The Death of Liberal Catholicism

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: The death of Liberal Catholicism has begun. As of this year, more modernist priests and bishops (ordained in and around the 1970's) will begin to retire in droves, more than ever before. (read more here) Each year after this one will only increase the number of retirees. The baby-boomer priesthood is coming to a close. These were the clergy, around the modern world, who oversaw the most radical departure from tradition and orthodoxy since the Protestant Revolution in the 16th century. This is the very same clergy who oversaw the sodomite abuse cover-up scandal that dragged Catholicism through the mud over this last decade. It is no coincidence that these scandals accompanied the most radically unorthodox clergy in the history of the modern Church.

To be fair, over 95% of these men had nothing to do with the sodomite abuse cover-up scandal. Over 95% of these men never had any accusations leveled against them, and that should be made note of. Please don't think I'm painting with a broad brush here. The sodomite abuse cover-up scandal was a disaster of epic proportions, but it was a scandal caused by a tiny minority of priests, while the overwhelming majority had nothing to do with it. I think this is only fair to point out, because even though I am about to rip into this generation of priests and religious, I don't want to create false impressions. Credit should be given where credit is due, and to 95% of the Modernist priesthood, I give credit for steering clear of the sodomite sex-scandal. As for the other 5%, I know that some of them were falsely accused, but for those who were not, well, I'm sure they will get what's coming to them.

The problem I'm specifically pointing out here has nothing to do with sex-scandal or cover-up. No I'm not talking about what was done behind closed doors. I'm talking about what was done in broad daylight, in front of everybody, for all the world to see! I'm talking about the Modernist changes to the Church that Vatican II never called for, but were done anyway in the name of the enigmatic "spirit of Vatican II." I'm talking about the renovations of chapels and sanctuaries, the removal of the high alters and alter rails, the elimination of all Latin (even forbidden in some places), the extinction of the ad orientem posture, the introduction of communion on the hand, the overly-excessive use of extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, the abandonment of historic tradition at every turn, and even the use of new innovations at mass, which can only be described as "liturgical abuse." I'm talking about those priests who turned the mass into a kind of show, wherein he became the master of ceremonies. and the rest of the parish revolved around his slightest whim. It isn't just the priest though, as some of them were elevated to the level of bishop, and with that came the diocesan-wide implementation of similar structural and liturgical disasters. Many of these bishops neglected the catechises of the faithful and allowed them to fall into the errors of Modernism, embracing abortion, gay-marriage, Marxism and feminism. I'm also talking about many of the religious brothers (monks) and sisters (nuns) of this era who laid waste to the faith, promoting the abominations listed above, and bucking Church tradition whenever possible, even to the point of refusing to wear robes and habits. This is the 1970's generation of clergy and religious. To be fair, certainly not all of them fit this description. Some of them were entirely faithful to the traditions of the Church in every way. However, I think it's fair to say the above described most people who entered the vocations just before, during and immediately after this decade. It was the single greatest "revolution" in the last 500 years of Church history. These people drove millions of otherwise faithful Catholics from the faith. They drove many faithful Catholics into Ultra-Traditionalism as well, some of them even going so far as schism (sedevacatism) with the Church. Worse yet, those who didn't leave the Church, or go the route of ultra-traditionalism, were left to stagnate within the mainstream Church without proper catechises or liturgical formation. An entire generation has now grown up in the Church having never seen a traditional Latin mass, and are scarcely familiar with historical Catholic practices. Most young Catholics today would find it odd to witness one kneeling for communion, and haven't darkened the door of a confessional since their first communion. I cannot tell you how many ulta-extreme Left-wing Marxist I have encountered in my life who were raised in a Catholic schools. I cannot tell you how many former Catholics I've met who left the Church because of the changes in the 1970s and 80s. What these Modernist clergy and religious accomplished during their 40 year reign was nothing short of the complete dismantling of Catholic institutions that had existed for centuries.

Thankfully, their days are beginning to end now. From now on these clergy and religious will begin to retire, and in their place will rise up young new seminarians who are considerably more traditional and orthodox. We've got about a ten year run, before we are finally rid of all these retro-70's dinosaurs, and to be sure, some of them will not leave without making a scene, but their days are numbered nonetheless. So congratulations my readers, the day of reckoning is at hand in the Catholic Church, and those who have brought our faith to ruin are now starting to walk out the door. Would it be too rude for me to say "bon voyage and good riddance?" Perhaps that is too rude. I think perhaps it better to say that we should pray for these priests and bishops as they retire. They can have a change of heart. It is possible. I've witnessed it happen on at least one occasion.

Now the much more arduous task lies before us - the clean up work! As the 1970's crowed exists stage Left, the rest of us remain to clean up their mess. It's going to be a difficult task. Not only will we have to rebuild the institutions of the past virtually from scratch, but we're also going to have to endure the nagging voices of the retro-70's crowed that just won't let go until the last second. There is concern that some of them may attempt a schism, and that may actually happen, but even if they're successful with just pealing away a small percentage of the laity with them, their efforts won't amount to much. Some of them will refuse to retire as well, coming back to haunt us as bishop emeritus and priests in a "working retirement." So be it. We all know what will catch up with them eventually. Regardless of this however, as of this year their influence is waning. They are beginning to become less and less relative. Now all the new bishops need do is clean out their chancery offices of all the old staff, and start over fresh. In addition to that, younger parish priests are going to have to start getting bold with their congregations by setting clear goals toward restoring what was lost, and sticking to them. As for we lay folk, well, the thing to do is keep pressing on. We must befriend our newer and younger priests to encourage them and help them along the way. Yes, this year (2011) Liberal Catholicism begins to die in ernest. It's going to be a slow decade-long death, but it is dying. Nothing can save it now. Thanks be to God!!!! He is beginning to deliver the Church from it's long liturgical nightmare.