I had an opportunity on Sunday to visit with an acquaintance who was in the hospital. I learned from my parents that when such opportunities arise, one ought to take them without delay. I do not know this person terribly well but… I desire to know, love, and serve the Lord Jesus and I would like very much to hear Him say:
“I was sick and you visited me.”
Mt. 25:36
I am astounded that He keeps furnishing me with daily “opportunities to serve” as my mom always called them. Then again, she did it in a way only an old-school Catholic mother who had already raised many children knew how. If I delayed in answering the call to assist in any task, she would dismiss me from the task altogether and say, “Never mind. You’ve lost your opportunity to serve.” It happened a grad total of about three times. I got the point really fast. She was teaching me that the opportunities to do good works come here and there, sometimes more frequently and sometimes less. Seize upon them, perform them with charity, say “yes” without thinking, and give them to God. The more we do that, the more disposed we become to charity itself.
Over the past few days I have been writing about the squabbles amongst traditionalists viz. the FSSP and the SSPX.
Tonight, I believe a break is in order.
Sometimes the good Lord sees fit to inject a little bit of levity into one’s life. Take my day, for instance. I woke up at 5:30 just as I knew I would. I had asked my guardian angel last night for just such a wake up call. Rolled out of bed and dropped to my knees to begin the day with the three Hail Mary’s and my morning prayers from the Missal. After a bit of puttering around, I headed to Mass. And then it was time to deal with the car…
You see, last night my wife had gone out with the kids to do some shopping. Yours truly decided to take a well-earned nap. Actually, I more or less fell asleep watching a tornado video on Youtube. They’re so fascinating. It turns out that during my slumber I missed about six calls from my wife who was trying to inform me that the car wouldn’t start and that they were stuck. On closer examination, had I taken the calls I would have been of no assistance as I did not have the car in my possession to pick them up. No matter. Her sister brought them home and an hour later, my mother-in-law and I headed out to look at the vehicle. It turns out that the car we drove in has some weird engine guard covering its battery so jumping my car was out of the question. I locked up the car and headed home by way of Adoration.
That brings us back to this morning after Mass. A good friend came to my rescue and drove me out to the disabled car. He tested the battery. It was dead. There was a battery store in the same plaza. We replaced the battery and all was right with my world.
With a working car, we decided to drive over to another friend’s house for dinner this evening. While there, he and I discussed the trad wars over a cocktail. We are of a like mind, as I suspect many of my fellow parishioners may be (whether they will say it or not). We thanked him for an excellent meal of grilled steaks and for the friendship and headed home.
Here’s where it gets good…
On the drive home, I remembered that I had a song stuck in my head. I learned long ago that the best way to get such songs unstuck is to simply let them out. That’s when I started singing the opening lines to the Steely Dan song Peg.
“I see your picture…”
And that’s when my two teenager children decided to show me that they are, in fact, my kids. My daughter chimed in.
“Your name in lights above it…”
Son was not far behind except he opted instead to “sing” the horn section. Admit it, you do the same thing.
If you do not know the song, take my word. It’s not half bad. Blues notes, a tight rhythm, Michael McDonald singing falsetto backing vocals.
And then there’s the infamous Jay Graydon guitar solo. My daughter nailed it a capella except that she sounded like a stray cat got its tail stuck in a blender. But I repeat myself. And we broke out into uproarious laughter.. My wife didn’t know what to make of the whole affair.
Tomorrow will bring more serious news topics. But for tonight, give thanks for the spontaneous moments of joy and laughter.
Yesterday I posted about the possibility of the SSPX ordaining new bishops. I ended that post with my opinion that, come what may, the FSSP, ICK, et al. need to figure out a way to work with the SSPX going forward. I received a few very thoughtful emails from readers on the subject. For these I am grateful. One reader reminded me that this squabble has been going on for 30 years. She offered some very solid suggestions, among them that the SSPX give up on the idea that the FSSP are every going to go “bi-ritual”. Presumably, such a move on the part of the Fraternity would prove to the Society that the former are in the wrong. I did not even know that was a thing. The FSSP priests I know have never given any indication that they would remotely consider offering the Bugnini rites. But that is an interesting thought – what the writer of the email terms “revenge fantasy”. I totally see her point. I just did not know that was a sentiment among any members of the SSPX. She also suggests that the original FSSP priests who broke away from the SSPX need to stop being vilified by the Society. On this point, I can see what she’s talking about more clearly. And I see it in reverse as well. I have heard trads who attend an SSPX chapel refer to the Fraternity as “controlled opposition” and I have heard Fraternity priests (in fact, one of the original break-aways) speak of the SSPX in terms that are less than edifying (and, I believe, incorrect).
Comment sections are aglow with the embers of incendiary invective on this topic. What is anyone to believe? Cardinal Burke says the SSPX is schismatic. Bishop Schneider says they’re not. This priest says we should never attend their Masses. That priest (in the confessional) says, “It’s OK…” It seems to me that approaching the issue with a truly charitable heart requires adopting a little more tact and diplomacy all around. My standpoint? I have attended SSPX Masses in the past and will do so again if necessary. The first time I went into one of their chapels I was greeted with a framed picture of Bergoglio the Squatter, so if they’re schismatic from Fwancisss, they’re doing a terrible job of showing it. I remember during the lockdowns when the SSPX where the ONLY game in town. I was not yet where I am now and so I did not take the opportunity to avail myself. However, when that moment comes again, you can believe I will find them and attend the Roman Mass that I have a right to. For the moment, the point is moot as I have a wonderful parish staffed by the Fraternity at my daily disposal. But we all know a time is fast approaching when that will likely not be the case. Things will get shaken up. Men will have to drive their families farther, make more sacrifices. My friends in Northern Virginia are finding that out.Some will have no option whatsoever. My friends in Corpus Christi found that out.
For now, let us all continue daily to pray for two things.
For continued access to the daily Latin Mass
For an end to the terrible mess we’re in.
On that first point, I make sure to keep friendship as far as I am able with solid priests who offer the Gregorian Rites and with solid laymen with whom we can network when the fit hits the shan. On that second point, I ask the Blessed Mother daily in my rosary, begging her to: “Bring It ON!”
Unless you count four years of Latin, I am not a polyglot so I ran this puppy through Mr. Google.
Point #2 comes back as the following:
“This week, Fr. Pagliarani has given this instruction to the priests of the SSPX: “Begin to prepare the faithful for eventual episcopal consecrations” (Non Possumus cannot reveal the source of this information, but it is certain).”
If this is true, it certainly seems to prop up the heightened invective being hurled against the Society. As I say this, I am aware that I am speaking only of my own experience, anecdotally. Perhaps any of the readership who also attend former Ecclesia Dei parishes can email me if they have also noticed this. From personal experience, though, I have heard not a few sermons preached and the odd “lecture” given to parishioners by well-known priests of tradition, expounding on the supposed dangers of associating with the Society. And that’s just in the past week!
Carmel of the Infant Jesus of Prague and of St. Joseph, Dallas, TX
Whether this story is true or not, one thing is absolutely certain. Whether or not the SSPX is ever “regularized” by Rome (if that’s even possible given the current state of the Vatican), the former EC communities had better find a way to play nice with the Society. To say nothing of the old cliche of circular firing squads, these are the clans that must unite!
The headline on Canon212 tonight raises many questions. Take a look here. Apparently, Teddy is not only still living on Church property, but he’s doing so at the Redemptorist Mater Seminary in suburban DC – his old stomping grounds. Boy, the diabolical narcissism is strong with this one. They just love putting it right in your face, don’t they?
First, this seminary, if I’m not mistaken, is similar to the RM seminary in the Newark Archdiocese. It is a house of formation (malformation?) for members of the Neocatechumenal Way. Remember them? They were a favorite of Ted when he was serving as ordinary in both the Newark and Washington Sees. They were a favorite because they boosted his numbers and allowed him to claim that he ordained more men than any other bishop in the country each year. He forgot to mention that these foreign born seminarians were all released from service to the ordaining diocese after three years. He also forgot to mention that the whole thing was part of his intricate “pipeline”. Not sure what I mean? Look it up. I’ll wait. Back in the day, Gary and company in Ferndale actually did some decent reporting on this stuff.
Jesus Dies upon the Cross, Front Royal, VA
Second, they seriously stuck him right back in a seminary of all places?! I’ve got a better idea. Let’s take an inveterate drink on a field trip to the local tavern!
Third, I’ve raised the question before but here it is again. When a man is laicized and “returned to the lay state”, how does that man still have access to living arrangements furnished by the institutional Church? Why are they/we housing this bastard at all?
Final note… George Neumayr hinted before his untimely death that it was possible McCarrick has not been laicized after all. Now that George is gone, isn’t it odd that they put McCarrick in residence right in George’s old neck of the woods? It’s almost screaming, “There’s nothing you can do about it…”
All of this and we still haven’t begun to discuss the ritualistic nature of the alleged abuse in the Wisconsin case and the fact that the other man mentioned was almost certainly Joseph Bernardin.
I have made it home safely with my family and our travels are done at least for the moment. I’ll be back in the air in ten days for a baptism. Thank you kindly for all the prayers. This time I ordered the gin and I didn’t spill my drink. Also, does it make sense to anyone else that people seated in the exit row are given free liquor? To quote the Argentine, “Who am I to judge (so long as I’m the guy in the exit row)?”
I came across this fascinating article today from the Brownstone Institute.
I had a friend who heard through the grapevine that there was a warehouse in New Jersey that had a secret knock for the backdoor to a barber. He tried it and it worked. Not one word was spoken. The haircut took 7 minutes and he paid in cash, which is all the person would accept. He came and went and told no one. This is what it meant to be nonessential: a person or service that society could do without in a pinch. The lockdown order of March 16, 2020 (“indoor and outdoor venues where people congregate should be closed”) applied to them. But it did not apply to everyone and everything. What was essential? This is where matters got very complicated. Did one want to be essential? Maybe but it depends on the profession. Truck drivers were essential. Nurses and doctors were essential. The people who keep the lights on, the water running, and the buildings in good repair are essential.
And please do remember that your faith was absolutely considered non-essential; and not just by the government overlords either. Your bishops deemed you non-essential – many of them before any government agency even hinted that they would be asked to.
Folks, I got off all that social media nonsense a while ago. Sorry but I'm not on Twitbook, Facepalm, YouHu, WingWang or any of the others. Maybe an event will happen to make me change my mind like Peter and Paul coming down with flaming swords and commanding it be so. Until then, read the blog and if you feel a comment is in order or you feel like sharing a tip or suggestion for a topic, email me at harvey@harveymillican.com.
Harvey Millican's Blog: Musings of a Trad Dad 