Over at The Ecclesia Blog, Dom Dalmasso has a really good article on the current status of the SSPX as far as its relationship with the Catholic Church goes. Below are the major headings, along with what I think are the more interesting subheadings. Archbishop Lefebvre illicitly saying Mass in 1981 while suspended a divinis SSPX: Indefensible A Brief History of the SSPX Were the Episcopal Consecrations Justified? 1. State of Necessity Schism 2. Statements from the Magisterium Incardination and Canonical Mission Supplied Jurisdiction Sunday Obligation Doctrinal Errors 2. Erroneous Ecclesiology ..read more

SSPX founder Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre wasn’t a fan of the idea of African bishops, and thought Africans still needed European bishops looking after them. Archbishop Lefebvre illicitly saying Mass in 1981 while suspended a divinis He was, from 1947-1961, a bishop in “French Africa”, specifically as archbishop of Dakar, Senegal. Towards the end of his time there, he told Pope John XXIII that “the Africans are not yet mature“, in response to Pope John XXIII wanting to choose Africans as bishops. This was the end of the colonial era in Africa, where several European countries had taken over por ..read more

I’ve previously posted on the SSPX in Pinelands, Cape Town, and their shameful antics during the COVID pandemic. Pints with Aquinas has a 3 hour 15 minute interview with John Salza on the topic of the SSPX and their schism. They discuss the sedevacantists as well. Important questions are answered, and important aspects of the situation are addressed. It’s definitely worth listening to the entire thing, especially the first 2 hours on the SSPX situation. Archbishop Lefebvre illicitly saying Mass in 1981 while suspended a divinis Is the SSPX in schism? Does the SSPX Mass satisfy the Sunday obl ..read more

Click for the series index I believe the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) is in schism from the Catholic Church, as I explained in part 1 and part 2 of this series. The schism was initiated by a schismatic act on the part of their founder, Archbishop Lefebvre, and the bishops he illicitly consecrated; the schism was acknowledged with excommunication by Pope John Paul II; the schism continues in the form of their refusal to submit to legitimate authority in the form of the Pope and their local bishops. I don’t believe that the withdrawal of their excommunication by Pope Benedict XVI resolved the sc ..read more

Click for the series index The Society of St Pius X (SSPX) was born in an act of schism stemming from a loss of faith and trust in God and his Church. Their founder, Archbishop Lefebvre, thought the gates of hell were overwhelming the Church, and went and did his own thing, in disobedience to the pope. Courageous acts have helped preserve the Church in the past, but the saints to whom these are attributed never turned against the pope and fell into the sort of disobedience demonstrated by Lefebvre and his followers. That lack of faith is not a sign of a holy man. It shows no fidelity. This is ..read more

Jimmy Akin has two videos on YouTube evaluating Ellen White and her prophecies and her status as a prophet. Definitely worth listening to. I disagree with him on one or two issues where he gives her the benefit of the doubt, but overall it’s a very good assessment of her and her prophecies ..read more

St Maria Goretti Today, 6 July, is the Feast of St Maria Goretti, an 11-year old Italian girl who, during a sexual assault that turned fatal, was concerned about the salvation of her assailant, and, a few days later, expressed her forgiveness of him on her deathbed. It is also, for some, the Feast of the Intact Genitals of St Maria Goretti, who, according to some, would have become an unchaste girl who lost her purity if her assailant had sexually penetrated her instead of killing her because she fought him off. She, however, retained genital intactness, and by doing so she died pure of heart ..read more

The Society of St Pius X, in Cape Town and worldwide, needs our prayers. Badly. Pray for the conversion of the SSPX That they abandon their errors That they return to the Catholic faith That they recognise the humanity in their neighbour And that, as penance, the society be abolished and do no further harm. St Michael the Archangel, pray for them. Strike down to hell all the demons overpowering them. The SSPX continues to disgust, which has prompted me to contemplate the spiritual origin of their maleficence. There is something dark and sinister about their behaviour, their attitude, and even ..read more

I had an interesting encounter today on a Facebook group “Catholic Science Geeks”. Across several posts, the discussions showed that there were several antivaxxers present. Several people didn’t want to have COVID vaccines because they were nervous about them. That’s a legitimate reaction. Pope Francis giving a polio vaccine However, several were trying to promote vaccine avoidance because, supposedly, vaccine efficacy is unknown. That’s not true. What is worse is that these so-called “scientists” aren’t persuaded by evidence. That makes their antivaxxer views more of an ideology than anythin ..read more

The recent Boris Johnson marriage caused a stir. So here I’ll outline why things can be quite peculiar at times, and probably need reforming. Part 1 – the first marriages Barbary Macaque John is born to Lutheran parents, and baptised in a Lutheran church. His parents move to a Methodist church when he is 6 months old. Paul is born to Catholic parents, and baptised in a Catholic church. His parents move to the same Methodist church when he is 6 months old. Jane and Mary are born to Methodist parents and baptised in that same church. The four children (and It) grow up together. John and Jane ge ..read more