Catholic Triumphalism is defined as: "the spirit of arrogance or pride with respect to belonging to the Church."
Exceptionalism is the perception that a society is "exceptional" (i.e., unusual or extraordinary) in some way and thus does not need to conform to normal rules or principles.
Well, I detect a serious "SSPX Triumphalism" as well as an "SSPX Exceptionalism", whereby SSPX Catholics believe the SSPX IN ITSELF is special, needed by God, or
has a special protection that even the Catholic Church itself wasn't granted.1. SSPX triumphalists are OK with a "Crisis in the Church", but they believe that God would never allow a similar crisis to befall the SSPX. (Huh?)
2. They point to the sanctity of +ABL and the providential nature of the SSPX (both true!) and take that to mean that God will ALWAYS be with the SSPX, no matter what they do. Once saved, always saved.
3. They believe that the local Bishop approving the society in the 70's (nevermind that the Church eventually suspended +ABL, and later excommunicated him) makes the SSPX "canonically erected"
4. Building on #3, they consider the SSPX on a different plane than any other Traditional group and look down on these groups, including Independent chapels. After all, none of them were "canonically erected" like they were.
5. Also building on #3, they consider themselves not just the BEST lifeboat to use during this Crisis, but the ONLY legitimate lifeboat.
They believe they have a monopoly on legitimate resistance to Conciliar Modernism. If anyone else sets up uncanonical chapels or Mass locations, they are disobedient. But if the SSPX does it, "we were canonically erected in 1970 so we're special". Ditto for the consecration of bishops. 1988 was a special gift of Providence. But if any bishop outside the SSPX consecrates a bishop without the permission of Rome, they are to be condemned and regarded as a "rogue bishop".
6. On a bad day, the SSPX acts and believes as if they are the Church. And this has been going on since the 1980's. "Outside the SSPX there is no salvation". They won't say this outright of course, but the attitude is there: "It's OK to be in other groups as long as you are ignorant -- maybe God will forgive you. I'll be praying for you. But we are the One True Church."
7. I don't think +Williamson -- and certain others -- ever partook in SSPX Triumphalism. +Williamson, for example, often told his seminarians that the day the SSPX stops standing for the truth, the day it stops fighting modernism without compromise, is the day that God will cast out the SSPX like salt that has lost its savor. Once the SSPX ceases to be useful, it will be trampled underfoot by men. Furthermore, God could raise up another SSPX from the very rocks if need be.
God does not need the SSPX. Even in its heyday, +Williamson supported the SSPX because it was the organized resistance to Modernism and it permitted a man (laity, priest, or bishop) to help souls, help the Church, and fight the enemy without compromise. THAT is what he (and some others) signed up for.
Others signed up to be elite, part of the winning team, etc.
For years, these two groups sat next to each other in the pews. But now we have another crisis, another chastisement, which is separating the men from the boys, and the sheep from the goats. Those who were part of the SSPX for the right reasons are now leaving to form a new Resistance to modernism, while those who attended the SSPX for aesthetics, convenience, social reasons, etc. are staying with the SSPX even as it becomes FSSP part 2.
If you want to see an example of SSPX Triumphalism in action, just read Fr. Scott's write-up about independent priests.
http://www.cathinfo.com/catholic.php/Fr-Peter-Scott-on