Some FSSP news:
The Superior General of the FSSP, The Very Reverend Fr. John Berg, with the consent of the General Council, has accepted the request of Fr. George Gabet, FSSP to step down as District Superior and has named Fr. Eric Flood, FSSP as his successor. Fr. Flood was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood in the year 2000 a.D. by Bishop Timlin of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Father spent three years at his first Priestly assignment in Omaha, Nebraska and then he was transferred to Maple Hill, Kansas for the next 4 1/2 years. Fr. Flood will now spend most of his time at the North American Headquarters of the Fraternity in Elmhurst, PA.
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Isn’t it interesting that all of the good happening in the Church was either precipitated by or has a direct reference to the actions of SSPX? Let me explain: Ecclesia Dei was formed in response to SSPX. This created a plethora of traditional communities throughout the world. Then, many ex-SSPXers formed FSSP. And now they are flourishing. Ex-SSPXers have also formed many of the great communities throughout the world, like Christ the King. And, of course, Summorum Pontificum just would not have happened absent SSPX. Could it be that God is using SSPX to cleanse the Church? There is nothing good with disobedience, but remember, SSPX’s original disobedience was refusing to use the Bugnini protestantesque Mass. They have been vindicated on this point, what is next? Here’s my challenge to SSPX: don’t let your good fruits create pride. Stay close to our Holy Father, as the successor of Peter!
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The end does not justify the means
Isn’t it interesting that all of the good happening in the Church was either precipitated by or has a direct reference to the actions of SSPX?
The SSPX had nothing to do with JPII’s best encyclical, Veritatis Splendor.
God used the Philistines to reform Israel in the days of Eli the priest, He used the Babylonians to purify the Jews at the time of the Exile. God uses many means to reform his people, but we cannot conclude from this that what was done by the Philistines or the Babylonians was good in itself. The rebellion of the FSSPX was not a good thing in itself, and we need to pray that God will soon heal the wound created in the mystical body by this rebellion.
And the SSPX had nothing to do with Fontgombault making the US foundation in Clear Creek.
God even allows evil to bring forth a good.
Malta,
The founder of ICRSS was ordained by THE POPE! What in the world are you talking about with them coming out of the SSPX?
Fr. Gabet’s resignation is fascinating. He is a native of the Diocese of Ft. Wayne – South Bend, whose bishop has been negotiating with him for the past few months a future FSSP chaplaincy in the diocese. It sure looks like Fr. Gabet is coming home!
The FSSP has been running down the succession of former Omaha area chaplains evidently. Fr. Gabet was Fr. Flood’s predecessor at St. Patrick’s in Omaha.
Fr. Flood was the first Fraternity priest I was exposed to and is one of the holiest men I’ve ever met. The FSSP in America is in good hands.
Fr. Gabet has been made the chaplain of the newly established Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Latin Mass Community of the Diocese of Fort Wayne – South Bend:
http://tlmmichiana.blogspot.com/2008/02/rumors-about-fssp-chaplaincy-in-fort.html
The bulletin of the Lexington Latin Mass Community (an FSSP apostolate) has this to say:
Fr. Eric Flood, FSSP, took over as Superior of the American District of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter on Feb. 2. Father had been pastor at St. John Mary Vianney parish in Maple Hill, KS. Father is 39 years old and was ordained in 2000. You can contact him by calling 570-842-4000, ext. 104 or by writing to St. Peter’s House, PO Box 196, Elmhurst, PA 18416. Fr. Gabet will take on the founding of a new Fraternity Apostolate in Ft. Wayne, IN. Prayers for both are appreciated.
Hooray!
This is really great on the part of Fr. Gabet. Stepping down as superior to found a chaplaincy in his own diocese is an amazing work of love. I’m sure anyone else from the Ft. Wayne area will agree and are just as appreciative as I am.
Dicit Malta “faciamus mala ut veniant bona”!
I am tired of this ceaseless attribution of all that is good in the Church to this prideful disobedient sect. If the SSPX had a motto it would be “We obey the Holy Father by defying him” – such is the intellectual “ducking and weaving” of some of their apologists.
Without Martin Luther, there would have been no Council of Trent. Do we therefore become Lutherans? Let us do evil that good may come, indeed!
Finally, “[the creation of PCED] created a plethora of traditional communities throughout the world. Then, many ex-SSPXers formed FSSP.” is not precisely correct. FSSP was formed by 12 (“many”?) SSPX priests and seminarians who refused to follow Archbishop Lefebvre et.al. into schism. It was, for all intents and purposes, contemporaneous with the Econe consecrations and the motu proprio Ecclesia Dei adflicta. The other “Ecclesia Dei” communities came later. Be that as it may, they all share a humility and desire to remain within the barque of Peter sadly lacking in the SSPX. It is precisely the rejection of the SSPX’s prideful “picking and choosing” with respect to when and under what circumstances they will obey the Holy Father that has led to the foundation of that “plethora of traditional communities”. Meanwhile, the SSPX gives birth to sedevacantist splinter groups such as the SSPV, and puts ever more stringent “pre-conditions” on reconciliation with the Church.
David2,
You’re very impassioned, but don’t throw your blather into my face. We’re not talking Martin Luther, here, my friend, we are talking very, very traditionally Catholic souls here. There is a huge, an enormous difference here. On the one hand, we have clown masses and Assisi I and II, on the other we have devout, holy, faithful (in ways such as abortion and contraception, which, your so-called “faithful” catholics have lost touch with), and yet you want to throw mud at SSPX. Get ahold of yourself, my friend, you are disillusioned about this holy society. Even Ecclesia Dei wouldn’t talk about them in the same rash way you have.
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OK, perhaps there was more heat than light in my last post. But the SSPX are definitely not the source and fount of all good in the Church, and I suspect that were Archbishop Lefebvre alive today, the SSPX would have reconciled by now. I agree that many “mainstream Catholics” who support abortion and the like, are simply not Catholic at all. That does not, however, mean that we should ignore what I perceive to be a lack of humility and filial obedience in many of the society’s public statements.
Sorry for digressing, Father Z.
I had to smile at the use of the phrase “in the year 2000 a.D.” in an announcement regarding a traditional Catholic body.
“in the year 2000 a.D.” – reads “in the (year) 2000 anno Domini”; quite ok, isn’t it?
Fr. WTC: Well said, my brother!
Malta: The Institute of Christ the King, as someone pointed out, had nothing to do with the SSPX. I also resent the Mass, the sacrifice of Christ, being called, “protestantesque.”
It normally would be “A.D. 2000;” that is, “In the year of Our Lord, 2000.” However, the one who posted this could also be referring to the fact that to use “A.D.” is really not at all needed.
And congrats to Father Flood!
Fr. A.
Fr. Gabet is a class act. This holy priest has done countless favors for Traditional Catholicism behind the scenes, without seeking credit, since the day he became District Superior. Generous with his time, and equally generous with the resources of the Fraternity, he has worked for the betterment and growth of the EF not only at FSSP apostolates, but at diocesan sites as well. A true ambassador for the TLM.
The people of Fort Wayne have been blessed to have a man of his dedication become their chaplain.
I’m excited about Fr. Gabet coming home to Fort Wayne. Bishop D’Arcy has been moderately open to those in the diocese who are attached to the EF. However, those in the southern reaches of the diocese have been underserved (e.g. not at all) through the years. This is not so much the fault of our good and holy bishop, but a combination of two factors. First, the population center of the diocese trends north, with both co-cathedrals being located in that area. Second, the diocesan bishop to the south is not friendly to the EF, only allowing one EF Mass on Tuesday evenings in Muncie, IN. If I wish to attend the EF, I have to drive to Indianapolis (80 miles), Fort Wayne (65 miles) or South Bend (70 miles). There is a gorgeous oratory (St. Patrick’s, Lagro, IN) centrally located in the southern reach of the diocese, which was never wreckovated after Vatican II and could be used immediately for the EF. The oratory is currently administrated by my pastor at St. Bernard’s, Wabash. One OF Mass per month is celebrated there. He is open to celebrating the EF, but needs training. Hopefully, once the PCED clarification is published, this will become possible.
Well, if FW-SB had an FSSP chapel last year, I might never have taken a job outside the diocese!
Jim,
Could you tell me more about the Lagro oratory? I’ve never heard of it before. Is there some way we could communicate privately?
Patronus:
You can contact me at jgarlits (at) gmail (dot) com for more information about St. Patrick’s.
Let us suppose for the sake of argument, that the SSPX is as bad as some say, fine. Let’s even say they are like the Lutherans. Does that mean we should adopt the flawed policies of Paul IV, who suspended that comprise council at Trent, and insist that the SSPX come back crawling over glass? Should we not acknowledge with then Cardinal Ratzinger that schisms are caused by the people in the Church ignoring certain truths of the Faith? If the people in the highest offices of the Church had not acted so imprudently, the situation with the SSPX would never have happened. Does not this fact remove some of the culpability of the SSPX? Yes, today is not the 1970’s and I have great hope that this Pope is a man of deeds and not merely words, but certainly you should be able to understand that the SSPX would be distrustful. The last Pope said many wonderful things, but was unable to implement any. He made promises to groups and individuals (ie promise to Mother Theresa to never allow altar girls) and then promptly caved to the pressure of the bureaucracy in Rome. This Pope has done more so far, and I hope it continues. I hope the SSPX can learn to trust the men of the hierarchy again, but it will take time, and it will take deeds on the part of the hierarchy. Finally, we do no service to the Lutherans or the SSPX (or the Church for that matter) by not acknowledging the truth they speak (even if that truth be mixed with error), and not looking at ourselves and finding any blame we may have in the scandal we have caused that injured the faith of our weaker brethren.
I had to smile at the use of the phrase “in the year 2000 a.D.” in an announcement regarding a traditional Catholic body.
Good catch! I was so annoyed by the dislocation of “a.D.” that I did not notice what was in its place.
Congratulations to Fr. Flood! I had the pleasure to meet him this summer. What a great and hospitable priest!
Malta,
The United States space program created THOUSANDS of innovations that have improved the quality of modern life. The inventions from our space program have led to medical and technological breakthroughs that have saved countless lives. Yet the entire US space program would not have existed as we know it without the Nazi’s. It is only because of the Nazi organization that German scientists were able to progress so far. Then, these same scientists left the Nazi’s behind after the war and came to the United States.
I suppose we could say thank God for the Nazi’s. Or we could say that God brings good out of evil.
And no, I’m not saying that the SSPX are as bad as Nazi’s. I just pointing out that Our Lord has brought great good out of a very evil act.
Different: I don’t think God cares about our space program. Erasamus said that every evil act in the world eventually leads to a greater good. But I am not saying what SSPX did was evil, just as I would not say that what St. Athanasius did, in defying Arianism, was evil. Just the opposite. The greatest crime that SSPX ever committed was trying to maintain tradition and integrity in the Church. I admit that they now need to be careful with pride, which can afflict any person or group. But pride is not the reason they defied the Pope, just as pride was not the reason Athanasius defied the Pope. Pride was the reason Luther defied the Pope. Do you see the distinction?
I was just getting into things at Maple Hill when he announced that he had to go elsewhere.
Malta,
My analogy holds. Good followed from the evil acts of the Nazi’s. And good follows from the evil act of Lefevbre.
I disagree with your evaluation of Lefevbre’s act. As does the late Holy Father, canon law, and the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts. But I suppose all of them are wrong, and you are correct. Lefevbre set tradition above the Holy Father’s authoritative command that did not contravene divine law…that was a seriously evil act. For his sake I pray that there were mitigating circumstances that lessened his culpability.
Let us also not forget that Lefebvre very effectively removed from the mainstream Church those most dedicated to the traditional liturgy. Many who might have been good influences on parish life and liturgical practices were excised and isolated, and made irrelevant. That was a tragic error on his part. Whatever his intentions, he blundered into doing the Enemy’s work for him.
antiquarian: “he [Lefebvre] blundered into doing the Enemy’s work for him.”
What “Enemy’s work” are you talking about? The maintenance of tradition? FSSP? Other traditional societies? Summorum Pontificum? How, exactly, did Lefebvre acomplish the “Enemy’s” work? As FR. here says, “think before you post.”
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Whoa…now Lefebvre gets credit for the FSSP? That’s really funny. The FSSP were the guys who LEFT Lefebvre because they knew that his schismatic act was wrong. But now he gets credit for them???
As for how Lefebvre accomplished the enemy’s work? He peeled many of the most faithful Catholics away from the Body of Christ. It was the devil’s ultimate coup. It’s easy for the devil to get the spiritually weak or ignorant, but to get the faithful and educated? That’s tough. But he found away through the Archbishop.