I am planning on attending Mass at an SSPX chapel with a conservative friend

[LaughingBoy1503]

So, you don’t share Pope Francis’ and Pope Benedict’s current view of the SSPX ?

Why is it that what The pope said or thought about the sspx did not matter to the sspx or their attendees for decades and now that The Pope says they can validly hear confession and it is okay to attend their Mass, it suddenly became “YOU DO NOT LIKE THE SSPX?!?! YOU DISAGREE WITH THE POPE!” It is a bit comical yet kinda annoying.

So I am not accused of being “Protestant” again, ill explain myself… I do not like the SSPX, I do not like Charismatic ministries in The Church, I do not like The Neocatechumenal way. That does not mean people are not entitled to be a part of those groups if The Pope and their local Bishop says that it is fine to attend them. I just do not like them. I am not imposing my view on anyone. But I am as entitled to my own view as the next man and no I do not put it on the same level as The Popes view. I am a Knight of Columbus… There are tons of people who do not like the Knights and I do not accuse them of disagreeing with The Church or call them hateful for having a “private judgement” about a group i am part of since The Knights are a Church approved group.

 

[Lormar]

“I understand that there are many people in the Church who do not like them (I am one of them)”

I bet you can’t even tell me why you don’t like them. You’ve been conditioned to not like them, the same way anyone that solely watches the mainstream media has been conditioned to hate President Trump.

Please don’t accuse me of being an apologist for them because I go not attend Mass at their chapel; rather, I do to the local novus ordo parish.

And you’re going there looking to catch them doing something you don’t approve of??? Lolol!!! My dear, no offense, but who appointed you jury and judge?

Go to Mass and allow yourself to be saturated with the graces you will find there. God bless you!

 

[CradleRC58]

It’s not that you are not entitled to an opinion. It is the hateful way you express it.

 

[Lormar]

That’s because you put him on the defensive.

 

[Crusader13]

I believe this a good chance to open dialogue and change attitudes.

Agreed. I knew nothing about the SSPX when I began studying my faith. They were portrayed as being just below the Sedevacantist in terms of groups that one should avoid.

However after reading up on their history and that of Apb. Lefebvre my understanding of them has changed and I no longer see them as the boogeymen they are sometimes made out to be.

I don’t know if it’s correct for one to generalize their position as refusing to accept the authority of the Pope, but rather they are vehemently opposed to some of the documents and liturgical changes which took place at Vatican II. I say some only because I’m not sure if they oppose all of V2 or just certain documents.

I have attended an SSPX once and I was in awe of how beautiful and reverent the Mass was. Even my wife, who generally prefers the Novus Ordo and doesn’t understand the TLM at all, told me that she loved it there!

Hopefully you have a great experience.

 

[Peeps]

In truth I am not. I felt that you mischaracterized what I said. I attend the OF exclusively. I am going to this Mass with my friend because I feel that his perspective is valid. I question your purpose in using me as a sounding board for your issues with the SSPX. The lack of charity, insistence on your private judgment, and questioning whether others are truly Catholic are exactly why I am now open to the SSPX.

I’m speaking as an older woman who converted to Catholicism from Evangelical Protestantism in 2004.

You are playing with fire. You are gambling with your very soul.

Many people who are “open” to various experiences and organizations end up getting sucked in by the persuasive tactics that are utilized.

It seems to me that you have already made up your mind, and now you are using the well-intentioned and well-informed responses, but also passionate and negative viewpoints, of your fellow CAF members to validate what you have already decided. You are assuming that because they are so negative, that they must be incorrect.

With all my heart, I suggest that instead of using the responses on this thread to convince yourself that the SSPX is good for Catholics, that you instead play devil’s advocate with your friend and with the SSPX, and look for validation of what everyone is telling you.

If the CAF members are wrong, you have nothing to fear from trying to prove what they are saying. If they are right, you will not be entangled in a trap.

In our diocese, there are no SSPX parishes. They were driven out . . . by our courageous, wise and good Bishop (R.I.P.) many decades ago. We have reverent, abuse-free OF Masses, and we have a goodly number of men in seminary studying for the priesthood, and we have young women and men entering the religious life (including in two convents in our own city/area).

. . . Think with your logic, not with your heart.

 

[TheMortenBay]

concrete problems that persist between the SSPX and the Church

SSPX is part of the Church. Always have been, the discussion of “canonical irregularity” is a question of WHERE and HOW they fit in the Church, not whether they do.

The SSPX have strained relations with the Vatican, but that’s not the same as the Church…

 

[CilladeRoma]

Excuse me? The Vatican is the home of the Roman Church, and the the Bishop of Rome is the Supreme Pontiff. You cannot separate the Vatican from the Church.

 

[TheMortenBay]

You cannot separate the Vatican from the Church.

I was phrasing myself badly.
A good analogy of my point is the difference between being without a job, going to an interview with the Boss of a big company, and then on the other hand, having a job, but you and and the Boss disagree on where you fit in and you have a number of issues with your Boss.
The SSPX have not been fired

 

[godisgood77]

I personally wouldn’t attend an SSPX event or mass. There are still very serious problems… they are in an irregular state and exercise no valid ministry in the Church. They are still in open revolt against Church teaching…

 

[godisgood77]

Always have been, the discussion of “canonical irregularity”

Their leaders were excommunicated… some were reinstated later, but they were definitely out of communion with the Church and are now in an irregular situation …

 

[Margaret_Ann]

The Latin Mass Society of England & Wales used to have a side-by-side comparison of the OF & EF. I hope they still have it - it was very educational.