Impoverished Polemics: "Tridentines" Website

 

As a Traditionalist Catholic, I'm used to receiving sharp criticism, and oftentimes boorish remarks. I'm sure many of you can relate, as Our Lord said, "Blessed are thou when they shall revile thee, and persecute thee, and speak all that is evil against thee, untruly, for My sake" (St. Matthew 5:11). I felt especially blessed when reading a scathing attack on the Faith by the owner of the website "tridentines.com." I have read critiques of Traditionalism that are both intelligent and charitable (e.g., Vatican II sect apologist "Fr." Brian Harrison); that are charitable but not intelligent (e.g., SSPX); and that are neither charitable nor intelligent (e.g., David L. Gray). The owner of Tridentines (whom I will call by that appellation) falls squarely into the last category. 

The website is a series of rash and appallingly ignorant attacks upon Church teaching, as well as unsubstantiated assertions against some clergy that are clearly calumnious. Last week, when I wrote on the false doctrine of the "Millennial Rule of Christ," he sent my Twitter account a tweet claiming "Traditionalist Catholicism is a millennialist movement. Read more on Marianism and the Fatima Cult:" He links to two articles on his site that are culpably ignorant and blasphemous attacks on the Most Holy Mother of God. Since I will not remain silent when the Immaculate Mother of God's dignity is attacked, this post will expose Tridentines for the falsehoods it disseminates.  (N.B. There are too many falsehoods and unsubstantiated claims for a single post. I have pointed out just some of them---Introibo). 

Preliminary Considerations

The Owner

Tridentines chooses to remain anonymous, like me, which is fine. A brief look at the site will show a person who has it out for the CMRI. He also does not like Traditionalist Catholicism, and expresses his disbelief in Christianity thus:

Scholarship since the 1990s has undermined much of Christianity in general (e.g. forgeries, 4th century imperial connections, powers of the clergy, oppression of women/heretics/natives), and this has led me to questioning Christianity entirely. Leaving the CMRI to join another group is misguided. (See tridentines.com; Emphasis mine). Ostensibly, we are dealing with someone who had a bad experience with the CMRI, and has now rejected (or willingly called into doubt) belief in Christ Himself. He also buys into the "Christianity has oppressed women, natives, etc," when in fact, the Church liberated them to the greatest extent. That can be a post in itself another time. Suffice it to say, we are dealing with a bitter person with an axe to grind. 

It's True Because I Said So

There are a number of serious and gratuitous assertions backed up only by the owner's ipse dixit. Here are some examples:

• Traditionalist Catholicism attracts a high number of men with personality disorders (NIMH page). Most of the abuse happens within marriages and is hidden behind closed doors. The priests enable this abuse by using concepts such as, "husband is head of the household", "marital debt", and "daily duties." According to whom do a high number of Traditionalist men have personality disorders? The link to the National Institute of Mental Health merely defines what personality disorders are and makes no mention of Traditionalists. If most of the alleged "abuse" happens behind closed doors, how would Tridentines know about it? Anecdotal evidence? How many anecdotes? Priests "enable abuse" by teaching Church doctrine? Pathetic. 

• They cherry pick papal teachings of the past and only present evidence that fits their conclusions. The church has changed core beliefs prior to Vatican II, for example: condemning lending money at interest (usury) as mortal sin, condemning heliocentrism as heresy in the 17th century, creating "seven sacraments no more no less" at the University of Paris in the 12th century, & removing the Epiclesis from the Latin Mass in earlier centuries. This has been covered by the concept of "development of doctrine" which is no more than an excuse to make changes at will. These are recycled standard Protestant objections disproven many times over. Usury was (and is) a sin when money was/is an exchange for articles of consumption. With the rise of capitalism, money is not a mere fungible; it is a commodity necessary for the production of wealth and thereby acquires a new function, not susceptible to being free of interest. (See theologian Slater, A Manual of Moral Theology, [1925], 1:321-326). Heliocentrism was never condemned. For a full explanation see my post: introiboadaltaredei2.blogspot.com/2021/05/heliocentric-heresy.html. Seven sacraments were created in the 12th century? Can someone explain why the Eastern Schismatics who broke off in 1054 held the exact same dogma of seven sacraments, not more or less? The epiclesis is a non-issue as it does not affect validity, and the pope can change the Mass; but the Novus Bogus is not a "mass" at all.  

• Rather than being appointed or elected, sedevacantist bishops appoint themselves and hand pick their successors. There is no outside influence on their power. Who picks the Vatican II sect bishops? What "outside influence" is there on Bergoglio? 

• Traditionalist Catholicism is based on an intentionally selective reading of history in order to create a church that fits their political & religious preferences. According to what source? What facts prove this (once more) gratuitous assertion? 

There is someone cherry-picking sources to fit his hatred of Traditionalists; and he is Tridentines. 

Whacky Criticism of Traditionalist Sites

• Novus Ordo Watch—(Mario Derksen). Massive CMRI propaganda outlet. Walls of text published daily with an incredible amount of cherry picking & misinformation. His website is an echo chamber. NOW is the greatest Traditionalist website in existence. It's been demonstrated Tridentines knows nothing of the matters on which he pontificates. With his claims about usury, heliocentrism, alleged "mental illness" of most Traditionalist men, etc., he wouldn't know misinformation if it bit him on his buttocks. 

• Daily Catholic— (terrible looking website) original creators are dead, it's now maintained by an elderly woman. What does a website's appearance (subjective) have to do with its truth and accuracy which are objective? Mr. and Mrs. Michael Cain (Michael was one of the nicest men I had ever known) worked very hard on that site, full of wonderful and edifying content. Not that it matters, but Tridentines will not be getting any awards for "Best Looking Website of 2023." 

• Catholic Family Podcast—(YouTube) run by the Davis family (Fr. Philip was listed as CMRI priest at City of Mary until Aug/Sept 2022). One of the top CMRI contemporary propaganda outlets. Mr. Kevin Davis and his family are wonderful people doing God's work in spreading the truth of the Faith. There is no "propaganda" here.

Tridentines has a lack of charity, scholarship, integrity, and even common sense. These attributes should now be apparent. I will move on to the main issue of this post.

The Attack on the Immaculate Mother of God

Tridentines exhibits one of the hallmarks of yellow journalism posing as "scholarship:" first, find something that agrees with your point of view; then publish it without checking for veracity and getting multiple lines of evidence to back it up. The two articles on his website to which he sent me the direct links, come from a single source: Encyclopedia of Millennialism and Millennial Movements [2000]. Not exactly the "gold standard of research." The articles taken from these books are rife with factual and theological errors. Each will be listed and examined below.

The Fatima Cult by Victor Balaban

The word "cult" can have a good meaning, as in the "cult of veneration" due to saints and the "cult of worship" due to God alone. It comes from the Latin cultus, meaning care or adoration. Here, it is used in the pejorative sense of a particular religious group centered around some unusual belief, generally transient in duration, and frequently featuring some exotic leader and rituals. This article is the least offensive of the two. I will take just a couple of quotes to show some glaring errors.

• In the 1950s the belief arose that the Third Secret was going to be made public in 1960. When this did not happen, a variety of scenarios were proposed as to why Pope Paul VI was unable to make the secret known. In 1960, it was Roncalli (John XXIII) who read the secret and refused to let it be made public. There is even speculation he destroyed the written secret, so Montini (Paul VI) perhaps didn't have anything to make known in 1963. 

• The 1960s and 1970s saw a drop in the number of reported apparitions and in the popularity of lay devotions to Fatima. There are many reasons for this, but a major part was changing views within the church. During the Second Vatican Council in 1961-63, it was clear that many church officials and theologians felt that popular devotions to Mary were being overemphasized. Pope John XXIII, who called the council, even said “the Madonna is not pleased when she is placed up above her son.” There were no credible reports of apparitions at Fatima in the 1960s and 1970s. The Second Vatican Council took place from October 11, 1962 to December 8, 1965, not 1961-63. I wouldn't doubt Roncalli would say something like what is quoted, but there is no source cited. 

It should also be noted that the author used quotes around Our Lady, thereby questioning if she appeared, or if anything like this could happen at all.

Marianism by Victor Balaban

• The Marian worldview is fundamentally a millenarian one, believing in the Millennium of Christian prophecy and the coming of an ideal society through a radical change. What has developed is a transnational, transhistorical apocalyptic ideology, meaning that the Virgin’s messages at apparition sites all over the world are believed by devotees to provide a single extended warning, given in different times and different places, of how the apocalypse will happen. Where does Balaban get such ideas? There are no decrees by the One True Church, or the Vatican II sect, which teaches "the Millennium of Christian Prophesy" (whatever that means), nor do apparitions provide a "single warning" on "how the apocalypse will happen."  

• Thus the Virgin’s famous “Third Secret” from Fatima, Portugal, in 1917, her prediction of a permanent sign in the sky from Garabandal, Spain, in 1961, and the warnings from Medjugorje, Yugoslavia, in the 1980s are all considered to be part of the same ongoing warning. The message is simple. God and Jesus are angry because mankind is so sinful, and Mary, in her infinite mercy is interceding, holding back her son’s arm, to give humanity one last chance. Here, the author mixes LaSalette, Fatima, and the decidedly FALSE apparitions of  Garabandal, and Medjugorje. Interestingly, Tridentines published this even though he should know that Garabandal and Medjugorje both took place after 1958 and cannot have Church approval, if you are a sede, whom he attacks. 

(For more on Garabandal: See introiboadaltaredei2.blogspot.com/2019/11/garabandal.html; for more on Medjugorje: See introiboadaltaredei2.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-phony-apparition-of-false-sect.html). 

As to implicitly citing LaSalette (when he mentions an "Antipope" at one point), this "well-researched" article fails to omit the censuring of its secret by the Vatican: 

"THE SUPREME SACRED CONGREGATION OF THE HOLY OFFICE DECREE CONCERNING THE COMMONLY CALLED "SECRET OF LA SALETTE."

It has come to the attention of this Supreme Congregation that certain ones are not lacking, even from among the ecclesiastic assemblage who, responses and decisions of this Holy Congregation itself having been disregarded, do proceed to discuss and examine through books, small works and articles edited in periodicals, whether signed or without a name, concerning the so-called Secret of La Salette, its diverse forms and its relevance to present and future times; and, this not only without permission of the Ordinaries, but, also against their ban. So that these abuses which oppose true piety and greatly wound ecclesiastical authority might be curbed, the same Sacred Congregation orders all the faithful of any region not to discuss or investigate under any pretext, neither through books, or little works or articles, whether signed or unsigned, or in any other way of any kind, about the mentioned subject. Whoever, indeed, violates this precept of the Holy Office, if they are priests, are deprived of all dignity and suspended by the local ordinary from hearing sacramental confessions and from offering Mass: and, if they are lay people, they are not permitted to the sacraments until they repent. Moreover, let people be subject to the sanctions given both by Pope Leo XIII through the Constitution of the offices and responsibilities against those who publish books dealing with religious things without legitimate permission of superiors and by Urban VIII through the decree "Sanctissimus Dominus Noster" given on 13th March 1625 against those who publish asserted revelations without the permission of ordinaries. However, this decree does not forbid devotion towards the Blessed Virgin under the title of Reconciliatrix commonly of La Salette. 

Given at Rome on 21st December, 1915. 

Aloisius Castellano, S. R. and U. I. Notary." (Emphasis mine).

Finally, the article ends with this mish-mosh:

It is usually presumed that the beginning of the End of Times will be preceded by chastisements to mankind; and various world events, such as earthquakes, violence, AIDS, and legalized abortion are often cited as examples of these chastisements. This period of chastisement is often the focus of elaborate conspiracy theories involving an evil Antipope as well as the rise of the Antichrist. Then there will be a permanent sign in the sky, which will herald the next stage, the Warning. The Warning, sometimes called a “correction of conscience” is a time when all human activity will stop, and people will be forced to see all their sins, and the impacts of all their sins on others. This judgment will allow people one last chance to repent and be baptized. Sometime after this there will be Three Days of Darkness, followed by disasters where those who do not believe will be taken to hell, while a Remnant will be saved. This is followed by the Second Coming of Christ, which will usher in the Millennium, with its attendant thousand years of peace.

Neither the Church nor the Vatican II sect teach this nonsense. Could some misguided individuals believe something like this? Absolutely. That doesn't make it Church teaching or indicative of Marian devotion. Most of this scenario comes from phony Garabandal; the Millennial Rule of Christ was never taught, since it is heresy; and the Three Days of Darkness was from a private revelation totally separate from any Marian apparition. The primary error is exalting private revelations (or conflating them) with Church teaching. The next section will deal with this problem, and examine the alleged Three Days of Darkness which has no place in Marian apparitions, nor does it even make sense. I will repeat things I've written prior on my blog that deserve repeating. 

The Teaching of the Church

 In this age of the Great Apostasy, many Traditionalists will (unfortunately) abandon the approved theologians of the Church for private revelations. It is imperative that we learn the Faith, and not what passes for the "Faith" in some quarters. Certain people don't even understand basic terminology. "Public" and "private" revelation do not refer to how many people the revelation was given, but rather whether or not it is part of the Deposit of Faith to which we must assent. The Deposit of Faith, given by Jesus Christ to His One True Church, ended with the death of the last Apostle (St. John) in 100 A.D. That marks the end of public revelation. The Church has authority to make solemn pronouncements on what is contained in this revelation, and the faithful must give assent under pain of mortal sin and expulsion from the Mystical Body by heresy (e.g. It is part of the Deposit of Faith that Christ gave exactly seven (7) sacraments to His Church).

Private revelation is given by God after the close of public revelation to certain individuals (usually saints or people considered to be such). If a private revelation is approved by the Church, it means that it does not contradict matters of Faith and/or morals. It is worthy of belief, but you can deny it outright and not be a heretic. You also commit no sin of disbelief, provided your lack of faith in a particular approved revelation does not stem from disdain of ecclesiastical authority (See theologian Nicolau, Summa Theologiae Sacrae IA, [1955], pgs. 91-92).

While non-approved revelations should be avoided like the plague, even those which are approved can be misunderstood or have the message corrupted since Church approval does not entail any kind of infallible (or even authoritative) teaching. An example is the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima mentioned above. The late "Fr" Gruner made a business out of peddling dire predictions for the world. I have material of his dating back to the late 1980s claiming "we only have a couple of years left" unless the "pope" (John Paul II) consecrates Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. That never happened and more than 25 years have passed without any calamity. Of course this never prevented Mr. Gruner from asking for the largest donation you could give as he shamelessly continued to predict the sky would fall "very shortly."

 According to another prediction of Fatima, "Portugal will never lose the Faith." One need only take a look at the present day European country to see that it has rejected the Faith for Vatican II, and has promulgated many evil "laws" such as murdering babies by abortion. There are no more Traditionalists there (in sheer number or proportionately) than in any other neo-pagan State. I do believe Our Lady appeared in Fatima to three children, but I refuse to try and discern "true" from "false" messages, or listen to all the conspiracy theories involved. Holding on to the Faith will save us, not private revelations--especially ones laced with fearful consequences for those who refuse to propagate those messages.

One of the most fearful private revelations involves what is commonly referred to the "Three Days of Darkness" (hereinafter TDD).  It is used by "mystical" sedevacantists as the answer to the Great Apostasy. God will use these TDD as a world-wide chastisement and then will bring back a true pope. There are so many versions of TDD it's hard to know how to describe it. I will use the version utilized by 3daysofdarkness.com.

The website states: "The Church does not oblige us to believe in any particular prophecy as a matter of faith [de fide], but we are indeed obliged to believe that prophecies may be made even in our own times, for this is in the Gospel [Evangelium]: the Holy Ghost will speak to many in the Latter Days.

Moreover, when an identical prophecy has been made by widely separated people in time and space, when this particular prophecy was accompanied by other predictions which have already come to pass, and when the holiness of the mystics in question has been recognized by the Church, we would be foolish indeed not to believe that the prophecy must come to pass. Such is the case concerning the Three Days of Darkness. How else could we explain that an illiterate peasant woman of Brittany is describing the very thing that another mystic in, say, Germany or Italy is also describing?"

With the defection of the hierarchy we must be very careful about who speaks for the Holy Ghost. "For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." (See St. Matt. 24:24). We are foolish to believe anything that is illogical, damaging to the Faith, and not approved by the Church--regardless of whomsoever allegedly said something. Many holy people claimed TDD, especially Blessed Anna- Maria Taigi. It is not unknown, because there was such a plague sent by God upon the Egyptians through Moses.  Therefore, say TDD proponents, we must accept it as the truth. The website claims:

"After the three days of darkness, St. Peter and St. Paul, having come down from Heaven, will preach in the whole world and designate a new Pope. A great light will flash from their bodies and will settle upon the cardinal who is to become Pope. Christianity, then, will spread throughout the world. He is the Holy Pontiff, chosen by God to withstand the storm. At the end, he will have the gift of miracles, and his name shall be praised over the whole earth. Whole nations will come back to the Church and the face of the earth will be renewed. Russia, England, and China will come into the Church." (Prophecy of Blessed Anna Maria Taigi [1769-1837 A.D.] who was Beatified by Bendedict XV in 1920.) 

There will be "proximate signs": Here are the proximate signs in their probable order of occurrence. This, to be sure, is only my own opinion, and I may be wrong for I am no prophet myself; but, after studying a large number of prophecies, this order appears to me to be the most likely:

1. Flouting of church laws, irreverence and immodesty in church, fall in attendance at church. (These trends were observed in the 1950's, before the true Church was criminally usurped at the Oct 26, 1958 papal conclave.-ED)

2. Lack of charity towards others, heartlessness, indifference, divisions, contentions, godlessness, pride in human knowledge.

3. Breakdown of family life: immorality, adultery, perversion of youth via the media (e.g. homosexuals giving lectures in schools), immodest fashions, people concerned only with eating, drinking, dancing and other pleasures.

4. Civil commotions, contempt for authority, downfall of governments, confusion in high places, corruption, coups d'etat, civil war, revolution. (The first four proximate signs have already come to pass, at least partly; for we are yet to see civil war and revolution in the West. But the sequence of events is not strictly chronological; there is room for some overlapping. Thus, the 5th proximate sign seems to have begun also.)

5. Floods and droughts, crop failures, unusual weather, tornadoes, earthquakes, tidal waves, famines, epidemics, unknown diseases (e.g. new strains of viruses)."

Do you see the problem here? We have someone interpreting private messages with no Magisterial authority. Why should we believe this interpretations of alleged sayings based on alleged revelations? The beatification of Anna-Maria Taigi in no way guarantees any truth in private messages. The "proximate signs" are so broad as to be seen in any era. Note that # 1 goes back to the 1950s; at least 64 years ago. How is that "proximate"? Moreover, this does seem like false Garabandal, but no approved Marian apparition ever stated such. 

Next comes "The Warning": "This will take place between the proximate and the immediate signs. It will be a supernatural occurrence.

During the Warning, many will be scared to their wits end, and many will wish to die, but the Warning itself will be completely harmless.

The Warning must be viewed as the last act of mercy from God, a final appeal to mankind to do penance before the three days of darkness and the destruction of three-quarters of the human race. At a time when the murder of unborn babies and the sin of Sodom and Lesbos have become acceptable and "legal", we should not wonder why God is going to punish mankind.

By that time, war and revolution will have already caused a high death-toll, and Communism will be victorious, but all this will be as nothing compared with the death-toll caused by the Three Days."

Next, "The Immediate Sign":

The wind will howl and roar. Lightning and thunderbolts of an unprecedented magnitude will strike the earth. The whole earth will shake, heavenly bodies will be disturbed (this will be the beginning of the Three Days). Every Demon, every evil spirit will be released from hell and allowed to roam the earth. Terrifying apparitions will take place. Many will die from sheer fright. Fire will rain forth from the sky, all large cities will be destroyed, poisonous gases will fill the air, cries and lamentations everywhere. The unbelievers will burn in the open like withered grass. The entire earth will be afflicted; it will look like a huge graveyard.

As soon as you notice (these signs), go indoors, lock all doors and windows, pull down the blinds, stick adhesive paper on vents and around windows and doors. Do not answer calls from outside, do not look at the windows, or you will die on the spot: keep your eyes down to make sure you do not see the windows; the Wrath of God is mighty and no one should attempt to behold it. Light blessed wax candles; nothing else will burn, but the candles will not be extinguished once lit. Nothing will put them out in the houses of the faithful, but they will not burn in the houses of the godless. Sprinkle holy water about the house and especially in the vicinity of doors and windows: the devils fear holy water. Bless yourself with it and anoint your five senses with it: eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands, feet, and forehead. Keep on hand a sufficient supply of drinking water and, if possible, food also (but you can live without food for three days.) Kneel down and pray incessantly with outstretched arms, or prostrate on the floor. Make acts of contrition, faith, hope, and charity. Above all say the Rosary and meditate on the Sorrowful mysteries.

Some people, especially children, will be taken up to Heaven beforehand to spare them the horror of these days. People caught outdoors will die instantly. Three-quarters of the human race will be exterminated, more men than women. No one will escape the terror of these days.

And the  aftermath:

But, when all seems lost and hopeless, then, in the twinkling of an eye, the ordeal will be over: the sun will rise and shine again as in springtime over a purified earth.

Some nations will disappear entirely, and the face of the earth will be changed. There will be no more "Big Business" and huge factories which sap men's souls. Craftsmanship will revive, and assembly lines will give way to the working bench.

People will return to the land, but food will be scarce for about three years. Married women will bear many children, for it will be regarded as a disgrace not to have children, no more "career women" addicted to the "pill". Unmarried females, there will be many, will enter the religious orders and form large congregations of Nuns within the reborn Church. Disease will decrease dramatically, and mental illnesses will be rare, for man will have retrieved his natural environment. It will be an age of faith, true brotherhood between neighbors, civil harmony, peace, and prosperity. The land will yield crops as never before. Police will have little work to do: crime will disappear almost entirely. Mutual trust and honesty will be universal. There will be little work for lawyers, either. All the manpower which is currently taken up by the wickedness of the modern world will be released and available for the production of useful commodities. Thus, prosperity will be very great. This wonderful period will probably last 30 years approximately.

As soon as you see the sun rise again at the end of the Three Days, drop to your knees and give thanks to God.

And of course, "believe it or else":

Be warned, SPREAD THE MESSAGE, but do not fear: it would be an offense to God to show lack of confidence in His protection. Those who spread the message will be protected, but the scoffers, the skeptics, and those who dismiss the message because they are frightened, will not escape the chastisement.

This is the gobbledygook that author Balaban thinks the Blessed Mother revealed, and whom Tridentines cites approvingly. I will never "spread the message" of TDD because (1) no private revelation ever needs to be believed, nor is it ever part of Church teaching, (2) this TDD contradicts Church teaching. Here are the problems:

• Why does Catholicism need to spread if everyone who survives is already Catholic and under a newly crowned pope? The number of Traditionalists is quite few; certainly not 25% of the world's population that will survive. 

• Since only blessed candles of wax can be lit, how do you light your candle when the TDD arrive? You would need to keep one lit in your house 24/7 like some ecclesiastical version of militia "preppers." Does God really want us storing food, water and blessed candles? 

• It contradicts Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. The Bible verses used to support TDD have all been understood by the Church as outside the genre of apocalyptic language. There is nothing in Tradition that speaks of TDD. If the Great Apostasy ends this way (and proponents claim we are definitely in the Great Apostasy of the Book of Revelation), that displaces the Antichrist, False Prophet, and Second Coming of Christ; all matters of public revelation.  

 Conclusion

Tridentines has been exposed as a sad, bitter person using faux "scholarship" to draw people away from the One True Church. He was probably hurt by some cleric. We should all pray for him that he may return to the True Church. Remember that Christ Himself chose Judas Iscariot, the evil traitor, as one of the Apostles. He showed us evil men will always be in the Church, but the Church will survive as She is Indefectible. The Blessed Virgin Mary never predicted the nonsense attributed to her by Balaban and promoted by Tridentines. It is blasphemous to suggest Mary could predict something contrary to dogma. May her prayers convert her detractors.