Replies to a set of questions
regarding the posts on Sedevacantism/Sedeprivationism.
regarding the posts on Sedevacantism/Sedeprivationism.
Dear Friend
I have thought over your comments and make the following replies.
1 How do you know that Fr Arriaga and Fr de Lauriers work no miracles?
If these well known traditionalists worked stunning miracles (or even some small wonders) it is fair to believe that the whole of the traditional world would be alerted to the fact very quickly.
This is because any miracle that they worked would be a confirmation of the Sedevacantist or Sedeprivationist doctrines that they taught.
2. Miracles may be slow in coming; vide. Cardinal Newman.
Yes, we could have a long time to wait for a miracle from the founders of the Sedevacantist or Sedeprivationist movement.
However, Pope John XXIII worked his stupendous miracle less than three years after his death; in fact on what would be the first day of the Novena before his 3rd anniversary.
3. Not all true popes work miracles. Did Pius XI?
Yes, you are right of course. Not all true popes work miracles after their deaths. But that is not the point here.
The point is this:
The Sedevacantists say that there has not been a true pope since Pius XII.
The fact that Pope John XXIII has worked his miracle proves:
a) that he is in heaven,
b) that he was a true Pope and
c) that therefore the sedevacantist theory that there has been no Pope since Pius XII is wrong. That is all we set out to demonstrate.
4. Do you not think that there is something distasteful, not to say scandalous, about ad hominem attacks on traditionalists who have been in their graves for many years now (35 years in the case of Dr Arriaga).
Certainly we want the dead to rest in peace and we pray for their souls.
For over 35 years their sedevacantist or sedeprivationist theories have been a constant attack on the persons of the five Popes who have legitimately filled the Chair of Peter since Pius XII. Their distasteful scandal cannot be readily repaired without a comparison between the grave of John XXIII and the graves of the authors of these pernicious errors.
For over thirty years noisy Sedevacantist arguments have dominated this question –many of them ad hominem, like the supposed scandals of Pope John XXIII (claimed to be a Freemason, a Heretic, the Usurper of Siri, etc).
We take the case from the arena of human arguments to that of the supernatural level.
The miracle introduces the judgment of God and demonstrates that John XXIII, quem Deus commendat, is a Blessed Pope and was a true Pope.
On the contrary, those who have attacked John XXIII as an anti-pope or ‘material’ pope only, are left in their silent graves; their theories have not been supported by Heaven.
Since we want to help souls find their way to the true Shepherd, the Vicars of Christ, it is necessary to demonstrate that the maligned Vicar of Christ, Blessed John XXIII was indeed a true Pope as are his successors.
5. Do you not think that it is better to explain why a theory is incorrect, rather than attack the man?
Until now the Sedevacantist/Sedeprivationist theories have been argued with cartloads of paper and gallons of ink.
In this world the voice of truth is easily drowned out.
For those souls who have lost faith in the validity of the Popes, more arguments are not going to help. Even the voice of the Church will not help because they believe it to be the voice of a Newchurch. In the chaos of this darkness what can help us? Not more arguments! No.
Where can help come from?
Emmite lucen tuam et veritatem tuam: ipsa me deduxerunt, et adduxerunt in montem sanctum tuum, et in tabernacula tua. In our situation it is a mercy from Heaven that God directly sent forth His light and His truth that souls may be conducted and brought back to His holy hill and the tabernacles of the Church.
The theorists are dead, long buried; they lie in silent graves. But, then, from among the dead, the silenced voice of their opponent is heard; he has the last word on the matter. His voice is loud, clear, full of charity; it awakens a dying nun and heals her instantly and in such a way that she lives thereafter as a walking miracle... Emmite lucem tuam... John XXIII is a brilliant shaft of light on the validity of the “Post Conciliar” popes.
6. Should traditionalists be attacking one another, rather than the enemies of the church?
When sheep and lambs are lost to the Chief Shepherd because of erroneous doctrines it is charity to try to bring them home. If God has given a miracle to prove the Sedevacantist theories wrong it is a duty to speak up and publicise it.
Whoever holds the sheep away from the Chief Shepherd is not his ally even if he speaks from the Papal Bulls and recognises the Assumption of the Blessed Mother.
7. I don't believe you are doing yourself any long term credit by this line of argumentation.
Credit is not the goal.
We began this to help a soul called “Lost Sheep.” To help a soul is a great privilege. Our Lord gave His life for this soul.
For our part, we have tried through the blog posts to secure Lost Sheep along the road of returning to the Church. Since Lost Sheep cannot be the only one in this situation we have published the response for others to find.
It is like everything else, we have to do what we think is right and pay the price for it. The cost is never too much.
The Chief Shepherd.
