Tridentine and Faith

Rorate Caeli blog calls SSPX publisher "the best overall Catholic publisher and bookseller in the English-speaking world"! And a "gift to the world"

2011-06-12T19:08:00.002+02:00

Article by Marc Aupiais

Rorate Caeli which covers special interests relating to the Latin Mass, and to the FSSP and SSPX, has written an article which would suggest their sympathies are closer to the SSPX than to the church, here is an extract:

"We thank the best overall Catholic publisher and bookseller in the English-speaking world, Angelus Press, for their generous support of our contest [...] Angelus Press never fails to print and/or offer excellent publications. Visit their website frequently and watch out for their latest announcements. (This is certainly not an ad, but a sincere acknowledgment of the gift that Angelus Press is to the world.)"
Rorate Caeli (relabelled SSPX sympathisers; SSPX special interests news; American; possible affiliation with SSPX)

We quote "New Catholic"

Article link: "New design" : 12 / June / 2011

So, who are these "never fails to print and/or offer 'excellent' publications" people? But the unofficial voice of the SSPX, the schismatic group of priests who split from Rome under former Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre:

It's own website says:

"Angelus Press was founded in 1978 in Dickinson, Texas by Fr. Carl Pulvermacher, OFM. It began as an apostolate of the Society of St. Pius X to promote Catholic literature. Since its conception, Angelus Press has published a monthly magazine – The Angelus -- "A Journal of Roman Catholic Tradition.” [...]

In time, Angelus Press began to publish and print its own books on rudimentary presses. Collation was done completely by hand – a most time-consuming process.
From the confines of our humble Texas shack, we moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1992, occupying the basement and the first floor of the SSPX’s St. Vincent’s Priory (formerly known as the Regina Coeli House)."
Angelus Press (SSPX Publisher)
About Page
2011

Says Catholic Answers' This Rock Magazine, the Angelus Press published the following title, which on its own even if you don't read the open affiliation to the sspx, you will see is pro-sspx:

"The Collected Works of His Excellency Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, vol. 1 [The Angelus Press]"

As quoted by Catholic Answers Apolostate: This Rock Magazine (Catholic Special Interests and church issues; Independent; American)

We quote "Brian O’Neel"

Article Link: How Rejection of Vatican II Led Lefebvre into Schism : April 2003

Felix Nova Anum: Happy New Years Day!

2011-01-01T09:58:00.000+02:00

Felix Nova Anum: Happy New Years Day!: Click play to play, in the alternative right click link and select view in new window/tab to download

Felix Nova Anum: Happy New Years

Address by Marc Aupiais

To our wonderful, loyal viewers: It pleases me no end to wish you a wonderful new year. The Catholic New Year started a few weeks ago, but the changing of anums is a time to be celebrated. Spend it with family, the most basic building block of society.
As for resolutions, the only way to achieve them is not to wait for a new year but do so immediately in your heart and for your heart, not an occasion, or you shan’t achieve a single thing out of them!

Christmas isn't all about family

2010-12-26T07:43:00.000+02:00

(Tridentine and Faith; SACNS Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

But I assure you, today is. Remember you still have to attend church today: Holy Family Sunday. The day we celebrate our families by loving and caring for them and Jesus' Family all the same.

Christmas is about sharing Christ. Today is about sharing family- his family first, then our own!

Christmas Eve: the Vigil Mass and Christmas itself

2010-12-24T13:32:00.003+02:00

Article by Marc Aupiais

A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you!

For those seeking to obey the church canon law and attend mass

Christmas Eve: the Vigil Mass and Christmas itself

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=180723778622365

Christmas is quite a day usually, which is why we give this friendly reminder. It is acceptable to attend a vigil mass on the eve of Christmas, during the afternoon. I am personally going to a church at 5 or 6 pm tonight. That way you do mass and get a whole lot of time on Christmas for family!

Also remember SABC 3 is airing the pope's midnight mass from 11 PM to 1 AM tonight. This is an initiative of the SACBC to help those too ill or far from a parish to attend, however I like to watch it in addition to mass, especially as it does not fulfill the obligation should one only watch it and not be for grave reason such as distance or illness unable to attend mass. Yet, for me it is quite the spectacle and well worth the watch be it live or recorded.

You can also attend your local midnight mass whenever it is. Or attend with the crowds tomorrow morning!

Christmas is a day of Holy Obligation for Roman Catholics.

For more information on days of Holy Obligation in Southern Africa see:

http://sacns.scripturelink.net/2009/01/days-of-holy-obligation-in-south-africa.html

http://tridentinesa.scripturelink.net/2009/01/days-of-holy-obligation-in-south-africa.html

Or contact your local parish!

No need for killing foetuses at all- with new Stem cell treatment

2010-11-16T17:33:00.001+02:00

Note by Marc Aupiais

In the past it has been claimed there is a need to harvest stem cells from abortions to compare with adult stem cells moved back. Embryonic stem cells often cause cancer, adult stem cells (not from aborted human beings) were seen as the safest. If it is confirmed, a new method which involves straight transfer from stem cells to needed cells may do away with that so-called not really need altogether:

"Canadian scientists have turned human skin cells directly into blood cells, the first time one kind of mature human cell has been converted into another, according to a study published last week in the journal Nature.

The transformation was completed without first rewinding the skin cells into the flexible pluripotent stem cells that have most frequently been used to grow tissues. By skipping the pluripotent step, the researchers believe they have skirted the risk that the replacement cells might form dangerous tumours.

The team created blood progenitor cells - mother cells that multiply to produce other blood cells - as well as mature blood cells, according to the report. Both types of cells could be useful in medical treatments, said study leader Mick Bhatia, a stem cell scientist at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario."

in reference to: IOL Technology - A world first for stem cell research (view on Google Sidewiki)

Unprecedented

2010-11-16T17:29:00.001+02:00

"Unprecedented
November 16, 2010 -
With an election without precedent Timothy Dolan has become the new president of the Bishops' Conference of the United States.

For the first time was not elected vice president, in this case Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson in Arizona, but his main "opponent", Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York."

(automatic translation from Italian.

in reference to:

"Unprecedented November 16, 2010 - With an election without precedent Timothy Dolan has become the new president of the Bishops' Conference of the United States. For the first time was not elected vice president, in this case Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson in Arizona, but his main "opponent", Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York."
- Palazzo Apostolico - Diario Vaticano Paul Rodari »Blog Archive» Unprecedented (view on Google Sidewiki)

Cardinal John Henry Newman Beatified

2010-09-19T11:51:00.004+02:00

(SACNS Europe; Tridentine South And Southern Africa)

Update by Marc Aupiais

Our Great and Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, the human power, divinely ordained beyond other human power, hath Beatified the Great Theologian John Henry Newman.

Rather than setting the Feast day of this great Blessed on the date of his death and thus his possible entry into heaven, the Great and Wise Holy Father, hath instead chosen the date at which this great man, this leader of the Oxford Movement within the Anglican Separation entered into the Holy Flock of Rome, in pursuit of his great Conscience. The Great Man Benedict XVI has also decided to put aside for this memorable occasion: (the second visit of a pontiff to Great Britain since it rejected the Holy Faith, and the First Papal State Visit since that sad day:) the rule he had made that the Holy Pontiff at Rome should only canonize and not merely beatify the great men and women who are to be upheld one day as the saints of heaven.

While some thousand men and women did protest at the date of this momentous honour given an Englishman: most within the Island's famous population had had no real view of the great occasion for Great Britain and the World. Some objected to taxpayer funding of this great event- made all the more expensive given the much more real threat against the pope by Great Britain.

The Daily Mail attacked those opposing the state visit, saying simply enough: where exactly were the protests, and great indignation, and arrest threats when South African President Jacob Zuma landed in great Britain?

This visit has been a catastrophe for Great Britain globally, which having invited a visit to Britain for the pope as Head of the Great Vatican State, then mocked his visit, in the Independent and The Guardian and other outlets. As Australian Broadcasting Corporation noted, Benedict XVI is the one who first requested powerfully in the Vatican that sex abuse cases be dealt with by the Vatican, and not complicit bishops, and that these cases be reported to authorities. It is also this pope who has decided to apologise to victims, and to appoint the exact traditionally inclined men into authority which should rid the Holy Body of this terrible blemish of sin!

An event more emotional and important to a nation than the Olympic games, while so far not a failure, has shown to Great Britain's Great Shame: that it is a country, where anything but righteousness is acceptable.

Fortunately Cardinal Kasper's comments and withdrawal, which Australian Broadcasting Corporation saw as a move by a political adversary of the pope, did not wreck the entire event. He called Great Britain a third world country, and a place of terrible secularism. Perhaps why it has taken the wait for Benedict XVI to have the Vatican put aside its view of Great Britain to honour a man notably British!

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Opus Dei, a sanctuary

2010-09-02T13:10:00.000+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

I have always had the deepest of longings and desires: I have wanted to join Opus Dei for years, though God's answer to my prayers is no. As with the priestly life, God, it seems; has always said I am destined to marriage- to quite an important woman.

The force with which he replies, always suggests her importance to his plan. None the less, I admire Opus Dei, and listen to these stories with longing. The article in the Daily Mail concludes:

"‘I didn’t like the promiscuity I saw at university,’ she says. ‘I didn’t want that for me. I didn’t want that life. I rejected it as part of my lifestyle. I didn’t want to be part of it.’
I cannot get over the small matter of the cilice — surely it’s a seismic leap from eschewing promiscuity to self-harming in this way?
Sarah was 20 when she started wearing it. ‘The first time you do anything that’s not particularly pleasant, you don’t like it. But over time it’s just something that’s there. The result of doing it is that you should be a much nicer person afterwards.’
Eileen adds: ‘We live in such a materialistic, hedonistic society that people can’t understand you’d actually make yourself a little uncomfortable to help you be more mindful of God.
‘They’ll understand if you go jogging and pounding the streets — which I think is disgusting — just because you want to be thinner, but they won’t understand this.’
It’s a fair point. After all, which is more peculiar or ‘unnatural’: women who endure the agony of, say, Botox injections or leg-waxing, in order to be beautiful, and those Opus Dei devotees who strap on a cilice as a sign of spiritual devotion?
Still, I can’t help feeling that most women would consider it a strange God who requires them to do the washing up wearing a chain of barbed wire.
"
REBECCA HARDY writing for the Daily Mail (Based in the United Kingdom; Secular/General interests coverage; Independent of the state)
02 / 09 | September / 2010: "She's respectable and intelligent ... so why does Sarah attach a painful barbed chain to her leg for two hours a day?"; View other stories published on the same site by Rebecca Hardy

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Murmurs, lies, holocaust reduction check: but is a recent newsletter by SSPX Williamson, a hint that reunification with Rome is on the horizon for the infamous fraternity

2010-08-22T19:31:00.003+02:00

(SACNS Europe; Tridentine South Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

For our source quotes, analysis, and additional information, please see:

SACNS Quote Analysis:
Murmurs of a separatist - SSPX Bishop alleges that Rome will accept their schism back

A recent newsletter sent out by Bishop Richard Williamson, of the SSPX, has raised eyebrows, suggesting that he may be reacting to a possible coming reunification with Rome.

Some context

The SSPX is a group which broke off from the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church through the consecration of four bishops, not authorized by the Holy See, including Williamson, by the late Archbishop Lefebvre, as the leaders of their Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX/SSPX) in 1988. The consecration saw Lefebvre, and his four bishops excommunicated. The SSPX believes that the Second Vatican Council, was not infallible in moral and doctrinal matters. It opposed the translation of the Catholic Latin Rite Mass into colloquial languages. According to the Vatican, all priests in the said priestly organisation, are in schism.

Recently, as part of negotiations with the fraternity, the Vatican official applicable, lifted the excommunications automatically incurred by the four leaders of what the Vatican sees as the SSPX schism. Just before this, an interview by a television station, conducted with Williamson was aired, in which he portrayed the Holocaust against Jews in World War II by the National Socialists of Germany, as much less than that believed to have occured by mainstream historians, and war records. In his view, the holocaust was only a minor event.

The bad publicity received by Rome, due to his interview, being released, caused an international storm, which Benedict XVI, was himself hit by, through choosing to take the full blame for the actions of the bishop, who lifted the excommunications, of the said SSPX four, as part of negotiations.

Traditionalist Catholic, and Latin Mass special interests coverage service, Rorate Caeli, has now released a copy of Williamson's recent newsletter, which besides its negative portrayal of the Vatican, suggests that seemingly because Benedict XVI will likely die soon, as the schismatic against Rome suggests, most popes do: that the Pope will pass over many doctrinal differences, and on condition the SSPX accept the Catechism of the Catholic Church, allow the group's members back into the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic church. Williamson, like many SSPX members, believes that Vatican II, considered infallible on morals and doctrine by the mainstream Catholic Church and hierarchy, has no legitimacy, and is heresy.

The logic of the SSPX bishop is highly flawed, but given the fact his holocaust denial interview was aired just before the excommunications were lifted by the bishop in charge of negotiating with the SSPX (contrary to media reports, Benedict XVI is not the negotiator, it is a bishop assigned the task), it may be possible that the SSPX bishop, is attempting to stifle an agreement his fellow bishops have made with Rome.

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Passing of a Muslim friend

2010-06-30T14:47:00.000+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

|Download Audio of Article|

Related: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2008

Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus ("Salus extra Ecclesiam non est" Saint Cyprian)- the duty was clearly set out by saint Cyprian of Carthage of salvaton on our garden of roses- Holy Mother Church

http://southafricancatholic.blogspot.com/2008/10/extra-ecclesiam-nulla-salus-salus-extra.html

Article by Marc Aupiais

My eyes sting as I write, I have been informed by the grapevine that a close friend of mine, Mariam, is dead. She was Muslim. Oddly, we often found ourselves discussing faith, both fascinated by the other's. I hope my friend is wrong, and she hasn't died, but I doubt it.

What is of good comfort to me is:

"16. Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the people of God.(18*) In the first place we must recall the people to whom the testament and the promises were given and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh.(125) On account of their fathers this people remains most dear to God, for God does not repent of the gifts He makes nor of the calls He issues.(126) But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Mohammedans, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things,(127) and as Saviour wills that all men be saved.(128) Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.(19*) Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.(20*) She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life. But often men, deceived by the Evil One, have become vain in their reasonings and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, serving the creature rather than the Creator.(129) Or some there are who, living and dying in this world without God, are exposed to final despair. Wherefore to promote the glory of God and procure the salvation of all of these, and mindful of the command of the Lord, "Preach the Gospel to every creature",(130) the Church fosters the missions with care and attention."

DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH
LUMEN GENTIUM
SOLEMNLY PROMULGATED BY HIS HOLINESS
POPE PAUL VI
ON NOVEMBER 21, 1964

http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html

RIP Mariam [Surname excluded]

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Pope solidifies conservatives at the Vatican | "New Evangelization" Appointment isn't an endorsement of a softer view on abortion

2010-06-30T14:05:00.001+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa; article includes files from VA-Browser)

Quick Note Article by Marc Aupiais

|Download Audio Version of this Article|

With the replacement of Cardinal Re, who supported the excommunication in the Recife incident, and the appointment of Fisichella to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelisation, it may be suggested that Benedict XVI sided with Fisichella in their spat, where Fisichella was accused of seeming to support therapeutic abortion.

After all, Fisichella's statements prompted a clarification by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: saying that abortion in the case of rape was still immoral, when the former head of the Pontical Academy for life, Fisichella criticised a bishop for applying canon law against those practitioning therapeutic abortion in the case of rape.

However, Re's replacement is Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet, P.S.S., Archbishop of Québec and Primate of Canada, an even more outspoken opponent of abortion, even in radically leftest French Quebec. In fact, he directly opposes abortion in the case of rape, the place where Re's nemesis, Fisichella was accused of dissidence. Ouellet is a staunch loyalist to Pope Benedict XVI's more conservative views. He said that the church will not baptise the adopted children of same-sex couples (gays), and holds many loyalist views which will insure that the pope's future bishops will be more compliant to his reformation of the church after the John Paul II papacy. Ouellet has also been appointed to the Pontifical Commission for Latin America: a post retiring Re held before him, in which Re was competent to speak of the Recife affair.

And, Fisichella was long expected to be quietly moved elsewhere, due to the loss of public confidence in his capacity to head the Pontifical Academy For Life. The Pontifical Council for New Evangelization, focusses on evanglising Europe, but is likely to be a small body, and any errors it makes could well be substituted by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Church's general evangelization body.

It seems that the church is acting much like the South African government, in appointing Fisichella to Europe where he fits in better with the groups the church wants to fight, and Ouellet to ensure loyal bishops, and to Latin America where his views will be welcome in fighting the socialist governments [corrected from "government"] there on abortion and gay marriage: while his views will be of great benefit to Benedict XVI.

Fisichella's replacement, in the Church's pro-life body is Mgr. Ignacio Carrasco de Paula, a Spanish born member of loyalist group Opus Dei, who is a physician and moral theologian. Opus Dei is a loyalist organization, with a strong fidelity to the dogma of the church on all issues including abortion.

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Will lax, incompetent, dissident bishop head Pope's new body designed to re-Christianise the West?

2010-06-30T12:27:00.000+02:00

______________________________
Article summary: Pope shows interest in defeating secularism; May appoint bishop who is out of favour with the (pro-life, orthodox Catholic church-going) public to head new diacastery for this; Bishop's fiasco in his last job may be seen as not incapacitating him for evangelisation, a different job where a perceived lack of loyalty to Canon Law is oft tolerated by the Church. Some see the possible appointment as a shelving of this bishop, without necessarily a shaming of him.
______________________________

(Tridentine South Africa)

|Download the Audio Version of this Article|

Article by Marc Aupiais

"Pope launches mission to re-evangelise the West" - Europe, World - The Independent:

"At one of the last vespers' service [sic: services] before the Vatican shuts down for the summer break, the Pope announced the creation of a Pontifical Council for the promotion of New Evangelisation which would be dedicated to what he described as 'a grave crisis in the sense of the Christian faith'.

The creation of the council is a stark reminder of just how far secularisation has progressed in an area that was once called Christendom and is a tacit admission that the Church's recent attempts to reinvigorate Christianity in Europe have not succeeded.

The 83-year-old pontiff admitted that while there were many areas of the world that were still ripe for missionaries, Europe and North America have suffered from an 'eclipse of a sense of God' and needed to be re-evangelised."
UK Independent (Secular and secularist; British; Independent) 30 / 06 | June / 2010

One unfortunate possibility for head of this body involves a bishop who criticized another bishop for upholding Canon Law, and the teaching of the Church:

"From French blog Osservatore Vaticano:
In the past year, the Pontifical Academy for Life has been under the spotlight - including the ambiguous support of its chairman, Archbishop "Rino" Fisichella, for "therapeutic" abortion, in the sordid and painful Recife affair (Brazil).

Increasingly persistent rumors tell us that Bishop Fisichella will soon leave his post. [Rorate adds: but perhaps moved upwards?... Hopefully not!]"
Rorate Caeli (Catholic; Independent; Traditional leaning) 23 / 06 | June / 2010

Archibishop Fisischella, is thought to be the bishop to get the nod, either today or on Thursday (What Does The Prayer Really Say? [Catholic; Independent; American; Conservative leaning] 28 / 06 | June / 2010 ). Our own service has noted how the Archbishop has been accused of blatant fiasco as regards his attacking of a bishop who upheld Canon law to the letter, by declaring the already active automatic excommunications of doctors and one adult who caused the elective abortion / artificial termination of pregnancy of a nine year old girl, who the adult's life-partner allegedly raped.

John L. Allen JR. a noted observer of the Vatican and writer for the very liberal USA National Catholic Reporter says of the appointment:

"Benedict did not give a formal name for the new office, but reports indicate it will be called "Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization." Its job, according to the pope, will be to resist an "eclipse of the sense of God" in secular cultures.

Though Benedict did not reveal his choice to lead the enterprise, it’s widely expected that the new Vatican department, known as a “dicastery,” will be entrusted to Italian Archbishop Rino Fisichella, currently President of the Pontifical Academy for Life and a former chaplain to the Italian parliament.

If so, the move would amount to a papal vote of confidence for the embattled Fisichella, who has come under fire in his current post by pro-life groups for allegedly taking too soft a line on the question of excommunication for those involved in abortions [sic: Evangelisation and Abortion are two separate issues, the church often places liberals in positions involving evangelisation, and conservatives in place on social issues].

When Ratzinger was elected to the papacy five years ago, many cardinals at the time said they had turned to him because they regarded him as the figure best equipped to respond to the crisis of secularization in the West, especially in Europe. His choice of name, “Benedict,” was in part a reference to St. Benedict, the founder of European monasticism.

In the intervening five years, a series of controversies and scandals during Benedict’s pontificate – most recently, the global sexual abuse crisis swirling around the Catholic church – has often obscured that aim, and arguably made it far more difficult to realize, at least in the short term. Nevertheless, the creation of a new council suggests that Benedict has not thrown in the towel.

[...]

Aside from the overt logic of the new department, the creation of the new Council and Fisichella’s appointment to head it are striking for two other reasons.

First, the decision to create the new Pontifical Council is another indication of Benedict XVI’s fondness for the Communion and Liberation movement. The idea for a “Council for the New Evangelization” was first floated by Fr. Luigi Giussani, founder of the Communion and Liberation movement, in the early 1980s, but was not taken up by Pope John Paul II. More recently, Cardinal Angelo Scola of Venice, himself close to the Communion and Liberation movement, represented the idea to Benedict XVI.

Benedict’s affinity for the movement is well known. Then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger delivered the homily at Giussani’s funeral Mass in 2005, and a group of consecrated women who are part of the Memores Domini group within Communion and Liberation run Benedict’s papal household.

Second, if Fisichella indeed becomes the first president of the new council, it would be a show of papal support for compassion in pressing the church’s pro-life argument [sic: the appointment is to a role involving evangelisation after many rumours that the pope was soon to remove the bishop from his role heading the Pontifical Academy for Life]

[...]

Fisichella is also an ambivalent figure, however, for some of the church’s most staunchly pro-life forces, as a result of his role in a 2009 controversy from Brazil involving an abortion for a nine-year-old girl. The girl had become pregnant after reportedly being raped by her stepfather, and her mother arranged for an abortion. Archbishop Jose Cardoso Sobrinho of Olinda and Recife, upon learning of the case, announced that the mother, the doctor, and others involved in the abortion were excommunicated.

Sobrinho’s position aroused widespread protest in Brazil and around the world, but drew swift backing from Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops. Fisichella, however, then penned a front-page essay in L’Osservatore Romano that appeared to criticize Sobrinho.

“Before giving thought to excommunication, it was necessary and urgent to safeguard the innocent life of this girl [sic: SACNS: noted at the time of the fiasco that the church had played an active role in attempting to aid the girl, and her parish priest went to great effort to attempt to assist her, and to give her dignity], and return her to a level of humanity of which we, men of the church, should be expert heralds and teachers,” Fisichella wrote.

What is needed now, he added, “is the sign of a testimony of closeness with the one suffering, an act of mercy that, even while firmly maintaining the principle, is able to look beyond the juridical sphere.”

That article brought protests both from bishops in Brazil and from pro-life activists all over the world, resulting in a July 10 “clarification” from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith indicating that church teaching on abortion has not changed and will not change.

Within the Pontifical Academy for Life, a group of members led by Belgian Monsignor Michel Schooyans wrote a lengthy letter calling for Fisichella’s removal, arguing that he had falsely invoked the concept of “compassion” to justify actions contrary to Christian morality.

Nonetheless, Fisichella has remained on the job … and now appears headed for a new one, obviously close to the pope’s heart."
28 / 06 | June / 2010

As I have noted on Va-Browser before: “referendarius” (formal expert advisor) to the Apostolic Signatura, which Thomas Peters of American Papist calls the highest court in the Catholic Church, Edward N. Peters JD JCD, states that the canonical plea of necessity, can only be mitigating at best when the oppressor has committed a delict which by its nature is intrinsically evil, such as the delict of abortion. He did this in referring to a case where doctors claimed a mother's life was in danger, although it is possibly uncertain whether her condition was related to her pregnancy. (Va-Browser Editorial 02 / 06 | June / 2010)

As the excommunication was automatic (i.e. had happened even without the statement of the Brazilian Bishop) in the case of those (other than the 9 year old) aiding in the abortion of the 9 year old, and as excommunication is designed to be pastoral: to call the person excommunicated to repentance and to prevent others from following their course:

The possible new head of a body designed to evangelize nations which increasingly endorse what the Church Dogma considers the mortal sin of masturbation (homosexual acts) and elective abortion (considered the worst form of murder by the church), is one who is not a touch enforcer of church rules, and caused a spread of pro-abortion sentiments during his position in a body which was set up to ensure the protection of human life from conception until natural death.

Vatican observers have noted that without a tough ally in the Congregation for Bishops, Benedict XVI may continue to find he must choose from different relative dissidents, or those he does not know well within the bishops of the church for many of his more important positions. While the Liberal American National Catholic Reporter suggests that the new body would be an endorsement of the bishop's de facto failure at combating abortion while heading the Pontifical Academy for Life, Benedict XVI is a pragmatist, and it is highly likely that any appointment would be because of any past experience the bishop in question has with Evangelization, a field where the church often puts its more liberal bishops and priests.

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Addition to our important message

2010-02-17T13:29:00.001+02:00

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2010-02-17T06:32:00.001+02:00

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What the Pope wants your annulment to look like

2010-02-07T21:20:00.002+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Analytical Article by Marc Aupiais

An issue which recently caused some concern, and which resulted in our service being contacted for comment, is the papacy's recent comments about annulments. The Pope believes tribunals have not been strict enough in applying the law. We were corresponded with due to concern over his comments and their effects on valid annulment cases.

Firstly, the pope's comments:

"JUSTICE, CHARITY AND TRUTH MUST GUIDE THE ROMAN ROTA

VATICAN CITY, 29 JAN 2010 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received the dean, judges, promoters of justice, defenders of the bond, officials and lawyers of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, for the occasion of the inauguration of the judicial year.

In his address the Holy Father focused his attention on the role of that institution, from the triple perspective of the justice, charity and truth which must inspire it.

"It is necessary to take account of the tendency - widespread and well-rooted though not always obvious - to contrast justice with charity, almost as if the one excluded the other", said the Pope. "Some people maintain that pastoral charity justifies any measures taken towards the declaration of nullity of the marriage bond. ... Truth itself ... would thus tend to be seen in a functional perspective, adapting itself to the different requirements that arise in each case".

"Your ministry", he continued, "is essentially a work of justice, a virtue ... of which it is more important than ever to rediscover the human and Christian value, also within the Church. Canon Law ... must always be considered in its essential relationship with justice, maintaining an awareness that the Church's juridical activity has as its goal the salvation of souls".

"In this perspective it must be borne in mind that, whatever the situation, trial and sentence are fundamentally linked to, and at the service of, justice", said Benedict XVI, and he went on: "Apart from this 'objective' dimension of justice, there exists another dimension ... which concerns the 'operators of the law'; that is, those who make law possible. ... They must be characterised by their exalted practice of human and Christian virtues, in particular those of prudence and justice, but also that of strength".

This latter virtue "becomes more important when injustice seems the easiest path to follow, in as much as it involves giving in to the desires and expectations of the parties involved, or to the conditioning of the social environment".

"Everyone who works in the field of the Law, each in his or her own role, must be guided by justice", said Pope Benedict. "I am thinking in particular of lawyers, who must not only take great care to respect the truth of the evidence, but also to avoid taking on ... cases which they know in their conscience to be objectively unsustainable.

"The action of those who administer justice cannot neglect charity", he added. "A charitable perspective and charitable measures will help us not to forget that those before us are always people marked by problems and suffering. The principle whereby 'charity goes beyond justice' also holds good in the specific field of the work of 'operators of justice'".

"Our dealings with people", the Pope explained, "must take account of each specific case in order, with delicacy and attentiveness, to facilitate the parties' contact with the tribunal". Likewise, "it is important that effective efforts be made, whenever there seems to be hope of a successful outcome, to encourage the spouses to convalidate their marriage and restore conjugal cohabitation. It is also vital not to stint efforts to establish a climate of human and Christian openness between the parties, founded on the search for truth".

The Holy Father then highlighted another important question, "that of avoiding pseudo-pastoral demands which place the issue on a merely horizontal plain, in which what counts is satisfying subjective requests in order to achieve a declaration of nullity at any cost, with the aim of overcoming, among other things, the obstacles to receiving the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist. ... It would however be a false advantage", he said, "to ease the way towards receiving the Sacraments, at the risk of causing people to live in objective contrast with the truth of their own individual state".

"Both justice and charity require love for truth, and essentially involve the search for what is true. ... Without truth charity slides into sentimentalism. Love becomes an empty shell to be filled arbitrarily. This is the fatal risk of love in a culture without truth".

This can happen, the Pope went on, "not only in the practical activity of passing judgment, but also in theoretical studies which have such an influence on concrete judgements. The problem arises when the essence itself of marriage becomes more or less obscured. ... Examination of the conjugal bond in existential, personalist and relational terms must never be undertaken at the expense of indissolubility, an essential property which in Christian marriage has, with unity, a special firmness by virtue of the Sacrament".

"Marriage enjoys the favour of the law. Hence, in case of doubt, a marriage must be held to be valid until the contrary is proven. Otherwise we run the serious risk of remaining without an objective point of reference for pronouncements of nullity, transforming all conjugal difficulties into a symptom of a failed union whose essential nucleus of justice - the indissoluble bond - is thus effectively denied".
AC/.../ROMAN ROTA VIS 100129 (850)"

Having noted the comments of the Pope, we must note, he is talking about the case where Canon law is ignored out of empathy or sympathy for those seeking annulments. The Pope desires that marriages be presumed rebuttably to be valid first and foremost, and for annulments to only be granted when it is reasonable to believe there was not a valid marriage. His comments have no bearing on a valid claim. One must simply remember to argue correctly and to present the truth with the correct evidence if need be. I am not a canon lawyer, and one follows my advice at their own risk. I do not see any serious change in the way canon law should be viewed.

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The Pope explains that he plans to visit Scotland, to the Scottish Bishops

2010-02-06T15:21:00.004+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Article By Marc Aupiais

The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, recently confirmed that he does plan to visit Scotland during his visit this year to the United Kingdom. He did so, during the Ad Limina visit of the Scottish Bishops to Rome. Ad Limina visits are compulsory visits of Bishops to Rome, in which they answer to and report back to the pope on matters in their jurisdiction. Following his recent pattern in which he attacked Venezuela, where the church is in danger, and more recently Great Britain, where he indirectly alleged human rights abuses by the Labour government against Catholics, the Pope warned against Euthanasia, as Scotland is preparing to mull over a controversial Euthanasia bill. He also told faithful Catholics to fight against secularism.

The Pope has, in his address to these same bishops in their Ad Limina visit, recently emphasized that faithful Catholics must obey the magisterium on every single point, much as Jesus said that not a mark would be taken from the law of God, the pope has emphasized that the Catholic morality, is about hope, and that the don't do's are in fact not simply sanctions, but a way to live the fullest life in Christ, gaining life through faith. He asked that the Scottish bishops focus on evangelism, and the position of the laity.

Once again playing the chess game Benedict XVI has become known for, he warned of a need to grapple with the secularist tide attempting to rise over Scotland. The Pope's efforts at outreach towards the SSPX, and Anglo-Catholic Anglicans, as well as his efforts to dialog with Islam, all show his emphasis of ridding the world of the secularist influence he sees as gripping much of Europe. While Ad Limina visits can tend to accompany papal statements against secular powers, the statements of the Pope about the United Kingdom, have certainly gotten more attention than other statements. One would get the impression that the papacy now views the small democracy, much as he does other parts of the world where the very foundation of religious freedom is at risk. He further asked the bishops to defend the right of Catholics to continue to practice their faith in Scotland.

Editorially, it does not seem that the serious rebukes of the Bishops of England and Wales were present in his speech to the Scottish Bishops, but without a source from Scotland, I cannot confirm there was no subtle message, though it seems less likely. Either way, the pope has noted Euthanasia suggestions by Scottish politicians as a serious threat to the gospel: once again seemingly believing it necessary to get directly involved in the politics of the United Kingdom. The Catholic principle of Subsidiarity, also present elsewhere in law and politics, demands that the local authority deals with an issue unless unable to do so. Papal interference, means that the United Kingdom's situation is viewed quite intently by the pope.

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The Pope, Labour, the English Bishops, and a traditionalist, conservative newspaper linked blog

2010-02-03T20:30:00.002+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Analytical short article by Marc Aupiais

Recently, it has been confirmed, that the pope does in fact plan to visit the United kingdom, an influential European country. The visit, will probably happen around September this year. What has caused a lot of attention in the public domain recently, is the pope's comments on the British government, considered by local media in Great Britain: to be a direct or indirect attack on Great Britain's ruling Labour Party.

Catholic media, has additionally noted Pope Benedict XVI's statements, which were made to the Bishops of England and Wales to be a rebuke of the Bishops themselves. The issue of concern is a clash between homosexualist interests and those of the church. Great Britain recently forced Catholic adoption agencies to choose between adhering to Catholic principles which put the interests of children first, by denying homosexual couples adoption rights: as a child preferably needs a father and mother: and closing down their operations, or allowing homosexuals to adopt children in Catholic orphanages, famous for the extra work they do for society. More recently, the Labour party has attempted to introduce a bill to force the Catholic church to allow homosexual and women priests and bishops, and to not discriminate against homosexuals as youth workers or school principles. The bill, due to ardent campaigning has failed as yet to pass.

The Pope firstly congratulated Great Britain on its pursuit of equality, as he claimed was perceived as its reputation among many in the world, and then claimed that Great Britain was violating the right to religious freedom. He claimed that pushes by the British legislators via equality legislation, in fact violated natural law. In context, all of this was said to the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales: on their compulsory Ad Limina visit to the Vatican, in which they were to report to the pope and confer with him about their mission in Great Britain. In further context, while secular media has mostly focussed on the pope's attack on the Labour party, Catholic analysts specializing in these matters, have clearly noted the pope's statements in the context of an open public rebuke of the British bishops.

The Pope called efforts by the British Labour lead government violations of "natural law", which he noted as the basis for equality among men. Unlike secular services who have largely misunderstood the concept of natural law as used by Benedict XVI, as a foundation block of South Africa's common law, and of Catholic thinking, I might note that the pope was not simply calling British legislation against the church, or sin. He was in fact calling it against natural reason, and against basic human rights, and legal concepts. Natural law is not seen as a theological law, but rather as the law binding all men, essentially, as reason and reasonable behaviour. Natural law, is in fact, as the pope attests indirectly: the basis of human rights and we might separately note, it is a basis of the concept of the United Nations. The pope's attack on the legislative campaign of the Labour party, was in fact much more serious an attack than reported in press. He was essentially calling the legislative scheme criminal.

Labour recently caused the closure of many catholic adoption agencies, due to their refusal to give homosexual couples the children they had in their care. According to an editorial by a homosexual in the Daily Mail, the British Government adoption houses give homosexuals first pick of the children needing adoption, and there was no logical purpose in forcing religious specialist adoption agencies, known for their extra efforts, to close down. Labour, effectively made it illegal to discriminate against adoptive parents, due to their incompatibility with Catholic morality. The Bishops of England and Wales, however, did not put up a united front on the issue, as with many other issues. Many in Catholic media view the British bishops' conference, as one which is not entirely loyal to either the Vatican, or the magisteriam of the church. Some have seen many bishops as complicit in the campaign Labour has already launched against the Catholic Church and religion in general.

Damien Thompson, blogs editor of the telegraph group, and widely considered the best source on British Catholicism, despite his, or perhaps due to his conservative attitude, seems to believe that the pope in fact was noting the views one bishop in particular, who had criticized his fellow bishops. We at South African Catholic News Service, have often observed Benedict XVI directly or indirectly quoting local bishops in such circumstances, and think this may well be the case.

According to Damien, writing on his Telegraph Media group blog, the pope was basing much of his commentary on the views of Bishop Patrick O’Donoghue, who he says criticized the Bishops of England and Wales for failing to uphold orthodoxy. Their seemingly divided response on issues that the papacy considers non-negotiable, may well be partially the focus of an address which did praise the Bishops and Britain a bit, but not much, and which was unusually blatant for a papal address. Often these statements in general are veiled quite deeply, but the intentions of the pope are here quite clear.

Even the Guardian, known for its intense dislike for Catholic religion and morality, has published criticism of the British government, and much of the British press, believed to have turned on Gordon Brown, have come out opposing the recent attempt to even further limit freedom of religion in great Britain. The pope's statements on morals, which affect public life and politics have certainly also made a splash, perhaps one which will stifle the legislative attacks of Labour's leadership death throws before the next election. Determining how social activist or religious groups, societies for the common good and democracy govern themselves- so far as social issues are concerned, has been seen by some as a severe violation of freedom of association, and therefore of principles of freedom of thought and participation in democracy.

In accordance with the concept of subsidiarity, it is unusual for the pope to directly intervene with legislative schemes. Abortionist, pro-homosexuality and feminist and secularist groups who were already going to protest the papal visit planned to Britain, are now noting even more so that they will be protesting. Included in the protests: films about Catholic sex abuse, which will certainly cheer up these sexual revolution protesters. Also being protested by secularists, is the bill for the papal visit. Not noted by the BBC and the like, is the fact that the pope is a head of a European state, due all pomp and ceremony. What is also not mentioned is that the pope has decided to cut back on what pomp and ceremony he is offered when he visits Britain.

As a front line between practical religious secularism, and secularists, Great Britain is certainly an important place to watch. In a world, where leadership is increasingly more important than mere titles and positions in governments, the Pope's statements have been able to reignite important debate in Great Britain. His rebuke of some of his bishops, who he has stated, he desires to united behind orthodoxy, and whom he has said must continue to debate public issues in a civilized and respectful manner will also not go unnoticed. We may well begin to see some thorough debate in the catholic Church in England and Wales, where it has often been reported that those desiring to better obey the Pope, are stifled by the local church hierarchy.

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A Catholic Funderal for Manto- abortion, AIDS denialism not enough to prevent it!

2010-01-05T21:09:00.001+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Canon (Can.) 1184 ~3 of the Code of Canon law, for the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, denies funerals for manifest sinners, who have not shown repentance, if the funeral could cause public scandal to the faithful- that is if it could cause them to sin. Despite this, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, former Health Minister, for the African National Congress (ANC), which has since 1994 had an official pro-abortion policy, and who herself denied HIV/AIDS drugs to millions, was this past December 22nd (2009), not only given a Roman Catholic funeral, but given it in the Catholic Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, of Pretoria Archdiocese (IOL [Independent; Secular; South African] 22 / Dec | 12 / 2009). Friends of the ANC loyalist, treated her as though a saint, for what they termed her obedience to ANC policy.

The former Archbishop of Pretoria, was not at that time in charge of the Archdiocese, which was being administered by another.

According to the Holy See Press Office:

"VATICAN CITY, 15 DEC 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Pretoria, South Africa, and from the office of military ordinary for South Africa, presented by Archbishop Paul Mandla Khumalo C.M.M., in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law. "

Archives 15 / 12 | December / 2009

Manto died the day after the Former Archbishop of Pretoria had resigned, and the former archbishop was not in charge of the Archdiocese any longer.

During the period when the funeral took place, Reverend Monsignor Abel Gabuza had been appointed as Apostolic Administrator, as the SACBC (Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference) had noted in a press release to our service:

"in conformity with Canon 401,2 of the Code of Canon Law. He [Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI] has appointed Reverend Monsignor Abel Gabuza as Apostolic Administrator, sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis, (The seat is vacant and the Administrator remains in authority at the pleasure of the Holy See)."

Archives 15 / 12 | December / 2009

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Confirmation, and forced, paid for camps in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg!

2010-01-05T19:13:00.001+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

The South African Catholic News Service (SACNS), has it on reliable sources, that it is practice in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg not to confirm children who are unable to go on one specific weekend retreat, even if their failure to attend is due to severe illness, or due to risk to health. Our service has in our possession, verified email correspondence between one former candidate, and a source high up in the ranks of the SACBC (Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference), who requested some sort of assistance or reprieve from the demand that they attend a camp, despite grave risk to their health, and previous incidence of this health hazard having caused danger of suffocation in the past.

The official spoken to by the candidate, as with the local parish priest concerned, of one of the more well known parishes in the Archdiocese, refused any allowance or assistance to the special need of the candidate, so far as the request, to skip the camp and still be confirmed. The candidate, as with another candidate, who was not confirmed, had high marks in tests conducted during the process. Confirmation officials, also stayed within what an inside source claimed to be a diocesan policy, which appears to be long-standing.

The Camp itself, reportedly involves learning about the mass, confession, which candidates are heavily encourages to partake in, singing, dancing, and a culmination of events in a mass carried out by candidates, in which they rewrite the mass, including the Our Father also called the Pater, and in which liturgical dancing is encouraged. Bread, made by candidates is then blessed, and the dirty-looking blessed bread is given to them after the mass, to do with as they will, according to a source.

The emails themselves, are of great concern to our service. At present we have kept names anonymous, due to a decision that the principle is more important than the individuals inside the system, however, our service has no problem proving any of these claims, nor any issue with giving out full details, should we once again face any form of malicious threat or blackmail from within the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference, as we experienced after our report on the use of money collected in parishes by a certain global Catholic organization, when we were monitored from a Vatican based computer, as well as on twitter, and were threatened. We may also pursue legal action.

Our service, which is loyal to the papacy, and to the local church as far as is permitted by Canon law, and conscience is regularly visited from the Vatican in any case, though the page requests in that case proved, that those events were related.

It appears as though this practice, involving the requirement of this retreat, which is paid for by Candidates or their parents, is long-standing. It has been claimed, that many Catholics leave after, or due to the process of confirmation, in the archdiocese, our service also understands that only about 10% of Catholics in the mentioned archdiocese attend mass regularly.

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Marriages by those baptised in the Catholic church: if performed outside the church- will now be INVALID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-12-15T19:05:00.002+02:00

(Tridentine South And Southern Africa)

Note by Marc Aupiais

Persons baptised Catholic are obligated to marry in the Catholic church, or with its approval, or their marriages are invalid. Previously there was a clause excempting those who formally abandoned the faith in a certain way from this- the clause is removed by the Muto Proprio just released by the pope, lets let the Vatican explain the rest:

"MOTU PROPRIO: VARIATIONS TO THE CODE OF CANON LAW

VATICAN CITY, 15 DEC 2009 (VIS) - Made public today was Benedict XVI's Motu Proprio, "Omnium in mentem". The document is dated 26 October 2009 and contains two variations to the Code of Canon Law (CIC), variations which have long been the object of study by dicasteries of the Roman Curia and by national episcopal conferences.

The document published today contains five articles modifying canons 1008, 1009, 1086, 1117 and 1124. According to an explanatory note by Archbishop Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, these variations "concern two separate questions: adapting the text of the canons that define the ministerial function of deacons to the relative text in the Catechism of the Catholic church (1581), and suppressing a subordinate clause in three canons concerning marriage, which experience has shown to be inappropriate".

The variation to the text of canon 1008 will now limit itself to affirming that "those who receive the Sacrament of Orders are destined to serve the People of God with a new and specific title", while canon 1009 "will be given an additional third paragraph in which it is specified that the minister constituted into the Order of the episcopate or the priesthood receives the mission and power to act in the person of Christ the Head, while deacons receive the faculty to serve the People of God in the diaconates of the liturgy, of the Word and of charity".

Archbishop Coccopalmerio's note then goes on to explain that the other changes contained in the Motu Proprio all concern the elimination of the clause "actus formalis defectionis ab Ecclesia Catholica" contained in canons 1086 para. 1, 1117 and 1124. This clause, "following much study, was held to be unnecessary and inappropriate", he writes.

"From the time the Code of Canon Law came into effect in the year 1983 until the moment of the coming into effect of this Motu Proprio, Catholics who had abandoned the Catholic Church by means of a formal act were not obliged to follow the canonical form of celebration for the validity of marriage (canon 1117), nor were they bound by the impediment concerning marriage to the non-baptised (canon 1086 para. 1), nor did they suffer the prohibition on marrying non-Catholic Christians (canon 1124). The abovementioned clause contained in these three canons represented an exception ... to another more general norm of ecclesiastical legislation according to which all those baptised in the Catholic Church or received into her are bound to observe ecclesiastical laws (canon 11).

"With the coming into effect of the new Motu Proprio", Archbishop Coccopalmerio adds, "canon 11 of the Code of Canon Law reacquires its full force as concerns the contents of the canons thus modified, even in cases were there has been a formal abandonment. Hence, in order to regularise any unions that may have been made in the non-observance of these rules it will be necessary to have recourse, if possible, to the ordinary means Canon Law offers for such cases: dispensation from the impediment, sanation, etc".
MP/OMNIUM IN MENTEM/COCCOPALMERIO VIS 091215 (520)"

Latin Mass Schedules in November, December- quotation is not an endorsement

2009-11-18T12:23:00.002+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Note by Marc Aupiais

We have not noted an update from Una Voce South Africa, since their decision to endorse a schismatic, and subsequent failed attempt to send a message to our subscribers without our permission, in order to confront our service. We did, however, allow the group to give their response, as we also allowed the SSPX locally to.

Here is the schedule of masses, noted by the grouping in PE and Johannesburg. As our organization played a large role in publicising the Johannesburg Mass, we can confirm that it is in fact licit. The PE mass, we are somewhat sure, though not entirely confident: is licit, as we spent several hours researching a mass held by what seemed to be the same priest (who had been Mgr John Clark), but not seemingly at the parish then mentioned; via email and phone, with local authorities, when we were still co-operating with Una Voce, in the interest of the public:

We certainly do not endorse Una Voce South Africa, due to their glorification of schismatic actions, what will follow is a small quotation from their main and only website, a quotation made by us of them: for the public interest. We have not verified their claims:

This quotation is made in terms of fair use provisions in South African law:

"Port Elizabeth
Location: St Vincent's Church, Dennehout Street, Algoa Park.

Fridays at 5:30pm.

Johannesburg
Location: Christ the King Cathedral, cnr Saratoga Ave and End Street.

Sundays:
29th November 2009 11:30am
6th December 2009 11:30am

Weekdays & Saturday:
Tuesdays, Thursdays 17:30pm
Saturdays, 7:30am

Exceptions/Additional Masses
21st December Monday 17:30pm"
(Una Voce South Africa (Used its influence in the past to glorify a schismatic priest; "Catholic"; "Independent"; South African; not endorsed by our service) 18 / November / 2009: site address http://unavocesa.blogspot.com/)

Agenzia Fides belongs to the Vatican?

2009-11-09T14:52:00.003+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Editorial by Marc Aupiais of South African Catholic and the Scripturelink.net news services

For ages now, I have been using Agenzia Fides for insight on Africa, its conflicts, its humanitarian problems. It was an on the ground news service, that I simply grew to love, despite its bad formatting and its programmers' poor programming skills.

Today by chance, I realized what I hadn't before, with all the hundreds of their articles I have read, Fides is the Vatican's official missionary news service, yes, I was as surprised as anyone could be. Vatican services are usually centered on the pope, out of touch, or plain boring, with a bit of snobbery, but not Fides, Fides, seems a genuinely expert service, the sort with goes with sources which are generally correct, and the right people to be speaking in the first place.

So the quesation emerges, we used to place Fides dispatches on our site, and they, like the dispatches we would place from Vatican Information Service, would get way higher ranking in Google results than Fides' own articles...

Should we do so again, what do you, our readers think- do you find Fides useful, as we do, as we find VIS useful also..? Or is it just a media thing?

On a different note, we have finally updated our Vatican Search site with a 21st hierarchical search engine. We have independently compiled:

http://vaticansearch.scripturelink.net/earthglobalbishops/

To search the world's Bishops' Conferences. While on the http://vaticansearch.scripturelink.net/ site, it is a separate search engine, as it does not search the Vatican itself, and is thereby disconnected from out main navigation on the site!

God bless, happy surfing.

Marc Aupiais

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NOTE ON CELIBACY FOR ANGLICANS ENTERING CATHOLIC CHURCH VATICAN CITY, 31 OCT 2009 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office

2009-11-03T18:03:00.000+02:00

(South African Catholic)

Quote by Marc Aupiais (Editor)

Note: we continue slow operation, but this is of note:

The Following is from today's VIS / V.I.S. [Vatican Information service] (Catholic; the official voice of the Vatican's apparatus; Vatican Based), as read in the dispatch sent to press and others in the English speaking world:

"NOTE ON CELIBACY FOR ANGLICANS ENTERING CATHOLIC CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, 31 OCT 2009 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. today released the following English-language declaration concerning speculations about the celibacy issue in the forthcoming Apostolic Constitution regarding personal ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church.

There has been widespread speculation, based on supposedly knowledgeable remarks by an Italian correspondent Andrea Tornielli, that the delay in publication of the Apostolic Constitution regarding Personal Ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church, announced on 20 October 2009 by Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is due to more than 'technical' reasons. According to this speculation, there is a serious substantial issue at the basis of the delay, namely, disagreement about whether celibacy will be the norm for the future clergy of the provision.

Cardinal Levada offered the following comments on this speculation: "Had I been asked I would happily have clarified any doubt about my remarks at the press conference. There is no substance to such speculation. No one at the Vatican has mentioned any such issue to me. The delay is purely technical in the sense of ensuring consistency in canonical language and references. The translation issues are secondary; the decision to delay publication in order to wait for the 'official' Latin text to be published in 'Acta Apostolicae Sedis' was made some time ago.

"The drafts prepared by the working group, and submitted for study and approval through the usual process followed by the Congregation, have all included the following statement, currently Article VI of the Constitution:

"1. Those who ministered as Anglican deacons, priests, or bishops, and who fulfil the requisites established by canon law and are not impeded by irregularities or other impediments may be accepted by the Ordinary as candidates for Holy Orders in the Catholic Church. In the case of married ministers, the norms established in the Encyclical Letter of Pope Paul VI 'Sacerdotalis coelibatus', n. 42 and in the Statement "In June" are to be observed. Unmarried ministers must submit to the norm of clerical celibacy of canon 277, para 1 of the Code of Canon Law.

"2. The Ordinary, in full observance of the discipline of celibate clergy in the Latin Church, as a rule ('pro regula') will admit only celibate men to the order of presbyter. He may also petition the Roman Pontiff, as a derogation from canon 277, para 1, for the admission of married men to the order of presbyter on a case by case basis, according to objective criteria approved by the Holy See.

"This article is to be understood as consistent with the current practice of the Church, in which married former Anglican ministers may be admitted to priestly ministry in the Catholic Church on a case by case basis. With regard to future seminarians, it was considered purely speculative whether there might be some cases in which a dispensation from the celibacy rule might be petitioned. For this reason, objective criteria about any such possibilities (e.g. married seminarians already in preparation) are to be developed jointly by the Personal Ordinariate and the Episcopal Conference, and submitted for approval of the Holy See".

Cardinal Levada said he anticipates the technical work on the Constitution and Norms will be completed by the end of the first week of November.

OP/CELIBACY ANGLICANS/LOMBARDI:LEVADA

VIS 091103 (570)"
(Paragraphing may have been altered)

As expected, and reported on by our service, speculation is, according to the Vatican's voice: incorrect- the same procedure as always is being followed with Anglicans. No new rite of the Catholic church has been created, nor are celebacy rules, and regulations already applicable to all Catholic priests in the Western Rite being altered. Only, a prelature, like Opus Dei, is being made for Anglicans.

Anglicans may now join Church en masse due to Vatican document-NewsWires : euronews

2009-10-20T15:12:00.002+02:00

(South African Catholic)

Notation by Marc Aupiais

With both sides stressing that this was a good move, and the British Catholic church ("Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster and head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales") noting it was not a criticism of Anglicanism...

In what is being noted as a response to many requests- the Vatican has launched a new document- which will see more traditional Anglicans able to easily convert, keeping many structures, and their own bishops, while candidates for priesthood from that background, would be studying alongside mainstream Catholics, and priests would be being included by already current age-old traditions:

"VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Benedict on Tuesday took a major step to make it easier for disaffected Anglicans who feel their Church has become too liberal to convert to Roman Catholicism.

The move comes after years of discontent in some sectors of the 77-million-strong worldwide Anglican community over the ordination of women priests and homosexual bishops.

While both sides stressed the step would not affect dialogue between the two Churches, it was clear it was taken because of the growing number of Anglicans who want to leave their Church.

The Vatican said the Pope had approved a document known as an “Apostolic Constitution” to accept Anglicans who want to join Catholicism, either individually or in groups, while maintaining some of their own traditions.

It marks perhaps the clearest and boldest institutional step by the Vatican to welcome disaffected Anglicans into the fold since King Henry VIII broke with Rome and set himself up at the head of the new Church of England in 1534.

The new structure allows for the appointment of leaders, usually bishops who will come from the ranks of unmarried former Anglican priests, to oversee communities of former Anglicans who become Catholics and recognise the pope as their leader.

“In this way, the Apostolic Constitution seeks to balance on the one hand the concern to preserve the worthy Anglican liturgical and spiritual patrimony and, on the other hand, the concern that these groups and their clergy will be integrated into the Catholic Church,” the Vatican said. "

Euronews (Secular; Independent; French), article by Reuters (Secular; Independent; French)

20 / 10 | October / 2009

http://www.euronews.net/newswires/40473-pope-approves-document-on-anglicans-joining-church/

American Bishops do something about New Mass Translation, something which may help South Africans also, and be useful to others in the future!

2009-08-22T08:43:00.004+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

When we at scripturelink.net attempted to get the local Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference (SACBC), to place a version online, or permit us to scan a version in and load it online of their heavily copyrighted copy of the new draft version of the new order of the mass, which they rushed out early, without Vatican permission (the Vatican permitted the draft to continue in use for the sake of the faithful locally)- we only got constantly ignored and redirected, and told this was pointless. The fact that Catholics were struggling, or were not given the new words in some instances, while being forced to use them- was not a matter of urgency, and a (pro-legal abortion, pro-condoms, pro-homosexual priests c.f. Catholic Culture's review of the dissident paper's website) newspaper, which they are represented on the board of, and sell in parishes- the Southern Cross, slated the Vatican's decision to change the Order of the Mass. Not so with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), who have carefully constructed a website on their main URL to aid Catholics with the transfer, which has yet to occur in the USA.

On the website:

http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/

The US Bishops have placed so many relevant documents, explaining the whole process of the change, and answering Questions and Answers. Included is a study version of the new English version of the Order of the Latin Rite (The Normal Mass, said at most parishes) Mass, and another with relevant scriptural annotations, which mean that Catholics can justify the Order to their Non-Catholic friends from the bible. I personally have not gone through the entire online text, but as these texts are assembled by the global community of English speaking Catholic churches (International Committee on English in the Liturgy), it is bound in the least bit to be similar to the draft version already in use in South Africa.

The explaining documents should also be useful. It might be noted that the version on the site is yet to be approved by the given bishops or the Holy See, but is probably the same, or a similar version to the draft being used in South Africa. The website should be updated regularly. We ask our viewers, who have lost their handy translations, or who are interested in finding out, to compare these texts to the drafts we are using, (they at least seem similar- I personally have been looking through the words the parishioners say, and it seems like ours- I do not have time at present to make a textual analysis of their study version against the draft version being used here), and inform us of the differences, so that we can possibly inform others. In any case, for those South Africans without a copy of the draft we are using, this may at least be useful, and the American Bishops, will surely update it when a globally accepted version emerges.

America's study version of the draft of the New Order of the Mass:

http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/OrdoMissaeWhiteBook.pdf

Version with Scriptural Annotations: (it actually quotes the relevant verses)

http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/WhiteBookAnnotated.pdf

The New version, was asked of the world by Benedict XVI, who wanted the Novus Order to be closer to the Tridentine Mass, believing it would be of benefit to the faithful.

Catholic News Agency has an article about the new website released by the USCCB, the website we are speaking of here:

Article:

CNA [Catholic News Agency] (Catholic; Independent; American) Aug 21, 2009 :

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=16905

As an internationally collaborative: initiative to provide a more transparent, accurate view of the world: This service is brought to you by the Scripturelink Search Engine (quotations, or confers in this service/initiative, are provided to give perspective independently, or reference some external sources: and do not imply collaboration, or any kind of affiliation, or co-operation with other services, or initiatives, which are quoted or noted in articles)

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Retraction: Due to tertiary measures: we have discovered a serious error in a Scripturelink.net News Article relating to Blog Rorate Caeli

2009-06-30T06:56:00.002+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Retractions are not things any service enjoys to send out, especially not public, readable ones, however: in the interest of accuracy, and in accordance with our general policy, they are utterly necessary when we make mistakes which are larger than typing errors, which we are known to correct.

This retraction involves 2 events which both occurred, to our knowledge: in Bavaria, Germany, at around the same time: one conducted by the FSSPX / SSPX, a sect which was acting in direct disobedience to the Vatican via what they did, and the other done by the FSSP, who have left the SSPX for the mainstream.

Rorate Caeli reported on the ordination of 5 FSSP priests, seemingly in Bavaria Germany, at the same time as we were reporting on the Ordination of three SSPX priests in Bavaria, Germany. We assumed that they had misreported on the same issue, and they did not, to our knowledge note in their artilce any link to the FSSP.

The only hint, which we assume was certainly there at the time, was which bishop did the ordinations. We are not however in the habit of researching SSPX Bishops mentioned, and did not research the name provided by the blog: Rorate Caeli, which would have turned out to be a mainstream Catholic Bishop. We changed our rating in our articles of Rorate Caeli, from Catholic, to sympathetic with the SSPX, due to a perception that they were endorsing schism, something which took allot of time, when in fact Rorate Caeli were actually congratulating partakers in a perfectly licit event, simply nearby the proximity of another event.

We therefore are wading through the 8 Scripturelink Service articles we had altered, in order to take away our endorsement of Rorate Caeli as Catholic: now returning their status to Catholic!

With our multiple search resources, which we usually use, we apologize for assuming that we understood a story, without the adequate research, which we will hopefully provide in future. It is our public, and private search engines, by which our articles have become as sound as they are, along with general knowledge of the faith. We have in the past researched every important name mentioned by sources, perhaps we should return to this policy, at least where sources appear to have discrepencies: rather than simply noting apparent discrepencies.

Whenever we change the status of a seemingly Catholic website, we generally ensure a second opinion: in case we have made an error, in this case we asked Trinity Communications to review Rorate Caeli, noting our perception, in accordance with general policy. They returned our request, by noting that it was not in fact the SSPX ordination, which Rorate Caeli had been referring to. We then fact checked their conclusion, via the research we should have done into the Bishop who was noted as ordaining the 5 priests, and verified their facts.

It is fortunate that we were the ones who initiated an investigation into our own facts: via our tertiary, and just about never before necessary: policy of getting an informed, external second opinion, rather than have an error pointed out to us in a manner unrequested. While I regret making an official retraction, which we have not made in more than a while, I am glad that our service caught the error. Any errors in any sections of our articles, are important enough to adjust, and any errors can be reported to us, so that we may alter them.

The article directly affected has been altered. Changes made due to that article, have been changed back to the extent that the error has in our observation: been contained. We apologize for any inconvenience!

Marc Aupiais
Scripturelink.net News Section

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SSPX goes ahead: ordains three men in Germany, despite threat of excommunication

2009-06-28T09:55:00.006+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa; c.f. BBC World News (Secular; Governmental; British) 27 / 06 | June / 2009; Vatican information Service V.I.S 17 / 06 | June / 2009 ; Archive: 18 / 06 | June / 2009; Rorate Caeli (Catholic; Independent; Unknown; Traditionalist) 27 / 06 | June / 2009: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2009/06/events_27.html)

[Noted Discrepancy cleared up: Rorate Caeli was refering to FSSP ordinations, in the same area and about the same time.]

Article by Marc Aupiais

According to the BBC, the SSPX / FSSPX (Fraternal Society of Saint Pius X), has gone ahead with three (3) ordinations, in Zaitzkofen, Bavaria, Germany. This despite the threat of excommunication, and Vatican opposition, and condemnation.

They ordained a Swiss (A man from Switzerland), a Pole (a man from Poland) and a Swede (a man from Sweden). The BBC had previously reported that the SSPX would ordain 30 men in June, however, this likely includes the additional ordination of priests (and possibly includes those planned of deacons) in America, and Switzerland, which the BBC, among other sources had noted to still be planned, by the SSPX. The SSPX's seminary's rector: cited the shortage of priests in Europe, as a reason to disobey the German and Vatican Church Authorities.

The German diocese in charge of the area, Regensburg, had said that the SSPX bishop, and three priests being in their view: illicitly, but validly (sacramentally) ordained: would likely incur excommunication.

The Catholic Bishop in charge of the Regensburg Diocese, which had noted possible excommunication, is Bishop Gerhard Müller.

The FSSPX/SSPX Bishop, who defied the Vatican, in addition to the applicable German diocese mentioned above, was reported prior the time to be SSPX Bishop Alfonso de Galaretta. Rorate Caeli, have an article about Bishop Athanasius Schneider ordaining 5 FSSP priests in the same area, however, this was an FSSP ordination, and the licit ordination of 5 FSSP has no relation to the Bavaria Ordinations of the 3 SSPX priests.

According to the Vatican (c.f. Vatican information Service V.I.S. 17 / 06 | June / 2009 ), who commented on the situation before the ordinations: the SSPX bishops and priests, while validly (Sacramentally) ordained, hold no legitimate (licit) authority in the church, and the ordinations, would be illicit (illegal).

As an internationally collaborative: initiative to provide a more transparent, accurate view of the world: This service is brought to you by the Scripturelink Search Engine (quotations, or confers in this service/initiative, are provided to give perspective independently, or reference some external sources: and do not imply collaboration, or any kind of affiliation, or co-operation with other services, or initiatives, which are quoted or noted in articles)

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Vatican: Lefebvrite (SSPX) Bishops have no authority in Church: as german Diocese threatens Excommunications of SSPX Bishop, Priests

2009-06-18T11:11:00.008+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa; c.f. BBC World News (British; Governmental; Secular) 17 / 06 (June) / 2009 ; Zenit News Service (Catholic; Independent; American) 15 / 06 (June) / 2009 ; 17 / 06 (June) / 2009 ; Catholic Culture News briefs (American; Catholic; Independent) on 08 / 06 (June) / 2009 ; 17 / 06 (June) / 2009; Vatican information Service (VIS) (Vatican Based; Hierarchical; Catholic) 17 / 06 (June) 2009)

Article By Marc Aupiais

See Also:

Timeline:

2 July 1988: ECCLESIA DEI: John Paul II: 4 "Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X "/"SSPX"/"FFSPX" Bishops Excommunicated "LATAE SENTENTIAE" on 30 June 1988; as had been declared the day before, by Decree of the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops on 1 July 1988;

Ecclesia Dei: Organization formed to facilitate relations with SSPX: with aims of bringing them back into full communion: doctrinally and sacramentally

27 October 1998: STATUS OF THE SOCIETY OF ST. PIUS X: Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei: SSPX a schism, however: as it is a priestly schism: not all laity attending their churches are in schism: in extreme danger of such though

7 July 2007: SUMMORUM PONTIFICUM: Benedict XVI: ON THE USE OF THE ROMAN LITURGY PRIOR TO THE REFORM OF 1970: Priests may perform the mass via: Tridentine Liturgy's Order of the (Latin) Mass

21 January 2009: DECREE REMITTING THE EXCOMMUNICATION "LATAE SENTENTIAE" OF THE BISHOPS OF THE SOCIETY OF ST PIUS X: Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re: Congregation for Bishops: Re lifts Excommunications, after Benedict XVI expressed wishes to explore new avenues of bringing SSPX back into full communion. Excommunication is a pastoral measure to ignite repentance, and prevent spread.

Radio Vaticana: Vatican Lifts excommunications of SSPX Bishops: "The four bishops are Bernard Fellay the superior general of the Society of Saint Pius X, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson and Alfonso del Gallareta" : 25 / 01 (Jan) / 2009: following oaths of allegience the Vatican gained from the four

10 March 2009: LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI:TO THE BISHOPS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CONCERNING THE REMISSION OF THE EXCOMMUNICATION: OF THE FOUR BISHOPS CONSECRATED BY ARCHBISHOP LEFEBVRE: Benedict XVI: notes controversy around Williamson, SSPX are not legitimate part of hierarchy, Pope wants to place the commission of "Ecclesia Dei", set up to deal with SSPX as part of "Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith",

Radio Vaticana: copy of same letter by Benedict XVI: they publish it on 12 March 2009

12 March 2009: Radio Vaticana: "Fr Federico Lombardi, SJ, Head of the Press Office of the Holy See" on Benedict XVI's Letter explaining the lifting of the excommunication

12 March 2009: Radio Vaticana: "Bishops Welcome Pope's Letter"

Article:

As the SSPX reportedly desires to ordain 30 new priests, in multiple different (The BBC mentions Germany and the United States of America (U.S.A)) countries: both one German Diocese, and the Vatican itself, have set out tough warnings.

Bavaria, Germany

Of the situation in Germany, on Monday the Eighth of June, it was reported: that Regensburg Diocese, under Bishop Gerhard Müller, has warned German SSPX leaders, that their Bishop, and the priests he validly, but illicitly ordains: will "almost certainly" (Zenit News Service (Catholic; Independent; American) 15 / 06 (June) / 2009) face excommunication, if they go through with ordinations (to be done by Levebvrite (SSPX) Bishop Alfonso de Galaretta), set for 27th June 2009: in Bavaria, inside the well known Western European country.

The rector, of the SSPX's Zaitzkofen, Bavarian seminary, has declared that the ordinations will go ahead, citing an alleged "Emergency" situation in the Church, and the recent decline in the Church in Europe, claiming loyalty to church and pope.

On the 17th of June, the situation had Yesterday, possibly escalated:

Vatican Information Service (V.I.S), published a Vatican Press Release:

"ORDINATIONS BY FRATERNITY OF ST. PIUS X REMAIN ILLEGITIMATE

VATICAN CITY, 17 JUN 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office published the following communique at midday today:

"In response to the frequent questions that have been raised over recent days concerning the priestly ordinations by the Fraternity of St. Pius X, scheduled to take place at the end of June, suffice it to refer to what the Holy Father wrote in his Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on 10 March this year: "As long as the Society (of St. Pius X) does not have a canonical status in the Church, its ministers do not exercise legitimate ministries in the Church. ... Until the doctrinal questions are clarified, the Society has no canonical status in the Church, and its ministers ... do not legitimately exercise any ministry in the Church".

In the same Letter, the Pope also announced his intention to change the status of the Commission 'Ecclesia Dei', making it part of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. There is reason to believe that the definition of this new status is imminent. This constitutes a premise for launching dialogue with the leaders of the Fraternity of St. Pius X, with a view to clarifying the doctrinal questions, and consequently the disciplinary questions, which remain unresolved".
OP/ORDINATIONS/FRATERNITY ST. PIUS X VIS 090617 (230)"

Reconstitution of "Ecclesia Dei"

The second notice, while reported as though fresh by some: possibly from reading the V.I.S. article, as regards the restructuring of Ecclesia Dei, is not unexpected, as Pope Benedict XVI had already in March expressed such a desire to reconstitute the organization. In fact, is seems to us, as you may note above, to simply be a reference to the same letter, in which Benedict XVI, expressed such desire in March. This would mean that the hype over this reference to Ecclesia Dei, was due to human error on behalf of the media which reported this as fresh, and a misreading of the release.

The possible confusion, which sees such desire as fresh, may relate to a likely accurate report that: SSPX Bishop Bernard Fellay, had already claimed (in an article Zenit published on the 15th of June), that:

Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, had on the 5th of June, informed him, that the Pontifical Commission of "Ecclesia Dei", would be reconstituted as a part of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

As many of the surface differences between the SSPX and the Vatican are doctrinal, especially involving the Vatican II Council, this possible reconsttution of "Ecclesia Dei" was, at the time in March, when first mentioned: not an unexpected move, theoretically.

Context:

When Cardinal Re, of the Congregation for Bishops: lifted the excommunications of the 4 SSPX bishops: there was allot of confusion, and mixed statements from various bodies. In our timeline, we have noted some main events, which link to speeches and inter alia: Vatican based articles. These are meant to give some context.

As our service had already noted long before the mainstream news: the lifting of their excommunications did not give the SSPX / FSSPX Bishops any legitimate authority within the church: the excommunications' lifting: meant that they could possibly go to confession, or take communion, the second being: provided they were not inter alia in Mortal Sin. They could not legitimately act as bishops, or priests.

The statements by the Vatican, mean that the situations in Germany and the United States, have been noted. It may simply be another statement of accepted facts on the half of the Vatican, but once again possibly signals more trouble in the negotiations process.

It could also mean that perceived progress, has only been on the surface, with both Society (of st. Pius X), and Vatican: remaining in the same general situation as before.

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Africa; CAR: Priests on strike, after Vatican investication into priestly promiscuousity causes archbishop to resign

2009-05-30T11:57:00.005+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa; c.f. Catholic Cutlure (Catholic; independent; American)27 / 05 (May) / 2009 ; 29 / 05 (May) / 2009 )

Note, in accordance with general policy: names, phraseology, titles, places etc: itilized: to note that we have used general, common, in use, simply practical or official poltitical versions of such, and that we do not necessarily imply endorsement of these words' meanings.

Article by Marc Aupiais

--29 / May / 2009- Central African Republic- Priests go on strike--

An investigation into the Catholic priesthood, in the Central African Republic, by the Vatican's: Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, has lead to the resignation of Archbishop Paulin Pomodimo (aged 54, appointed in 2003), of the Archdiocese of Bangui. Priests in the Central African Republic (CAR), have subsequently gone on a one day strike. A Vatican report, had noted that many priests were leading promiscuous lives under the aforementioned Bangui Archbishop.

According to the investigation, done by Archbishop Robert Sarah, the Congregation's Secretary: the prior mentioned: Bangui Archbishop: Paulin Pomodimo, has had:

"a moral attitude [...] not always in conformity with his commitments to follow Christ in chastity, poverty and obedience."
(Catholic Cutlure (Catholic; independent; American) 29 / 05 (May) / 2009 ).

This investigation was reportedly shortly followed by the investigated Archbishop's resignation from his post in the Central African Republic. Reporting on the findings: the news service branch of laity initiative Catholic Culture notes: that the Vatican's investigation reported that many CAR priests:

"have homes and children"
(Catholic Cutlure (Catholic; independent; American) 27 / 05 (May) / 2009)

And that a local newspaper had noted: that most Catholic Priests in CAR, have girlfirends, and children.

The resignation, was hot on the heals of the (16th / (05) May / 2009) resignation of: the Diocese of Bossangoa's Bishop: François-Xavier Yombandje of Bossangoa (aged 52), who in 2007 lead the CAR Bishops' Conference.

The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples's report, attacked not only the single bishop who most recently resigned, but noted varying levels of the "cupability", among all levels of the hierarchy in CAR.

It is not unique for Clergy and Bishops to be involved in scandals in recent times. With local hierarchies of The Church: increasingly apposing the Vatican, in both the Developing and Developed world, and the open ignoring of various aspects of Catholic Dogmas and morality, among many members of the hierarchy. The Vatican, of late: has found its representatives increasingly hard to govern. The power exerted, to successfully gain the resignations of the two bishops, has certainly been a larger exertion of force, by the hierarchy, than has been seen recently.

Following the resignation, the report, and its demand that they change: local priests in CAR, have decided to go on strike for a single day, and have done so.

While the Vatican views those in the priesthood, to be servants of a vocation, many African cultures, according to one published opinion on the issue, spurred on by a stronger group identity, and family solidarity than in the west: increasingly have yielded many priests, which are encouraged to enter the clergy, by families which gain esteem from the position. Much like policemen in some countires, priests hold an esteemed position: meaning that the priesthood is not a sacrifice, but a gain for many in Africa: socially and economically.

Celebacy, is part of the vows of poverty and obedience, that are associated with the priesthood, however: even in Developed Countries, the Church has had some trouble inforcing various aspects of priests' committments. This has been enhanced by a shortage of priests, and a decline in actively practicing Catholics. In addition to the seemingly forsaking of their vows involving celibacy, the Vatican report, also claimed that the priests had ignored their vows to poverty, in that they had their own houses.

Whatever the motivation of the priests, who went on strike for a single day, the decision to strike over the replacing of Bangui Archbishop: Paulin Pomodimo : has again broken with the official Church regulations.

Canon 1373 of the 1983 Codification of Canon law: forbids persons from inciting their "subjects" to disobedience against the "Ordinary" or "Apostolic See", due to an act of "Ecclesiastical Authority".

CAR, according to Catholic Culture, is 21% Roman Catholic, and has 9 Dioceses. In June 2007, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, visited CAR. According to Catholic Hierarchy (link): Bangui Archdiocese, in 2004, was 21.95% Catholic, Bossangoa Diocese, was 25.00% Catholic.

Summary words and phrases:

Central African Republic; Archbishop Paulin Pomodimo; Archdiocese of Bangui; investigation by Archbishop Robert Sarah, leads to resignation of CAR Archbishop, strike by local priests.

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"North America"; "America"; "San Francisco": Dissident "South African" "Bishop" "Kevin Dowling": to be honoured, along with "Gay activist", by "Jesuit" run "University"

2009-05-07T20:36:00.002+02:00

(Tridentine South (And Southern) Africa; c.f. "Catholic Culture" (Catholic; Independent; American) 05 / 05 (May) / 2009; "Cardinal Newman Society" (Catholic; Independent; American) 04 / 05 (May) / 2009 )

Article by Marc Aupiais

On the 10th "October" "2005", "Rustenberg" "Bishop", "Kevin Dowling", was deemed a "hero" by "Time" magazine, for his direct apposing of the "Vatican". In the article, his stance: that not promoting condoms, was in his opinion: anti-life ("not pro-life") was noted, the "Time" article is linked to by the "Cardinal Newman Society", in their article: ("Cardinal Newman Society" (Catholic; Independent; American) 04 / 05 (May) / 2009). The "Catholic Church", believes that the "Life" of a man and his "Soul" are one, whereby the health of the soul, would be more important than temporary life on earth, according to a line possibly similar to the official reasoning on the condom's ban, in accordance with the biblical ban on condoms ("The sin of Onan").

"Kevin Dowling", a member of the "SACBC" ("Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference"), has consistently lambasted the "Vatican", from attacking it for apposing the promotion of "Condom" focussed efforts to prevent "HIV/AIDS" spread, to attacking efforts focussing on abstenence, to randomly attacking the "Vatican", via (what "Cardinal Wilfred Napier" of the "Archdiocese of Durban", calls the "Anti-magisterial" 'biased') "Southern Cross", for the implementation of draft liturgical changes by the "SACBC", without "Vatican"consent, before new mass changes were finalized. The "SACBC", later asked the "Vatican" permission to proceed, and churches which went along with the error, continue to have a different "mass" from the rest of the world.

Rather than defend the church, "Bishop" "Kevin Dowling", often chooses to appose it, and promote other causes: via the use of his position as a "Catholic" "Bishop". Where other "Bishops" in "Southern Africa", apologized for the error of implimenting a draft, but defended the long term decision by the "Vatican" to change the wording of the "Novus Order" "mass", "Dowling" chose to attack a decision of the "Vatican" (having already apposed it on "Condoms" and such), it was not the only time he had used his position to spread disobedience to "Pope" "Benedict XVI", and his predecessor "Pope" "John Paul II", but just one of the many times he has spread dissent against the "Vatican".

"Jesuit" run "University of California", like several other organizations, has decided to honour this obscure "Bishop", of an even more obscure "Diocese", on the 22 May 2009, according to the "Cardinal Newman Society" (a laity initiative which claims to promote fidelity to the church). "Rustenburg" "Bishop" "Kevin Dowling", will be sharing the stage, along with: "Kamala D. Harris", "District Attorney" of "San Francisco": a "gay activist": known for apposing the successful "Proposition 8" which outlawed "Gay Marriage" in California".

According to the "Cardinal Newman Society", along with many independent sources:

"Over the past few months, many U.S. bishops have reasserted the 2004 U.S. bishops conference statement, “Catholics in Political Life” in their opposition to Notre Dame’s planned honor for pro-abortion President Barack Obama. The statement reads: “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”"

Lyons, France: The Cardinal and the homosexual condom activists

2009-04-01T20:51:00.006+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa ; c.f. France Catholique (French; Catholic; such status is unknown to us at present) 30 / 03 / 2009; Catholic Hierarchy on Cardinal: Philippe Xavier Ignace Barbari ; of Lyon , France ; Archdocese of Lyon Website 29 / 03 / 2009; Rorate Caeli (Catholic ; Unknown; Independent) 21 / 03 / 2009; BBC World News (Secular; British; Governmental) 18 / 03 / 2009)

Article by Marc Aupiais

As about 60 (Sixty) protesters of the likely uninformed type assembled, just before the 11:00 AM Mass outside of a Parish in front of the banner, with the Dogma denying words: " La capote, c’est la vie, l’Eglise l’interdit"(c.f. Archdocese of Lyon Website 29 / 03 / 2009) : claiming that the church, in denying the use of so-called "Condoms": was denying life, and that should have been it? Another anti-Catholic slur: largely prompted by the deathly media-bias of the Secularist French establishment: but that was not it: that was not what Cardinal Philippe Barbarin: would have it as: he wanted dialogue: and the protesters agreed to discuss their differences with the Cardinal. The protesters: were fortunately, at least faced off by some dozens of Catholics, but that also is not the story.

Of the around 60 protesters, of the Gay, Lesbian and Transsexual orientation, or at least supporting their cause, 7 requested to meet the Cardinal: to understand the Catholic position on HIV, and also: to give their own views on the delicate, and emotionally charged matter.

The debate took place in Fourvière, near the Notre Dame Basilica, in Lyon, France.

Such dialogue, was a far cry from the violent mobbing of Catholics: which has been seen in France. Such calm desire for dialogue: is also far from Catholics "singing in Latin", and throwing things at intrusive and insensitive pro-condom, anti-church activists.

The Cardinal explained the pope's words: the focus of the Papacy on societal change: on the need for love: to fight HIV: and the protesters also came to agree that there was a need of some sort of HIV education in Africa, and affected areas. There was also suggestions that the Cardinal debate the issue on Radio.

According to the BBC ( BBC World News (Secular; British; Governmental) 18 / 03 / 2009), condoms are only about 87% effective at preventing year on year transmission of the HIV pandemic from one partner, to their lover.

One of the hardest issues for the French Church: is that: not only is the faith regularly attacked: but further: its own words, as with the words of the Papacy: are regularly misrepresented. AFP, "Agence France-Presse", the French Press Association: often portrays the Catholic religion, in a very negative light. Left leaning Liberation, we recently read: even attempting to explain the actual statements of the Papacy: that is not to say that the Left Leaning paper agreed in any count with the Papacy: rather: in the interest of more accurate reporting: it seems they took it upon themselves to do so.

Most French Catholics do not attend Mass, and many of them want a church which supports abortion: more French Catholics (83% ) want a church supporting abortion, than want Benedict XVI to abdicate (43%), while 54%, want him to remain in the Vatican (Rorate Caeli (Catholic; Unknown; Independent) 21 / 03 / 2009).

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Journey: Peter, drop that sword? Was Jesus a pacifist?

2009-03-28T11:31:00.006+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa; Journey in a Broken World)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Now, is it not odd: that Jesus who told his Apostles to get swords: now attacks Peter for using one: "52 Jesus then said, 'Put your sword back, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword." (Matthew 26, NJB) We forget: that this is not the entire quote: in fact, the version in John, hardly mentions this: rather: a few verses before it notes that Jesus asked the attackers to leave his followers alone, and take him himself. Peter is not pleased by this: and rather chooses to fight. It is highly likely that Jesus is not prophesying, but rather saying to Peter: if you take up this fight, against all of these men: you shall die. It is further, seemingly a reference to when Peter desires that Jesus not be crucified: the sword: the human method of salvation: is here lambasted by Jesus: who knows that Peter does not desire for the events of Good Friday to happen: Peter would rather that God be proved a liar, than lose him temporarily.

This is furthered by Saint Paul who notes: that he who focuses only on the physical, shall die, yet the spirit is life.

Ultimately, we must view this verse, as is: a warning against viewing things in a purely physical way: Jesus tells Peter why he must put down his sword, in the same sentence almost: for he himself could stop it: this was not the "Time to Kill", but something that had to happen: God gave his life over in failed trust of the temporal, which he knew was to be abused: so that we would trust in God: Reality Himself.

This does not mean that we are not ever to take the sword, nor that the physical does not matter, clearly, Romans 10 says just the opposite: it means that the servant of God: must be in synchronicity with God's plan: sometimes: this even means disobeying the unjust command of even a bishop: in unison with the papacy, and magisterium: even from the pope in his personal capacity.

The principles of Just War are clear here: Peter had no chance of success: Jesus said that "He who takes up the sword shall die by the Sword!", could he not be referring to those in that very situation. plenty of sword fighters have not died in that manner: plenty whom Jesus would know of. Rather: he cures the damage done by Peter: and thereby spares Peter's life: in curing the enemy man's servant.

We should not easily read into the bible what is not there. What is there: is that human action by those in the church: actions contrary to the will of God: if taken to their extent, only damage God's plan: and in the end infuse death into those who do such. Compromise on justice, and obedience to God: is not a Catholic virtue, it is not a virtue: but illogical: if God is so wise: he sees what we are faced with: if he is not, he is not God: by compromising on our faith: we in fact testify that we do not serve God: let us not unintentionally blaspheme: we serve reality Himself, and we know that Reality is God, for every God must rely on Reality, and we know Reality is the source of all thought: and holds all the attributes of God, and that Reality is the name of God: and so: let us trust Reality: and do as we do in line with His true divine will: let us take up the swords he desires, and not those he apposes.

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Happy Saint Patrick's Day, My Irish Compatriots!

2009-03-17T09:16:00.003+02:00

(Journey In A Broken World ; Tridentine South (And Southern) Africa )

Article by Marc Aupiais

Yes, it's that time of year, no I am not getting drunk (not just Irish, also Catholic). Today is the 17th of March: and us with Irish Heritage: are hitting the streets in an Irish Pride Parade: location: your office, lecture hall, or classroom. Personally, I have no green clothes: so I celotaped a three leafed clover to the left side of my jeans.

Have a Happy Saint Patrick's day: and if in Ireland: attend church: as is compulsory for those in that group of diocese, and living there.

And remember: Patrick was always loyal to the pope: so should you be.

God Bless,

Marc Aupiais

Editor

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America:USA: Tridentine South Africa: "American "Democrats'": Anti-Catholic Bill Fails to Pass

2009-03-15T10:14:00.000+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa; c.f. AP (Secular; American; Independent) 11 / 03 / 2009)

Article by Marc Aupiais

A bill, supported by the American "Democratic" party, of Barak Obama: and aimed at taking control of the Catholic church in Connecticut, away from the Vatican: had failed to pass ...for now that is. The Democrats have only agreed to kill the bill for one year.

On the Tuesday, it was scrapped, on the Wednesday: it is estimated 3,500 (Three Thousand Five hundred) Catholics still took to the streets, having already had the bill fading-ly scrapped for one year. America's leadership's consistent ignoring of Catholic concerns, under "Democratic"party leadership: has struck a negative chord: which Catholic voters furious, as with the possibility of the currently suspended: "Religious Corporations" bill, being reintroduced next year.

The guilty party in this case, is the Democratic party. Lawmakers: "Sen. McDonald, Rep. Michael Lawlor"(AP (Secular; American; Independent) 11 / 03 / 2009), fronted the legislation: to take away apostolic/ecclesiastic control over Catholic finances: that it was aimed at Catholics, in particular: a grouping whose leaders often appose the Democrats, has been viewed harshly by Catholic media. According to catholic media: the bill, like one from over 100 years ago: would have the effect of taking away control of the church, from the hierarchy. This: especially, as those who would be allowed on "trustee" boards: excluded Clergy.

The American "Democratic" party/ American "Democrats", are known for pro-"gay"-marriage, pro-"abortion", and pro-"banker" policies. It just so happens that Obama made clear promises to American Abortion Firm: Planned Parenthood; who the Democrats insure can teach sexual education at schools (an independent survey found that those taking this education were more likely to fall pregnant as teens, and thus have abortions), and also whom Obama pathetically attempts to insure: get top dollar for their, um... "services" against what the church terms humanity.

Bankers: a major funding source for the Democrats, have not surprisingly gained top dollar: in a so-called bailout: despite analysis that further liquidity to already saturated banks would not solve anything.

So, as the Catholic church apposes abortion, gay-"marriage", and other such legislation, and what some consider irresopsible use of money: or maybe for another reason: suddenly, the "Democrats": have attempted to take control over church property, and finances in Connecticut: and place it in the hands of people: not allowed to be clergy. Such property, of course is being kept, by the bishops for the Vatican: a foreign nation: which does allot of charitible, and religious work in America. An organization: which has consistently lambasted Obama.

Even Vietnam, and China: had not attempted as subverted an attempt to split the Catholic church: the Chinese state "Public" Catholic Church, and Vietnamese land-grabs of church property: at least allow clergy to have some say over "Church" affairs.

According to some internet rumours: those behind the bill: were the "Voice of the People" organization, an ecclesiastically banned organization: who want to usurp the pope, and take away all power of the Vatican, and Catholic bishops over church affairs.

Whatever the source of the bill: news sources, such as American Papist, and Headline Bistro: attacked the bill, and with the help of the local church in Connecticut, squashed the bill for now. Other bills considered anti-Catholic: which were squashed previously: included one requiring priests to break the sacrament of Confession (an action for which they would be excommunicated), in order to report sexual abuse dangers.

It was alleged by opponents of the bill, including the "Catholic League", that it transgressed separation of church and state, and further: was unconstitutional.

Coneticut, is governed by a Republican governor, who apposed the fronted legislation. It did not surprise many that the Republicans, a party which gains support from Protestant Christians: apposed the bill, while the "Democrats", known for anti-religious; pro-abortion, pro-gay-"marriage" ideology, and for publicly abusing, denying, and twisting Catholic dogma, and doctrine in order to gain the support of "Catholics" during the recent election: had in addition to such supported the bill.

A similar bill passed over a hundred yeas ago: resulting in schisms in many local parishes. The bill "justified" itself in a single sited case: where a priest abused parish funds in unjust enrichment, and was subsequently punished. While relatively rare: this isolated, of alleged theft of parish funds incident: was used in what seemed to many to be a land-grab: in which Catholic power over American politics, could be disrupted somewhat.

While unsuccessful: the bill could be re-suggested next year: leading Catholic media to remain suspicious.

Tridentine SA: LETTER ON REMISSION OF EXCOMMUNICATION LEFEBVRE BISHOPS

2009-03-12T20:03:00.004+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

As Predicted, by Rorate Caeli, the Papacy has announced Benedict XVI's intentions, and feelings on the Williamson issue.

Here is the release:

LETTER ON REMISSION OF EXCOMMUNICATION LEFEBVRE BISHOPS

The Letter is dated 10 March and has been published in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German and Portuguese. The complete text of the English-language version is given below:

"Dear brothers in the episcopal ministry.

VATICAN CITY, 12 MAR 2009 (VIS) - Made public today was the Letter of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to the bishops of the Catholic Church concerning the remission of the excommunication of the four bishops consecrated by Archbishop Lefebvre.

The Letter is dated 10 March and has been published in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German and Portuguese. The complete text of the English-language version is given below:

"Dear brothers in the episcopal ministry.

"The remission of the excommunication of the four Bishops consecrated in 1988 by Archbishop Lefebvre without a mandate of the Holy See has for many reasons caused, both within and beyond the Catholic Church, a discussion more heated than any we have seen for a long time. Many bishops felt perplexed by an event which came about unexpectedly and was difficult to view positively in the light of the issues and tasks facing the Church today. Even though many bishops and members of the faithful were disposed in principle to take a positive view of the Pope's concern for reconciliation, the question remained whether such a gesture was fitting in view of the genuinely urgent demands of the life of faith in our time. Some groups, on the other hand, openly accused the Pope of wanting to turn back the clock to before the Council: as a result, an avalanche of protests was unleashed, whose bitterness laid bare wounds deeper than those of the present moment. I therefore feel obliged to offer you, dear brothers, a word of clarification, which ought to help you understand the concerns which led me and the competent offices of the Holy See to take this step. In this way I hope to contribute to peace in the Church.

"An unforeseen mishap for me was the fact that the Williamson case came on top of the remission of the excommunication. The discreet gesture of mercy towards four bishops ordained validly but not legitimately suddenly appeared as something completely different: as the repudiation of reconciliation between Christians and Jews, and thus as the reversal of what the Council had laid down in this regard to guide the Church's path. A gesture of reconciliation with an ecclesial group engaged in a process of separation thus turned into its very antithesis: an apparent step backwards with regard to all the steps of reconciliation between Christians and Jews taken since the Council - steps which my own work as a theologian had sought from the beginning to take part in and support. That this overlapping of two opposed processes took place and momentarily upset peace between Christians and Jews, as well as peace within the Church, is something which I can only deeply deplore. I have been told that consulting the information available on the internet would have made it possible to perceive the problem early on. I have learned the lesson that in the future in the Holy See we will have to pay greater attention to that source of news. I was saddened by the fact that even Catholics who, after all, might have had a better knowledge of the situation, thought they had to attack me with open hostility. Precisely for this reason I thank all the more our Jewish friends, who quickly helped to clear up the misunderstanding and to restore the atmosphere of friendship and trust which - as in the days of Pope John Paul II - has also existed throughout my pontificate and, thank God, continues to exist.

"Another mistake, which I deeply regret, is the fact that the extent and limits of the provision of 21 January 2009 were not clearly and adequately explained at the moment of its publication. The excommunication affects individuals, not institutions. An episcopal ordination lacking a pontifical mandate raises the danger of a schism, since it jeopardises the unity of the College of Bishops with the Pope. Consequently the Church must react by employing her most severe punishment - excommunication - with the aim of calling those thus punished to repent and to return to unity. Twenty years after the ordinations, this goal has sadly not yet been attained. The remission of the excommunication has the same aim as that of the punishment: namely, to invite the four bishops once more to return. This gesture was possible once the interested parties had expressed their recognition in principle of the Pope and his authority as Pastor, albeit with some reservations in the area of obedience to his doctrinal authority and to the authority of the Council. Here I return to the distinction between individuals and institutions. The remission of the excommunication was a measure taken in the field of ecclesiastical discipline: the individuals were freed from the burden of conscience constituted by the most serious of ecclesiastical penalties. This disciplinary level needs to be distinguished from the doctrinal level. The fact that the Society of Saint Pius X does not possess a canonical status in the Church is not, in the end, based on disciplinary but on doctrinal reasons. As long as the society does not have a canonical status in the Church, its ministers do not exercise legitimate ministries in the Church. There needs to be a distinction, then, between the disciplinary level, which deals with individuals as such, and the doctrinal level, at which ministry and institution are involved. In order to make this clear once again: until the doctrinal questions are clarified, the society has no canonical status in the Church, and its ministers - even though they have been freed of the ecclesiastical penalty - do not legitimately exercise any ministry in the Church.

"In light of this situation, it is my intention henceforth to join the Pontifical Commission 'Ecclesia Dei' - the body which has been competent since 1988 for those communities and persons who, coming from the Society of Saint Pius X or from similar groups, wish to return to full communion with the Pope - to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. This will make it clear that the problems now to be addressed are essentially doctrinal in nature and concern primarily the acceptance of the Vatican Council II and the post-conciliar Magisterium of the Popes. The collegial bodies with which the congregation studies questions which arise (especially the ordinary Wednesday meeting of cardinals and the annual or biennial plenary session) ensure the involvement of the prefects of the different Roman congregations and representatives from the world's bishops in the process of decision-making. The Church's teaching authority cannot be frozen in the year 1962 - this must be quite clear to the Society. But some of those who put themselves forward as great defenders of the Council also need to be reminded that Vatican II embraces the entire doctrinal history of the Church. Anyone who wishes to be obedient to the Council has to accept the faith professed over the centuries, and cannot sever the roots from which the tree draws its life.

"I hope, dear brothers, that this serves to clarify the positive significance and also the limits of the provision of 21 January 2009. But the question still remains: Was this measure needed? Was it really a priority? Aren't other things perhaps more important? Of course there are more important and urgent matters. I believe that I set forth clearly the priorities of my pontificate in the addresses which I gave at its beginning. Everything that I said then continues unchanged as my plan of action. The first priority for the Successor of Peter was laid down by the Lord in the Upper Room in the clearest of terms: 'You ... strengthen your brothers'. Peter himself formulated this priority anew in his first Letter: 'Always be prepared to make a defence to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you'. In our days, when in vast areas of the world the faith is in danger of dying out like a flame which no longer has fuel, the overriding priority is to make God present in this world and to show men and women the way to God. Not just any god, but the God Who spoke on Sinai; to that God Whose face we recognise in a love which presses 'to the end' - in Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. The real problem at this moment of our history is that God is disappearing from the human horizon, and, with the dimming of the light which comes from God, humanity is losing its bearings, with increasingly evident destructive effects.

"Leading men and women to God, to the God Who speaks in the Bible: this is the supreme and fundamental priority of the Church and of the Successor of Peter at the present time. A logical consequence of this is that we must have at heart the unity of all believers. Their disunity, their disagreement among themselves, calls into question the credibility of their talk of God. Hence the effort to promote a common witness by Christians to their faith - ecumenism - is part of the supreme priority. Added to this is the need for all those who believe in God to join in seeking peace, to attempt to draw closer to one another, and to journey together, even with their differing images of God, towards the source of Light - this is inter-religious dialogue. Whoever proclaims that God is Love 'to the end' has to bear witness to love: in loving devotion to the suffering, in the rejection of hatred and enmity - this is the social dimension of the Christian faith, of which I spoke in the Encyclical 'Deus caritas est'.

"So if the arduous task of working for faith, hope and love in the world is presently (and, in various ways, always) the Church's real priority, then part of this is also made up of acts of reconciliation, small and not so small. That the quiet gesture of extending a hand gave rise to a huge uproar, and thus became exactly the opposite of a gesture of reconciliation, is a fact which we must accept. But I ask now: Was it, and is it, truly wrong in this case to meet half-way the brother who 'has something against you' and to seek reconciliation? Should not civil society also try to forestall forms of extremism and to incorporate their eventual adherents - to the extent possible - in the great currents shaping social life, and thus avoid their being segregated, with all its consequences? Can it be completely mistaken to work to break down obstinacy and narrowness, and to make space for what is positive and retrievable for the whole? I myself saw, in the years after 1988, how the return of communities which had been separated from Rome changed their interior attitudes; I saw how returning to the bigger and broader Church enabled them to move beyond one-sided positions and broke down rigidity so that positive energies could emerge for the whole. Can we be totally indifferent about a community which has 491 priests, 215 seminarians, 6 seminaries, 88 schools, 2 university-level institutes, 117 religious brothers, 164 religious sisters and thousands of lay faithful? Should we casually let them drift farther from the Church? I think for example of the 491 priests. We cannot know how mixed their motives may be. All the same, I do not think that they would have chosen the priesthood if, alongside various distorted and unhealthy elements, they did not have a love for Christ and a desire to proclaim Him and, with Him, the living God. Can we simply exclude them, as representatives of a radical fringe, from our pursuit of reconciliation and unity? What would then become of them?

"Certainly, for some time now, and once again on this specific occasion, we have heard from some representatives of that community many unpleasant things - arrogance and presumptuousness, an obsession with one-sided positions, etc. Yet to tell the truth, I must add that I have also received a number of touching testimonials of gratitude which clearly showed an openness of heart. But should not the great Church also allow herself to be generous in the knowledge of her great breadth, in the knowledge of the promise made to her? Should not we, as good educators, also be capable of overlooking various faults and making every effort to open up broader vistas? And should we not admit that some unpleasant things have also emerged in Church circles? At times one gets the impression that our society needs to have at least one group to which no tolerance may be shown; which one can easily attack and hate. And should someone dare to approach them - in this case the Pope - he too loses any right to tolerance; he too can be treated hatefully, without misgiving or restraint.

"Dear Brothers, during the days when I first had the idea of writing this letter, by chance, during a visit to the Roman Seminary, I had to interpret and comment on Galatians 5:13-15. I was surprised at the directness with which that passage speaks to us about the present moment: 'Do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another'. I am always tempted to see these words as another of the rhetorical excesses which we occasionally find in St. Paul. To some extent that may also be the case. But sad to say, this 'biting and devouring' also exists in the Church today, as expression of a poorly understood freedom. Should we be surprised that we too are no better than the Galatians? That at the very least we are threatened by the same temptations? That we must always learn anew the proper use of freedom? And that we must always learn anew the supreme priority, which is love? The day I spoke about this at the Major Seminary, the feast of Our Lady of Trust was being celebrated in Rome. And so it is: Mary teaches us trust. She leads us to her Son, in Whom all of us can put our trust. He will be our guide - even in turbulent times. And so I would like to offer heartfelt thanks to all the many bishops who have lately offered me touching tokens of trust and affection, and above all assured me of their prayers. My thanks also go to all the faithful who in these days have given me testimony of their constant fidelity to the Successor of St. Peter. May the Lord protect all of us and guide our steps along the way of peace. This is the prayer that rises up instinctively from my heart at the beginning of this Lent, a liturgical season particularly suited to interior purification, one which invites all of us to look with renewed hope to the light which awaits us at Easter

"With a special Apostolic Blessing, I remain Yours in the Lord".

BXVI-LETTER/EXCOMMUNICATION BISHOPS/... VIS 090312 (2540)

Vatican, Europe; Great Britain; Europe: SSPXer's apology not enough: Vatican

2009-02-28T09:02:00.005+02:00

(Tridentine South(And Southern) Africa; c.f. Catholic World News (Catholic; Independent; American) 27 / 02 / 2009; BBC World News (Secular; Governmental; British) 27 / 02 / 2009; Rorate Caeli ("Catholic"; American?; Independent) 19 / 02 / 2009: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2009/02/argentina-expels-bishop-williamson.html; Zenit News (Catholic; Independent; American) 26 / 02 / 2009; 30 / 01 / 2009; 27 / 02 / 2009 )

Article by Marc Aupiais

Bishop Richard Williamson, of the SSPX/FSSPX ( "Priestly"/"Fraternal Society of Saint Pius X"), which is a suspended movement, not in full communion with Rome, has apologized for any "Scandal", caused by his comments on the holocaust, and admitted, that he is not a historian. He claims that loosely/vaguely referred to information which he fronts was "available" 20 years ago but not available to the general public, currently: had lead him to believe that the holocaust/Shoah extent was basically some sort of myth.

While apologizing for harm caused by his comments, Williamson, of "Great Britain" has not said enough to revoke them, but only apologized for harm caused. Father Lombardi of the Vatican, has said that his statements do not meet the requirements given to the SSPX Bishop. The Vatican is refering to their demand of a full revocation of the SSPX Bishop's previous denial of the extent of the Genocide known as the "Holocaust", or as "Shoah". Jewish groups say that the "apology" does not revoke his previous statements.

According to Zenit News, Williamson, is not a Catholic Bishop, as the lifting of the excommunications is not the legitimizing of his valid, but illicit ordination, for which he was excommunicated officially. Williamson was recently kicked out of Argentina, for allegedly falsifying information on his visa application in the country: stating that he was employed by a non-governmental organization. He had previously been at a post in an Argentine SSPX seminary, from which the SSPX removed him earlier this year. The Argentine government also apposed his views on the holocaust/Shoah as unacceptable. Large portions of Argentine society, and their electoral roll are Jewish: as compared other Jewish proportions elsewhere in the world. The comments of the Argentine government seem a definite political necessity for Argentina, however: the falsification, that he was working for: "La Tradición", an NGO (non-governmental organization), when in fact he was working as a Priest for the SSPX, which was highlighted by "Rorate Caeli" , quoting La Nación, an Argentine daily, and: "Florencio Randazzo", Argentina's "Interior Minister", is widely enough of a reason to expel him.

Landing in "Great Britain", he falls under certain treaties, which may see him stand trial for the crime of "Holocaust Denial", in Germany. Besides being a historial fact, the extent of the holocaust, killing at least 6 million Jewish members of humanity, it is a highly sensitive issue.

The Vatican claims that they had no knowledge of the Lefebvrite bishop's views on the holocaust/Shoah, when determining whether or not to lift his excommunication: to push forward ecumenical talks between the mainstream and the SSPX priestly schism. The Vatican has also, in the past: lifted the excommunication on the Orthodox Patriarch of at least one, if not many a Eastern Orthodox church, this does not make them a Catholic Patriarch, it is simply ecumenism: how much more in the case of SSPX? (This comparison lies only in the act of lifting excommunications, as compared with the implications, nothing is implied about Eastern Orthodox Churches by it).

Four Leferbvrite bishops, have had their extreme punishment, of an excommunication only the papacy could lift: lifted recently. They were excommunicated, along with Marcel Leverbre, when Leverbvre attempted to ordain them as bishops without Vatican authority. According to Zenit News, the four never were, and still are not Catholic bishops under Canon law.

Williamson's SSPX superior SSPX Bishop Fellay, has asked for him to revoke his views on the holocaust/Shoah, and does not publicly deny the Shoah/Holocaust happened and killed at least 6 million Jewish people.

Note: The word Holocaust has the connotation of a sacrifice to God, however, in order to avoid the connotation, many use Shoah, to describe the events: as this is the Hebrew word for "Calamity". News services, such as this one, do not imply anything theological by using the word holocaust. We believe that the World War II Holocaust, is not some sacrifice to God, but rather a Genocide, the word Holocaust, is simply the most often used phrase, in general usage, by which the World War II Nazi perpetrated Genocide: is referred to.

Brazil: priest suspended for heresy, condoms, a desire to have priests have sex?, and Gay marriage statements

2009-02-28T07:52:00.002+02:00

(Tridentine South (And Southern) Africa; c.f. BBC World News (Secular; British; Government) 27 / 02 / 2009)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Father Luiz Couto, has done a Williamson: he has expressed views the church cannot but appose, though different from that of the suspended schismatic.

He says that condoms are needed for public health, and considers himself to be fighting unfair "discrimination", by the church: by supporting what he calls "gay rights", in an interview that the BBC says was over contraception, and "Gay Marriage".

He (Father Couto) is also active in politics, and an: "elected member of Congress for President Lula's Workers' Party" (BBC World News (Secular; British; Government) 27 / 02 / 2009) in Brazil. The fact, that this also is against Canon law, and that he should be penalized for this itself: as clergy are not allowed to become government, or political officials in parties: has not seemingly been noted by his archbishop: "Aldo Pagotto", of Paraiba, who used the word "intolerable", and has demanded a revocation, before the priest resume his duties. That the church in Brazil has seemingly ignored his participation in politics, in a manner which seems unfitting, is sad, but like Williamson, Father Luiz Couto, has finally gone too far.

The church, which worships Yahweh ("Reality", the perquisite on which existence relies), the Catholic God, cannot ignore the facts. Father Luiz Couto, however, has stated that he has not officially been informed of the situation, and will perform the mass, with friends at his home. He seems to view most of his actions as pro-"human rights", and not anti-magisterial.

South Africa: "Hurley's War": Former Durban Bishop's seeming disobediance to the Vatican

2009-02-27T17:50:00.000+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa ; c.f. UNWire (American; Secular; Independent) 12 / 07 / 2001; BBC World News 30 / 06 / 2009; IOL (Secular; Independent; South African) 01 / 08 / 2001)

Article by Marc Aupiais

This is partly a retraction, and partly an expose. We previously attested to Hurley's Character, based on a verbal interview of someone who knew of him, when a letter from a person claiming to be a certain person in the SSPX, was sent to us, which we published with permission. They have not answered us, as to whether or not they consider themselves to be in any sort of schism, or other accusations, we put to them in order to understand their perspective.

Their claims against Hurley, they also did not back up, except using the Latin mass situation, where we did not validate their claims, and still do not. As they did not back up their statements much at all involving the former Late Bishop of Durban, we assumed these baseless, or uninteresting, and ignored them: until another Catholic source approached us on the matter, and we were forced to look into it, by our belief in Journalistic Integrity.

Denis Hurley, is almost considered a Saint in South Africa. He is an Apartheid activist, and well known for it. IOL, however, reports that in 2001, he supported the use of condoms, and even apparently insinuated some things about Women Priests.

Napier, his successor, and a cardinal, Cardinal of Durban: announced around the same time, that the Southern African Bishops Conference, thought the use of condoms to be ill advised. Theirs are claims, based on some statistics, and observances, that a condom focused campaign may increase proportional, or other rates of HIV/AIDS.

Women "Priests", are not considered to exist, or to be something ever to exist in the Catholic church: helping a woman to be "ordained" as a priest, automatically excommunicates one from the Catholic church, if one is partly responsible for her ordination, and other factors are present. It is considered heresy to suggest that the Catholic church can ordain women "priests", now or ever.

One incurs automatic excommunication for heresy. Condoms, are also considered intrinsically evil in Catholic Doctrine, with reference to Onan, killed by God, for using artificial contraception / spilling his seed outside the womb.

A recent program aired on SABC 2 (A government Station in South Africa), in which an amount of Catholic priests, in South Africa: appeared to support the ordination of Women, however, we do not have the context of their interviews, and therefore cannot inform of their status as to canon law with absolute certainty.

Besides this: promotion of marriage, and morality, in schools, has shown more positive results than that of contraceptive campaigns, in America, according to the EWTN network.

Catholics are allowed to use certain natural forms of Contraception, among these is the temperature method, considered effective by many including the American Government's health organization:

"Conclusion 1. Studies conducted in Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Mauritius and the United States have demonstrated a 99% method effectiveness for the Sympto-Thermal and Temperature-Only Methods. These studies were conducted under a variety of conditions and demonstrate beyond any reasonable question of a doubt that this extremely high effectiveness can be achieved by ordinary couples who receive adequate instruction and follow the relatively simple rules of these methods."

(Couple to Couple League: information)
http://ccli.org/nfp/basics/effectiveness-p02.php

However valid, or invalid, observations, that Condoms have a possible negative effect in the fight against HIV/AIDS (a disease 1 in 5 South Africans have)) are: that condoms may increase HIV/AIDS infection/transmission rates, or that campaigns or support of use of these, may be a bad move, these observations/perspectives seem to be the Position of the Southern African Catholic Bishops, when the controversy broke, but not of the Late Bishop Hurley, and currently at least one other Dissenter.

The Late Bishop Denis Hurley, of Durban, and current Bishop Kevin Dowling, of Rustenberg, both support the use of condoms. Both are recorded in several sources as having publicly asserted support for use of condoms.

Condoms are condemned as masturbation, and as artificial contraception by the church, and considered a possible cause of the HIV epidemic in South Africa, by sections of Catholic society.

Other than these two dissidents on the matter, one dead:
Most bishops in Southern Africa appear to support the church on the Contraception, even as the Southern Cross, a paper seemingly partially owned by the bishops; and sold in parishes: does seem to promote both abortionist perspective, and the use of condoms, as attested to by "Catholic Culture"/'Trinity communications, in a review, requested by our organization, of the Southern Cross's Internet service (Review:http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/reviews/view.cfm?recnum=4135). The Southern Cross is among voices noted at the time the Bishops rejects the idea of allowing condoms in South Africa: as being in support of allowing use of condoms, this by the BBC.

Trinity Communications, in the review of the Southern Cross's internet site: states:

"It doesn't take long to discover that this website has many articles that are not faithful to the Magisterium of the Church. It attacks the latest Vatican move to screen priests as "unfair" discrimination against gays, and undermines the Church's teaching on contraception and abortion. It has also heralded Barack Obama as a savior."

(25 / 11 / 2008)

Bishop Dowling of Rustenberg, has beyond supporting condoms, undermined Vatican choices in the Southern Cross: calling "Anger" over liturgical changes by the Vatican "Fair", in an article published in the "Southern Cross". The Southern Cross, has on many occasions undermined the Vatican, and misrepresents the apparent "Extent" of anger.

The Southern Cross, and "Catholic News Service", both noted, directly or indirectly an apparent mistake by the bishops, however, having helped promote a survey on the matter, I disagree, and call to account questions on their accuracy, or proportion on these matters: as to their view on liturgical changes:

In dispute of what the Southern Cross published, I personally helped, having been requested to assist: the Bishops conference to do a survey on the Liturgical changes, and as many people as dislike these changes, the last time I checked the survey: think we should get on with these alterations:

further, these changes seem ecumenical towards the SSPX suspended movement, and seem to promote a better understanding of the mass. With about ten percent mass attendance in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg's recent survey of parishioners, a return to a formula which truly worked, may well be of benefit. My help involved promotion of the survey, in which I was given different peoples' views, and told them where to vote on where they lay as to the changes. The survey was fair and encompassing of wide perspectives.

Briatian; Argentina; SSPX schism: Williamson Returns to UK

2009-02-27T16:15:00.002+02:00

FSSP launches Prayer for Benedict XVI: the FSSP left the SSPX for the Church

2009-02-14T10:11:00.001+02:00

(Tridentine South (and Southern) Africa; c.f. FSSP France (Catholic; Religious Order; French) __/__/__; FSSP Englsih (Catholic; religious Order; English speaking)__/__/__; Zenit News Service: French Edition (American; Catholic; Independent) 13 / 02 / 2009)

Article by Marc Aupiais

According to Zenit News: French Edition: the FSSP is launching a prayer campaign for supporting the current pontiff: Pope Benedict XVI: who was born in Germany.

The FSSP (Fraternal Society of Saint Peter), has a history: they are a group created within the church: of those returning from the SSPX (FSSPX : Fraternal Society of Saint Pius X) suspended movement. They have lamented what they term to be attacks on the church via media: and have asked for the following:

The Priestly Society of Saint Peter: has requested that we start a Novena on today: the 14th February, until the Fest of the "Chair/See of Saint Peter", on the 22nd of February.
The Novena will consist of the following:
Novena for the Pope

An "Our father", three "Hail Mary"'s, a "Glory Be"

and this prayer:

(we have tried to translate the french prayer: suggest a better translation to us if you know one!:

"Pray for our Holy Father: Pope Benedict XVI.
May the Lord guard him, He gives life, make it (the pope?) happy on earth and do not offer him to the power of his enemies.

V. You are Peter. (quoting bible: Peter and rock are the same word: pope: referring to successor of Peter)
R. And on this rock I will build my Church.

God eternal and almighty, have mercy on your servant, our Pope Benedict XVI, and in your goodness, guide him into the path of eternal salvation, so that by the gift of your grace, it (he) looks as it (he?) pleases and the performance (in the performance?) of its (his?) power. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Mater Ecclesiae, ora pro nobis
Sancte Petre, ora pro nobis"

Daily for that period!

For your comprehension

"Mater Ecclesiae, ora pro nobis" is Latin for:
"Mother Church: Pray for us"
"Sancte Petre, ora pro nobis": "Saint Peter, Pray for us"

A better translation that that is given by the English speaking section of FSSP:

"Novena for the Pope:
Pater Noster, 3 Ave Maria, Gloria Patri

Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory be.

V. Orémus pro Pontífice nostro Benedícto.
R. Dóminus consérvet eum, et vivíficet eum, et beátum fáciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in ánimam inimicórum eius.

V: Let us pray for our Pope Benedict.
R: May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

V. Tu es Petrus.
R. Et super hanc petram ædificábo Ecclésiam meam.

V. Thou art Peter,
R. And upon this Rock, I will build My Church.

Orémus.
Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, miserére fámulo tuo Pontífici nostro Benedícto : et dírige eum secúndum tuam cleméntiam in viam salútis ætérnæ : ut, te donánte, tibi plácita cúpiat, et tota virtúte perfíciat. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. R. Amen.

Let us Pray,
Almighty and everlasting God, have mercy upon your servant, Benedict, our Sovereign Pontiff, and guide him in your goodness on the way of eternal salvation; so that, with the prompting of your grace, he may desire what pleases you and accomplish it with all his strength. Through Christ Our Lord. R. Amen.

Mater Ecclésiæ, ora pro nobis.
Sancte Petre, ora pro nobis.

V. Mother of the Church. R. Pray for us
V. St. Peter. R. Pray for us

"

http://www.fssp.org/objet/com20090212.htm

pray either the Latin or the English.

mentioning this effort, is not an endorsement of it!

SSPX sidelines Holocaust Deniers

2009-02-09T20:32:00.006+02:00

(Altered Persuasion ; c.f. Rorate Calei (Catholic; Independent; Traditional) 09 / 02 / 2009; 08 / 02 / 2009; Zenit News Service (Catholic; Independent; American): Italian edition 08 / 02 / 2009; BBC World News (Secular; British; Governmental) 22 / 11 / 2005)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Rorate Caeli: one of the most efficient sources on the SSPX schismatic / suspended movement: is reporting firm actions by the society against an SSPX/FSSPX Bishop, who denied the extent of the holocaust. Bishop Williamson, having been illicitly ordained as a bishop, a man who along with his companions in the "Society of st. Pius X", is still suspended under canon law: has been removed from his noted post of director: at an SSPX seminary: "La Reja"; something which was apparently done for the "Good" (extrapolation by us: "not want to hurt the society", would be a better translation) of the society, an action reportedly accepted by Williamson as necessary. Meanwhile, a Zenit Report, in Italian: on Sunday: covered the expulsion of a: Father Don Floriano Abrahamowicz, from the society.

While Zenit sees this (the expulsion of a: Father Don Floriano Abrahamowicz, from the society) to possibly be linked to other events: as a rebuke of his shared views: with Williamson on the Holocaust: not killing 6 million Jews: at least one source within SSPX parishioners' ranks: is claiming: that the man in question was expelled: not for his view on the Jews and concentration camps, but alleges that he was expelled for a separate matter involving suspicions of the man: involving sedevacanism. Sedevacanism, the view that the See of Peter (Papacy) is "vacant": is denounced by mainstream catholicism: and is something that the SSPX, not only does not officially believe: but rather: officially apposes, as wrong.

The SSPX claimed that the second decision: while "painful" (possible English translation): was necessary to prevent the image of the SSPX, from being "distorted" (another possible translation).

Meanwhile: the Vatican and the German Chancellor: Angela Merkel, a member of the "Christian Democratic Union" (CDU) Party: which traditionally was lead by Catholics, and, in contrast to that previous norm: Protestant in her system of belief: have (The Vatican and German Chancellor) reportedly had a cordial telephone conversation. Allegations against Benedict XVI's name: by the German Chancellor: Angela Merkel; that he had not strongly enough rebuked Bishop Williamson: were followed by a Vatican statement: that Bishop Williamson would not have his current suspension of powers: lifted unless he publicly altered his views on the Holocaust. The conversation reportedly involved mutual discussion on the importants of seeing the Holocaust as a warning. Both apparently hold the same view of the Holocaust. The Vatican's press office: has reportedly noted that benedict XVI: allegedly had no knowledge of the statements of SSPX Bishop Williamson: at the time he lifted the man's excommunication: in order to pass an impasse in negotiations with the "Society" (SSPX).

Catholics are discouraged from attending SSPX masses. Sedivacanism, also mentioned: can be consiodered an act of Schism: while disagreeing with the Papacy: the Society, still claims to serve the papacy, and church.

South Africa: Latin (Tridentine) mass Schedule in Johannesburg for the Coming Months

2009-02-07T14:58:00.006+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa )

Article by Marc Aupiais

The Following are details given to Scripturelink News , by a helpful, and efficient source at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Archdiocese of Johannesburg , Johannesburg:

Note from us, the following is a quotation, the information of external sources is not guaranteed, but usually accurate, nor is such an endorsement. The Cathedral has been successfully performing the latin Mass, under the guidance of the Hierarchy.

Release to us:

"Latin Mass at the Cathedral.

Pope Benedict XVI promulgated the Motu Proprio 'Summorum Pontificum" which made it clear that the traditional Latin Mass TLM had never been abrogated and could be celebrated. On 2 December 2008 at the Cathedral of Crist the King, Fr Shaun Mary von Lillenfeld, Cathedral Administrator, celebrated the ancient Roman liturgy for the first time in South Africa.
The use of the Latin-English missallettes makes it possible for the faithful to prayerfully follow the age-old prayers and rubric and the congregation make the LAtin responses. To date, Johannesburg Cathedral is the only Cathedral in South Africa where the TLM has been celebrated under the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum.
For those interested in attending, the TLM is celebrated three times a week. On Tuesday and Thursday at 17h30 and on Saturdays at o7h30. On the first and fifth Sundays of each month Mass is celebrated at 11h30. Further information can be obtained at the Cathedral on 011 402 6342.
However in the month of March the MTLM will be celebrated on the third and fith Sundays of the month at 11h30.

Hoping this is useful to you.

Kindest regards in Jesus name"

With Thanks to our source, from the Cathedral's Staff, for this valuable information, and all the help and effort gone to; this is the Schedule in coming months: so far.

This is the information they gave us.

Marc Aupiais
Editor
http://tridentinesa.blogspot.com

BBC Reports on the Papacy's strongest yet condemnation of Holocaust denial: "revoke: or never be readministered to ministery" (Paraphrase): Pope to Williamson

2009-02-04T20:36:00.002+02:00

(Insider Confessions Analysis; c.f. BBC World News (Secular; British; Government; a source we find professional) 04 / 02 / 2009 (4th Feb 2009 16:51 GMT + 2); VIS: Vatican Information Service: 04 / 02 / 2009; Rorate Caeli (Catholic; Traditionalist; independent; not endorsed by us) February Archives )

Article by Marc Aupiais

While the Vatican has issued another strong Statement against Williamson's holocaust denial: BBC World News: Reports that the Vatican will not allow SSPX Bishop Williamson (anointed against the wishes of the Vatican, during the pontificate of Pope John Paul the Second) to return to duty: until he recants his views: essentially preventing him, as he and his fellow SSPX bishops and priests: currently already are prevented: from exercising legitimately: authority as a bishop (or as a priest). Essentially: this signs another possible impasse between the Society and the Church: which could prevent any visible and real Unification from occurring(the society is still not permitted to exist or operate by the church).

Vatican Information Service Reports:

"POPE'S CONDEMNATION OF HOLOCAUST DENIAL IS CLEAR

VATICAN CITY, 4 FEB 2009 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. made the following declaration yesterday afternoon:

"With reference to the latest requests for clarification concerning the position of the Pope and the Catholic Church on the subject of the Holocaust, it should be borne in mind that the Pope's ideas on this matter were very clearly expressed at the synagogue of Cologne, Germany, on 19 August 2005, at the concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau on 28 May 2006, in the general audience of 31 May 2006 and, more recently, at the end of his general audience of 28 January this year, with unambiguous words of which we highlight the following: 'As I once again affectionately express my full and indisputable solidarity with our Brothers and Sisters who received the First Covenant, I trust that the memory of the Shoah will induce humankind to reflect upon the unpredictable power of evil when it conquers the heart of man. May the Shoah be for everyone an admonition against oblivion, negation and reductionism...

"The condemnation of Holocaust denial could not have been clearer, and from the context it is obvious that this also referred to the views of Msgr. Williamson and to all similar views. On the same occasion the Pope also clearly explained the purpose of the remission of the excommunication, which has nothing to do with legitimising Holocaust denial - something that, as we have explained, he clearly condemns".
OP/POPE HOLOCAUST/LOMBARDI VIS 090204 (260)"

(Online Version: VIS: Vatican Information Service: 04 / 02 / 2009)

BBC world news, which has been commended on professional handling of the Williamson issue: has reported that the Papacy has stated that they will not readmit English SSPX Schismatic: Bishop Williamson into the Roman Catholic Church's ministry: unless he recants his views on the holocaust. Williamson, as with all members of the "Priestly Fraternity" of the irregular grouping known as the SSPX, are still suspended, and not permitted to act as priests or as bishops. Their lifting of excommunication allows them to confess, but not give confession, they are essentially being treated as normal members of the Catholic church: and not as bishops as yet.

Williamson's grave penalty of latae sententiae excommunication, occurred as he accepted SSPX founder: Marcel Lefebvre's anointing as bishop: against the wishes of the Vatican.

While lifting this specific excommunication: in order to pass an impasse with the society: in which they were demanding both this: and wide availability of the Latin Mass: in the regular church: before negotiations continued: the Vatican did not lift the suspensions of either the SSPX Bishops, or of their priests,and the status of the society remains the same: with Catholics deterred from attending their masses: if at all viable.

According to BBC:

"A statement said Bishop Richard Williamson must "unequivocally" distance himself from his statements to serve in the Roman Catholic Church."

(BBC World News (Secular; British; Government; a source we find professional) 04 / 02 / 2009 (4th Feb 2009 16:51 GMT + 2))

Meanwhile: traditionalist blog: Rorate Caeli: claims that the whole situation: was somehow orchestrated to make the papacy look bad. According to them:

Fiammetta Venner, who they name a "lesbian" activist, along with her"partner", informed the Swiss press of the infamous (up to "300 000" Jews Gassed- claims by Williamson) interview: actually based, according to them: on a Canadian interview, which the SSPX Bishop was asked about. Rorate Caeli, quotes a document sent them, which claims that it, along with other events; were considered (according to a document sent them) too well timed: and they seem to claim that there likely is a Vatican document: alleging a plot, involving someone inside the Vatican.

While the actual post does not have a permanent link, which we can find: their comments window, with 55 comments, has the option to view the original post: this is the link to such:

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=19978542&postID=6685582117221088431

Rorate Caeli, were one of, if not, the first source to air on the lifting of the excommunications: before this occurred, and are highly regarded by many sources: they have been quoted on both SSPX and mainstream internet sources. Rorate Caeli claims to have been informed of such, before several Italian Journalists aired the possibility of forces within the Vatican, or a force: working to disrupt the Image of Benedict XVI. They claimed, that they had believed that these claims should not have been aired by them, as Rorate Caeli: before being noted elsewhere: which has occurred. We cannot verify the Rorate Caeli claims, or that of those they note to have also released such. They are, however interesting, and certainly warrant investigation. French Secular paper: Liberation, itself, sees the blunder of the Vatican, as odd: considering the manner in which Benedict XVI has dealt with the Jewish communities in the past.

According to the BBC, the papacy had no knowledge of the comments/situation of Bishop Williamson, in this they quote:"Cardinal Walter Kasper, who is in charge of relations between the Roman Catholic Church and Jewish leaders," who "admitted different parts of the Vatican administration had not talked enough to each other, and failed to check where problems could arise." (Both quotations in this paragraph: BBC World News (Secular; British; Government; a source we find professional) 04 / 02 / 2009 (4th Feb 2009 16:51 GMT + 2)).

Whether or not there was a plot: one can almost be assured: that the Vatican's press, and / or public relations related functions: need to investigate: how it was possible that the Papacy was not given the information needed to predict what occurred, or to be able to release a press statement with the excommunications' lifting: which would have clarified what they have now had to say.

While the SSPX's top brass are no longer under the harshest punishment of the church: their members still operate without license of the church, and their bishops are still suspended, as with their priests. Except in necessity, Catholics are warned to avoid their masses. Except where their is chance of death: their Sacrament of Confession must not be asked of them.

Before the SSPX can be readmitted to the Catholic church: acceptance of the authority of Vatican II, is likely a non-negotiable. The so-called "Society of Saint Pope Pius X" (SSPX), was formed to reject certain reforms occurring because of the council, even though the Late Marcel Lefebvre's signature, is clearly recorded on the council: and despite the direct affirmation by the papacy, speaking outside of the council: during the council's duration (Ecclesiam Suam point number #6), via an encyclical: as an "Ecumenical" council.

Vatican I, defines the code by which Vatican II, is to be universally accepted as free from doctrinal and moral error, as the church: by the faithful within Holy Mother Church.

Views about Judaism, and the holocaust within the society itself, may differ, especially when dealing with parishioners: which are not officially defined: as to whether or not en masse they are in schism (some are, some are apparently not): our news source monitors several traditionalist, and SSPX sources online, and we also have personal contact points within the irregular grouping: at different levels: via which we are able to gain a gauge of their activities and perceptions. Tough negotiations lie ahead of Vatican and society, and many obsticles: before the Society can once again rejoin the church.

Two well read traditionalist sources: Rorarti Caeli, and Fr Z, the first of which we monitor, the second of which we know of: but where the information was come accross, while browsing the internet for sources, and information: both seem to affirm: that Catholics are to treat the society in the same manner.

Rorati Caeli covers the their analysis of the current status of SSPX here, quoting what they say is a article in an edition of: L'Osservatore Romano:

"NOTE OF THE SECRETARIAT OF STATE

Following the reactions caused by the recent Decree of the Congregation for Bishops, with which the excommunication of the four Prelates of the Fraternity of Saint Pius X was remitted, and regarding the negationist or reductionist declarations on the Shoah from Bishop Williamson, of the same Fraternity, it is considered convenient to clarify a few aspects of past events.

1. Remission of the excommunication.

As already published previously, the Decree of the Congregation for Bishops, dated January 21, 2009, was an act by which the Holy Father graciously responded to the reiterated requests by the Superior General of the Fraternity of Saint Pius X.

His Holiness desired to remove an obstacle which prevented the opening of a door to dialogue. He now expects that an equal disposition will be expressed by the four Bishops in complete adherence to the doctrine and the discipline of the Church.

The extremely grave censure of latae sententiae excommunication, in which the aforementioned Bishops had incurred on June 30, 1988, then formally declared on July 1 of the same year, was a consequence of their illegitimate ordinarion by Mons. Marcel Lefebvre.

The removal of the excommunication released the four Bishops from an extremely grave canonical censure, but has not changed the juridical position of the Fraternity of Saint Pius X which, at the current moment, does not enjoy any canonical recognition by the Catholic Church. Not even the four Bishops, though released from the excommunication, have a canonical function in the Church and they do not exercise licitly a ministry in it.

2. Tradition, doctrine, and the Second Vatican Council.

For a future recognition of the Fraternity of Saint Pius X, the full recognition of the Second Vatican Council and of the Magisterium of Popes John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II, and of the same Benedict XVI is an indispensable condition

As it was already affirmed in the Decree of January 21, 2009, the Holy See will not avoid, in ways deemed appropriate, discussing with the interested [party] the still open questions, so as to be able to reach a full and satisfactory resolution of the problems which originated this painful division.

3. Declarations on the Shoah

The positions of Mons. Williamson on the Shoah are absolutely unacceptable and firmly rejected by the Holy Father, as he himself remarked on the past January 28, when, referring to that brutal genocide, reaffirmed his full and unquestionable solidarity with our Brethren receivers of the First Covenant, and affirmed that the memory of that terrible genocide must lead "mankind to reflect on the unpredictable power of evil when it conquers the heart of man", adding that the Shoah remains "for all a warning against forgetfulness, against denial or reductionism, because the violence against a single human being is violence against all".

Bishop Williamson, for an admission to episcopal functions in the Church, will also have to declare, in an absolutely unequivocal and public manner, distance from his positions regarding the Shoah, unknown to the Holy Father in the moment of the remission of the excommunication.

The Holy Father asks to be joined by the prayers of all the faithful, so that the Lord may enlighten the path of the Church. May the effort of the Pastors and of all the faithful increase in support of the delicate and burdensome mission of the Successor of Apostle Peter as "custodian of the unity" in the Church.

From the Vatican, February 4, 2009.

[Translation according to original version,
published in L'Osservatore Romano, February 5, 2009 - PDF file]
____________________________

NOTA DELLA SEGRETERIA DI STATO

A seguito delle reazioni suscitate dal recente Decreto della Congregazione per i Vescovi, con cui si rimette la scomunica ai quattro Presuli della Fraternità San Pio X, e in relazione alle dichiarazioni negazioniste o riduzioniste della Shoah da parte del Vescovo Williamson della medesima Fraternità, si ritiene opportuno chiarire alcuni aspetti della vicenda.

1. Remissione della scomunica.

Come già pubblicato in precedenza, il Decreto della Congregazione per i Vescovi, datato 21 gennaio 2009, è stato un atto con cui il Santo Padre veniva benignamente incontro a reiterate richieste da parte del Superiore Generale della Fraternità San Pio X.

Sua Santità ha voluto togliere un impedimento che pregiudicava l’apertura di una porta al dialogo. Egli ora si attende che uguale disponibilità venga espressa dai quattro Vescovi in totale adesione alla dottrina e alla disciplina della Chiesa.

La gravissima pena della scomunica latae sententiae, in cui detti Vescovi erano incorsi il 30 giugno 1988, dichiarata poi formalmente il 1° luglio dello stesso anno, era una conseguenza della loro ordinazione illegittima da parte di Mons. Marcel Lefebvre.

Lo scioglimento dalla scomunica ha liberato i quattro Vescovi da una pena canonica gravissima, ma non ha cambiato la situazione giuridica della Fraternità San Pio X, che, al momento attuale, non gode di alcun riconoscimento canonico nella Chiesa Cattolica. Anche i quattro Vescovi, benché sciolti dalla scomunica, non hanno una funzione canonica nella Chiesa e non esercitano lecitamente un ministero in essa.

2. Tradizione, dottrina e Concilio Vaticano II.

Per un futuro riconoscimento della Fraternità San Pio X è condizione indispensabile il pieno riconoscimento del Concilio Vaticano II e del Magistero dei Papi Giovanni XXIII, Paolo VI, Giovanni Paolo I, Giovanni Paolo II e dello stesso Benedetto XVI.

Come è già stato affermato nel Decreto del 21 gennaio 2009, la Santa Sede non mancherà, nei modi giudicati opportuni, di approfondire con gli interessati le questioni ancora aperte, così da poter giungere ad una piena e soddisfacente soluzione dei problemi che hanno dato origine a questa dolorosa frattura.

3. Dichiarazioni sulla Shoah.

Le posizioni di Mons. Williamson sulla Shoah sono assolutamente inaccettabili e fermamente rifiutate dal Santo Padre, come Egli stesso ha rimarcato il 28 gennaio scorso quando, riferendosi a quell’efferato genocidio, ha ribadito la Sua piena e indiscutibile solidarietà con i nostri Fratelli destinatari della Prima Alleanza, e ha affermato che la memoria di quel terribile genocidio deve indurre "l’umanità a riflettere sulla imprevedibile potenza del male quando conquista il cuore dell’uomo", aggiungendo che la Shoah resta "per tutti monito contro l’oblio, contro la negazione o il riduzionismo, perché la violenza fatta contro un solo essere umano è violenza contro tutti".

Il Vescovo Williamson, per una ammissione a funzioni episcopali nella Chiesa dovrà anche prendere in modo assolutamente inequivocabile e pubblico le distanze dalle sue posizioni riguardanti la Shoah, non conosciute dal Santo Padre nel momento della remissione della scomunica.

Il Santo Padre chiede l’accompagnamento della preghiera di tutti i fedeli, affinché il Signore illumini il cammino della Chiesa. Cresca l’impegno dei Pastori e di tutti i fedeli a sostegno della delicata e gravosa missione del Successore dell’Apostolo Pietro quale "custode dell’unità" nella Chiesa.

Dal Vaticano, 4 febbraio 2009
posted by New Catholic at 1:29 PM 27 comments"

(Rorate Caeli (Catholic; Traditionalist; independent; not endorsed by us) February Archives)
According to them, this was posted to their site: "WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 04, 2009"

Again, we must link to a comments page, for both the quotation, and the date:

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=19978542&postID=8274620641400657286

"SSPX" Denies connection with una Voce, and claims fr Leslie wasn't theirs, despite newspaper, and sspx sources

2009-01-30T16:12:00.003+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

According to an Article, published on Page one of the Kwazulu Natal (KZN) Mercury paper, a member of the Independent Newspapers (IOL) group: the Catholic church in Durban, has been forbidden, by local church structures, from partaking in the burial of a certain Fr Eldred Leslie. The Newspaper, then goes on to claim:

"Leslie, who was ordained by Hurley in 1968, belonged to the Pope Pius X Society, a right-wing breakaway group."
(29th Jan 2009; IOL; Independent; Secular: appearing in the Mercury, page 1)

Some time ago, we wrote an article, on the fact, that, unlike previous lack of mention of most priests' deaths, the Una Voce group in South Africa, had celebrated the life of a certain "Fr Leslie". Since then, we have received several emails from several sources. Our contacts in the Society itself, were certain the man was SSPX. Una Voce, were furious that we had published suspicions on them.

A certain Christopher Cordeiro, the head of Una Voce: in South Africa: called Fr Leslie:

"by "all" accounts a "good" and "holy" priest and well loved by many in KZN."

(email press release: 26 January 2009 22:16: inverted commas, underlining added in this particular quotation: for emphasis)

The fact: that he is being denied burial: makes this statement suspect: the church only denies burial to those: it believes are likely damned, or are not Catholic.

Claims that he was a "good" and "holy" priest, if Una Voce South Africa were to decide to avoid controversy, as to whether or not they believe SSPX claims, are easily combated: by his zeal to disobey: directly: his bishop, and appose Cardinal Napier, after the famous Bishop Hurley, who is known for his stance against Apartheid.

According to Una Voce SA, in an official statement released to us:

of their asking for prayers:

"This is simply an act of Christian charity for a man who was by all accounts a good and holy priest and well loved by many in KZN."
(26 January 2009 22:16)

In other words, they consider placing requests for, what the local church considered: a schismatic priest, and doing so: on their blog (internet log): without giving attention to his direct schism with local bishops: while treating him as a hero: to be an act of "Christian" Charity, when other loyal priests have not been granted such by Una Voce South Africa.

Finally, after calling a member of either his own personal schism, or the SSPX, who are still operting without the licence of local bishops: whatever the relations are on a personal, or Vatican level: "Godly", and "Holy": statements completely contrary, if Una Voce South Africa were not apposing what seems now the view of local hierarchy: to his denial of burial, and the apparent oppinions of those assigned to shepherd his soul: Una Voce SA adds:

"Una Voce SA's policy is not to comment on other Catholic groups (traditionalist or otherwise) or their members or activities."

(26 January 2009 22:16)

As though they had not just spoken of the man.

This is not to deny that the man can be seen as what they describe him as: my sources in SSPX, certainly seemed, at the time, and now even: to view the man as a good example. It is to say: that until negotiations occur, the SSPX, should be the only group lamenting the man in this manner: Una Voce SA's "policy" of not taking sides, or commenting: is what should be challenged.

Since then, we received email correspondence from the address: vernoy.marc@gmail.com, from a man claiming to be: " Fr. Marc Vernoy, District Superior of Africa of the Society of St. Pius X". He claimed that our service was misunderstanding facts, or producing errors about the Society, and denied any "official" ties with Una Voce.

The Man, was, it seemed: first language French, and also said several things off the record, which seem to validate his claim somewhat. SSPX's official site, was asked about the email address, and have not contacted us, as an organization should when one of their own is being misrepresented:

From such: we gather, that: it could well be their Africa Superior, especially, as the name is also listed on their site. He does seem validly their District Superior: "Marc Vernoy".

If he is not, I advise SSPX to do as we asked, and inform us of who he is, if not their person. As it is, all the signs say that this is valid correspondence.

The SSPX is an irregular canonical grouping, whose priests still seem to operate illicitly, via canon law: in any diocese, where they practice. Efforts are being made: to rectifuy the situation, but negotiations with the Vatican and Society, need to occur: and be successful. Statements by a Bishop Williamson, of the society: were viewed by Creative Minority Report, a social commentary: to be aimed at making it harder for church and society to reconcile. We cannot verify these claims.

Quotations, Links, and snippets below, are not guarantees of article content, nor is accuracy guaranteed, or insinuated, and such links, quotations and snippets are not guaranteed, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of South African Catholic, Or any persons, beings, organizations, or other affiliates associated with our grouping, and this article, or any site, or person associated with our site, or services. These links also are not endorsements of news, views, or perspectives offered by external news sources, which are not at all guaranteed by us, content placed in this section is also not guaranteed, as it is a quotation from an interview, and not our own views or perspectives, and is not said by us; nor is it an endorsement, of content, or of those saying what is said:

Email Details, received by us:

from	Père / Father Marc VERNOY < vernoy.marc@gmail.com >
to
date		28 January 2009 21:33
subject		Some questions
mailed-by		gmail.com
Signed by		gmail.com

Email contents:

"
Sir,

Allow me to present myself. I am Fr. Marc Vernoy, District Superior of Africa of the Society of St. Pius X.

I was told about several misunderstandings and errors spread on your blog.

I have no time to answer and correct everything, but two points.

1° Fr. Eldred Leslie has never be a member of the Society of St. Pius X, but a priest of the archdiocese of Durban and a very good friend and the founder of our Priory in Durban.
It is not fair to treat the case of a departed one that way and moreover when we know the atrocious circumstances of his death. We will be bury him in Marienhill next Wednesday.

2° About the assistance to S.S.P.X Masses.
The last lawful answer came from the commission Ecclesia Dei on 27 September 2002.
"Can I fulfill my Sunday obligation by attending a Pius X Mass?"
"1. In the strict sense you may fulfill your Sunday obligation by attending a Mass celebrated by a priest of the Society of St. Pius X."
"Is it a sin for me to attend a Pius X Mass?":
"2. We have already told you that we cannot recommend your attendance at such a Mass and have explained the reason why. If your primary reason for attending were to manifest your desire to separate yourself from communion with the Roman Pontiff and those in communion with him, it would be a sin. If your intention is simply to participate in a Mass according to the 1962 Missal for the sake of devotion, this would not be a sin."
"Is it a sin for me to contribute to the Sunday collection a Pius X Mass?" :
"3. It would seem that a modest contribution to the collection at Mass could be justified."

Yours truly.
Below some informations about Fr. Leslie.

The burials of Fr. Eldred Leslie will be held in the Monastery Church of Marienhill on 4 February at 10 a.m.

Father Eldred Leslie was born on the ship travelling from England to South Africa on 21st October, 1925. He tried his vocation quite early on but had to abandon it in order to look after his mother. When she died he went to the English Beda College in Rome for late vocations and was ordained in March 1970 in the old rite.
After spending some time in the modern church at at least three parishes in Durban he decided to celebrate the old rite exclusively. This brought him into conflict with the then Archbishop of Durban, Mgr. Denis Hurley, a rampant modernist. The disagreement went public via the press where Mgr. Hurley repeatedly accused Fr. Leslie of disobedience by saying the old Mass, which, he claimed, had been abolished.
Finally, Fr. Leslie was suspended by the Archbishop and was supported by a small group of faithful attached to the Traditional rite. From an improvised chapel in Thomy LeBreton's garage via a house in Clarence Road Fr. Leslie finally came to the church in Gum Tree Avenue in 1991 before 'retiring' to England in 1996 and leaving the chapel to the Society of St. Pius X.
Dissatisfied with life in England, he returned to South Africa moving to Pietermaritzburg where he stayed with a member of the faithful for a couple of years before getting his own house with a small chapel in Bulwer Street. It was in this house that he was murdered on 21st January this year.
Finding out that he had been given a substantial amount of cash to repair the roof of his simple home, a person known to him and therefore let into the house killed him in cold blood before making off with the cash, two cheque books and the credit card. Nothing else was taken.
Fr. Leslie was well known throughout Durban by Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He was always popular in his parishes and known for his zeal in visiting the elderly throughout the city as well as many Catholics who were house bound. He was also very well known for his unstinted material support of the many indigent of all races. It was this kindness to all that ultimately led to his murder.

Bishop Fellay, General Superior of the Society of St. Pius X, expresses his great pain about the death of Fr. Eldred Leslie in odious circumstances. He sends his condolence to all the friends and parishioners of Fr. Leslie and will celebrate very soon the Mass for this priest whom he knew and appreciated.

"I met Father Eldred Leslie in Durban on 18 November 2008. We started a very good relationship. When leaving he asked my blessing and I did the same. We have lost a pillar of Catholic Tradition in Africa after atrocious conditions. It is a great sorrow for all of us. I want to offer all my condolences to his family, his friends and all the parishioners of his priestly life. The Society of Saint Pius X owes him very much. We will keep and spread his memory as a beautiful and truly catholic example of the apostolate. He was slaughtered on the 21 January during the time of signature of the Decree removing the opprobrium on Catholic Tradition. After Our Lady, we believe that Fr. Leslie did a great job for its publication on the 24th. The devil does not like the priest, as he does not like the Mass and Tradition. Do pray for Fr. Leslie." Fr. Marc Vernoy, S.S.P.X Distrit Superior of Africa
"

We asked for permission to publish the email, and were granted such. Sources within the church, said that it was acceptable for us to publish, with our usual strong disclaimer: this email from what seems to be an SSPX official, we however: would like further: to point out our later response, which was not replied fully to yet, but which the source has promised to do so; note, Bishop Hurley, is a celebrated figure in the church in South Africa.

Email Details:

from	Marc Aupiais
to		Père / Father Marc VERNOY
date		29 January 2009 11:58
subject		Re: Some questions
mailed-by		gmail.com

Email Contents (NOTE, some sections have been excluded: due to a request by the so-called "SSPX" source, we will note when we do so
- When "[" or "]" are used, i.e. [ or ]: that which is encapsulated within such: is commentary on formatting, after the message. All formatting, to our knowledge, is explained in each explanation, and other explanations, foreign to the text: are also given in these.)
Details of Email repeated:

from	Marc Aupiais
to		Père / Father Marc VERNOY
date		29 January 2009 11:58
subject		Re: Some questions
mailed-by		gmail.com

Contents of Email:

"

Thank you, this is most useful, and I generally respect confidentiality.
[excluded out of respect for off the record statements]
You quote a letter: Ecclesia Dei on 27 September 2002, I have been unable to find any mention, except on the Una Voce [their American Website: which had previously been sited as undermining the Magisterium, by Trinity Communications] website: which has gradually gotten better reviews, but still seems to be less than neutral.

My source, is a 1998 document from ecclesia dei, but even Una Voce's document notes that SSPX [space added, una voce, made "Una Voce", sspx, made SSPX, for publishing] priests are "Excommunicated", what does this refer to, and what would their current position be, I personally have been attempting to place an accurate but orthodox view of these matters. The later letter [reference to that which is seemingly quoted by the SSPX source, but which has been the centre of some controversy], has allot of controversy, and so: I prefer to avoid such!

[excluded out of respect of off the record statements, by them]

You said that Fr Leslie is not sspx, but that he set up sspx groupings, and gave over his parish to you, how exactly, did he relate with your grouping?

Also priory, is a hard to define word, it can mean a church? what would your say it means?

The 1998 document, on http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CEDSSPX2.HTM
seems to say that a desire to have the Latin mass, is not sufficient reason to attend your masses, how would you answer that?

Also: you say "We will bury him", you refer to the society?

Who will take over his "small chapel"?

Also, did Una Voce inform you of our articles, or another grouping, can we be informed of their circumstance?

We do share a first name. I assume, you also have ancestors in our motherland: France?

I am very interested in clearing this up, as those in your church, do seem to think this man was an sspx priest?

Further, I would like to correspond with the official sspx email address, to ensure it is truly you I am speaking to, perhaps a few emails to guarantee, and a statement from them about this email.

The parts which are confidential: I see no reason to publish, I value such privacy. Of course, I would like public answers to my questions on Fr leslie and 1998 documentation.

It is not a single person who confirmed that Fr Leslie was SSPX, but more than one [original: "ne", correction in publishing here: "one") of your Parishioners believe such.

Also, what is your position, on SSPX members attending the summorum Pontificum, ecclesia dei mass, and how would you view the second Vatican council. I am wholly interested in such, and do hope for God's will in this matter, as I know more than just one member of your society, and reunification, is something I hope for.

Is it likely, that the society, will accept Vatican II, to allow full unification?

Is it of note to you, whether or not the documents be accepted?

Does sspx demand any view, on the other councils from parishioners: and as to Vatican II, do they demand a view on any documents? if not, for both, I would like to know the stance on views your priests have.

Why did not Fr Leslie, join the SSPX, if so associated with it.

Also, Bishop Hurley, I know of via family, he was important to my family, and known personally by representation of it. What do you mean, by "rampant modernist"? Do you refer to the heresy of modernism, or simply a modernizer, I mean to ask, if you are accusing him of heresy?

Do you view the Novus Order as Valid, and what is your view of the recent changes to the English Liturgy?

Thank you for the correspondence, this is important!

"

Père / Father Marc VERNOY, has since promised that he shall answer our questions, but due to time constraints, has not as yet been able to.

Our calling Fr Leslie SSPX, has been most fruitful: in the amount of emails received from many persons. The views of Père / Father Marc VERNOY, are his own, and we do not share, nor do we endorse these: nor do we guarantee their accuracy. Whether or not Fr Leslie is SSPX, is disputed by Père / Father Marc VERNOY, however, both our site, and a number of SSPX sources: have claimed him to be such, the Independent Newspapers report: also names him to be sspx, adding:

"A well-placed source told The Mercury on Wednesday that the church had had problems with Leslie in the past because he had refused to accept the authority of Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, and previously that of Archbishop Denis Hurley, the head and former head of the Catholic Church in Durban."

(29th Jan 2009; IOL; Independent; Secular: appearing in the Mercury, page 1)

Our reference to desiring to attend a Latin Mass, and therefore going to an SSPX church: not being adequate, may actually refer to another document, or to current pastoral advice. It does seem valid that this is the case however.

Whether or not, Mr Leslie, is SSPX, it does seem: that he has had close ties with them. We do find it odd, that Una Voce SA, chose to enter into such statements, if it indeed is against their policy.

Response of Una Voce: To our article about their request for prayers, for an SSPX Priest

2009-01-27T08:30:00.004+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Introductory note by Marc Aupiais

Due to a request by Una Voce: our normal copyrighting does not apply to this press release: it may not be freely distributed, under our normal conditions, by those who normally could distribute it, or by those who can't.

We neither endorse, nor guarantee the content of what Una Voce has to say: their words are their own, not ours. Note: rely on this information at your own risk!

"Una Voce SA stands by its decision to post news of the murder of Fr. Eldred Leslie and to ask for prayers for the repose of his soul.

This is simply an act of Christian charity for a man who was by all accounts a good and holy priest and well loved by many in KZN.

Una Voce SA's policy is not to comment on other Catholic groups (traditionalist or otherwise) or their members or activities."

Una Voce South Africa: Laments SSPX death?

2009-01-25T12:13:00.003+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Having contacts affiliated with the SSPX is useful, in that they often show up what others say, to sometimes have another possible element: by their own words. Una Voce South Africa, mysteriously decided to ask for no comments, after saying that a Priest had died: Fr. Eldred Leslie, who is noted as supporting pro-life and the "Traditional" (Tridentine form Latin) Mass.

While asking for prayers for the repose of his soul, Christopher Cordeiro: of Una Voce South Africa, does not note that the man he asks viewers to pray for: is in fact SSPX: a member of an organization which, while its leadership have had their automatic excommunication lifted; are still at odds with the papacy on many issues.

Una Voce, usually does not choose to respond on discussions about the SSPX, and their American site, has been sited as somewhat sympathetic to the irregular grouping. Christopher, does not seem to permit comments on the irregular grouping on his blog.

Tridentine South Africa, is not affiliated with the Una Voce, or the SSPX movements: rather: it is purely based on helping Catholics to obey the Papacy, in a manner: which is proper, and which best allows for their diversity, and views: without coming into the dangers of radical traditionalism.

As Una Voce South Africa: have explicitly asked that no comments be placed on their article about this death, we have not done so. We have asked, via Christopher's, or possibly Una Voce's email address ( unavocesa@gmail.com ) for his opinion, and hopefully, will be able to note his voice on this issue.

SSPX Bishops re-"communicated"

2009-01-24T22:05:00.003+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

In a seemingly politically motivated move: Benedict XVI; has lifted automatic excommunications, incurred under canon law: by four SSPX bishops, who: on being consecrated, committed what was then termed and largely perceived to be: an act of schism. While the excommunications no longer carry weight: this probably is not a precident for reintroducing others who incur the excommunication: rather: it seems to be a pre-condition for begining dialogue for the complete reunification of the Society, and the Catholic Church. It does not seem that all issues have been resolved overnight. This may be a start, but many things are still vague and unclear.

It was not because of the excommunications alone: that Catholics have been discoraged from attending society masses, and whether or not the SSPX priests will now be allowed by the Vatican to perform mass ligitimately, or if their actions are still considered illigitimate, is not something we can comment on. This is not the end of the issue, but the beginning of it.

We have asked for ecclesiastical assistence in covering this issue, so as to give a fuller view: whether by direct statements being quoted, or by indirectly quoting sources: so as to give an inside perspective. We hope to gain such.

As for the mean-time: it is still important that the valid tridentine mass be pursued in the mainstream church, within diocesan structures. Many SSPX priests' sermons might still carry certain bias, as with parishioners there.

Doubt still hangs over the organization, and until talks are entered into, in a meaningful manner, and a comprehensive clarification, and negotiation take place: there will still be a cloud over the society. When comprehensive regulations for this situation come to be meted out: perhaps, a clear answer can be made.

Pursuing the unquestionably valid Summorum Pontificum instituted Tridentine (Latin) Mass, within normal church hierarchical structures, remains not ony the clear, and legally sure way to proceed, but also means enjoyment of something special, within, without risking accepting some controversial, if not radical views, and without taking a political stand.

Until the situation becomes less vague: the isolation of the "Society" in the mainstream will likely continue. Negotiations have not happened adequately yet; so as to actually physically and properly reincorperate the controversial Swiss based "Society "of" Pius X", in a proper, and civilized, complete manner: nor is it clear that this shall ever occur, nor if the society will ever manage to regain credibility, and fulfill a beneficial function in the mainstream of the church. So far, ecumenism with SSPX has been at great cost to Catholic-Judaic relations, and the controversial views of the organization, and a particular member of it: could cause further issues.

For now: the best thing to do: is stop, and wait.

It is very dangerous to see this in more than its ecumenical (political) light so far, and it is still advisable to avoid SSPX masses, for those in the mainstream: until such time as more information is given; and it is likely important to wait for negotiations, and meetings: before determining if any headway has been made between the Vatican, and their biggest "irregular" canonical apponent. Whether this is the Vatican calling an SSPX bluff, or if it is genuinely the offering of a palm leaf: it certainly is political. Benedict XVI, is famed for his "Ecumenical" abilities. Hopefully, it may someday yield the fruit of curing the chasm between SSPX and mainstream laity and pastors, and others.

The meaning and ramifications of this ecclesiastical move are unclear. Benedict XVI's representation, seems clear that this has nothing to do with SSPX views on the world. The SSPX bishops were excommunicated for being consecrated, not for their views. The lifting of such excommunication: therefore says nothing of the validity of their views.

It is a political (Ecumenical) move: it is still unclear what status the SSPX churches have in this situation: and whether or not this will mean the lifting of the censure on the SSPX priests: which bans them from "ligitimately" offering the mass.

SSPX Masses have been considered Valid (The priests are considered to truly perform the Eucharistic Sacrifice, in the sense normal priests do), but illegitimate (illegal), it is not immediately clear if warnings against attending their masses, will be lifted, now that the first real move to dialogue has been made.

The Ball is in the SSPX's court. We hopefully may follow this story further.

Latin mass in Port Elizabeth: a success: our contact

2009-01-21T19:58:00.000+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa)

Article By Marc Aupiais

We apologize for the time it took to get this out, there were both physical, and other problems on both sides. We ourselves received this on the 19th of January, that's about two days ago; from our contact in Port Elizabeth (PE).

They say this of the Latin Mass, we were involved in new media promotion of:

"The Mass on New Years Day at Corpus Christi Church was well attended:

over 100 people in attendance, many of them parishioners of this church, others from further afield.

Mgr John Clark offered a beautiful Low Mass and the response from those in attendance was generally very favourable.

Photos were taken and I hope - even at this late stage, over 2 weeks later - to post these. Mgr Clark continues to offer this Mass every Friday at 5:30pm at St Vincent's Church (his parish). We are hoping to organise more frequent public Masses at other parishes in the near future, and you will be kept informed - more speedily than this time!"

(we have added lines in between, but not altered the text itself.)

The Mass in Question was held on January first.

South Africa: Bishops survey views on New Liturgical reform

2009-01-08T20:22:00.000+02:00

(Tridentine South (And Southern) Africa)

Article by Marc Aupiais

The Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference is surveying the effect of the new liturgical changes to the mass in South Africa. So far, the response seems mixed.

We have provided a link to this: from a facebook event:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=48242856559

Obviously, we are independent, the survey is our choice, based on communication with them. We are a separate organization.

Days of Holy Obligation in South Africa

2009-01-06T13:13:00.002+02:00

(Tridentine South Africa )

Article by Marc Aupiais

Catholics in South Africa are obligated to attend church on Sundays throughout the year, and on:

December 25th: (Christmas Day, or Midnight Mass): the Nativity of Our Lord;

Thursday of the Sixth Week of the Easter season: The Ascension of Christ;

August 15th: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Into Heaven.

The Following days: In South Africa: are transfered to Sundays:

The Feast of the Epiphany (6th of January) is transfered to the Sunday between January 2nd, and January 8th;

The Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) (usually Thursday after Trinity Sunday), is celebrated in South Africa: on the Sunday after Trinity Sunday: i.e. on the second Sunday after Pentecost.

All Saints (International Date: 1st November) is: in South Africa; celebrated on the Sunday after All Saints, in South Africa.

The Other four Days of obligation: in South Africa, are absolved: meaning that one does not have to attend these:

Immaculate Conception(8th December);
Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God: 1st January;
Saint Joseph: 19 March;
The Apostles: Saint Peter and Saint Paul: 29 June.

Much thanks to Father Chris Townsend of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference(SACBC), and to the Archdiocese of Pretoria, who I find highly useful.

Holy Days of Obligation in Canada, Australia, Ireland, England and Wales, and America:

http://www.beginningcatholic.com/catholic-holy-days-of-obligation.html

Happy New Year, Remember church on Thurday

2008-12-31T21:02:00.000+02:00

Happy new year, and remember church on Thurday, January 1st!

What are the 10 Holy Days of Obligation

2008-12-31T20:44:00.005+02:00

(Journey in a Broken World )

Article by Marc Aupiais

Canon 1246, of the Universal law of the Church: Canon Law, demands: that in addition to Sundays: unless a bishops conference transfers, or alters, with Vatican permission: such: 10 days of Obligation are to be celebrated in the Holy Church. If this is revoked: it needs permission by the Vatican. South Africa has published no information on these in South Africa: to my knowledge: for this reason: we shall simply give the dates of each of these: and assume until further notice: that we are obligated to attend on these: (In South Africa: one must attend on three days other than Sundays: c.f. Days of Holy Obligation in South Africa)

Holy Days of Obligation in the Universal Church: (Day in Red, date in black)

1) The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ : Which is on 25th December: yearly (Christmas Day).

2) The Epiphany : Which is on 6th January: yearly.

3) The Ascension : Which is on the Thursday of the Sixth Week of the Easter season.

4) The Body and Blood of Christ : Which is on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, which is the Sunday after Pentecost, which is also a Sunday. (11 days aft Pentecost: given below)

5) Holy Mary: the Mother of God : Which is on 1st of January: yearly

6) The Immaculate Conception of Mary : Which is on 8th December, Yearly

7) The Assumption into Heaven: of the blessed Virgin Mary : Which is on 15th August, yearly

8) Saint Joseph : Which is on 19th March, yearly.

9) Saint Peter and Saint Paul the Apostles : Which is on 29 June, yearly.

10) All Saints : Which is on 1st November, yearly.

Much of this information is based on:
http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/holy_days_of_obligation.htm

and The Sunday Missal, and

http://www.beginningcatholic.com/catholic-holy-days-of-obligation.html

Most churches list feast days in the week: if the list shows a day on a Sunday instead, then your church has changed it in your area.

According to the Sunday Missal: Pentacost until 2040 will be: (given in pink, in dark red is Corpus Christi (Body of Christ: called the The Body and Blood of Christ above: a feast day))

2009: 31st May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 11th June

2010: 23rd May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 03th June

2011: 12th June: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 23th June

2012: 27th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 07th June

2013: 19th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 30th May

2014: 08th June: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 19th June

2015: 24th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 04th June

2016: 15th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 26th May

2017: 04th June: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 15th June

2018: 20th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 31th May

2019: 09th June: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 20th June

2020: 31st May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 11th June

2021: 23st May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 03th June

2022: 05th June: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 16th June

2023: 28th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 08th June

2024: 19th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 30th May

2025: 08th June: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 19th June

2026: 24th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 04th June

2027: 16th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 27th May

2028: 04th June: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 15th June

2029: 20th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 31th May

2030: 09th June: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 20th June

2031: 01th June: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 12th June

2032: 16th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 27th May

2033: 05th June: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 16th June

2034: 28th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 08th June

2035: 13th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 24th May

2036: 01th June: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 12th May

2037: 24th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 04th May

2038: 13th June: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 24th May

2039: 29th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 09th June

2040: 20th May: Body and Blood of Christ will be on 31th May

Information compiled on date of Corpus Christi: from Sunday Missal (2005; Collins; England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland version)

Holy Days of Obligation in the Universal Catholic Church (Latin Rite):

the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension, the Body and Blood of Christ, Holy Mary the Mother of God, her Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, Saint Joseph, Saint Peter and Saint Paul the Apostles, and All Saints.

Some canons of note:

"CHAPTER I.

Feast Days

Can. 1246 §1. Sunday, on which by apostolic tradition the paschal mystery is celebrated, must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day ofobligation. The following days must also be observed: the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension, the Body and Blood of Christ, Holy Marythe Mother of God, her Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, Saint Joseph, Saint Peter and Saint Paul the Apostles, and All Saints.

§2. With the prior approval of the Apostolic See, however, the conference of bishops can suppress some of the holy days of obligation or transfer them to a Sunday.

Can. 1247 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass.

Moreover, they are to abstain from those works and affairs which hinder the worship to be rendered to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s day, or the suitable relaxation of mind and body.

Can. 1248 §1. A person who assists at a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the preceding day satisfies theobligation of participating in the Mass.

§2. If participation in the eucharistic celebration becomes impossible because of the absence of a sacred minister or for another grave cause, it is strongly recommended that the faithful take part in a liturgy of the word if such a liturgy is celebrated in a parish church or other sacred place according to the prescripts of thediocesan bishop or that they devote themselves to prayer for a suitable time alone, as a family, or, as the occasion permits, in groups of families." (Adapted into proper English)
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P4N.HTM

In South Africa: one must attend on three days other than Sundays: c.f. Days of Holy Obligation in South Africa