Priest Faces Removal from Arlington Diocese

The Washington Times ^ | Nov 13, 2002 | George Archibald

[ultima ratio]

First, you mischaracterize what I said about preconciliar society. Of course it had its obvious deficiencies--but a lack of faith wasn't one of them. Neither was entrenched corruption.

Second, your peculiar notion that the preconciliar Church somehow embraced "modernism in the 60s" flies in the face of warnings about modernism from every pope from Pius IX to Pius XII. They knew liberals were looking for their opening to wreck tradition. What the heck do you think the Syllabus of Errors was about?

Third, I doubt if those who fill you with Novus Ordo propaganda would want you to know how truly bad the present situation is, nor how really radical the changes have been. To realize this, you have to have some kind of historical perspective--something you clearly lack.

[St.Chuck]

I doubt if those who fill you with Novus Ordo propaganda would want you to know how truly bad the present situation is...

Uh...that would be the Holy Roman Catholic Church....well, yes, the present church, not the 1955 church or the 19th century church, or the 16th century church, nor some Winonan offshoot, the very one Christ promised he'd be with and against which the gates of hell would not prevail.

[St.Chuck]

St. Catherine of Sienna opposed the Pope.

I thought you might find this useful. Another one of your allies, St. Catherine of Sienna: "He is insane who rises or acts contrary to this Vicar who holds the keys of the blood of Christ crucified. Even if he was a demon incarnate, I should not raise my head against him, but always grovel and ask for the blood out of mercy. And don’t pay attention to what the demon proposes to you and you propose under the color of virtue, that is to say to want to do justice against evil pastors regarding their fault. Don’t trust the demon: don’t try to do justice about what does not concern you. God wants neither you nor anyone else to set themselves up as a righter of the wrongs of His ministers. He reserves judgment to Himself, and He reserves it to His Vicar; and if the Vicar does not do justice, we should wait for the punishment and correction on the part of the sovereign judge, God Eternal."

[ultima ratio]

To Pope Gregory XI Catherine of Sienna wrote:

"Since [Christ] has given you authority and you have accepted it, you ought to be using the power and strength that is yours. If you don't intend to use it, it would be better and more to God's honor and the good of your soul to resign .... If I were in your place I would be afraid of incurring divine judgment. And so with all my heart I am begging you in the name of Christ crucified to be obedient to God's will (for I know you neither desire nor want to do anything but God's will) -- so as not to bring upon yourself that harsh rebuke, 'Cursed be you, for time and power were entrusted to you and you did not use them!'" (The Letters of St. Catherine of Sienna, trans. by Noffke, pp.222-223.)

I might say the same of this Pope. Time and power were entrusted to him and he did not use them.

[ultima ratio]

You seem convinced this new thing is the Church. I beg to differ--it's a new religion altogether. Why do you suppose I follow the SSPX rather than Rome? It has the faith, Rome only has the Pope. We are living in strange times, but this is the hand the faithful have been dealt. The modernists have taken a wrecking-ball and smashed altars and communion rails and doctrines and devotions--anything truly Catholic they could get their hands on. Their wreckage is everywhere--and they're still at it. Yes, Christ promised the gates of Hell would not prevail--but it can do a lot of damage in the interim and only a remnant may survive.