The post-conciliar crisis remains unabated as the modernist errors introduced by the Second Vatican Council continue to afflict the Catholic Church. The poisonous effects of Modernism have been multifold, even extending to the persecution of so-called "traditionalists", that is, Catholics who are merely trying to practice the entire and pure Faith as defined by Tradition.
A consequence of this post-conciliar persecution has been an unjust treatment of the Society of St. Pius X (and its founder, Archbishop Lefebvre), instigated by the liberals in early 1973 and culminating with the Hot Summer of 1976.
This persecution of the SSPX has gone so far as to accuse its priests of belonging to a priestly society that lacks “full communion” with the Catholic Church as well as her permission to carry out their sacerdotal ministry. Thus according to these charges, the SSPX's priests lack the necessary facilities to administer the sacraments and in doing so contravene Church law.
In answer to these false charges we offer some republished articles that demonstrate (via Canon Law, theology and historical precedence) that the SSPX is not only in union with the Roman Catholic Church, but that its priests (as well as other traditional ones) continue to legitimately exercise their priestly functions for the good and salvation of souls.
- The state of necessity (the justifying cause of the SSPX's actions)
- SSPX's treatment: A profound injustice
- Supplied jurisdiction & traditional priests
As for dealing with the crisis itself, Catholics must take care not to overreact, particularly in dealing with ecclesiastical authorities, thus continuing to show the respect that is owed to their office, while nevertheless resisting their Modernist novelties. To better understand this point, we offer again Some notes on the resolution of the Church crisis as well as Fr. Juan-Carlos Iscara's article, St. Basil's economy of silence.
It is also important that we avoid the error of considering the Conciliar Church as a completely different one from the Catholic Church, and so we recommend the reading of Fr. Francois Laisney's comprehensive article: Various Churches?
Despite the gravity of the post-conciliar crisis, we should never give up hope, since we are assured that in the end the Christ and His Blessed Mother will triumph. As an example that even the current crisis will eventually be abated (though only God knows how), we recommend Michael Davies' book, St. Athanasius: Defender of the Faith.
Some other suggested books related to the unjust persecution of Archbishop Lefebvre and the SSPX are:
- Apologia Pro Lefebvre
- Is Tradition Excommunicated?
- The Case of Archbishop Lefebvre: Trial by Canon Law
