More than the Pablo episode, which clearly shows very bad judgment (at least) on the part of Father Pfeiffer (at worst Father Pfeiffer is a formal accomplice in everything that Pablo does), I am alarmed by "Red-Lightism".
To state that one cannot assist at SSPX Masses, and that staying home alone without the Sacraments is preferrable, is essentially saying that the SSPX is not Catholic for all intents and purposes.
I defy Father Pfeiffer to name one aspect of the SSPX that is not Catholic, something that would essentially render the SSPX heretical and outside the Church.
At worst some of them say that Vatican II CAN be reconciled with Tradition using tortured theological constructs.
That is the same dogmatic, schismatic, home-aloneist lunacy that has plagued sedevacantism and poisoned the well for so long. Except that IMO it's even worse. You see, Father Pfeiffer claims that it's not Catholic to even WANT to be reconciled with the man that Father Preffer claims we know for certain is the Vicar of Christ, the Holy Father. How on EARTH can that attitude of his ever be reconciled with Catholicism?
This has bothered me, too, in the past few weeks.
I guess before it didn't affect me as much; Father knew I was attending my SSPX chapel and he didn't argue with me or try to change my mind. Smart man!
Basically when you don't think about something, you can accept (or "learn to live with") all kinds of lunacy.
But I've been thinking about Red-light a lot these past few weeks, and I feel exactly as you do.
Anyone who can point to an SSPX chapel with a validly ordained priest, valid form and matter used, altar boys, all the proper equipment, sermons preaching the Catholic Faith with ZERO error -- and write that WHOLE PACKAGE OFF as non-Catholic is just...detached from all reality.Oh, but it serves his purpose! If people could all quit their perfectly-acceptable-for-the-moment SSPX chapels, then demand for Father's SSPX-MC would skyrocket overnight! Imagine his power and influence as he becomes in charge of the only source of Sacraments for the United States and beyond!
Don't get me wrong; I was all for his organization before. But you have to be fair and Catholic the whole time. You can't resort to cult tactics.
Again, I must point out -- I had nothing against Fr. Rostand, Fr. Wegner, et al. I only opposed them for their evil tactics, injustices, ambition to be better than +Lefebvre, unjust expulsions, and in the case of
some priests, actual errors in theology and/or morality ("5 children is prudent today")
If I oppose those PRIESTS OF GOD for their errors and evil, how can I ignore the errors and/or objective evils of another PRIEST OF GOD, just because I "like" the latter? Is that good or just?
And you're right about the similarity to various sedevacantist cults. Sedevacantist groups, being more isolated and having less competition, become cults more often. If I ever was visiting a sedevacantist chapel, I would be very wary for this reason.
Sedevacantism I can tolerate. Cult behavior I cannot. Yes, I realize that not ALL sede chapels are cults. Whatever chapels the sede's here on Cathinfo attend must be fine -- after all, I don't think we have any cult members here.