PREFACE

PREFACE

Inthemidstofthecrisisthroughwhichthe Church, in her human element, has been passing for more than five decades, anyone whointendstoremainauthenticallyCatholic has a twofold challenge, both doctrinal and spiritual.

Tospeakfirstofdoctrine:facedwiththeindisputabledivergenceofthemodernmagisterium from the Tradition of all time, every Catholic must hold fast to the latter, offering a filial but firm resistance to unlawful innovations.This is not disobedience but rather a dutiful and painful obedience to the one Truth,whichisGod.Indeed, “this merely apparent disobedience is actually a more perfect form of obedience ” (p. 22), and has its roots inagenuinelyCatholicvisionoftheMystical Body of Christ: “It is the Church’ s understanding of the mystery of transcendence that allows obedient souls, respectfully but firmly to refuse to comply with the hierarchy ’ s decrees when they clearly conflict with the safe path of tradition ”(p.62).

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Faithful children of the Church

Onthespirituallevel,ourresistance,which mustrefusetocondonetherevolutionthathas taken place without falling into either sectarianism or ostentation, has two extremes to avoid, namely, discouragement and harshness. These extremes can be avoided only with the help of a deep spiritual life, nourished by those unfailing sources of grace which are the sacraments in their traditional forms,andnourishedalsobythecatechismof SaintPiusX,byprayerandbyavirtuouslife. Discouragement is overcome by faith and hope; harshness is overcome by charity. In other words, one must place one’s spiritual life on a deep theological level, for without thisitwillnotbepossibletomountaCatholic resistanceworthyofthenametothedevastationthatsurroundsus.

Weshouldnotapproachourtimesinatragicspirit.Weshould,onthecontrary,contemplate them in a supernatural light, knowing that it is a grace and privilege to be able to give witness to our faith amidst trials, thus showing a greater love for the only Saviour, whoisLordoftimeandhistory.

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Preface

Above all, we must see and accept the Church’s tribulations in the light of her victory. This victory is not merely a consoling hope but a revealed certainty; indeed, in God’s eternal plans, the victory has already beenachieved.

The following pages are dedicated to all those who, with great courage and ardent love,undertakethispainfulbutgloriousresistance.

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