Can you imagine that commanding Resistant priests is liking trying to herd cats?

Can you imagine?

Is it unimaginable?

In which case, is it worth trying if it is bound to fail?

It may be better not to attempt than to attempt and fail.

Some of you may think it would be better to attempt because it might succeed.

I don’t have the authority.

If…, if…, if… by some miracle, Pope Francis rang me up next week and said:

—You Excellency, you and I have had our divergences, but right now I am authorizing you to found a society. You go right ahead for the good of the Church.

—Holy Father, can I have that in writing? Do you mind if I come to Rome and get that with your signature?

—Yes, of course.

—Alright, then I’d be on the next plane to Rome. I’d be on the next plane to Rome!

But without that, “row up a creek without a paddle”.

And it is not a solution.

So, in what is called the Resistance movement, you’re going to have a problem of authority.

Get used to the idea.

Put it into context. He's talking about the pope calling him to give him a regularized position within the officially recognized Church. He's saying he would go to Rome to get it in writing if some miracle phone call giving free reign to Tradition took place.

Assuming people are reading and not skimming, everyone should know this.

No, Bishop Williamson does not have any juridical authority, but he ABSOLUTELY has the moral authority to be the de facto leader of the Resistance, yet he seems to want to do little more than post to a blog and collect money to build a lavish residence in London.

Quote from: Centroamerica

Put it into context. He's talking about the pope calling him to give him a regularized position within the officially recognized Church. He's saying he would go to Rome to get it in writing if some miracle phone call giving free reign to Tradition took place.

Assuming people are reading and not skimming, everyone should know this.

For the record, if Bishop Fellay did this same thing (accepted a unilateral/one-sided official recognition and blessing from Rome, a rubber-stamp for all the SSPX is doing) no one would have had a problem with it -- least of all me.

The issue is that, despite RUMORS to the contrary back in 2012, that is not what was on the table. Such a hypothetical is just that -- a hypothetical and a ridiculous, unrealistic pipe dream to boot.

The fact of the matter is, the SSPX is NOT contemplating such an "instant recognition from Rome with no obligations on our side". No, they are exiling priests, kicking out 25% of the bishops because of "politically incorrect beliefs", purging bookstores, changing official teachings on Vatican II, preaching pro-Vatican II, diverging from Abp. Lefebvre on many points including the Pope question, becoming dogmatic sedeplenists, chasing "numbers", human respect and fame with projects like the Disneyland seminary, etc.

So it's a moot point. The SSPX is already "giving" on its side -- it's not just receiving a unilateral recognition from Rome. It's too late for that.

If I went up to my neighbor and gave him $200 every day, trying to woo him into giving me his tractor, and after several months he finally gives it to me, can I really celebrate that I got a "free tractor"? Once I shell out the first several thousand dollars, it's no longer a "free tractor" even if the neighbor ends up giving it to me. Understand?

I mean, don't we all wish for such a sweetheart deal! But it can't happen now. The SSPX has already compromised in exchange (past tense).

Quote from: Ladislaus

No, Bishop Williamson does not have any juridical authority, but he ABSOLUTELY has the moral authority to be the de facto leader of the Resistance, yet he seems to want to do little more than post to a blog and collect money to build a lavish residence in London.

Do you really believe that His Excellency Bishop Williamson wants to do little more than post to a blog? Do you really believe that he is building a lavish residence in London? And that all he does besides blogging is to collect money for that purpose?

This is nothing less than calumny.