The SSPX Kerfuffle

In most areas of the country, and even the world, Catholics are deprived of the Mass.  Please spare me the drivel about "spiritual communion being just as good as receiving physically".  It isn't, for the very simple reason that we are both spirit and body, and we need to receive PHYSICALLY.  Read John 6.  Of course I salute the priests who are live-streaming Mass, etc.  Being under obedidence, they have no choice.

SSPX priests on the other hand are in obedience to their own bishops and many of them are offering Holy Mass while observing "social distance" regulations.  For the past several weeks, I myself have been attending such Masses AND receiving Holy Communion.  For the time being, I will not broadcast the location of the Mass. Suffice it to say that I drive a considerable distance - but receiving Our Lord, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, is well worth it.  I would not be doing so if I wasn't certain that such a Mass is being offered in conformity with the Magesterium.  The SSPX is NOT in schism, although their canonical status isn't regular.

That is why I look askance upon some attacks upon the SSPX that have arisen over these past few weeks.  With the Church in such disaray, thanks in no small part to the way that our bishops are bungling the response to this pandemic, I would think that the attackers might have more pressing matters to address. 

My friend and colleague at Les Femmes addresses this in a recent blog post.  I think it's worth studying.  I hope I needn't write anymore on this, but I will respond to any more nonsense if it arises.  I'm not sure why this arises at this moment, but I hope money is not an impetus.

Also study the text below.

THE PREFECT OF CLERGY CARDINAL CASTRILLÓN HOYOS HAS STATED THE FOLLOWING:

"It cannot be said in correct, exact, and precise terms that there is a schism. There is a schismatic attitude in the fact of consecrating bishops without pontifical mandate. They are within the Church. There is only the fact that a full, more perfect communion is lacking – as was stated during the meeting with Bishop Fellay – a fuller communion, because communion does exist."

MANY ARE CONFUSED AS TO THE STATUS OF THE SOCIETY OF SAINT PIUS X. IS THE SOCIETY "SCHISMATIC" ? EXCOMMUNICATED ? THE VATICAN, IN SEVERAL IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS HAS DECLARED NO.

A recent letter stated that ecumenical dialogue with the SSPX will not be held because they are not considered schismatic.

"The situation of the members of this Society [SSPX] is an internal matter of the Catholic Church. The Society is not another Church or Ecclesial Community in the meaning used in the Directory. Of course, the Mass and Sacraments administered by the priests of the Society are valid. "

-- Letter from the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity Cardinal Edward Cassidy, President (3 May,1994)

Letter of The Sacred Congregation For The Clergy Under signature of Silvio Cardinal Oddi, President (17 March, 1984):

[In answer to a family attending Mass at an SSPX chapel as to whether such attendance fulfilled her obligation for Sunday Mass,]

"According to the New Code of Canon Law, 'The obligation of assisting at Mass is satisfied wherever Mass is celebrated in a Catholic rite.... I hope that settles your doubts."

DECREE OF THE CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH (HOLY OFFICE) Under signature of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect Known as the "Honolulu Decision" (Protocol No. 14428, 4 June,1993):

In response to an appeal by one of the Honolulu Six against the decree of the Bishop of Honolulu, the Congregation decreed:

"This Congregation has examined carefully all the available documentation and has ascertained that the activities engaged in by the Petitioner ... are not sufficient to constitute the crime of schism. Since [the Petitioner] did not, in fact, commit the crime of schism and thus did not incur the 'latae sententiae' penalty, it is clear that the Decree of the Bishop lacks the precondition on which it is founded. This Congregation, noting all of the above, is obliged to declare null and void the aforesaid Decree of the Ordinary of Honolulu."

LETTER OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY Under signature of Edward I. Cardinal Cassidy, President (May 3,1994):

"The situation of the members of this Society [SSPX] is an internal matter of the Catholic Church. The Society is not another Church or Ecclesial Community in the meaning used in the Directory. Of course, the Mass and Sacraments administered by the priests of the Society are valid. "

COUNT NERI CAPPONI, D.CN.L. - LATERAN (DOCTOR OF CANON LAW) LL.D. - FLORENCE (DOCTOR OF LAWS), Professor Emeritus of Canon Law at the University of Florence, Accredited as an Advocate of the Holy Roman Rota, Accredited as an Advocate of the Apostolic Signatura, (the Holy See's highest appeals tribunal):

"The fact is that Msgr. Lefebvre simply said: 'I am creating bishops in order that my priestly order can continue. They do not take the place of other bishops. I am not creating a parallel church.' Therefore, this act was not, per se, schismatic."

"Pope John Paul II, in 1986, asked a commission of nine cardinals two questions. Firstly, did Pope Paul VI, or any other competent authority, legally forbid the widespread celebration of the Tridentine Mass in the present day?

The answer given by eight of the cardinals in 1986 was that, no, the Mass of Saint Pius V has never been suppressed. I can say this; I was one of the cardinals."

"There was another question, very interesting. Can any bishop forbid a priest in good standing from celebrating a Tridentine Mass again? The nine cardinals unanimously agreed that no bishop may forbid a Catholic priest from saying the Tridentine Mass. We have not official publication, and I think that the Pope would never establish an official prohibition ... because of the words of Pius V, who said this was a Mass forever." -- Cardinal Alfons Stickler, Prefect of the Vatican Archives

Further, the Pope explains why the Society is not in schism by applying the very definition of schism to the Society’s case and recognizing they do not meet it:

"This gesture [remitting of excommunication] was possible once the interested parties had expressed their recognition in principle of the Pope and his authority as Pastor, albeit with some reservations in the area of obedience to his doctrinal authority and to the authority of the Council."

These words of the Pope are absolutely devastating to any Neo-Catholic claims of any type of schism, either formal or material. First, there has not been any official Vatican document declaring the SSPX to be in schism (as even Voris admits), thus no formal schism. Second, after this letter from Pope Benedict, one is no longer allowed to even hold the opinion that there is a “material schism.” For the Supreme Pontiff just applied the definition of schism to the Society right before our eyes and found the charge wanting. As the Society has been saying all along, in conjunction with previous Saints and canonists, in order to be schismatic, one must reject the authority of the pope in principle. Mere disobedience, even for a protracted period of time, does not make one schismatic. “Reservations in the area of obedience” do not equal schism.

New World Order Lackeys Exploiting Covid-19

Some food for thought here.

The Ten Corona Commandments

As you read the post below, please note that I'm not discounting the reality of Covid-19.  However, the servile fear in which so many people are living (and demanding that we share their trepidation), needs to be rebuked sternly.  Here goes...

HEAR YE, HEAR YE!  GIVE UNQUESTIONING EAR AND SERVILE OBEISANCE, YE PEASANTS AND GREAT UNWASHED!  THE NEW WORLD ORDER DE FACTO DEITIES HAVE GRACED US WITH THEIR BENEVOLENT COMMANDS!  OBEY OR BE PUNISHED!

Most of our bishops keep these diligently.  The real Ten Commandments and canon law?  Not so much!

Do Our Shepherds Believe In God At All?

How little is the regard that our prelates have for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  Courtesy of Vox Cantoris, we learned that the pope thinks that people who dress up for Mass are "peacocks".  Peacocks?  We honor our Lord by how we dress!  Wouldn't any decent person put on best clothes for someone whom they hold in esteem?  I'm old enough to remember a concept known as "dressing in Sunday best"; that held true for people across the economic strata.  What would he say of Our Lord's teaching on the man who didn't wear a proper wedding garment (see Matthew 22:12)?   Would he have remonstrated with Our Lord for encouraging "peacock" behavior?

In New York recently, Church Militant got hold of video of Cardinal Dolan mocking the prayers of the faithful during Mass.  It seems he didn't realize his microphone was hot.  So now we know what he really thinks.  Here is the video.



Dolan isn't the only cardinal to denigrate the importance of prayer.  His fellow progressive prelate, Cupich of Chicago, in speaking of prayer during this pandemic, dismissed the importance of prayer.  Rather than rehash his blather, I'll link to LifeSiteNew's treatment of the same.  That puts his idolatry of this past January in context, when he officiated at a pagan ceremony.  I post that video below, lest the readers understandably believe that not even Cupich could stoop so low.  He can.



Many of us have been doing without Mass for over a month now.  We have been disappointed by so many bishops and their namby-pamby attitudes towards the civil authorities' unconstitutional power grab.  A few brave priests have been offering Mass in an "underground" fashion, much like the Catholic priests did in England during the persecutions of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.  Many of these priests were martyred when betrayed by false Christians.  In New Jersey, Cardinal Tobin has been doing preciselythat in assisting the New Jersey governor in cracking down on priests who are merely seeing to the spiritual needs of their flocks.

There is a rather obvious common mindset on display in the actions of the pope and three prominint US cardinals.  They have demonstrated that they just don't give a rip about Holy Mass or the spiritual lives of their flocks.  Pray for their repentance for they will have much for which they must answer when they meet Our Lord.

Operation Gridlock MD - A First Hand View

In Friday's post I mentioned that I would be joining a protest of Governor Hogan's unconstitutional power grab with other MD citizens.  That I did and post my own video compilation below.  These are various snippets merged together so that is why you'll notice jumping from one scene to another.  This was a "drive-thru" protest, so all maintained "social distancing".  The State House was cordoned off so we didn't drive right by him.  However, the rather high buildings with streets emanating from the State House made for a nice echo chamber.  There was no escaping our horn blasts.  I understand similar protests will occur in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and other places during this next week.

Will we have to engage in further protest and actions?  Well, that's largely up to Hogan.

A Covid Haiku

This, in my humble opinion, sums our current situation.

Covid's got us scared.
But government is growing.
That is much, much worse!

It's Time That We Stopped Playing The Wimps In The Face Of The Corona Boondoggle

Yesterday good citizens of the state of Michigan descended upon Detroit to make clear to Governor Whitmer that her draconian constrictions upon them will no longer be tolerated.  They called their protest "operation gridlock".  I for one was delighted to see that and pray that we may all emulate their example if our local tyrants don't wake up and smell the coffee.  Many of these same citizens are now taking her to court and I hope they prevail.  If they do, a precedent will be set that we will use.

Frankly, though, I'm not sure what troubles me more: the power-hungry grabs of the governors, OR, the gutless and passive acceptance of these dictates by so many Americans and even Catholics.  I have had numerous discussions both in person and online with faithful Catholics who have regrettably swallowed the "safety-first" koolaid.  When I mention that the founding fathers who wrote the US Constitution wisely allowed for no exceptions to the First Amendment, they poo-poo it. Their excuses:

• "They didn't know how pandemics worked".  I doubt it.  They may not have had the full range of knowledge that is available today, but they had a basic understanding of how certain diseases spread.  Still they did not consider that reason to violate civil rights.
• "They did that during the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic".  That is one that will require more unpacking.

They acknowledge the status of the First Amendment as a guiding principle, to their credit.  They then claim that sometimes that principle needs to take a lesser place for "safety".  Well, here's a problem.  When we break principles to satisfy some real or perceived need, one cannot invoke that same principle when some other threat emerges, one that might have been prevented had the principle remained intact.  Why cannot we not invoke that principle?  Because we have already allowed for the breaking of the principle for safety, so why cannot someone break it for another reason? 

In light of that, consider the "Spanish flu" excuse.  It's quite likely that the US government, in 1918, did play fast and loose with the First Amendment.  They violated it.  In using that sad episode to justify the abrogation of our First Amendment rights today, very imprudent people are actually demonstrating the harm done by that violation of the First Amendment 100 years ago.

Truth be told, though, I think many Americans don't understand their own history.  When I've mentioned "First Amendment", some of them scoffed and asked how my freedom of speech was being abridged.  They didn't know that freedom of speech is not the only civil right addressed in the First Amendment.  Under attack now are two other First Amendment rights: freedom of religioin and freedom of assembly.  If they went to public school, their study of American history was devoid of any study of the founding documents and why they were written.  It is up to us to fill in the gaps of knowledge ourselves.

Similar deficiencies exist in the formation of Catholics, and the events of the last few weeks have made that quite clear.  In one facebook discussion, one misguided individual stated that Jesus was just as concerned for the body as He was for the soul.  Well, not quite.  While caring for the the whole man, Jesus clearly placed greater priority on matters of eternal salvation than He did on temporal affairs.  Many though, especially those in the Church hierarchy, have no supernatural faith and truly don't believe in the afterlife.  Therefore it really is no wonder that their sole focus is on maintaining physical safety, or at least an illusion of it.  They don't value the efficacy of Holy Mass or the other Sacraments, so they see it as no tragedy to restrict our access to God's graces.

Then there exists the fairytale about "virtual Masses".  First, a clarifying note.  The parish priests who are producing these virtual Masses are by far simply doing the best they can under the constraints under which they must operate.  I've no doubt that they are hurting that they cannot make the sacraments more available to their parishioners.  However, they are vowed to obey their bishops, and it is the bishops who are the source of these draconian and I daresay sinful restrictions.  In Maryland, Hogan never completely forbade religious services.  It is possible to hold Mass, albeit in much more constricted manners.  Therefore no excuse existed to completely shut the Churches.  And why did Lori stop all confessions, while confessions continue in the south part of MD that is in the DC diocese?

But let's get back to the general populace.  Since when did US citizens become a nation of pantywaists?  Government officials, flouting the constitution, order citizens to abandon their rights and their lives out of craven fear of some virus.  Instead of standing up to these thugs like men, too many cower before them and meekly go along with the tyranny.  Besides ignorance of both our Faith and US history, are there other root causes to the timidity of so many?  Perhaps.

Many of us have been spoiled by living off the fruits of the struggles of our forefathers.  We have become used to lives of relative ease and comfort.  We never had to face dire situations that forced us to develop spiritual fortitude and moral courage.  Therefore, when faced with evil, we fold like a deck of cards, roll over and play dead.  For the past few decades I have seen this play out as I have pleaded with fellow Catholics to join us in front of abortuaries.  They refuse to step out of their comfort zones, believing that they aren't obliged to take any moral stand that might cost them something.  Now faced with corona tyrants who promise them that all will be normal in a few weeks (and now the deadlines are ever-moving), they choose to blind themselves and hunker down for what they think will be temporary degradation - as long as they don't have to display courage and stand up to evil.

But now lives are being ruined as good people are watching their livlihoods needlessly wither away.  How much longer are the willfully blind sheeple going to stand with eyes shut and ears plugged?  We had better snap out of our torpitude before it's too late.  People in Michigan have started to act.  Tomorrow in Maryland there will be a similar protest in Annapolis and I will be there along with (hopefully) thousands others.  People in PA and other places plan protests within the next week or two.

Of course we as Catholics must be in prayer for our nation.  We certainly pray for those who are suffering from covid-19.  But make no mistake - this corona thing is a mere pretext for the undermining of the United States Constitution and of Trump's presidency.  It is time to wake up and to get off our duffs and act.

Enough Of The Covid Cowardice!

I'm going to post this with just a bit of commentary, most of it directed towards Catholics who have glommed onto the "we gotta get with the shut-down and if you don't you're a murderer" gobblygoop.  Of course we will exercise reasonable precautions, such as washing our hands and staying home if we feel unwell.  However, if you think that we must close our chuirches and do without Sacraments, you have partaken of some strange kool-aid.  We need the Sacraments - real Saccraments and not some virtual counterfeit.  Babies wallowing in original sin, dying people without Extreme Unction - the depths of sacerdotal irresponsibility and yes, cowardice.  Enough!  Let's everyone man up (or woman up) and demand that our churches and our country get back on track.

Tantrum Or Chastisement?

Remember how the pope said that the covid-19 pandemic was "nature's temper tantrum"?  Well, along the same lines, the Vatican News magazine (an official publication of the Vatican, by the way) published an article, written by a Jesuit (of course!) entitled "Corona: Earth's Unlikely Ally".  We now rely on the screenshot provided by LifeSiteNews for the magazine quickly pulled the article down.

The author suggested that the draconian restrictions under which many on the planet now live, owing to the pandemic, are proving to be of "benefit to the planet".  That sparked quite a backlash, particularly from bereaved relatives of the dead.  Therefore the Vatican pulled the article, most likely because of damage control only.  The Vatican must really believe the anti-human and anti-God crap, else they never would have published it.

But make no mistake.  The corona pandemic is a chastisement that we must all endure.  We see unmistakeable indications from the words that Our Lady spoke, both in Fatima and Akita.


In the video below, Fr Goring speaks directly to the idiocy spewing from the pope and the Vatician News, reminding us that we must offer repentance to Jesus Christ, and not some "mother earth" gaia idol.

Welcome To Our New Orwellian World - UPDATED

Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying, "those who surrender essential liberties to attain a little temporary safety deserve neither and will lose both".  How his words are ringing true as many American citizens are literally clamoring for martial law, believing that will keep them safe from the covid-19 virus.  Those who do so disgrace the generations of Americans who literally died to secure the freedoms that we so dismissively squander today.  Yes, we need to take reasonable measures - wash hands, stay home if we are sick or vulnerable, but to shut down our churches and our country?  For shame!

Quite a few of us see the dangers of undermining our constitution and are raising alarms.  For our efforts we are decried as "selfish" and even "murderers" by the hysterical snowflakes who are begging Big Brother Government to step in.  Unfortunately it is.  To wit:

• Virginia governor Northam issued an executive order stating that those engaging in public or private gatherings of more than 10 can go to jail for a year.
• In Greenville, MS, police raided a "drive-in" service at Temple Baptist Church and issued $500 tickets to everyone in attendance.
• In San Diego, some people went to the beach to watch the sunset.  They were ticketed for $1k each.
• In Louisville KY, a snowflake doctor got enraged at the sight of girls "not practicing social distancing" and physically attacked them, actually strangling one of them (she only has minor injuries).  Fortunately he was arrested.  All the police had to say is that it wasn't advisable for people to take matters into their own hands; rather they should simply play snitches.  Perhaps while this doctor is in jail, someone should remind him that putting his hands on people's necks is not "proper social distancing".  Josef Mengele would have admired him.
• In Pennsylvania, a woman was pulled over and fined $200 just for driving her car. Fortunately the local DA threw out the citation.
• In Colorado, a former state trooper was in a public park with his family in compliance with posted regulations.  A swarm of police officers came up to him, demanded his id.  When he refused, they threatened to "put you in handcuffs in front of your 6-year old daughter".  That they did and put him in a cruiser.  Fortuantely a local city councilperson caught the whole thing on video.  The police department apologized.  The man is considering legal action and I hope he follows through.
• Not to be outdone is my own home state, the People's Republic of Maryland. 14 arrests, 600+ citations.  Look at that chart.  Private homes?  What are they doing? Bashing in the doors?
• In Baltimore, where 10 people can congregate, police shut down a church service of 10 people. It took 8 cops to do it.
• And then there's this little gem that you see to the right, that someone found on their car.  Note that buzz-word "selfish", in keeping with the group-think mentality.

It gets worse.  Now local officials are encouraging and even paying citizens to spy on each other.  The Chi-Coms have nothing on us now.

• New York City set up a website to facilitate citizen-snitching.
• The Los Angeles mayor announced that "snitches get rewards".  What's the price?  Thirty pieces of silver?
• Bellevue, WA has gone high-tech with its snitching, offering an app to do so.
• By the way, in all these Democrat-run areas where snitching is occurring, guess what the powers-that-be hold sacrosanct?  Abortion!

I won't even address the progressive dupes who are just salivating over the obvious socialistic thrust of all this, but rather, faithful Catholics.  By your short-sighted excusing and even support of encroachment on your First Amendment rights, you have paved the way for the list that I just provided.  Be assured that this list will grow.  Please wake up!

UPDATE - More acts of tyranny courtesy of Fox News.

Cardinal Pell Finally Receives Justice

Cardinal George Pell of Austrilia has been a thorn in the Vatican progressives' derrierres ever since he blew the lid off the deceipt of the 2014 Extraordinary Synod.  He was put in charge of investigating the mess of the Vatican finances when - shock of all shocks - mysterious charges of sexual abuse from decades past were brought against him.  Funny how that timing worked!

He went back to Austrilia, home of the kangaroo.  And that's just the kind of court that convicted him and sent him to jail for over a year.  He appealed up the chain and finally reach Austrilia's highest court.

Today came the happy news that Cardinal Pell's conviction was overturned and he is once again a free man.  There are times when common sense and justice prevails.  We rejoice while we suspect that there is no joy within the Vatican regarding this news.

Background Story Of The Pachamama Dunking And Some Bizarre Catholic Reactions

Recall several months ago how the pachamama idols were worshipped in the Vatican, in full sight of the pope.  This happened not once but several times.  It even happened at the closing Mass of the synod, when Pope Francis accepted a pachamama plant and placed it on the altar.

We of course were delighted when the pachamama filth was tossed into the Tiber.  Some time later, one of the two dunkers came forward - Alexander Tschugguel of Austria.  He has since told his story and shared his traditional Catholic faith with many.  Recently he was in the news as one who suffered the covid-19 virus and who came out of it.

A few days ago, in an interview with Taylor Marshall, the two men discussed these events.  In the course of the conversation, they revealed Marshall's role in the pachamama dunking, as one who financed Tschugguel's air fare back and forth between Rome and Vienna.

Perhaps covid-19 has infected some Catholic brains, but I learned of this largely through some Catholics who took umbrage at Marshall's role in the deed, implying that he was merely playing the publicity hound throughout the matter.  They even cast those aspersions on Tschugguel himself, going so far as to say he faked his corona affliction for publicity.

My first reaction to reading the details of the incident was, "so what?"  How did that garner such vituperation?  I have some questions for these detractors:

• How do they think that Tschugguel flew back and forth between the two cities?  Do they think he and his friend just levitated through the air, or maybe bilocated as some mystics throughout the centuries did?  News flash!  Air fare costs money!  Marshall put up his own funds.  How dare some impugn Marshall's motives for so doing?  If you don't think he deserves some respect for so doing, well, that's on you.  However, by what stretch of logic do you villify him for his actions?
• I detect just a slight note of shame underlying the wags and naysayers for their own cowardice and lack of initiative.  It's all too easy to say that those who do get off their butts to do something are not acting in good faith, for somehow that makes their own torpidity not look so bad.  To be honest, I've been on the receiving end of such nonsense myself.

I'm not inclined to link to the prattlings of these malcontents right now, for I don't want to increase their hit counts.  I might have to do that in the future, if this problem persists.  I remind such individuals that contumely and calumny are sins.

Meanwhile, I will now post the interview below.  The discussion of the pachamama incident begins at the 1:06:00 mark.  They also remind us of that meeting scheduled for May at the 1:13:40 mark.  I do hope that the corona situation causes that planned debacle to at least be postponed, as it has for so many other filthy events in Baltimore (see here and here).

Breaking - Maryland Governor Hogan Permitting Drive-In Religious Services

The directive can be found here.  Note for Catholics - this does not allow for reception of Holy Communion, as physical contact with clergy is not allowed.  Still, it's a step back in the right direction.

It remains to be seen how the Roman Catholic prelates will implement this.  It's 7:20 pm as I write this, and I just learned of it.  It's quite possible that chancery staff haven't learned it or are just doing so after the workday.  Thus their websites are not updated yet.  Let's see how they respond to this tomorrow.

If they don't respond, or persist in disallowing Mass, there just might be Eastern Rite churches (in union with the pope) who will happily resume.

Now if we can just get the rest of the First Amendment back in force...

UPDATE - As of 5pm today, there is no acknowledgement of the April 1st directive on either of the archdiocesan websites.  It appears that they wish to pretend this new directive wasn't issued.