Catholic Candle note regarding why we occasionally analyze the statements of the liberal N-SSPX. 

Someone could wonder:

Why does Catholic Candle mention the SSPX any longer?  That group is unimportant because it is merely one of very many compromise groups. 

It is true that a compromise priest (or group) is of small importance insofar as he (or the group) is merely one of countless compromisers harming the human element of the Catholic Church.  By contrast, an uncompromising priest is of great importance, even though he is only one.

However, we sometimes mention the “new” SSPX for at least four reasons, motivated by Charity and Faith:

Ø  New Catholic Candle readers might not be sufficiently informed of the N-SSPX’s liberalism to avoid that group.  Out of charity for them we occasionally provide these warnings to help these new readers appreciate the danger which the N-SSPX presents to their souls.

Ø  Some longtime Catholic Candle readers might “forget” the N-SSPX poison or they might vacillate in their resolution to stay away from the N-SSPX, if they were to never receive a fresh reminder which warns them about the danger of the N-SSPX.  This is like the fact that all it takes for most people to become conciliar is to never hear about the errors of Vatican II and the conciliar church.  Out of charity for them we occasionally provide these reminders for readers who would otherwise “forget” the danger which the N-SSPX poses to their souls.

 

Ø  The N-SSPX serves as an important case study for examining the effects of gradualism – which is the usual route by which people leave the truth.  Out of charity for ourselves we occasionally examine the N-SSPX’s gradualism so that we can be more familiar with this tactic of the devil and guard ourselves against it.

 

Ø  Over time, the N-SSPX has made countless, different liberal compromises.  By our studying all of those different compromises and errors – and by examining the opposing Catholic truth, we better fulfill our duty of continually studying the doctrines of our Faith and the opposing errors that we must fight.

 

 

The conciliar church (including the N-SSPX) ignores the role of sin and God’s wrath in their prayers relating to the coronavirus “pandemic”[1]

The Catholic Church has always known that plagues are a just punishment of God for sin.  More than anything else, during times of plague, the Church prays to appease God’s just wrath for our sins.

In the Traditional Votive Mass for the Deliverance from Death in Time of Pestilence, the Church makes the direct connection between the plague, God’s just wrath and our need to repent and to sin no more. 

For example, here is the Introit from this votive Mass:

Be mindful, O Lord, of Thy covenant and say to the destroying Angel: Now hold thy hand, and let not the land be made desolate, and destroy not every living soul.

Here are the words of the Collect:

O God, who willest not the death of the sinner but that he should repent: welcome with pardon Thy people’s return to Thee: and so long as they are faithful in Thy service, do Thou in Thy clemency withdraw the scourge of Thy wrath.

We see throughout history that the Catholic Church’s traditional focus during a plague is on atonement for sin because God sends a plague as a chastisement for sin.  This is evident from the Church’s response during each particular plague which has occurred.  For example, when the plague ravaged Rome, this is what Pope St. Gregory the Great did:

[T]he plague continued to rage at Rome with great violence; and, while the people waited for the emperor’s answer, St. Gregory took occasion from their calamities to exhort them to repentance.  Having made them a pathetic [very moving] sermon on that subject, he appointed a solemn litany, or procession, in seven companies, with a priest at the head of each, who were to march from different churches, and all to meet in that of St. Mary Major; singing Kyrie Eleison as they went along the streets.  During this procession there died in one hour’s time fourscore [i.e., eighty people] of those who assisted at it.  But St. Gregory did not forbear to exhort the people, and to pray till such time as the distemper ceased.[2]

But as [St.] Gregory was passing over the bridge of St. Peter’s, a heavenly vision consoled them [viz., the people] in the midst of their litanies.  The archangel Michael was seen over the tomb of Hadrian, sheathing his flaming sword in token that the pestilence was to cease.  [Saint] Gregory heard the angelic antiphon from heavenly voices – Regina Coeli, lætare, and added himself the concluding verse – Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.[3]

When the plague struck Milan, here is what St. Charles Borromeo did:

[T]he plague appeared in Milan.  [Saint] Charles was at Lodi, at the funeral of the bishop.  He at once returned, and inspired confidence in all.  He was convinced that the plague was sent as a chastisement for sin ….[4]

[H]e ordered public supplications to be made, and himself walked in the processions, with a rope round his neck, his feet bare and bleeding from the stones, and carrying a cross; and thus offering himself as a victim for the sins of the people, he endeavored to turn away the anger of God.[5]

There is no end to the other examples we could give of the Catholic Church’s focus on repentance for sin and appeasing God’s just anger – which is the cause of the plague.

In contrast to Catholic Tradition, the conciliar church ignores the role of sin and God’s wrath and focuses on our receiving comfort and relief from being afflicted by the plague

Pope Francis and the conciliar church deny that the coronavirus is a chastisement from God for sin[6] but instead insist that it is only the result of our failing to care for the environment.[7] 

Thus, in the text of the new, recently-published novus ordo “Mass in Time of Pandemic”, there is no mention of appeasing God’s wrath or His chastising us for our sins.  Instead, this new conciliar votive “mass” asks for comfort, strength for healthcare workers, etc.  Here is the new conciliar Collect:

Almighty and eternal God, our refuge in every danger, to whom we turn in our distress; in faith we pray look with compassion on the afflicted, grant eternal rest to the dead, comfort to mourners, healing to the sick, peace to the dying, strength to healthcare workers, wisdom to our leaders and the courage to reach out to all in love, so that together we may give glory to your holy name. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever.[8]

The only mention of sin in the conciliar “Mass in Time of Pandemic” is a reference to asking God to keeping people safe, free from sin.  This is the opposite of the traditional focus which acknowledges that we have sinned.  Here is this novus ordo “prayer over the people” from this votive “mass”:

O God, protector of all who hope in you, bless your people, keep them safe, defend them, prepare them, that, free from sin and safe from the enemy, they may persevere always in your love.[9]

The “new”, liberal SSPX follows the conciliar church’s lead, praying only for comfort and relief from the pandemic

The N-SSPX takes its cues from the conciliar church.  As the modernists in Rome jumped on the corona-bandwagon with the newly-published, conciliar “Mass in Time of Pandemic”, likewise the N-SSPX published a booklet proposing a “spiritual crusade in response to the COVID-19 pandemic”.[10]

The N-SSPX booklet proposes that we say the rosary and love Our Lady for sixteen weeks.  (We suppose that the SSPX does not intend the obvious implication that praying the rosary and loving Our Lady be limited to this period.)  Here is the booklet’s proposal:

Together, we want to undertake something special, to change this time of containment into a spiritual remedy.  Let us ensure that the health crisis that menaces our bodies develops into a triumph of faith, hope and charity that refines and vivifies our souls internalizing what is now still too superficial.  So we turn again to the Rosary!  For 16 weeks, we will give our love to Our Lady: from the Sunday of the Good Shepherd until August 15^th.[11]

Just like the conciliar church’s votive “mass”, the only N-SSPX COVID-19 prayer intentions during this rosary crusade are for relief from the sickness.  Here are the two N-SSPX pandemic intentions quoted in full:

1.    To implore the Blessed Virgin Mary for relief from the Coronavirus pandemic.

 

2.    To ask Our Lord to grant mercy to those souls afflicted by the virus, including protection for medical personnel and other first responders.[12]

Unlike Catholic Tradition, but exactly like the conciliar church, the liberal SSPX makes no mention of praying to appease God’s just wrath for our sins.

Conclusion

From the above, one can clearly see that if he follows the N-SSPX or any other part of the conciliar church, he will gradually lose his Faith, just as people lost the Faith when they stayed in their local conciliar parishes in the late 1960s and afterwards.