This is a very long one, but I think you’ll find it worth it if you can find the time to sit down and read it. It’s ultimately to unify—not divide—all the traditional groups under Jesus and Mary. But we have to start with humility towards each other. Humility is why you will see that I try to disprove even my own camp of views towards the Church crisis below.
But let’s start at the basics for the few readers who are new to these debates: Many newcomers to the debates on the Fraternal Sacerdotal Society of St. Pius X (FSSPX or SSPX) are surprised to find that some traditional Catholic families would still attend SSPX Masses even as the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) be available across the city by similar congregations that are canonically regular. For example, canonically regular options include the Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) and the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP) and even diocesan TLMs that used to be called “indult Masses.”
Then, there are also the sedevacantists who do not believe there has been a valid Pope since 1958. We will look at their views in this article.
The fact is that the internal debates found in different traditional circles revolve around dogma much more than the Mass. This is because the SSPX, FSSP and sedevacantists all offer the TLM and the other six old sacraments. So, the divide must be on a different topic. The hot-button topic for nearly every traditionalist is Vatican II and the papacy. This is really where the incendiary debates are found.
Vatican II and the papacy are the battle lines where both the intense and thoughtful debates between traditionalists are happening. That’s because the value of the old sacraments over the new sacraments are already a “given” to most traditionalists of various stripes.
I am calling this article Doctrinal Pitfalls To Each Traditional Group to show why no one group is perfect. Not even my own view. Below, I am going to strong-man each group’s arguments. Then, I will explain intellectual pitfalls of their view as outlined by their opponents. I am doing this to show that if even I can show logical fallacies to each trad-view, maybe we should be charitable to each other.
It’s really that simple.
Continue reading at Padre Peregrino