John, Mark, and Paul were good Catholic men. They had a mother whom they loved dearly, even more so after their father passed away.

They took good care of their mother in her old age, in a way honorable before God and men.

Then, in the spring of 2012, the Black Death made a dreadful re-appearance. It spread rapidly from city to city, and from village to village, tormenting its victims before killing them.

One day, after returning from the grocery store, the mother sat down tired. More tired than usual. Later that day, during dinner with her 3 sons, she began to show unquestionable symptoms of the Black Death.

John covered his mouth with a hankerchief, cried, "I love you, mom!", and ran out the front door. He cried for a while, and found a cave outside the city where he could stay safe from the elements. After a few weeks, the grief and loneliness started to get to him, and he began hallucinating and imagining that he had his mother there in the cave with him.

Paul immediately began crying, and told his mother he would never leave her. He took care of her that night, and contracted the Black Death. He was so alarmed at his condition, he ran off to find a doctor. No one heard or saw him after that.

Mark covered his mouth with a hankerchief, and went outside the house, sobbing. He frantically looked for a doctor who would take care of his mother, but could find none. He returned home, looking in every window of the house and crying.
Nothing would make him happier than to be able to take care of his mother, but his emotions were kept in check by reason. He knew that if he went into her bedroom, he too would contract the dread plague. If he died of the plague, he would be useless to his dear mother. Yelling through the windows, he frequently told his mother how much he loved her, and found food, water, etc. which he left right inside the front door. Eventually he found a doctor who came over to take care of his mother during her last days.



Now the sick mother is the Catholic Church, sick with the plague of Modernism. Just as the Black Death brought certain death to bodies, Modernism brings certain death to a Catholic's faith.

John is the Sedevacantist position.
Paul is the novus ordo position.

Mark is the SSPX.


This parable is based on an analogy by Bishop Williamson.