“But there is something worse than a black mass. It is the abuse of God’s Mercy.”
So says Fr. Paul Nicholson. And it breaks my heart. But I’d be lying to you if I didn’t admit that my first emotion was utter contempt and disgust.
Let me preface what I’m about to say by stating that I know Fr. Nicholson personally. We’ve recited the rosary on a “road trip” to Ferndale, Michigan. He has slept in my home and broken bread with me, my wife Andrea and our two children Evelyn and Lukas. For a very brief time, he provided Spiritual Direction. While we have not spoken face-to-face since March 22nd, 2013 I believe him to be a good priest. A good priest who, in my experiences, has questionable motives. A good priest, with questionable motives, whom I love and pray for.
I first met him on the evening of March 19th, 2011 in Kitchener, Ontario at a speaking engagement featuring Michael Voris. I had been following Michael on the internet for quite some time before the gala dinner and was enthused to have been asked by a friend if I’d like to accompany a band of fellow Catholics for a 45 minute drive to an event which promised to lift spirits. At the time, I was one of the lead anchors of a nightly network sports program “Connected” on Rogers Sportsnet. With the gala taking place on a Saturday, combined with the fact that I was a weekend sports anchor, I believed it to be well worth my while to request that evening off. Difficult to do admittedly, as my work week consisted of a full-time gig squeezed into three days. But, mission accomplished. And I was stoked.
I was not only honoured to have met Mr. Voris that evening, but was humbled to have met the acquaintance of a jolly, diminutive priest by the name of Paul Nicholson. The mediator of said encounter had joked something along the lines of “it’s not often you see high-profile, television broadcasters who are proudly Catholic who take the time to make it to events such as these.” I had reiterated that I was the one who was truly grateful for being privy to such a dynamic talker, and spiritually buoyed by being amongst a throng of devoted Catholics assembled in one banquet hall.
I have good memories of Fr. Paul Nicholson that I refuse to stain with our subsequent falling out. But, while it still stings a bit, I’ve reconciled with the fact that he no longer wants anything to do with me.
And now we approach the crux of this blog post.
Friends on social media, whether Twitter or Facebook, have come to realize just how outspoken I have been in recent years on not just the ineffable beauty of the Catholic faith, but the diabolical disputations crafted from outside the Church – and within! – which seek to undermine (as Pope Leo XIII of holy memory said, echoing St. Thomas Aquinas) the “Perfect Society” that Christ Himself established. With much thanks due to one Louie Verrecchio, who has become a very close friend, my eyes have been opened to the extraordinary, traditional teachings of the Holy Magisterium. The pre-conciliar texts from our Holy Pontiffs scream of an impending war with those who feel the church needs to change with the times. Of course, that notion is simply preposterous. “The right to be wrong”? Un-Catholic, full stop. And with that, the condemnation of so-called religious liberty follows suit. To wit, it is accurate to say this (and of course it will offend many); it is impossible to please God outside of the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Catholic Church.
Islam. Protestantism. Judaism. Buddhism. Zoroastrianism. Wicca…
Satanism.
These are all religions. All of them gradate from Truth. The last one has not a shred of it. But it is a religion – a false one, from the pit of hell – notwithstanding.
And that leads me to Fr. Paul’s recent blog post where he not only acknowledges the evil of the satanic black mass, but sadly – maddeningly! – associates the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) with these vile calumniators of Christ!
If any faithful Catholic has ever taken the time to research on a mere cursory level what precisely happens in a black mass, the roiling filth through which these disturbed souls drag Love Himself, they know how much hatred I have in my soul for this demonic worship. And it always saddens my heart when fellow Catholics, in the spirit of Vatican II “religious liberty”, DE FACTO hold up this sordid sorcery in an effort to appease man and his sensibilities.
And where are God’s rights? Put under the bus, as they say.
And the defence of this cowardly position which, in its essence, spits in the eye of Christ’s Great Commission? “Well, God is all merciful.”
Yes. In this age, the “abuse of God’s mercy” holds a penthouse view courtesy of Vatican II! But then, one must acknowledge God’s mercy in order to “abuse” it… no?
Which brings us back to Fr. Paul’s quote. Satanists hate God. They despise Him as un-merciful. So how is it that the SSPX could be guilty of a greater crime? They would be, if they were in cloak and dagger, disguised as satan’s beguiling proxies.
But they are not! They are not. Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, of good memory (I pray for the day I can state “of HOLY memory”, but this post-conciliar church – if I am correct – does not permit me to use such a phrase in this context… and I will be obedient), refused to buy into this new church mentality which was prophesied by previous popes and prelates (and SAINTS), too many to list here. As it says in the meme provided on this post, Archbishop Lefebvre never changed… never wavered from Sacred Tradition. And while I am not in any way, shape, or form associated with his Society, I honour him for his steadfast ways.
I have been to the Traditional Latin Mass more times in the past two years than I have been in the previous 40. And I can’t tell you how much it fills my soul to be present at the Vetus Ordo. To see the ancient Roman rite re-presented right in front of my eyes at it has been done for some 1500 years.
Fifteen HUNDRED years! Lest we forget, we have in part Archbishop Lefebvre to thank for this.
Not cast his brothers as worse than active, diabolical desacralizers of Christ!
Heaven forbid it.
