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It is absolutely true that vitriol does not leave much room for reconciliation, and that cuts both ways. I personally didn't see any vitriol in BlackElks's posts, lots of passion and some indication that there has been previous conversations with SSPxers (with apologies to St. Pius.) After a few of these conversations, I know personally, that you become a little less gentle and a little more forceful in your opinion. There's only some many times you can hear that the Church's hierarchy is in league with Satan, the Norvus Ordo is sacrilegious, Pius XII condemned NFP (which is just an outright lie), those of us who stayed faithful to Rome are "neo-Catholics" who will go to hell if we don't repent. There are only so many times that you can see the Catechism, various encyclicals and papal addresses along with the documents of Vatican II, blatantly taken out of context, all to tear down Christ's Church. After that, passion takes over, and gentility takes a backseat.

But then again, what's wrong with that? These are God's children, separated from Him, being led farther and farther astray by more extreme lies. We should passionately fight for their souls, and not let them rest easy thinking that they are in union with Rome, or in a state of lesser disobedience because their intentions are good.

In my numerous encounters with SSPXers(with apologies to St. Pius), family members, friends and on-line encounters, I have found one uniting factor, and it is not love. It is anger, lots and lots of anger. Not one of them has any interest in returning to Rome. And their leadership is far past delusions of grandeur. Read Williamson's letters. There is massive antisemitism in the leadership of the Society. Many papal observers have said that short of a public renunciation of these statements by SSPX (with apologies to St. Pius) leadership, there can be no reconciliation. When talks broke down earlier, antisemitism was one of the factors alleged.

I welcome anyone back to Rome, but I won't turn a blind eye to they errors they proclaimed while they were away. Charity is merciful but charity also requires you to point out the error of someone's ways. Charity also does not allow you to sit back while Christ's Church is attacked in a manner reminiscent of Jack Chick. (Not that I have seen that on FR) Perhaps that's where so much of BlackElk's passion has come from.

I agree with nearly everything you said. But I think we should be showing the SSPXers (and other schismatics) a more Christlike attitutde. Afterall isn't that the most attractive feature of Christianity? We must be willing to forgive seventy times seven times. We must continue to engage them, with love, again and again.

Of course it is the natural human reaction to become angry etc but Christ asks us to move beyond our mere humanity to become someting better. Of course what they say about the Church is hurtful but we must try to educate them and also listen to the valid criticisms that they have (note I said their VALID criticisms).

One point I like to make to those traditionalists who have left the Church is that they should be fighting for the Church within the Church rather than abandoning it to those who they see as harming the Church.

Maybe I am soft hearted for believing that people can cahnge. So be it. I will contiue to pray for the SSPXers as I pray for Moslems and others who are not within the Church.

BTW, I was not saying Black Elks post was vitriolic but rather the original post that I had responded to.