Church Crisis

25 07, 2022

Should You Obey Your Superior or the Bible?
Should You Obey Your Superior or the Bible?

Should You Obey Your Superior or the Bible?

By Father David Nix|2022-07-25T11:41:42+00:00July 25th, 2022|Theology|

Should You Obey Your Superior or the Bible? Hopefully, both. In happier days of the Church, there was never a rub between the two. But I keep getting emails and texts requesting help on understanding obedience. What does a physician do at a hospital if the CEO wants him to take an abortion-tainted injection? What does a teenager do if his parents tell him to go to a Drag-Queen story hour at the local library? What does a priest do if his bishop tells him to no longer preach on Fatima or offer the Traditional Latin Mass? These are questions I am getting from more than just traditionalists. In fact, [...]

19 07, 2022

Liberty as a Cloak for Malice
Liberty as a Cloak for Malice

Liberty as a Cloak for Malice

By Father David Nix|2022-07-19T23:01:56+00:00July 19th, 2022|Theology|

For so is the will of God, that by doing well you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, as free, and not as making liberty a cloak for malice, but as the servants of God.—1 Pt 2:15-16. Catholics have been sinning for 2,000 years. I'm under no illusions that major sin started in the lives of most Catholics only in the 1960s or 1970s. However, if someone went to confession 100 years ago or 700 years ago or 1500 years ago, the penitent would generally be hard pressed to find a priest (good or bad) who gave a "pass" to his serious sins. In other words, even [...]

2 07, 2022

“Ecclesia Dei Adflicta” Turns 34 Years Old
“Ecclesia Dei Adflicta” Turns 34 Years Old

“Ecclesia Dei Adflicta” Turns 34 Years Old

By Father David Nix|2022-07-29T17:06:38+00:00July 2nd, 2022|Theology|

June and July mark some bittersweet anniversaries in the traditional movement. It was on 30 June 1988 that Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and Bishop Antonio de Castro Mayer did episcopal consecrations without the approval of Rome. Pope John Paul II quickly wrote a document called Ecclesia Dei Adflicta, meaning "On the Afflicted Church of God." This is a barely-veiled reference to imply that Archbishop Lefebvre himself was "afflicting the Church of God" by consecrating bishops without the Pope's approval. Three weeks later, on 18 July 1988, the FSSP was founded with the approval of Rome to remain both canonically regular and maintain the old-rite sacraments. I believe one of the main [...]

10 05, 2022

The SSPX is Not Schismatic
The SSPX is Not Schismatic

The SSPX is Not Schismatic

By Father David Nix|2022-05-21T00:56:06+00:00May 10th, 2022|Theology|

Although canonically-irregular, the SSPX (Society of Pope St. Pius X) founded by Archbishop Lefebvre (above picture) in the 1970s, is not schismatic. In traditional papal encyclicals, a "schismatic community" is a Christian community adhering to valid sacraments but without recognizing the primacy of place of Rome or the importance of the papacy. An example of this would be the Eastern Orthodox: The Eastern Orthodox have valid sacraments, but many do not realize the primacy of place of Rome (or believe it was transferred due to error a thousand years ago.) In any case, the SSPX has always recognized the papacy and the primacy of Rome. The reciprocal is also true, [...]

5 04, 2022

Viganò “On Irregularities” of 2013

By Father David Nix|2023-01-28T09:37:24+00:00April 5th, 2022|Theology|

I report today on how Archbishop Viganò answered several questions posed by Aldo Maria Valli in Italian. Thanks to Non Veni Pacem who first put them into Google Translate to get the English. I'm asking some Italian friends to correct the Google translation (if necessary.) It seems pretty good from my limited Italian. I'm including only one Q/A here from the interview: Valli: "Within the College of Cardinals, in your opinion, is there a credible, authentically Catholic figure on which the cardinals, in the event of a conclave, could make the votes converge for a total change of register compared to the current pontificate?" Viganò: "Certain Popes, let us not [...]

29 03, 2022

How You Will Know When the Consecration Is Done Properly

By Father David Nix|2022-03-29T17:04:39+00:00March 29th, 2022|Theology|

Imagine you had a 12 year old son who punched your 10 year old daughter in the face. Let's say that son was very stubborn and you knew getting an apology out of him was going to be difficult. You bring your son and crying daughter into the same room and make him apologize. You know this will be difficult so you give him the exact words: "Say to your sister, 'I am sorry for punching you in the face.'" You know you need to give him those nine exact words because of past subterfuge this stubborn son will play with word games. Your son initially says to his sister [...]

26 03, 2022

Consecration of Russia as Required at Fatima

By Father David Nix|2022-03-26T20:35:56+00:00March 26th, 2022|Theology|

https://youtu.be/pXDnJr6FiIY 7 min video where Fr. Gruner and Fr. Kramer speak on the topic of Russia and Fatima in 2012. h/t Milas and Ann Barnhardt, p/c Church Pop

15 02, 2022

The Book of Jude for Today

By Father David Nix|2022-02-16T01:07:29+00:00February 15th, 2022|Theology|

Jude is one of two books in the Bible that is so short that it is numbered not according to chapter and verse, but rather verse only. It seems Jude is particularly applicable to today. We'll look at a few verses with St. Jude's words in Scripture in italics and my commentary in bold: Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.—Jude 3 The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. So, if 1920s Catholicism looked like medieval Catholicism, [...]

7 02, 2022

No Flexing, Just Limping

By Father David Nix|2022-02-07T23:46:35+00:00February 7th, 2022|Life|

In the Catholic Church, no single group has any room left to flex in such a huge crisis of doctrine and morals. It's the perfect time for the reunification of all Christians. I could name a logical flaw with the ecclesiology of every group in the Catholic Church trying to answer the current outrageous crisis: Charismatic Novus-Ordo, Conservative Novus-Ordo, diocesan TLM, FSSP, SSPX, Bennyplenist, Sedevacantist, Eastern Churches... They all have at least one logical flaw on the post-Vatican II papacy and hierarchy. (I actually belong in one of those groups, but point is: I'm not above any of those groups. I probably haven't figured out something you haven't.) The fact [...]

4 01, 2022

Lumen Ad Revelationem Gentium

By Father David Nix|2022-01-04T13:15:58+00:00January 4th, 2022|Theology|

[Simeon] took [Jesus] up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul [...]