Posted on 06/26/2026 12:15:35 PM PDT by ebb tide
… If I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. — (I Corinthians 13:2)
(Pillars of Faith) — In moments of great tension within the Church, we must remember that every judgment made must ultimately serve the salvation of souls. Truth can never be separated from charity, nor charity from truth.
As discussions continue regarding the Society of St. Pius X, I believe we must ask a question that reaches deeper than canonical arguments or historical disputes. What has moved these priests and faithful throughout the past 50 years?
READ: SSPX issues 154-point profession of faith to Pope Leo, cardinals ahead of consecrations
To understand the Society, we must remember its beginnings. Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre did not embark upon this path because it was easy, nor because it brought him honor or peace. Whatever one thinks of every decision he made, few would deny that he bore immense personal suffering. He believed that precious treasures entrusted by Christ to His Church – the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the reverent celebration of the sacred mysteries, the formation of holy priests, and the perennial teachings of the Catholic Faith – were in danger of being diminished. His response was born from a profound desire to preserve and hand on what generations of Catholics had received with gratitude.
That love for the Church’s sacred inheritance has continued to inspire many priests, religious, and faithful families who have accepted misunderstanding and sacrifice because they believe these treasures were worth preserving for future generations.
Looking honestly at their history, one sees men and women who have sacrificed greatly because they believed they were preserving the treasures entrusted to the Church by Christ Himself: the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the reverence due to the Holy Eucharist, the perennial doctrine of the Catholic Faith, and the sacred traditions handed down through the centuries.
Whether every decision made along the way was prudent is a question that reasonable Catholics may discuss. But it is difficult to deny the love that has inspired countless sacrifices, vocations, families, and faithful souls who have desired only to remain close to Our Lord and faithful to the deposit of faith.
The Church has always recognized that discipline exists for healing, reconciliation, and the good of souls. It should never be exercised in a way that obscures the sincere love that many have for Christ and His Church.
This is also a moment for honest reflection. Across the world, many public challenges to Catholic doctrine and morality have caused great confusion among the faithful. Catholics naturally ask why those who openly reject settled teachings of the Church often appear to face little correction, while those whose deepest desire is to preserve the Church’s sacred inheritance are viewed with the gravest penalties. Such questions should not be dismissed, but answered with justice, wisdom, and charity.
No Catholic should rejoice at division. Every faithful Catholic should pray for full visible unity. But unity is strengthened not by suspicion, nor by fear, but by mutual trust, humility, and the recognition of sincere love wherever it is found.
Our Lord taught us that the greatest commandment is love: love of God and love of neighbor. If we begin there, we will speak differently to one another, judge more carefully, and seek reconciliation more earnestly.
As we entrust this matter to Divine Providence, I ask every Catholic to pray – not only for the faithful of the Society of St. Pius X, but also for the Holy Father, for the bishops, and for all those entrusted with the grave responsibility of shepherding Christ’s flock.
May each of us examine our own hearts before the Heart of Jesus. May those who have labored to preserve the Church’s sacred traditions continue to act with humility, fidelity, and love. And may those who must make decisions for the universal Church look deeply into the hearts of those before them, recognizing not only their actions, but the love that has inspired such sacrifices.
READ: Bishop Schneider: SSPX excommunications would be a historic mistake
The Sacred Heart of Jesus is not divided against Himself. His Heart is the source of both truth and love, justice and mercy. It is to that Sacred Heart that we must now turn. If the Heart of Christ guides us, then truth will never be spoken without charity, justice will never be exercised without mercy, and authority will always be directed toward the salvation of souls.
May Our Lady, Mother of the Church, intercede for all her children, that we may remain steadfast in the fullness of the Catholic Faith while loving one another with the very charity of her Divine Son.
“And now there remain faith, hope, and love, these three: but the greatest of these is love.” (I Corinthians 13:13)
And may Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland
Bishop Emeritus
Reprinted with permission from Pillars of Faith.
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Ping
“In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” —Not George Orwell
Thank you for including me, ebby. But as an aside, this means YOUR position, you are at risk, ebby; so not someone else’s opinion. I won’t even get into the inappropriateness of responding by using diminished strickland.
Again, as I asked you earlier and of clear importance:
OK, ebby we are 4-5 days out from D-Day. Are you going down with the sspx cardboard ship? Talk intelligently. It is a grave matter. Souls are at risk. Action might be met with excommunication and a resulting schism by a huge number of sspx, by definition. I say this sincerely, schism would be a terrible shame for these people. Are you “in” with that result if it happens, ebby?
I will go first. I don’t think sspx will back down. I also think Pope Leo will throw them a bone. While I can only speculate, maybe he will name 1 Bishop - maybe one of their choice or maybe one of his choice. But I think he will go out of his way for a resolution.
Remember, talk intelligently. Not some cartoon network post or jibber jabber by the fired/discredited strickland or excommunicated vig. What say you, ebby?
BTW, I believe you once told me that you wouldn’t go down with the ship, ebby. I am sure you will correct me if I am wrong. You correct me even when I’m right. ImagineThat!
So this while this is time for prayer it is also a time for action. Over the years you have posted so much support of sspx, and you even stated just two weeks or so ago that you are an sspxer, it is time for resolution. If you have an honest opinion or action, don’t you believe you you should tell your followers, ebby? Give them a reason to keep their faith in the Catholic Church and not in an excommunicated vessel? Even in the fired strickland article you posted above, diminshed, surprisingly, acknowledges risks of disobedience. So, ebby, what is it?
If the SSPX is excommunicated, it will be a badge of honor. Who wants to be accepted by a bunch of heretics? And yes, I have read Pope Pius X’s 1907 encyclical, “Pascendi Dominici Gregis.” “Modernism is the synthesis of all heresies.” Have you read it? Your arguments indicate you haven’t. Maybe if you did, you wouldn’t be so hostile to those who just want the Church to be as she always has been, and you would realize that the Vatican II heretics have caused any schism that may occur.
“May Our Lady, Mother of the Church, intercede for all her children, that we may remain steadfast in the fullness of the Catholic Faith while loving one another with the very charity of her Divine Son.” I presume he’s speaking about Mary, the Mother of the Son of God.
Ebb didn’t make make the statement about being an SSPXer, I did. I remember that conversation, because I was so shocked about both the content and the form of your comments.
I’m sorry nan. If you read my comment I said I am quite concerned for those of you who are willing to accept excommunication because of bad decisions by leadership. I truly hope and pray it doesn’t happen.
Thank you for the clarification.
In 1988, the excommunications were declared to be Latae Sententiae, not a formal declaration, but a declaration that the act itself makes one excommunicated, much as one is excommunicated for direct cooperation with a successfully procured abortion. Since the canon law covering the excommunication allows for attenuation of the penalty if the actor(s) subjectively believe they are acting out of necessity, there is no way of knowing if they are actually excommunicated.
If the SSPX is offered a bishop with no strings attached, I hope they take it. I think it is a good thing that Francis provide the opportunity for faculties for Confession and Matrimony.
When Pope Leo XIV stated that the SSPX has to subscribe to some “foundational” portions of Vatican II. I wish he had been more specific. The problem is, Vatican II doesn’t have a single Anathema in it, and it is not binding on the Eastern Church, and it is pastoral in its orientation. The SSPX also likes to say “Vatican II” as opposed to Dignitatis Humanae Section X, Line X is difficult to reconcile with Tradiional Dosma (Denziger XX:XX).In any event, I cannot think of any particular part of Vatican II as being “foundational” in the sense that the Anathemas in the Council of Trent are Foundational.
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