This speaks to the point made by Bishop Williamson, who asserted that spiritual benefit could be derived from attendance at the Novus Ordo Mass. Now, if I believed that the Novus Ordo Mass were unquestionably valid, then I too might avail myself of receiving Holy Communion there during the week. [In point of fact, I consider it to be positively doubtful and therefore will not receive ... except in danger of death, where doubtful Sacraments may be received if they are all that's available. But, since I am not the Church, I cannot bind someone else's conscience with this personal conviction.] Most Traditional Catholics are not aware that Pope St. Pius X himself gave permission for Catholics living in Orthodox areas to seek the Sacraments from the Orthodox ... provided they took measures to avoid doctrinal contamination and scandal. At the end of the day, it is the Catholic Church which has power over the Sacraments, even those held hostage by schismatics and heretics, so Pope St. Pius X was perfectly right to make this allowance. It's as if he was effectively commanding the Orthodox to provide the Sacraments which properly belong to the Church to faithful Catholics.
Just a few notes on this:
1) Orthodox sacraments are certainly valid.
2) Novus Ordo sacraments? Not so much.
Bringing the Orthodox angle in this scenario muddys the water. The Orthodox liturgy is not defective, it is the schismatic state of the celebrant that prohibits Catholics from going. In the Novus Ordo, not even taking into account the celebrant, the liturgy itself is defective, modernist, and impious. And for a variety of reasons, may even be invalid.
1) St. Pius X may have given permission to receive the sacraments from the Orthodox
2) The scenario we're dealing with in the Novus Ordo is completely different from that of the Orthodox. Permission for X in Y scenario does not equate to permission for A in B scenario.
The OP is looking for validation for his continuing to go to the Novus Ordo sacraments. Bringing up the Bishop Williamson scenario in this thread, while a worthy discussion topic, seems to give that validation. Rather than attempting to dissuade him, or explain the core problem, you're reintroducing a discussion that, obliquely or directly, gives the OP a peg to hang his hat on and an excuse to continue doing what he's doing. Whether you intended it to come across that way or not, that's certainly how I read it.
I agree that the Church alone has power over the sacraments. That's why I don't claim they're invalid. I don't know if they're valid or not, and that's sufficient reason to stay away.
Finally, we're not dealing with an ignorant soul who simply doesn't know any better. We're dealing with someone who claims to know "everything about how the Novus Ordo is deficient" and still goes. If he can do that without sin, and can gain spiritual benefit from his behavior, then the whole trad movement might as well take down their shingles and call it a day. We have no right to do what we're doing.
And as I mentioned before, if you can go to the Novus Ordo on Wednesdays with a clean conscience, then you have no business breaking Church law and going to an unapproved venue (SSPX) on Sundays.
Topic: I have a question (Read 1984 times)