Sadly this is another of the good Bishop's non-conclusory parables.
I do not fault his intentions but, once again we have folks inquiring of each other of what they think he really means.
We are not in a time when ambiguity is a good thing to have.
It is a very grave time in the life of the Church, when men must speak clearly and forthrightly as to exactly what they mean and what they mean should be unmistakable in its intent.
Much of Tradition is confused and confounded. If these clerics wish to comment and thus influence the minds of the faithful, they should not have the luxury of couching their rhetoric in poetic flourishes or vaporous concepts which leave one wondering about the meaning.
The faithful need guidance today, not entertainment. It appears that not many are willing to state clearly something that is irrevocable and by which they must stand.
Forgive my raining on the parade, but this has been a recurring observation.
J.Paul, I disagree. +W has not provided here "entertainment." This is not "ambiguity" or "poetic flourishes or vaporous concepts" or "non-conclusory parables" any way you slice it. That is, unless you think that logic and clear reasoning are somehow tricks of magic.
If that's what you think (someone is trying to play a trick on your mind by stating logical arguments), you're not alone. You would have LOTS of company.
We don't often hear points of doctrine pronounced or sound logic applied to real life these days because it's "politically incorrect" to do so. Politicians get elected when they DON'T make sense to sound and sane thinking about what they say.
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We agree with the first two paragraphs of J Paul; and with the first paragraph of Neil. The Church cannot remain divided to its core into so many halves, or parts thereof. There is no way we can imagine that all the great defenders off the Catholic faith, including Archbishop Lefebvre, Bp De Castro Meyer, Cardinal Ottaviani, Bp desLauiers and others thought that we would STILL be here, 55 years later, trying to convince " the Romans" not to do this think they are about to do!!
We can accept pacifism no more; real souls are being lost to hell every day! Fellay's playing footsie with satan has a tremendous, tremendous cost. They have virtually wiped off the books almost forty four years of priestly training and ordinations under the guidance of Arbp Lefebvre. A thousand priests have now been marginalized, destroyed, compromized or modernized-- and not by the illuminati or the communist intrigued of Bella Dodd or of masonry; but by Bernsrd Fellay, Rostand, Schmidberger, Anglais and their ilk.
Every single Sunday in which this new gospel of Paul VI, Ratzinger and Jorge of peace, LUV, cooperation is preached, the faith of more and more Catholics is being stolen.
It is time for a new paradigm in the battle for souls, and for the Truths of the Catholic faith. It is no longer possible to resist one evil empire, we must br about building God's Kingdom. When the Israelites, our fellow Catholics, were given a leader, we murmured and complained, because we listened to the enemies of God within our very camps.
God has seen fit not to give many Catholic priests, and people , a clear leader-- so what? We've all been taught our faith, and we know what to do. Even though Christ is to "in a little while" leave us, He is always with us. We have His promise that He'll be with the faithful all days-- even unto the end of time! Why do we insist that God give us a leader like Ratzinger or Brogoglio, two evil men who have not the same faith as we, and who have not the same God as we ?
Bishop Williamson is Catholic; and he's traditional; and he's hanging on to something that is no longer there: vestiges of the faith once in Rome still evident only in statuary and museums. Were ABL alive today, he would once again beat the air, proclaiming" these are not just empty words, dear people!" ; "Rome has lost the faith! They have deserted the Church! They have become the enemies of Jesus Christ"! "This is painful, dear people! Yes, this is serious, serious! We have spent forty five years trying to show them the errors! And now we must move on-- we must preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ--in season and out!"
"These are not easy steps, dear faithful. These are not easy times. But we must do that which Our Lord ordains us to do-- to spread His Church. Those who are with us, are with Him. And as He taught us, those who are not against us, are with us!"
Let's get on with the battle and stop the endless debates.