This weekend, I was at the FSSP ordinations in Nebraska at the invitation of one of the mothers of a newly ordained priest.  Sadly, the day after the ordinations and just after the first Masses of the newly ordained, one rather courageous FSSP priest told me there was a rumor going around their fellow FSSP priests that I was suspended. Apparently, the other Frat priests running this rumor mill were too lazy to look at my blog (which shows I’m in good standing on many other pages besides this one) and were not courageous enough to simply ask me my status in my diocese.

Actually, a few FSSP priests asked me about my status (but only one told me about the FSSP rumors.) I told them (each separately) I was in good standing (as seen above) since the Archdiocese of Denver had just sent my Letters of Suitability to the Archdiocese of San Francisco where I was sub-deacon at a wedding two weeks ago.  In fact, Archbishop Cordileone was in-choir in the sanctuary at that wedding.  In fact, despite all the tensions surrounding how controversial it is for a traditional priest to publicly say what the Church has always said and to use execute common-sense on protection of others,  I have never been suspended.  I have never lost my faculties.

This was not a lightweight rumor I’m crushing in this blog post. At least one important FSSP priest said Fr Nix should not be with the priests at the ordination Mass, but rather with the lay people.  Sadly, I had to inform mother of a newly-ordained priest that members of her son’s congregation were lying about me.  So, I sent her the above screenshot.

Out of charity and concern for the souls, I write to the FSSP priests who were rumoring about me being suspended this weekend:  You must be reminded that this is not the sin of detraction (true things that need not be said) but rather the sin calumny (lies about another person.)  I would also remind the FSSP priests who were rumoring that I was suspended that there are severe punishments in hell outlined by priestly saints of the past directed to those who would lie about other people, but especially to those who would lie about priests.

Yes, this applies not only to lay people calumniating priests, but also priests calumniating priests.   In other words, priests lying about priests will obtain the same punishment as lay people lying about priests.  Catholics (be they lay or sacerdotal) lying about other people (be they lay or priests) all make invalid confessions according until they make reparation for their lies (at least according to traditional catechisms and the saints frequently quoted at FSSP seminaries.)

I didn’t even ask to stay at the FSSP seminary.  I stayed at the above camp-site because of my sour departure from them several years ago after a brief stint I never wanted to do.  (My bishop told me to join them when I gave up the NOM.)  So, the least they could have done is not lie about a priest who has led many people into their parishes across this country.

But, as to the title of this blog, what does it even mean to be in good standing?  The FSSP priests were saying I shouldn’t have been “in-choir” for the ordination Mass as they [erroneously] believed I was suspended.  They were wrong.  But a better question is this:  Why all this desperation to be in union with a modernist hierarchy who is worse than the Arian hierarchy?  (Yes, the modernists are worse than the Arians unless you believe modernism is not the synthesis of all heresies—something all traditional priests in canonically regular and irregular communities admit.)

One, to find out who is a child-molestor (nothing the FSSP has ever suspected of me, nor vice-versa.)  Indeed, with the scandals of the last 50 years, that is good to be vigilant on good-standing for that.  But I suspect priests were lying about me this ordination weekend for two other reasons:

First, the Frat is infamous for self-preservation.  One calls to mind their treatment of their deceased and de facto spiritual father, Archbishop Lefebvre. One calls to mind their near-silence on their living and de jure spiritual son, Fr. Jackson FSSP (who I still insist is innocent.)

Secondly, most conservative novus-ordo priests (and apparently some rumor-mongering traditional priests, too) make this theological error:  They place canon law above Divine Revelation.  They forget that St. Athanasius was not in good standing with the Arian hierarchy, just as a holy, zealous priest like Fr. Clay Hunt is not in good standing with the modernist hierarchy of Texas (like St. Athanasius, for preaching the truth.)

My response is:  Who cares?  Is that any reason to treat a priest as a pariah for standing up for the truth?

As I put on Twitter after this weekend’s sad event: