy
On
every side the dread phantom of war holds sway: there is scarce room for
another thought in the minds of men. The combatants are the greatest and wealthiest
nations of the earth; what wonder, then, if, well provided with the most awful
weapons modern military science has devised, they strive to destroy one another
with refinements of horror. There is no limit to the measure of ruin and of
slaughter; day by day the earth is drenched with newly-shed blood, and is
covered with the bodies of the wounded and of the slain. Who would imagine as
we see them thus filled with hatred of one another, that they are all of one
common stock, all of the same nature, all members of the same human society?
....We implore those in whose hands are placed the fortunes of nations to
hearken to Our voice. Surely there are other ways and means whereby violated
rights can be rectified. Let them be tried honestly and with good will, and let
arms meanwhile be laid aside.
Benedict
XV, Ad beatissimi apostolorum,
November 1, 1914
“We
consider the establishment of our country’s independence, the shaping of its
liberties and laws, as a work of special Providence, its framers ‘building
better than they knew,’ the Almighty’s hand guiding them. We believe that our
country’s heroes were the instruments of the God of nations in establishing
this home of freedom; to both the Almighty and to His instruments in the work
we look with grateful reverence. And to maintain the inheritance of freedom
which they have left us, should it ever–which God forbid—be imperiled, our
Catholic citizens will be found to stand forward as one man, ready to pledge
anew ‘their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.’”
Archbishop
(soon to be Cardinal) James Gibbons, addressing the American bishops at the
Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, 1884 attended by 14 archbishops and 61
bishops.
Moved
to the very depths of our hearts by the stirring appeal of the President of the
United States, and by the action of our national Congress, we accept
whole-heartedly and unreservedly the decree of that legislative authority
proclaiming this country to be in a state of war. Inspired neither by hate nor
fear, but by the holy sentiments of truest patriotic fervor and zeal, we stand
ready, we and all the flock committed to our keeping, to cooperate in every way
possible with our President and our national government, to the end that the
great and holy cause of liberty may triumph and that our beloved country may
emerge from this hour of test stronger and nobler than ever. Our people, as
ever, will rise as one man to serve the nation.
Pledge
of U.S. Catholic Archbishops, April 18, 1917; sent to President Woodrow Wilson
by Cardinal James Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, the leading Catholic
prelate in the United States.
“The
primary duty of a citizen is loyalty to country. It is exhibited by an absolute
and unreserved obedience to his country’s call.”
Cardinal
James Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore (1877-1921), April 1917 in support of
the U.S. declaration of war against Germany and Austria-Hungary. The Balfour
Declaration agreement committed the British to deliver Palestine into Jewish
hands in return for the Jews bringing the United States into WWI in support of
the British. Cardinal James Gibbons was the chief propagator of the heresy of
Americanism which became settled Novus Ordo doctrine after Vatican II
(religious liberty) primarily by the work of Fr. John Courtney Murray who
greatly admired Cardinal Gibbons. Gibbons did his best to align American
Catholics with Jewish interests to bring the United States into the Great War.
In doing so Gibbons worked directly to undermine the peace plans of Pope
Benedict XV. Pope Benedict devised a generous peace plan and contacted Cardinal
Gibbons to do what he could to influence the United States government to back
his offer of a negotiated peace. Gibbons did nothing of the sort. While giving
lip service to the Pope's peace plan six months too late, he in fact never
contacted President Wilson or any official of the government to even mention
Pope Benedict's peace plan. Gibbons was too busy building the National Catholic
War Council (NCWC) and supporting the call of universal military service. The
purpose of the NCWC as Gibbons said in a letter to all American bishops was to
form “the mental and moral preparation of our people for the war.”
To Congar's
credit, he at least told the truth about what he helped destroy!
“It cannot be denied that the Declaration on
Religious Liberty does say materially something else than the Syllabus of 1864;
it even says just about the opposite of
Propositions 15 and 77 to 79 of this document..... I collaborated on the
final paragraphs which left me less satisfied.
It involved demonstrating that the theme of religious liberty was
already contained in Scripture. Now, it isn't there.”
Cardinal
Yves Marie Joseph Congar, O.P., forbidden to teach by the Church and
whose books were suppressed in the early 1950s, made a peritus at Vatican II by
Novus Ordo St. John XXIII, and is considered by many to have been the most
influential of all the periti. He was raised to the cardinalate by Novus Ordo
St. John Paul II. He rejected the dogmatic teaching of Trent which his teacher
and mentor, Fr. Marie-Dominique
Chenu, O.P., derisively called “Baroque
theology”.
Excerpts from the Diary of Msgr. Joseph Fenton:
·
“He
[Cardinal Ottaviani] remarked that we were on the eve of the Council, and that
no one knew who the Council’s theologians were to be.” (Sept. 28, 1962)
·
“It is a
crime that we did not take the Anti-Modernist Oath. Poor O[ttaviani] must have
failed to have our own profession passed by the central commission. It contained
his condemnation of [Fr. John Courtney] Murray [the Americanist heretic who
structured the Council teaching on Religious Liberty].” (Oct. 9, 1962)
·
“I had
always thought that this council was dangerous. It was started for no
sufficient reason. There was too much talk about what it was supposed to
accomplish. Now I am afraid that real trouble is on the way.” (Oct. 13,
1962)
·
“I
started to read the material on the Liturgy, and I was shocked at the bad
theology. They actually have been stupid enough [to say] that the Church
is ‘simul humanam et divininam, visibilem et invisibilem’ [at the same
time human and divine, visible and invisible]. And they speak of the Church
working ‘quousque unum ovile fiat et unus pastor’ [until there be one fold
and one shepherd], as if that condition were not already achieved.” (Oct. 19,
1962)
·
“I do not
think that any little work on our part is going to bring good to the Church. We
should, I believe, face the facts. Since the death of [Pope] St. Pius X the
Church has been directed by weak and liberal popes, who have flooded the
hierarchy with unworthy and stupid men. This present conciliar set-up makes
this all the more apparent. [Fr.] Ed Hanahoe, the only intelligent and
faithful member of [Cardinal] Bea’s secretariat has been left off the list of
the periti. Such idiots as [Mgr. John
S.] Quinn and the sneak [Fr. Frederick] McManus have been put on. [Fr. George]
Tavard is there as an American, God help us. From surface appearance it
would seem that the Lord Christ is abandoning His Church. The thoughts of many
are being revealed. As one priest used to say, to excuse his own
liberalism, which, in the bottom of his heart he knew was wrong, ‘for the
last few decades the tendency in Rome has been to favor the liberals.’ That
is the policy now. We can only do what we can to overt an ever more
complete disloyalty to Christ.” (Oct. 19, 1962)
·
“[Fr.] Ed
Hanahoe gave me two books on Modernism. In one of them I found evidence that
the teaching in the first chapter of the new schema on the Church [that became
the Vatican II dogmatic constitution Lumen
Gentium] and the language are those of [the excommunicated Modernist Fr.
George Tyrrell [who died outside the Catholic Church and was denied
ecclesiastical burial]. May God preserve His Church from that chapter. If it
passes, it will be a great evil. I must pray and act.” (Sept. 24, 1963)
Paul VI
declared Novus Ordo Saint. So just what is a “Novus Ordo Saint”?
A Novus Ordo
Saint is a man-made saint. Contrasted with Catholic saints who are God-made
saints. In virtue of their union with God they are sanctified, and therefore,
Catholic Saints exhibit heroic virtue in their lives. God confirms their
sanctity by working miracles through their intercession and thus, a cult of
veneration (dulia) develops and spreads throughout the Church. The Church
recognizes God's evidence that they are saints and declares this fact to the
universal Church. Contrary to this, Novus Ordo Saints are man-made saints and
their elevation to the title of sainthood is for the purpose of promoting the
human ideology exemplified in their lives. There is no real cult of veneration
(dulia) among the faithful to Novus Ordo Saints. Since God does not work true
miracles through the intercession of man-made saints, only man-made miracles
are required for the beatification of man-made Novus Ordo Saints. Finally, the
Novus Ordo beatification process does have a promotor fidei, the
so-called “devil’s advocate,” although his role has been change as the promotor ideologiae. The greatest difference
between Catholic Saints and Novus Ordo Saints is that the former are in heaven
and the latter, very well may not be.
COMMENT ON THE
MODERN MIND DEVOID OF GOD’S GRACE
“But instead of a mind, universal literacy has given [the common
man] a rubber stamp, a rubber stamp inked with advertising slogans, with
editorials, with published scientific data, with the trivialities of tabloids
and the profundities of history, but quite innocent of original thought. Each
man's rubber stamp is the twin of millions of others, so that when these
millions are exposed to the same stimuli, all receive identical imprints. [...]
The amazing readiness with which large masses accept this process is probably
accounted for by the fact that no attempt is made to convince them that black
is white. Instead, their preconceived hazy ideas that a certain gray is almost
black or almost white are brought into sharper focus. Their prejudices,
notions, and convictions are used as a starting point, with the result that they
are drawn by a thread into passionate adherence to a given mental picture.”
Edward Bernays, from his book, The Minority Rules, 1927. Bernays was a Jewish double nephew of
Sigmund Freud and a pioneer in public relations and propaganda. He was called
"the father of public relations" in his obituary. Bernays was named
one of the 100 most influential Americans of the 20th century by Life Magazine.
He was the subject of a full-length biography called The Father of Spin
(1999) and later an award-winning 2002 documentary for the BBC called The Century of the Self. (Wiki)
"Pray for the
conversion of Russia." Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima
Your must
understand. The leading Bolsheviks who took over Russia were not Russians. They
hated Russians. They hated Christians. Driven by ethnic hatred they tortured
and slaughtered millions of Russians without a shred of human remorse. The
October Revolution was not what you call in America the "Russian
Revolution." It was an invasion and conquest over the Russian people. More
of my countrymen suffered horrific crimes at their bloodstained hands than any
people or nation ever suffered in the entirety of human history. It cannot be
understated. Bolshevism was the greatest human slaughter of all time. The fact
that most of the world is ignorant of this reality is proof that the global
media itself is in the hands of the perpetrators. We cannot state that all Jews
are Bolsheviks. But: without Jews there would have been no Bolshevism. For a
Jew nothing is more insulting than the truth. The blood maddened Jewish
terrorists murdered sixty-six million in Russia from 1918 to 1957.
Aleksandr
Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008), Noble Prize winning novelist, historian and victim of
Jewish Bolshevism
American Catholic Apostasy: PEW POLE 2025
29% of U.S. Catholics say they attend
Mass weekly.
59% of Catholics say abortion should be
legal.
76% U.S. Catholics say society should be
accepting of homosexuality.
61% U.S. Catholics support legal
homosexual "marriage."
80% of Catholics view Pope Francis favorably.
84% of U.S. Catholics say they have a favorable view of Leo although 67% say they know little about Leo, and 25% know nothing at all.
Pope Leo XIV commemorates Nostra Aetate anniversary with interfaith
celebrations
Catholic NewsAgency | Vatican City |Kridina
Millare | Oct 29, 2025
Pope Leo XIV joined faith leaders on
Tuesday to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Church’s
declaration on building relationships with non-Christian religions.
Approximately 300 representatives of world
religions and cultures joined the Holy Father for an evening ecumenical prayer
service for peace organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio and held at the
Colosseum in Rome.
“Peace is a constant journey of
reconciliation,” the Holy Father said at the Oct. 28 event.
Thanking religious leaders for coming
together in Rome, he said their interfaith meeting expressed their shared
“conviction that prayer is a powerful force for reconciliation.”
“This is our witness: offering the immense treasures of ancient
spiritualities to contemporary humanity,” he said.
“We need a true and sound era of
reconciliation that puts an end to the abuse of power, displays of force, and
indifference to the rule of law,” he added. “Enough of war, with all the pain
it causes through death, destruction, and exile!”
In his remarks, the pope urged people not to be indifferent to the “cry
of the poor and the cry of the earth” in their pursuits for peace in countries
scarred by ongoing conflict and injustice.
“In the power of prayer, with hands raised
to heaven and open to others, we must ensure that this period of history,
marked by war and the arrogance of power, soon comes to an end, giving rise to
a new era,” he said.
“We
cannot allow this period to continue. It shapes the minds of people who grow
accustomed to war as a normal part of human history,” he continued.
Pope Leo and other religious leaders lit
candles to symbolize their shared prayer and renewed commitment to engage in
interfaith dialogue.
Several people waved small blue banners
with the word “peace” in different languages while Pope Leo and the other
religious leaders lit candles to symbolize their shared prayer and renewed
commitment to engage in interfaith dialogue.
After the prayer gathering at Rome’s iconic landmark, the Holy Father
returned to the Vatican to join colorful celebrations jointly organized by the
Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and the Dicastery for Promoting Christian
Unity.
To mark the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, several multicultural music
and dance performances were held inside the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall as
well as a presentation highlighting papal initiatives to promote the Church’s
dialogue with other religions since the pontificate of Pope Paul VI.
Pope Leo’s appearance and special address
toward the end of the two-hour gathering highlighted the Church’s reverence for
all people and its desire to collaborate with others for the common good.
“We belong to one human family, one in origin, and one also in our
final goal,” he said. “Religions everywhere try to respond to the restlessness
of the human heart.”
“Each in its own way offers teachings, ways of life, and sacred rites
that help guide their followers to peace and meaning,” he said.
Emphasizing the common mission shared among people of different
religions to “reawaken” the sense of the sacred in the world today, the Holy
Father encouraged people to “keep love alive.”
“We have come together in this place
bearing the great responsibility as religious leaders to bring hope to a
humanity that is often tempted by despair,” Leo said.
“Let us remember that prayer has the power
to transform our hearts, our words, our actions, and our world,” he said.
COMMENT: Now for the third
time in his short pontificate Leo/Provost quotes Leonard Boff's Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor. Boff
is a former Franciscan priest who was censored by the liberal Cardinal
Ratzinger when he headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under
the liberal JPII for his extreme Marxist liberation theology. Boff is famous
for his development of an integrated theology of Marxism, Gaia cult earth
worship and "social justice." He was admired by Francis/Bergoglio and
he is admired thrice as much by Leo/Provost. The picture with its Satanic
imagery was reportedly published by the Vatican. Leo/Provost, like
Francis/Bergoglio, wants to restore native American culture and religious
traditions. It should be remembered that Christopher Columbus encountered
cannibalism on his second voyage of exploration and ritual murder was
widespread not only among the Aztecs and Incas but in smaller tribes across
both North and South America as reported by Jesuit missionaries. In the
interfaith celebrations at the Vatican a young native American boy half dressed
paraded an image of a snake into the assembly before Leo/Provost. Is this the
native American tradition that the Vatican wants to recover?
Doctrinal Note on Marian titles: Mother of the faithful, not
Co-redemptrix
The document of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, approved
by Pope Leo XIV, offers clarifications on titles applied to the Blessed Virgin
Mary, and calls for special attention to the use of the expression, “Mediatrix
of all graces.”
Vatican News
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
on Tuesday, 4 November 2025, published Mater populi fidelis (“The Mother of the
Faithful People”), a Doctrinal Note “On Some Marian Titles Regarding Mary’s
Cooperation in the Work of Salvation.” Signed by the Prefect, Cardinal Víctor
Manuel Fernández, and the Secretary for the Dicastery’s Doctrinal Section,
Monsignor Armando Matteo, the Note was approved by the Pope on 7 October.
Mater populi fidelis (MPF) is the fruit of
a long and complex collegial effort. It is a doctrinal document on Marian
devotion, centred on the figure of Mary, who is associated with the work of
Christ as Mother of believers. The Note provides a significant biblical
foundation for devotion to Mary, as well as marshalling various contributions
from the Fathers, the Doctors of the Church, elements of Eastern tradition, and
the thought of recent Popes.
In this positive framework, the doctrinal
text analyses a number of Marian titles, encouraging the adoption of some of
those appellations and warning against the use of others. Titles such as
“Mother of Believers,” “Spiritual Mother,” “Mother of the Faithful” are noticed
with approval in the Note. Conversely,
the title of “Co-redemptrix” is deemed inappropriate and problematic. The title
of “Mediatrix” is considered unacceptable when it takes on a meaning that
excludes Jesus Christ; however, it can used appropriately so long as it
expresses an inclusive and participatory mediation that glorifies the power of
Christ. The titles “Mother of Grace” and “Mediatrix of All Graces” are
considered acceptable when used in a very precise sense, but the document also
warns of particularly broad explanations of the meaning of the terms.
Essentially, the Note reaffirms Catholic
doctrine, which has always emphasised that everything in Mary is directed
towards the centrality of Christ and His salvific work. For this reason, even
if some Marian titles admit of an orthodox interpretation through correct
exegesis, Mater populi fidelis says it is preferable to avoid them.
In his presentation of the Doctrinal Note,
Cardinal Fernández expresses appreciation for popular devotion but warns
against groups and publications that propose a certain dogmatic development and
raise doubts among the faithful, including through social media. The main
problem in interpreting these titles applied to Our Lady, he says concerns the
way of understanding Mary's association with Christ's work of redemption
(paragraph 3).
Co-redemptrix
Regarding the title “Co-redemptrix,” the
Note recalls that “some Popes have used the title “without elaborating much on
its meaning.” Generally, it continues, “they have presented the title in two
specific ways: in reference to Mary’s divine motherhood (insofar as she, as
Mother, made possible the Redemption that Christ accomplished) or in reference
to her union with Christ at the redemptive Cross. The Second Vatican Council
refrained from using the title for dogmatic, pastoral, and ecumenical reasons.
Saint John Paul II referred to Mary as ‘Co-redemptrix’ on at least seven
occasions, particularly relating this title to the salvific value of our
sufferings when they are offered together with the sufferings of Christ, to
whom Mary is united especially at the Cross” (18).
The document cites an internal discussion
within the then-Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which in February
1996 had discussed the request to proclaim a new dogma on Mary as
“Co-redemptrix or Mediatrix of all graces.” Then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was
opposed to such a definition, arguing, “the precise meaning of these titles is
not clear, and the doctrine contained in them is not mature. […] It is not
clear how the doctrine expressed in these titles is present in Scripture and
the apostolic tradition.”
Later, in 2002, the future Benedict XVI
expressed himself publicly in the same way: “The formula ‘Co-redemptrix’
departs to too great an extent from the language of Scripture and of the
Fathers and therefore gives rise to misunderstandings… Everything comes from
Him [Christ], as the Letter to the Ephesians and the Letter to the Colossians,
in particular, tell us; Mary, too, is everything that she is through Him. The
word ‘Co-redemptrix’ would obscure this origin.”
The note clarifies that Cardinal Ratzinger
did not deny the good intentions behind the proposal, nor the valuable aspects
reflected in it, but nonetheless maintained that they were “being expressed in
the wrong way” (19).
Pope Francis also expressed his clear
opposition to the use of the title Co-Redemptrix on at least three occasions.
Tuesday’s Doctrinal Note concludes: “It is
always inappropriate to use the title ‘Co-redemptrix’ to define Mary’s
cooperation. This title risks obscuring Christ’s unique salvific mediation and
can therefore create confusion and an imbalance in the harmony of the truths of
the Christian faith. […] When an expression requires many, repeated
explanations to prevent it from straying from a correct meaning, it does not
serve the faith of the People of God and becomes unhelpful” (22).
Mediatrix
The Note emphasises that “the biblical
statement about Christ’s exclusive mediation is conclusive. Christ is the only
Mediator” (24).
At the same time, MPF recognises “the fact
that the word ‘mediation’ is commonly used in many areas of everyday life,
where it is understood simply as cooperation, assistance, or intercession. As a
result, it is inevitable that the term would be applied to Mary in a
subordinate sense. Used in this way, it does not intend to add any efficacy or
power to the unique mediation of Jesus Christ, true God and true man” (25).
Further, “it is clear that Mary has a real
mediatory role in enabling the Incarnation of the Son of God in our humanity”
(26).
Mother of believers and Mediatrix of all graces
Mary’s maternal role “in no way obscures or
diminishes” the unique mediation of Christ, “but rather shows its power […]
Understood in this way, Mary’s motherhood does not seek to weaken the unique
adoration due to Christ alone but, rather, seeks to enkindle it.”
Therefore, the Note states, “one must avoid titles and expressions that
present Mary as a kind of ‘lightning rod’ before the Lord’s justice, as if she
were a necessary alternative before the insufficiency of God’s mercy” (37b).
Thus, the title “Mother of Believers”
“enables us to speak of Mary’s role in our relation to our life of grace”.
However, MPF goes on to urge caution concerning the use of expressions that may
convey “less acceptable notions” (45).
“Cardinal Ratzinger already affirmed” for example, “that the title
‘Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces’ was not clearly grounded in Revelation.” So,
the Note continues, “in line with this conviction, we can recognize the
difficulties this title poses, both in terms of theological reflection and
spirituality” (45). In fact, “no human person — not even the Apostles or the
Blessed Virgin — can act as a universal dispenser of grace. Only God can bestow
grace, and he does so through the humanity of Christ” (53).
“Some titles, such as ‘Mediatrix of All Graces,’ have limits that do
not favour a correct understanding of Mary’s unique place,” MPF explains,
adding, “In fact, she, the first redeemed, could not have been the mediatrix of
the grace that she herself received” (67).
Nonetheless, the Doctrinal Note
acknowledges that “the term ‘graces,’ when seen in reference to Mary’s maternal
help at various moments in our lives, can have an acceptable meaning. The
plural form expresses all the aids — even material — that the Lord may grant us
when He heeds His Mother’s intercession” (68).
COMMENT: Amazing to hear these apostates chirping
about the lack of "precise meaning" of theological terms while
obscurity in definition is, and has been since Vatican II, the calling card of
the Novus Ordo theologian and prelates. They like to muddle what is clear.
Let's start with the title, "Mother of Believers" and "Mother of
the Faithful." These are, in fact, worthy titles of the Mother of God and
frequently occur in St. Mary of Agreda's City of God, yet the Novus Ordo
clerics would never be found offering a precise definition and meaning for the
term "faithful" and then identify exactly who the
"faithful" are.
The term "faithful" has a precise
Catholic definition. It refers to those who have been baptized into the
Catholic Church and profess the one, holy, catholic and apostolic faith. By
virtue of this incorporation by baptism they have become "children of
God." They faithfully believe all the truths that God has revealed on the
authority of God the Revealer. Only those who have become thus members of the
Mystical Body of Christ share by participation in His divine nature and become
brothers and sister of Jesus Christ and therefore, sons of His Mother. This
definition excludes all heretics, schismatics, Jews, pagans, and any other form
of idolaters. Novus Ordo clerics heretically teach that everyone is a child of
God by virtue of the Incarnation. Everyone by nature is a creature of God
created in His image and likeness with the spiritual soul with the powers of
reason and free will, but every creature is born in original sin and cut off
from the friendship of God. He is only a "child of God" in potentia. Without the sacrament of
Baptism and the Catholic faith they can never become "children of
God." This obscurity of definition as to who is a child of God and thus a
child of the Blessed Virgin Mary ultimately obscures what is necessary as a
necessity of means to obtain salvation.
The title Mediatrix of all grace is long
established and of sound and precise theological understanding. Those that
pretend otherwise are ignorant, proud, and deceitful. They have no excuse. 'The
law of prayer determines the law of belief' is, as affirmed by St. Pius X in Pascendi, a canon of faith from the time
of Celestine I, that is, a dogma of the Catholic Church. The immemorial Roman
rite has a Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of all grace
celebrated on May 31 established by Pope Benedict XV. Regarding this feast, Dom
Gaspar Lefebvre, O.S.B. of the Abby of St. Andrew teaches:
"The will of God is that we should
have everything through Mary," says St. Bernard. The Father has sent us
His Son, but His will was to make His coming depend upon the Fiat of the
Virgin, which He commanded to the angel Gabriel to solicit on the day of the
Annunciation.
The Father and the Son send us the Holy
Ghost, but it is through Mary that He comes down to men. On the day of
Pentecost, according to an ancient Tradition, the heavenly fire which descended
on the Cenacle first rested on Mary, and then on the apostles. This is a figure
of what happens every day in the Church where the Holy Ghost is sent invisibly
into our souls. "All the gifts of the Holy Ghost are distributed by Mary
to those whom she chooses, whenever she wishes and as much as she wishes,"
says St. Bernardine of Siena.
The graces which the Holy Ghost pours down
on us are due to the merits of Christ on Calvary; but in order that God may
bestow them on the world, it is necessary that Mary should intervene. Having
cooperated by her divine maternity and by her sufferings at the foot of the
Cross in the Incarnation and Redemption, she has deserved to co-operate when
they are continually applied to creatures by the most High. "By the
communion of sorrows and of will between Christ and Mary," says St. Pius
X, "she has deserved to become the dispenser of all the blessings which
Jesus acquired for us by His blood" (Encyclical 2-2-1904). Such is His
will, but it is essential that she should constantly intercede for each one of
us. This she does, relying on the blood of Christ by whom she was herself
saved, and who alone saves us. This actual intervention of Mary plays a
preponderating part in the salvation of the world. It is important that we
should realize this, and it is the object of the feast of Mary Mediatrix of all
Graces. A clear idea of the fact may be obtained by simple reading the texts of
the Mass and Vespers.
"Through the Virgin," says St.
Bernardine of Siena, "life-giving graces flow from Christ, who is the
head, into His mystical body." "Through her," adds St.
Antoninus, "come from heaven all the graces granted to the world."
"What all the saints united to thee may obtain for us by their
intercession," writes St. Anselm, "thy pleading alone may obtain without
the help of their prayers." The maternal solicitude of Mary for the whole
human race is therefore continual, and it is because of this that unceasingly,
through the Mass, the sacraments, the hierarchy and other channels of grace,
the merits of Calvary are applied to our souls. "We may affirm,"
declared Pope Leo XIII, "that by the will of God, nothing is given to us
without Mary's mediation, in such a way that
just as no one can approach the almighty Father but through His Son, so
no one, so to speak, can approach Christ but through His Mother"
(Encyclical, 9-22-1891).
Let us therefore not consider as of small
importance the efforts made to establish this point of doctrine of Mary's
mediation, since this doctrine enables us to understand the divine plan, and
clearly manifests the mediation of the Son of God of which it is a corollary.
St.
Mary of Agreda at the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven,
writes that Jesus Christ addressed the entire heavenly assembly of angels and
saints saying:
"My
Father and eternal God, this is the Woman, that gave Me my human form in her
virginal womb, that nourished Me at her breast and sustained labors for Me,
that shared in my hardships and co-operated with Me in the works of Redemption.
This is She, who was always most faithful and fulfilled our will according to
our entire pleasure; She, pure and immaculate as my Mother, through her own
works, has reached the summit of sanctity according to the measure of the gifts
We have communicated to Her; and when She had merited her reward and could have
enjoyed it forever, She deprived Herself of it for Our glory and returned to
attend to the establishment, the government, and instruction of the Church
militant; and We, in order that She might live in it for the succor of the
faithful, deferred her eternal rest, which She has merited over and over again.
In the highest bounty and equity of our Providence it is just, that my Mother
should be remunerated for her works of love beyond all other creatures; and
toward Her the common law of the other mortals should not apply. If I have
merited for all infinite merits and boundless graces, it is proper that my
Mother should partake of them above all the others who are so inferior; for She in her conduct
corresponds to our liberality and puts no hindrance or obstacle to our infinite
power of communicating our treasures and participating them as the Queen and
Mistress of all that is created."
Sanctifying
grace is the created participation in the divine nature. The Blessed Virgin is
the "Queen and Mistress of all that is created." In this Mass the
Church prays:
"
O Lord Jesus Christ, our Mediator with the Father, who hast appointed the most
blessed Virgin, Thy mother, to be our mother also and our mediatrix before
Thee: Grant that whosoever draweth nigh to Thee to beseech any benefit, may
receive all things through her and rejoice.
Rev.
Gregory Alastruey's theological work titled, The Blessed Virgin Mary, says that, "There are five principle titles and offices due
Mary, the Mother of God, by reason of her cooperation in redemption: Mediatrix,
Co-redemptrix, Mother of Christians, Patroness or Advocate, and Queen and
Mistress of the universe. I would recommend those who deny this proper
honor to the Mother of God obtain a copy of the book and have their stupidity
erased. I do not say, ignorance erased because willful ignorance is stupidity. Fr. Alastruey affirms that
"Mary is truly mediatrix of the human race and this doctrine pertains to
the deposit of faith." He then draws from Scripture, the Fathers,
and theologians in support of this truth. He proves from the Church Fathers
that the word "mediatrix" was explicitly used by St. Ephrem, St.
Epiphanius, St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil of Seleucia, St. Andrew of Crete, St
Germanus of Constantinople, St. John Damascene, St Theodore, St. Antoninus and
Denis the Carthusian. He draws richly from the divine liturgy from both Eastern
and Roman traditions. The errors of the Protestant heretics are addressed and
exposed which are curiously the same as expressed by the Novus Ordo popes.
Lastly,
it is worth asking Why do the Novus Ordo popes hate these proper titles of the
Mother of God? The answer is simple. The Blessed Virgin asked the three
children at Fatima on June 13, 1917, "Are you willing to offer yourselves to God to bear all the sufferings
He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is
offended, and of supplication for the conversion of sinners?" To which
question all answered, "Yes, we are willing." The Mother of God said
on July 13 after the children had seen a vision of Hell, "Sacrifice
yourselves for sinners, and say many times, especially whenever you make some
sacrifice: O Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and
in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of
Mary." On August 19 (the apparition did not occur on the August 13 because
the children were in prison) the Mother of God continued saying, "Pray,
pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to hell,
because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them." The
Blessed Virgin is asking the children to be co-redemptors and co-mediators of
grace with her in union with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the
conversion and salvation of sinners. If the title of Co-Redemtrix and Mediatrix
of all Grace can be taken away from the Mother of God then no one is responsible
to do penance for their own sins or the sins of others. This falls back to the
Protestant heresy on the dogma of justification and the very nature of our
incorporation into the divine nature in the Mystical Body of Christ.
Leo/Provost, like his predecessor Francis/Bergoglio, believes that proselytism
is "solemn nonsense." They attack the titles to excuse their own
faithless sloth. They are working to obscure the very means of salvation. As
Jesus Christ said: "But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites;
because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not
enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter" (Matt
23:13).
Pope
Leo is just another heretic who denies the Blessed Virgin Mary her just titles
of Mediatrix of all Grace and Co-Redemtrix. Only a few days ago, he celebrated
with heretics, schismatics, Jews, Moslems, and a variety of idolaters a shared
communion praying to their common god a united petition for peace in the world.
He continues to ignore the peace plan offered by the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Mediatrix of all Grace, at Fatima. Pope Leo will soon learn that those who
insult the Mother have made an enemy of the Son.
It was the opening of the three-day
“Raising Hope for Climate Justice” conference organised by the Laudato si’
Movement in collaboration with ecclesial and institutional partners. 
If
the ice block is 20,000 years old then the Genesis creation account and the
global flood of Noe is reduced to mythology and not divine revelation. The fact
is, ancient mythology ended with the Christian revelation of Jesus Christ but
the modern scientific world is doing its best to resurrect the cult of
mythology. The world likes to talk about the scientific fables of Big Bang,
primordial soups with lightening bubbling forth proteins that congeal into
cellular life with the teleological purpose of producing the DNA of Darwinian
man. These fables are believed and shamelessly pandered by our neo-modernists
popes. The absurdity is that the neo-modernists popes have embraced the myths
of scientology when science itself has discredited their claims. Scientists
have been predicting global flooding of coastal areas for the last fifty years
with no evidence of rising sea levels. Global warming is not science. It is liberal
ideology applied to climatology that always calls for a one-world governance to
enforce its dictatorial and anti-Catholic mandates. The alleged global warming
is always without exception a man made assault on Mother Earth that requires
the ritual murder of 6.5 billion people for a world "sustainable"
population of 500 million for expiation. Never is it considered in their
calculus that the
Here's
a particularly forlorn historical date: More than 100 years ago, between the
19th and 20th of December 1917, in the midst of the Bolshevik revolution and
civil war, Lenin signed a decree calling for the establishment of The
All-Russian Extraordinary Commission for Combating Counter-Revolution and
Sabotage, also known as Cheka. 
“My
reaction was a silent cry of horror, indignation, and sorrow,” the auxiliary of
Astana, Kazakhstan, said regarding the Vatican’s approval of an LGBT-themed
“pilgrimage” on its Jubilee website, in an interview with Diane Montagna, a
journalist in Rome.
He pointed out that in doing so, Pope Leo
XIV broke with the precedent of all popes before Francis, who “neither received
officially nor posed for photographs with those who, by word or deed, openly
rejected the doctrinal and moral teaching of the Church.”
The 'Western Wall' (Wailing Wall) in
Jerusalem is held by Jews as a remnant of Herod's Temple destroyed by the
Romans in 72 A.D. Yet, Jesus prophesized not only that the Temple would be
destroyed but also that there would not remain a "stone upon a
stone." So how is it that there remains a large wall on the western side
at the south end of the 'Temple Mount'? Some Catholics claim the prophecy of
Jesus was referring only to the edifice itself and not the entire foundation
for the Temple. Jesus words must be taken in literally unless there it is
clearly manifest that the metaphorical sense is intended exclusively.
Therefore, the 'Wailing Wall' where the Jews worship is not a remnant of the
ancient Temple, and the 'Temple Mount', on which is currently situated the
Al-Aqsa mosque and the "Dome of the Rock", is not the location of the
Temple destroyed in 72 A.D. The 36 acre 'Temple Mount' is actually the location
of the Roman fortress Antonia built by Herod.
Carlo Alberto Capella was
Vatican diplomat who was convicted by a Vatican tribunal of possessing and
sharing child pornography. Capella admitted guilt to the charges. He is the
only one who has served a prison sentence in the Vatican jail for this crime or
for any sexually related crime against minors.