Some 11 months after the SSPX Bishops had been excommunicated (let's call it that), we withdrew our children from their convent school preparations for Confession and First Holy Communion (our son and eldest daughter were, I think, in line for Confirmation classes).
We withdrew them because they were still colouring in drawings of Zacharias up a tree and, frankly, we were bored with it all.
So much mush, so little red meat.
I met with the nun who was Headteacher and explained our position; we had, I stated, moved to the traditional Church, the one that I had been brought up in. I followed through in writing so that there would be no misunderstandings.
No comment was forthcoming until, a few days later, a letter, landed on the doormat.
It was from our Bishop and he was not best pleased.
This is what he said:
Dear Mr Collins,
A copy of your letter to Sister ________ has been forwarded to me.
Because of the seriousness of the matter it was right that I've had the copy (sic).
Priests or Bishops belonging to the Society of St Pius X make up part of the group which the Holy Father with great sadness was forced to declare schismatics and formally excommunicated. (The level of English is not good)
In linking up with them, far from returning to the traditional Catholic faith in which you were brought up, you are rejecting that faith. You are entering a situation which aligns you with the Protestants and other dissident groups over the centuries who have rejected the primacy and authority of the Roman Pontiff.
Traditional Catholic teaching tells us that knowingly to join such a sect is to commit grave sin.
Traditional Catholic teaching also says that to hand over children to be formed by members of a schismatic or heretical group is to be guilty of mortal sin of the most serious kind.
As your Bishop, appointed to proclaim, defend and safeguard Catholic teaching as handed on within the Catholic Church, and in filial union with and obedience to the Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, it is my duty to point out plainly the reality of what you are doing and its serious consequences both now and for eternity.
It is a matter of great sadness and distress that yet another schism should happen in our time.
It is a matter of alarm to learn that this latest group to leave the unity of the Catholic Faith should be seeking to spread its disaffection within our diocese, with great harm to souls.
I appeal to you before it is too late, for the sake of your own eternal salvation and that of your children, to draw back from what you are doing.
Assuring you of my prayers at this time,
Yours in Christ
Now I had previously sent this Bishop numerous letters pointing out abuses (serious ones) within the parish and school and never received a reply.
The line "Traditional Catholic teaching also says that to hand over children to be formed by members of a schismatic or heretical group..." is particularly poignant as my wife and I had previously fought a running battle with the PP, Headteacher AND the Bishop, regarding the school allowing a group of American Baptists to evangelise the children for one whole day; without our approval or knowledge.
I do not publish this correspondence with any sense of bitterness. I just find it so absorbing that the grinding wheels of the Second Vatican Council have been put back on the right track and that the restoration of the liturgy is well under way.
I shall post my letter of reply quoting Code 844 of Canon Law tomorrow.
We withdrew them because they were still colouring in drawings of Zacharias up a tree and, frankly, we were bored with it all.
So much mush, so little red meat.
I met with the nun who was Headteacher and explained our position; we had, I stated, moved to the traditional Church, the one that I had been brought up in. I followed through in writing so that there would be no misunderstandings.
No comment was forthcoming until, a few days later, a letter, landed on the doormat.
It was from our Bishop and he was not best pleased.
This is what he said:
Dear Mr Collins,
A copy of your letter to Sister ________ has been forwarded to me.
Because of the seriousness of the matter it was right that I've had the copy (sic).
Priests or Bishops belonging to the Society of St Pius X make up part of the group which the Holy Father with great sadness was forced to declare schismatics and formally excommunicated. (The level of English is not good)
In linking up with them, far from returning to the traditional Catholic faith in which you were brought up, you are rejecting that faith. You are entering a situation which aligns you with the Protestants and other dissident groups over the centuries who have rejected the primacy and authority of the Roman Pontiff.
Traditional Catholic teaching tells us that knowingly to join such a sect is to commit grave sin.
Traditional Catholic teaching also says that to hand over children to be formed by members of a schismatic or heretical group is to be guilty of mortal sin of the most serious kind.
As your Bishop, appointed to proclaim, defend and safeguard Catholic teaching as handed on within the Catholic Church, and in filial union with and obedience to the Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, it is my duty to point out plainly the reality of what you are doing and its serious consequences both now and for eternity.
It is a matter of great sadness and distress that yet another schism should happen in our time.
It is a matter of alarm to learn that this latest group to leave the unity of the Catholic Faith should be seeking to spread its disaffection within our diocese, with great harm to souls.
I appeal to you before it is too late, for the sake of your own eternal salvation and that of your children, to draw back from what you are doing.
Assuring you of my prayers at this time,
Yours in Christ
Now I had previously sent this Bishop numerous letters pointing out abuses (serious ones) within the parish and school and never received a reply.
The line "Traditional Catholic teaching also says that to hand over children to be formed by members of a schismatic or heretical group..." is particularly poignant as my wife and I had previously fought a running battle with the PP, Headteacher AND the Bishop, regarding the school allowing a group of American Baptists to evangelise the children for one whole day; without our approval or knowledge.
I do not publish this correspondence with any sense of bitterness. I just find it so absorbing that the grinding wheels of the Second Vatican Council have been put back on the right track and that the restoration of the liturgy is well under way.
I shall post my letter of reply quoting Code 844 of Canon Law tomorrow.
Oh my,scary stuff.Look forward to the next installment.(I might have crumbled at that)
ReplyDeleteSandy.
The usual modernist doublethink! Praying for strength for you and sense for your Bishop.
ReplyDeleteGod bless!
"....in filial union with and obedience to the Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ...."
ReplyDeleteWhat a very old-fashioned bishop.
Wow. What is perhaps most baffling about this (and I am sure so many other similar instances) is that the Bishop links your involvement with the SSPX as endangering your eternal salvation. Worry not about the Baptists or about other sorts of ecumenism; worry not about heresy; worry not about novelty, but, ohhhh noo, those SSPX, hell exists for their followers!
ReplyDeleteI am a young convert and an even more recent "trad," and also a young parent. As bizarre as navigating this "ecclesial quagmire" can be, I am sure doing so at that time was even moreso, and I am grateful that dedicated souls fought for Catholic Tradition so that those such as me could too find it.
Thanks be to God!
Thanks to all.
ReplyDeleteMatthew you have my sympathy and admiration. To come into a faith that is undergoing such turmoil and to find your way to the traditional compartment is nothing short of heroic.
Stick with it, these are exciting times in which to be a Catholic; we are experiencing a second Reformation brought on by the liberals and now....we have the start of a second counter reformation.Thank you.
Genty - yes, very old fashioned eh? aka running with the hare and hunting with the hounds.
Chris, break out the yellow pills, I am posting about events of over 20 years past. But I appreciate your sentiments as always. God bless.
Sandy. You would not have crumbled, I know.