And so the disneyland romanesque style seminary building appeal begins anew, fresh with a new PR campaign. I found it interesting they rounded up an OSB priest and brother (who is an architect) to deliver the appeal along with a smiling Bishop Fellay. The video has all the marks of Mr. Sestak who, by the way, reserved himself the primary commenter spot on the video. A video production, if you will, complete with music that is meant again to draw the senses. I am so tired of the SSPX PR campaigns. This one will likely work well among the laity of the SSPX as more and more, folks willingly follow the pull of the senses. (Wanna buy a ticket for a Mercedes Benz?)
The message this time:
* A "good solid building" can help to inspire the seminarian.
* Formation of a priest is through the "senses"
* A seminarian is formed by the walls around him.
* The building is needed to "speak to the seminarian on a daily basis".
* The new building is necessary to "enable the seminarian to talk to God".
Selling the project through the senses, because the priest if formed through the senses? I can't get there. Certainly a seminarian, a cook, a college student, a tractor operator, needs his senses to hear, see, speak, learn. It seems though the new SSPX is depending more on the message of the senses, the flesh, to develop and lead folks and less on the Holy Ghost, and foundational teaching delivered without compromise. I think of several videos of Bishop Williamson teaching at the seminary in Winona. Solid teaching, full of wisdom. I don't see it in the PR campaign here.
To the extent that we don't know where the money so far has come from, how much has been spent, how much money the SSPX has anyway, in other words, no accounting for funds, it is dubious project at best and a con job at worst. Just two short years ago, the SSPX was on the verge of giving all of their newer building to the local diocese and Bishop Fellay said he had every intention to proceed forward to make the practical agreement happen.
Earlier Cathinfo threads have spoken much about the Virginia seminary project, so perhaps this one can be blended into those by the moderator.
http://www.cathinfo.com/catholic.php?a=topic&t=24035&min=0&num=3http://www.cathinfo.com/catholic.php/Not-to-be-insensitive-but-new-seminary-in-Virginiahttp://www.cathinfo.com/catholic.php/25-million-to-raise-for-New-Seminary-in-Virginia