TradNews Roundup

*Belgian Marxist Priest, an architect of VCII's Gaudium et Spes, and poster child of liberal Catholicism admits to sexually abusing an eight-year-old boy in 1970. Such is the "Spirit of the Vatican II".

*Cardinals Burke and Ranjith appointed to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

*Bishop Fellay states that canonical regularity for the SSPX will be a reality, and that he is optimistic.

TradNews Roundup

Have a very blessed Christmas! God bless!

New Question and Answer added to the Q&A

I was recently asked this question on FaceBook, and have added it to the Ars Orandi Q&A.

Question: Does the author of this blog attend the novus ordo Mass as well as the Traditional Latin Mass?

Answer: No. Why should I? Why would I want to? If I want kitsch in my life, I'll purchase a garden gnome.

"Gather us in, the gnome and the ..."

SSPX Ordinations

Many great photos of the recent SSPX ordinations can be seen here.

Deo gratias!

CDF Statement on Pope's comments about condoms

From VIS:

VATICAN CITY, 22 DEC 2010 (VIS) - Given below is the English-language text of a Note published yesterday afternoon by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, entitled: "On the trivialisation of sexuality. Regarding certain interpretations of 'Light of the World'".

"Following the publication of the interview-book 'Light of the World' by Benedict XVI, a number of erroneous interpretations have emerged which have caused confusion concerning the position of the Catholic Church regarding certain questions of sexual morality. The thought of the Pope has been repeatedly manipulated for ends and interests which are entirely foreign to the meaning of his words - a meaning which is evident to anyone who reads the entire chapters in which human sexuality is treated. The intention of the Holy Father is clear: to rediscover the beauty of the divine gift of human sexuality and, in this way, to avoid the cheapening of sexuality which is common today.

"Some interpretations have presented the words of the Pope as a contradiction of the traditional moral teaching of the Church. This hypothesis has been welcomed by some as a positive change and lamented by others as a cause of concern - as if his statements represented a break with the doctrine concerning contraception and with the Church's stance in the fight against AIDS. In reality, the words of the Pope - which specifically concern a gravely disordered type of human behaviour, namely prostitution (cf. Light of the World, pp. 117-119) - do not signify a change in Catholic moral teaching or in the pastoral practice of the Church.

"As is clear from an attentive reading of the pages in question, the Holy Father was talking neither about conjugal morality nor about the moral norm concerning contraception. This norm belongs to the tradition of the Church and was summarised succinctly by Pope Paul VI in paragraph 14 of his Encyclical Letter 'Humanae vitae', when he wrote that 'also to be excluded is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation - whether as an end or as a means'. The idea that anyone could deduce from the words of Benedict XVI that it is somehow legitimate, in certain situations, to use condoms to avoid an unwanted pregnancy is completely arbitrary and is in no way justified either by his words or in his thought. On this issue the Pope proposes instead - and also calls the pastors of the Church to propose more often and more effectively (cf. Light of the World, p. 147) - humanly and ethically acceptable ways of behaving which respect the inseparable connection between the unitive and procreative meaning of every conjugal act, through the possible use of natural family planning in view of responsible procreation.

"On the pages in question, the Holy Father refers to the completely different case of prostitution, a type of behaviour which Christian morality has always considered gravely immoral (cf. Vatican II, Pastoral Constitution 'Gaudium et spes', n. 27; Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2355). The response of the entire Christian tradition - and indeed not only of the Christian tradition - to the practice of prostitution can be summed up in the words of St. Paul: 'Flee from fornication' (1 Cor 6:18). The practice of prostitution should be shunned, and it is the duty of the agencies of the Church, of civil society and of the State to do all they can to liberate those involved from this practice.

"In this regard, it must be noted that the situation created by the spread of AIDS in many areas of the world has made the problem of prostitution even more serious. Those who know themselves to be infected with HIV and who therefore run the risk of infecting others, apart from committing a sin against the sixth commandment are also committing a sin against the fifth commandment - because they are consciously putting the lives of others at risk through behaviour which has repercussions on public health. In this situation, the Holy Father clearly affirms that the provision of condoms does not constitute 'the real or moral solution' to the problem of AIDS and also that 'the sheer fixation on the condom implies a banalisation of sexuality' in that it refuses to address the mistaken human behaviour which is the root cause of the spread of the virus. In this context, however, it cannot be denied that anyone who uses a condom in order to diminish the risk posed to another person is intending to reduce the evil connected with his or her immoral activity. In this sense the Holy Father points out that the use of a condom 'with the intention of reducing the risk of infection, can be a first step in a movement towards a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality'. This affirmation is clearly compatible with the Holy Father's previous statement that this is 'not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection'.

"Some commentators have interpreted the words of Benedict XVI according to the so-called theory of the 'lesser evil'. This theory is, however, susceptible to proportionalistic misinterpretation (cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter 'Veritatis splendor', n. 75-77). An action which is objectively evil, even if a lesser evil, can never be licitly willed. The Holy Father did not say - as some people have claimed - that prostitution with the use of a condom can be chosen as a lesser evil. The Church teaches that prostitution is immoral and should be shunned. However, those involved in prostitution who are HIV positive and who seek to diminish the risk of contagion by the use of a condom may be taking the first step in respecting the life of another - even if the evil of prostitution remains in all its gravity. This understanding is in full conformity with the moral theological tradition of the Church.

"In conclusion, in the battle against AIDS, the Catholic faithful and the agencies of the Catholic Church should be close to those affected, should care for the sick and should encourage all people to live abstinence before and fidelity within marriage. In this regard it is also important to condemn any behaviour which cheapens sexuality because, as the Pope says, such behaviour is the reason why so many people no longer see in sexuality an expression of their love: 'This is why the fight against the banalisation of sexuality is also part of the struggle to ensure that sexuality is treated as a positive value and to enable it to have a positive effect on the whole of man's being' (Light of the World, p. 119).

I'm satisfied. Now, where are the headlines: "Church Reinforces Teaching that Condoms are Intrinsically Evil" ??

TradNews Roundup

*Another vocations crisis... but of a different sort. Imagine if they had a daily Traditional Latin Mass! They would have filled three convents by now.

*Fr. Gabriel Maria Pelletieri, F.F.I (Franciscans of the Immaculate) on the use of the 1962 missal and breviary.




*FSSP sets up in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Gaudete Sunday in Kinkora, Canada

Courtesy, Mr. Carl Vanderwouden

TradNews Roundup

*Archbishop Schnurr supports efforts to renovate recently closed parish church to be used for the Traditional Latin Mass in Cincinnati. As Rich Leonardi observes, things are getting better in Cincinnati... ever since Archbishop Schnurr took the helm. Deo gratias!

*Bishop Sample of Marquette, Michigan celebrates a Traditional Pontifical Low Mass, and will offer the Traditional Latin Mass monthly in his diocese. Deo gratias!

*A voice of reason, a traditional Catholic in Austria.

Bishop Fellay's Letter to Friends and Benefactors, #77

From Bishop Bernard Fellay of the SSPX:

In this, we follow closely in the path traced out for us by our venerated founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. A luminous path in the midst of the shadows of the most terrible trial that can come to a Catholic: that of finding himself in the situation of contradicting the Roman authorities and even the Vicar of Christ. These forty years are so full of lessons that show just how right Archbishop Lefebvre’s perception was. Of the Council, the causes of the crisis, the decadence of the priesthood, the weakening of the doctrine, the Church’s unprecedented friendliness towards the world and other religions, liberalism. But also of the remedies to be applied, that depend upon fidelity to the doctrine as well as to the plurisecular discipline of the Church. Indeed, we have no inventing to do! The means given by Our Lord to His Church are still as fruitful as ever and they always will be, for they come from God, Our Creator and Savior; the faith and grace surpass all circumstances of time and place, all contingencies, for they essentially surpass human nature, its capacities and its hopes. These means are properly supernatural.

Bishop Fellay stays the course for the SSPX. There's no mention of canonical regularity or the theological discussions. There is, of course, more harsh rhetoric like the example above, which we have come to expect from these letters to benefactors and friends.

While the criticisms of the Church's current leadership are accurate for the most part, one wonders what is accomplished by a stubborn refusal to seek canonical recognition. Why continue to claim obedience to the office and to the principle at the heart of Catholic authority, while at the same time thwarting the very same principle in action? Bishop Fellay is speaking two different things out of either side of his mouth. When the current leadership is so rotten, why does Bishop Fellay deny the Church his leadership?

The whole letter can be read at DICI, here.

TradNews Roundup

*The floodgates are starting to break open. Statement of the Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion, John Hepworth.

*Cardinal Koch calls for a re-approaching of the Second Vatican Council. How many ways can it be approached, Your Eminence?

*"Birth or Not" website a hoax. Just a couple of weird pro-choicers.

*Domenico Cardinal Bartolucci to offer TLM on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in Rome.

*The SSPX's statement concerning the pope's remarks about condoms.

*Pope's imprudent comments about condoms have given ammunition to those promoting pro-death legislation in the Philippines. Clarifications so far are not forthcoming from the pope.

*Three years of Summorum Pontificum; an interview with Msgr. Guido Pozzo, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei (original in German). Disturbingly he makes mention of tinkering yet more with the traditional missal. When will this generation be through with tinkering, and when will Christ's Church be free of their banality?

Pope takes fire from allies over condom comments

The fallout from the pope's imprudent comments about condom use continues. Sandro Magister has an article which contains these gems from those who otherwise have always supported the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI:

"Our Holy Father should stop talking about aberrant sex and talk more about Jesus."

- Christine Vollmer, president of Alliance for the Family and a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

"It seems to many people I know that it is both irresponsible (because it creates confusion in the general populace about the exercise of the papal magisterium) and self-indulgent; self indulgent because it is a case of the Pope retreating to his ‘comfort zone’ of writing and talking while neglecting urgent tasks of governance."

- Professor Luke Gormally, former director of the Linacre Centre for Healthcare Ethics in London and a professor at the Ave Maria School of Law in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

It should be noted that Sandro Magister and too many "Vatican watchers" like him are all for discussing away the Church's teaching about the intrinsic evil of all such acts. While the rebellious children of Vatican II have a "lively debate" the eternal salvation of souls hang in the balance. Their "lively debate" is so much vomit.

To date, no clarification from the pope on this matter. Confusion continues to reign in the midst of the smug arrogance from the theological ivory tower in the middle of the Vatican.