"It is...Our will that Catholics should abstain from certain appellations which have recently been brought into use to distinguish one group of Catholics from another. They are to be avoided not only as 'profane novelties of words,' out of harmony with both truth and justice, but also because they give rise to great trouble and confusion among Catholics. Such is the nature of Catholicism that it does not admit of more or less, but must be held as a whole or as a whole rejected: 'This is the Catholic faith, which unless a man believe faithfully and firmly; he cannot be saved' (Athanasian Creed). There is no need of adding any qualifying terms to the profession of Catholicism: it is quite enough for each one to proclaim 'Christian is my name and Catholic my surname,' only let him endeavour to be in reality what he calls himself." -- Pope Benedict XV, Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum 24 (1914)

Sunday, January 31, 2016

By Their Rotten Fruit We Can Know Them

If you were the devil how would you spend your time? Who would you work on? I would target the clergy because if you get one of them you're likely to get many of their flock. Satan tempted Jesus so he has no problem going after a priest. I believe clergy are under constant attack and sadly some of them fall.

There are three types of Catholics today: those who believe we're in a major crisis caused by the changes since the last council, those who believe the crisis is because we haven't made enough changes, and those who wonder what the other two are talking about ('What crisis?'). Pope St. Pius X saw this crisis coming and labelled it Modernism. He even made the newly ordained take an oath against it. Sixty years later that oath was removed for some reason.

Fr. Richard Heilman references the first major crisis in describing the current one. I don't know how Arius came to the conclusion Jesus wasn't divine, but he managed to convince eighty percent of the clergy into thinking likewise. Judas was the first clerical traitor; Luther perhaps the most effective. Since we've always had them it's unlikely the Church is without clerical traitors today.

No one is born a traitor to the Church. At some point they turn, succumbing to the temptations of the Enemy.

Dr. Bella Dodd was once a great enemy of the Church; Archbishop Sheen helped get her back. If her testimony is to be believed then while a communist, she helped get eleven hundred fellow communists into the seminary with the purpose of undermining the faith. Why would she lie about that? If true then it's likely some of those clergymen were at Vatican II in positions of authority and/or influence.



Vatican II was the first ecumenical council called for no specific reason in particular. It was to be a pastoral council to create a new language to relate to the modern world. It wasn't in defence of heresy like Nicea was to Arianism or Trent was to Luther. It should have focused on the heresy of Modernism but perhaps that will be tackled by Vatican III. Two years of consultations prior to the council created an agenda that was scrapped on the first day primarily by a small group from the Rhineland. Their first target was the liturgy.

A good priest once told me Vatican II was necessary but occurred at the worse possible time. Europe was still recovering from the horrors of fascism (including a subconscious guilt of anti-semitism) North America was engulfed by materialism, Communism was at its peak, and the Sexual Revolution was just around the corner. The liturgy which had grown slowly and organically since the Passion had been bottled up for four centuries. It's reported that Pope Paul VI would later say a window was opened to let in some fresh air but the smoke of Satan blew in instead.

Another good priest once told me we are to judge events by their fruit. How then are we to judge Vatican II - a pastoral council with ambiguous documents? Pope Benedict XVI said we misinterpreted the documents; the intended fruit is yet to ripen.

I've been told when all the changes were made the laity didn't challenge them because Catholics were to pray, pay, and obey. They didn't have the Internet back then so when the altar rails were ripped out in the 'spirit of Vatican II' who could have known otherwise? That's not the case today, so when your new pastor decides to start a yoga class you should object. If he seems fixated on unCatholic change you should oppose him.



As a church it's time to have a family chat. We need to be honest, thorough, and loving. We need to look at the state of the Church today and agree we're in a major crisis. We need to accept that most of the changes made in the 'spirit of Vatican II' are rotten. We need to look at each other (clergy and laity) and increase our faith, hope, and charity through fraternal correction. It's no longer acceptable to pretend everything's ok, that everyone's nice, that the Church is exempt from treachery.

Most of us were poorly catechized, That's the past. The future will be determined by what we do today. We have all the tools necessary to catechize ourselves and those around us. You can order the Baltimore Catechism from Amazon and study it in a small group of family members or fellow parishioners. You can subscribe to Church Militant and learn the faith from the computer you're reading this blog on. You have a duty to inform yourself.

Since the Church draws her power from the liturgy we also need to acknowledge its role in our faith formation. The old expression rings true: Lex Orandi Lex Credendi Lex Vivendi (As we worship so we believe and live). Yes the Ordinary Form is valid and can be offered reverently. However, to appreciate its richness requires a solid formation built by proper catechesis. How many pewsitters today know the Mass is the bloodless re-presentation of Calvary? How many think it's a happy community event designed to make us feel good about ourselves and each other? If the liturgy is being abused it's possible other abuses are occurring.


Of course it's preferable to attend one's local parish but if your spiritual needs are not being met then the prudent thing to do is go parish shopping. If the pastor never talks about sin, salvation, or the devil, then you need to leave. If the homily is always a version of "God loves you; Love one another" then leave. The church may be full on Sunday but if the confessional is empty the afternoon before then chances are many souls are perishing.

For those without the means of transportation to another parish or live in a small town then not making your Sunday Obligation isn't an option. You need to speak to your pastor, then maybe the bishop, and as a last resort write a letter to Rome. You suffer through bad liturgy and sappy homilies, offering it up, thinking of our Crucified Lord, but you don't condone error. We all have a responsibility to help as many souls get back to Heaven, including those entrusted with keeping us out of Hell.

The Church has survived every crisis and as its Founded told us the gates of Hell will not prevail. The good news is the generation that made all the rotten changes is dying and going to their Judgement. Pray for them and know that your own fate is yet to be determined. What will you say to our Lord at your Judgement when He asks, "What did you do with the Gift of Knowledge I gave you?".


10 comments:

  1. Nice start, keep up the good work.

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  2. Excellent article but I'd have to disagree with recommending "Church Militant" to readers. They recently posted a video with a false translation meant to convince viewers that their false translation was what Pope Francis "REALLY meant." That is very dangerous. I can think of better places to learn our faith without being tempted to schism through "Church Militant."

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  3. Excellent article but I'd have to disagree with recommending "Church Militant" to readers. They recently posted a video with a false translation meant to convince viewers that their false translation was what Pope Francis "REALLY meant." That is very dangerous. I can think of better places to learn our faith without being tempted to schism through "Church Militant."

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  4. Jenny I agree with you. Be aware of Church Miltant, it seems this guy has gone rouge and it isn't a good thing to follow it too closely or if at all. It's located here in Michigan and many of us stay away.

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  5. Excellent Articles As Catholics We Should Know The Holy Traditions Of Holy Mother Church.We Should Also Be Aware Of The Abuses And Heretical Teachings Of Those Who Wish To Betray Her May The Mystical Body Of The Church On Earth And In Heaven Guide Us On To Our Eternal Home In Heaven God Bless John Ambrose Carmelite Hermit.

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  6. "He even made the newly ordained take an oath against it. Sixty years later that oath was removed for some reason."

    A repackaged Modernism had taken over the Church during the council. A new Modernist Lex Credendi had emerged triumphant. Why would those who are now in charge allow an oath against this New Order? The Oath had to go (1967). On Holy Thursday, April 3, 1969, Paul VI promulgated the Novus Ordo. It became the centerpiece for the new Modernist Lex Orandi. And the rest is history.

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  7. Lay Catholics beware : Fr.Laureat Basanese S.J will interpret Vatican Council II with Cushingism instead of Feeneyism to protect himself and tell you a lie
    http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.it/2016/02/lay-catholics-beware-frlaureat-basanese.html

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  8. Rahner's Anonymous Christian is main line Catholic theology : coming back full circle
    http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.it/2016/03/when-fr.html

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  9. When Pope Benedict 'breaks his silence' it usually is to please the Masons?

    When Pope Benedict 'breaks his silence' it seems as if he has to say something to please the Masons, liberals and disssenters.He does not 'break his silence' to affirm traditional teachings of the Church. He did not 'break his silence' to say that Amoris Laetitia contradicts Veritatis Splendor of Pope John Paul II which he approved as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
    He has said that the Message of Fatima was complete (May21,2016) even though the magisterium officially recognises that Our Lady said that 'the dogma of the faith will be lost' ( in future) 'except in Portugal'.This indicates that there will be an apostasy in the Church and the apostasy will extend to even the pope.
    Then a few months back he said that the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus (EENS) is no more like it was in the 16th century. In other words it has been changed.He means that when he assumes hypothetical cases mentioned in Vatican Council II,are objectively known in 2016 , the dogma EENS can be changed.The dogma EENS would have 'practical exceptions'. He calls this change 'a development'.
    When he breaks his silence he is politically correct with the Left, who represent Satan.In both cases here, extra ecclesiam nulla salus and Fatima, there seems something wrong or there is a false hood.
    Our Lady said the dogma of the faith will be lost. We know the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus has been lost. Pope Benedict in the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to extra ecclesiam nulla salus as an aphorism (846) even though it is a dogma defined by three Church Councils.Now Pope Benedict officially and in public 'breaks his silence' to tell us that the dogma has been lost as it was known over the centuries.It has also been lost by assuming what is invisible is visible and mixing up what is implicit as being explicit.This is the irrational reasoning used to get rid of the dogma and this is a dogma which is at the centre of the Church's de fide teachings on other religions, ecumenism, religious liberty, liturgy etc.

    http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.it/2016/05/when-pope-benedict-breaks-his-silence.html

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