Of Clerics in Black and Small, Black Hive Beetles

My husband and I are beekeepers. During the Spring we check the hives regularly to try to prevent swarming and keep pests under control. On our last inspection we noticed a significant small beetle infestation in the hives. These creepy little black bugs eat the honey, lay their larvae in the cells and can become so great a nuisance that the bees give up altogether and abscond abandoning the hive to the invaders. When we see them, we need to take action. I've ordered traps that I'll fill with a solution of apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and soap. Hopefully they will be attracted to the scent. They supposedly like fermented things. The scent attracts them and they fall into the traps and drown. Good-bye beetle problem. At least that's the hope.

Wouldn't it be nice if it were as easy to solve the crisis in the Church? There are so many clerics, like black hive beetles, infecting the parish "hives." They undermine the faith with false doctrine. They scandalize in the confessional telling penitents to follow their own conscience on clear moral issues like contraception. They play showmen at the altar making themselves the center of attention instead of God. They turn the asperges into a joke soaking their favorites. They hand slap down the aisle during the recessional. And I hate to hear priests tell jokes during the sermon. Just teach the faith, Father. How about a catechism lesson after Mass once or twice a month. 

How can the laity provide the equivalent of the beetle trap? If you have a bad priest as your pastor, you can't in my opinion. It's time to abscond and find a parish with a good and faithful priest who loves the Lord and speaks the truth. If your pastor is not orthodox, if he's a modernist preaching moral relativism; your children are likely to lose the faith. We need to pray for our priests -- all of our priests... good priests, bad priests, fervent priests, tepid priests. But the most important thing for a family with children is to preserve them in the faith. If a priest is a modernist, the catechetical program in the parish is likely to reflect his views. You can, of course, pull the kids out of the classes, but some pastors use sacramental blackmail to force families to do things their way. 

One of the things that has attracted my husband and me to the SSPX and made us decide (after the COVID debacle) to make it our permanent home, was their zeal for souls. The excellent preaching, the reverence, the catechesis, the experience in confession...it all illustrates the incredible spiritual impact of priests who are well-formed in the faith and have that zeal for souls. That, friends, is what it's all about. And when the authorities in the Church forget then it's time to take action. Not to leave the Church! That's spiritual suicide. Always pray for our Holy Mother, the Bride of Christ. But recognize that when it's a choice between truth and authority, truth wins every time.

I pray that Rome will authorize the consecration of the SSPX bishops. But if they don't, it won't change anything for us. My husband and I will trust in God, continue to pray for the pope, and retain our peace of soul. As Cardinal Zen recently pointed out, the SSPX is like Joseph of the many-colored coat. Cardinal Fernandez who hates the Latin Mass is like Joseph's brothers who plotted to kill him. Fernandez "intends to dismantle the Church's traditions -- how could he not hate the SSPX? He will probably be delighted to see them excommunicated," Cardinal Zen said. He went on to describe Pope Leo as Reuben "perhaps with the help of His Excellency [Bishop Athanasius] Schneider" who wanted to save his brother and restore him to his father. Let's pray Cardinal Zen is right.

The SSPX responded to Cardinal Zen's message. The Wanderer reported:

The SSPX issued a press release the same day about Cardinal Zen's publication. The SSPX said it "has no intention whatsoever of causing a schism" and that its only motivation is to be able to ensure its apostolate can continue "in the service of the Church."

How can all Catholics, clergy and laity, not want that? 

So now we have a Cardinal and two bishops, three of the holiest men in the episcopate in my opinion, who have publicly supported the SSPX: Cardinal Zen, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, and Bishop Joseph Strickland. Let us pray many others will join their voices to these courageous men.

Lord Jesus Christ, head of the Church, have mercy on us.

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.

St. Joseph, Guardian of the Church, pray for us.