Leave of Absence

The Catholic Knight will be taking an extended leave of absence from the blogosphere effective immediately. To my loyal readers I am sorry. To those who despise my work, please know it will remain in the Internet indefinitely.

I want to thank you all for your support, emails, comments and most of all your prayers. Please know that I would not leave you without good reason. I covet only your continued prayers and I ask that you take what I've tried to give you all and build upon it, in whatever capacity the Lord has given you.

As of this date, The Catholic Knight blog registers about one-thousand unique visitors a day. About four-hundred of you are regular readers and frequently return. I am so glad to have reached so many and I feel honoured that you let my words be a part of your lives for so long.

I may be back someday, but I don't know when or how. Some of you know this has been a long time coming. I first announced this intention almost a year ago. The time has come now for me to tend to other business, much of it family related. God bless you all, and thank you for the privilege of letting me write for you.

In HIS Majesty's Service,

The Catholic Knight

HOW TO FIGHT THE NEW WORLD ORDER

1. PRAY - Only God can deliver us from our enemies.
2. Get involved in your local parish church -- stay involved!
3. Get your kids out of government schools (use private, religious or home school instead.)
4. Turn off the television, and limit TV time.
5. Don't watch or listen to corporate/government news (CNN, FoxNews, ABC, NBC, CBS, New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, etc.)
6. Get your news from selected private (non-corporate owned) news agencies, blogs and publications on the Internet and from short-wave radio.
7. Buy everything you can from locally owned businesses.  (Avoid "big-box" superstores and large franchise chains.)
8. Invest your money in a local credit union or savings and loan.  (Do not use banks!)
9. Always vote for politicians and laws that uphold SUBSIDIARITY as their guiding principle.
10. Join local (peaceful & non-violent) Christian movements that strive for political independence and secession from larger super-states.
11. Connect with others culturally and try to rebuild the Christian culture of your local ancestors.
12. GET THE WORD OUT and tell others about these twelve steps to fighting the New World Order.

These twelve steps may be copied and distributed freely.

U.S. Government DECLARES WAR on the Catholic Church

The Administration's failure to change course on this matter will, as the attached analysis indicates, precipitate a national conflict between Church and State of enormous proportions and to the detriment of both institutions....

His Excellency Timothy Dolan
Archbishop of New York
source

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: These comments were recently made in an official letter from Archbishop Timothy Dolan to President Barack Hussein Obama. They are in regards to the administration's promotion of homosexuality and gay-marriage. The good archbishop is resorting to diplomacy here, in what has become obvious attacks on the religious freedom of faithful Catholics in the United States.

Already a few states (Massachusetts, California and Illinois) have declared war on the Catholic Church, one city in particular (San Francisco) in the most direct way, which the U.S. Supreme Court has sanctioned. Now under the Obama administration, the United States Federal government has declared war on the Catholic Church as well, and by extension, he has declared war on all faithful Catholics in America.

If you are a faithful Catholic, who believes in the teachings of the Church on marriage and family, than the Obama administration, along with the full force of the United States federal government, has declared war on YOU -- personally. According the the United States federal government, you (a faithful Catholic) are a bigot! No different than a racist, and the Church to which you belong is on the same par with the Ku Klux Klan. Your beliefs have been deemed obsolete and prejudiced. As far as this administration is concerned, you have no rights, or at least you should be deprived of them at the earliest opportunity. A few states have recently put a stop to your Church, the Catholic Church, from operating charities according to the 'bigoted' teachings of Rome. In time, the U.S. Federal government will actively work toward shutting down Catholic charities throughout the nation unless they comply with federal regulations against homosexual discrimination. Your children will be made to learn who is really in charge here.

The United States Federal government, along with a few state governments, most notably Massachusetts, California and Illinois, have effectively engaged in an undeclared war against the U.S. Catholic Church. (In the case of the City of San Francisco, the war has actually been declared.) The only thing missing are the bombs and bullets. No, the U.S. Federal government only bombs Catholics (Orthodox) in other countries, like Serbia for example, and limits its warfare against Catholics in America to legal manoeuvring. In this case, the legal battle is over homosexuality.

The United States has a very LONG Anti-Catholic history.
Many anti-Catholic ordinances are already enshrined
in state constitutions called "Blaine Amendments."

It has been pointed out here on this blog, and by numerous other bloggers, that religious freedom and gay marriage cannot coexist. One will always trample over the other, and in this case, the U.S. Federal Government has made its choice. From now on, Washington DC will favour gay marriage over and above religious freedom. Don't expect that policy to change if or when we change the administration. Republicans have a long record of failing to fix problems created by Democratic presidents. We cannot expect the courts to help us on this, not even the U.S. Supreme Court. So until the U.S. Federal government finally collapses under its own colossal weight, an inevitability many are already preparing for, faithful Catholics in America can look forward to fighting a new enemy in Washington DC -- our own government!

Please make sure every Catholic you know in the United States gets a copy of this message.

Modernist Schism In Austria Continues...

Cardinal Schönborn presides over 'youth mass.'

(Vatican Insider) - It is still causing conflict between Cardinal Christoph Schönborn and dissidents. This wekend, the Archbishop of Vienna spoke out about the risk of a schism in the Austrian Catholic Church.The Episcopate’s leader reinforced his view with regard to the clashes among the clergy, that violation of ecclesiastical celibacy and admission of divorced individuals that have subsequently re-married, back to communion, places dissident priests outside the Church.

The Cardinal warned that those who are promoting the reform manifesto with its slogan “A call to disobedience”, will not succeed in putting the Archdiocese of Vienna on a collision course with the Holy See. “Everything is possible and I am counting on dialogue and cooperation,” the Archbishop said, extending a metaphorical hand but at the same time excluding any possibility of a break with Rome...

read full story here

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT:  Well, I hate to say it, but where discipline is lax, schism is just around the corner.  I'll give Cardinal Schönborn this much.  He didn't start the problems in Austria.  He is not responsible for their genesis.  They did however, grow under his watch, and he did little (if anything) to correct them.  Spiritually speaking, Austria is in shambles now.  The schism has already occurred.  The only thing that remains now are the formalities.

Catholics Support U.N. Palestinian Bid For Statehood

Green portions show loss of Palestinian territory since 1946.

(Breitbart) - Priests in the Holy Land used their sermons on Sunday to give their blessing to the Palestinians' bid for United Nations membership.

The retired Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michel Sabbah, the first Palestinian to hold the post since the Crusades, was to preach in the Roman Catholic church in the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

A joint statement by Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Lutheran priests pledged their "support for the diplomatic efforts being deployed to win international recognition for the State of Palestine... on the June 1967 borders with Jerusalem as our capital."

The priests went further than their bishops, who in a statement this week confined themselves to a call for intensified prayer and diplomatic efforts ahead of the Palestinian membership request, to be sent to the UN Security Council on Friday.

"Palestinians and Israelis should exercise restraint, whatever the outcome of the vote at the United Nations," the bishops said.

"We call upon decision-makers and people of good will to do their utmost to achieve the long-awaited justice, peace and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians....

read full story here

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: I know this position will be highly unpopular among Americans and Israelis, but The Catholic Knight supports this move, and here are the reasons why.

First, the Palestinians (both Muslim and Christian) have been jerked around by Israel for two decades now. They've been told repeatedly they will get their independence, but for every one step forward, two are taken back. All the while Israelis continue to build illegal 'settlements' (i.e. 'colonies') on land promised to the Palestinians. Look, I am partially Native American. I fully understand what colonization is. This is how Europeans take land away from indigenous people. Every time a new 'settlement' ('colony') is built on disputed occupied territory, Israel renegotiates the terms of the peace process, proposing a smaller territory for Palestine and a larger portion for Israel, saying 'look, we already have people living there, we can't kick them out of their homes.' This is a joke, but not the funny kind, and it reminds me a great deal of what happened to my Cherokee ancestors a century and a half ago. The Palestinian people (both Muslims and Christians) have been living there for centuries. They've gone under various rule. Once they were part of Jordan. Before that they were part of the British Empire. Before that they were part of the Ottoman Empire, and before that the Mamluks and Crusaders. Ethnically they are Arab and Egyptian, culturally they are a mixture of Muslim and Eastern Christian. After the fall of the Roman Empire, they were primarily Christians, until the 14th century. A small minority of Palestinian (non-Israeli) Jews have always lived in the region, numbering about 4% of the population. Many of the Jews from antiquity fled this region after a revolution gone bad in 136 AD. Of those that stayed behind, many converted to Christianity. Only a tiny minority (about 4%) continued to practice Judaism.

Second, the Palestinian people (i.e. people directly descended from those who lived in this area prior to the establishment of the State of Israel), are culturally and politically distinct from the Israeli citizens. Israelis are primarily Jews of European and Russian descent, who immigrated to the region after the horrible events of World War II. They are culturally European and Russian. Their politics reflect this as well. About 80% of Israeli citizens are Jews (European or Russian descent), and a little under 20% are Arabs (Muslim or Christian). In contrast, the Palestinian territories consist of 80% Arabs (Muslims and Christians), 17% Jewish and 3% Other. What we have here are two completely different nations, and they have demonstrated for decades that they cannot live together. We can point fingers and blame all we want, but it doesn't change the fact that so long as Israel rules this occupied region, there will be endless conflict. This era of perpetual violence between Israelis and Palestinians must end.

Third, political secession has always been the most reasonable and practical solution to problems such as these. The United States of America seceded from the British Empire and established itself as an independent Union over issues less than these. Norway peacefully seceded from Sweden over issues far less than these. Political secession of the State of Palestine from the State of Israel makes the most logical and effective path toward peace. Only paranoid empires, filled with greed, will stop a peaceful democratic secession through military aggression. Two examples of this being the British Empire in 1776 and the American Empire in 1861. The question is; will Israel follow the British and American example of ruthless imperialism, or will she behave in a more civilised manner like Sweden?

Fourth, the State of Israel itself was fully recognised by the U.N. on May 11, 1949, the exact same process being requested by the Palestinian people for a Palestinian state.

Fifth, the pope himself has acknowledged that the Palestinian people have a right to their own homeland, just as much as the Israeli people.

Sixth, Catholics and Orthodox around the world are supporting this measure, if for no other reason than divine justice mandates it.

Seventh, the sole reason for overwhelming American support of Israel is the popular Evangelical Christian heresy called 'Dispensation Theology' (or 'Dispensationism') which asserts that God has two covenants running simultaneously -- one for the Christians and another for the Jews. Because of this, Dispensationism asserts that the Old Testament promises made to the genetic descendants of ancient Israel are still in full force. Dispensationism does not recognise those promises as having been fulfilled a thousand-fold in the Church. Dispensationism does not recognise the New Testament teaching that the Church is Israel, and Israel is the Church. Dispensationism does not recognise that the divine promise given to Abraham, ('I will bless those who bless you' Genesis 12:4) extends to all of his descendants (physical and spiritual), which includes not only Jews through Isaac, but also Arabs through Ishmael, and Christians through Jesus Christ. Dispensationism only applies this passage to the Jews. Therefore, many American Evangelicals (and some misguided Catholics) are under the impression that the modern State of Israel represents 'the Jews' in the most literal sense, and therefore we must 'bless' Israel in order to be blessed by God, otherwise according to the passage of Scripture, we shall be cursed by God. This is a gross perversion of the Biblical text. Nowhere in the entire Bible does God command Christians to bless a political secular state, made entirely by UN recognition, and any abuses of power it may commit against Christians and others, for the purpose of artificially creating an ethnically Jewish nation. Dispensationism is heresy! It is almost an exclusively American doctrine, promoted almost exclusively by American Evangelical televangelists. The Catholic Knight CONDEMNS it.

Eighth, I suffer from no illusions. The United States of America has painted itself into a corner. We should have remained neutral in this matter, and politically distanced ourselves from Israel decades ago. That didn't happen. While the presidency of Barack Obama did not help this situation, let us not forget that the road to Palestinian statehood was supported by both President Clinton and President G.W. Bush. We have supported political secession of the Palestinians from Israel, and we have promoted it, under all three presidents. Now our chickens have come home to roost. We can either man up to it, and vote in favour of a Palestinian State, or else we can continue to weasel around, fearing the political backlash of American Evangelicals and Jews. The time has come to put our vote where our mouth is. Either we support a Palestinian state or we don't. Guess what America! IT'S TRUTH TIME.

BREAKING: Pope Beatifies Nun Who Gave Serious Prophecies On Coming Chastisement

Blessed Elena Aiello

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: Today, September 14, 2011 the pope beatifies Sister Elena Aiello, a mystic and stigmatic, who reported visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary and prophecies concerning the coming Chastisement of God that will soon be poured out on the whole world. The prophecies she reported are closely related to the Third Secret of Fatima and concern many of the things reported on this blog.

In this act it would appear the pope is making a clear statement that the prophecies of Sister Elena are "worthy of belief" and the timing of this beatification is worthy of note as well.  It is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the fourth anniversary of the effective date for Summorum Pontificum, and the date on which a grand gesture was made on behalf of the Vatican to the SSPX, effectively reinforcing the pope's teaching that Vatican II was merely a "pastoral" council. 

The message of Sister Elena was one of repentance and parallels that of Fatima.  A fairly complete synopsis of her life story can be read here, while a fairly concise record of her prophecies, in relation to the prophecies of similar Church mystics, can be read here.

The Catholic Knight will provide some excerpts here....

On the state of world governments...
“Upon initiating the usual sufferings, about the hour of 1:00 p.m., Jesus appeared to me, covered with wounds and bleeding, saying to me: ‘Behold my child, see to what ends the sins of man have reduced me. The world has lowered itself in overflowing corruption. The governments of the people have risen like demons incarnated, and, while they speak of peace they prepare for war with the most devastating implements to destroy peoples and nations. Men have become ungrateful to My Sacred Heart, and abusing My Mercy, have transformed the earth into a scene of crime’.  - given on April 16, 1954

On the state of families and youth...
‘Numerous scandals are bringing souls to ruin particularly through the corruption of youth. Stirred up, and unrestrained in the enjoyment of the pleasures of the world, they have degraded their spirit in corruption and sin. The bad example of parents trains the family in scandal and infidelity, instead of virtue and prayer, which is almost dead on the lips of many. Stained and withered is the fountain of faith and sanctity the home’. - given on April 16, 1954

“The times are grievous. The whole world is in turmoil, because IT HAS BECOME WORSE THAN AT THE TIME OF THE DELUGE!”  “Everything is in suspense, like a thread; when this thread breaks, the justice of God will fall like a thunderbolt and will complete its terrible course of purification.” - given on December 8, 1956

On the state of the Church...
‘The Church is opposed, and the priests are despised because of the bad ones who give scandal. Help Me, by suffering, to repair for so many offenses, and thus save AT LEAST IN PART, humanity precipitated in a slough of corruption and death’.  - given on April 16, 1954

“My heart bleeds for Italy also, which will be safe only in part for the Pope! Oh!, what grief to see the representative of Christ on earth hated, persecuted, outraged!”  “He, who is the Spiritual Father of the people, the defender of the Faith and of truth, whose face, radiant with light, shines upon the world, is greatly hated.”  “He, who personifies Christ on earth, doing good for all, becomes thus outraged with impunity!”  “Many iniquitous and wicked leaders of the people, who live and drag along with them their people outside the laws of God, showing themselves in sheep’s’ clothing, while being rapacious wolves, have ruined society, stirring it up against God and His Church.”  “How can the world be saved, from the disaster that is about to crash down upon the misleading nations, if man does not repent of his errors and failings? The only salvation is a complete repentance and return to God, and a true devotion to my Immaculate Heart, particularly in the daily recitation of my Rosary.”  “Once there was the chastisement by water, but if there is not a returning to God, there will come the chastisement by fire, which will cover the streets of the world with blood.” - given on March 23, 1961

On the coming Chastisement of God...
“In so saying Our Lord God disappeared. Then the Madonna appeared to me. She was dressed in black, with seven swords piercing Her Immaculate Heart. Coming closer, with an expression of profound sorrow, and with tears on her cheeks, she spoke to me, saying: ‘Listen attentively, and reveal to all:  ‘My Heart is sad for so many sufferings in an impending world in ruin. The justice of Our Father is most offended. Men live in their obstinacy of sin. The wrath of God is near. Soon the world will be afflicted with great calamities, bloody revolutions, frightful hurricanes, and the overflowing of streams and the seas’.  ‘Cry out until the priests of God lend their ears to my voice, to advise men that the time is near at hand, and if men do not return to God with prayers and penances, the world will be overturned in a new and more terrible war. Arms most deadly will destroy peoples and nations! The dictators of the earth, specimens infernal, will demolish the churches and desecrate the Holy Eucharist, and will destroy things most dear. In this impious war, much will be destroyed of that which has been built by the hands of man’.  ‘CLOUDS WITH LIGHTNING FLASHES OF FIRE IN THE SKY AND A TEMPEST OF FIRE SHALL FALL UPON THE WORLD. THIS TERRIBLE SCOURGE, NEVER BEFORE SEEN IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY, WILL LAST SEVENTY HOURS. GODLESS PERSONS WILL BE CRUSHED AND WIPED OUT. MANY WILL BE LOST BECAUSE THEY REMAIN IN THEIR OBSTINACY OF SIN. THEN SHALL BE SEEN THE POWER OF LIGHT OVER THE POWER OF DARKNESS’.  ‘Be not silent, my daughter, because the hours of darkness, of abandonment, are near. ‘I am bending over the world, holding in suspension the justice of God. OTHERWISE THESE THINGS WOULD ALREADY HAVE NOW COME TO PASS. Prayers and penances are necessary because men MUST RETURN TO GOD and to My Immaculate Heart—the Mediatrix of men to God, and thus THE WORLD WILL BE AT LEAST IN PART SAVED’.  ‘Cry out these things to all, like the very echo of my voice. Let this be known to all, because it will help save many souls, and prevent much destruction in the Church and in the world’. - given on April 16, 1954

‘If men do not amend their ways, a terrifying scourge of fire will come down from Heaven upon all the nations of the world, and men will be punished according to the debts contracted with Divine justice. There will be frightful moments for all, because Heaven will be joined with the earth, and all the un-Godly people will be destroyed, SOME NATIONS WILL BE PURIFIED, WHILE OTHERS WILL DISAPPEAR ENTIRELY’.  You are to transmit these warnings to all, in order that the new generation will know that men had been warned in time to turn to God by doing penance, and thus could have avoided these punishments’.  But when will all this come about?’ I asked Our Lady.” ‘My daughter,’ answered the Blessed Mother, ‘the time is not far off. When men least expect it, the course of Divine Justice will be accomplished’. - given on April 8, 1955

Sister Elena Aiello asked Our Blessed Mother: “What will become of Italy? Will Rome be saved?” “The Madonna answered:” ‘In part, by the Pope! The Church will be in travail, but the forces of Hell cannot prevail! You must suffer for the Pope and Christ, and thus Christ will be safe on earth; and the Pope, with his redemptive word, will, in part, save the world.’  “The Madonna then came closer, and with a sad expression, showed me the flames of Hell. She said:” ‘Satan reigns and triumphs on earth! See how the souls are falling into Hell. See how high the flames are, and the souls who fall into them like flakes of snow look like transparent embers! How many sparks! How many cries of hate, and of despair! How much pain!’  ‘See how many priestly souls! Look at the sign of their consecration in their transparent hands! (In the palms of their hands the sign of the cross, in more vivid fire, could clearly be seen!) What torture, my daughter, in my maternal Heart! Great is my sorrow to see that men do not change! The justice of the Father requires reparation — otherwise many will be lost!’   “See how Russia will burn!” Before my eyes there extended an immense field covered with flames and smoke, in which souls were submerged as if in a sea of fire!  “And all this fire,” concluded the Madonna, “is not that which will fall from the hands of men, but will be hurled directly from the Angels (at the time of the great chastisement or “housecleaning” that will come upon the earth). Therefore I ask prayers, penance and sacrifice, so I may act as Mediatrix for my Son in order to save souls.” - given on April 7, 1950

The Madonna speaks: “The hour of the justice of God is close, and will be terrible!”  “Tremendous scourges are impending over the world, and various nations are struck by epidemics, famines, great earthquakes, terrific hurricanes, with overflowing rivers and seas, which bring ruin and death.”  “If the people do not recognize in these scourges (of nature) the warnings of Divine Mercy, and do not return to God with truly Christian living, ANOTHER TERRIBLE WAR WILL COME FROM THE EAST TO THE WEST. RUSSIA WITH HER SECRET ARMIES WILL BATTLE AMERICA; WILL OVERRUN EUROPE.  The river Rhine will be overflowing with corpses and blood. Italy, also, will be harassed by a great revolution, and the Pope will suffer terribly.”  “Spread the devotion to my Immaculate Heart, in order that many souls maybe conquered by my love and that many sinners may return to my Maternal Heart. Do not fear, for I will accompany with my maternal protection my faithful ones, and all those who accept my urgent warnings, and they — especially by the recitations of my Rosary — will be saved.”  “Satan goes furiously through this disordered world, and soon will show all his might. But, because of my Immaculate Heart, the triumph of Light will not delay in its triumph over the power of darkness, and the world, finally, will have tranquility and peace.”  - given on August 22, 1960

Is Vatican II Optional?

The Second Vatican Council

(Rorate Caeli) - The great novelty comes from the Roman side. Le Figaro has learned that the Holy See could, for the first time, admit that these aspects fought by the "Integrists" are not considered as "essential" to the Catholic faith to the point of keeping outside the Church those who do not admit them. And that what has been foundational to the Catholic faith for twenty centuries is the sole [aspect] considered fundamental for communion with the Holy See, and not the interpretation from the last Council to this day.

Great autonomy of action

Another consequence: the Holy See, after it is verified tomorrow that Bishop Fellay and his faithful share the essence of the Catholic faith - which remains a demand and a sine qua non condition for Rome -, would propose to them a juridical solution so that the Fraternity of Saint Pius X is from this point forward considered a Catholic entity and not foreign to the ecclesial body anymore....

read full story here

THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: If the report is accurate, (and we must always question that when it comes to inside Vatican information), than in actuality this would not surprise me. Both Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Paul VI specifically said the Second Vatican Council was "pastoral" in nature, and by extension, it "remain[s] on a [more] modest level" than previous Church councils (read more here). Both popes openly stated the Council defined no dogma at all.

So if what we have in Vatican II are purely "pastoral" documents, which should of course be taken seriously, and nothing new was dogmatically defined by Vatican II, than by extension, any group of Catholics who choose to ignore the council, but instead cling to the pre-conciliar teaching of the Church, cannot be held liable for heresy. If they're not heretics, and they subscribe to all the pre-conciliar teachings of the Church, than by definition, they are Catholic, whether they chose to accept Vatican II or not.

I'm sorry but that's just how it has to be. If the Second Vatican Council bishops chose to attach a note of infallibility to any one of the documents produced, than we would have a whole different story. That would change everything. But in fact, they did not do this, and as Pope Paul VI pointed out, that was intentional. So if Vatican II taught nothing new, than technically speaking, Catholics don't have to accept it, or so it would seem. Or they can accept part of it. Or they can accept all of it. It seems almost arbitrary. Sorry, but that's the nature of pastoral teaching when it has no infallibility attached to it. Based on what Pope Paul VI said, echoed by Cardinal Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, it was as if Vatican II was more of a "Super Synod" than an actual "Church Council." As far as I know, no previous Church Council neglected to include an infallible document of some sort.

So what are we to make of Vatican II? I've read the documents and I personally see no problem with any of them, because you see it all depends on the context in which you read them. As Pope Benedict XVI pointed out, it's the difference between the "hermeneutic of continuity" verses the "hermeneutic of rupture." If the Vatican II documents are interpreted within the context and continuity of previous Church teaching, than they make fairly good sense. If however, one were to interject one's own fanciful context, or if one were to jettison all previous Church teaching, so as to interpret the Council in a vacuum, as a stand-alone catechism that is super-dogmatic, than we run into all kinds of problems. This is what Pope Benedict XVI has warned us against, and indeed it is this very "hermeneutic of rupture" that has caused so many problems in recent decades, in effect causing Archbishop Lefebvre (founder of the SSPX) to reject the Council outright. For Lefebvre, and the bishops he illicitly consecrated (including Fellay), the Second Vatican Council was to be judged on the fruit it produced, not necessarily by the intent of the Council fathers. They saw the dogmatic ambiguity of Vatican II documents as an open door to all the filth in the world, and so they challenged these documents on their face value, calling into question their very authority. Unfortunately, it looks like while their solution was extreme, and reckless, the premise of their basic argument may have been sound. If the SSPX takes up this offer, it will send shockwaves through the entire Catholic Church, because it will codify in action what Pope Benedict XVI has been saying all along, in continuity with what Pope Paul VI said. Namely that the Second Vatican Council is just pastoral, and that it cannot be interpreted authoritatively unless it is done so in context with all previous Church teaching, changing absolutely not one iota of it. In other words, if the SSPX accepts this offer, it will codify in action a joint Vatican-SSPX refutation of every Modernist heresy and innovation ever created over the last four decades! I guarantee, this will not go over well in the most liberal dioceses in Europe, and could cause some not-so-minor problems here in North America. It is for this reason I welcome it.