#Society of St Pius X

[mjalford98]

Solemn Requiem Mass at the SSPX Chapel of St Michael the Archangel in Burghclere, Hampshire, England for Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallarais on Saturday 19 October 2024. 🙏

I think a lot of newer generations of Traditional Catholics can easily fail to appreciate just how crucial a role Bishop Tissier played in establishing the traditionalist movement within the Catholic Church - dare I say that without Father & later Bishop Tissier, we would not have had the historical giant that was Archbishop Lefebvre. I did know some of the well-known stories, such as his involvement as one of the first nine seminarians who went to Abp Lefebvre during the initial upheavals in the 1960s, and of course his later consecration as a bishop, but there were also many stories of his ongoing support to the Archbishop both in the early days of the Society, and later in the lead-up to the consecrations of which I was personally unaware until after his recent untimely passing.

Thanks be to God for such a wonderful man!

[jh-newman-opn]

What are the SSPX? I've been seeing the conversation around them but am unfamiliar with any of their beliefs or anything (tho them being called "modernist" definitely makes me think their heretics ofc)

It's a truth universally acknowledged that at every major council, a group splits off. At Nicaea it was the Arians, at Trent it was the Protestants, at Vatican I it was the Old Catholics, and at Vatican II it was the SSPX.

SSPX stands for Society of St Pius X, and they basically rejected a lot of the ecumenical and liturgical reforms, and then consecrated a bunch of priests and bishops in direct defiance of the Holy See. Lots of excommunications all round, bad time for everyone. Then a group split off from them for not being traddy enough, and they called themselves the SSPV (Society of St Pius V). Not wholly sure what they're doing now, but they're still around. The Palmarians (super weird cult with their own pope) are also an offshoot of this "Lefebvrist" movement (Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre being the founder of the SSPX).

Currently they're in a "canonically irregular" situation, where they officially denounce sedevacantism and call themselves Catholic, but in practice they don't submit to the Pope's authority, they don't accept the Ordinary Form of the Mass, and they have an entirely parallel structure of priests, bishops, and dioceses. Their sacraments are valid, but illicit (mostly-- they can do confession, baptism and marriage). Basically JPII, Benedict XVI, and Francis have made various moves to get them back in by lifting excommunications, changing rules around the EF, and allowing certain sacraments to be celebrated, but they're still firmly one foot out the door and refusing to budge, which for orthodox Catholics is already too many feet.

SSPX apologists will make all sorts of arguments to say that their rebelliousness is justified and that they're not in schism, but the long and the short of it is that a) every heretic group thinks they're in the right and b) the attitude of non-obedience is really spiritually dangerous anyway.

The "modernist" label is probably better explained by the great labeller, @paula-of-christ, but it's basically in reference to the fact that they think the Church ought to conform to their beliefs, rather than conforming their beliefs to the Church's teachings. It doesn't really matter whether your beliefs are uber traddy and your chasubles are really shiny-- if you're out of step with Rome, you are the problem.

[lily-of-christ]

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people;

my salvation shall not tarry:

why wilt thou waste away in sadness?

why hath sorrow seized thee?

Fear not, for I will save thee:

For I am the Lord thy God,

the Holy One of Israel, thy Redeemer.

Priests from the Society of St. Pius X.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (August 19)

St. John Eudes was a French missionary and the founder of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity.

He was also the author of the liturgical worship of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. 

John was born on 14 November 1601 at Ri, France. At the age of fourteen, he took a vow of chastity and tried to live in imitation of the Lord Jesus ever since.

When he was ordained a priest in 1625 at the age of 24, he was immmediately thrust into the service of victims of the plague, whom he cared for at great risk to his own life.

He also began preaching missions and was known as the greatest preacher of his age, preaching missions all over France, especially throughout Normandy.

In 1641, he founded the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge to provide a refuge for prostitutes. 

In 1643, he founded the Society of Jesus and Mary for the education of priests and for missionary work.

He was also instrumental in encouraging devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Heart of Mary, writing the first book ever on the devotion to the Sacred Hearts, "Le Coeur Admirable de la Très Sainte Mère de Dieu."

He died on 19 August 1680 at Caen.

His virtues were declared heroic by Leo XIII on 6 January 1903.

He was beatified by Pope Pius X on 25 April 1909.  He was canonized by Pope Pius XI on 31 May 1925.

John Eudes is probably best known for the central theme of his writings: Jesus as the source of holiness; Mary as the model of the Christian life.

His devotion to the Sacred Heart and to the Immaculate Heart led Pope Pius XI to declare him the "Father of the Liturgical Cult of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary."

Pope Benedict XVI, in his General Audience catechesis on 19 August 2009, praised Eudes as a "tireless apostle of the devotion of the Sacred Hearts," noting that Eudes was an example for priests during the Year for Priests.

The Pope went on to describe Eudes' "apostolic zeal" in the formation of seminarians into priests as well as the fact that Eudes was a model for evangelization and witness to the "love for Christ's Heart and Mary's Heart."

[enbycrip]

A year ago, and yet the charity commission STILL thinks it is acceptable for these hate-spewing grifters to hold charitable status.

It has now been over a year since they promised their supposed "helpline" for LGB people, and their company house documents, recently released, show that in all that time they have only spent approx £5000 on it.

They took in £450,000, Here's how they spent some of it:

- £120k on legal and professional fees

- £102k on conferences and events

- £31k on salaries

- £27k on advertising

- £11k on travel and accommodation

versus

- £5k on the “support phone line”

This is how much they spent on themselves before they even spent a single penny on their stated charitable aims, which have yet to materialise.

They received specific funding from the National Lottery for this “helpline”.

It is also notable that, despite their claims of being run “for LGB people, by LGB people”, the vast majority of the members of this supposedly LGB charity are cishet, by their own surveys.

Oh. And of course, we also found out their office is in 55 Tuffton Street. Where the hard right, ultra conservitive, viciously evangelical dark money is sent. Their Wikipedia is always worth a read, usual warnings about sources apply: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/55_Tufton_Street

LGB Alliance need to be stopped, as do all the groups at 55 Tuffton Street.

ID: a tweet by AndrewB72 he/him with added beard @andrew_b72

“Well, this needs to be shared far and wide!

LGB Alliance have been classed as a hate group by The Global Project Against Hate and Extremism today who have released a report profiling hateful and extremist groups in Ireland

globalextremism.org/post/release-i... (complete URL cut off in image)

The entire list includes the following groups:

• Anti-Corruption Ireland (white nationalist, anti-immigrant, conspiracy)

• House the Irish First (anti-immigrant)

- lona Institute (anti-LGBTQ+)

- Irish Council for Human Rights (anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ+, conspiracy) - Irish Freedom Party (anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ+, conspiracy)

- LGB Alliance (anti-transgender, other)

• National Party (anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ+, white nationalist)

- Official Proud Boys Ireland (white nationalist, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-woman)

- Rise Up Éireann/Rise Up Ireland (conspiracy)

• Siol na hEireann/Seed of Ireland (white nationalist, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ+)

- Society of St. Pius X Resistance (conspiracy, antisemitic)

- Yellow Vest Ireland (anti-immigrant, anti-LGBTQ+, conspiracy”.

[angeltreasure]

What is with the attack on TLM? I've read plenty but still can't understand

What I have found is a couple of things.

There are some people who are so held to certain beliefs and wanting to strictly use older missals that they broke away, called Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). They are not in full communion with the Holy See, in other words, they are in bad standing. “The Society of St. Pius X was founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (1905-1991) in reaction to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. These reforms included the substitution of a vernacular Mass for the traditional Latin Mass and a new emphasis on interfaith dialogue. Most important to the priests of SSPX was the celebration of the traditional Latin Mass, but SSPX also stood against other "modernist" trends, including the Church's ecumenical dialogue with non-Catholic groups, and specifically efforts to improve relations with the Jewish community. In 1988 SSPX's founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, consecrated four priests as bishops without Vatican approval; he and the priests were consequently excommunicated by the Church. When Lefebvre died in 1991 the four priests, Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson and Alfonso de Galarreta, continued to champion SSPX positions, along with a constellation of like-minded organizations and independent traditionalist Catholics. Bishop Bernard Fellay currently runs SSPX from its headquarters in Switzerland.” (Source). …… The danger, therefore, is more people of the faith breaking away.

Closing out the world and keeping to themselves is not the way Christ taught us. This is the reason for restrictions to non-SSPX TLM’s I believe. This is a smaller one (which I have not personally experienced as much as others on tumblr have): there are TLM goers online who have acted extremely rude to others. Again, this is not the way Jesus teaches us to love our neighbor.

It’s not a sin to attend TLM. I often wonder what the future will hold. There are good Catholics out there who prefer TLM and sincerely connect with it for God. We have had saints come out of TLM. We have many Catholics on tumblr who love TLM. We must pray for Catholics all around the world, even those who have fallen away.

[dankusner]

Nuns in feud with bishop ‘dismissed’

ARLINGTON

Now considered lay people, they must repent to return

Arlington nuns embroiled in a monthslong feud with the Fort Worth bishop have been dismissed from their Catholic order and religious life, the nuns’ Vatican-appointed leader announced.

In a statement Monday, Mother Marie of the Incarnation wrote the nuns are no longer members of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, to which they belonged.

The nuns “have reverted to the lay state by their own actions,” says the letter, published on the Fort Worth diocese website.

The letter does not mention excommunication, instead indicating they could return as nuns if they repent:

“Our only wish is that the dismissed members of the Carmel would repent, so that the monastic property could again be rightly called a monastery, inhabited by Discalced Carmelite Nuns, in good canonical standing with the Church of Rome.”

An attorney for the nuns did not respond to a phone call and text message Monday from The Dallas Morning News .

It was unclear what the dismissal means for the nuns moving forward.

No longer nuns

The statement comes one month after the nuns reopened the monastery to the public for prayer and daily Mass and announced they were associating with the Society of St. Pius X, a breakaway traditionalist Catholic group.

In response, Fort Worth Bishop Michael Olson warned members not to worship with or provide financial support to the nuns and that doing so would amount to “scandalous disobedience.”

Earlier this year, the nuns transferred ownership of their monastery, set on 72 wooded acres in Arlington, to a new foundation.

The women have said for months that Olson started the feud in a bid to acquire the land, which he has repeatedly denied.

Matthew Wilson, the Kairo endowed director for the Center for Faith and Learning at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, said the statement essentially means the Vatican no longer recognizes the women as nuns.

“In the view of the Vatican, these are Catholic lay people,” Wilson told The News on Monday.

“They are no longer considered members of a Catholic religious order.”

Initial accusation

Monday’s statement is the latest in an 18-month fight between the nuns and Olson that has included back-and-forth statements and civil court hearings, and drawn both local and international attention.

It began in April 2023 when the bishop accused the Rev. Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach, the monastery’s head nun, of violating her vow of chastity with a priest.

The reverend mother and monastery then filed a civil lawsuit against the bishop and diocese, accusing Olson of invading the sisters’ privacy and overstepping his authority.

A nearly six-hour court proceeding included explosive testimony from diocese officials, references to “sexting” and drug use, and audio of a 40-minute conversation between Olson and the former head nun.

A Texas state judge ruled that civil court did not have jurisdiction to decide the church matter.

Gerlach admitted to breaking her vow of chastity on two occasions, but at another point in the conversation she said she only spoke to the priest by phone.

She had been hospitalized in November 2022 for seizures and was taking pain medication as a result, her attorney, Matthew Bobo, has previously said.

Gerlach, who is in poor health, uses a wheelchair and feeding tube.

Olson tried to dismiss Gerlach in 2023, but the nuns refused to recognize the bishop’s authority.

In August 2023, Olson warned they could face excommunication if they continued to do so.

Earlier this year the Vatican weighed in and placed the nuns under new authority, an association of Carmelite nuns led by Mother Marie of the Incarnation.

But the Arlington nuns said the decree amounted to a hostile takeover, and they have barred both Olson and Mother Marie from the premises.

‘Strange move’

Last month, the nuns said they voted unanimously to join the Society of St. Pius X, the breakaway Catholic group that has been in a schism with the Vatican in the past.

Wilson, who is also an associate professor of political science at SMU, said he was surprised the nuns affiliated themselves with a conservative, ultratraditional group.

“It was a strange move,” he said.

“They were at that point grasping at straws trying to align with any organization that had a following in the Catholic world.”

Before last year, the nuns had little interaction with the Fort Worth diocese.

They live and work at the monastery in Arlington, spending their days praying, cooking, cleaning and caring for the grounds.

Some have spent decades at the monastery, including Gerlach, who has lived there for 25 years.

Arlington nuns in months-long dispute with Fort Worth bishop dismissed from religious life

The Carmelite nuns in Arlington at the center of months of controversy with the Diocese of Fort Worth and the Vatican have been dismissed from religious life, according to a statement on the diocese’ website.

The statement is from Mother Marie of the Incarnation, the Vatican-appointed authority over the cloistered nuns and the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity.

“I ask for your continued prayers and sacrifices on behalf of these seven women, who have reverted to the lay state by their own actions,” said the statement posted Monday.

“Our only wish is that the dismissed members of the Carmel would repent, so that the monastic property could again be rightly called a monastery, inhabited by Discalced Carmelite Nuns, in good canonical standing with the Church of Rome.”

The nuns, who say they were notified Monday by courier, are standing their ground.

One of the sisters told the Star-Telegram in a text message that they are not going anywhere.

“We definitely are not going anywhere. This monastery and this community of Carmelite Nuns belongs to Our Lord. He is the One who has helped us to get through these unjust actions against us,” the message said.

The nuns have been embroiled in a dispute with the Diocese of Fort Worth and the Vatican for over a year. It began when Bishop Michael Olson investigated a report that the nuns’ leader, the Rev. Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach, broke her chastity vows with a priest from outside the diocese.

The nuns sued Olson over allegations of invasion of privacy and theft of personal property related to his investigation, but a Tarrant County judge threw out the lawsuit, ruling it was a church matter.

Bishop Michael Olson enters the 67th District Court in the Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, in downtown Fort Worth. Reverend Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach, 43, is suing Bishop Olson and the diocese for $1 million.

A few weeks ago, the nuns who live at the wooded monastery in Arlington transferred ownership of their property to a foundation of benefactors and supporters.

The nuns haven’t commented on why they turned the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity over to the foundation, but they previously said they did not want Olson and the diocese to sell the property.

Olson has stated on several occasions and in court testimony that he has never intended to do that.

The Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity is now under the ownership of the Friends of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Arlington Inc.

The change went against orders from the Vatican in April that placed the nuns under the authority of the Association of Christ the King to manage most day to day matters of the monastery.

Rome appointed Mother Marie of the Incarnation, president of the Christ the King Association, as the major superior of the Carmel but the nuns opposed the orders from Rome.

In his own statement Monday, Olson repeated that “the Diocese of Fort Worth makes no claim and has never made a claim to the property and assets of the Carmelite Monastery in Arlington.”

He added that Catholics should not attend Mass or other services at the monastery nor “offer financial support to the Carmelite Monastery.”

The nuns issued a statement on Sept. 14 that said that they were aligned with the Society of Saint Pius X, a traditionalist society that has been at odds with the Vatican.

Mother Marie said in an Oct. 1 statement on the Diocese website that the society was “currently in an irregular canonical relationship” with the church.

“The Association of Christ the King does not support the Arlington Carmel’s step outside the boundaries of clear communion with Rome, has not been consulted about this move, and has in no way cooperated with it,” she wrote.

In another message to the Star-Telegram, the sister said that there is a Carmel in Spokane, Wa. also under the auspisous of St. Pius X.

“They’re ( the Carmel in Spokane) doing fine and so are we. We are very grateful to the Society. They know the truth of this situation.”

The sisters also announced that elections were held in August, and the Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach was elected to a three-year term as prioress.

The election was not authorized by the Christ the King Association and Rome.

Arlington nuns say claims they have departed from Catholic faith are ‘ridiculous’

Supporters of the sisters placed the flowers outside the monastery after praying at a nearby park.

Michael Olson, the Bishop of Fort Worth, has suspended daily activities, including mass and confession.

A small group of Carmelite nuns in Arlington called their recent dismissal from religious life a “moot point’ and said a post concerning their dismissal on the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth’s website needs urgent clarification.

The nuns, who live at the secluded 72-acre Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity, wrote in a statement that the dismissal by the Vatican-appointed Mother Marie of the Incarnation is not valid because they are under the auspices of the Saint Pius X Society, a traditionalist movement founded in 1970 that opposes the changes of the Second Vatican Council.

“The Vows we have professed to God cannot be dismissed or taken away,” their statement reads.

“By virtue of them we belong to Him and are His.”

The statement said accusations that a nun broke her chastity vow with a priest were false.

The nuns have been embroiled in a dispute with the diocese and the Vatican for over a year.

It began when Bishop Michael Olson investigated a report that the nuns’ leader, the Rev. Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach, broke her chastity vows with a priest from outside the diocese.

The nuns sued Olson over allegations of invasion of privacy and theft of personal property related to his investigation, but a Tarrant County judge threw out the lawsuit, ruling it was a church matter.

“What began in April 2023 with a false accusation against our Mother Prioress and that has been pursued relentlessly since then by Bishop Olson for his own ends has been compounded over time so that we have now reached the point where it is asserted that we are dismissed from religious life and that we have somehow ‘defected notoriously from the Faith.’ These assertions are egregiously false,” according to the statement.

A spokesperson from the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth referred question to Michael Anderson, the Fort Worth attorney representing the Rev. Mother Marie of the Incarnation.

Earlier this month, the nuns who live at the wooded monastery in Arlington transferred ownership of their property to a foundation of benefactors and supporters.

The nuns haven’t commented on why they turned the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity over to the foundation, but they previously said they did not want Olson and the diocese to sell the property.

Olson has stated on several occasions and in court testimony that he has never intended to do that.

The Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity is under the ownership of the Friends of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Arlington Inc.

The change went against orders from the Vatican in April that placed the nuns under the authority of the Association of Christ the King to manage most day to day matters of the monastery.

Meanwhile, the nuns say they are praying for Bishop Olson and the Pope Francis.

“Given that we pray every day for the Holy Father, Pope Francis and our Ordinary, Michael Olson, any claim that we have departed from the Catholic faith is ridiculous.

We firmly believe and profess all that the holy Catholic Church believes, teaches, and proclaims to be revealed by God.

Disputes about one man’s wishes and man-made rules do not exclude us from the Church.”

The nuns also wrote that people are welcome to the chapel for private prayer and to celebrate the traditional Latin Mass.

DIOCESE OF FORT WORTH THE BISHOP’S OFFICE THE CATHOLIC CENTER

officeofthebishop@fwdioc.org

Bishop Michael F. Olson’s Statement to the Faithful of the Diocese of Fort Worth Regarding the Carmelite Monastery in Arlington, Texas

October 28, 2024

Mother Marie of the Incarnation, the legitimate Superior of the Carmelite Monastery in Arlington, Texas, has requested that I post her statement to the Catholic Faithful of the Diocese of Fort Worth regarding the dismissal of the Arlington Nuns from Catholic religious life.

I again ask that you continue to pray for all involved.

I repeat that the Diocese of Fort Worth makes no claim and has never made a claim to the property and assets of the Carmelite Monastery in Arlington.

I conclude with my repeated admonition that Catholics not attend Mass or other services at the Monastery and request that the lay faithful not offer financial support to the Carmelite Monastery.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Michael F. Olson, STD, MA Bishop of Fort Worth ✠ Jesus Statement to the Faithful of the Diocese of Fort Worth

28 October 2024

Saints Simon and Jude

Praised be Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, His Mother!

Today with sorrow I address you, the Priests, Deacons, Religious, and Faithful of the Diocese of Fort Worth, bringing you a message you have been awaiting with anxious concern, that is, news of our beloved Carmel of the Most Holy Trinity, our cherished sisters in Christ.

May God reward each of you for the prayers and sacrifices you have offered on their behalf, as well as for the support you have shown to me and to the Order of Discalced Carmelites, as we have sought to help our sisters in Arlington bear to Christ the full and true witness of their noble vocation, according to the mind and heart of Saint Teresa of Jesus.

On a lovely spring morning in mid-May, 1985, I, then a young girl, knelt among you, the Faithful of Fort Worth, in prayer, at the Mass of Dedication in the Chapel of the newly-completed Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity.

With you, I traversed the halls and crossed the grounds of the monastery complex, as together we enjoyed the privilege of touring the Carmel during Open House, before the enclosure was sealed and the nuns commenced their cloistered life within their new monastery.

On that sunny and joyous day, never could I have imagined this sorrowful day, and that I would be charged with writing you this message, not of a bright beginning, but of a painful ending.

Six months ago, the Holy See entrusted the Arlington Carmel to the Association of Christ the King, for the sole purpose of preserving and furthering "the spiritual health and longevity of the Arlington Carmelite Monastic Community."

As you know, this entrustment has been met with resistance and opposition by the majority of the members of the community.

Whereas last year, the Carmel opposed the Holy See's appointment of their local Ordinary, as Pontifical Commissary, this year, they rejected Rome's appointment of me, as their major superior.

In both cases, the Carmel publicly attributed bad motives to each of us, such as greed for the monastic property and a desire to disperse their community.

These claims are unfounded and untrue.

In making religious profession, a Carmelite nun vows to live according to the Rule and Constitutions of the Order of Discalced Carmelites.

When the Arlington Carmel petitioned to join our Association at its inception four years ago, our relationship with the nuns became closer, and we had hoped that they would share our common aspiration to an ever-deeper fidelity to our profession of vows.

Unfortunately, in the course of our developing relationship, and through the testimony of the nuns themselves, we learned that their religious life, in many respects, deviates from multiple points of the Rule and Constitutions, and so we strove to lead them into a more faithful adherence to these.

If our efforts had been met with openness by the nuns, the Carmel would already, today, be upon a sure path to restored autonomy.

The nuns would be living and praying in accordance with all the sound traditions of Carmel and in accord with their preferred liturgical form, all under the aegis of the one, holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, founded by Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

However, the nuns have chosen otherwise, and their choices have brought upon themselves the different status which is now theirs.

Specifically, the nuns have chosen to break faith with their Mother, the Church of Rome, by a triple denial: 1) of the authority of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, a Dicastery whose authority springs directly from the Supreme Pontiff himself, and 2) of their Bishop, and

3) of me as their Carmelite superior, and by extension, of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, whose Rule and Constitutions they have spurned in praxis in multiple ways.

To these foregoing breaches of ecclesial union, the nuns added, on September 14th, unlawful formal association with the Society of Saint Pius X.

These wrongs are exacerbated by their illicit expropriation of the juridic person of the Carmelite Monastery, in which the nuns, utilizing civil law, entrusted to lay people, both Catholic and non-Catholic alike, the patrimony and property of the Arlington Carmelite community, which had been entrusted to them by countless benefactors, for the purpose of serving Christ in the Church through the Discalced Carmelite life.

By the above acts, the nuns have been ipso facto dismissed from the Order of Discalced Carmelites, according to canon 694, § 1, 1 º of the Code of Canon Law.

Therefore today, the 28th of October, 2024, I declare with great sorrow that the nuns of the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity are no longer members of the Order of Discalced Carmelites.

I ask for your continued prayers and sacrifices on behalf of these seven women, who have reverted to the lay state by their own actions.

Their claim that the Association of Christ the King would disperse their community has, in a sense, become a self-fulfilled prophecy, actualized by their own choices and actions.

In fact, however, the Association of Christ the King is not stepping in to disperse them, but rather, is leaving it to their own consciences, to admit the reality of their status as dismissed from religious life, and to behave accordingly.

They had claimed that the Association of Christ the King would seize their property and assets, but in reality, neither the Association nor the Diocese make any claim to the property, nor have we ever done so.

Our only wish is that the dismissed members of the Carmel would repent, so that the monastic property could again be rightly called a monastery, inhabited by Discalced Carmelite Nuns, in good canonical standing with the Church of Rome.

Please join me in prayer for this intention.

May God reward you. In the Wounds of Christ and Mary, Mother Marie of the Incarnation, O.C.D. Major Superior of the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity President of the Association of Christ the King

[daretoliveinhim]

Day 48, Novena for Our Nation - King: Shock Troops

DAY 48 – MARY, QUEEN OF THE FAMILY, PRAY FOR US WE’RE GOING IN! NOVENA FOR OUR NATION: AUGUST 15 – OCTOBER 7 SHOCK TROOPS KING:  As Jean-Baptiste Chautard recounts in his book The Soul of the Apostolate, Pope St. Pius X was conversing with a group of his cardinals one day. The pope asked them: “What is the thing we most need, today, to save society?” “Build Catholic schools,” said…

[betshy]

Does the Vatican Spread Misinformation about the Palmarians?

The Vatican, as the headquarters of the Catholic Church, holds significant influence over the beliefs and practices of its followers worldwide. When it comes to other religious groups, especially those that may be considered as fringe or controversial, the Vatican's stance can have a profound impact on how these groups are perceived by the public. One such group that has been the target of misinformation spread by the Vatican is the Palmarian Church. The Palmarian Church, also known as the Order of the Carmelites of the Holy Face, is a religious group founded in Spain in the 1970s. The group gained attention for its claims of receiving messages and visions from the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ, as well as its strict adherence to traditional Catholic practices. However, the Palmarian Church quickly came under scrutiny for its strict rules and alleged cult-like behaviour. In recent years, the Vatican has been accused of spreading misinformation about the Palmarians in order to discredit the group and dissuade Catholics from joining or supporting them. This misinformation includes claims that the Palmarian Church is a heretical sect that promotes false teachings and is not recognised by the Catholic Church. However, it is important to approach these claims with scepticism and to question the Vatican's motivations for spreading such information. The Vatican has a history of dismissing and condemning groups that deviate from traditional Catholic doctrine, and its bias against the Palmarians may be rooted in this institutional mindset. Furthermore, the Palmarian Church is not the only religious group that has been targeted by the Vatican. In recent years, the Vatican has also been accused of spreading misinformation about other non-traditional religious groups, such as the Society of St. Pius X and the Sedevacantists. Ultimately, it is up to individuals to do their own research and make informed decisions about the Palmarian Church and other religious groups. It is important to not blindly accept the Vatican's narrative and to approach these issues with an open mind and critical thinking. The spread of misinformation only serves to further divide and alienate religious communities, and it is essential to seek out the truth rather than rely on biased sources. Read the full article

[tinyshe]

"Over and over again we read of kings, emperors, statesmen and famous military commanders who placed all their trust in prayer, thus working wonders. If the prayers of one man can do much, what will not the prayers of many do?

"The Name of Jesus is the shortest, the easiest and the most powerful of prayers. Everyone can say it, even in the midst of this daily work. God cannot refuse to hear it.

"Let us then invoke the Name of Jesus, asking Him to save us from the calamities that threaten us.

“We were terrified beyond all else by the disastrous state of human society today. For who can fail to see that society is at the present time, more than in any past age, suffering from a terrible and deeprooted malady which, developing every day and eating into its inmost being, is dragging it to destruction? You understand, Venerable Brethren, what this disease is – apostasy from God, than which in truth nothing is more allied with ruin, according to the word of the Prophet: “For behold they that go far from Thee shall perish” (Ps. 1xxii., 17).” Continue reading:

Pope St. Pius X: “Restore All Things to Christ!”

[streamingfanatic1963]

Kansas Library Removes LGBTQ+ Books, After Religious Push

[dentoncatholic]

How to Build a Catholic Town

St Marys, Kansas is a small town. This small town may well be the capital of the Catholic English-speaking world as Kennedy Hall has called it. This town has undergone immense changes in the last 45 years as Catholics determined to give their children a traditional Catholic upbringing have flocked to the area. The main happening in the town is the work of the Society of St. Pius X, which has an…

[lily-of-christ]

High altar at the Seminary Church of the Priestly Society of St. Pius X, Zaitzkofen, Germany.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (April 30)

St. Pius V was born Michele Ghislieri on 17 January 1504 to poor parents of noble lineage in Bosco, near Alexandria, Lombardy.

He worked as a shepherd until the age of 14 when he encountered two Dominicans who recognized his intelligence and virtue. He joined the Dominicans and was ordained a priest at 24.

He taught philosophy and theology for 16 years during which he was elected prior of many houses.

He was known for his austere penances, his long hours of prayer and fasting, and the holiness of his speech.

He was elected Bishop of Sutri in 1556. He served as an inquisitor in Milan and Lombardi, then as inquisitor general of the Church and a cardinal in 1557.

He was known in this capacity as an able yet unflinching man who rigorously fought heresy and corruption wherever he encountered it.

He was elected pope on 7 January 1566, with the influential backing of his friend St. Charles Borromeo and took the name Pius V. 

He immediately put into action his vast program of reform by getting rid of many of the extravagant luxuries then prevalent in his court.

He gave the money usually invested in these luxuries to the poor whom he personally cared for, washing their feet, consoling those near death, and tending to lepers and the very sick.

He spent long hours before the Blessed Sacrament despite his heavy workload.

His pontificate was dedicated to applying the reforms of the Council of Trent, raising the standard of morality and reforming the clergy, and strongly supporting foreign missions.

The Catechism of the Council of Trent was completed during his reign. He revised the Roman Breviary and Missal, which remained in use until the reforms of Vatican II.

His six year pontificate saw him constantly at war with two massive enemy forces -- the Protestant heretics and the spread of their doctrines in the West, and the Turkish armies who were advancing from the East.

He encouraged efforts to battle Protestantism by education and preaching, and giving strong support to the newly formed Society of Jesus, founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola.

He excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I and supported Catholics who were oppressed and intimidated by Protestant princes, especially in Germany.

He worked hard to unite the Christian armies against the Turks. The most famous success of his papacy was the miraculous victory of the Christian fleet in the Battle of Lepanto on 7 October 1571.

The island of Malta was attacked by the Turkish fleet and nearly every man defending the fortress was killed in battle.

The Pope sent out a fleet to meet the enemy, requesting that each man on board pray the Rosary and receive communion.

Meanwhile, he called on all of Europe to recite the Rosary and ordered a 40 hour devotion in Rome during which time the battle took place.

The Christian fleet, vastly outnumbered by the Turks, inflicted an impossible defeat on the Turkish navy, demolishing the entire fleet.

In memory of the triumph, he declared the day the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary because of her intercession in answering the mass recitation of the Rosary and obtaining the victory.

He has also been called ‘Pope of the Rosary’ for this reason.

Pope Pius V died seven months later on 1 May 1572 of a painful disease, uttering "O Lord, increase my sufferings and my patience!"

He is enshrined at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

He was beatified by Pope Clement X on 1 May 1672 and was canonized by Pope Clement XI on 22 May 1712.

[theologyforthelayman]

A Response to Timothy Flanders on Schism

Michael interacts with Timothy Flanders’ comments on Benevacantists, Sedevacantists and the Society of St. Pius X. https://reasonandtheology.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/A-Response-to-Timothy-Flanders-on-Schism.mp3A Response to Timothy Flanders on Schism

[dankusner]

Fort Worth bishop urges members not to worship with Arlington nuns

Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Arlington

5801 Mt. Carmel Dr, Arlington, TX 7601

Note: Our daily Mass time is 7:30 a.m.

The head of Fort Worth’s Catholic church again urged members not to worship with a group of secluded Arlington nuns at the center of a bitter feud with the diocese.

In a statement published Sept. 24, Bishop Michael Olson wrote that fellow Catholics should not participate in sacraments such as Mass or provide financial support to the monastery.

Olson said members should only pray for the “restoration of order” at the monastery and for the nuns to return to “sober obedience.”

This is the bishop’s second such plea in the past week.

“Mindful of the salvation of souls, as your bishop I must plead with you, the faithful of the Diocese of Fort Worth that for the good of your souls you do not participate in any sacraments that may be offered at the Monastery as such participation will associate you with the scandalous disobedience and disunity of the members of the Arlington Carmel,” Olson wrote.

Earlier this month, the Arlington nuns reopened the monastery to the public for private prayer and daily Mass in Latin.

The nuns also announced they were associating with the Society of St. Pius X, a breakaway traditionalist Catholic group, and said they reelected the Rev. Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach for a three-year term.

It is not clear whether the monastery is drawing large numbers.

On a recent morning, roughly a dozen people attended a somber Mass.

The nuns, who are cloistered and have little contact with the outside world, sat behind a thick screen.

Only their whispered prayers could be heard.

A sign hanging in the lobby of the monastery read:

Carmelite Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity, Daily Mass, 7:30 a.m., All welcome, God is love.

“We are very happy to be able to share our life of prayer and the riches of the Church’s traditional liturgy with others,” the nuns wrote in a Sept. 14 statement. Related:‘Scandalous’: Fort Worth Catholic bishop condemns Arlington nuns in public rebuke

The extraordinarily public 18-month fight between the nuns and Olson has played out in dueling statements, civil court and outrageous headlines. It began in April 2023 when the bishop accused Gerlach, the monastery’s head nun, of violating her vow of chastity with a priest.

In response, the reverend mother and monastery filed a civil lawsuit against the bishop and diocese, accusing Olson of invading the sisters’ privacy and overstepping his authority.

A nearly six-hour court proceeding included explosive testimony from diocese officials, references to “sexting” and drug use, and audio of a 40-minute conversation between Olson and the former head nun. A Texas state judge ruled that civil court did not have jurisdiction to decide the church matter.

Gerlach admitted to breaking her vow of chastity on two occasions, but at another point in the conversation, she said she only spoke to the priest by phone. She had been hospitalized in November 2022 for seizures and was taking pain medication as a result, her attorney, Matthew Bobo, has previously said. Gerlach, who is in poor health, uses a wheelchair and feeding tube.

Earlier this year, the Vatican weighed in and placed the nuns under new authority, an association of Carmelite nuns. But the Arlington nuns said the decree amounted to a hostile takeover.

Before last year, the nuns had little interaction with the Fort Worth diocese. They live and work on 72 wooded acres in Arlington, spending their days praying, cooking, cleaning and caring for the grounds, rarely leaving the premises.

A sign hanging in the lobby of the monastery read:

Carmelite Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity, Daily Mass, 7:30 a.m., All welcome, God is love.

“We are very happy to be able to share our life of prayer and the riches of the Church’s traditional liturgy with others,” the nuns wrote in a Sept. 14 statement.

The extraordinarily public 18-month fight between the nuns and Olson has played out in dueling statements, civil court and outrageous headlines. It began in April 2023 when the bishop accused Gerlach, the monastery’s head nun, of violating her vow of chastity with a priest.

In response, the reverend mother and monastery filed a civil lawsuit against the bishop and diocese, accusing Olson of invading the sisters’ privacy and overstepping his authority.

A nearly six-hour court proceeding included explosive testimony from diocese officials, references to “sexting” and drug use, and audio of a 40-minute conversation between Olson and the former head nun.

A Texas state judge ruled that civil court did not have jurisdiction to decide the church matter.

Gerlach admitted to breaking her vow of chastity on two occasions, but at another point in the conversation, she said she only spoke to the priest by phone.

She had been hospitalized in November 2022 for seizures and was taking pain medication as a result, her attorney, Matthew Bobo, has previously said. Gerlach, who is in poor health, uses a wheelchair and feeding tube.

Opposing decree

Earlier this year, the Vatican weighed in and placed the nuns under new authority, an association of Carmelite nuns. But the Arlington nuns said the decree amounted to a hostile takeover. Before last year, the nuns had little interaction with the Fort Worth diocese. They live and work on 72 wooded acres in Arlington, spending their days praying, cooking, cleaning and caring for the grounds, rarely leaving the premises.

In the beginning, there were many elements that converged to make Fort Worth Carmel a reality.

Not the least of these elements was the delicate and beautiful plan of Divine Providence, which has unfolded so wonderfully through these 49 years.

There are so many wonderful friends who have contributed vitally toward the foundation of this Carmel, all of whom we would like to mention here, but in this small space it is not possible to do so.

We hope someday to write up the full history, and when this is done you will know the whole story!

Divine Providence made the first move, when a New York attorney sent a $5,000 donation to Oklahoma City Carmel with a letter requesting that this money be used to begin a new foundation of Carmel.

This good man acted in response to a sermon he had heard on "Vocations to the Religious Life," and so the Spirit of God did indeed inspire the beginning of our Carmel.

Heading the foundation was Mother Mary Magdalene, later elected its first prioress;

with her were four other nuns, including her blood sister Sister Margaret Mary.

After trips to and fro looking for a site , a lovely old home was found in a residential nook downtown, perched on a steep bluff overlooking the Trinity River.

Hence the name of the new foundation: Carmel of the Most Holy Trinity.

It was on October 2, 1958, that the Foundation of Carmel in Fort Worth was officially established.

On that day, Msgr. Vincent J. Wolf, who was then rector of St. Patrick Co-Cathedral, came in to bless the new Carmel, to seal the enclosure, and to celebrate the First Mass in the tiny chapel of the now cloistered Monastery.

Bishop Thomas K. Gorman, who had planned to come but was unable to do so because of illness, had delegated Msgr. Wolf to officiate in his stead.

It was not long after the foundation was established that Our Lord came to call one of His Spouses to Himself.

Mother Margaret Mary, who was Prioress since January 1965, died on March 11, 1967, after having suffered with cancer over a 25 year period.

Her death was a devastating blow to the young community, but we know that Mother Margaret is still with us interceding for us and sharing in all our concerns, along with our other three Sisters already in Eternity.

With grateful affection we remember them and the precious gift of their lives to God in Carmel, living the hidden life of prayer and sacrifice for the Church and the whole world.

By 1977 it was clear that the possibilities for further expansion of our small city lot were exhausted.

Through the generosity of a longtime benefactor, a beautiful, wooded 56 acre tract of land was purchased in Arlington, a fast-growing city between Fort Worth and Dallas.

It was ideal: secluded, yet central to our wide circle of friends and altar bread customers.

In collaboration with the nuns, our architects designed a striking building, one that is most often described in terms of its beauty and simplicity and its unique blend of both the classic and traditional.

And for us, so wonderfully suited to the monastic life.

Before leaving Fort Worth, we celebrated the Silver Jubilee of our Foundation in 1983.

At that time we were in the process of building our new monastery in Arlington, and the community was happy to move in on November 28, 1984.

The Dedication of our Chapel and Open House took place in May of 1985.

Since that time we have made additional enhancements to the grounds with landscaping and walkways, etc.

We made altar breads and did ceramic work when we were in Fort Worth and during the first years after our move to Arlington.

At present we are engaged in art and printing work, hand crafts, Newsletters and Novenas as a means of communication with our friends and benefactors, and other work necessary for the upkeep and care of our monastery and garden areas.

In December of 1999 we hosted the Visit of the Relics of St. Therese to North Texas.

It was a time of wonderful graces and blessings for our community and for the people of this region as an estimated 50,000 came to venerate the Relics and express their devotion to our dear Little Therese.

In October of 2018 we celebrated the 60th Anniversary of our

Foundation. May God be praised for His blessings to us during these many years in the Diocese of Fort Worth.

Praised be Jesus Christ!