As time has passed in the terrible crisis within the SSPX along with the insurmountable evidence of compromises, lies, secrecies and blatant betrayal from the highest authorities (Bp. Fellay, Fr. Pfluger, Fr. Schmidberger, Fr. Rostand, etc.), much hope or expectancy has been placed on the old-timer priests--most of them formed by Bp. Williamson--as far as having their help to counter-fight the myriads of new language, approaches and actions taken towards the worst enemy of the Church: The Modernists! (Pope Saint Pius X)
Here is "the" very big deception with regard to this hope: Bishop Tissier! In 2012 he was reported as saying that if the deal really goes through, he will retire. He has done nothing against the liberal attacks of Bp. Fellay, thereby seriously compromising the work of Archbishop Lefebvre which is none other than to preserve intact the Catholic Faith. He has even stated he wasn't sure if Archbishop Lefebvre did the right thing in consecrating his "not-too-long-ago friend" Bishop Williamson. Later reports from France have also mentioned Bp. Tissier saying that a "regularization" wouldn't be bad after all [2013]. So there you have it: Bp. Tissier's "engine" has already given signs of having the same problems as his clutch.
Much hope was placed in some really good priests of the SSPX, but many fell short on this hope. I would like to mention some names, but I'm certain you could also have your own list of good priests who have helped you become a Traditional Catholic but who right now have let themselves be silenced. We should feel urged to encourage them as we were once encouraged by them to stand for the Truth.
How in the world could one imagine priests of the caliber of Fr. Peter Scott (my biggest deception after Bp. Tissier), Fr. Morgan, Fr. Robinson, Fr. Cooper, Fr. Novak, Fr. Fox, etc. being muzzled by the liberal dictator from Menzingen???
Mystery of iniquity!
Many are the excuses of these priests... A major one is "obedience" so...
“What should I do? I am told: ‘You must obey. You are disobedient. You do not have the right to continue doing what you are doing, for you divide the Church.’ ” What is a law? What is a decree? What obliges one to obey? “A law,” Leo XIII says, “is the ordering of reason to the common good, but not towards the common evil. This is so obvious that if a rule is ordered towards an evil, THEN IT IS NO LONGER A LAW.” Leo XIII said this explicitly in his encyclical “Libertas.” In other words, a law which is not for the common good is not a law and consequently, ONE IS NOT OBLIGED TO OBEY IT. (Archbishop Lefebvre, Conference in Montreal, Canada, May, 1982).
They are hiding themselves behind a virtuous word (obedience) while viciously acting as cowards.
“A BLIND OBEDIENCE … has little to do with a practice and acceptance of true Catholic Faith… One must understand the meaning of obedience and must distinguish between BLIND OBEDIENCE and the VIRTUE OF OBEDIENCE. Indiscriminate obedience is actually A SIN AGAINST THE VIRTUE OF OBEDIENCE.” (Archbishop Lefebvre, USA, July, 1978).
Some other priests use the word "prudence" to disguise their cowardly silence which enables them to continue on, comfortably ‘taken care of,’ but...
“We’ve had enough of exhortations to be silent! Cry out with a hundred thousand tongues and see that the world is rotten because of silence.” St. Catherine of Siena
Many of them admit [internally] that minimizing Vatican II is wrong. Many of them are against putting the candle under the bushel with regard to condemnations toward Assisi III, for instance. Many of them know now about GREC and the unjust expulsion of Bp. Williamson. Many of them know Religious Liberty is NOT very limited (quite the contrary). Many others know that the agreed upon and signed acceptance of being under the local diocesan bishops is a disgusting betrayal. Many others came to find out Vatican II "enlightens and deepens certain aspects of the doctrine of the Church," and that the New Code of Canon Law is unrestrictedly accepted as well as the legitimacy of the new mass (according to Bp. Fellay and his Doctrinal Declaration). So why are they still silent??
“Not to oppose error is to approve it, and not to defend Truth is to suppress it; and indeed, to neglect to confound evil men when we can do it is no less a sin than to encourage them.” Pope Felix III
“He that sees another in error and endeavors not to correct it testifies himself to be in error.” Pope Leo I
“All the evils of the world are due to lukewarm Catholics.” Pope St. Pius V
“All the strength of Satan’s reign is due to the easygoing weakness of Catholics.” Pope St. Pius X
“When they sin, rebuke them in the presence of all that the rest also may have fear.” 1 Timothy 5:20
Many priests of the SSPX do not interiorly condemn the just resistance and efforts of those fighting the good fight in the open field, but is this enough?
“He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, both are abominable before God.” Proverbs 17:15
Some others hope and wait for a better formation of resistance and the greater assurance of a bishop... Is a structure or even a bishop greater than Truth?
"Do not follow the multitude nor rely yourself on what seems to be of a greater number if, by it, you deviate from the truth." St. Athanasius
Now some Faithful wish for these priests to do something and sometimes even criticize them for not doing anything. But what are they themselves doing about it? Would the SSPX clergy be so lethargic if the laity were standing by and/or speaking up for the Truth?
"The greatest obstacle in the apostolate of the Church is the timidity or rather the cowardice of the Faithful." Pope St. Pius X
"To recoil before an enemy, or to keep silence when from all sides such clamors are raised against Truth, is the part of a man either devoid of character or who entertains doubt as to the truth of what he professes to believe. In both cases such mode of behaving is base and is insulting to God, and both are incompatible with the salvation of mankind."
Pope Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christianae
Some yet try to justify their silence in order to avoid any scandal:
"It is better that the Truth be known than that scandal be covered up." St. Augustine
"In hell, the hottest place is reserved for those who have chosen neutrality in times of crisis." Dante Alighieri
What about those afraid of Menzingen's threatening letters and canonical sanctions?
"Human laws cannot be contrary to the Divine Law from which they derive all their force and efficacy, so that a law which prescribes something morally wrong is no law at all and cannot exert any binding force on the conscience. A parent is bound by natural, Divine, and human law to bring up his children properly." (Manual of Moral Theology, Fr. Thomas Slater, Vol. 1, Book 3, ch. 3)
Is there any doubt that many of these well-formed priests KNOW that “They [neo-SSPX] are blind and leaders of the blind.” And “IF THE BLIND LEAD THE BLIND, BOTH WILL FALL INTO THE PIT.”
"If the Faith is in imminent peril, prelates ought to be accused by their subjects, even in public." St. Thomas Aquinas
“Every Catholic can and must resist anyone in the Church who lays hands on his Faith, the Faith of the Eternal Church, upheld by his childhood catechism. The defense of his Faith is the first duty of every Christian, more especially of every priest and bishop. Wherever an order carries with it the danger of corrupting Faith and morals, “disobedience” becomes a grave duty.” (Archbishop Lefebvre, Letter to Friends & Benefactors, no. 9, 1975).
Let us heartly take Don Bosco's words when he said:
"I do not fear at all what men can do to me for speaking the truth. I only fear what God would do if I were to lie."
"Have courage in your Faith and convictions. The evil ones are the ones who should fear the good not the other way around. ~ St. John Bosco
"Therefore, In God's name! Let us go bravely!" ~ St. Joan of Arc, 1429
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