Michael Voris - A Case of Traditional Catholic Arrested Development

JMJ

I first started watching Mr. Voris in 2010 when I switched from a dial-up to DSL internet connection.
Having witnessed people go through the phases of grief at realizing what was started in from Oct 11, 1962, didn't end in Dec 8, 1965, that was only the end of the beginning, I was interested to watch his development.

Sad to say, Mr. Voris has simply become a case of arrested development.

At some point he, figuratively hit a brick wall and started to contradict himself. His recent attack on the position of the SSPX is an example of a position that he avouched in 2010 and now attacks as it is held by the SSPX.

Michael Voris, for whatever reason, has been convinced that one cannot criticise the Pope because (appraently) that will cause the person to run off to the SSPX.

I guess he hasn't realized that those who are left in their regular parishes, by an large don't have the same perspective on this crisis as he does.

In other words, I doubt very much that the SSPX will suddenly see an influx of conservative Catholics. I believe that they will mostly search out conservative priests in order to duck and cover. The only ones really at risk are those attending diocesan Tridentine Masses, that are likely to be gutted as the crisis experiences a compressor stall and flames out.

I digress ...

I think that the problem for Michael Voris is that he has an assumption that the Pope is personally protected from hurting the Church. Basically, whatever the Pope does must be part of God's plan and therefore we must not interfere.

Of course this is only my theory, but when I read things from Mr. Voris' friend (Fr. Nicholson) like this:

... At the same time he must speak of those things that touch or attack the Church's unity. He must protect the Holy Father's reputation, since the visible head of the Church is divinely protected from teaching error. ...

... I begin to wonder if I'm not too far off the mark.

This is, interestingly, related to the thought put forward by the Canon Lawyer that Voris interviewed. Specifically:

It is the more probable opinion among approved authors that refusal of obedience of a Catholic to the Pope which is not predicated upon a rejection of the principle of his authority as Roman Pontiff as Caput Romanae Ecclesiae constitutes material, not formal schism. However, if those lay faithful receiving the Sacraments from them at any one point in time also severed themselves entirely from, or refused submission in principle to, the Roman Pontiff and per can. 1330 of the Code of Canon Law manifested in word or in deed externally such actions, then they are presumed to have descended into formal schism. (CMTV Interviews a Canon Lawyer)

So, if Michael Voris believes that disobeying the Pope constitutes material schism, this would definitely arrest his development as a Traditional Catholic. Saying that the New Mass is dangerous to the Faith could be construed as disobedience. So he is stuck attacking the Bishops ... which doens't seem to be making all that much headway as ... guess what ... the Pope selects the Cardinals who select the Bishops.

So from Michael's point of view, it seems that the Pope cannot be seen to be wrong, even when he is very wrong.

The story of the Emperor's new clothes has been circulating a lot lately, and it seems to fit.

The SSPX is saying that the Emperor is naked (Voris talks about covering Noah's nakedness etc) and good Catholics are beginning to realize that yep, them duds aren't really opaque after all. Those who don't want to admit that the Emperor is theologically naked, try to shush the child. When the child won't shut up, they bring out the stick.

Speaking of stick, there is another recent case of arrested development that, I believe, is important to mention at this point in time: the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate (FFI). Like a number of others, the FFI in studying the Documents of the Second Vatican Council was beginning to reach very similar conclusions as the SSPX. I've read rumours that they were even in contact with the SSPX during the Pontificate of Benedict XVI.

Sadly, their development was brutally arrested by Rome at the instigation of a small number of misguided souls.

I believe two elements prompted the assault upon the FFI:

the broaching of two culture assumptions (Second Vatican Council and the New Mass)
their vibrant community

While this is an interesting comparison (organizational to personal), there's a limit. Simply put, the FFI just bowed down and accepted the rod of correction. Voris and his minions apparently have been bit by a rabid liberal bishop. The result is their attacks of the SSPX. I've noticed this same rabid attacks before, when someone's assumptions about the Church were challenged by the perspective of the SSPX.

The rod came out quickly in that case ...

Get ready for the flame out, it will be spectacular.

P^3

Is it sinful to attend the Novus Ordo (New Mass) - Is it Sinful to Not Attend the Novus Ordo on Sunday?

+ JMJ A non-SSPX Catholic is upset over the SSPX statements on not attending the Novus Ordo Missae. Ladies and gentlemen, what the SSPX, or at least its website editor, is advocating is a mortal sin against the Third Commandment. Unless the priest deviates from the language of the Sacramentary, the consecration, and thus the rest of Mass is to be considered valid. No one may elect not to attend Mass simply because abuses are occurring therein. Might I suggest that such absenteeism is its own abuse? The Third Commandment binds under mortal sin. Father So-And-So from the SSPX has no authority whatsoever to excuse attendance at Mass, be that Mass ever so unpalatable. Source:Restore DC Catholicism Well, this is interesting. First why does the SSPX issue this statement? Because it is sinful to put your faith in danger by attending a protestant service. It is likewise dangerous to put your faith in danger by attending a protestantized mass (ie the Novus Ordo Missae

Regarding Post: Fr. Joseph Pfeiffer no longer ... now Bishop Joseph Pfeiffer (Can't see this being a problem...)

+ JMJ I've been watching the popularity of the post about Fr. Pfeiffer's attempted episcopal consecration and its continued top listing on the 'popular posts' list at the bottom of posts. After some thought, I decided that I don't want to be responsible for anyone joining Fr. Pfeiffer's 'group', however unlikely that would be at this time. So I have reverted the article to the draft state. If anyone wants it reinstated, I would ask that they comment on this post with a rationale for reinstatement. P^3

Morning and Evening and other sundry Prayers

+ JMJ Along the theme of P^3 (Prayer, Penance, Patience), and for my own reference ... here is a collection of Morning and Evening prayers from the Ideal Daily Missal along with some additional prayers. In this crisis of the Church, I do not think it is possible to do too much prayer, penance and have patience. P^3

The Vatican and SSPX – An Organizational Culture Perspective

Introduction The recent and continuing interactions between the Vatican and the SSPX have been a great opportunity for prayer and reflection. The basis for the disagreement is theological and not liturgical. As noted by Dr. Lamont (2012), the SSPX theological position on the four key controversial aspects of the Second Vatican Council are base on prior theological work that resulted from relevant magisterial pronouncements. So it is difficult to understand the apparent rejection of the theological position of the SSPX.

CMTV's Latest Attempt to Slag the SSPX

+ JMJ It has been a couple of months since the last significant attempt to slag the SSPX and I was beginning to wonder if the clicks were subsiding. ... then another article popped up this week. I was wondering if it would contain a new case or simply repeat old allegations and FUD and Ms. Niles did not disappoint. A technique that I learned in dealing with negotiations and conflicts is to review the correspondence with a critical eye and black out all irrelevant contents. This helps to remove all the distracting attacks, innuendos, assumptions, and FUD from view so a person can focus on the important aspects ... like the facts. How much of Ms.Niles text survived my review? About 17.5% or 347 words out of ~1983. The rest was either repeated information or opinion as opposed to fact. Just in case you are curious as to what that looks like, I have attached the blacked out document at the end of this post. Now on to a review of the words that actually bore on the case at hand ...

Tradicat

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