Read original issue (PDF). Machine-generated transcription for search; consult the PDF for accuracy.

Full text

atic

THE ATHANASIAN Founder. Fr. Francis E, Fenton, STL t Volume XVI, No. 1 ¢ Jan.-Feb. 1995 ¢ Editor John K. Weiskittel

STILL HOLDING FAST John Kenneth Weiskittel

Some twenty years after the Resurrection of our Lord, Saint Paul preached the Gospel in Macedonia, gaining a multitude of converts to the Faith. The first two of his epistles are addressed to Catholics in that nation’s capital, Thessalonica. In those letters, after giving counsel on the manner of life pleasing to God, the Apostle warns against false doctrines then being spread: “But prove all things; hold fast [to] that which is good” (I Thess. 5:21) and “[to] the traditions which you have received.” (11 2:15)

During the Arian revolt three centuries later, we find the patron of this newsletter, Saint Athanasius, choosing very similar words to encourage those faithful who resisted that widespread and powerful heresy. Despite the fact that Arian bishops and their followers had forced them from the churches, he writes to the banished that the true Catholics are not found with the usurpers who unlawfully seized the buildings, but with those “who hold firmly to the foundations of the Faith which has come down to you from Apostolic Tradition.” | Soerereneees At the beginning of twentieth century a St, ATHANastUS new adversary appeared—Modernism—who leaders deceitfully called themse se lv Catholic,” while secretly striving to de es the Church from within. $0 pervasive wa stroy down to our own day, such has been the s this Catholic response to heretical innovations synthesis of all heresies” that in 1910 Pope Saint Pius x ordered that all newl disguised as “reforms”—cling as immovably y ordained to the infallible magisterium as little childen priests recite an oath against Modern ism’s clutch their parents at the first sign of danger. errors. In language echoing the above citati ons, it begins: “I, [name], firmly accept and embrace each and every doctrine defi An Ongoing Commitment Church’s unerring teaching aut ned by the hority and all When Father Fenton started The Athanasian in that she has maintained and declared, those points of doctrine which especially 1980, he followed in spirit the commitment directly oppose these great saints had in defending Catholic the orors of our time…” (As should come as orthodoxy at times of profound crisis. The on ae Surprise, the Modernist Concil fi tolic” Church does not require thi iar newsletter was to provide the Catholic remnant s oath with, among other things, forthright, level- ol its “priests.”) And so through the ages, ev en headed, and well-researched articles upholding E e a h a ve gh the 140th issue. Throu and le e the Church’s moral and doctrinal teachings, i eligious , ah exposing the forces aligned against her, and d s o f a r t i c l e s S eenibuted hundre ges on various \ pics oe stimulating Catholics to resistance. In short, its than a thousand pa rent styles an erlying purpose was to help them hold fast to their faith whatever the diffe re has been al Para in the midst of an increasing faithless world. e evidenced in them, th l: 10 defe! ! theme unifyin g t h e m al And so it continues today. We will not allow a c h i n g s n o m a t t e r th e cost. the hallowed name Catholic to be disgraced by and her te the Modernist Conciliar Church nor by some in Where We’ve Been the traditional movement (no matter how good their intentions may be in many instances) who m o n t h s th e n e w s l e t t e r has been attach themselves to pseudo-Popes (such as For the last si ‘x at io n.” This in a st at e of “s us pe nd e d an im “Gregory XVII” in Canada) or otherwise cast on me as chosen. prudence aside through the reception of hiatus was as much thrust up n mes and was doubtful sacraments obtained from equally In the past year I moved three ti e. Not dubious groups. In 1984 The Athanasian twice sick enough to be unable to writ was 94) carried an article, “Exposing the Conciliar Con long after the last issue (Spring 19 Game,” that relates some of the typical mailed I sent a four-page fundraising letter to s. deceptions used by that sect to manipulate the approximately one-quarter of our subscriber faithful. A decade later we remain just as The response was promising, and some dedicated to warning Catholic “consumers” supporters sent, along with donations, their about these “scam artists” who prey upon the encouragement and support in letters To quote uninformed. from a few:

[Here let me pause to answer the countless “I hope and pray you can keep questions I anticipate concerning Fr. Fenton. The Athanasian operating. It is While weakened by his illness, it will come as the best Traditional paper. We no surprise at all to regular readers of The surely need it.”—J.D., Athanasian that Father is holding as staunchly Kentucky as ever to his beliefs. I am quite certain, in fact, that were God to restore Father’s health “IT can truly say that The substantially, he would again be making his Athanasian has done more to usual powerful contributions in these pages. Let help me keep my sanity and my us pray so, if it be the divine will—hope Faith than anything else I have Springs eternal. Many of you have expressed tead pertaining to these troubled to me in letters and phone calls how desperately times. For thisI owe you and the Church needs Father and more priests of Father a debt of gratitude….1 his caliber, his courage, and his conviction. I will do all that I can to help keep heartily concur. And how could I do otherwise? The Athanasian afloat as | After I saw the abject emptiness of the Conciliar consider it the most important Church around 1980, Fr. Fenton was the first publication in existence in these truly Catholic priest with whom I made contact. times.” —R.D., Illinois This was surely providential, as he has given me a rock-like support for my faith and countless “As far as The Athanasian is inspirations for my writing And how very concerned we hope that, wi God’s help, you will be ab th fortunate I’ve been to benefit from his considerable theological knowledge. He has, le to needless to say, awaited the resumption of The fonunue its publication with out Athanasian as anxiously as anyone. And as ean skr tup e ting 8 yoyourself.” — F.B., always, he thanks you for your prayers and kind thoughts in his behalf and remembers you Any number of simila all in like fashion.) : T sentiments could The newsletter enters its sixteenth year of cited, but Perhaps it w as a Canadian reade be publication with this issue (I came aboard in best Sums them up, r who calling The Athana 198] and have been a regular contributor ever indispensible.” | sian since). If one counts a half dozen or so supplements, this marks The Athanasian’s otten out much sooner had other readers, some that the war against the Church has also Who have been equally generous in their Praise inflicted crushing wounds against the Catholic [but only in praise], also heeded the appeal. Press. How crushing? Well, | invite you to take Praise is nice, but it doesn’t pay the bills.). a moment and count the number of truly Again, my warmest thanks to all benefactors of Catholic publications on. the fingers of your The Athanasian, Here | must pay special tribute hands. I will be surprised if anyone can get to to Saint Filumena—or Philomena, as her name ten, unless they include foreign journals. It is is popularly spelled—for her prompt tough enough to think of even five such intercession in this regard. (Truly a saint for publications. And -of these special few, The our times, her remarkable:life and gifts will Athanasian has been at the forefront of the appear in an upcoming feature.) effort to “tear away the mask from Freemasonry” (Pope Leo XIII) and to defend When the first wave of donations arrived, I took the sedevacantist perspective. the steps to get the newsletter started. I had already rented a mailing address and registered Such is the sorry state of affairs developing with the state as a business.-Now, I invested in over the past three decades that the wholly Office space. only to determine that the second undeserved title “Catholic” is applied to once- wave of help was substantially’less. Trouble. Catholic weeklies like The Wanderer, which, in addition to its regular support for “Pope” John Let me stop here long enough to clarify an Paul II and the Conciliar Church, last year went important point. Over the course of my many so far as to carry a column defending artificial years writing for Father Fenton, I was paid for birth control in certain instances! (More on this my articles by the Traditional Catholics of scandal in a future article.) America. In the last few years my salary had increased to $1000 per-article. When Father While The Wanderer and others of its ilk thrive took ill, the TCA dissolved; so, while I had been (surely a symptom of the ongoing spiritual given editorship of The Athanasian, I no longer sickness of our time), those journals like The enjoyed a regular source of income. Not only Athanasian, which are truly dedicated to that—to keep the newsletter going, | would be defending the Faith handed down from Saint required to foot the considerable publishing Paul, Saint Athanasius, and Saint Pius, can bills myself: In a matter of months, my financial barely survive. Hence the present issue has fortunes had turned 180 degrees. In fact, the been limited to six pages. These financial contributor who expressed hope that I wouldn’t limitations also explain why the least expensive bankrupt myself turns out almost Prophetic! printing process is being used here. Yet despite all this cost-cutting, it is still extremely difficult Maintaining office space alone has set me back for me to pay for this mailing. As I stated some $1500. When other newsletter expenses above, at the moment I am without a secretary, (printing, postage, supplies, etc.), books, ren the mailing address, registration with the sta t on so much of my time is also spent doing many te, of the tasks normally left to someone in that and long distance phone calls ‘are added on, amount almost doubles. All of this over the capacity. and above my living expenses. As the situat ion All subscriptions have been extended: Those stands, I am so deeply in debt that as | write who are paid up at the $16 rate will receive the (January 31th), to cite one example, my Januar y next eight issues, while those at the $20 rate rent hasn’t been paid! (By the grace of Go d will be sent the next nine. Assuming I get ample have an understanding landlord, but for ho I long?) In short, I have sacrificed greatly w backing, J intend to return to an eight-page to ep The Athanasian from extinction. Now, ke it is format starting next issue. Until the newsletter can get back on firm financial footing, I cannot threatened with insolvency—as am I. So it is vouchsafe the frequency of issues; thus | that I make the following crucial appeal. refrain from saying so many per year. For additional revenue, back issues of The The Catholic Journal: Athanasian will be available, as will advertising An Endangered Species? (please write for rates). If you have been a reader of The Athana sian It is abundantly clear from what Pope Leo XIII for any length of time the answer to thi qu s teaches on the subject (see “Rom estion will be obvious—you already kn e Has ow Spoken”), that Catholic writers and readers alike are obliged to-assist the Church in this life-and-death struggle (“writings must -be opposed by writings”) against her. mortal _, enemies. The truly dedicated Catholic, he notes, ES FO R TR AD IT IO NA L GA TH OL IC S- —In will aid their journalists and “let everyone, in + GUIDELIN 80 Fa th er Fe nc on o u dne » this reprin t fr an 19 Proportion to his income, support them by his “t we lv e ru le s th al . ai c ev er y bit as timely in. 190e5. money and influence.”-Please help The, Ex ce rp t: “ W e tannot keep one foot eim fthue Athanasian to continue fighting for those truths “C on ci li ar .Church and the othernail n th Roman to which we all hold fast. Fr. Fenton is very Church… Eitliewer. yar,e traditio e, then ou hopeful that | am able to keep publishing. We are counting on your generosity in this urgent Catholies or we fare not. If wwaevearri ng one on stand must be-a total and un matter. Regular. monthly pledges (even small behalfof the entirety of our God-given Faith!” ones) are greatly needed to help meet ongoing office expenses and, as such, especially * MORE LIGHT ON THE-MASONS—Perhaps you’ve appreciated. But all our benefactors are seen the slogan on some car bumper: particularly remembered in our prayers… . Freemasonry Helped Build America. This new public relations-campaign will be examined, Today, as we see the Church being viciously _along-with evidence, pf the Lodge’s ongoing assailed from all sides, dare any of us pretend jolitical and social influence. Material taken to have the luxury of doing nothing?.Can we, rom several new books on the subject. honestly call ourselves Catholic in the truest sense of that glorious name, yet remain mute as # THE STRENGTH OF POPE SAINT PIUS X—In 1912 a we see, her being gravely and repeatedly “book was published that shows how Catholics wounded: Of course not—not if we have saw the Church’s ‘struggle. with the early interest in following the mind of the Church as : Modénists. Lances’Hurled at the Sun is aseries expressed by Pope Leo. We are only really of“essays on current evils” written by-Fr.:James| worthy to be counted as members of the H. Cotter. Concerning Saint Pius’ heroism, he Church Militant when we stand up for her in. asserts: “To Modernism he declared the right and true against,the wrong and false and, with our thoughts, words, and deeds, Ste one fell blow, in the words of our arenes dramatist, said: ‘Down! Down to kell! aind say | One day each of us without exception ‘must sent thee thither! He left no middle course appear before Almighty God to account for the : made“up*of-a’little bit of this and a taste°o! way we used the time, gifts, and talents He has » that….Truth. will have nothing to do with given us. Did we employ them to defend His falschood,:no more than God almighty. Himself] Church at a time of unparalleled crisis or find Would touch the devil, save to punish him from excuses to fritter them away on empty Adistance.” amusements? I, for one, do not want to appear empty-handed on the Judgement Day and * QUESTIONING THE THUC APOL intend to continue fighting to defend her; I urge OF TRUST—Traditional Ca OG 7 MATI tholnelayrom e you to do your part to help. In this churches becatise of ‘unrelia ble teachings and! I am reminded of a brief but profound proverb told Now; shaken by writers pr‘t hei idence is. bein to me by a dear friend and loyal patron omoting the “episcopacy” a of the newsletter from Philadelphia: Only one life issions, distortions, which soon will pass; only what’s don language abound in their inflamato: e for di si God will last. + fy cnton’s remarks ha nformation, Even ve been twisted, to; e—_ e—_# When making your donations, please remember avoid the “Thuc b tholics must] that since the TCA is defunct, your checks and i relate’s mental ‘ates h o p s ” regardless of that money orders should now be made directly from 1976. 984, payable to The Athanasian. at the address given We implore Thee, low. Thank you and God bless you. theprayers of Thy Church, D 5 O Lor,d, act aac! a Bocde estee Soe, a ioush THE ATHANASIAN Through eu er rthae the Church may serve ras 252 West Ardice Street*Suite 420 t and withour disturbance. wy Eustis, Florida 32726 Am . plenary when recited one =cea indulgence; and (echoing the Old Catholic heresy) that the dignity of the Pope cannot be considered apart from that of the other bishops,+ O) HEREDITARY SIN? Speaking of Time, a special report featured in the August 15 issue is sure to raise some eyebrows. Accompanied by a picture ofa broken wedding band, the cover headline asserts: “Infidelity: It May Be In Our Genes.” Inside the magazine is a instructive look at the humanistic mindset would put God iE utterly out of the picture. How else to explain Test your knowledge of the Faith with the writer Robert Wright’s attempts to put human following true and false quiz. Score ten sexuality in the context of gorilla “harems” and the mating habits of indigo buntings? points for each one you. know. (Answers “Evolution not only invented romantic love,” are on page six.) he argues, “but from the beginning corrupted wy it.” Later (without referencing to God in the ® The gifts of the Holy Ghost are Wisdom, slightest) he calls man “a moral animal,” but Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, then states that “much of human nature boils Piety, and Fear of God. down to genetic self-interest.” Wright is only ® The sacramentals are signs containing the the latest to suggest that immorality can santifying and sacramental grace they signify. somehow be waived aside by chromosomes. @® Among acts forbidden, by the Seventh This goes along with the absurd “born ‘gay’” Commandment are merchants using false argument. (What will researchers discover weights, public officials accepting bribes, and next—a shoplifting gene?) What all of this employers defrauding workers of pay. boils down to is a secular distortion of the @ The Mass solemnly commemorates Christ’s doctrine of Original Sin. The corruption of death on the cross, but it is a different sacrifice. human nature is conceded, but instead ® Only those who have been faithful to Christ disobedience causing estrangement from God, will rise from the dead. : . it is simply argued as an unfeeling evolutionary hy mechanism; instead of a spiritual sickness with eternal implications, it is seen, at worst, as a behavioral problem that can have a negative CAPSULE COMMENTS impact on society; instead of a dilemma of the soul that requires the Saviour’s intervention, it Q “ ‘THE POPE’: A MYSTERY & A is made into a psychological disorder that can SCANDAL” The heading here sounds rather be solved by visits to a therapist. When one like a typical Athanasian comment on the sorry considers that it is precisely this atheistic state of the Holy See, doesn’t it? Surprisingly, philosophy that pervades the media, films, it is the title of first chapter in John Paul II’s television, sex education classes, the rantings of international best-seller, Crossing the former Surgeon General, and, less the Threshold of Hope. The difference of meanin obviously, the “mainstream” liberal churches, is enormous, however, as his is a discussion g there should be no surprise at the high rates of of the Papacy that (typically for him)“defends” it divorce, abortion, self-abuse, unwed mothers, in an utterly Modernistic way. Although a in- birth control, prostitution, pornography,, depth examination of his book, and of his well- homosexuality, AIDS and other venereal deserved Tecognition as Time magazine’s diseases, etc. When such concepts as free will 1994 “Man of the Year,” must wait until a future and moral accountability are thus cast aside, issue, it is worth noting that he sinful (and even unnatural) acts are reduced to states (among other things) that interior purificationpur gatory pertains to an virtually uncontrollable urges (“the DNA made that takes place before me do it!”). Society will continue its downward Geet that we have no proof Judas is spiral as long as those in positions of power in hell, t van © alleged “fall of Communism” is a and influence make such destructive views part (a Chu nn of Our Lady’s promise at Fatima of their public policy.For, writes the emminent nk! will be converted”), that the Catholic Irish Archbishop M. Sheehan in his } Teh “rejoices when other Christian Apologetics & Catholic Doctrine: “It is only ‘ommunities join her in preaching by accepting the revealed doctrine of Original the Gospel”

a 5 Sin that we can understand why the world is marred by so much wickedness and unhappiness. Because of the frustration of God’s purpose by the sin of Adam, man is. burdened with a corrupt human nature, and is at feud even with the material surroundings in which he lives; within him, he feels the strong pull of evil passions, and in the course of this’ life ‘in this vale of tears,’ he has to bear much sorrow and suffering.” +

Used & Rare Books, Bought & Sold Specializing in Catholic, History & Literature Send for Catalog

BNZ ENTERPRISES Bru & Nancy Zerrz

W2928 County Highway Now that we have learnt by experience in what times we G + Merrill, WI 54452 live, nothing could be more fatal than to endure in (715) 539-3637 cowardly inertness the malice of the wicked which never tires, and to leave the field open to them to persecute the Church to the full satisfaction of their hate….[tis of very great importance that writings of a healthy character should be published and circulated far and wide. Those who, with a deadly hatred, dissent from the Church, are wont to contend by means of publications, and to make use of these as arms best adapted for inflicting injury….Writings must be opposed by Answers to Catholic puzzler writings, so that the samc art which can effect the mest © True. destruction, may in turn be applied to the salvation and benefit of mankind, and remedies be supplied from that @ False. Sacraments and sacramentals are ‘source whence evil poisons are now obtained….For signs used by Catholics, but: only the these reasons it is necessary that those who have sacraments contain the graces they signify. devoted themselves to writing should observe further: that they all keep the same end in view, that they @True. should clearly ascertain what is most expedient and @False. Although the manner is different, carry it out; that they omit none of those things the the Mass is the same sacrifice because the knowledge of which scems useful and desirable; that, victim is the same, and the main priest is with gravity and moderation of speech, they reprove errors and Vices; in such a way, however, that their the same—Jesus Christ. © False. All will rise from the dead, but only the faithful will share in His glory (John 5:28-29),

You cannot be halfa saint, You must be a whole saintor no saint atall, ~ “Eat : ~Saint Thérdse ofLisieux their ‘industr Most certainly God will not condemn those + OF Uncertain candy sinners who have recourse to Mary, and for whom she prays, since He Himself commended them to her as her children. H Rpe Lexo i ers; nos , 1882] ~Saint Alphonsus Liguori