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THE ATHANASIAN
A publication of Traditional Catholics of America t Editor: Fr. Francis E. Fenton, STL t Volume XI, No. 8 t December 1, 1990
Editorial Note: Bishop Richard Williamson was one of the four priests consecrated
bishops by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in Econe, Switzerland, on June 30, 1988.
In Defense Of Sedevacantism:
An Open Letter To Bishop Richard Williamson
from John Kenneth Weiskittel
December!, 1990 Apologia Pro Marcel Lefebvre. Curiously, in reading what
you term "the true solution" to the "mystery" of why John
Your Excellency: Paul II and his Conciliar predecessors have been "doing so
much damage to the Church," I find myself likening it to an
May the grace of Our Lord be with you! Earlier this year you
twice used your "friends and benefactors" letter to comment Apologia Pro John Paul II, insomuch as you take such great
on the topic of sedevacantism, including a four-page letter in pains to absolve him of personal culpability and to throw your
July. I'd like to answer your objections to that stand and I support his way. In your letter you make this clear, writing
hope you see that I do so in public simply because, as you that you consider the issue " (not) out of disloyalty to the
noted in defending your decision to write on the subject, "the Holy Father but, on the contrary, out of loyalty, namely, in
problem set by the recent Popes is already very much there in the hope of helping Catholic minds to ride out in peace the
many Catholics' minds … " Indeed it is, being nothing less present storm and to stay by the Pope's side without falling
than a daily cross for all who seek to hold fast to Roman into his errors … "
Catholic Tradition.
Now such sentiments are laudable only if they are a faithful
Before approaching the subject, let me set forth the limits reflection of the situation; otherwise, they are dangerous
within which I frame this letter. As a layman, though because they propose a false resolution. In doing so, they
reasonably well versed in the Faith, I do not pretend to teach resemble the phenomenon that psychologists call denial, in
the clergy. The issue at hand isn't about the dogmas of the which a person experiencing a trauma forms a mental block
Church but about specific perceptions concerning recent that rejects the harsh reality and, in its place, fabricates a less
claimants to the Chair of Peter. You should know threatening delusion. When I read how you bend over
beforehand, that I have the encouragement and support of backwards to give John Paul II every benefit of the doubt, I
several priests in the writing of this letter. While the greater cannot help but think that what I'm witnessing is a prime
part of my study is a direct response to your July letter, which example of denial in action. You amply demonstrate this on
contains your more complete writings on the topic, in every page of your letter.
general it also takes to task the avowed position of You concern yourself with what you call the "main
Archbishop Marcel Lefebrve and your other brethren in the argument" of the sedevacantists, which you render: "The
Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX). As you have focused on recent Popes say and do heretical things (such as would have
"Pope" John Paul II, so too will I direct my attention to his
earned instant excommunication had any Catholic bishop
twelve-year reign as leader of the Conciliar Church. said or done them 50 years ago.) Now heretics are outside
Apologia Pro John Paul D the Church. Therefore these Popes are not even members of
the Church, let alone true Popes." It is of interest that
Some time ago, your fellow countryman, Michael Davies, nowhere do you disagree with the first part of this formula,
wrote a defense of the SSPX founder, titling the book that is, that" recent Popes say and do heretical things."
How, then, do you fail to draw the same conclusion as a staunchly Catholic nation to one more in line with the
sedevacantists? You do so by appealing to the difference Freemasonic models in Western Europe and the United
between the material and the {annal heretic. While the States, so there wasn't a great deal for him to find admirable
former may say and do things against the teaching of the in its secular side. There is still less for him to find admirable
Church without realizing it, the latter does so pertinaciously, in the openly anti-Christian Nazi (1939) and Communist
that is, "fully aware that he is denying revealed Catholic (1945) regimes that followed. No, there was no reason for
dogma." John Paul II to find the world attractive and ready to be
blended with the Church. To suggest as much totally ignores
For the better part of four pages you build a case for John the fact that his theological studies had to be made in a
Paul II being merely a material heretic. He may be doing makeshift "underground" seminary at the palace of Cardinal
wrong, you say, but he isn't really conscious of what he's do- Adam Sapieha, Archbishop of Cracow. Far from being a
ing. You rightly maintain that Modernism, condemned by mitigating factor as regards his career, the acceptance of
Pope Saint Pius X as the "synthesis of all heresies," never ac- such a stance by him, in spite of the evils he saw all around
tually left the Church but merely went underground until it him, actually should make us wary of him.
was safe to come out of hiding. But then you state that, while
Pope Pius X had tried vainly to eradicate the Modernist Modernism, Vatican II And "Peer Pressure"
weed, "it so grew back that now his successors are destroying During the Reagan Presidency, one reporter observed a
the Church while convinced they are saving it!" In other curious tendency by his fellow journalists: no matter what
words, John Paul II has accepted Modernist errors sort of scandals were taking place by Reagan appointees, the
unconsciously. popularity of the president was such that he remained un-
sullied by the dirty dealings. Hence, the reporter coined the
And so you go on to state that John Paul II is "one of a long
term teflon presidency. When reading certain conservative
line of Catholics seeking to come to an understanding or
compromise with that world which, insofar as it is 'seated in Conciliar analyses of the current Church crisis, such as
wickedness' (I John 5: 19 ), is always opposed to the Church." appear with regularity in The Wanderer, I am struck by a
Since John Paul II was born in Poland, "a country and somewhat similar editorial policy. Any number of bishops,
priests, religious and laity are raked through the coals in The
culture steeped in the benefits of Mother Church," he would,
Wanderer for espousing views at odds with Catholic teaching
you say, by necessity "believe profoundly in the goodness of
but John Paul II, despite promoting the same sort of ideas, is
what she does." If we accept this, however, he must also
"believe profoundly in the goodness" of the Churchs held as somehow sacrosanct. Indeed, the same news sources
condemnah"on of Modernism. commit what amounts to an informational blackout when his
uncatholic words and deeds are involved. Your tetlon-coated
Further muddling things, you argue: "Hence, what one Pope seems able to drag Catholic teaching through the mud
believes most profoundly of all is a mixture of the world and with him and all the while, you assure us, he keeps his papal
the Church; a combination of everything admirable in the vestments snow-white.
modern world with everything admirable in Mother Church, Returning to your attack on sedevacantism, you note that
for one is profoundly convinced that, since both are so
this Modernist drive for a "synthesis" with the Liberal
admirable, they cannot be irreconcilable; on the contrary, all
modem world is a striving for" independence from God" and
that is needed is a new synthesis of the two, a synthesis that
as futile as to "mix oil and water." You attempt to explain
everyone is waiting for." A Modernist might seek such but a
John Paul Il's own pursuit of this mirage, from his seminary
Catholic knowledgeable in Church history is aware that the
days on, by conjecturing that, "as long as men will let
two worlds – spiritual and secular – have never had more
themselves be mothered by the Church and seduced by the
than temporary alliances. And, again, if John Paul II was
world, such efforts will continue." Since part of the basis of
such a loyal son of the Church, he would have studied the
this desired synthesis is "independence from God," it would
writings of the Popes to see how the Church views questions
appear that your case for simple "material heresy" on the
of the Church in society, instead of seeking the sort of
part of John Paul II is further weakened.
"synthesis" condemned by these same pontiffs.
Compounding this is the fact that, by the time he was born At this juncture, I reach a central point of your argument and
(1920), Poland had already moved from its historic status of quote at length from your letter:
THEATHANASIAN 2 DECE.\fBER 1.1990
… When a Protestant refuses certain Catholic truths, vigilantly to root up this theological weed from seminary
he admits it, he is even proud of it, he puts himself gardens. I think we're agreed on this point, though I'd take
outside the Catholic Church and, if he attacks the exception with your characterization of the Vatican II
Catholic Faith, he can only attack it from outside. On culprits as being "neo-Modernists." This suggests that the
the contrary your Liberal Catholic with a modem movement died and its ideas were later revived while, in
philosophy, or a Modernist, logically does not admit truth, it continued in a semidormant state with leaders who
that there are Catholic Truths out there that he is learned from Loisy's tactical mistakes and proceeded to
refusing, so he does not admit that he is outside the spread the same heresy with greater subtlety. The errors,
Church; rather he is convinced that he is an improved then, that raised their ugly heads at the Council, and were
(updated) Catholic and that he has a mission, from successfully promulgated there, did not somehow suddenly
inside the Church which he has not left, to "improve" infect minds like some mass hallucination; no indeed, they
the rest of the Church. had been injected virus-like into seminaries years – or, in
some cases, decades – before. Despite this, there were
Implicit in this passage is the suggestion that somehow the
voices like Archbishop Lefebvre's who roundly condemned
Liberal Catholic (a contradiction in terms) or Modernist is
the "innovations" in no uncertain terms.
merely a confused do-gooder who doesn't really know the
harm he's causing, and that this is different from the Yet, because so many present at Vatican II endorsed these
deliberation of the Protestant in his attacks. Hold on a false teachings or, at least, did not speak out boldly against
minute, Bishop! Let us not forget that it was Martin Luther's them, you are ready to suggest that this somehow removes
original intention to spur the Church into confronting the the obligation of these prelates to stand firm for the Faith.
abuses that were damaging it. It was only after the Vatican (Saint Athanasius and his Catholic brethren were in a
ordered him to renounce the errors that had crept into his distinct and terribly persecuted minority against the Arians
writings, and he refused, that Pope Leo X excommunicated – but they held fast. The number of those who espouse error
him. Ignatius von Dollinger, a Liberal Catholic, challenged is never a justification for embracing it.) Of this sordid
the infallibility of the Popes as defined by Vatican I. When he Conciliar scene you write as follows regarding the typical
ignored commands to abjure his heresy, he was "neo-modernist" (including, presumably, the then Bishop
excommunicated in 1871 by the Archbishop of Munich and Karol Wojtyla): "The collective folly of the Church now bol-
became a leader of the "Old Catholic" sect, whose teachings stered him in his errors." Sorry, Bishop Williamson, but this
of a vernacular Mass, married clergy, optional confession just won't wash. However "bolstered" he may have felt in his
and national Churches anticipated the "updated and errors, the fact remains that no shepherd of souls may use
improved" doctrines of Vatican Ill Finally, the situation was such an excuse as a carte blanche dispensing him of his re-
similar when Alfred Loisy was instructed by Pope Saint Pius sponsibility over his flock or to excuse culpability in his fail-
X to conform his writings to Church dogma; Loisy held fast ure to guard his lambs. Not Bishop Karol Wojtyla – not
to his "improved" doctrines and was excommunicated in anyone!
1907. The point is that Liberal Catholics and Modernists, no
less than Protestants, have had their errors thoroughly John Paul D's "Liberal Dream"
condemned by the Holy See (especially by Popes Pius IX,
You continue your defense of John Paul II as a badly mixed-
Leo XIII and Pius X) and the faithful are expressly warned
up fellow in your appraisal of his years in Rome. The mere
not to tread these forbidden paths. All of the papal
fact that, at the time of his 1978 election, he found "neo-
pronouncements condemning these heresies are – and have
modernism firmly established in the upper ranks of the
been – readily available to Catholics (and, obviously, to
Church" does not exempt him from even more firmly
seminarians), so it is difficult to see how you can suggest
adhering to the true Faith. But this is precisely what you
ignorance as an excuse for anyone.
maintain when you write: "And so what can he know
But this is precisely what you propose. How is this? Well, you 'Catholicism' to be but this 'improved' version which he
rightly declare that, after Pope Pius X condemned himself strove with conviction to promote at Vatican II … "
Modernism, its proponents "went underground to wait for This apology might make sense if we were talking about
better times." Unfortunately for the Church they did not have someone who had grown up in such a spiritual environment
to wait very long, for Pius' successors did not continue and who knew no better. ButJohn Paul II was raised in a time
THEA THANAS/AN 3 DECEMBER 1, 1990
and place where the roots of traditional Catholicism were Catholics is to renounce it as opposed to Catholic teaching in
quite deep. By the time we reach the Council years, he is such areas as religious liberty but, of course, John Paul II
already a middle-aged bishop and one who is well-known for means a false harmonization of the two.
cutting deals with the godless Communists who enslaved his
Let's review a few of the teachings that this "Pope" is
nation. He continued this policy at Vatican II, shamelessly
spinning out of his "Liberal dream." Space limits prevent any
advocating that the Church pursue a" conspiracy of silence"
detailed examination of his record (and most readers are
about Communism. Here, too, we see a conscious direction
already familiar with it) but keep in mind that these and other
on his part.
declarations of John Paul II represent the kind of thinking
When you speak of his coming to accept this " improved that is supposed to be Catholic (and his actions the model of
version" of the Faith as a consequence of seeing so many behavior) for those in the Conciliar Church:
who had already succumbed to it, you seem to forget that
• To Cardinals in 1979, he proclaimed that "Jesus
earlier you had mentioned that, "as a seminarian in his early
Christ united Himself forever with each (person) …"
twenties, he was attempting to put together a philosophy
Even those in Hell? – or is universal salvation being
which would blend Catholic with modem thinking, Thomism
taught here?
with existentialism and personalism." In other words, far
from being an" innocent" who simply followed the prevailing • To visiting leaders of the Jewish community at Mainz,
Conciliar errors, he was actually a ringleader who was Germany, in 1980, he professed that "Jews and
victimizing others with his aberrations. Far from being a Christians, all of them sons of Abraham, are called to
follower, he was a trendsetter. be a blessing on the world …" And, in 1986, he visited
the synagogue in Rome where he sat in a chair identical
But now we reach your conclusion, which is supposed to be to that in which sat the Chief Rabbi; the two spoke for
the coup de grace to sedevacantism. Lest I be accused of the same length of time; equality of sects was stressed.
quoting out of context, I again cite a lengthy passage: According to John Paul II's "new" tradition, there is no
In which case how can he know … that his ecumenism need for conversion of Jews – they are already our
is flouting Catholic dogma? … But just as a man who brothers and have no need of the Messiah. This stance
unawares tells an untruth is not properly a liar, so a confuses spiritual with merely biological "sons of
man who unawares flouts Catholic dogma is not Abraham." Christ said to the Jews who opposed Him: "I
properly (formally) a heretic. So John Paul II may well know that you are the children of Abraham; but you
be destroying the Church with his ecumenism but, until seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you."
he wakes out of his Liberal dream and becomes aware • His 1983 participation in the celebration of the 500th
of the fact, he is not by formal heresy out of the Church anniversary of Luther's birth at which he proclaimed
(and one may well think that if he did he would change this gem of "wisdom": "One must be enlightened by the
course). Hence, the main sedevacantist argument falls convincing manner of the proud religious spirit of
to the ground. Luther, animated by a burning passion for the question
of eternal salvation." This is but one of many "papal"
Does it really fall to the ground, Bishop? For you to suggest pronouncements that veil the errors of Protestants and
so leads me to wonder whether it is you who are doing the Orthodox and that suggest that the Catholic Church is
dreaming. equally guilty of bringing about the divisions of
John Paul II has had twelve years to "wake out of his Liberal Christendom.
dream" and, far from doing so, he has year by year • In 1985, he told Islamic representatives that
demonstrated ever more clearly that he is wide awake in his Christians and Moslems both "strive to put into
destructive imposture. Only days after his "election" to the practice … the will of God, following the teaching of
throne of Saint Peter, he declared that "the Council must be our respective holy books." Conciliar "Catholics" may
understood in the light of all Holy Tradition and on the basis thus conclude that the Koran is also sacred scripture
of the constant Magisterium of the Church." But how is this even though it declares that all who say "Allah is the
mixing of oil and water (that is, understanding the Council in Messiah, Son of Mary" are infidels and urges that
light of Tradition) to be effected? Well, the only course for Moslems kill them (Christians) so as to make a big
THEA THANAS/AN 4 DECEMBER 1, 1990
slaughter." Islam, according to the "new" tradition, is bishop, goes and consecrates four bishops! Claimed he was
not a false religion, only a different way to do "the will "preserving Catholic tradition." John Paul II warned him not
of God." to do this (the last thing we need are more bishops spouting
• In India, in 1986, John Paul II permitted the mark of this outdated nonsense about the Catholic Church being the
Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction, to be placed on his "one, true Faith" and other anti-ecumenical dogmatism).
forehead. How appropriate! Now the "Pope" is a very ecumenical person, you know, but
his ecumenism only goes so far, so he did the only thing he
• Later, in 1986, the notorious Assisi "love-in" knew to preserve the "unity" of his Church – he booted this
occurred, when leaders of world religions converged archbishop out, "excommunicated" him in a loving,
there for a spiritual peace summit. The Dalai Lama, nonjudgmental, Conciliar sort of way. What this
worshiped by his followers as God Incarnate, sat "shortsighted" individual failed to grasp, you see, was that in
beside the supposed Vicar of the true God Incarnate the New Church there are well-defined limits and that he had
and then, with the approval of John Paul II, joined passed one. Not to worry though. It's only a dream, after all,
other Tibetan Buddhists in profaning the centuries-old and the "Holy Father" ought to be waking up any time soon
Church of Saint Peter with their heathen rites. But now. (He certainly takes long naps though, doesn't he?)
then, all religions lead to the same place in Conciliar
theology. Heresy Most Foul
Somehow, in all this giddy false ecumenism, the true Is it not absurd then, Bishop, to hold out hope that, given
Catholic Tradition has been swept under the carpet But the enough time, we can expect John Paul II to come around,
Holy Ghost, speaking through Saint Paul, is not mocked and renounce his heresy and strive mightily to defend the Faith
John Paul II will have much to answer for because of his that for a !ifetime he has worked to tear down – if only we
conveniently ignoring the admonition: "Bear not the yoke pray enough about it, collect enough petitions or enter into
with unbelievers. For what participation hath justice with enough protocols with him? (I'm not suggesting here that we
injustice? Or what fellowship hath light with darkness? And ought not to pray for him – we should, not as the Pope, of
what concord hath Christ with Belia!? Or what part hath the course, but as an incredibly destructive enemy of the Faith
faithful with the unbeliever? And what agreement hath the we all hold dear.) If his not-so-glorious "reign" has shown us
temple of God with idols? … '' (II Corinthians 6: 14-15) anything at all, it is that he has systematically jettisoned –
But rubbing elbows with idolators has not been John Paul II's among other things – the Church's teaching about non-
only pastime. Besides his tireless promotion of the One Catholics and our correct relationship with them. Wrapping
World Religion (we mustn't forget his joint declaration with himself in the robes of Peter, he has perhaps done more than
the Orthodox Patriarch Dimitrios I condemning any man in history to deny the divine commission of the
"proselytism" – who needs converts when all faiths are Church he claims to represent and to espouse the pernicious
equal?), he is also at home with the forces of the One World lie of indifferentism. Even were he to profess the rest of the
Government lobby. We see him continually hobnobbing with Faith intact, I maintain, denial of this fundamental dogma is
Trilateralists and United Nations officials. He bestows his such as would place him outside the Church. Your appeal to
"apostolic blessing" on the likes of Yassar Arafat, Mikhail the "peer pressure" defense does not remove the basic duty
Gorbachev and Nelson Mandela. of all Catholics to defend their religion. Our martyred
brethren in pagan Rome faced far greater pressure to
Yes, "Pope" John Paul II is just bubbling with goodwill for conform that any of us is likely to see, yet their faith endured
everyone. Well, not quite everyone. In fact, he got downright to the last and was sealed by the supreme sacrifice. They saw,
surly with one group of folks. You see, Bishop, a couple of as we also are duty-bound to see, that, when matters of Faith
years ago there was this fellow who crossed him, a are concerned, no compromise is possible.
hardheaded sort of chap who had an "old" view of tradition,
didn't want to be involved with the hand-clapping fun of the In the case charging the defendant, John Paul II, with formal
Novus Ordo "Mass" and even complained about that heresy, I, in the role of counsel for the plaintiff, intend to
harmless gathering of "believers" over in Assisi. All of this show that the defendant, in full possession of his faculties
bothered "His Holiness" but he tried his best to "reconcile" and with malice aforethought, is guilty of the crime with
the poor, backward soul. Then this individual, an arch- which he is charged. Over and above the exhibits already
THEA THANAS/AN 5 DECEMBER 1, 1990
submitted as evidence, I would like to call the following their own desires they will heap to themselves teachers,
"witnesses" (I have taken the liberty of expanding on the having itching ears, and will indeed tum their hearing
usual definition here): from the truth, but will be turned into fables. Be thou
vigilant (II Timothy 4:2-4; emphasis added)
Jesus Christ: Our Savior instructed his chosen
Apostles and their successors thus: "Go ye into the The Chair of Peter: All Popes who proclaimed the
whole wide world, and preach the gospel to every true Faith before John Paul II stand as an army of
creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be witnesses against him, as do the legitimate ecumenical
saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned." councils over which they presided. Foremost among
(Mark 16:15-16) Ignoring this commission, the these is Saint Peter, above whose very bones the
defendant has, in many and sundry ways, encouraged defendant conducts the sacrilegious "new Mass."
nonbelievers to remain in their darkness. Christ's
Tile Oarfl Agatnsr Modemtsm: In November, W4o,
words are so essential to the Faith that it is impassible
the defendant was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in
to claim that the defendant was unaware of them.
Poland. In being raised to this august order he was
The Holy Ghost: The Guardian of the orthodoxy of obliged to swear that he would champion the doctrines
every Pope and the Inspirer of Sacred Scripture rejects of the Catholic Faith and would strive to combat the
the defendant as a heretic who claims that the religious errors of her sworn enemy, Modernism. Unlike the sect
texts of false religions are also "holy books." of Masonry, the Church does not impose oaths upon
anyone unless it is clear that the individual has a firm
The Church Triumphant: The Blessed Mother of Our understanding about their object.
Lord, the apostles, martyrs, confessors, virgins and all
the angels and saints protest that the defendant has John Paul U: Ironically, some of the most damaging
reduced all their heroic acts of virtue to trivialities by his of all testimony comes from the defendant's own
claims that false religions enjoy equal favor with God. career. Here is a man with considerable intellectual
gifts. Fluent in several tongues, he has been a poet,
The Church Suffering: The faithful departed in
priest, actor, playwright, philosopher, professor,
Purgatory cry out in anguish against the defendant –
bishop and theologian. At Vatican II he was regarded
under his continuing leadership, the Conciliar Church as an expert; later, he was called upon to conduct Paul
pretends that no such place exists and, hence, those
Vi's retreats. All of this weighs heavily against the
detained there are deprived of much in the way of
defendant's claim of material heresy, a condition that
spiritual benefits. presupposes ignorance on the defendant's part. Had he
The Church Militant: This includes every Catholic been an uneducated peasant who, from ignorance or
who, at any point in the defendant's life, warned him inattentiveness, utters an error without realizing it and
about his erroneous thinking; the prelates who spoke who would denounce it when corrected, such a defense
out against Vatican Il's innovations and against the could be made. The defendant's very stature increases
"new Mass"; and, at present, that small but his culpability, suggesting that it is far more likely that
visible remnant of traditional Roman Catholics he saw his errors and persisted in them anyway!
resisting the defendant's brutal attacks on the
Bishop Richard Williamson: Although a witness for
Magisterium of the Church.
the defense, his testimony included the statement that
Sacred Scripture: As a priest, the defendant was the defendant's words and deeds are "such as would
repeatedly warned about his duty to preserve sound have earned instant excommunication had any
doctrine. On the feast of every Doctor of the Church he Catholic bishop said or done them 50 years ago." That
read the following passage from an Epistle of the which is evil does not become good with the passage of
Apostle Paul: "Preach the word: be instant in season time (regardless of Modernist claims to the contrary)
and out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all and, if those being now considered were so heinous as
patience and doctrine. For there shall be a time when to deserve instant excommunication as recently as half
they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to a century ago, then it is clear then the Church did not
THEA THANAS/AN 6 DECEMBER 1, 1990
regard them as mere fringe issues that could easily be with those expressed here at The Athanasian.
overlooked in a relatively brief passage of time.
The SSPX's position is self-contradictory, as is evidenced by
The case for formal heresy, then, is far from a weak one. It is the following statement made by its superior, Father Franz
not a charge with which any of us should feel comfortable but Schmidberger, to the Conciliar magazine 30 Days (June,
it is the only one that is logical and conforms to the facts 1989): "Rome, with (Cardinal Paul Augustin) Mayer's
before us. And, unlike the arguments set forth on the other Ecclesia Dei, has done everything she can to divide us, to
side, it is one that can be made without resorting to tortuous draw away our faithful and priests …" But how can he
mental gymnastics. Only with a guilty verdict can relief be complain of an effort to lure them away if those guilty of this
meted out to the plaintiff and justice to the defendant The are members of the same church to which he belongs? There
record of John Paul II convicts him. is, then, no consistency to the SSPX position.
The SSPX Contradicts Itself In Conclusion
Having laid out the claims of the sedevacantists' "main Bishop Williamson, it is time that the SSPX takes off its
argument," I will only touch over a second, though no less blinders, sees the bitter truth for what it is and follows that
important one. And this is the obvious point that, as the truth to its logical conclusion. This is no time for vacillation.
Conciliar Church is a faith different from the Catholic one, its The Church Militant is in the fight of its life against a great
leader can no more be Pope than could the head of the apostasy and the last thing we need is to lose nerve and back
Mormons. In 1976, Archbishop Lefebvre condemned the down from the enemy. God will provide us with all that is
Conciliar Church as "at once schismatic and heretical," necessary for victory but we must accept the challenge.
warning that "(t)o whatever extent Pope, bishops, priests or
Sincerely in Christ,
faithful adhere to this new Church they separate themselves
from the Catholic Church." These sentiments are in keeping John Kenneth Weiskittel
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