If I give any advice, it's really only worth something insofar as it reflects my own personal experience.

Anything beyond that is mere guessing. At least I admit it!

What I did was become an active member of my SSPX chapel for the 8 years before the SSPX crisis broke. My wife and I both had volunteer positions, I took care of the chant during Holy Week, etc. Both of our positions also involved working with our priest.

We made lots of friends and acquaintances, and most good people at our chapel got to know us and even like us. Some people we just don't get along with -- not necessarily our fault. Remember, some people didn't get along with the saints either (not saying that I'm a saint, but you know what I mean: basically you can't please everyone) And there are always human personality conflicts.

Anyhow, since I had such an entrenched position at the chapel, I could be a bit more bold talking about the SSPX crisis with people. Before long, pretty much everyone knew where I stood, and that there was a Resistance chapel being set up. A few people spread the word to others.

I wouldn't want to be in the position you describe -- someone who comes in for Mass, leaves, and only be known by a few other people. I don't know how I'd spread the word about the Resistance in such a situation. It would be an uphill battle, because people would rightfully ask, "Why should we follow X -- what has he/she done for this chapel? They're an outsider, they never really supported the SSPX to begin with, etc., etc."

Whereas many of our friends at our chapel know that I was in the seminary for 3 1/2 years, we used to stay after Mass to talk to people about CathInfo-type topics for hours, we signed up for the choir the week we joined the chapel, my wife helped with the accounting for several years, etc. We really look like we're involved and truly love the SSPX and our chapel. It makes people stop and think, at least for a minute, before they outright dismiss what we have to say.

Of course some people still probably talk about us behind our backs (supposedly 8 people wrote a letter to Fr. Rostand, which got us both fired), but you can't really stop that. Some people will be jerks no matter what you do.

Thank you Mr & Mrs Matthew,

Just a little more clarification. I'd rather not give too many details, but we ARE rather well known in the Parish. I also believe, we do have a very liberal and cliquey parish.

So, I would have preferred to be a silent witness and wait until people come and ask us. BUT, Father Pfeiffer is coming to town soon, and he is ON FIRE. So he wants us to be on fire as well and go to every corner in town and start shouting from the rooftops.. more or less.

I have talked to the people I know and the best response was : "Yeah, I'll come and listen to what he has to say". The worst (and more common response) is : "We've been in the SSPX for 300 years and quite like it here, so leave us alone". So far, I only know one other couple that is committed to the Resistance. The others are only nosy "bucket kickers".

So where do I start ? Should I even bother trying to wake them up ? Someone must have been there and done that..

Another thing I forgot to add --

Even if you were not "well known" at your parish (I stand corrected that you are well-known, so I'm not talking about you personally here), you could probably organize a flourishing, successful Resistance in your area if your priest is doing anything objectively in the new direction/wrong/liberal.

Contrariwise, if you knew everybody at your chapel, got along well with most people, etc. but your priest is 100% solid as far as doctrine -- opposing modernism/liberalism, nothing at your parish has actually changed (objectively speaking), etc. then good luck getting more than a handful of Resistance supporters!

Necessity is the mother of invention.

I speak from experience here, too.

In nearby Louisiana they have Fr. Portugal. Guess what? They have a flourishing Resistance there! And it hasn't been 18 months in-the-making, either. It was an overnight success.

I guarantee you that the Resistance in my area would be larger if we had a priest like that here.

i would say, dont stick your neck out, it will be severed!  most neosspx people hold an attitude, of what we have we hold, and will not thank you if you appear to want to change that. those with eyes to see, will, however, gravitate towards truth and doctrine, when it is presented to them. i would just let it be known, fr pfieffer is in town, and let people decide for themselves.

That's my thoughts as well. I'm just not sure HOW to let people know that a Resistance priest is in town.

I personally would let "word of mouth" do the job, but it sounds like Fr Pfeiffer wants a different approach. I'm afraid that if we stick to "word of mouth", there will never be a Resistance here, we're too small and insignificant. If we don't get sufficient numbers now, the Resistance will not bother next time, and I couldn't blame them for it either.

It looks like it's now or never.

Nobody,

We have the same kind of parish here that you describe. We left our SSPX chapel months ago and have been wondering how to tell people about what's going on in the SSPX too. We've informed our main acquaintances, but what about the rest?

I have considered mailing out flyers as well, or some kind of brochure, to alert people to the situation. From my experience, it is better to put the reading material into peoples' hands rather than to give them the websites to look it up on their own. People can always find an excuse to avoid finding out about this crisis!

Our entire parish is related so we thought word of mouth would work pretty quick but I still find people stopping us and asking why we aren't at church anymore.

I think mailing out some kind of basic information is a good approach because at least on judgment day they can't turn to you and say, "Why didn't you tell me?" If we do our part and tell others, the rest is up to them as to what they will do.

That being said, I think I'll get busy on those brochures!

Charismatic??

Have you met Fr Hewko? Fr Voigt?

For those looking to rally around Bp Williamson, he sure isn't tossing many "bones".

One of the most fervent supporters in this area had never met any of the "personalities" you've mentioned prior to May 2012.

Quote from: Matthew

"Why should we follow X -- what has he/she done for this chapel?

In my experience, Matthew, the Resistance is a cult of personality built (in the U.S.) around two very charismatic priests and Bishop.  In our area, only those who had a personal attachment to these priests attend.  They have not drawn any new adherents.

If the question you pose is what they ask, it makes my point.  If you are telling me I need to save my soul by joining the resistance, assuming you are not a priest, why in the heck should I care who You are?

In general most of these Trad groups, at least here in the US are very cultish, and that includes the FSSP - which came from SSPX anyway.  I think it is more of an American thing with a few crumbs from Protestantism.  Please do not take offense, these are mere observations of attitudes difficult for me to grasp.  

If you are telling me I need to save my soul by joining the resistance, assuming you are not a priest, why in the heck should I care who You are?

It was not a priest who helped us discern, it was the Holy Ghost.  We had never met any of the Resistance Priests at the time we felt that we needed to stop going to SSPX.  And after meeting Fr. Pfeiffer and he answered a lot of our questions, we were confirmed in our decision.

If you seek Truth, with grace from God, He will lead you to it.  
This whole notion of following everything the priest says as if he is infallible is denying the truth of man's fallen nature, and it is a denial of the cross.