When Radicals Misrepresenting Traditionalism (RMTs) Lose Their Minds: COVID-19 Edition

Hello Everyone,

I’m taking time out of my busy schedule (including being an essential Full Time worker!) to have to call out some unfortunate idiocy which is being peddled out by Radicals Misrepresenting Traditonalists (RMTs,) and insults that have been (maybe) indirectly, but more likely directly, via commentary, launched on another blog I won’t name, against my friends in the Latin Mass and I. I refuse to name the blog as it is still a platform featuring Radical Traditonalist authors, and/or are friends/allies to those RMTs that bitterly hate us so.

Lauding a bishop that opened his churches in his diocese to public Mass? Now? When COVID-19 has NOT DECLINED WORLDWIDE!

My first, partial disappointment is due to a Facebook post on my feed from an acquaintance, whom is cheering on a bishop in the United States in the diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Bishop Baldacchino, (not a Catholic liturgy joke!) who is allowing the Mass to be held once again and opening his parishes' doors. My acquaintance, is showering this bishop with much praise for his actions. This person is not one of my close friends, however they are heavily involved in the Latin Mass community close to where they live. The very fact they are promoting this shows a lemming-like following to the RMT party line, where spiritual selfishness and Novus Ordo Church bashing (via its hierarchy) is de rigeur.

Now before you accuse me of not thinking it through, I get that in the States (and also in Canada) there is SOME variance, to approaches to the tackling of the COVID-19, as in Canada, health falls under provincial governance, but at least here most provinces are taking cues from the Federal government and its health experts. These experts are monitoring the situation and communicate with each provincial premier. In addition the Federal officer of Health, Dr. Theresa Tam, has become the literal "face" of this crisis in Canada, doing media briefings and public service announcements in various forms of media. In the States, there is even MORE variability in terms of governance as States in general have even more authority/power to act independently of the Federal government under Trump, which may be a good thing as he has been flippantly ignorant and bullying as a world leader in this crisis.

In my province of Ontario, the issuance is that now, no more than 5 people (excluding large families in a single residence) can be present together, to limit the spread of the virus. Break such rules and the law can mettle out stiff penalties to individuals or businesses/owners of properties who defy medical orders or emergency laws. This is virtually zero-tolerance, even going as low as fining a father $880 CDN who let his kids rollerblade in a public park. Now in the States, it is highly possible individual states are varied as to the numerical limit of people that can congregate together. This also makes sense geographically as more rural areas have a decreased chance of spreading the virus, vs densely populated states/cities. Also some states depending on politics and the size or presence of police forces, may be regulating heavily, or willfully ignoring those who defy such laws.

In terms of New Mexico, I found the following briefings and legal orders on the state government's website as follows: 1) As of Mar 16, 2020, (https://cv.nmhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/031620-DOH-PHO-r.pdf) it did limit gatherings to under 100 people. 2) HOWEVER, as of March 24, 2020, this was issued and additional restrictions were imposed (https://cv.nmhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SignedPHO03-24-2019.pdf) INCLUDING the closing of non-essential businesses, workplaces, etc. Guess what? Religious places of worship DO NOT QUALIFY as an essential service under current civil laws. Now, yes the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 2210 does merit civil disobedience when authorities are truly unjust, but, are we in extreme times of persecution as I will give examples further on? NO! If the virus declines in future will our worship spaces open again? Yes. Finally, the Church ALWAYS has Her mind in interpretation of things and approaches to things of finite nature with the most mercy, including human affairs, and when action must be taken, it is only in extreme circumstances were no other moral/ethical possibility exists.

In spite of that, I would say that this bishop is acting imprudent and anyone championing his actions is to the spiritual and medical detriment of others! Further this bishop is encouraging his priests to defy the medical/civil orders of the state of New Mexico. Does he want the Church to be fined further, and possibly, his priests jailed!!!??? Even in a crisis these whitewashed sepulchres of Pharisees can only think about their spiritual needs and their interpretation of the laws! People who are doing such measures without OBJECTIVE, FACT/MEDICAL based evidence or permission, AND its ardent supporters, are ill in spirit, and need serious examination of Conscience (and a confession, for blatant disregard of life, when we can meet in person w/priests in the confessional again!)

Firstly, what kind of message are you sending to the holy Priests in service the Church by lauding this bishop’s actions? You basically are asking priests to risk their lives needlessly to give us the Sacraments/give into YOUR selfish-spiritual needs. Are we in any kind of crisis scenario or persecution akin to Japan in the latter half of the 2nd millennium, for 200+ years having no priests? Or the Christeros war in the early 1900’s in Mexico were all Catholics were under threat of execution? NO! These are not scenarios where martyrdom is a necessity or a calling for the Church. We still have the freedom to practice religion in most countries in the world. What is happening is a necessary, social/medical practice to STOP needless, unnecessary deaths from happening in the community and the Church at large. Now, you will probably accuse me of being spiritually stupid or not taking the spiritual crisis in the Church with seriousness.

Do you think I would be having a blog devoted to the Latin Mass and/or serving in some capacity (and now, thanks to virtual practice, learning how to sing/read Gregorian chant from my good friends of St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir) if I didn't care? Absolutely not! Yes there is a lot going on spiritually and morally that is sick within Her bosom, but not is not the time to act stupidly and put others at risk!

Secondly, do you think that even if a priest limited his house of worship to a handful of people, he and everyone wore at least surgical masks (newsflash: they are not highly effective for AIRBORNE contaminants. "Gold standard" protection belongs to N95 masks which protects against 95% of airborne particles/contaminants 300 microns and under with Coronavirus being 170 nm (0.17 micrometers,)) and stood the required 6 ft/ 2m apart from each other there is NOT the possibility of still getting infected with COVID-19? Your thinking is wrong. The virus is contact/droplet spreadable. All it takes, potentially, is for one to be in the same airspace close to a person who sneezes or coughs, even talks as spit particles a.k.a “droplets” not visible to the naked eye, and you can get the virus via contact, or the droplets going into your un-protected eyes. I can tell you that the Church is NOT supplying N95s and/or face-shields to all its clergy. Single-person doorways, hallways, bathrooms, and small narthexes also come to mind here. Let it be also stated, not everyone is masking themselves, or has access/capability to make homemade masks. Also, humans are prone to touching themselves, even subconsciously. All it takes is father to have touched his contaminated mask surface (or yourself) before taking it off, then touch his/your naked skin or rub your eyes and voila! ILLNESS!

While we are at it, what if a homeless person wanders off the street and in their stupor (because in Ontario, government foolishly let LCBO stores still run for the alcohol addicts,) or disregard, parks himself on one of the pews or goes to other areas of the parish with NO protection, and is ASYMPTOMATIC but carrying COVID-19, yet to break out into fever, sweats, etc.? Unless Fr and his custodial staff disinfect EVERY public area after each Mass thoroughly after all people leave, you are creating a potential ground of illness for Father and his parishioners! Speaking of that homeless person, or asymptomatic carriers, if they touch a surface and leave the virus on them, according to this screen graphic, the virus can still linger on certain surfaces, up to 3 days! (source: https://www.fox17online.com/news/coronavirus/how-long-does-a-coronavirus-live-on-common-surfaces)

Most of our parishes, sadly, aren't decorated anymore with materials such as high quality metals, including brass, which is the most viral-repulsive material giving the virus a mere 4 hrs to live before it is inactive or molecularly deteriorates. Common materials persist (with credit to the false "spirit" of Vatican II liturgical "wreck-o-vation"), such as wood, drywall/plaster, concrete, etc, ALL having longer lifespans for the virus over brass. If you look at this chart, the worst offenders are, GASP! PAPER AND WOOD AT 4-5 days! Even if many pews are lacquered, many churches' pews are worn down or NOT lacquered at all. All it takes is for poor Father to run his hands along that surface, itch his nose or breath near his contaminated hand, and potentially that's another one of Christ's Alter Christi DEAD! One less person who can administer the Sacraments.

Finally, do you think that you are safer in the community, or a hospital with a COVID-19 test center? If you guessed the community, you are WRONG! I can vouch for this personally as I work in a health care career. While I will NOT disclose my workplace as I have in past been harassed and/or threatened with lawsuit by one of my enemies (through my then, pastor of my parish at the time,) I will say that I am more safer than the general population. See here, for example, of a grocery store chain where a particular store was hit TWICE with COVID-19 positive workers, resulting in shutdown of the store, and the 2nd time two stores had to be shut down in the area. As for my workplace, we screen everyone, employee or patient, at both entrances, and send them to the COVID-19 assessment centre or nearby emergency room (ER) for ANY noted symptom to get swabs of their sinuses for PCR testing of COVID-19.  Other clinics/areas are pre-screening patients and any symptom means self-isolation/re-booking appointments at least 2 weeks later. Also we have access to a supply of at least one mask per employee per day, hand sanitizer, medical gloves, and anti-virus/virucidal sanitization wipes of MEDICAL GRADE. Considering even one of those items is hard to access as the general population and of short supply, how safe do you think you are outside of essential service or medical workplaces?

So, after all that, if one has ANY rational or logical ability to think, is it at all sane or reasonable for a bishop such as +Baldacchino to open their parishes and allow gatherings of even a few select people, and create a potential scenario for disaster, such as our nursing homes? What if in your diocese, your bishop opened the churches before COVID-19 was declared reduced or null, and your self and/or your young childen, and/or your grandparents got sick because they went to Mass, even with the utmost precaution? Any usual person save those with a euthanasia mindset would likely EXPLODE at the bishop and the Catholic Church for allowing your kid/your relative to die and expose them to the Virus. Anyone up for a damages lawsuit akin to those for sexual abuse scandals that would close parishes/dioceses due to financial bankruptcy? Do YOU even care if others die from the Virus?

Oh, and for you young RMTs of 20-40 years old, don't think the virus can NOT kill you at your age. IT CAN! If you are lucky enough to have a pre-disposition in your immune system you don't know about, or it compounds onto a medical condition you didn't know, or you just get "overwhelmed" due to its symptoms and your body shuts down, IT CAN KILL YOU! Youth is NOT a guarantee of survival. This virus discriminates against no-one and doesn't care if you can chant the Dies Irae in perfect tone at Solemn requiem Latin Masses, or blog on the Internet.

Also, should you be fortunate enough to be in "good health," this virus can still place you in an intensive care/inpatient ward in a hospital for MORE THAN 14 DAYS! Here is a young 28 year old male athlete, who was training for the 2020 Olympics as a martial artist in Karate. This 4 minute video gives you just some snapshots what his daily life was like in the hospital after contracting COVID-19. Yes you can say, "He is doing strenuous exercise in the video" but that's not the point! The point is even healthy members of the population can end up in a hospital, and this young man is BLESSED because he is in peak condition physically as an athlete, which helped him not be in worse shape health wise, even allowing him to do some exercise physically. Most men and women are NOT professional athletes in the Church. Should a regular member like yourself of the population get sick, I can say with confidence you would likely NOT be doing any physical activity on the floor of your patient room. You'd likely be a lot worse off than him.

Detraction/Slander of My friends of St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir and likely, I again ....

As for my second point of contention, it is truly sad that even in this time of crisis, armchair theologians/RMTs with keyboards seem to still want to personally attack, or detract from the characters of my allies and I in the Latin Mass community, with smug superiority in their hearts. Those people should follow the maxim, "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all."
Personally I do keep a watch on those who attack us, and/or my allies, for the sake of monitoring behavior, as well as documentation should things come down to ecclesial/legal matters. Also, their behaviors are the very reason that the Latin Mass has reached stalling points in our Archdiocese of Toronto to grow and proliferate beyond its initial flourish post-Summorum Pontificum in the last decade.

On a local blog, where the main bloggers are involved partially, or are, allies/friends to those who hate and revile St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir (SPGC) and I, one of them decided to dig deep into their spiritual hate bin and pull out old gripes about certain behaviours. What did one blogger decide to take a stab at us with? First the listing of clericals and/or main persons in the liturgy including name of the choir in promotional posters or the liturgical booklets printed for Masses. Second, to take a stab at altar servers who pose in front of altars. Not only did they do so, they did it as a comment, not naming any party in particular. Talk about cowardice. They even had the gall to name it part of "liturgical tourism."

Regardless of not naming parties, the Internet IS a public forum in Canada. I have freedom of speech to offer criticism, and so I choose, and to defend my friends and I whose names and character are still attacked by these misguided souls to this day.

On the naming of ministers and the choir, first of all, it is appropriate to indicate whether a Mass is being held by the parish itself/organized by the parish and/or pastor itself, or being done by outside parties. It is only right to credit the right people for organizing these liturgies and all the hard work placed into it. It would be foolish to lead on innocent laity into a false assumption that parish x or Father Y is "Traditional" and responsible for the Mass, only for said Traditionalist to be mistaken and shocked when said parish and choir are regular Novus Ordo. It is appropriate to let people know who is doing what so they know where to go/which Father to go to for their spiritual Latin Mass needs.

Further, do not the clergy, choirs, and even altar servers, who bravely allow the EF to happen in this spiritual climate of anti-Traditonalism/anti-Latin Mass deserve respect and even, gasp, WANT people to come to the EF offerings? It also works both ways. If we cannot name ourselves or our clergy, neither can this blogger's allies/friends whom they support. If we cannot make ourselves known, neither can they. Also, when the Latin Mass loses avenues of promotion, all parties in the Church loses people who would have otherwise grown deeper in their Catholic Faith and maybe been SAVED via the Latin Mass. Funny, I thought Trads, even RMTs, wanted souls to become full blown Traddies attending the EF? Guess I was wrong. While the naming of parties is a small nit picky detail, it does go in-part in promoting the EF.

Oh, and SPGC only stopped because one or more of the blogger's friends/allies/fanboys and/or fangirls harassed the choirmaster by email about it. The blogger might have not "entered the scene" at that time, but regardless SPGC knows who the main culprits are. That means bullying forced them into it, and BULLYING IS A SIN! Do you think they honestly stopped that for anyone’s good or by someone’s logic and reason, secular or spiritually? NO! It was a silencing tactic.

Further, the blogger's logic is faulty, because SPGC does these Masses in diocesan parishes, with the approval of, and in some cases such as St. Mary's Polish Church (Davenport,) the actual participation of, its clergy who DO the Latin Masses, in order to do said offerings of the Mass. While not all these Masses are at their usual time slots, these have been according to the EF calendar of the Latin Rite. They are not "Extra." Further, is it not a general principle that is touted in "Trad-land," that the exemplar of the Latin Mass is the Pontifical Latin Mass, and that whenever possible for MAJOR EF feasts, the highest level of feast is done so as to follow said example?

As a final kicker, this critic is guilty of violating his own words. There is actual photographic evidence on the Internet that they HAVE participated in "Liturgical tourism" at the same parish mentioned above in an "extra" offering. See below:

(Taken from the twitter account of his own blog which I will not name, posted from a Mass for the Ascension done May 10, 2018. Face blackened out, as well as the RMT blog, out of charity)

This offering was a Missa Canata, and did gain the assistance of, and internet promotion by, a lay-led organization, or at least it's president and choirmaster, in order to hold the level of the Missa Cantata. To go to extremes of his logic of avoiding "liturgical tourism," it should have not been held because it wasn't at a normal Mass time, or made at the level of a Missa Lecta. Should music have been done, someone from the parish should have been cantor and organist. There is NOT a soul to the best of my knowledge at that parish who CAN do the EF for such a Mass. I guess the Mass shouldn't have been anything more than a music-less Missa Lecta then or not held at all ... too much grand-standing and liturgical pomp then. Maybe we should just settle for the Novus Ordo too while we are at it ...

Based on my arguments above, I dare the blogger to call his close friends' efforts and those priests who have been assisting SPGC and other efforts and parishes, MUTUALLY, be it in past or in present, guilty of such sins of “liturgical tourism” and let me know their replies in writing.

Now to address their second insult. As for the altar servers posing in front of altars for a photo? That hasn’t happened in years! Long before this critic discovered the Latin Mass, I recall when +Boissineau was homilist at a Solemn Mass of approx 500 People was held on Canada Day 2011, organized by SPGC, a picture was taken of the choir and other servers who have been in the “scene” longer than I, (back before when everyone helped each other in the Archdiocese no matter who organized the EF,) who are likely some of this blogger’s current allies/friends, or were at this time, and did so. Despite that a number of the servers from that Mass have reduced or no no longer serve the EF, a picture was taken of the combined clergy, choir members, and servers for that Mass.

However, it is also possible this blogger is more likely pointing the finger at me, or including me anyways. My profile pic on Google+/Blogger is me in front of the altar at St Patrick’s Toronto in 2011, after my first EF Mass, when I was a torchbearer and the servers were plentiful. It was a memory for myself and I did it alone outside of anyone else involved in that Mass:

Yep, that's me, the "Liturgical tourist" ha ha ha!

I haven’t taken a photo in front of a parish altar in years to my best recollection. In addition, the critic has a personal beef with me, since I criticized them a few years ago in a reflection piece on my blog, as symptomatic of a new threat to the EF: Young people with a Radical Traditionalist (read: anti-Novus ordo Church and anti-Francis) mentality, who were NOT the ages of their friends/allies who experienced spiritual/liturgical wreck-o-vation or a truly harmful experience at the hand of a leader in the institutional church, laity or clergy.

So I am not surprised I am being at least indirectly insulted with “word daggers” despite my name not mentioned but lumped with SPGC, or at its worst being directly stabbed with a “literary broadsword” over a simple picture. A truly sad use of one's time in this social/spiritual isolation.

Summary

What both examples of behaviour demonstrates is the following:

- these RMTs have blatant disregard for your physical well-being to the extent of their OWN personal spiritual “well-being” (if it can be said to be such, in the most “charitable” terms,) as well as that of our clergy, most of whom are the primary targets by age and overall health for the COVID-19 virus. They abandon all forethought, logic, and scientific/biological evidence or downplay it cause they want their Masses and Sacraments now!

- In RMT world, no one is immune from the least senior altar server to clergy for perceived spiritual/liturgical violations. If you aren’t doing the EF to their standards you are unfit to even be a Traditonalist, which is implied even if not written or spoken directly to you.

- WHY, STILL, the Latin Mass is NOT thriving in dioceses, and/or why clergy including bishops want NOTHING to do with the EF, as these people are the most vindictive souls in the Church. Who needs cliche “angry Protestants” when your own Brother and/or Sister in Christ commits vile sins against you and has no respect for the priestly class unless those priests sing their tune and think like them?

- How even in the stupidest of times, or the most awful of times, they still will find time to snipe at you personally or their chosen target of angst when spiritually, they are experiencing the closest thing they will ever experience to monastery life, or a time un-distracted by the outside world to deepen their spiritual lives in prayer and reading. They shirk developing real holiness and charity and opt for sinning via sins of the mind and word, be it written or otherwise. And they still cannot forgive you for your transgressions, or to even once maybe, consider we are a Communal Body of Christ and abandon the “US vs the New World Order and them, the “Novus Ordo Church,” mentality.

I shouldn’t have to make posts like this but staying silent is being an accessory to the sin of defending the ill will done via silence. And maybe, just maybe, a few minds and hearts will be moved to FINALLY see what is right in all this, and for once promote the EF Liturgy and the Church in a good light, than trying to tear it down from within and it’s people for what .... bragging rights? Knowing you are right and others are wrong?

Since when does being right constitute the Summum Bonum, the Greatest Good, which is God, who came down to us for our Salvation as the Word Made Flesh for our salvation, which we commemorated (albeit virtually for almost all laity,) most recently in the Holy Triduum?

Priorities people, priorities. Perhaps a rosary for everything going on may remind you of the One True Focus ... and if you want to direct it against me like a non-Catholic Christian when they say with emptiness "I'll pray for you," don’t bother praying for me at all. Or, pray with deep meaning in your Heart that one day, as Christ wished, your enemy (me,) and you, may be “United as one” here on Earth and in Heaven.

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

Dangerous Tides A Swimming? Pope Francis' Mission Of Mercy and the SSPX: Silver Lining or Pandora's Box Part II?

Hello Everyone,

Now begins part II, whereby after last evening's post here, I will give you my reasoning for why Pope Francis should NOT allow the SSPX into Holy Mother Church in their current state.

We Should Not Let Them In .... Without Diligent Re-Education and Monitoring ...

Fine, yes without them the Latin Mass may have faded from existence as they were the biggest publically known "presence" for the EF in the Church, and yes, they are at least on paper not being lie-berals and such, but the real problem is their disobedient and anti-Church of Post Vatican II stance (including the Holy Father, Francis I himself.)

If Francis does let them in unchecked, I can forsee much division and they will act contrary to the Pope's wishes of ecumenism and reconciliation, causing more division and the falling away of the devout, orthodox faithful. I mean such in the following ways (word of warning: drug abuse analogies to be used to illustrate the problem. No intentional offense to people valiantly fighting the addiction of drugs/alcohol):

1. Abuse of Mercy, the Parable of the Just Judge and the Lower Lord - Do you remember in Scripture when Christ is speaking about the merciful judge and the ungrateful slave? Here's a little refresher, from the NRSV Catholic translation used in Canada:

"The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents[c] was brought to him; 25 and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii;[d] and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. 31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35 So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister[e] from your heart.”

While the whole servants and kings thing isn't happening in a literal sense, this does relate to the SSPX. Allowing the SSPX, whose mentality has hardened into one of anti-Papacy, anti-Church, and even at times Protestant nature, is akin to treating a person for alcohol/drug abuse, and then letting them lose in society without serious outpatient monitoring and teaching them HOW to live post-treatment. How many times have we seen this happen with our modern celebrities (e.g. Lindsay Lohan) where they then just relapse into the same drug-addicted, partying lifestyle that put them in physical, emotional, and spiritual harm from before? As for those who do not partake in modern media/entertainment, when those people do come back and relapse, they lash out in their addicition-based rage against their family due to being drug addicted all those years, or still on the drugs.

Yes, giving the person mercy is good, but like the Samaritan woman, she was told to "sin no more." Unchecked, the SSPX would be given free reign to bash the Church and the Novus Ordo Mass, all the while offering sacraments only in the Extraordinary Form, and teaching things wrong or with a damaging spirit as they normally would. Like the drug addict without outpatient care, they would still, yet with licence, lash out at: the Pope, Novus Ordo Masses like the videos mentioned in Part I, Catholics who attend the Novus Ordo only, etc. while attesting the EF as the only form of salvation in the Latin Rite. They wouldn't be able to be contested because Pope Francis "approved" them back into canonization with the Church. Mind you they could always be re-suppressed, like the Jesuits, but in this modern technological age, they would elicit a firestorm of revenge, disobedience, and division in the Church and carry our a malicious campaign to tear Her apart after said re-suppression. They would take numerous souls with them in their campaign.

It would be best .... no ... there MUST be a strict restructuring process like the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. Here I applaud Pope Francis and those in charge of the restructuring, because without the swift correction of those malices brought about by the "EF only/SSPX "mindset" crowd in the community, they would have mentally and spiritually poisoned the novitiates, and these priests would carry out that poisonous mindset by infecting the laity who attend their Masses within their reach ... despite being canonically valid in the Church.

In addition, other young people who are more naieve or have started their journey of becoming Orthodox/Catholic Traditionalism and/or including the Latin Mass, may not have the ability to discern spiritually those in their company who are more rigid (and sinful) in their practice and thoughts of  "Traditionalism." If the SSPX Latin Masses were "OK" now to attend, and have made the Latin Mass their preferred, if not sole form of attendance in the Latin Rite, these debilitating influences in that young man or woman's life, combined with attendance at the SSPX chapels, will cause the young soul to be completely lost to the anti-Church mindset disguised as Radical Traditionalism. They would likely NEVER enter through the doors of another regular parish again, with (possible) rare exceptions for family events, that is, if the SSPX priest of the chapel does not corrupt the individual by preaching/saying that any Novus Ordo Mass puts the soul in occasion of sin. Under the same corruption or in their "happy land," that person's friends (and family, if they follow their relative,) will only support them in the hardening of their hearts, encouraging them to reject anyone, clergy or laity, who are not of their ilk or are "heterodox/heretics" according to the Radical Traditionalist and their SSPX clergy.

In summary, using one of the similar or same arguments poised by the RMTs, this would be the similar with the SSPX, albeit with one major additional problem. Here, I bring into my essay the change to the footwashing rite within the Mass on Holy Thursday. When Pope Francis legalized the foot washing of men and women in the Novus Ordo for Holy Thursday, they decried this as the legalization of disobedience to the Church." However, that change to the rite was disciplinary and did not attack the sacramental validity of a rite and/or form of the Holy Mass, promulgated by a Pope, and also the magisteruim of the Church by employing Pharisaical twists on its teachings and crude, indirect and direct attacks on the mentioned parts of Holy Mother Church. Argue as you will (organic vs. disruptive,) this is entirely NOT the same as legitimizing the SSPX unchecked, who would cause dissent from within Holy Mother Church, with a valid and legal "licence" to do so, an unintended consequence of Pope Francis' mercy.

2. The Katholic Krazies Would Be in Paradise! 
We already have it bad in the Traditional Catholic/Latin Mass scene worldwide. With lay organizations, bloggers, etc. it's clear that these (usually) Latin Mass loving extremists, already exhibit severe hatred for the Church they purport to "love" and "defend." With their calumny, slander, and detraction online and in person, they do not serve Christ and His Church, rather they serve some other master than Him. They make it bad enough for all of us who try to do it the "proper" way, in love with Mother Church, respecting her liturgical rites INCLUDING forms. These people/groups/websites give bishops and priests legitimate excuses to shy away from the Latin Mass, or prevent Ecclesia Dei requests from being fully granted (and I include in this "ghettoization" of the communities that DO get a request granted for a Latin Mass.)  

Already, based on that presence, and how they assault and belittle the Holy Father, the Novus Ordo Mass and its attendees, and the Church herself (just check my archives for postings, like this one as a sample,) these false "heroes" or "leaders" (self-appointed of course with NO actual Church authority) would now have legitimate reason to harden their hearts and souls even more, and even become more extreme with the SSPX's legitimacy. They already express their views publicly, and share in their Church hate.

In fact when I presented commentary similar to this posting on the Southern Orders post of 27/4/2016, save a couple of them, multiple commentators came out with daggers of the Devil against me, or flat out defended the SSPX as if they were not guilty of anything, for violating their golden calf (which is the SSPX,) despite me saying this would be a major mistake of Pope Francis. If anything, it reveals that upholding the First Commandment and going against the SSPX, is a greater "sin" in the RMT's books than defending Pope Francis. The moderator, Fr. Allan McDonald, could have easily dismissed my comment as ``trolling`` according to his policy in the comments section of Blogger, but clearly has NOT replied directly to my comment in chastizement or deleted it, and has allowed what has transpired to remain. If anything, he has allowed the discussion and the stabbing to ensue, possibly to demonstrate their insanity and idolization of the SSPX.

The only thing keeping them from being full radicals in liturgy, aside from their false "faith" is the fact that frequent attendance at SSPX chapels constitutes a possible (and likely self-schismatic) break from Holy Mother Church, the more you attend:

" PCED: "Catholics who frequent the chapels of the Society of St. Pius X do not incur any sin or canonical delict by doing so. However, we further refer you to what we have already stated in #4 above ...." "".... While it is true that participation in the Mass at chapels of the Society of St. Pius X does not of itself constitute "formal adherence to the schism" (cf. Ecclesia Dei 5, c), such adherence can come about over a period of time as one slowly imbibes a schismatic mentality which separates itself from the teaching of the Supreme Pontiff and the entire Catholic Church ...." (Published, PCED private correspondence with layman, and journalist, Brian Mershon for www.renewamerica.com)

If the SSPX were granted canonical validity, making their Masses licit AND VALID, using another drug/alcohol addiction analogy, this would be like giving a (non-medical) marijuana addict crack cocaine! The once user of gateway drugs would likely, (with great probability,) become so addicted and change into an extreme drug abuser! Sadly, based on what was unleashed against me in the post above, and some bloggers' sympathies out there in their incessant postings about the SSPX, the obvious interpretation is they want the perfect excuse to "jump over" and the SSPX is perceived as the "only hope" is saving the Catholic Church, especially liturgically in the Latin Mass.

Whether their reasons are wholly for the liturgy of the Latin Mass, or the whole extremist environment, or just to spite the institutional Church (read, parish pastors, institutions, individual priests, bishops, etc.,) they would get exactly what they want .... which would be catastrophic for their already damaged souls. At the very least, being in valid and licit Latin Masses approved by Holy Mother Church, keeps them in unison with Her, with a chance of salvation and Her mercy. While approving the SSPX outright might restore full abilities and sacramental privilege to the priests who hold those Masses, the environment and the untreated minds and hearts of the SSPX clergy, would make the heart of those mentioned, damaged souls, truly absent to those blessings within the EF Mass.

It would be akin to a beautiful pearl being held in a misshapen ugly clay jar, absent of all light inside. Because the of the ugliness of the clay jar surrounding the pearl, no one would come near the jar and dip their hand into the darkness to get the pearl, and it would lay there forever, forgotten, and never obtained. The blessings and graces possible in the EF Mass, would be that pearl, and the deadly sins of Pride, Anger, Envy, etc. with many additional sins, would be that darkness. The SSPX Masses, despite the Mass itself NEVER being a source of evil in itself, but because of the anti-Church and anti-Pope environment and erroneous teachings from the SSPX priests that would channel all that, would be the ugly misshapen clay jar.

Conclusion
In summary, it is already bad that these RMTs embarass Traditional Catholics or Latin Mass attendees, by associating with licit and valid liturgical environments, groups, or parishes, spewing their hatred of the "N.O Church." Giving the SSPX full approval without harsh disciplinary measures or a thorough clean up like the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, would be giving those radicals what they truly desire in their hearts: A "Church approved" excuse to hate Her and abuse her from within her own house.

Analogy: If you knew your own son or daughter was extremely, verbally and/or physically violent, like the drug abuser mentioned above, and you knew your life was in danger by letting that person in, would you allow that threat to your life in your house? You would not. You would get that person committed to a psychiatric ward or drug rehab facility if possible, to treat them. In the worst case scenario, you would call the police, even if it meant a standoff with a possibility of firearm discharge and the death of your own son/daughter.

This instance, is one occasion, where I pray and hope the Holy Father, does NOT act without consideration, or ``off the cuff`` as it were, to extend his hand fully and give them his version of mercy that he is doing in this current Papacy. If he TRULY wants to be merciful to the souls of both the clergy and attached laity of the SSPX, as well as the current flock still in "good standing" in the Church (at least on paper,) Francis will not reconcile the SSPX, instead of giving them carte-blanche freedom to pilfer and plunder souls from WITHIN Holy Mother Church.

Giving the SSPX the freedom and the personal prelature without HARSH discipline and reorganization, will spell doom for many a good soul wanting more Traditional Catholicism, and a perfect excuse for those ``corrupted`` souls to make themselves further fit for Hell as desired .... it will be the kind of disguised ``Traditionalism,`` which is truly extremism, and neo-Jansenism, leading souls off the narrow path to salvation on the right side of the road instead of the left.

END

Due to the nature of this post, judging by the reaction I received here, in prudence comments will be closed for this posting. 

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

Dangerous Tides A Swimming? Pope Francis' Mission Of Mercy and the SSPX: Silver Lining or Pandora's Box Part I?

Hello Everyone,

Yes it's been quiet here on S.U.D. That's mainly because of me being squeezed out between my work, and wedding preparations. Only 2 weeks to go! That doesn't leave me much time for entries. But finally, I have something for you ..... something concerning ... yet it is Latin Mass/Traditional Catholicism related.

My basis started after I read a post on the great, Fr. John Zuhlsdorf's WDTPRS blog. It was reported here on these Orthodox "Glad Trad" blogs (e.g. Southern Orders, Fr. Z), and the RMT sites that I will not hyperlink to (e.g. Rorate Caeli), with confirmation on the Vatican's major news portal (see here: http://www.news.va/en/news/press-office-confirms-pope-francis-meeting-with-ss) that Pope Francis had a meeting with the current head of the Society of St. Pius X, "Reverend" Bernard Fellay. That is as far a title I will allot to him, because he and the other "priests" of the Society of St. Pius X are NOT in communion with Holy Mother Church. Also, pastors of Christian churches can be called "Reverend" so it's not just the SSPX. Turns out the SSPX leaked that their leader, "Reverend" Bernard Fellay, had a meeting with Pope Francis.

I couldn't believe this, and it got my wheels turning, so I started to draft this in response. After multiple starts and stops, an interesting article surfaced yesterday on Southern Orders blog run by Fr. Allan J. McDonald of the diocese of Macon in the USA. He featured an article from once-Boston Globe associated CRUX news about possible reconciliation between the SSPX and the Church. I took an alternative viewpoint in the comments box, which only further proved what I am about to say, and makes this posting more prominent in terms of its timing.

Throughout his papacy, there's been interesting news about Pope Francis and who he is choosing to extend his "Mission of Mercy" to. Now, while I take a lot of what the Radicals Misrepresenting Traditionalists (RMTs) (and Catholics everywhere,) say on their armchair thrones from their domiciles or workplaces, with a heavy grain of salt, there is something that has been going on that has me deeply concerned with whom Francis is possibly bestowing "Mercy" to.

Allow me to remind you of the status of the society as to WHY they are not in communion with the Church, and why I will NOT call Fellay a bishop, despite technical or formal jargon and processes, or not. This is important because this post and its follow up in Part II, concerns the news that has been floating around, and it's highly concerning for the future of the Church.

Background as to why to be deeply concerned with the SSPX's re-entry ...

As per Benedict XVI's lifting of the censure of excommunication from Fellay and his fellow "bishops", De Mallerais, Williamson (who is now likely RE-EXCOMMUNICATED for consecrating bishops without the authority of Pope Francis and the Holy Catholic Church), and Alfonso de Galarreta, ".... As long as the Society does not have a canonical status in the Church, its ministers do not exercise legitimate ministries in the Church...."

The only absolute exception is recently, with Pope Francis' granting of temporary faculties for confession until November 20th this year for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. As for their Eucharists, those done by the SSPX ``clergy`` are ALWAYS consecrated illegally, in disobedience to Holy Mother Church, but is likely valid due to the odd canonical situation of the Society. One, however, should not play with the safety of their salvation and consume it, due to its questionable status.

The SSPX became "non-canonical" due to then Vatican II council father and founder of the SSPX, Marcel Lefevbre, and a co-consecrating bishop (who had since reconciled with Holy Mother Church,) illicitly consecrating bishops without a papal mandate from John Paul II in 1988. Regardless of whatever supposed politics between the two parties happened, the four men above, including current head Fellay, were the illegally consecrated bishops. When this happened, the SSPX (that is, its clergy) incurred the status, having NO sacramental jurisdiction in the Church, and Lefevbre, that bishop, and the four "musketeers" being excommunicated (until Benedict's intervention for the four & the co-consecrator's reconciliation.) The Sacramental jurisdiction comes from being under the authority of a bishop, even one from Rome in the Church as part of a personal prelature or missionary order (e.g. Opus Dei, Fraternal Society of St. Peter.) Sadly, Lefevbre NEVER reconciled with the Church, which is a very concerning statement for the foundation of the Society: one founded on disobedience and rebellion to Holy Mother Church.

In current day, the SSPX STILL has not reconciled with the Church. While Benedict XVI tried with negotiations in 2012, they ended in failure because once again, the SSPX refused to submit doctrinally to Holy Mother Church, and it is rumored the log in their eye, Vatican II, was to blame. The refusal was supposedly against a direct order from Benedict XVI, a condition which if not filled, would not allow them to reconcile with the Church. Currently, they operate two major "seminaries" with their major one in the birthplace where its establishment began, Econe, Switzerland, and have numerous chapels (I will NOT call them parishes, that's only reserved for those priests and communities in canonical validity with the Church) as well as private schools.

More Holier than Thou ... or how the SSPX are Protestant in the Sense of Church Hating ...

However, in existing in the world, they adhere to an education that is almost 100% how it was "pre-1962" with its strictness, teaching methods, and application of such methods in strict authority. Unfortunately, coupled with all this is the teaching to their "adherents," a twisted theology that attacks Holy Mother Church, the Novus Ordo Mass, Pope Francis, even professing incorrect teachings that are not in force in the Church. An incorrect teaching, for example, I take from a former friend now with the SSPX, who told me it was a mortal sin to eat meat on Fridays. He goes to the chapel in my archdiocese (obviously NOT under the jurisdiction of ++Collins,) and never went to their schools, so this is likely where he learnt this error. This is entirely incorrect. The current Canon Law in the Church and its Catechism, do NOT state this, nor any document in the Church's history. Furthermore, our current Canon Law of 1983, clearly states that this version of the law is in effect, not this AND/OR any other version of Canon Law, here in Section 5, subsection 1:

``Can. 5 §1. Universal or particular customs presently in force which are contrary to the prescripts of these canons and are reprobated by the canons of this Code [of Canon Law promulgated in 1983] are absolutely suppressed and are not permitted to revive in the future. Other contrary customs are also considered suppressed unless the Code expressly provides otherwise or unless they are centenary or immemorial customs which can be tolerated if, in the judgment of the ordinary, they cannot be removed due to the circumstances of places and persons.``

As to hating the Novus Ordo, I turn to these YouTube videos: " Should Catholics Attend the New Mass? - Part I or II - Episode 14 - SSPX FAQ Series." and the second part in episode 15 with the similar title. I will not link to it, so you will have to do the grunt work, but if you do, watch it with caution and concern. I am merely watching these videos for the most relevant parts to this post.

First, at 2:19-2:30, the collared cleric begins to weave the web of confusion about the necessity of avoiding the Novus Ordo to be necessary. He tells the viewer that while the Church obliges all Catholics to attend Mass, it is "according to the Human Condition" and that there are occasions that might make attendance at Mass on a Sunday "impractical." This cleric's word choice is interesting. He does not say the more appropriate "unavoidable," but rather "impractical," meaning if it doesn't fit one's routine or personal needs, it is not necessary.

While continuing on in part I, the cleric correctly addresses common reasons for dispensation from the obligation, and the parish priest's ability to dispense the obligation when the situation falls outside common reasons or scenarios.

Part II is where the conspiracy theories and the hate train begins. They set you up in part I with the "basics" which are mostly correct. However, like how the Devil twists truths or things good to bring out malicious intention and sin, likewise the SSPX does so to go into part II to say why you should reject and hate the Novus ordo.

Immediately, as RMTs are wont to do, it goes for the conspiracy theory angle, implying that Pope Paul VI was directly responsible with Annibale Bugini, to create a Protestant, heretical product: ".. under the influence of Fr. Annibale Bugnini and Pope Paul VI, both of whom wanted a liturgy that was ecumenical and would not be a “stumbling block” to Protestants. This goal was accomplished with the new liturgy by obscuring or even removing from its prayers the Catholic doctrines concerning the propitiatory nature of the Mass, the sacrificial and mediatory character of the priesthood, and the dogma of the Real Presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist."

Further, the cleric goes on to say about the Novus Ordo:
"...  the New Mass departs from the Catholic Faith “as a whole and in its details .... this new liturgy has confused or destroyed the Faith of millions of Catholics since the 1970’s to the point that most churchgoers today have an erroneous understanding of the Catholic doctrine of the Mass and sometimes do not even believe in the real presence .... The Church cannot ask her members to endanger their Faith. This is the reason why Catholics are not obliged to attend the New Mass to fulfill the Sunday Precept. In fact, for those who have knowledge of its inherent problems, the New Mass is to be completely avoided, as they understand that it is also an offense to God ...."

So let's see, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the most POWERFUL form of prayer in the world, that which Christ has asked his Holy Priests to perform for all time, is a product hellbent on destroying the faithful of Millions?

There is so much fault at this explanation I'll only briefly wax over it.

First of all, I quote from Scripture from the NRSV-CE the Gospel of Luke 11:9-13:
"9 “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for[e] a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit[f] to those who ask him!”

I may be no JCD or P.hD, but I'm pretty certain that tied into the OH SO FAMOUS Matthew 16:18-19, that Christ would NEVER let the Church be destroyed by Satan, and above, would never seek to purposely poison his sheep. Think about it, if the Church, were to do so, then clearly Christ lied in establishing His One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, it would NOT be guided by the Holy Spirit, it would not bear the mark of HOLY, and at best Jesus as God made Flesh, reflecting God, would be nothing more than like the Greek Gods of old, who sometimes looked after humanity, but also sometimes had fun playing around with them, like in Oedipus Rex and other Greek tragedies.

Also fine you might go on about the whole Bugini thing and such. First, the general Church did NOT have the Internet to propagate information as quick as a button, so the majority of priests, lay leaders, etc., had to rely on whatever was taught/handed down to them. Liberal influences and people clearly got a hold of that to curb things in their favour. Secondly, the translators used dynamic equivalence, more meaning vs. literal translation in other words. That definitely screwed up the translation. Final point on the propagation of such a "malformed" product: If it was that bad, wouldn't the Church have more quickly closed up shop in multiple (arch)dioceses already, with barely a physical presence in the world today, with only Latin Mass parishes, Byzantine parishses, etc. surviving? If it was truly a product of the Devil, and we can trust our Lord to only give us truly GOOD gifts, as per His Holy Words above, wouldn't he have allowed rapid and quick destruction of those institutional parts of the Church with this new Mass to die immediately? Did he not also tell His Disciples that He would separate the wheat from the chaff, and cursed a fig tree producing no spiritual fruit to show that that which is not of God will wither and die?

Further to add, despite the calumnies of the SSPX against Holy Mother Church and the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite, it STILL brings in converts and new faithful every year, around the world, at the Holy Triduum's Saturday Easter Vigil. If this Mass was clearly poison to the lay faithful, then why does the bosom of Holy Mother Church, continue to entice people to join her? Why then, would other noted apologists and lay leaders, such as Scott Hahn, Dave Armstrong, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Jimmy Akin, Marcus Grodi, etc. who are CONVERTS, attend such a "bastardized" form of the Mass, only to spread the faith and do their absolute best to bring other people into the Church, with their apologetics and Internet websites?

Now, listen, it's one thing to analyze the Masses properly, and state what has been gained/lost from prior forms/updates. It's also one thing to state that "Form X has a temptation to allow priests to become entertainers due to versus populum and factors a, b, c, in the Church." However to imply that the form itself is defective, as this "priest" has said, even if the statement does or does not literally say so, contains in itself heresy and hate for the Church.

On a final note, as for the Pope Hate? Once Pope Francis ascended to the Seat of Peter, Fellay had calumnious words for Pope Francis that he was practicing heresy by being a modernist from a sermon he did, and put it publicly for distribution on the SSPX regional websites, also committing the grievous sin of detraction, as well as what Pope Francis has called the Devil's work: gossip.

Conclusion Part I

With this history, and a gander of what these "fine" folks will bring into the Church with regards to their vicious stances against the Novus Ordo and Pope Francis, contravening Scripture and other important facets of the Church in the process, these are the "gifts" they will bring into the Church when they come in.

So then, with these gifts in mind and their current stance on our modern Church, why should the SSPX not be receiving the gift of mercy, unchecked, in having their canonical validity and status restored in Holy Mother Church?

That, my dear friends, and enemies and their fanboys/fan-maidens (I know you are watching me,) will be for Part II, which shall be scheduled for release this evening. But before I bid you adieu, Due. to the nature of this post, judging by the reaction I received here, in prudence, comments will be closed for this posting.

Ta Ta, and Pax.

Part I of Update to May Posting 1 on ELA of Contradiction: My Trust was Breached in the Archdiocese of St. John

Hello everyone.

I was blessed to be able to join my serving colleagues once again, in assisting the St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir, in serving the Lord via the Latin Mass for the Feast of the Sacred Heart. I will draw up a report of this Mass soon with my usual altar setup pics and my recollection of the celebrant's homily.

However, I must now draw some attention to a previous matter, which has taken an interesting turn at the hands of a traditionalist behaving badly .... and badly he and his accomplice(s?) have behaved.

If you will recall last month, I decided to defend my Eminence, ++Collins, against Eric Lea Alcock of Contra/diction! blog, who thinks that my Cardinal isn't just doing enough against the source of abortion, contraception and moral evil. Calling +Collins out, so to speak, from the comfort of his domicile several land masses and some waters away in Newfoundland, he now has 4 recent posts, and others he's wrote in the past, criticizing my Eminence to the point beyond fraternal Charity.

My Eminence was unknowingly slandered and calumnied by this individual, in such posts as seen here, after the magnificent feat of his presence at the Solemn LATIN Mass ``in the Presence of a Greater Prelate`` for Msgr. Foy's 75th ordination, and I decided to take this to task. Worse, ELA is a stereotype of the "Trad Behaving Badly" (my coined term, because "Mad/Rad Trad" infuriates the directed targets to commit more sins, and unfairly calumnies the good traditionalists) as I discovered he was an attendee, and blogmaster for, the now deleted website for a St. John`s Newfoundland Latin Mass group in the Archdiocese of St. John`s, under the pastoral authority of Archbishop Currie. Some snapshots of what was up is provided here:

The blog was taken down. 

Google Cache of the former St. John's Latin Mass Community RECENT blog, webmastered by ELA. It actually wasn't like Contra/diction! blog. Too bad.  

Wanting to stop to misrepresenting Latin Mass Catholics, and the insult of my Eminence, I decided that this would require ecclesiastical authority in his region to intervene, that is whomever is his bishop (now confirmed as +Currie of A.St. John's). I therefore composed an e-mail detailing what Mr. Alcock has done about my bishop, and how he has misrepresented, like so many others on the internet, the Latin Mass community by what he blogs about. This was sent to the three Archdiocese offices of NL, meant for their (arch)bishops.

Sure enough, Mr. Alcock wasn`t happy with me discovering his TBB antics, and wrote his own defamatory posting about me with a picture of a knight on horseback (thanks. That`s a compliment to me!), and he posted my written letter to +Currie et al. for all to read IN FULL! If you came here because of it, thank you for the additional blog hits (of which I receive 0 pay,) and go on! Explore my blog more! You might like my postings on Latin Mass serving positions and breakdown of the parts of the Mass! In fairness, he did credit my zeal for my Eminence.

I rechecked the post this past week as my experience with TBBs in past is they tend to cover up their works when they are caught, either modifying or deleting things they post. Not only did some other like-minded person want to contact him, Mr. Alcock removed the full text of my letter. Why? In Mr. Alcock's words at the now updated post, with my emphasis bolded and underlined:

" UPDATE: In order to protect my sources I have removed from this posting the contents of an email sent by Julian Barkin to the Bishops of NL. The reader can easily click on this link to one of Barkin's blog postings to get a good idea of what he said to the Bishops about me"

This removal was clearly NOT done in charity to me, by order of +Currie and the Archdiocesan office of St. John's, or repentance of the sin of detraction and/or calumny.

I am quite disturbed by this breach of my confidence and privacy with the Office of the Archbishop of St. John`s. I sent the email to the publicly listed addresses on the Internet and trusted the offices of the NL archdiocese to respect my privacy. Further what am I to think as a young man of 30-years in the Church, as one of those less than 25% (and probably even lower amongst my age group of gen Xers) of weekly Mass attendees, when one of our biggest issues is the distrust of authority, both secular and eccleastical? Were my faith weak, I'd rip myself apart from the Church and hate bishops and priests because of this breach of trust. Thank God at least I can trust my own Archdiocesan Office, and my faith is strong enough NOT to lost Faith, but really?

For the full letter to have been posted, according to the words of ELA above lest he be right, this clearly shows:

1. An abuse of power, privilege, and their office, of someone within the Archdiocesan office of St. John's. This can be anyone from a web administrator, an administrative assistant, or other staff member. Further it's easy to use blind copy in e-mails to hide knowledge of other recipients. The person could have passed the email to +Currie, and easily sent it to ELA as a BCC. 
2. A sincere form of disrespect for +Currie and his office in the Church
3. That should there truly be an ally of Mr. Alcock in the Archdicoesan office, then this is an example of blatant hypocrisy by those who claim that liberals snuck into offices in the institutional Church, parishes, and dioceses, and are wreaking havoc in the Institutional Church from within (That is, it weakens their arguments and decreases the likelihood of being taken seriously, including real victims of such crimes by those abusing power).

Sadly, in this case it appears as if the Trads Behaving Badly. have connections in a chancery office for once. If Mr. Alcock is right, someone up in +Currie's office, a TBB or misguided soul, clearly leaked this out, protecting Mr. Alcock as a friend, the Latin Mass, or some other reason.

Should what Mr. Alcock claims to be true, it was morally, spiritually, and professionally INAPPROPRIATE of you, the person behind the information leak, to abuse your position in your office, to leak that communication, and I hope that the Archbishop will be more cautious in future of whom he hires as staff. I trusted your boss, +Currie, with this communication, that he would do the right thing for Holy Mother Church, by helping to fight against the radical traditionalism that plagues the Latin Mass and their self-elected adherents online and in person, and to stop the calumny and detraction of another fellow Canadian prelate, who's MY "SPIRITUAL" BOSS.

Might I also inform viewers that while I am an adult, +Currie released, for public viewing, a letter on the Archdiocesan Policy for screening employees, viewable here. In it, he says the following, with my emphasis bolded and in one instance, underlined:

".... At the core of effective ministry is a sacred trust which must be created and nurtured. Like professionals in our society, such as physicians, lawyers and others, trust is given to those who perform ministries in the church. Trust can take time to create, but can be destroyed in a moment. Screening of priests, employees and volunteers will help to reveal instances where trust has been abused in the past. It will help to protect those for whom we care, and to reduce the risk of misconduct from occurring in the performance of our ministries. This screening policy will benefit those who minister by clarifying their responsibilities and by outlining how to perform their ministries appropriately ...."

Mr. Alcock`s source would have been screened, likely with the high risk option, with some form of background check to be fully employed in the chancery office, as they are dealing with all kinds of people, including those in most need of our safeguarding (e.g. elderly, minors). Despite not being a minor, and that the screening is not fullproof, this is clearly a violation of the Screening in Faith policy he/she underwent, as outlined in +Currie's letter at the link above. As a matter of fact, the release of such information in ANY workplace dealing with sensitive information, would constitute termination of employment.

While other possibilities might exist, I am 100% percent certain, that +Currie is innocent in the whole matter. +Currie, as per his blog here, `Vox Clamatis in desertio,`` was on his way to Quebec, Montreal, and the surrounding areas for a week long pilgrimage. He would have to entrust such communications to his staff and to deal with such business upon his return. He would be concentrating on the pilgrimage at hand and not archdiocesan business. The expression is ``While the cats are away, the mice will play`` and I would not be surprised for someone to do something like this in his physical absence from office.  Further, permanent, PUBLIC, Sunday time slots for TLMs are according to bishop's authority (therefore, Sunday obligation) and the community has existed since the turn of this decade (2010's), so it would be contrary for +Currie go against the St. John`s community after all these years? This act clearly could not have been at his hands, so all you TBBs, cease your whining and conspiracy theories now!

To wrap this up, as seen above, Mr. Alcock has decided to take off the blog he was the webmaster of for his Latin Mass community in St. Johns. While there is an older blog still up containing the basic information for any Newfies to go to the TLM if interested, it is clear that Alcock's blog was the more recent one for the group. Perhaps this was a direct order to dismantle the blog by the St. John`s group? I surely hope that this wasn't a classic TBB playbook move of covering up evidence of wrongdoing. Also, couldn't Alcock have transferred over the position to another person in the TLM community as an alternative to maintain the blog? Or to have a second person be the author of that blog to post content and to post that person's profile, if he had to step down? That's usually what organizations do if they want to keep the existing framework, but to give a new, positive image to the organization.

Regardless, this whole episode just shows how far these TBBs will go in their pride and power, and what they will do to enforce their Trad Behaving Badly "version" of Traditional Catholicism, the one that Pope Francis detests in his multiple homilies, It's their way or no way, and they do not care who they hurt, whether it is the young people of the Church, or all the way up to the Church's princes and Vicar. You fight, they will play dirty and publicly smear you. They are the "other side of the narrow path towards the heavenly gate."

Sad thing is .... their antics will just lead more prelates and dioceses to reject the Latin Mass and traditional Catholicism and not dispose of anything that might be considered "spirit of Vatican II", as what the TBBs are doing, looks 100 times worse. THIS IS THE WORST TIME IN THE CHURCH TO DO SUCH THINGS POST-BENEDICT XVI !!!

Traditionalists, everyone, please smarten up. Take the good acts these few stronger bishops, like ++Collins are doing, for what they are with no criticism or ill will, unless they are doing something grave like ad-libing the Mass, or objectively violating church teaching (e.g. "communion to divorced AND remarried Catholic is OK").  Support and cheer them on when they act courageously and do things like hold EF Masses or issue strongly worded pro-life pastoral letters without the added barb of TBB poison or speculation.

Good Trads, those who are not these TBBs, or represented by them, please be active in the defense of your beloved Latin Mass and Traditional Catholicism. Else these TBBs will represent you, and even the good princes of the Church, might not be so willing to extend their graces to you, despite Church laws and motu proprios. Law is 50% interpretation remember?

Part II will also be coming up later, though I will need a bit of work on that one as it will involve trying to post differently than what I have here. I might even need a bit of help on that. Also, reporting on last night`s Latin Mass is a bigger priority to me on S.U.D.

Pax, Julian.

Highlight: More Breaking News in May! Truth About the FFI Situation From Its Own Friar

Hello Everyone!

Well, I was planning on not doing anything for the rest of the month with exception to that thurifer posting, but it seems things have changed once more. My blogger feed produced something so crucial to Latin Mass culture and Traditional Catholicism!

For those of you who might not remember or haven't read my posts every day, a particularly heated issue for Traditionalist Catholics attuned to the web is the "persecution" of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate in Italy, a new order with sisters attached too, who embraced aspects of Traditional Catholicism, including the Latin Mass in Italy.

Well, according to the Trad Behaving Badly accounts, the Big Bad Vatican sent a meanie elected by someone elected by Pope Francis to investigate the FFI and now the Commissar has torn the order to shreds, with many people wanting to reject their vow of obedience to the Pope, poor "innocent" sisters being harassed by the commissar ..... it's being used as a horror story from Hell to summon the war drums and keep the TBBs fighting against the "novus ordo/post-conciliar Church," and validating their actions online and in person in Latin Mass communities around the world.

I covered this issue somewhat last year, by showing a clarification issued by a blogging friar (fully professed and ordained) from the order, Fr. Angelo Geiger, which was highlighted by Traditionalist Hero, Fr. John Zuhlsdorf. My first "highlight" post on this ongoing issue was here.

Well, today, Fr. Geiger on his blog, Mary Victrix, once again strikes back at the heart of this issue, because some unnamed, bitter member of his order (who could be priest, deposed seminarian, a sister, or a novitiate), released a scathing document on the internet. Anonymous of course, as is the true style of the Tradtionalist Behaving Badly.

Fr. Geiger replies to the accusations, detractions, and calumnies of this document in full, complicit, fraternal charity, because this issue has mistakenly been dragged out into the open in Machivellian fashion, where it should have remained internal. For the sake of Holy Mother Church, the FFI, and all those within it, Fr. Geiger reveals some startling information.

I could summarize it or reprint the whole text, but I think that it's best that you read the whole post with your own eyes. This was an eye opener to me. I wish I had known this sooner, because in my "Au Revoir" post, I said that not all was well worldwide with the general status of Traditional Catholicism in the Church, with the FFI situation being an example. With this new information having come to light, I will need to update the posting, though I am NOT going to delete what I said at the time [in true, NON-Trad Behaving Badly fashion!]

[update 2 min after releasing this post: It was not the FFI situation I used in Au Revoir. It was Una Voce Costa Rica. That one's still out to the jury, so to speak.]

So here it is. The counter reply by Fr. Geiger to the document. Read it fully. It will definitely change your opinions and views on the matter .... and please!!! Post this link to the posting and spread word! Counter the radical traditionalists.

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian.

RadTrads Once Again Stir up a Storm of Vitriol in Traddie Land and Harass a Family to Boot

BIG BOLDED WARNING!: I AM BEING THE MOST CURT I HAVE EVEN BEEN IN THIS POST, AND I KNOW "SPIES" WATCH MY BLOG AND HAVE SYMPATHY FOR RADICAL TRADITIONALIST GROUPS AND OTHERS WHO SHOULD KNOW BETTER CONDUCT AS TRADITIONAL ROMAN CATHOLICS. SHOULD YOU REPORT BACK TO YOUR MASTERS AND YOU OR THEY, OR OTHERS INVOLVED, DARE TO SEND ME OR MY FRIENDS THREATENING E-MAILS OR ANY OTHER COMMUNICATIONS, I WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH SAID FRIENDS, AND ESPECIALLY MY LAWYER AND MAYBE THE POLICE! CAN'T REMAIN IN CONTROL? CLICK ON AND MOVE ON. ITS A "FREE" COUNTRY ON THE INTERNET. I WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY REQUESTS TO REMOVE MATERIAL. 

IN ADDITION, READ MY BLOG RULES ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE BEFORE POSTING. NO ANONYMOUS PEOPLE, AND IF YOU COMMITT THE CRIMES STATED, I WILL NAME YOU PUBLICALLY FOR YOUR INFRACTION, I WILL NOT POST YOUR COMMENT, AND IF IT IS BY EMAIL, IT WILL BE ARCHIVED AND A COPY SENT TO MY LAWYER.


Hello Everyone.

You just can't seem to escape Radical Traditionalism on the Internet. Just when you think that things calm down, another torrent of stereotypical Rad Trad problems affect the Body of Christ. This time, it decided to cross over into the Novus Ordo, in the harassment of a devout Catholic family involved in providing Catholic Christian Music.

On June 26, 2013, a certain blogger who has affiliations with the Extraordinary Form, decided that he had an issue with a certain music video of a young aspiring artist. The artist is rising up there with the likes of Kathleen Dunn of Dunn Media, Chris Bray, and David Wang and his Catholic band, Critical Mass.

After viewing the video, it was not enough for the blogger to discuss the loss of the sense of the sacredness of the sacred space of Catholic Churches and appropriate decorum and clothes, etc. There are ways to talk about such a topic with Catholic charity, and if needed, necessary fraternal correction, NOT EXCEEDING VIRTUE AND SPIRALLING INTO EMOTIONALLY ANGER AND VITRIOL.

The video in question is here. Blogger can`t find this video with the insert function, so use the link in purple.

 





Further, there were implications thrown around that the video was sexual in some scenes with a focus on the bare feet of the artist. In addition, one of the blogger's friends, who produced the video, became a target of said blogger's wrath. The sad irony in this, is that the producer made a video for the blogger about the beauty of Chant and the Latin Mass. This video is somewhere on the video network, Vimeo.

As the day went on, numerous ``allies`` of the blogger came to say, `Good job` to embarrassing and harassing the young woman publically on his internet blog for the sake of all things holy in the Church. There were valiant defenders who came to the woman`s aid over the past two days, even David Wang himself came out to support his fellow Catholic artist, but since then, those defense comments were removed from the blog and now, that blogger has put comment moderation on everything, with no anonymous comments, period. In past he has deleted comments he didn`t like and even taken down entire posts after confrontation online, so it`s no new thing. Plus I moderate my stuff anyways, knowing there`s people who don`t like me either right? .....

But that doesn`t stop there. The blogger, in continuing insistence, posted today, the 28th June, 2013, ``An Open Letter to ...`` the producer and David Wang, because they were in the wrong in this blogger`s eyes for their actions/defense, and not giving this blogger the time of day. If that was not enough, another blogger who goes under a pseudo-name, with a certain group of men who are EF supporting/Traditional Catholics, decided to support the first with his own posting. The posting starts out as a nice spiritual reflection on the hypocrisy of "c"atholics but turned into a slam fest on the Archdiocese for a concert at their Cathedral a year ago and then attacks the young artist once more.

Again, were these postings true and genuine in their approach, and the language appropriate of someone doing honest fraternal correction as Catholics, there would be no problem.

HOWEVER, once again, these individuals have taken it upon themselves in their actions, to embarrass and misrepresent the Extraordinary Form community. They have acted as elitists in their own power with no order or official mandate of the Church, who act as our Eminence ++ Collins put it in this talk to us young people at the Duke of York pub, starting at 13:10 at this video, as these ``purer Catholics``. In other words, these individuals and their supporters in their comments have functioned as Rad Trads. They have taken it upon themselves, to act as the Archdiocesan and worldwide Church liturgical police, who use detraction, slander, and calumny, to harass their `guilty parties`, which does not discriminate based on age, sex, creed, etc. Even their best friends are targets when they cause an infraction, and being an 18 year old devout Catholic female also does not protect you from their chastisements. Even certain clergy and offices (of the Archdiocese) are not immune to their attacks.

As the sole author of Servimus Unum Deum, of which my fourth major goal of this blog is, reposted from my about page:
``4) Because I am sick and tired of the insults thrown at Traditional/Latin Mass Catholics/practising Catholics: cold-hearted, nasty, radical, hypocritical, hyper-critical of clergy and other Catholics not in line with Traditional Catholicism or the EF Mass, etc. These stereotypes are lies and insults meant to slander and detract us, making us 2nd-class citizens in the Church, both by mis-educated and unwilling critics of the laity and clergy. What a social injustice!!! Even Pope Francis has called such actions (lies) the work of the Devil, under its more formal name: Slander. Our Holy Father has also told us that as Catholics we must be joyful and glad about our faith, without those "long-faces." Unfortunately, like all stereotypes, they are perpetuated by some select people and organizations. They tend to be the most "popular" mouthpieces that are active on the Internet and in dioceses, whether they are diocesan or canonically valid/invalid/in good standing as Catholics. They have provided poor examples to their fellow EF/Traditional or practising Catholics and further perpetuate the stereotypes mentioned above.

I, Julian, here with my blog, Servimus Unum Deum, hope to serve as a counter-example to those aforementioned examples, speaking with as much charity and proper fraternal correction as possible on such matters, though I will not hesitate to "call a spade a spade" when absolutely warranted. More importantly, may I and my blog serve to show that truly, most EF/Traditional Catholics are sinners who do their best to express faith, hope, and charity, while attempting to follow the Catholic faith in their fullness and put it in practice in their daily lives.

Major Messages:
Therefore, I will now say what is necessary on this matter which has caused damage to this young artist and her family, her producer, and has once again brought undeserved (for the majority,) shame and condemnation of the EF/Latin Mass/Solid and Orthodox Catholic Community.

1) In a nutshell, yes, perhaps a little more clothing (e.g. a shawl or a super-lightweight long sleeve sweater) could have been worn, and the sandals/shoes kept on in the video for the sake of proper decorum. For that type of song, perhaps another venue could have been used or a soundstage/green-screen used to "mimic" a church with a disclaimer if needed. We as a whole, Catholic society, need to reclaim the sense of the sacred and that the Catholic Church is a "House of God." If concerts and the like must be done in a Church, may they adhere to Canon Law, Archdiocesan guidelines, and whatever other Vatican documents cover this topic. That is not to say people will intentionally ignore these laws, but as it seems, the artist and her team did go through lengths to secure permission with the proper authorities in the Church to do the video.

2) However, in light of (1), the greater and more devious, even Satanic sins here were committed by members of, or who associate with the Extraordinary Form community. They have used their social media and communications to publically humiliate and harass the young artist and her family and the producer. This behaviour is stereotypical of Rad Trads, and IT IS PREPOSTEROUS!!! We are working so hard to help carry out Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's "reform of the reform" and the New Evangelization, and you go an ruin it with actions like this!!! And this is not your only occasion this has occurred! These bloggers also damage relations within the EF community in the Archdiocese of Toronto, and even criticise in a manner of insult and detraction the Office of the Archdiocese of Toronto on numerous occasions in a "We are more Catholic than you" manner. And you wonder why ++Collins has to tell the young people to watch out for types like this.

3) The only justice I can see here, would be the complete removal of the published postings on the blogs, and a formal, written apology by both bloggers, that is not general for the specific actions committed against the performer, her family, and her producer. That apology would need to remain permanent and fixed, unedited, and never deleted, for all time as long as those blogs stand.


There. I have spoken on this matter. The sad part is if they keep this up, they might just destroy the Latin Mass in my Archdiocese for good. They are not stupid and with this age of internet reporting, some people, perhaps those who had, or do associate with these individuals, will turn on them and do the same thing they are doing. And the rest of us will suffer in the politics of it all.

Why cannot we all just love one another as Christ loved us, and follow His example in the Gospels when matters of the soul absolutely had to be dealt with?

Pax Tibi Christ, Julian Barkin.

Update 0729pm
It seems that ties have been severed between the first blogger and producer of the young artist`s video. It`s a shame really. It`s as if there is no such thing as philios or the love of friendship anymore, not even in Traditional Catholicism.

Oh Man! Francis Once Again Hits a Homiletic Home Run! Monday's Mass Homily about Calumny

Hello Everyone.

Wow. Just a month into his papacy and Pope Francis is starting to hit the homiletics hard! While he hasn't gotten to fire and brimstone homilies just yet, these recent homilies of his are becoming quite in line with what Benedict XVI has proclaimed, and even more curt I say.

This past Monday, in Mass with the Vatican telecommunications office staff, he gave a "fervorino," an Italian term for a small, but passionate homily. The coverage of the summary of his homily is here on the Vatican's online news service, news.va: http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-calumny-destroys-the-work-of-god-in-people. Considering it was the telecommunications office, they got a well-needed homily appropriate to their jobs.

Besides focusing on the account of the Church's first recorded martyr, St. Stephen, he then proceeded to attack one of the most egregious "social" sins in my opinion plaguing our post-modern society, of which has been attacking the Church from all quarters, calumny. The first reading of Monday's Novus Ordo allowed him to open up into this, as he states, " ... Stephen was a victim of calumny. He is accused of “false witness” but it is not a “fair fight, a fight between good men” ... Stephen’s enemies chose the path of a dirty fight, “the path of calumny ....”

Now this is where I really got interested in what Francis had to say: ".... Calumny he continued is worse than sin - it is the direct expression of Satan."

WHAT!!!!???? ANOTHER MENTION OF THE EVIL ONE????? I swear, already I have seen two homilies from this Pope mentioning the Devil and his false works. Wow! Once again the Pope is courageous enough to call a spade a spade. If this trend continues, we might have a historical first post-Vatican II as the Pope who mentioned the Devil in his homily the most times!!! At least you can't say Francis is soft on the spiritual war we undertake as Church militant. If this is what he has to offer in his first few weeks as Pope perhaps a year from now he'll churn out something big.

Going back to the topic on calumny, how right of him to call the Devil out on this, and the disgusting filth of this sin. Calumny is exactly what it is: Lying! Lying by debasement of one`s character to inflict intentional damage of any sort to a person, or persons.  And the Devil? Traditional Catholics/Priests know him by another title: "THE FATHER OF LIES". Between the Devil being depicted by Dante in the farthest, deepest circle of hell with its main sin of Pride, and his big lie in the Fall of Adam and Eve, I am not surprised for His Holiness to call this sin out for what it is and it's connection to the works of the Devil.

Back to his homily, ""We are all sinners; all of us. We all commit sins. But calumny is something else. It is of course a sin, too, but it is something more. Calumny aims to destroy the work of God, and calumny comes from a very evil thing: it is born of hatred. AND HATE IS THE WORK OF SATAN. Calumny destroys the work of God in people, in their souls. Calumny uses lies to get ahead. And let us be in no doubt, eh?: Where there is calumny, there is Satan himself. "

(Mouth is dropped for 5 seconds ...). This is incredible. This was blunt, direct, and intentional for the sake of our spiritual salvation. Further, in our media saturated world, both the secular and Catholic media of both sides, Traditional and "liberal/Cafeteria" Catholic, have been attacking other faithful, spiritual and episcopal offices, and the Holy Father with slander. Social media has only intensified this vile sin of calumny, under the guise of "telling the TRUTH"/what they refuses to tell you, or as weapons of control and order for selfish purposes, all the while disregarding the humanity and spiritual soul of the person(s) at the receiving end of the calumnist's lies. These liars fail to realize their actions can damage the recipients permanently, to the point of translating into self-harm, even suicide. Look at young men and women in middle and high school who are bullied into suicide, when the calumnists call them anything from fat to implying loose sexual mores, or disposing entirely of their human dignity for any reason. Even saying anything as simple as the classic "you are a loser" is an example of calumny and participating in the Evil One's works.

Further, the Pope discussed the accused, Stephen, with regard to his martyrship, but had these words to say to us ... all of us, especially Catholics: "But the age of martyrs is not yet over, even today we can say, in truth, that the Church has more martyrs now than during the first centuries. The Church has many men and women who are maligned through calumny, who are persecuted, who are killed in hatred of Jesus, in hatred of the faith: some are killed because they teach the catechism, others are killed because they wear the cross ... Today, in many countries, they are maligned, they are persecuted ... they are our brothers and sisters who are suffering today, in this age of the martyrs".

That`s right. Our Christian/Catholic brethen in some European/Middle Eastern countries or ones with predominantly militant theocracies (e.g. Muslim extremism in Egypt) are being persecuted. Don't however think that we are so fortunate in a "Western" or "democratic" nation. Quickly, yet in small steps, our freedom of religion is being eroded, and our education systems are being attacked by our secular governments at the regional/provincial levels and even federally. E.g. Obama and mandatory contraception provisions, McGuinty/Broten/Wynne and the sex education curriculum in schools + Bill 13 "anti-bullying law" that was passed in Ontario law recently.

Between politicians who at the least will not even pass bills on legislating the right to life, to those who maliciously enforce what can be taught in the education systems of our schools which violates the ethos and central goal of Catholic education, and the promotion of sexual and moral indecencies (with accompanying increases in legal statuses in such favour or for liberal supporters), we in future, or in your childrens' future, may be looking at persecution even in these developed, democratic nations. We are talking permanent jail time at the least, with possible militant force (just wait for a martial law/emergency law/reinstatement of death penalty edict, and this might even come about somehow from "conservatives" ...).

And so, the Pope called out this disgusting work of the Devil, which has especially been plaguing Traditional Catholic blogs as of late, and gave us sharp words of warning. I do hope you, and others who see this, will take heed and spiritual stock of themselves and turn to Him, who is Lord.

Pax Tibi Christi. Julian.