When, O Lord, Will Our Weeping Turn to Joy?

Well, not only did they do it, but they are doubling down with a sledgehammer. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has released another document describing how the priests and lay faithful can reconcile with the Church now that we're excommunicated. [See document] 

I hate to say it, but I'm beginning to find the entire thing ridiculous and it smacks of Kabuki Theater or perhaps a story from Mad Magazine. Sad, yes, incredibly sad, but ridiculous as well. 

Cardinal Fernandez has stated publicly in his writings that no one goes to hell. And then he threatens with hell fire anyone who remains with the SSPX. So you can be an active sodomite, perform abortions with impunity and still be praised at the Vatican, enjoy an adulterous union, etc. Does anyone in the magisterium even mention contraception these days? But if you belong to the SSPX you are destined for hell. Don't pass go; don't collect $200.

Why should anyone care if they are excommunicated or told they are in "mortal sin." We're all going to heaven anyway. And perhaps now that everyone in the SSPX is in schism, Pope Leo will agree to meet with members of the Society. After all, he happily embraced the schismatic Patriarch Bartholomew of Alexandria, not to mention welcoming the invalid priestess of the Anglican Church, Sarah Mullally who actually blessed Catholic clerics in one of Rome's churches. What kind of mad Catholic world are we living in? 

As for the excommunication of the lay faithful, the document offers two categories with different penalties and my husband and I fit into two of them.

This procedure concerns the question of imputability, or the degree of personal responsibility, of lay members of the faithful who have formally adhered to, or regularly attend, the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X and who seek to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.

The imposition of a canonical penalty upon lay persons belonging to the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X is not to be presumed automatically, but must instead be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Since imputability requires full knowledge and deliberate consent, examples of established imputability may include: 

(1)Lay members of the Third Order of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X; 

(2) Lay faithful who habitually participate in SSPX liturgical celebrations while formally sharing its doctrinal positions.

My comments: 

My husband and I share most of the doctrinal positions of the Society. We agree that Vatican II, while mostly orthodox, contains  serious errors and many ambiguities that allowed modernists to twist the council's meaning to undermine the faith. The document on ecumenism has allowed syncretism to eviscerate the doctrine that there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. It also caused serious errors with regard to missionary activities to the point that the Amazon Synod actually had clerics bragging they never baptized a single indigenous person. We were also told we had much to learn from pagan populations including some native groups that practice infanticide and other intrinsic moral evils.

We also have heard ad nauseum that Vatican II was a "pastoral" council, not one teaching or clarifying doctrine. Yet Fernandez is now saying that accepting these doctrinal novelties is mandatory, that not a jot or tittle can be changed or corrected in the documents of Vatican II. And they make accepting every single thing in the council a condition for the Society to be regularized. What kind of bait and switch trick is that? 

The document continues: 

Conversely, the following are not ordinarily to be considered imputable: 

(3) Lay faithful who attended the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X solely for liturgical or spiritual reasons; 

(4) Lay faithful who, although aware of the tensions with the Holy See, do not reject either the Magisterium or the authority of the Roman Pontiff.

My comments: 

This also describes us. We do not reject either the Magisterium or the authority of the Roman Pontiff... when they uphold the faith and sacred tradition taught through the millennia. We reject novelties and scandals which unfortunately have been numerous and continuous during the past fifty years especially under the pontificates of Francis and now Leo. But keeping the faith as taught by Jesus Himself, the apostles, the saints and martyrs is now considered an excommunicable offense which incurs serious penalties.

The document goes on:

If a lay member of the faithful belonging to the categories described in nos. 1–2 has incurred a canonical penalty and seeks full communion with the Catholic Church, the procedure requires a formal act expressing full adherence to Catholic doctrine and obedience to the Church's hierarchy under the jurisdiction of the local Ordinary, who is the guarantor of the unity of the particular Church.

Accordingly, such a lay member of the faithful must: 

Present to the local Ordinary the Profession of Faith and the Formula of Adherence, duly dated and signed (see Appendices A and B).

After receiving the required documentation, the local Ordinary shall receive the lay faithful at the time and in the manner he judges most appropriate, making use, for example, of the Rite of Reception into the Full Communion of the Catholic Church of Those Already Validly Baptized, suitably adapted.

With respect to the lay faithful described in nos. 3–4, it is sufficient that they approach a priest who is in full communion with the Church and resolve not to attend the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X in the future.

Well, there you have it, the Vatican end game. Throw us all out and declare us schismatic. Does that make me want to weep? Yes. What a kick in the teeth to be declared an enemy of the Church I've spent my entire adult life defending. I look around at all the cafeteria Catholics, pro-abortion politicians who champion the murder of babies, and on and on -- all welcome in the synodal Church. After all, as pro-abortion Democrat Tim Kaine's Richmond pastor said, he has a great baritone for the church choir and he helped with the veneration of the cross on Good Friday. I don't think he has to worry about being excommunicated.

I grieve today for the poor Bride of Christ whose vicar says faithful Catholics are no longer welcome, because we won't call black white and white black. I just can't do it. God knows I only want to do His will. If I'm really out of the boat, I'm confident he'll send a lifeboat to pick me up or at least throw me a life jacket. 

Meanwhile, I take solace in Psalm 126:

The Lord Has Done Great Things for Us

1When the lord brought back the captivity of Sion, we became like men comforted.

2Then was our mouth filled with gladness; and our tongue with joy. Then shall they say among the Gentiles: The Lord hath done great things for them.

3The Lord hath done great things for us: we are become joyful.

4Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as a stream in the south.

5They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

6Going they went and wept, casting their seeds. But coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves.