The Fanciful Theology of Fr. Gregory Hesse (1953-2006):
Some Worthwhile Observations
This article was updated on Feb. 23, 2024, replacing incorrect documentation with the proper (and even stronger) evidence. Please excuse the oversight.
The Austrian ‘Fr.’ Gregorius D. Hesse (1953-2006) was a one-of-a-kind recognize-and-resist traditionalist from Vienna. Somehow he always managed to sound convincing while he dished out unconventional theological ideas that were usually quite unique to him. He and his devoted cheerleaders considered his theology to be exemplary ‘traditional Catholicism’, of course, and his fan base ate it up (recent case in point: Kennedy Hall).… READ MORE
The Immoral Pope Benedict IX:
Response to a Recent One Peter Five Article
He may have been a moral reprobate, but he was nevertheless a true Vicar of Christ
The pseudo-traditionalist web site One Peter Five has been on a ferocious campaign against the Papacy for years.
Always promoting a conclusion that is still in search of a good argument, One Peter Five under the editorship of Timothy S. Flanders has been cranking out, with foolhardy determination, all kinds of propaganda material that ultimately only has one chief purpose: to uphold Jorge Bergoglio (‘Pope Francis’) as a true Pope, no matter how badly the Catholic teaching on the Papacy must be distorted in order to accomplish the desired result.… READ MORE
Review of Matt’s opening speech at Catholic Identity Conference…
A Critique of the False Recognize-and-Resist Ecclesiology of Michael Matt and The Remnant (VIDEO)
The so-called Catholic Identity Conference (CIC) is an annual ‘traditional Catholic’ event in the United States, typically held in or near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
In 2022, it tried to get some serious media coverage with its ‘Declaration of Filial Resistance to the Pope’, which, however, predictably went nowhere:
Francis Permits Invalid Anglican Eucharist in Roman Basilica
Anglican layman Justin Welby raises bread at the ‘Eucharist’ in St. Bartholomew’s on Jan. 25, 2024
Last year, on Apr. 18, 2023, a big fuss ensued over Anglican bishop Jonathan Baker offering a ‘Eucharistic celebration’ at the papal cathedral of Saint John Lateran in Rome. And rightly so, for not only is the Anglican religion (Church of England, known in the United States as the Episcopal Church) heretical and schismatic, but its clergy do not even have valid ordinations.
The nullity (invalidity) of Anglican orders was declared by Pope Leo XIII in his 1896 bull Apostolicae Curae.… READ MORE
Reaction Roundup: Semi-Trads Lose It after Francis Pulls the Plug on Strickland
Unless you were under a rock the past three days, chances are you’ve heard about 65-year-old ‘Bishop’ Joseph Edward Strickland of Tyler, Texas, being removed from his post by Jorge Bergoglio, the Argentinian apostate currently occupying the Vatican guest house under the stage name ‘Pope Francis’. We blogged about it when it on Saturday:
Fr. Franz X. Wernz, S.J. (1842-1914) and Fr. Peter Vidal, S.J. (1867-1938)
The Sense and the Scope of Schism
from the Ius Canonicum (Volume 7, 1937)
Exclusive English Translation
398.The sense and the scope of schism. The requirement for determining at law the delict of pure schism is: I. that someone withdraw from the sphere of authority [obedientia] of the Roman Pontiff and separate himself from the ecclesiastical communion of the other faithful, either directly or expressly or indirectly or with implicit or tacit consent [factis concludentibus], even if he may not attach himself to a separated schismatic sect; — II.… READ MORE
Must Francis be considered a Valid Pope?
A Sedevacantist Response to Athanasius Schneider
‘Bishop’ Athanasius Schneider looks at ‘Pope’ Francis on Sep. 15, 2022, in Astana, Kazakhstan. (image: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
On Sep. 6, 2023, the Rev. James Altman — one of the “canceled priests” in the United States — published a video in which he explained, in his own style, why he believes that Jorge Mario Bergoglio (‘Pope Francis’) is not in fact the Pope of the Catholic Church:
This has of course triggered a wave of reactions, mostly by recognize-and-resist traditionalists (“semi-trads”) and conservative Novus Ordos who had shown support for ‘Fr.’… READ MORE
Target: Tyler, Texas
A Commentary on the sticky Strickland Situation
By now presumably everyone reading this post is aware of the news The Pillar broke on Monday:
At a meeting Saturday [Sep. 9. 2023], Pope Francis discussed with Vatican officials the prospect of requesting the resignation of Bishop Joseph Strickland of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, The Pillar has learned.
The pope met Sept. 9 with Archbishop Robert Prevost, OSA, head of the Dicastery for Bishops, and Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States – both cardinals-elect.
Several sources close to the dicastery told The Pillar ahead of the meeting that the prelates would present the pope with the results of an apostolic visitation of Strickland’s diocese, conducted earlier this year, as well as subsequent public actions by the bishop, who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the Holy Father.
In this post we will touch on a few things from that article that appear to call for some sedevacantist reaction. Morrison writes:
Whereas Archbishop Lefebvre accepted the existence of a great mystery as it relates to the Church’s crisis, others have attempted to eliminate the mystery, typically in one of two ways described by Archbishop Lefebvre:
“There are people who are seeing the passion of the Church and the tragedy of papacy and so they conclude that such a degradation of papacy is not possible and so the pope can not be the pope.
Rev. James Altman at Canceled Priests’ Conference:
‘Bergoglio is Not a Pope’
A 40-minute lecture given by ‘Father’ James Altman (why ‘Father’?) at the Canceled Priests’ Conference in Chicago this past June has just been released on YouTube. It is sure to make waves because, apparently for the first time ever, ‘Fr.’ Altman states in public that he believes Francis is no longer a true Pope, that he lost the Papacy years ago. We will examine this in a minute.
The so-called Coalition for Canceled Priests describes itself as “a group of committed Catholic lay people and clergy who came together in 2021 after one too many instances of persecution of holy, traditional, and orthodox priests”, with a mission “to spiritually and materially supporting faithful priests who seek to return to active ministry after being unjustly canceled by their bishops”.… READ MORE
A Reply to Kennedy Hall’s Video ‘Why I am Not a Sedevacantist’
On May 26, 2023, the Canadian recognize-and-resist pundit, SSPX apologist, and benevolent beard expert Kennedy Hall explained in a special 20-minute YouTube video why he is not a Sedevacantist.
True to the video’s title, Hall does not argue that Sedevacantism is false, nor does he claim that one shouldn’t be a Sedevacantist, he merely explains why heisn’t one:
The Kazakh auxiliary has spoken, the case is closed!
‘Bishop’ Athanasius Schneider issues Statement declaring Disobedience against Traditionis Custodes to be Legitimate
He rules no flock but presumes to issue directives to the Universal Church: Athanasius Schneider
For the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, ‘Bishop’ Athanasius Schneider (b. 1961), auxiliary of the diocese of Maria Santissima in Astana, Kazakhstan, has released a statement for publication and dissemination in semi-traditionalists quarters that presumes to effectively overrule ‘Pope’ Francis’ anti-Latin-Mass decree Traditionis Custodes, declaring those who reject it to be free from the guilt of disobedience.
Pope Pius IX’s Encyclical Quartus Supra:
The ‘Missing’ Passages
Recently, a reader of this blog made us aware that the English translation of the encyclical letter Quartus Supra of Pope Pius IX (r. 1846-1878), to which we often link, found at the immensely useful site PapalEncyclicals.Net, is missing a number of paragraphs:
Indeed, the numbered paragraphs jump from 44 to 50, with no explanation. In addition, paragraph 44 contains this very odd sentence: “Our Constitution ensures that safer and more effective measures [***] children, We have decided in the present crisis to write all this to you to arouse your pure mind to the duty We have laid upon you.”… READ MORE
Historical Tidbit: ‘Pope’ Paul VI permitted active Catholic Participation in Eastern Orthodox Masses
About a month ago, we published an article demonstrating that the Catholic Church teaches that she is infallible not only in her dogmas but also in her universal laws and sacramental rites — not in the sense that these could never be changed, but rather, that they could never be in themselves impious, heretical, sacrilegious, or otherwise harmful.
In his magnificent encyclical letter on the Mystical Body of Christ, Pope Pius XII taught this explicitly:
Certainly the loving Mother [the Church] is spotless in the Sacraments, by which she gives birth to and nourishes her children; in the faith which she has always preserved inviolate; in her sacred laws imposed on all; in the evangelical counsels which she recommends; in those heavenly gifts and extraordinary graces through which, with inexhaustible fecundity she generates hosts of martyrs, virgins and confessors.
Five SSPX Myths Debunked? Novus Ordo Watch Answers Kennedy Hall on the Catholic Family Podcast
Host Kevin Davis and guest Mario Derksen react to a recent video by Kennedy Hall defending the SSPX
On May 11, 2023, Mr. Kennedy Hall published a 25-minute video defending the Society of Saint Pius X (FSSPX or SSPX) against five common objections, namely: (a) Abp. Marcel Lefebvre was automatically excommunicated when he consecrated bishops without a papal mandate on June 30, 1988; (b) the SSPX is schismatic; (c) Abp. Lefebvre said the New Mass; (d) Francis’s suppression of the Traditional Latin Mass is the SSPX’s fault; (e) although the excommunications against the four living SSPX bishops were lifted in 2009, Abp.… READ MORE
