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Author Topic: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?  (Read 8277 times)

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Online Giovanni Berto

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Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
« Reply #45 on: March 08, 2025, 05:18:56 PM »
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  • Good observation Giovanni.

    The neo-SSPX & SSPX Resistance are weak because their history and culture were born in compromise. 

    It started with +ABL's acceptance of the 1962 Liturgy which is the Bugnini/Montini butchering of Holy Week.

    While much has been written by both factions to justify this compromise, the fact is, +ABL was pressured and caved to this newChurch demand.


    I agree.

    I find it puzzling how Abp. Lefebvre did not study the validity of the new rites with more depth. He had a doctorate. He was no ignorant. He trusted his "theologians" which did not  have half the training that he did and possibly had nefarious intentions.

    He compromised because he wanted to make a deal, specially during the 1980s, but once he gave it up completely in 1988, he should have retracted his compromises.

    Offline Plenus Venter

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #46 on: March 08, 2025, 06:06:34 PM »
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  • It's really poor form for you blighters to be chiming in on this thread with your anti-Archbishop Lefebvre positions.
    This thread is about the SSPX and the SSPX Resistance.
    The Archbishop did study the new rite of priestly ordination and held that it was unequivocally valid. And as you say, he was a theologian, and he was not ignorant.
    If you choose to follow another, good luck!


    Offline Incredulous

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #47 on: March 08, 2025, 06:59:06 PM »
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  • It's really poor form for you blighters to be chiming in on this thread with your anti-Archbishop Lefebvre positions.
    This thread is about the SSPX and the SSPX Resistance.
    The Archbishop did study the new rite of priestly ordination and held that it was unequivocally valid. And as you say, he was a theologian, and he was not ignorant.
    If you choose to follow another, good luck!
    Eh mate, I find that a proper interestin’ stance, that +ABL ain't made no blunders.
    And he ain't got a clue the Jew-popes were gonna chop up the Church with a dodgy mass and those butchered sacraments."
    "Some preachers will keep silence about the truth, and others will trample it underfoot and deny it. Sanctity of life will be held in derision even by those who outwardly profess it, for in those days Our Lord Jesus Christ will send them not a true Pastor but a destroyer."  St. Francis of Assisi

    Online Giovanni Berto

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #48 on: March 08, 2025, 07:47:58 PM »
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  • It's really poor form for you blighters to be chiming in on this thread with your anti-Archbishop Lefebvre positions.
    This thread is about the SSPX and the SSPX Resistance.
    The Archbishop did study the new rite of priestly ordination and held that it was unequivocally valid. And as you say, he was a theologian, and he was not ignorant.
    If you choose to follow another, good luck!

    If it was unequivocally valid, why did he perform conditional ordinations?

    If he did a study on the rites, he did not publish this study.

    If his study is in the same line as the studies that the SSPX published decades after his death, I am sorry, but they are not convincing.

    I don't get it. We can criticise Pius XII, Pius XI, Benedict XV and all the post Vatican Popes (?), but not Abp. Lefebvre. It makes no sense for the person on the lower rank be immune to critics while his superiors are not.

    Offline Plenus Venter

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #49 on: March 08, 2025, 08:02:53 PM »
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  • Eh mate, I find that a proper interestin’ stance, that +ABL ain't made no blunders.
    And he ain't got a clue the Jew-popes were gonna chop up the Church with a dodgy mass and those butchered sacraments."

    Well, Incred, I think if you put it all in context, it's more a case of accusing Divine Providence...


    Offline Michelle

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #50 on: March 08, 2025, 09:17:32 PM »
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  • Indiana has almost zero regular traditional catholic presence other than the questionable SSPX chapel headed by a younger priest, yet there are very large and popular pockets of Catholics here... it's very unfortunate
    There's three sspx chapels in Indiana that I'm aware of.
    I attend the Kingsford Heights chapel.  There is one in Fort Wayne and one in the Indianapolis area.

    Offline Dominique

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #51 on: March 09, 2025, 12:49:43 AM »
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  • If it was unequivocally valid, why did he perform conditional ordinations?

    If he did a study on the rites, he did not publish this study.

    If his study is in the same line as the studies that the SSPX published decades after his death, I am sorry, but they are not convincing.

    I don't get it. We can criticise Pius XII, Pius XI, Benedict XV and all the post Vatican Popes (?), but not Abp. Lefebvre. It makes no sense for the person on the lower rank be immune to critics while his superiors are not.
    Agreed Giovanni, if he concluded it was valid, then why the conditional ordinations??

    And you have hit the nail on the head: for some people in the Resistance, the Archbishop was a saint, his mother a stigmatist, and we cannot question ANYTHING he said or did. This is totally irrational.
    The first reason being that the Archbishop's position evolved over the years, because the situation evolved and he justly had to make adjustments or revise his judgements on some things. So you can pull out attitudes or quotes of his out of context and justify a vast range of opinions! Anyhow, I am commenting against my best judgement...

    Which leads me to ask, and I am very sorry to do this on someone's thread, but I cannot create a thread myself... How do I cancel or delete my Cathinfo account??? I have sent several messages to the Administrator without getting an answer. Can someone help me there? Thank you in advance!

    Offline Plenus Venter

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #52 on: March 09, 2025, 04:21:31 AM »
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  • Agreed Giovanni, if he concluded it was valid, then why the conditional ordinations??

    And you have hit the nail on the head: for some people in the Resistance, the Archbishop was a saint, his mother a stigmatist, and we cannot question ANYTHING he said or did. This is totally irrational.
    The first reason being that the Archbishop's position evolved over the years, because the situation evolved and he justly had to make adjustments or revise his judgements on some things. So you can pull out attitudes or quotes of his out of context and justify a vast range of opinions! Anyhow, I am commenting against my best judgement...

    Which leads me to ask, and I am very sorry to do this on someone's thread, but I cannot create a thread myself... How do I cancel or delete my Cathinfo account??? I have sent several messages to the Administrator without getting an answer. Can someone help me there? Thank you in advance!
    The issue in question is the validity of the official new rite as promulgated by Pope Paul VI which has only an ut changed to an et in the essential form, but I'm sure you know that.

    The Archbishop, and the SSPX after him, including Bishop Williamson, held it as CERTAINLY VALID and there has never been ANY evolution in that position. Bishop Williamson and others have said that the change makes the form even stronger.

    The Archbishop opposed 'The Nine' on this question, and as a result, there was a certain Fr Stark SJ who was permitted by the Archbishop to work with the Society, administering sacraments.

    Also as a result of the Archbishop's teaching on this subject, we have Fr Jahir Britto, superior of the FBMV, working with the Resistance in Brazil (and formerly with the SSPX). Bishop Thomas Aquinas made a public statement defending his priesthood against the attacks of those of Giovanni's persuasion... and evidently yours.

    We follow Archbishop Lefebvre because we see that he was clearly raised up by God for this mission in the Church. Obviously we can see the hand of Providence in all the facets of his life: being born into an exemplary Catholic family, his priestly formation, his intelligence, learning and piety, his dream in Dakar, his work as a missionary, a seminary professor and rector, his episcopal career and work as a Superior General, an Apostolic Delegate and Council Father. We can see God's hand in all of this. And yet we do not on that account follow him blindly, but because we are convinced by his arguments and we see and hear in him the good shepherd.

    So why the conditional ordinations? Read chapter 7 from Open Letter to Confused Catholics: http://sspxasia.com/Docuмents/Archbishop-Lefebvre/OpenLetterToConfusedCatholics/Chapter-7.htm

    Sorry, I can't help you with your account.


    Online Giovanni Berto

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #53 on: March 09, 2025, 10:15:38 AM »
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  • Agreed Giovanni, if he concluded it was valid, then why the conditional ordinations??

    And you have hit the nail on the head: for some people in the Resistance, the Archbishop was a saint, his mother a stigmatist, and we cannot question ANYTHING he said or did. This is totally irrational.
    The first reason being that the Archbishop's position evolved over the years, because the situation evolved and he justly had to make adjustments or revise his judgements on some things. So you can pull out attitudes or quotes of his out of context and justify a vast range of opinions! Anyhow, I am commenting against my best judgement...

    Which leads me to ask, and I am very sorry to do this on someone's thread, but I cannot create a thread myself... How do I cancel or delete my Cathinfo account??? I have sent several messages to the Administrator without getting an answer. Can someone help me there? Thank you in advance!

    You can write an e-mail to Matthew, the administrator, at matthew AT cathinfo.com .

    He might not have read your private messages on this board, but he does answers his e-mails, in my experience.

    Online Giovanni Berto

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #54 on: March 09, 2025, 10:34:03 AM »
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  • The issue in question is the validity of the official new rite as promulgated by Pope Paul VI which has only an ut changed to an et in the essential form, but I'm sure you know that.

    The Archbishop, and the SSPX after him, including Bishop Williamson, held it as CERTAINLY VALID and there has never been ANY evolution in that position. Bishop Williamson and others have said that the change makes the form even stronger.

    The Archbishop opposed 'The Nine' on this question, and as a result, there was a certain Fr Stark SJ who was permitted by the Archbishop to work with the Society, administering sacraments.

    Also as a result of the Archbishop's teaching on this subject, we have Fr Jahir Britto, superior of the FBMV, working with the Resistance in Brazil (and formerly with the SSPX). Bishop Thomas Aquinas made a public statement defending his priesthood against the attacks of those of Giovanni's persuasion... and evidently yours.

    We follow Archbishop Lefebvre because we see that he was clearly raised up by God for this mission in the Church. Obviously we can see the hand of Providence in all the facets of his life: being born into an exemplary Catholic family, his priestly formation, his intelligence, learning and piety, his dream in Dakar, his work as a missionary, a seminary professor and rector, his episcopal career and work as a Superior General, an Apostolic Delegate and Council Father. We can see God's hand in all of this. And yet we do not on that account follow him blindly, but because we are convinced by his arguments and we see and hear in him the good shepherd.


    So why the conditional ordinations? Read chapter 7 from Open Letter to Confused Catholics: http://sspxasia.com/Docuмents/Archbishop-Lefebvre/OpenLetterToConfusedCatholics/Chapter-7.htm

    Sorry, I can't help you with your account.

    Sure, the "wrong intention" argument.

    From the link: 
    Quote
    The "matter" of the sacrament has been preserved in the laying on of hands which takes place next, and likewise the "form," namely the words of ordination.


    We know it's not true, since ut and et have completely different meanings in Latin.

    Curiously enough, Pope Pius XII published a docuмent about the essential forms of ordination (https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius12/p12sacrao.htm) about twenty years before the "reformed rites" came up. I don't know why he felt the need to do this, but it does seem providential, doesn't it? We were warned by God through the Pope not to accept the changes before they happened.

    It also does not make sense to me, as Abp. Lefebvre never questioned the validity of Novus Ordo baptisms. If the bishop has the wrong intention to ordain, how can you be sure that he has always the right intention to baptize?

    I am obviously not an expert, but, as far as I know, the intention is always presumed when the celebrant observes the rites correctly. If the rites themselves, or even worse, their lame translations, are so horrible that the intention to do "what the Church does" is not evident in them, then how can you presume that the celebrant had the right intention? It's way too risky to act on so much presumptions. First that the change is the form did not make it invalid and second that the celebrant has a Catholic intention when he uses a non-Catholic, Modernist rite.

    Offline Holly

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #55 on: March 09, 2025, 06:57:15 PM »
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  • Indiana has almost zero regular traditional catholic presence other than the questionable SSPX chapel headed by a younger priest, yet there are very large and popular pockets of Catholics here... it's very unfortunate
    Are you in southern IN? Fr Bevan? We are up north at the SSPX chapel in Ft Wayne. We had a good solid priest for 3 years but have struggled with 2 in the last 1 1/2 years. It’s definitely a struggle, lots of prayer and independent study and advice from our old priest who stays in contact with us🙏🏼


    Offline ElwinRansom1970

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #56 on: March 09, 2025, 07:15:19 PM »
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  • The Archbishop opposed 'The Nine' on this question, and as a result, there was a certain Fr Stark SJ who was permitted by the Archbishop to work with the Society, administering sacraments.
    WRONG on Fr. [sic] Stark!!!

    My chapel location was directly involved in the Stark Affair. Msgr. Lefebvre was unsure on the question of validity for Stark's Orders. Stark was certain of validity. There was also at the time Fr. Roger Sullivan from the Picpus Fathers whose Orders were Novus Ordo. Sullivan was unsure of validity for his Orders and so too Msgr. Lefebvre was unsure. Sullivan was therefore conditionally ordained at St. Marys, Kansas, whilst Stark REFUSED conditional ordination. Sullivan took over service for an independent, pro-SSPX chapel; Stark broke his alignment with the SSPX and began assisting at an independent, hotel-room independent chapel.

    I was there for this drama; I as a young boy saw and know this history.
    "I distrust every idea that does not seem obsolete and grotesque to my contemporaries."
    Nicolás Gómez Dávila

    Offline Dominique

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #57 on: March 09, 2025, 07:51:04 PM »
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  • You can write an e-mail to Matthew, the administrator, at matthew AT cathinfo.com .

    He might not have read your private messages on this board, but he does answers his e-mails, in my experience.
    Thank you Giovanni! God bless.

    Offline Plenus Venter

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #58 on: March 09, 2025, 09:42:09 PM »
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  • WRONG on Fr. [sic] Stark!!!

    My chapel location was directly involved in the Stark Affair. Msgr. Lefebvre was unsure on the question of validity for Stark's Orders. Stark was certain of validity. There was also at the time Fr. Roger Sullivan from the Picpus Fathers whose Orders were Novus Ordo. Sullivan was unsure of validity for his Orders and so too Msgr. Lefebvre was unsure. Sullivan was therefore conditionally ordained at St. Marys, Kansas, whilst Stark REFUSED conditional ordination. Sullivan took over service for an independent, pro-SSPX chapel; Stark broke his alignment with the SSPX and began assisting at an independent, hotel-room independent chapel.

    I was there for this drama; I as a young boy saw and know this history.
    Archbishop Lefebvre April 26, 1983, Conference to Seminarians, Ridgefield:

    That is another question, another problem. Fr. Stark said himself 'my ordination is good'. I am sure he IS a priest. He has been a priest for eleven years now, I think he is a very intelligent man. Not just because he is a Jesuit, no, no, no...(laughingly) ... but certainly he is a very intelligent man. He was a professor.  He said to me 'My word, somebody is discussing about the validity of my ordination'. They discuss 'No, his ordination is not valid..' Well, that is the reason why I said to you yesterday, or the day before, that we must do an inquisition [a study of each case] to know what the situation really is - in this case - not in all cases in general [i.e., not a blanket judgment]- but in this case, to see if his ordination is valid or invalid. And I am responsible, and I make the decision. I can say to him: 'You must be re -ordained'. Otherwise, if I think that his ordination is valid, really valid, then I have no right to repeat the sacrament.

    You can find these conferences of Archbishop Lefebvre, which have previously been posted on this forum, online in both written format and audio. He delivered them in English, with a little help with the language on the side from a certain Fr Richard Williamson!

    Offline Plenus Venter

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    Re: Why is the SSPX Resistance still a thing?
    « Reply #59 on: March 09, 2025, 10:00:29 PM »
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  • Sure, the "wrong intention" argument.

    From the link:

    We know it's not true, since ut and et have completely different meanings in Latin.

    Curiously enough, Pope Pius XII published a docuмent about the essential forms of ordination (https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius12/p12sacrao.htm) about twenty years before the "reformed rites" came up. I don't know why he felt the need to do this, but it does seem providential, doesn't it? We were warned by God through the Pope not to accept the changes before they happened.

    It also does not make sense to me, as Abp. Lefebvre never questioned the validity of Novus Ordo baptisms. If the bishop has the wrong intention to ordain, how can you be sure that he has always the right intention to baptize?

    I am obviously not an expert, but, as far as I know, the intention is always presumed when the celebrant observes the rites correctly. If the rites themselves, or even worse, their lame translations, are so horrible that the intention to do "what the Church does" is not evident in them, then how can you presume that the celebrant had the right intention? It's way too risky to act on so much presumptions. First that the change is the form did not make it invalid and second that the celebrant has a Catholic intention when he uses a non-Catholic, Modernist rite.
    "I am obviously not an expert"

    That's just it, Giovanni, but Archbishop Lefebvre obviously was. He knew Latin. He also knew papal docuмents like few others. It was his business to ordain and administer sacraments and teach others how to do it. It was also his particular vocation to save the priesthood (and the Faith) in the greatest crisis the Church has ever seen, and that is what God fitted him to do.

    You've obviously read the arguments and are not convinced. So the point I was making at the outset was that it is poor form to be spamming and derailing Resistance threads with views that are not and never have been part of the SSPX or the Resistance. If you want to discuss such things, you should start a new thread.