Sounds about right ... though not so sure that it's unintentional.

Tom was in the objective order of things a true Catholic giant of the late 20th and early 21st Century, albeit one seemingly almost forgotten in his later years as he quietly lay on his "bed of thorns."  He also led a perhaps not surprisingly modest, pious, and ascetical life.  Let us pray that he makes it into heaven without much delay, if any.  God only knows how many countless souls his work helped so magnificently in arriving at their heavenly destination and still helps to this day.  For my part, I can hardly begin to say how much I have really benefited from TAN books, the 4 volume Mystical City of God to name just one.

He was my Dad's uncle. He was like a second father and/or godfather to me. He taught me to serve Mass, taught me (advanced) Catechism class with lots of digressions into the (((money system))) and other important topics. You might say he gave me my first "red pills". I thoroughly enjoyed and looked forward to his catechism classes. He always wanted to teach the oldest kids (which I can relate to now, frankly). He was highly educated. If he had a weakness, it was impatience -- again, I can relate. He was my example of someone outside my immediate family who was grown up and yet still a devout faithful Catholic -- his example definitely affected me. I wanted to be more like him than my dad -- and my dad was the first to agree with that.

He was my great-uncle, but our relationship was more like a close godfather, or a grandpa you were very close to and spent a lot of time with. He used to pick me up at 5:30 in the morning to go practice serving Mass (6:00 AM) and then I'd accompany him on his Saturday errands, coming home around 12:00. It was my idea, too! I really wanted to serve Mass, and I enjoyed "hanging out" with him on those Saturdays. I was 12 at the time.

I can still remember the sung Masses at our chapel -- Fr. Slupski would sing with his rich, operatic voice and Tom Nelson sang the response in a much plainer tone, with no vibrato. (I really got spoiled by how well a priest should sing!)

My life would be horribly, drastically different today if Tom Nelson hadn't started that chapel which I grew up in. Or if I hadn't made so much good use of that chapel. The priest he brought in (Fr. Frank Slupski) was another huge influence on me, especially at a very critical and vulnerable time in my life as a young adult. Saying "he changed my life" sounds dramatic and cliche, but it couldn't be more true. That few months I spent before entering the seminary, reading for hours a day from the "seminarian packet" of 175 lbs of TAN Books (free of charge for seminarians, priests), part of the "mission program", set me on a course that I'm still following today. And how could I place a value on the independent Trad chapel I grew up in? The sacraments, weekly and daily Mass, etc.? I experienced SO MANY Benedictions of the Blessed Sacrament, served so many Masses. That also changed me forever. And the two of them (Tom Nelson and Fr. Slupski) together pointed me to Bishop Williamson, the 3rd huge influence on my life.

My family wouldn't have made it, economically, without those early lessons about the Money System, how they control us with debt, etc. I knew this stuff as a *teenager* thanks to Tom Nelson.

Not to mention my parents MET at TAN Books & Publishers. So yeah -- I owe Tom Nelson a huge debt of gratitude.

And yes, Tom was very pious. He prayed a lot after every Mass. And his valuation of the Tridentine Mass (and the Traditional Movement, the Catholic Faith) rather rubbed off on me. He did live very simply. His house was inherited from his parents -- he was the youngest of 5 children. That house was in the absolute WORST area of my hometown. Not exactly flexing or showing off wealth. He had a nice car, which he explained was necessary because he was the head of a company employing 100 people, and their livelihoods depended on him. I think he just wanted a good quality German car he wouldn't have to worry about breaking down. He wore a suit, like many of his generation, again due to his dignity. But he would also wear jeans on occasion when it was time to do manual work, etc. He was very social and affable. He loved to tell stories and interesting anecdotes.

Many of my aunts and uncles (on Dad's side of the family) had problems with discipline, like many Irish (even though they were 4th generation Irish -- go figure!) Tom employed many of them at one time or another, and usually it didn't work out. The nepotism led to them being entitled, not working hard, etc. And he feared I would turn out like them. He was probably right. So a couple days after my graduation from High School, he agreed with his "general manager" to fire me from TAN Books. I wasn't able to apply myself to tasks I didn't want to do (for example, vacuuming a floor). I didn't have a good work ethic yet. But it was all part of God's plan, and Tom absolutely did the right thing. It's like God told him what to do during prayer, and he did it.

But he wasn't done with me! After I was dismissed from the Seminary 8 years later (obviously much more mature, having a lot more discipline, etc.) Tom didn't hesitate to give me a job again. It's how I got started in part 2 of my software development career -- as a web developer.

P.S. The TAN in TAN Books stands for Thomas A. Nelson -- not "Tuum Adoramus Nomen" as ret-conned by Saint Benedict Press. Their lame attempt to un-person the founder of the company they purchased is cringe.

Excellent post. Do you have the full email from Menzingen that you could share?

No, only the testimony of the crazy Novus Ordo "priest" who called Econe / Menzingen, to report our TikTok activities. I also messed up the timeline, the NO priest reporting us to Menzingen coincided with the original TikTok post, but wasn't a direct response.

The NO priest started by claiming online that we (Resistance) are "Muttermörder" (Matriciders), since we are "killing the Mother Church" (masonic Rome). Again, they're trying to claim that they "barely tolerate" the SSPX, in order to get the SSPX "back into full communion", whatever, they don't get it. 

He's not the smartest, poor soul. What is however interesting, is that he called Econe and they even picked up the phone (Lefebvre would have just laughed and hanged up). I usually don't like to make private chats public, but in this instance, the priest himself even gave permission (he was so proud that he could bully Econe). "A fool tells everyone he is a fool."

Here are the chats, with translated messages below. Apparently the NO Priest didn't know the difference between "SSPX" and "SSPX Resistance" and thought calling Menzingen would have any effect.



Blue: [...] You are labeling an inhomogenous group "matriciders", although there isn't even a consensus among our group?

NO Priest: I will be calling the district superiors of the FSSPX tomorrow anyway. I spoke to Econe on the phone today, and they were NOT enthusiastic about it. In fact, they advised me to put an end to this business with these “youngsters.”




Crazy NO priest: "I called Econe yesterday and they weren't very enthusiastic either, and they urgently referred me to Father Pfluger. But give him a call. I already told him your name (at least your first name). He's considering looking in the confirmation register from June 29, and since I also know your girlfriend's name, which I told him (if I'm not mistaken, she has a Turkish name (Tugce) and another name (Eva), although I wasn't sure about that, he won't have any problem. So, as I said, give him a call. I'm sure he'll be happy to hear from you."

Blue: "Are those threats? You are welcome to point out my mistakes :)"





Unrelated guy: Uh bro I am supposed to tell you that Michael called Econe. You should also tell the others.

Blue: we don't really care




Crazy NO Priest: "Today, I spoke on the phone with Father Pfluger (District Superior of the FSSPX) for an hour and honestly addressed everything, including my statements made in anger. Conclusion: All statements made on certain platforms in the name of the Society of St. Pius X are not and do not belong to their official statements! All groups or individuals acting in their name are acting without mandate or function!"


---

Anyway. After that, the "distancing" from the SSPX happened (instead of distancing themselves from this unhinged "priest", like any sane person). Oh well. Welcome to 2025, where we don't even have to hack computers to leak any E-Mails, these people are so proud of threatening us that they post it publicly. Now we have hacked leaks of clergy officials with Emoji characters in between them. I hate this timeline so much, it's not even funny anymore.

Stay away from the Novus Ordo, stay away from the SSPX. I would puke rather than take communion from Fr. Pfluger. Poor soul, may God have mercy on him.

Also, here is our "extremely offensive" TikTok edit (warning, don't watch, you will die instantly): https://www.tiktok.com/@777cogi777/video/7525138073311661334

I benefited greatly from the books he put out as did so many others.

Isn’t all this travel not very environmental friendly?  Most laity are struggling financially.

Who cares about “environmentally friendly?” Isn’t a pilgrimage on foot? How is that offensive to the envirodeity?  
Unless they live nearby, SSPX laity from other countries going on this pilgrimage can afford the airfare, the expenses involved, so these, at least, aren’t struggling financially. I know a number of traditional Catholics, SSPX, Resistance, Sedevacantist, etc. who are doing very well when it comes to finances. I also know a fair number who are barely hanging on, relying on the charity of fellow trads and on whatever government benefits they can receive. Most, in my estimation, are somewhere in between, maybe towards the lower end if they have many young children not old enough to work. Much depends upon their location and type of work done or available. Some of these we don’t see regularly at Mass because it is too far to afford the weekly trip, their vehicle won’t make it, and they can’t move closer because chapels tend to be in more expensive areas near major airports. The cheapest housing is in the middle of nowhere!