Much As I Respect Cardinal Burke, He Isn't Infallible!

Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine, La Crosse, WI

I respect Cardinal Raymond Burke and have a number of his books in my library. His writings have helped me in my formation as a Catholic. My husband and I visited the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse on one of our cross country camping trips. What a delightful experience! And how grateful I am to Cardinal Burke for its creation. But building a beautiful shrine honoring Our Lady and writing some great books, doesn't make one infallible. Even Peter is infallible only when he speaks ex cathedra or speaks in union with the magisterium, not just the current magisterium either. He and they may not "make a mess" with the immutable Doctrine and Sacred Tradition of the Holy Roman Catholic Church passed on from the apostles. Novelties that conflict with Doctrine and Sacred Tradition are anathema!

Which means that in areas that Vatican II (claiming to be a non-doctrinal council) undermined Doctrine and Sacred Tradition, Catholics have an obligation to resist and "just say no!" And, as far as all the dissent and heresy fostered in the Spirit of Vatican II, Catholics are obliged to say, "Hell NO!"

Cardinal Raymond Burke

Sorry, Cardinal Burke, I cannot believe that the SSPX is in schism. 

My reason and common sense tell me you are wrong. I'm open to listening, but I have yet to hear any compelling arguments that prove the SSPX is in schism. Blind obedience to things that undermine the faith are not an option for me. How can the pope and magisterium teach and profess nonsense that conflicts with the unchanging truths of the Catholic faith and expect Catholics to believe it?

Has the SSPX been disobedient? Yes. Archbishop Lefebvre ordained priests to the SSPX without permission and ordained four bishops without a Vatican mandatum. Was his action necessary? In my opinion yes. The Vatican kept delaying the ceremony of ordaining one bishop which had been permitted. If one reads the history, it's pretty clear they were acting in bad faith waiting for the archbishop, who was already ill, to die. You can almost hear them saying, "How long before cancer rids us of this pesky roadblock to reforming the Church according to the world. He's trying to shut the window to keep out the spirit of the council! We need Pachamama and that wind of novelty to keep the faith relevant. "

After Traditionis Custodes Cardinal Burke wrote these edifying words defending the Traditional Latin Mass:

For myself and for others who have received so many powerful graces through participation in the Sacred Liturgy, according to the UA [Usus Antiquior (More Ancient Usage) [UA] it is inconceivable that it could now be characterized as something detrimental to the unity of the Church and to its very life. In this regard, it is difficult to understand the meaning of Article 1 of the Motu Proprio: “The liturgical books promulgated by Saint Paul VI and Saint John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II, are the only (unica, in the Italian version which seemingly is the original text) expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite.” The UA is a living form of the Roman Rite and has never ceased to be so. From the very time of the promulgation of the Missal of Pope Paul VI, in recognition of the great difference between the UR and the UA, the continued celebration of the Sacraments, according to the UA, was permitted for certain convents and monasteries and also for certain individuals and groups. Pope Benedict XVI, in his Letter to the Bishops of the World, accompanying the Motu Proprio «Summorum Pontificum», made clear that the Roman Missal in use before the Missal of Pope Paul VI, “was never juridically abrogated and, consequently, in principle, was always permitted.”

But can the Roman Pontiff juridically abrogate the UA? The fullness of power (plenitudo potestatis) of the Roman Pontiff is the power necessary to defend and promote the doctrine and discipline of the Church. It is not “absolute power” which would include the power to change doctrine or to eradicate a liturgical discipline which has been alive in the Church since the time of Pope Gregory the Great and even earlier. The correct interpretation of Article 1 cannot be the denial that the UA is an ever-vital expression of “the lex orandi of the Roman Rite.” Our Lord Who gave the wonderful gift of the UA will not permit it to be eradicated from the life of the Church.... [See the complete document at Catholic Culture.]

Complete suppression of the TLM by the Vatican is no longer "inconceivable." Anyone with a little foresight can see it coming barreling down the road. Not only that, but it is likely that Communion on the tongue and kneeling will be banned as well. The absolute tyranny of Rome can hardly be questioned these days.

Cardinal Burke urged prayers for the pope and I echo his plea, but I wish people would stop treating him like the Holy Spirit. He is not without fault or free from promoting error. He's done it in the past. 

And one last comment about Canon Law. The very last canon, 1752, and the last independent clause of that canon (you grammarians know what that means) reads, "the salvation of souls, which must always be the supreme law in the Church, is to be kept before one’s eyes." Canon law is subservient to the "salvation of souls."

"Salvation of souls" is what the SSPX is all about and the reason Archbishop Lefebvre did what he did, which was nothing but what he did for his entire career as a priest, missionary, bishop, archbishop, etc. He wanted only to pass on what he had received. What had he received? The faith which did not just begin in 1965 with the close of Vatican II. 

I attend the SSPX with no qualms of conscience. I love the Church and I even love my abusive papa and pray for him daily. But I hate what he is doing to our beloved Church and to the faith of little ones. The millstone awaits if he continues on that grievously evil path. Let's not just pray for him, but fast and do penance. That's the only way to drive out some demons. And don't forget to pray for Cardinal Burke!