Author Topic: Guidelines for the Resistance (Read 1769 times)

Matthew · « **on:** November 18, 2012, 11:26:09 PM »

I have one question for all the members on CathInfo.

When it comes to the Crisis in the SSPX, what are we after? What do we truly seek?

(No need to answer publicly. I want you to ask yourself this, keeping in mind that you should be honest with yourself!)

A) The greater glory of God, the salvation of the greatest number of souls, full freedom for Catholic Tradition, a renaissance of the Catholic Faith, the vanquishing of liberal and judaizing tendencies from the SSPX, etc.
In short, the triumph of the Truth and God's cause.

B) An indulgence of selfish desires, including pride, showing off our wit, catharsis/satisfaction for the frustration we've experienced via attacking those who have attacked us, etc.
In short, a human venting of our anger and frustration against those who have wronged us.

Personally, I'm all about A) and am completely willing to toss B) in the rubbish bin where it belongs.

So each post we make on CathInfo should be judged by the above standards: Does it further Goal A or Goal B? If you claim that your primary intention is Goal A, but all your posts tend to serve Goal B, isn't that a problem?

A few examples:
A photoshop "meme" image of Fr. Rostand or Bishop Fellay with a witty rebuke emblazoned on it. Does this REALLY help the true Resistance to the encroachment of Liberalism into the SSPX? Or does it give Fr. Rostand an excuse -- or even a legitimate reason -- to complain that CathInfo is a den of evil?
I'm not against using graphics altogether, but they are subject to the same criteria (i.e., do they further Goal A or Goal B?)

Sharing experiences, reports from your chapel, etc.? I'd say this furthers Goal A.

Look at Bishop Williamson's example. Even when it is patently obvious who he is referring to, he choses to remove all names because A) everyone knows who he is talking about, B) he wants to emphasize that it isn't a personal issue or dispute, but rather a question of principles and doctrine.

Now most of us are probably pursuing both goals, to a greater or lesser extent. Hopefully we are 95% or higher motivated towards Goal A, but I'm sure most of us throw a bone to Goal B from time to time. Motives, for human beings, are usually mixed as well as mysterious.

It's not about submitting to scare tactics, compromising, ceding ground, or shutting up. It's about remembering that we are Catholic and that we shouldn't BECOME OUR ENEMY which is classic, recurring human behavior. If you are being persecuted, take care that you don't fall into the trap of becoming as bad as -- or worse than -- your persecutor.

The saints spoke plainly and clearly against error. They didn't allow themselves to fall into the prideful trap of creating witty tracts against their adversaries. They attacked their opponents' errors with dignity, decorum, and within the bounds of Catholic morality. They didn't mince words, but there was a certain line they didn't cross. We should do the same.

I am going to start being more proactive about pointing this out in the future. When I see posts that seem to belong more on Traditio or Mr. Hugh Dolan's website (which I do not promote or approve), I will add a comment to the thread, and/or PM the author.

Hopefully we can all handle this, especially considering the shock of the current situation should have worn off by now.

Matthew · « **Reply #1 on:** November 18, 2012, 11:30:47 PM »

Overall, though, I think CathInfo is already doing a good job of this.

I'll give credit where credit is due: We are not Traditio. We don't throw around disrespectful terms -- true name calling -- "Bernie Fellay" and such.

Saying "Bishop Fellay is a dictator." might seem "harsh" to those on the Accordista side -- but if that's the idea you're trying to convey, and that seems to be the reality you observe, then using the word has a legitimate purpose.

If you change every passing reference to Bishop Fellay into something like "Dictator Fellay", then you're crossing the line.

Devonshire · « **Reply #2 on:** November 18, 2012, 11:48:11 PM »

Well said Matthew, well said.

Hobbledehoy · « **Reply #3 on:** November 18, 2012, 11:48:42 PM »

Prudence is the moderatrix of the moral virtues, and it is by an earnest and thorough self-examination that we are to discern whether it is the love and zeal for the glory and honor of Our Lord and of His Holy Church that motivates our endeavors to confute the accusations and false assertions of others regarding our person. In defending ourselves and exposing the errors of our opponents, we are ever to speak and write with utmost prudence and discretion, and be propelled to do so by divine and fraternal charity.

It behooves us to pay special heed to the first point in the Moral Reflections given by Rev. Father Cornelius J. Ryan in his commentary upon the Gospel lesson for the Mass of the twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, found in The Gospels of the Sundays and Festivals with an Introduction, Parallel Passages, Notes and Moral Reflections (Vol. II; Dublin: Browne and Nolan, Ltd., 1921).

JMacQ · « **Reply #4 on:** November 19, 2012, 06:44:00 AM »

Quote from: Matthew

It's about remembering that we are Catholic and that we shouldn't BECOME OUR ENEMY which is classic, recurring human behavior. If you are being persecuted, take care that you don't fall into the trap of becoming as bad as -- or worse than -- your persecutor.

:applause:

Machabees · « **Reply #5 on:** November 19, 2012, 02:52:55 PM »

Thank you Matthew. I am glad you wrote this.

The above "A)" is the only reason I visit your site -Cathinfo;

For each person to be proactive for the true cause of God, not only will you be a better person, for your own salvation, and for the edification of your neighbor, this crisis and all crises would be over very quick.

Our Father Who Art In Heaven...Thy Will Be Done...On Earth As It Is In Heaven...

Instaurare omnia in Christo...

Columba · « **Reply #6 on:** November 19, 2012, 03:55:23 PM »

Quote from: Matthew

Now most of us are probably pursuing both goals, to a greater or lesser extent. Hopefully we are 95% or higher motivated towards Goal A, but I'm sure most of us throw a bone to Goal B from time to time. Motives, for human beings, are usually mixed as well as mysterious.

Motives are very important for our salvation but are difficult to judge. It is common to subjectively judge one's own motives and those of allies as superior to those of adversaries. Sticking to assertions that are supported by evidence and arguments free of misdirection are the probably best objective means of safeguarding one's own motives.

brotherfrancis75 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 19, 2012, 08:34:52 PM »

We have here several distinct problems mixed together in a somewhat confusing way. On the one hand there are problems of bad manners as distinct from bad morals. To be rude or frivolously mocking against those who are malicious slanderers shows less than proper Catholic good manners. But to be malicious shows bad morals and is much worse than bad manners. Bad morals and bad manners are not equivalent mistakes.

Then there is the problem of exactly what sin is being identified. The moral failing in others of the malice of slander is by no means equivalent with the malice in others of apostasy. So what exactly is the moral imperfection in Fr. Rostand and Bishop Fellay that we are criticizing? Is it slander between Catholics that would call for our prudent forbearance or is it rather apostasy that motivates unjust acts of hatred against Catholics by non-Catholic apostates that would call for quite another kind of response? If the actual problem is one of apostasy, then our response would not be one of prudent forbearance but rather one of quite active ostracism and proscription.

Many have pointed out that the essential evil of men like Fr. Rostand and Bishop Fellay is indeed that they are apostates who therefore by definition bear an intense unreasoning hatred against the Catholic faith and faithful, not merely that they are sometime slanderers of an occasional Catholic victim of their wagging tongues. Apostates can not be dealt with by the same means that we rightly use to deal with slanderers. The normal and appropriate prudent means for censuring apostasy is active and thorough ostracism and proscription, not a passive forbearance.

Therefore Fr. Rostand and Bishop Fellay require from us consistent and unflagging acts of ostracism and proscription against them. Roman Catholics should not socialize or associate with apostates and for us to do so is to invite needless suffering and injustice against our families, our friends and ourselves. By now it should be obvious to Catholic readers that solitude is often the portion of virtuous Christians, but we should never forget that such solitude is a great blessing by which the Good Lord often protects us from many misfortunes and sufferings much worse than the sacrifices of holy Christian solitude. To be alone with our fellow Catholics is to be alone with our God and to avoid the likes of Fr. Rostand and Bishop Fellay is to avoid many of the miseries of the Devil and his wretched fellow apostates.

Apostasy is an active and senseless hatred of our holy religion and because of that apostates will always commit deeds of cruelty and persecution against Catholics whenever the opportunity arises for them to do so. For the sake of our fellow Catholics we should have no illusions about this. In effect, those whom the Devil would destroy he first drives mad and Catholics who foolishly associate with mad apostates will be dragged down into the depths with them. In so far as possible we should seek out our fellow Catholics and shun apostates like Fr. Rostand and Bishop Fellay as if they were the very kiss of death, because in truth that is exactly what they are for us.

AntiFellayism · « **Reply #8 on:** November 19, 2012, 08:42:01 PM »

"The declared enemies of God and of the Church should be defamed as much as possible, provided we don't lack the truth it is a charitable act to shout: 'Here's the wolf!' Whether he is in the flock or anywhere to be found." (St. Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church)

"If, however, through works they profaned the faith and don't hide themselves
covered with shame under the earth, why they get irritated against
us, who condemn with words that what they manifest with
actions? "(St. John Chrysostom)

"If the propagation and the necessity of combating evil require the employment of terms somewhat harsh against error and its supporters, this usage is certainly not against charity."

"In the writings of the great athletes of Christianity the usage of irony, imprecation, execration and of the most crushing epithets is continual."

"Popular propagation and apologetics cannot preserve elegant and constrained academic forms. In order to convince the people we must speak to their heart and their imagination which can only be touched by ardent , brilliant, and impassioned language. To be impassioned is not to be reprehensible, when our heat is the holy ardor of truth."

"It is all well enough to make war on abstract doctrines," some may say, "but in combating error, be it ever so evident, is it so proper to make an attack upon the persons of those who uphold it?" We reply that very often it is, and not only proper but at times even indispensable and meritorious before God and men."

"The accusation of indulging in personalities is not spared to Catholic apologists, and when Liberals and those tainted with Liberalism have hurled it at our heads they imagine that we are overwhelmed by the charge. But they deceive themselves. We are not so easily thrust in the back ground. We have reason and substantial reason on our side. In order to combat and discredit false ideas, we must inspire contempt and horror in the hearts of the multitude for those who seek to seduce and debauch them. A disease is inseparable from the persons of the diseased."

"(...) impartiality is not permissible when it is distorted to the offense of truth, whose rights are imprescriptible."

"Therefore to offend our neighbor for the love of God is a true act of charity. Not to offend our neighbor for the love of God is a sin."

"It is the archer and the gunner to whom we should give our first attention; save for them the fire would not be murderous."

"It is thus lawful, in certain cases, to expose the infamy of a Liberal opponent, to bring his habits into contempt, and drag his name in the mire. Yes, this is permissible, permissible in prose, in verse, in caricature, in a serious vein or in badinage, by every means and method within reach. The only restriction is not to employ a lie in the service of justice. This never."

"Whence do the Liberals derive their power to impose upon us the new obligation of fighting errors only in the abstract and of lavishing smiles and flattery upon them?" (Fr. Felix Sarda Y Salvany)

Catechist99 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 20, 2012, 12:39:52 AM »

Quote from: brotherfrancis75

We have here several distinct problems mixed together in a somewhat confusing way....

I really appreciate this post. I've created a lot of visuals to express what I cannot put into words very well because I am not theologically eloquent. Yes they are witty but that's not the point--I am conveying real information and trying to wake people up about slide into modernism by drawing attention to certain things that some folks believe are unrelated. It's not a bunch of coincidental and unconnected dots. There's real meaning to Fr. Rostand's Freudian slip "The Church of Fellay". It's not a case of bad English. People need to be more concerned with things like this. If ABL were alive how would he have reacted to that statement?

Those of us who have studied psychology recognize the dialectic originating from SSPX leadership. We also see forum posters picking up the mantle and carrying it for them. It's scary. If I didn't think these poor souls were brainwashed I'd suspect that they were being paid to do it.

Because I am new to the SSPX I can see things with less emotion. I don't have the investment and the history coloring things for me. But I have been the recipient of some mild persecution but nothing that I can't handle at this point.

I don't personally attack anyone although I have been insulted. I don't care. I'm not going to stop speaking out in the way I best can. If I cross a line, someone will let me know and I will adjust.