Today is the feast of St. Pope Pius X, a good day to read about his life and examine some of his writings. Here's a list of his encyclicals, 17 in all. His motto was "To restore all things in Christ" which was the subject of his first encylical published on October 4, 1903.
October 4th, the feast of St. Francis, is the date of my husband's and my anniversary so I'll be reading that encyclical today. It's short. Modern popes seem to write book length encyclicals which the laity are unlikely to read. It's interesting, in view of our era of clerical ambition, to see the humble reluctance of a man to mount the papal throne. That's how the pope began the first document of his reign.
Reflecting on his zeal to protect the faith from modernism, including the modernists within the Church got me thinking about our own struggle with the neo-modernists now labeled as "progressives." The more things change the more they stay the same, eh?
Today the Society of St. Pius X is in the unenviable position of fighting against modernism within the Church at the highest levels. It isn't just the theologians and philosophers, but clerics running some of the most important dicasteries responsible for defending the faith and recommending those to receive red hats. What a challenge! It's one thing to deal with all the enemies outside the city; it's quite another when the enemy is within the gates attacking the city of God.
Let us pray today to Pope St. Pius X for the wounded and battered Bride of Christ. God will never abandon His Church so I fully expect a man like Pope Pius X will one day fill the chair of St. Peter. I'd like to think I will see it, but at my age and with the number of "progressives" wearing red hats, I doubt that will happen. I pray my children and grandchildren will see it.
Come, O Holy Spirit...
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