The Christian Withdrawal Experiment

Started by Geremia, October 18, 2020, 04:06:18 PM

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Geremia

The Atlantic (Jan./Feb. 2020 issue) article on St. Mary's:
The Christian Withdrawal Experiment

pretty good article except: "the priest stopped her when she shared that a friend had recently had an abortion. This, the priest said, was unforgivable." ("unforgivable" is not proper theological diction), although she continued: "(With proper penance, SSPX officials said, she could be reconciled with the Church.)"
The author even says Nostra Ætate has "a passage repudiating the long-held belief that Jews are responsible for the death of Christ."
This part seems true: "What the Society has built in St. Marys is more like a haven for those retreating from the culture wars than a training ground for battle." Do St. Marys SSPXers have a missionary spirit?

Michael Wilson

Re.  "Do St. Marys SSPXers have a missionary spirit?"; Yes. I heard that at one time the group was very closed off to outsiders, but it started opening up when Fr. Fullerton became superior, and has continued along that line up to this day.
"The World Must Conform to Our Lord and not He to it." Rev. Dennis Fahey CSSP

"My brothers, all of you, if you are condemned to see the triumph of evil, never applaud it. Never say to evil: you are good; to decadence: you are progess; to death: you are life. Sanctify yourselves in the times wherein God has placed you; bewail the evils and the disorders which God tolerates; oppose them with the energy of your works and your efforts, your life uncontaminated by error, free from being led astray, in such a way that having lived here below, united with the Spirit of the Lord, you will be admitted to be made but one with Him forever and ever: But he who is joined to the Lord is one in spirit." Cardinal Pie of Potiers

Geremia

Quote from: Michael Wilson on October 18, 2020, 04:12:33 PMit started opening up when Fr. Fullerton became superior, and has continued along that line up to this day.
He's district superior now again. I wonder if St. Marys will open up more. Maybe the Immaculata church will attract more outsiders?

Daniel

#3
From my brief experience of living in Saint Marys for a year, I would say that I did not notice much of a "missionary spirit" (if by that you mean actively proselytizing or evangelizing to non-SSPXers). The SSPX does have a large physical presence, and does do public processions and stuff, so the in-town non-SSPXers probably aren't clueless. Perhaps some of them eventually find their way to the SSPX. But overall, I'd definitely place it in the "retreating" category rather than the "missionary" category.

The problem that I noticed is actually the reverse of both categories: instead of going out and converting the world ("missionary"), and instead of keeping to themselves and living like monks ("retreating"), the SSPXers simply become worldly. Not that it's much worse at Saint Marys than anywhere else, but I'd expect better from a semi-isolated town occupied by SSPXers. Guess it's not isolated enough. Too much worldly influence still making its way in. Probably because people have TV and Internet and smartphones, and because a large portion of the population isn't SSPX, so even if you don't leave town you're still interacting with non-SSPXers on a regular basis and I guess not fighting hard enough to convert them or at least resist their influence.

edit - Also, I'm not familiar with the phrase "culture wars", but the SSPX priests and teachers do seek to promote good culture (as far as the arts go). That much I did notice. A lot of it could just be preaching to the choir though. Not that that's a bad thing; SSPXers especially need to hear it, and especially those who have children. You can't help anyone if you don't help yourself.

Geremia

Quote from: Daniel on October 18, 2020, 05:32:03 PM"missionary spirit" (if by that you mean actively proselytizing or evangelizing to non-SSPXers)
Yes, that's what I mean.