So Many Questions---So Few Answers
So Many Questions---So Few Answers
Much discussion has been going on concerning the recent talk given by H.E. Bp. De Galeretta in which he presents the idea of an almost seemingly inevitable “no strings attached” recognition by Rome of the Society of Saint Pius the X. The big selling point for many has been that the SSPX will not have to concede anything or compromise anything which concerns the Faith to obtain this recognition.
One of the SSPX priests, Rev. Father Marc Vernoy of Sanford Florida, recently stated in a sermon that to refuse this offer from Francis would be a mortal sin as Francis is the Pope and the highest authority. Therefore to refuse is not on the table for discussion according to him. He also made it clear that those who were not for this recognition were not welcomed in his Church anymore. Strong words, but following that line of thinking I would ask just where does such obedience lead, even what looks to be blind obedience, or where does it take us if we follow it? (*sermon found below)
The offer as it has been presented sounds rather appealing for those who want to be in union with Rome or more specifically with Conciliar Rome, as the SSPX has always been in union with Eternal Rome as long as they have maintained the Faith as it had been handed down for two-thousand years.
However with this recognition should come many questions; presented below are just a few.
In the conciliar church, and even before it was conciliar Rome, in each diocese is it not proper procedure for each church under Rome, to send a percentage of what they collect each Sunday to their respective diocese who in turn sends a percentage of that money to Rome? If this is the case what will the SSPX have to give to Rome from their collection plates every Sunday in order to stay within the monetary protocol which is required by all Catholic churches which fall under Rome? Will they have to send a percentage to the diocese in which each SSPX chapel finds itself or will the monies simply be taken out of that percentage which is sent to the SSPX Mother-house and then be sent to Rome? It seems highly unlikely that they will not be obliged to send a portion of their collections, one way or another to conciliar Rome.
The faithful of the SSPX have to ask themselves if they wish to support financially conciliar Rome.
The second question which comes to mind regards the structures owned by the SSPX such as churches, priories, seminaries and convents. When the SSPX was being built from the ground up by its faithful priests and laity, those same people, once they had saved enough to purchase a chapel were required to turn the titles of the chapels over to the SSPX.
If the SSPX is recognized by Rome will Rome ask the same of the SSPX as the SSPX asked of the faithful? Will Rome hold the titles to all the chapels, convents and so forth of the newly recognized Society? If so the question that must be asked is do you trust those in Rome to have full control over all the properties of the SSPX? Do you trust your chapel to be in the hands of conciliar Rome?
Under the prelature between the Opus Dei and Rome (the only prelature in conciliar Rome) Rome retains the rights over all their properties, will this be the same for the SSPX?
129S1 The Prelature and its territories endowed juridical personality possess, administer, and dispose of temporal goods according to the norm of law in keeping with prescriptions established by the Prelate.
129S2 Of all the goods, wherever they come from, which can be ascribed to the Prelature, only those are to be considered truly ecclesiastical by law which in fact have been ascribed already to the Prelature by the Prelate.
Statutes of the Opus Dei HERE
The draft which was presented fort the SSPX by Cardinal Levada in 2012 stated:
If the SSPX does not have to hand over the titles of what they physically own to Rome the next question is---if the SSPX is under the control of Rome as they will be once they are recognized, is it not in Rome’s hands to decide if any particular church, seminary, priory and so on of the SSPX should remain open? Do they not have the right to order the closing of those churches or convents as they see fit? Could they not decide that church A does not have enough parishioners to warrant the expense of keeping it open, or simply to close it for any reason which suits them?
Some questions of a more spiritual and Doctrinal nature: Following the advice of Father Vernoy who claims it would be a mortal sin if we did not accept the recognition Rome is offering under the banner of Francis’ authority, one must ask, would it then also be a sin to deny the authority of Rome who will have the right to decide what can and cannot be taught in the seminaries and preached from the pulpit once a recognition is given?
If it is a sin to deny the highest authority which is Francis that the SSPX be recognized, will Francis accept the SSPX telling him no to his moral authority over what they teach and what they preach and will the Society tell Francis no if they are commanded to alter what is currently taught in exchange for a more liberal more modern curriculum in the seminaries or in the guidelines concerning what they preach? If we follow the advice of Fr. Vernoy to its logical conclusion we have to say we must do as Francis says because he is the authority in these matters and to deny him would be a mortal sin.
Are the faithful and are the priests willing to take these risks? Can the SSPX once recognized continue to be recognized if they deny Francis and or, those who will be directly in charge of the newly recognized Society when those in authority over them begin to put the pressure on them to give in to their will? After all will not Rome use authority over Truth to get their way? Of course they will, that is exactly how they implemented Vatican II and the people followed and the clergy followed all under the guise of obedience.
And what is the will of Rome at this time? We know from the discussions between the SSPX and Rome that the two sides do not agree on Doctrine. Both sides admitted this, agreeing in the end to disagree while continuing to find ground on which to build some way to come together. Can light and darkness, Truth and error be mixed? Can they find a common ground on which to live together? The answer is obvious.
Would Archbishop Lefebvre agree to put the SSPX into the hands of an unconverted Rome? Perhaps that is an answer only God ultimately knows, but an educated guess might be----no, not while they remain outside of the Faith. Authority is never above Truth. One need not have the superior wisdom of the Archbishop to understand that this is a recognition in which the only winner is conciliar Rome. Tradition gains nothing from it; in fact it only stands to lose everything under such circumstances. If this is what the faithful and priests and bishops want then they desire the suicide of Tradition. Do they do so knowingly, willingly? Only God can answer that.
They say we must go forward and trust in God, but this trust appears more like presumption. It has all appearances of one playing Russian roulette with a loaded gun pointed at Tradition.
These are only a few questions which arise from the “no strings attached” recognition Rome is offering.
A Concerned Crusader of the Immaculate Heart
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bill on
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Dawn Marie said: "They say we must go forward and trust in God, but this trust appears more like presumption. It has all appearances of one playing Russian roulette with a loaded gun pointed at Tradition."
I had this same concern when I listened to Fr Vernoy's sermon (the Chapel where I assist at Mass falls under his jurisdiction). I was soooo willing to give benefit of doubt as to intention: Fr says, in effect, we must see the Finger of God here. I trust God's Providence. And I'm not smart enough, I don't possess the necessary discernment, to say if this situation is Providential or diabolical. I mean, how many Traditional Societies who followed the same path were immasculated when they reached their destination?
I've never been pleased or impressed by the The good Father, and his bullying over the years has caused me to lose much respect for him that I really do desire to have. He has wreaked much havoc in my little corner of the Sunshine State.
Let him push us out of the Chapels we've supported for so many years. Fr Jenkin's is just up the road. I don't relish that thought, and as they say the slope is slippery.
Father, we beg you: show the same militancy towards the Roman traitors as you do towards the flock under your protection. Our salvation depends on it. We don't wish to be cut in half straddling razor wire!
St Philomena, St Dominic Savio, Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
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Permalink Reply by Dawn Marie on
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Amen+
Bill said:
Father, we beg you: show the same militancy towards the Roman traitors as you do towards the flock under your protection. Our salvation depends on it. We don't wish to be cut in half straddling razor wire!
St Philomena, St Dominic Savio, Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
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