Agreed. I call it "Dark sedevanctism".
It's precisely what I was calling out with these Traditional priests and clergy themselves. They elevate their theological opinions to the level of dogma. Ironically, I agree with the Dimonds regarding most of their material conclusions, but imposing them on others under pain of heresy is crossing the line into schism. This refusal of communion by Trad clergy based on theological positions is also basically schismatic.
Note to Trad bishops, priests, and Dimond brothers. You have NO authority whatsoever. You are not theologians. You bishops are not part of the
Ecclesia Docens. You priests are not "pastors" over the faithful who attend your chapels (not parishes). Nobody with authority in the Church put you in charge of anything. You basically have the same training as a simple parish priest prior to Vatican II. Even if you're smart and can spin some good syllogisms, you are NOT teachers (much less theologians) NOR pastors NOR anything. You cannot bind other people's consciences with your conclusions. When you get up in the pulpit to preach, you are merely OPINING and your opinion has no more authority than that of any laymen sitting there listening to you. You are not TEACHING as no one has appointed you to teach. YOUR SOLE FUNCTION is to be an emergency extraordinary dispenser of the Sacraments to the Catholic faithful. That's it. As such, the faithful have a right to receive the Sacraments, and you are obligated to make them available to them. Apart from obvious direct contradiction of Catholic dogma ("nah, I don't believe in the Holy Trinity" or "I don't believe in the Real Presence" or "I believe that abortion or sodomy are permissible." ... where there's direct open rejection of Church teaching) YOU CANNOT EXCOMMUNICATE ANYONE by refusing them the Sacraments because they don't agree with your theological take on the Crisis. If you do so, you violate gravely your sole purpose for having been ordained and/or consecrated. You are not better than the faithful nor have you deserved Holy Orders. No man does. Holy Orders are given not for your glory but for the good of the faithful. Even you bishops, you have no more authority than anyone else. You are like auxliaries whose sole purpose is to make available the Sacraments that cannot be had without episcopal consecration (Confirmation, Holy Orders). I've had enough of your petty, puerile, and arrogant nonsense. You harm the Church with this idiocy and bring shame upon Traditional Catholics as a whole. Your petty fighting and turf battles bring shame upon us all. You are of course entitled to your opinion on the Crisis, and you can try to persuade others of it, but that's as far as it goes. You can advise the faithful that you believe they risk their souls by going to +Thuc line clergy for Sacraments, but you may not refuse them the Sacraments for disagreeing with you. You can admonish the
una cuм folks, but you may not refuse them the Sacraments. You may reject Feeneyism at the top of your lungs, but you may not refuse the Sacraments to Feeneyites. You can believe that many NO annulments are invalid, but you may not refuse the Sacraments to those who disagree and who believe their annulments are legitimate. You have NO AUTHORITY to bind ANYONE'S conscience regarding ANY of these matters that have not been authoritatively settled by the Church. You come across like a bunch of 4-year-olds "playing Church". Snap out of this and grow up. You were not made bishops and priests so that you can walk around relishing how the faithful tip their heads out of respect and call you "Father" or "Your Excellency". Many of you would be bagging groceries at Walmart had you not been undeservedly selected to receive Holy Orders for the good of the faithful. Your behavior is a scandal.
OPEN LETTER TO TRAD CLERGY,
Laszlo Szijarto