The Practical Parson

 Recently, the Society of Saint Pius X has garnered international attention and criticism, for seemingly going against the Roman Catholic church in consecrating 4 new bishops to serve their numerous parishes, schools, and other institutions.  The Vatican announced that the entire society was now excommunicated; and publicly charged/ accused the SSPX of an act of Schism.  Now anyone who is connected with one of the historical churches understands and agrees that Schism is something that should be avoided at all costs, as it is a division within the b body of the faithful; something which should always be avoided when  possible.  However, when Schism occurs, the blame game begins; and often it is not who is "in the right", but rather who is LOUDEST that gets to accuse the other of the crime.  I would argue that, far from being the Mother church of Unity, Rome itself is the creator of Schism and division in much of church history.  Now this should not be ...

 This week the Society of Saint Pius X consecrated 4 new bishops for their movement; to ensure that the work they carry out will be able to continue for the foreseeable future.  In response, today the Vatican has announced that not only are the clergy who participated in the consecrations excommunicated, but likewise all the lay faithful who the SSPX ministers to as well.  In the decree of excommunication, Cardinal Victor Fernandez of the "dicastery for the doctrine of the Faith" declared the SSPX and all its adherents to be in schism.   While Schism is indeed a major problem in the church and something to be avoided at all costs if indeed possible; there have been times throughout the history of the faith when schism has occurred, and have changed the church itself- sometimes for better and sometimes for worse.  The great schism between East and West when the Popes of Rome attempted to exert undue authority over the Byzantine church of the East, the Wester...

 As the clock ticks down to the planned episcopal consecrations by the Society of Saint Pius X on July 1st, there is a lot of philosophical grandstanding taking place across social media and religious news outlets.  The majority of Roman Catholic outlets and clergy seem to tow the predictable line that the SSPX is going to be straying into schism because of 'disobedience to the pope', an assumption presumably confirmed by the current bishop of Rome's own words on the matter this week at Castel Gandolfo.  The entirety of the assumption of schism centers around the SSPX's rejection of the majority of what has come to be attributed to the Second Vatican Council, although no one can ever quite cite what source from the council documents they proclaim the SSPX to be in revolt on.   At the very heart of the matter is, in plain fact; the very issue that the Roman church takes with other sacramental churches: liturgy and intent.  These 2 issues can be summed up qui...

 Last night President Trump posted a criticism of Pope Leo, and an image depicting Trump as a quasi-messianic figure was later posted to his account as well.   While we may never know who actually posted the image (as there are multiple staffers who have access so to do),  I think we can all agree that trying to depict yourself in comparison with Jesus is not a GOOD thing.  Yet the hordes of online warriors who have spent the last year A.I.-ing themselves into every manner of conceivable art, having themselves depicted as saints, pagan deities, and even into images with Christ himself; are completely outraged that Trump would dare allow something in the same vein of himself to be posted.  While I disagree with the image in question and would say it is in extreme poor taste; the reason why most people are aghast by it has nothing to do with the IDEA behind the image, as much as it is the PERSON who is in the image.   That being said, I would call t...

 This week, a news report broke which claimed that the Pentagon had demanded a meeting with the Vatican's US envoy, Cardinal Christophe Pierre; wherein they threatened the Roman Church unless the Pope "fell in line" with the President's administration's ideas.  On the surface that seems a fairly salacious and horrifying thing, yes?   But when we read the story further, it begins to fall apart at the seams.  Firstly, it was reported by "Free Press", not known for being a bastion of journalistic integrity to begin with.  Secondly, they name that famous person who knows all, sees all, hears all, as their source for the report- Anonymous Source.  There are no more deceptive words used in journalism than the lines "Anonymous sources report"  and "it is reported".  Neither require proof, they require no facts, they don't even require citation; putting journalistic integrity beneath high school and college term/ research papers, which ge...

 In recent weeks, there has been a growing obsession with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X (SSPX), due to the announcement that they will be pursuing the consecration of new bishops for their society in July.   Ever the fraternal, loving, ecumenical, "God wants us all to be together in love" crowd; the mainstream Roman Catholic Hierarchy have taken to staunch denouncements of the society, proclaiming them schismatics, heretics, and worse.  For daring to presume that they have the right to have their own bishops; a number of otherwise intelligent and decent Christian people are quite legitimately threatening the SSPX with the fires of eternal damnation.  The crux of the matter is the breakdown in communications between the society and the prefect for the congregation of the doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Fernandez.  Specifically, it is known that Cardinal Fernandez himself has prevented the SSPX from being able to meet with the Roman Pontiff themselves...

 Recently, the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte, NC has taken it upon himself to fully implement the Motu Proprio "Traditionis Custodie" of the late Bishop of Rome.  Apart from banishing all adherents of the Latin Mass to a single parish as of July 8th, which won't even open until late in the Fall; an even more disturbing document was leaked from the bishop's office this week.  In the letter that Bishop Martin had planned to issue to the diocese, he makes a multitude of uninformed and personal liable claims against traditional liturgy and people who worship in that manner; as well as theological arguments which have no basis in Catholic teaching, and would be more at home in a Baptist church than a sacramental one.  He has a desire and plans to ban every semblance of tradition from all parishes in the diocese: From banning altar rails, to telling priests they cannot cross their stoles or say vesting prayers for specific vestments (which he claims cau...

 This week, the Bishop of Rome has chosen to issue an apostolic letter to exhort the Roman Catholic bishops in the United States against President Trump and the ongoing efforts to secure the Mexico-America border and to deport criminal, illegal immigrants in the United States.  While the Bishop of Rome is entirely within his right to tell his lackeys to do whatever he fancies at a given point in time, his claims on the Christian response to a situation with precedent not seen since the fall of Rome; are not only tone-deaf, but contrary to the natural law and the dignity of the citizens of a free nation.    It is entirely true: the United States is a nation that is built upon a bedrock foundation of immigrants from various places in the world.  Indeed, it is this tapestry of patrimonies which has given the US its unique, cultural importance on the world stage in the modern era.  But what comprises such a nation, and more importantly the national identity?...

 Recently in Rome, the Bishop of Rome was wheeled into an audience hall to admire a nativity scene given the title "The Nativity of Bethlehem".  In true heretical fashion, the scene itself as well as those who gifted it and the fat man in white receiving it; glossed over the truth of what the scene represents.  THIS scene depicts the Holy Family as Palestinian people, with textual and visual representations of a purely "Palestinian" design.  Nativity scenes have always been an expression of the people and places in which they are created, so that fact might ordinarily be forgivable; if not for the one, glaring and obvious thing in the scene which makes it disgusting:  the figure of the newborn Christ resting on a Palestinian Keffiyeh.  For those of you who may be unaware, the Keffiyeh is an Arabic headdress worn by Arabs, and was known as the "crown of the Arabs"; and in previous generations, was forbidden for Jews to wear on pain of death.  The Arabs ...

  If you've lived in the south long enough, you've been pulled over for a traffic stop at some point most likely.  When the officer/ trooper explains their reason for stopping you, there is always a "tell" that indicates they really only pulled you over because they could: and that is the famous point, usually given at the end of a brief list, that you "were swerving a little".  It's the accusation that gives a ground for every other thing they may want to write you a ticket on, because it is the one point which NO ONE is capable of proving incorrect.  Simply put, there is no human being on the face of this earth who is capable of driving a motor vehicle perfectly parallel to the street lines at all times.  Even if every other accusation they level at you falls by the wayside; they still have that one "gotcha" they can fall back on. Recently, the Bishop of Rome decided to sack the Bishop of Tyler, Texas.  When giving his justifications for doin...

 On the heels of celebrating the festival of sacrilege and unadulterated hedonism of World Youth Day, everyone's favorite Antipope and AntiChrist took full advantage of his media persona to attack priests.  Accusing any priest who shows care for the liturgy of being "rigid", declaring that all traditionalists are the true problem in the church, and proclaiming that due to the corruption that young traditionalist clergy bring, he himself has had to be personally involved in 'cleaning up the mess'.   Unless you consider "cleaning up the mess" to mean vilely oppressing and persecuting Nuns, parishes, and the catholic faith in general; then he hasn't been doing much of anything he claims.   In point of fact, the single case of priestly corruption he HAS been directly involved in of late, was in pampering and lifting all sanctions off of his brother Jesuit and known rapist of Nuns: Marko Rupnik.   Yes, the great Frankie of Rome, who proclaims to the wo...

 This past week, the Roman Catholic Church celebrated its "World Youth Day"; an event marketed as a way to get youth reinvigorated in their faith and to give them opportunities for worship.  What World Youth day is, or at least what it has become; is a festival of sacrilege and blasphemy against the sacraments of the catholic faith and Christ himself.   So-called "designer" vestments which look like they were made for a Halloween Costume shop, chalices and patens made from anything but dignified materials, glass bowls for consecrated hosts covered with saran wrap, stages that look like something out of apocalyptic film/ TV series rather than altars of worship of the most Blessed Trinity.  The list of sins World Youth day this year has committed against the dignity of the Christian faith is as long as one's arm; yet the most disgraceful, distasteful, and outright blasphemous act is the manner in which the sacred Body of the Divine Savior was both distributed and ...

  In Church circles these days, one hears a lot of discussion about tradition, with particular emphasis on liturgical tradition and its effects on popular piety and faith.  The Latin Mass loving Roman Catholic faithful seemingly lead the charge in this, dedicating documentaries, podcasts, art; all for the sake of promoting a return to the traditions of holy faith, as known by our forefathers.   That being said, it is unfortunate that a number of the same Roman Catholic faithful seem to think that they somehow are the sole proprietors of sacred tradition; hardly surprising in light of numerous papal documents claiming so over the years.   Holy Tradition though is not the sole property of the Roman Church, nor is it only to be found within the confines of Rome; Holy Tradition can be found in all churches which maintain a line of patrimony to the first apostles.  These churches are those with historical ties to western or eastern Christianity, and co...

  Ever since the Pan-Amazonian synod in Rome, which saw Idols of pagan deities especially the one known as "Pachamama" carried in procession to one of the holiest places in Christendom; there has been a concerted effort on behalf of the Vatican and South American bishops and cardinals to pagan-ize the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church.  The latest brain child to come of this is a recommendation for the Vatican to approve so-called "Mayan Rites" for South American priests to include; which demote the central act of Christian worship in the Eucharistic service, and would focus more intently on pagan inspired prayers, dances, and lay-led activities in the sanctuary.  The cardinal who has been pushing these rites has even gone so far as to claim that these are the only ways in which the indigenous people are able to encounter the Divine.  So, 5 centuries plus of missionary work, sweat, blood, and effort have done... Nothing? your Eminence?   Do you...