(This article was originally posted on 17th December 2024)

Preface:

Before I jump into the blog on the above topic, it is better to have a clear understanding of what I mean with certain words. Believe it or not, Catholicism today has devolved or fragmented into factions under the ‘Roman Catholic’ banner. Here are only two factions which I describe for more clarity/benefit of the new-to-topic Catholic reader:

1) Conservative Catholics – When I refer to Conservative Catholics in this blog, I mean those Catholics who are faithful to the teachings of the Magisterium (the teaching authority of the Catholic Church) as well as the Scriptures and Traditions of the Church, and have an inclination to frequent devotions such as the rosary, various novenas, frequent Mass and Eucharistic adoration whenever they possibly can. Lay Conservative Catholics may belong to various groups in the Church such as multi lingual Charismatic Prayer groups, Divine Mercy group, Legion of Mary group, Eucharastic Ministers, Church volunteers, or may even play a role in the day to day administration of the church through the Parish Council. The Conservative Catholic is usually identifiable by his staunch and resolute regard for the papacy (without willing to distinguish between the person of the papacy, and the office of the papacy – a position I will come back to in future blogs).

2) Traditional Catholics – When I refer to Traditional Catholics, I mean those Catholics who are an extension of Conservative Catholics, in that they have a similar or shared desire for devotions, Mass, and Tradtions of the Church. However, these Catholics have a higher and more educated perspective on the happenings (news/politics) in the Catholic Church since the second Vatican Council, disagreeing on some or most of the teachings, especially that of the liturgical changes introduced after the council. The Traditional Catholic is not afraid to go where the Conservative Catholic fears to tread: namely, in calling the Pope out for preceived or factual errors or teachings which are not in line with the continuity of the collective magesterium of the Catholic Church (collective magesterium meaning: teachings of the collective Popes of the past, which were meant to be taught permanently, without changing). Traditional Catholics may include a belief that Pope Francis is not the Pope (or is an antipope), and that Benedict XVI is still the pope, but does not include the Sedevacant (click here for a reference to what is sedevacantism) position, that all Popes since John XXIII onward are not valid popes (including Pope Francis), that Vatican II was an invalid council, and that the seat of Peter is currently vacant. I know. This may be too much to digest for most unknowing or new-to-topic Catholic, and may come across as a culture shock. But read on. Hopefully, you will come to terms with the reality of the state of Catholicism today.

Background:

It is all but apparent to most Conservative Catholics, that there is something amiss in the Catholic Church today, as was never the case during previous papacies. Baby Boomers (born around 1946 to 1964) and Generation X (born during 1965 to 1980) who are currently alive, and have therefore lived through at least 3 Popes: Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis; To these (Boomers and Gen X) it is clear, at least if they identify themselves to be Conservative devout Catholics, that there is something incredibly ‘off’ today about the state of Catholicism. Other Catholics they knew, have not previously reacted to the other Popes in such an unusual manner. In the past, they would have seen some of their friends or family members (Catholics, that is) take off and turn their backs on Catholicism, becoming mostly Protestants, Jehovah’s witness, Orthodox, Anglican, etc. owing to irreconcilable difference in core Catholic beliefs (such as Marian doctrines, The Eucharist, Mass, etc.)

Not this time, during the reign of Pope Francis, though. There seems to be, a stir from many Conservative and Traditional media outlets, and an increased emphasis on the things said by Pope Francis which are in contrast to the entirety of Popes and Councils prior to 1962, in contrast to some of the Post Conciliar Popes (Benedict XVI, John Paul II) teachings, and in contrast to scripture at times as well. That apart, Pope Francis seems to have a storia d’amore for various heterodox ideas (heterodox meaning: the opposite of orthodox Catholic beliefs), an unusual affection to the homosexual community, including the organized LGBTQ+/trans bullies, all in the name of ‘accompaniment’, ‘reaching the peripheries’, ‘listening’, ‘mercy’, and other such buzzwords that we have been subjected to over the last 11 years of the current papacy, which seem increasingly threating to many Conservative Catholics who know their Catechism and whose faith formation is better than that of the average Sunday Catholics or CINO’s (Catholics In Name Only) who couldn’t possibly give a rat’s derrière to these moral and anti-catechetical deficiencies of the current pontiff. Many Catholics, especially the younger generation (a highly recommended read click here) thus are increasingly turning or veering towards Traditional Catholicism as a safe haven, including yours truly. Some Conservative Catholics have begun looking for the TLM (Traditional Latin Mass), and have reached out to more quieter and fringe societies such as the SSPX (Society of Saint Pius the Xth) who offer the Traditional Latin Mass, thanks to the boldness of one Archbishop Marcel Lefevbre – again, a subject for another day;

On the first anniversary of the infamous encyclical Fiducia Supplicans, which was intended as a birthday gift to Pope Francis (17th of December) from the Prefect of the DDF, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, I had previously made my views clear in my previous blog or letter to AVOSAs Bishop Martinelli (click here) on why the papacy of Francis was clearly out of line. I won’t bemoan the same here again, although I recommend readers take the time to familiriaze themselves with the arguments and refutation of the arguments for Fiducia Supplicans in the letter/blog.

Grappling with reality:

With the above background, a honest Catholic will find it increasingly challenging to come to terms with all that is going on. As the papacy of Francis continues, even if it be for a few more years (with due consideration to his age), there will be further actions and statements from the Vatican which will keep pushing the boundaries of acceptance and tolerance by the faithful Catholics, and this will lead to a phase of many Catholics perhaps going through stages of grief, viz: shock, disbelief or denial, anger, depression, and acceptance. It will indeed be a miracle if the Catholic world is given a Pius XIII or a Gregory VII or a Leo XIV in the next conclave that elects a Pope after Francis. Therefore, it is important to have the right perspective.

Giving thanks in all circumstances:

In the Charismatic Renewal phase of my life, I have learnt to be thankful to God in all circumstances, and I think I have told myself this on a few occasions during during which I have been learning of the state of affairs of the Church.
So, what’s to be thankful in this situation? well for one, it could have been worse. The Israelites went through a period of captivity and exile, with the Egyptians (for a period of approximately 400 + years), with the Assyrians, with the Babylonians (or a period of approximately 70 + years), followed by almost many years of Roman rule. We can only imagine how hard it may have been to be to continue being faithful to God in those circumstances. Now imagine Catholicism going through 50% of what the early Israelites went through. Sure, 60 or so years from Vatican 2 until the year 2024 is a long time, but it is really trivial in comparison to what the Israelites went through. Needless to say, we need to be thankful for the small things, and thankful that the situation could be far worse. Much worse, in fact. Practicing being thankful in these circumstances implies a trust and reliance on God, on His will, and on His timing at all times. This also strengthens our dependence on God acknowledging that not all things can be achieved by men on our own merit and strength, even if the men be Popes and/or civil rulers.

Fight, Fight:

The above being said, one needs to be gentle and harmless as doves but also alert, and wise like serpents (Matthew 10:16). Trusting in God does not mean zero accountability from oneself. If anything, this is a sin of omission.
In Ephesians 6:12 St. Paul warns that our struggles are not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in high places. (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition version). This means that while Pope Francis may be a flesh and blood person like everyone else, he, above all, needs special graces against the powers, principalities, dominions, etc. by putting on the armour of God which St. Paul talks about in the aforementioned chapter of the letter to the Ephesians. Of course this implies that he is in the hands of the evil one. But unless we start with this assumption (presumptious & scandalous though it may be) and pray for the Pope, how will he change? Therefore, this will need a wave of increased spiritual fervour, one of both, prayer and fasting. I have also learnt since the last year, that there are three aspects of Catholic piety that are now neglected & relegated to antiques, scarcely being mentioned from the pulpit in the ordinary Novus Ordo rite: I refer to the practice of reparation, penance and mortification. If you were to ask any of the ‘mass’ attendees (exclusive CINO Novus Ordo Catholics) through a general survey, chances are that 99% of them will be unaware of these facets of the faith and even what they mean. We therefore need a re-Catechesis programme for adults, on the traditional lines, and for the youth/children, based on the catechism of Trent or the Baltimore Catechism.

Neo Martyrs of the faith:

The situation of Catholicism reminds me of St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians (chapter 1) which gave me great hope: 

3 I thank my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always in every one of my prayers for all of you, praying with joy 5 for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete[c] it until the day of Jesus Christ. …9 And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight 10 to help you to determine what really matters, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, 11 having produced the harvest[f] of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.12 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually resulted in the progress of the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard[g] and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ, 14 and most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare to speak the word[h] with greater boldness and without fear. 

In the above letter to the Philippians we can see that Paul does not see his imprisonment as a tragedy or deterrent but is able to see the good that it is bringing out among the Philippians, namely that the Philippians are blessed with knowledge and insight so that they may be without blame and not share in unrighteousness. This apart, apparently this emboldened the Philippians who took to proclaiming the gospel of Christ without fear! Thus, instead of a ‘single’ St. Paul, the situation of the persecution & imprisonment of St. Paul resulted in ‘multiple’ people starting to mushroom in preaching the Gospel to unbelievers, further resulting in the progress of the gospel. 

 Similarly, one can compare the Apostolic teachings (truths) of the Catholic Church (Tradition with a capital T), which like St. Paul, are seemingly imprisoned for a while. This will, and is already resulting in an unprecedented situation. As a result of the imprisonment of truth, those who were imbibed in the truth, are now rising up, starting to teach others the truth of the faith as was handed down to the Apostolic Church. That too, boldly! One can see in the Lefevbre’s, the Vigano’s, or the Strickland’s of our time, people starting to stand up for the sake of the Apostolic teachings of the Catholic Church. These Bishops may not be perfect in every way (I don’t agree with everything Bishop Vigano says, for example), however they are what the Church needs today. This is bringing about a new age of martyrdom, albeit a spiritual one. People who are honest and are able to distinguish error from unchanging truth, are being quietly persecuted by their own. This period of suffering and persecution is altogether different from the previous periods of turbulence experienced by the mystical body of Christ, in that, the persecutors are internal as compared to previous periods of external forces. 

Sink-or-Swim Saints:

Also, until the dictate from Pope Francis in the form of Traditionis Custodes, I had no idea that the Mass of Pope Pius V (TLM) during the second Vatican council was coded as being the ‘extraordinary form of the mass’ and the Novus Ordo, as the ‘ordinary’ form. Pope Francis, through his seemingly tyrannical actions with the motu proprio entitled Traditionis Custodes, actually taught me more than what I knew about the Extraordinary Mass; that is: the use of Latin, the use of chants, etc. This has resulted in me actually studying the faith and history, more fervently, simply because the action by Pope Francis woke me up. This also is an example of Romans 8:28, where God makes all things work together for our greater good: that is the salvation of our souls. Had Pope Francis not clamped down on the Latin Mass, many souls may not even have realized that the Latin Mass was being offered and was finding great momentum in the west, especially in the USA. Had Pope Francis not clamped down on the Latin Mass, I would not have encountered beautiful, soul enriching Gregorian Chant or even learnt about the crux/root cause of the current ordeal, which is the heresy of Modernism condemned by Pope Saint Pius the Xth, I would not have developed a love for devotions such as the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, renewed fervor for devotions to Saints and Angels (especially St. Michael the Archangel). And this has occurred within the span of approximately 2 years! In summary, I have a lot to thank Pope Francis for. The more he does or will do to try and undermine Traditional Catholicism, the more he will increasingly and inadvertently teach me something new, and even risk being seen under a negative lens by other devout Catholics (read: popesplainers) who are currently clutching at straws, trying to defend the pontifical actions any way they can. This will lead to more Catholics perhaps learning more about the faith and proclaiming it boldly like the Philippians I mentioned earlier as never before. For me, the limits of the papacy of Francis may have been Pachamama and Fiducia Supplicans, for some others, I am told it was the encylical Amoris Laetitia, which allowed communion to the divorced and remarried. For yet others, it may have been Pope Francis’s stray comments on all religions being paths to the same God in Singapore. For still some others, it may be Pope Francis’s strange views on Hell and his opposition to the death penalty, and on and on. For every action of Pope Francis, the scientific Newtonian 3rd law of there being an opposite reaction, seems to be coming into play, figuratively speaking. True Catholics will have to learn to swim against the tide of neo modernism that is currently on a high-tide. The flip side? It will make more latter day saints out of sinners. I certainly won’t mind that. 

Return from exile:

We read in the book of Nehemiah that the Israelites were exiled in captivity for approximately 70+ years. On their return, when the book of the law was read in public, it is mentioned that the people wept. Now, imagine similarly finding out that the source and summit of our worship, the extraordinary form of the mass, has been locked up and we were allowed to worship in all other forms or rites, except the Extraordinary Form of the Mass that was offered during the time of all the great saints, martyrs, and doctors of the faith. Now imagine that after a period of 100 or so years from today, when the people have very clearly seen the uselessness of the new ‘modernized pagan’ rites, including the current valid, but highly protestant-ized Novus Ordo Missae (a good read on understanding the protestant impact to the mass during Vatican 2 can be found here), and the worthless fruit it is producing (lack of priestly vocations, reduced mass attendance, poor faith formation, etc.) and have then been able to encounter the TLM. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be overwhelmed with the beauty, sacredness, and sanctity of the old Mass once this is universally adopted again, and their hearts will weep in joy for being able to worship with the mass of all ages, which is definitely more sacred, beautiful and mysterious Let us look forward for high handed actions by our current pontiff to be reversed in future through the prayers and the intercession of Mother Mary, Saints Joseph, Peter, Paul, and Archangel Michael, and our own sacrifices of praise, thanksgiving, fasting, penance, reparation, and mortification to the Most Holy Trinity for the gift of Pope Francis to our generation. Isaiah 55: 8-9 states that God’s ways are unlike our ways, and St. Paul exhorts in the first letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 2:9) that the human mind cannot conceive or grasp the plans of God for those whom He loves. Therefore, let us celebrate the birthday of our dear Pope, regardless of our animosity, hurt, scandal, or differences we are experiencing, by praying for him, and the Church, so that God in His mercy may bring about the restoration of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church through his servant Francis. 

Per Dominum Nostrum Iesum Christum! 

Ave Maria

A Concerned Catholic