Monday 9 January 2012

A Challenge to All of Us

In his masterly challenge to the Society of St. Pius X and its supporters, Fr. Giovanni Cavalcoli also writes:

"You say that the situation is disastrous, Modernism is reigning, heresies are spreading, orthodox (Catholics) are marginalized, priests do not intervene and even go off the tracks themselves and give scandal. All of this is true, but you, what are you doing to remedy this situation"? 

These is truly refreshing words to hear from a priest. That this can be openly admitted is, in a sense, a joy. Thirty, 40 years ago to express such views would have brought wrath, scorn etc. It still does. But the voices of derision are becoming more frantic, feebler... yet, "modernism is reigning"; there is much work to do. We should, firstly pray - pray to always maintain true devotion to Christ and His Church. Pray for our Holy Father, our local Ordinary (in our case, His Grace Thomas Collins), our priests, our religious and each other. 

We should study. We should read the Catechism, the lives of the saints, Papal encyclicals etc. In short, we should seek to ensure that "modernism" does not reign over us. But we should never presume that even if we are not doctrinal or social modernists we are not sinners. We are sinners. I am a sinner. Each and every day brings failure and struggle. So, we do not cast stones at modernists. We pray for them, as for each other. Evangelization is a duty for us all.

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