Ecce Schisma

The recent quip by Leo at Castel Gandolfo finally puts to bed a line used to bludgeon the Society in the last few decades, and introduces the actual core argument.

The kids call it the quiet part out loud.

Which if considered and taken in context not only leaves the Society in the dust of his flippy floppies, but an enormous number of Novus Ordo Catholics who have reservations about the great and not wrong Second Vatican Council.

What he said, in answer to a question about the SSPX situation: "We have considered making another appeal, to say do not do this, let us try to live in communion within the Church. But it is their choice. One must understand what this means for them and for the Church. Certainly, division among Christians is always a painful matter. But they refuse to accept certain fundamental elements of the Church, starting with several points of the Second Vatican Council. If they make that choice, I am sorry, but we must move forward." [emphasis mine]

If we hear that correctly, which I think is relatively easy to do, he lines it out. It's not procedural. Not an obedience to Papa, thing. It's Vatican II. That's the line. That was Archbishop Lefebvre's line. That's the Society's line as well. Finally, unity!

Schism is now white martyrdom in the face of a pinch of incense for Vatican II.

The fact that Vatican II was not dogmatic in any way doesn't matter to these folks. No new definitions, no anathemas. It was kind of the point of thing. Now, for Rome, it is the demarcation of excommunication. The actual threshold for excommunication, from the Pope himself, is unquestioning acceptance of Vatican II.

So, just a crash course on something I alluded to last time around. Schism-ing themselves is not what the Society is doing.

The precision of Aquinas via Summa: Schismatics "willfully and intentionally separate themselves from the unity of the Church." The will, intention, that's the thing. Not incidental consequences, not the pearl clutching down stream, just the actual intent of the actual individual soul.

For those who continue to utter the "buh cooties!" line: please produce the document, the statement, the tweet, the reel, the remark, the leaked memo from "sources," the anything, in which a person in authority at the 'ole SSPX shop stated that they intended to separate or walk out the door of the Church. Might take a tick. I can wait.

Fr. Pagliarani, the man who was sent to speak with Fernandez, bless his heart, has been nothing but fillial. Boringly so. No counter-pope in the wings. No rival curia hiding in an Econe basement. No parallel jurisdiction claimed. Not even a restoration of Bourbon-Parma! Just the reliance on providence and salvation of souls and stuff. Snooze-fest.

Aquinas' standard is you can't accidentally schism yourself into excommunication. Especially not by attending the Mass Catholics have attended for centuries upon centuries and having a few clarifying questions about a confused council that didn't self-identify as dogmatic.

Meanwhile, in the actual Church Christ founded in person, generations cannot name the seven sacraments, the four last things, or explain why they genuflect. Catechesis isn't in intensive care, it's DOA. The average Catholic believes things that would have warranted a correction by an illiterate one-eyed medieval peasant.

Its unprecedented in Church history that the laity have nearly entirely lost the faith. Never has a crisis existed like this. Great apostasy much?

That's the fight. The Society actually isn't a cultish self-fulfilling provocation. It's a rescue mission, started by Lefebvre, and it marches.

For. all. of. the. souls.

Whilst Rome perfects its paperwork.

Whatever. Bring it girlfriend.

We must move forward indeed.