WINTER 2011

We have just concluded another beautiful Christmas at the Ave Maria Chapel.  So, let me start this newsletter by hoping all our members had a very Blessed and happy Christmas and will have a healthy new year. 

Although I started this newsletter last fall, we’re now already into winter and therefore, there’s much news to cover.  We here at the Catholic Traditionalist Movement headquarters believe that we must not only keep you up to date on events, we must also keep alive the true faith as Father De Pauw wanted and expected us to. 

In the following pages you will hopefully find comfort from his words that will bring solace to all Catholic Traditionalist Movement members longing for a return to sanity to our Church of old.

APPARATION OF THE BLESSED MOTHER AT

LASALETTE

OBSERVED IN THE CHAPEL

During Mass on September 19^th, we observed the anniversary of our Blessed Mother’s appearance at Lasalette.  The warnings of Lasalette are as applicable today if not more, than they were when the Blessed Mother first gave them to us.  Our Blessed Mother had something for everyone.  Catholic laymen and women who carelessly miss Mass, (that’s the true Mass) on Sundays, for political leaders who promote evil and the murder of the innocents, and for the leaders of our Church who in Her own words are crucifying her Son again.

Here is a reprint of those warnings as they were transcribed from the sermon given by Father De Pauw in 1992:

“Wo to you, tremble and shake with fear you so-called Catholic laymen and women who desecrate Sunday … The one day my Son kept for Himself …wo to you who desecrate Sunday not just out of hunger for money, performing unnecessary tasks, but also to you who desecrate the Lord’s day to you who turn their backs on my Son’s sacrifice of the Cross”.

To the political leaders, who so righteously promote separation of Church and state, promote laws which legalize the murder of the innocents and promote laws which legalize all things immoral under the guise of civil rights, the Blessed Mother had this warning:

“Wo to you, tremble and shake with fear inhabitants of the earth … Lucifer has dimmed the intelligence of the leaders of civil governments.  Vices of all kinds are promoted by the civil establishment.  All civil governments have one in the same plan to pave the way for materialism, atheism and spiritism.  The civil leaders will abolish civil rights as well as religious rights.  All order and all justice will be trampled under foot and only murder, hatred, envy and dissension will be left without love for country and family”.

But the harshest warning at Lasalette was for the religious establishment.  Making no distinction of the color of their robes, the Blessed Mother gave this warning to those clergy who scandalize by desecrating the sacred mysteries and by the way they live their spiritual and personal lives.  Listen to the words of the Blessed Mother to them:

“Wo to you, tremble and shake with fear you bishops and priests, religious and convents who by your unfaithfulness and wicked lives are crucifying my Son again.  Lucifer together with a large number of demons will be loosed from hell … they will put an end to the true faith little by little.  Wo to you tremble and shake with fear you pagan Rome that will lose the faith, become the seat of the anti-Christ and doomed to disappear in the end.  The sins of the clergy and religious cries out for vengeance”.

Lucifer together with a large number of demons will be loosed from hell and they will put an end to the true faith little by little, the Blessed Mother told us at Lasalette.  The history of all heresy and schism in the past has proved beyond a doubt that the true faith and the true Mass stand and fall together.  Every time there was an assault on the Cathtolic Church, it started by attacking the Mass, the universal sacrifice offered on an altar, in a universal language, belonging to no one.  The Mass being the means by which we receive the graces and merits of the cross on that first Good Friday, otherwise separated by 20 centuries of time and space.

And, no one said it better than one of the church’s greatest converts, who not so long ago was beatified in England by Pope Benedict.  It was John Cardinal Newman who said, “TOLLE MISSAM, TOLLE ECCLESIUM”, take away the Mass and you take away the faith.  Will those who are praising Cardinal Newman today listen to his warning, conveniently forgotten in all their commentaries during his canonization or will they continue to crucify Christ all over again, by each week replacing the sacrifice of the Mass with a community meal around a table and making their churches, again in the words of Cardinal Newman, “LIKE THE EMPTY SEPULCHRE ON EASTER MORNING”.

“Wo to you bishops and priests … who by your unfaithfulness and wicked lives are crucifying my Son again.”

A terrifying message indeed, but not for us the remaining loyal Traditionalist Roman Catholics who continue to hold on to the true Mass and true Catholic faith.  For us the message at Lasalette is not frightening at all, because we are among what the Blessed Mother called, “The children of light who can see”.

And for the children of light, the Blessed Mother tells us, “You my dear good people, God will take care of his faithful servants.  God will take care of you my good people, you whom I carry in my arms.”

Today’s gradual tells us, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: the people whom He hath chosen for His Inheritance”.

There is only one way to assure that we are among those people whom God has chosen for His inherence and the Blessed Mother told us she will carry in her arms, the only way to assure that, is to remain faithful till the end to the true Sacrifice of the Mass, the source and summit of all graces and blessings, the very means of our salvation.

SPECIAL REMEMBRANCE OF FATHER DE PAUW’S BIRTHDAY

On Sunday, October 10^th, we observed the 92^nd anniversary of the birth of Father De Pauw. A procession to his memorial where we prayed to St. Michael for his continued protection over us in our battle with the forces of evil has become a tradition.  A wreath was placed during the ceremony  and the following remarks were made by Mr. Richard Cuneo:

Ninety-two years ago tomorrow, October 11^th, in a little town on the Belgian campenlandt, called Stekene, Gommar Albert De Pauw was born.  He was the 7^th child of devoutly Catholic parents, Desiree and Anna Van Overloop De Pauw.  Only a few short weeks after that, Desiree and Anna, with their 6 other children were forced to leave their home and head to the Dutch frontier because the ravages of the first World War came to Stekene.

Born into a family of means in early 20^th century Belgium, little Gommar always was most comfortable amongst what were derisively called by the Belgian elite, “the farmer children”.  Most of his good friends as a youngster were from Flemish farmer stock.  In his home he was taught that everyone was the same in the eyes of God.  As a child he was athletic and played soccer and was interested in cycling.  He told his father that he wanted to be a professional cyclist.  However, his father strongly discouraged him since professional cycling while being a popular sport did not have the best representation of Catholic living.

As a young student he became active and eventually a leader in the young Catholic students movement.  This movement was set up by the Church in Belgium to instill Catholic values and education in the daily lives of young Belgians.  In pre-war Belgium and throughout Europe secularism and the idea that the state was absolute were very prevalent.  It was during those years with examples of good priests like Monsignors Caleweart and Dekesel who were his spiritual directors, that his sights turned to the priesthood.

It was also during those years that he realized the value and the good the Church could do if Belgian society would follow the principles laid out by Her.  He also realized the importance of making sure that the people understood the faith believing that if one understood the faith one would hold on to it.  As a young priest this was the focus of his sermons.  His ability to explain the faith not just to the so-called Belgian elite but also to the Flemish farmers made him a breath of fresh air and very well liked by the hard working Flemish people.  They found in him a priest who understood them and their lives.  Even in his military service first as a stretcher bearer who cared for seriously ill soldiers and later as a chaplain this same theme prevailed. 

Later teaching young men to become priests he passed onto them this same theme.  During his experiences in his first parishes he found that any problems the Church had with the people was not because of what She stood for but because of Her representatives.  He was determined to do everything in his power to ensure that those young priests would turn out to be worthy representatives of the Church.

Fast forward to the 1960s and it is no wonder that he became the spokesman for millions of everyday Roman Catholics who refused to accept the false and misleading interpretations of the Vatican II wrecking crew.  He spoke in clear and understandable terms that everyone was able to comprehend.

All of his speeches and sermons focused on educating Catholics that what was going on in the Church was not something new thought up in the halls of the Vatican during the council but were actually rewritten and updated heresies which dated back to centuries before.  He focused on educating Catholics on the faith and most importantly the Mass, the center of the faith.  He was the first to bring to the public realm the decree Quo Primum.  The papal document which permitted any priest to offer the true Mass and no pope, cardinal, bishop or priest could say anything about it.  Until he brought that papal document to the forefront no one had ever heard of it including most clergy, even though they had sworn to uphold it at their ordination.  He knew from his past that if Catholics understood both the faith and the Mass they would continue to hold on to it and refuse to let anyone take it away from them.  He always said in his many speeches that as long as there are loyal Roman Catholic laymen and women who are willing to hold on, even if they are reduced to a handful, the faith will not die.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are those loyal Catholic layman and women who are willing to hold on to the faith of our fathers handed down from generation to generation.  It is our responsibility to pass on what we have received.  It is here at this Chapel where you will continue to get the true faith in all its purity, unadulterated by heresy from the left and schism from the right.

I especially appeal to the young mothers and fathers with small children to take your responsibility before God seriously and ensure you do everything possible to pass on to your children the faith you received.

Father John has made a huge commitment and effort to ensure you will have all you need to help you in teaching your children their faith.  Do not show you don’t appreciate his effort by not showing up here to attend the first Saturday Mass with your children and let him speak to empty pews.  There is nothing more important on Sunday and first Saturday mornings for you and your children to be doing than to be here at the Chapel at Mass.  No amount of money and no sport is worth losing your soul and the souls of your children.

We have heard the warnings of the Blessed Mother at Lasalette to those who throw aside Sunday for money and pleasure.  The gospel tells us, seek ye first the kingdom of God and the rest shall be provided to you and what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but looses his immortal soul.  But in those cases, where you would absolutely have to work to feed your family, make sure then that someone in your family or friends, brings your children to Mass. NOW, BEFORE ANYONE SAYS WHERE DOES HE COME OFF PREACHING TO US, LET ME QUICKLY ADD, THAT I AM NOT PREACHING BUT MERELY REPEATING TODAY THE WORDS WE HEARD SO OFTEN FROM THE PRIEST WE REMEMBER TODAY.

We must pass on to the next generation the inheritance of faith we received.  That is the legacy that Father De Pauw left us.  That is the legacy Father John is committed to continuing.  It is our duty to make sure it is not in vain, remembering that as long as there are loyal Roman Catholics who are willing to hold on, even if they are reduced to a handful, the faith will not die. 

After these words from Mr. Cuneo, the ceremony closed with the singing of “Faith of our Fathers”.

CATHOLIC TRADITIONALIST MOVEMENT

REMEMBERS

CARDINAL SPELLMAN

On December 2^nd, the Catholic Traditionalist Movement observed the 43^rd anniversary of the death of Cardinal Spellman.  Cardinal Spellman is of course one of the three protectors of the CTM in its earliest days.  As stated before, not one move was made by Father De Pauw without first discussing it with the great Cardinal.  That included the CTM Manifesto, the organizational details of setting up the CTM and the locating of its headquarters which was originally located in the Pan Am building in the Archdiocese of New York.  Cardinal Spellman was also deeply involved in the details and plan to excardinate Father De Pauw from the diocese of Baltimore to Tivoli. 

The relationship between Father De Pauw and Cardinal Spellman goes back well before the launching of the Catholic Traditionalist Movement.  In fact, it goes as far back as 1946.  It was in this year that Father De Pauw first considered coming to the United States for numerous reasons.  At the time, Father De Pauw’s brother Father Adhemar De Pauw a Franciscan order priest was in New York studying anthropology at Columbia University.  Father Adhemar had made many contacts in the Archdiocese of New York.  One of those contacts was auxiliary Bishop Gaffney.

Father Adhemar was closely linked with the Belgian Church in America.  Due to the number of Belgian émigrés in New York, there was an agreement made between Cardinal Spellman and Cardinal Van Roey of Belgium to have a special church set aside to care for the needs of those émigrés.  The Church was actually under the canonical jurisdiction of the Diocese of Ghent which was the Diocese of Father De Pauw.  The priest who was in charge of that Church was unpopular and had run into several problems so a replacement for him was being sought.  During the time period of 1946-1948, Father Adhemar contacted auxiliary Bishop Gaffney and asked if he would be able to find a position in this Belgian Church for his brother, possibly to replace the current head.  The request was taken to Cardinal Spellman and in 1948, when Father De Pauw’s decision to come to America was decided upon, Monsignor Gaffney advised that Cardinal Spellman would be happy to have Father De Pauw in the Archdiocese of New York.  The position of head of the Belgian church however, was no longer available by the time Father De Pauw actually arrived in America and so he was assigned to St. Stephen’s parish in lower Manhattan.

The early relationship does not end there.  In 1950 Father Adhemar attended the United Nations meeting on Jerusalem in Geneva.  This was just 3 years after the Zionists had formed a state and were claiming Jerusalem as part of the spoils of the war which had just been fought.  At that time there was much discussion among the nations about what to do with the Holy City because of its religious importance to three major religions and its political importance in the region.  The Vatican of course, was very concerned and interested and wanted to insure that the rights of the Church were protected.  At that time the Vatican did not have official observer status at the UN as they do today.  Father Adhemar who was attending UN sessions in Lake Success as the correspondent for a Belgian newspaper, had become the person the delegates knew they could go to if they wanted something to reach the Pope’s ears.  His connections to Cardinal Spellman were well known and from there they knew the information would get to the Pope.  While attending this special session in Geneva, Father Adhemar would have to send reports to Cardinal Spellman on the goings on in Geneva.  To ensure that the information which was for “the Cardinal’s eyes only” was not detoured in any chancery office.  Father De Pauw became the go-between.  Father Adhemar would send him the information and he in turn would relay it to the Cardinal.  As these negotiations on the status of Jerusalem were extremely sensitive both diplomatically and religiously, the Cardinal had a code name which was “ABRAHAM”.   Any information received by Father De Pauw from his brother usually in the form of a telegram as “TELL ABRAHAM” meant it had to be given to Cardinal Spellman.  To thank him for his work on these status negotiations on behalf of the Vatican, Father Adhemar was received by Pope Pius XII.  When Pius XII heard that in Father Adhemar’s family there was a brother who was also a priest and a sister who was a nun serving as a missionary and medical doctor in the Belgian Congo, the Pope took off his ZUCHETTA and gave it to Father Adhemar for his mother.  He told him it was to show his appreciation to her for raising so many children dedicated to serving the good of the Church.

Oddly enough or I guess not so odd, today’s Vatican mission to the UN denies any knowledge of the work done by Father Adhemar and Father De Pauw.  The relationship between Cardinal Spellman and Father De Pauw continued into the late 1950s when Father De Pauw helped one of the members of the Cardinal’s family in a matter which we are not ready to disclose just yet.

After reading this little piece of history, one can easily see that Cardinal Spellman and Father De Pauw were no strangers when Pope John XXIII announced in 1959 that there would be a council held “to open the windows and let a little fresh air in”, and have a chance for all the bishops and cardinals to get together and exchange news and information on what their situations were now that the war was long over.

CATHOLIC TRADITIONALIST MOVEMENT

REMEMBERS

BISHOP KURZ

On December 13^th, the CTM observed the 37^th anniversary of the death of Bishop Kurz, moderator of the Catholic Traditionalist Movement.  The life of this great Bishop is a very interesting one and one which had been overlooked by so many.  When one looks at today’s successors of the apostles and by what standards they are judged as a “Good Bishop”, it is laughable compared to the life of Bishop Kurz.  Today a bishop is deemed good if he has no child abuse scandals for which he was aware of or maybe personally responsible for.  They are called “conservative” very easily, but for what we don’t know.  Maybe because they still make the Sign of the Cross.  And then there are those schismatic “Bishops” who think that if they put on a good costume the stupid sheep will follow them anywhere.  They dress themselves up in all the trappings of the office; publish many pictures of themselves and “vola” a “traditional bishop”.  Laughable when one compares these so-called bishops to a real bishop like Bishop Kurz.  So let us look and republish a little of his history.

Bishop Kurz was born in Sontheim, Germany on February 3^rd, 1894, the Feast of St. Blaise.  He was ordained to the priesthood in Nuerenberg, Germany on December 21, 1919 by the renowned opponent of the Nazis, Cardinal Von Faulhaber.  As a Franciscan missionary priest he was sent to China where he showed himself to be an exemplary priest at times showing heroic conduct.  His work became known to Rome and on October 29^th, 1939, the Feast of Christ the King, Pope Pius XII personally consecrated him bishop in St. Peter’s Basilica.  He received the title of Titular Bishop of Terenuti and was transferred from China to the Diocese of Kokstad, South Africa where the Church at that time needed a troubleshooter of the kind Rome judged him to be.

When World War II broke out, the Protestant military authorities in South Africa placed Bishop Kurz, a German citizen at that time, under house arrest, preventing him from exercising his spiritual functions.  It was only through the personal intervention and bail posting of Father Adhemar, who at this time was a young Catholic Belgian Lieutenant serving in the British Africa Corps, that Bishop Kurz regained his freedom.

Eight years later, Pope Pius XII asked Bishop Kurz to take on another delicate and more dangerous task.  This task was to go back to China which at this time was coming closer and closer to falling to the Communists.  Despite the danger this assignment held Bishop Kurz accepted the Pope’s wish and returned to Youngchow China where he was appointed prefect-apostolic on May 21^st, 1948.

In 1949, the Communists took over the mainland of China.  Bishop Kurz wanted to stay with his flock but doing so meant certain imprisonment and even death.  Pope Pius XII ordered him to leave and the Bishop returned to Rome.  After a few months in Rome, Bishop Kurz sailed for New York in 1949 at the invitation of Cardinal Spellman where he was offered the hospitality of the New York Archdiocese.  Throughout the 1950s, Father De Pauw had many an occasion to meet with Bishop Kurz either here in New York or in the Washington DC area where he spoke on numerous occasions.

We can clearly see by 1949, the major players  in the formation of the Catholic Traditionalist Movement were now in place here in the United States.  Though they did not realize it at the time, God’s providence had brought them together for a higher and much bigger reason.  It was something they never could have envisioned or suspected in 1949.

HAS POPE BENEDICT

CHANGED

CATHOLIC MORAL TEACHING?

Unfortunately and unbelievably we have to discuss a topic which we never thought we would address in these pages and certainly are not qualified to discuss.  Nevertheless, recent statements by Pope Benedict during an interview with a German reporter have caused significant confusion and therefore, we feel it is something which needs to be addressed.  In order to do so we will rely on what a Pope of the past has said on the very same topic.  We are referring to the headlines just before Christmas 2010, that Pope Benedict had approved the use of artificial birth control devices by his comments in an interview published in a book titled “Light of the World”.  As much as we abhor having to discuss this, we are forced to do so by the confusion the Pope’s remarks have created.  It has become to typical of the post-conciliar church  that  once  again  those  on  both  sides of  the  argument   can  take  away  from   these

comments anything they want to in order to support their position.  Once again, the post- conciliar church has sown the seeds of confusion in the minds of the Catholic faithful.  Once again, the Church failed to be that moral beacon, the rock upon which all could look to for the right and unequivocal answer.  Whether they agreed with the Church in the past or not, everyone always knew where She stood on matters concerning faith and morals.  But that is no longer the case with the post-conciliar church as witnessed once again by the Pope’s comments.  And as if the Pope’s comments were not puzzling enough, the two statements by the Vatican press secretary which were supposed to clear up the matter, only served to muddy the waters further.  So confused is the situation that the congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, once known as the Holy Office found it necessary to publish a note unprecedented in the history of the Church further clarifying the Pontiff’s remarks.

We purchased the book to ensure that we had the quote right.  In order to understand this clearer, we need to understand the time context in which the remarks were made.  On a recent trip to Africa, the Pope in response to a reporters question on his plane ride (oh, for the days when Popes stayed in the Vatican and never gave interviews) stated that he did not think that artificial birth control devices were the answer to the “scourge plaguing” the content of Africa (our words not the Pope’s).  Those comments did not sit well with the organized international lobby which is trying to ram perversion down our throats.  The Pope already under attack because of the numerous abuse scandals, came under further criticism from all quarters in the media and social and political world.  It was in that context that this latest question was raised and which led to the Pope’s remarks.  Now before saying anything, we maintain the position of Father De Pauw that it is not our right to judge a Pope.  The words Father De Pauw used were “Non Possumus!  Non Licet!  We cannot do it!  We have no right to do it!”  Nonetheless, we must say something because of the confusion the Pope’s remarks have caused.  Therefore, we see this as a lost opportunity by the Pope to reaffirm traditional Catholic moral teaching on marriage and on human beings, share in the greatest work of creation, the continuation of the human family. 

To analyze it we will paraphrase the words of Pope Pius XI in his encyclical letter on Christian Marriage and the words of Father De Pauw on the Sacrament of Matrimony.  We find the Pope’s comments to be “riding a middle course … believing that something should be conceded in our times with regard to certain precepts of the divine and natural law to even suggest that any act which is contrary to the moral law, God’s law, can be considered as Pope Benedict stated, “a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility, on the way toward recovering an awareness that not everything is allowed” (as quoted from “Light of the World’) that amounts to saying the murderer did well by calling the police after he committed the murder.  We find that kind of logic to be used by those who insist that matrimony was not instituted by God and raised to the dignity of a sacrament by Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself but rather invented by man and therefore try to concoct new forms of unions suited to the present times often labeling them as temporary and companionate (again, paraphrasing the words of Pope Pius XI and Father De Pauw).  It is used by those who desire that these practices be legitimized by law or at least excused by their general acceptance among the people as part of modern “culture” rather than the hateful abominations which beyond all question reduce civilization to the barbarous standards of savage, primitive people.  We believe it has no place in papal discourse no matter what the form.

We will now quote directly from Pope Pius XIs encyclical to give what we believe should have been the answer by Pope Benedict to the reporter’s question.

“But no reason, however grave, may be put forward by which anything intrinsically against nature may become conformable to nature and morally good, since, therefore, the conjugal act is destined primarily by nature for the begetting of children, those exercising it deliberately frustrate its natural power and purpose, sin against nature and commit a deed which is shameful and intrinsically vicious.”  We can only hope and pray that the Pope’s remarks were a sign that he fell victim to human weakness in an effort to improve his image rather than as an attempt to alter Catholic moral teaching.

As Father De Pauw stated when discussing whether Pope Paul had approved the new Mass and thereby went contrary to infallible declarations by a previous Pope, we too, in this case cannot believe that this is what Pope Benedict intended to do.  Certainly the fact that this was done in the form of an interview rather than through the traditional means by which the Pope communicates matters of faith and morals to the faithful, offers us hope.  Unfortunately his response whether it was his intention or not, has opened the crack for those who wish to say, “But the Pope said it was OK.”  Now anything short of a clear papal pronouncement condemning immorality and reaffirming the Church’s traditional position on these matters amounts to closing the barn door after the horse is out. 

All we can do is pray and pray very hard that we are not further down that road in reducing cultured nations, already approving of the murder of the innocents on a daily and alarming level to the “barbarous standards of savage people”.

ANNIVERSARY

OF

CATHOLIC TRADITIONALIST MOVEMENT

December 31st, the Catholic Traditionalist Movement observed the 46^th Anniversary of the CTM Manifesto delivery to the Pope, all Vatican Curia cardinals, all members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy in the USA and selected bishops in various countries.  While March 15^th, was the public launching of the Catholic Traditionalist Movement, the anniversary of the Manifesto is, in fact, more important.  This is because this Manifesto was the first voice of opposition to the misinterpretations of the decisions of the Second Vatican Council.  From no other quarter, no matter what revisionist so-called traditionalist “historians” are writing, was any opposition raised.  There was only one voice of opposition, that of Father De Pauw and the millions of Roman Catholic Laymen and women for whom he spoke which would eventually become the Catholic Traditionalist Movement.  The Manifesto which was a not for publication communication to the world’s Catholic leaders, was written after the Catholic Traditionalist Movement had conducted an opinion poll in the winter of 1964 surveying a wide number of Roman Catholics from all over the country as to their opinions on the changes in the Church and the Mass which were being proposed.  The poll was in full accordance with the Council document, “Constitution on the Church”, which stated that the Catholic laity should “openly reveal … their needs and desires with that freedom and confidence which is fitting for the Children of God and Brothers in Christ …”  After receiving the results, Father De Pauw wrote the Manifesto to express to the Catholic leaders the feelings of the Catholic laity.  It was written with the full knowledge of the apostolic delegate at the time, Eugidio Vagnozzi and approved by Cardinal Ottaviani, the Guardian of the Faith of the Holy Office, Cardinal Cicognani, the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Bacci, the Chief Vatican Latinist, Cardinal Spellman of New York and Cardinal Browne of St Louis.

Had the Church leaders of the time from the Pope on down the line followed the 12 suggestions which were proposed in the Manifesto, the Church would not find Herself in the mess she does today.  Had the cardinals, bishops and priests joined the Catholic Traditionalist Movement when all were invited to, not only by Father De Pauw, but by our own Bishop Kurz, who in 1966 offered the Catholic Traditionalist Movement to all sincere priests as the God-given instrument to save their priesthood and their Church, it would have been possible to reverse the damage already done and prevent the future damage to be done by “a small but well organized minority of self-appointed, so-called liturgical experts, isolated in their ivory towers.  But none publicly joined the Catholic Traditionalist Movement.  NONE, except Bishop Blaise Kurz.  How different the religious landscape would look had all those who in private told Father De Pauw they agreed with him but were afraid to break with the “CLUB” had joined him publicly.

Well, here we are almost a half-century later, now entering our 47^th year of the FIGHT FOR TRUTH AND TRADITION.  Except for now and then “rearranging the furniture on the Titanic”, as Father De Pauw always referred to it, no serious effort that will hold and return our Church to its glorious past has been made.  Oh yes, Rome is awash with rumors but in none of those rumors do we find any hope for a return of the true Mass and the true Church.  After all, the goal is not to be accepted by the new Church and live side by side but rather to have the new Church come back and join us in the Church of old by returning to the true Mass and true Faith.  Anything less is a COMPROMISE.

As we look at the list of the recently made new cardinals, we see that only a handful have been ordained before the deluge of the Second Vatican Council.  As we look at the College of Cardinals from which the next pope is to be chosen, we shudder as we see that all who are eligible to vote for the next pope have been made cardinal after the Vatican Council.  So from where is the church going to return to its glorious past?  It therefore becomes clearer and clearer to us that only that miracle from God which Father De Pauw said was the only way this mess could be straightened out, will get us out of this.

We enter 2011, the second decade already of the 21^st Century, still hoping and praying for that miracle.  We are sure it will come some day because Our Lord told us so, but when we don’t know.  All we can do is live one day at a time and work as if everything depended on us and pray as if everything depends on God, BECAUSE IT DOES!

As we see our Church fall deeper into the canyon and we don’t know what else lies ahead we will continue to live by the legacy Father De Pauw left us.  He offered it so many times over the years but it deserves repeating.  It applies to lay people as well as to ALL clergy.  It is the answer we must give following the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity which are the guiding inspiration of all Catholic life.

A Catholic’s first obedience is to God, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  A Catholic’s second obedience is to our Apostolic Church.  A Catholic’s third obedience is to the reigning supreme pontiff in Rome, and last, a Catholic’s fourth obedience is to the bishops in communion with Rome!  HOWEVER, A CATHOLIC’S OBEDIENCE TO THEIR SUPERIORS ENDS THE MOMENT ANYONE OF THOSE SUPERIORS SEVERS THE LINK THAT TIES HIM TO EITHER THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH OR TO GOD!

Following the theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity which are the guiding inspiration of all Catholic life, we know that no matter how small our numbers become we will continue to hold onto the true Mass as an act of Faith in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church as an act of Hope that some day our Church will return to its former glory and as an act of Charity for the immortal souls including our own, whose eternal salvation depends on the survival of the Sacrifice of the Mass and the ensuing Real Presence of the Living Christ on earth.

Always remember:  “Even if an angel of the Lord teaches you something other than I have taught you, let him be anathema!”

LORD HELP US BECAUSE THE DAYS ARE GROWING DARKER AND DARKER!