The Recusant
An unofficial SSPX newsletter, fighting a guerilla war for the soul of Tradition!
"Quo Vadis DICI...?" Part 2
Here is the latest piece of evidence of the continued downward slide of DICI. With a sycophancy and optimism regarding Pope Francis so embarrassing to witness that it would surely make many FSSP priests blush, Fr. Alain Lorans has the following to say, in an article on the DICI website entitled "Enea and Pius":
"In 1458, when he was elected pope and took the name of Pius II, Cardinal Enea Silvio Piccolomini declared to his entourage: “Forget Enea, welcome Pius.” Today, one month after the election of the new pope, here are the questions that Vatican-watchers are asking themselves: “Will Jorge send his kind remembrances to Francis? Or will Francis make everybody forget Jorge?” And even: “Will Francis make us forget Benedict?” Or else: “Will Francis always be the same as at the beginning of his pontificate?” For Church history shows that the pontificate of Pius IX did not end as it had begun.
And therefore everyone is awaiting the first appointments by the Supreme Pontiff: “Who will be the new Secretary of State?” “Who will be the next prefects of the Roman Congregations?” And they all analyze his statements, scrutinize his gestures, and interpret the signs that he gives or does not give….
On the other hand, some are not in the least bit perplexed; they have no need of analyzing, of scrutinizing, much less of interpreting. They think that that already know everything, thanks to knowledge that they think is infused, whereas it is only confused.
Father Alain Lorans"
Be that as it may, after you have finished laughing at his last sentence and recovered your composure, dear reader, please consider the following. Taking into due consideration the mountain of evidence consisting of words, actions and omissions of the current Pontiff which have taken place since his election (and not merely when he was Cardinal "Jorge"), if you view his Pontificate at all with any misgivings (to put it mildly!) then, according to Fr. Lorans, you are just a smug, deluded 'know-it-all' who thinks he has infused knowledge whereas in reality you're just a confused loon!
Secondly, how amazingly hypocritical for the very people (and Fr. Lorans in particular!) to lecture the rest of the Traditionalist world on "scrutinising" the actions and words of the Pope, of all things! Let us remind ourselves that this is the same DICI and the same Fr. Lorans who "scrutinised" Benedict XVI's 'World Day of Peace' speech so hard, last January, that they managed to report on his entire speech except the glaring full-on heresy about religious liberty contained therein! Pardon me a moment of slight scepticism, but Fr. Lorans has clearly been suffering from continual lapses of scrutiny over recent weeks if he is seriously trying to convince us that we are still waiting for some sort of indications as to what sort of Pope Francis will be! Apparently he has not managed to notice the washing of the feet of a muslim woman, the praying side-by-side with a schismatic Orthodox bishop, the declaration that "I don't need all this" when presented with the keys to the Papal apartment, to name a few things to which many more could be added. And never mind the fact that the biggest liberals from amongst the Cardinals (Kasper, Bertone, etc.) have said openly that they voted for him in the conclave! But perhaps we are being unfair - doubtless Fr. Lorans has been scrutinising the new Pope very closely, there must simply be some other explanation... now, what is it I seem to remember Fr. Chazal saying about DICI and rose-tinted spectacles? Surely there couldn't be any truth in that, could there...?
Finally, there is Fr. Lorans' little statement that Pius IX's papacy did not end as it had begun. Well, yes, it is true that Pius IX, though previously a liberal, became an implacable opponent of all forms of liberalism (Hmmm... ...if Fr. Lorans is hoping for this from Pope Francis, perhaps he had better watch out!) But we would be being dishonest if we did not mention that there was a reason for this unlooked-for conversion on the part of Pius IX: namely, the minor fact of the Freemasons invading and destroying the Papal states, the Papal apartments being invaded by a murderous mob, and Pius IX, having just witnessed his own Prime Minister being murdered in an adjacent room, being forced to flee in disguise, himself only minutes ahead of his would-be assassins. Not the sort of thing one would wish, or expect, to see happen every day! And, as a poster on Cathinfo.com recently sagely observed, after his conversion from Saul to Paul on the road to Damascus, the other Apostles initially still did not trust St. Paul until he had proved himself in word and deed. Although it may be stating the obvious, a miraculous or unforeseen conversion is just that: it is miraculous or unforeseen. And as such it is surely a forlorn hope if we are reduced to hoping for another Pius IX -type success story. Of course, with God, all things are possible. But it is in the nature of miracles to be unexpected and against the grain of what ought to take place. Therefore we ought not presume upon a miracle taking place; whilst possible, we plan without it. And we had better plan for tough times ahead in the Church and the world if the current indications surrounding Pope Francis are anything to go by.
And no, I did not come by that conclusion through a supernatural infusion, but merely through common sense!
- Fr. Joseph Pfeiffer