Another voice crying in the wilderness for PEACE among traditional Catholics

Coupled with the post I did on Friday but especially Father Rodriguez’ response, I found Michael Matt’s own plea for peace quite providential.  It seems to have come out a bare day or so after my post, I have no idea whether there is a cause/effect relationship there, or not.  Nevertheless, it was timely and makes a helpful companion to Father Rodriguez’ own call for civility and relative peace among the different tribes of traditional Catholicism:

Once again, I really don’t want to see the comments on this post descend into exactly what Mr. Matt, Father Rodriguez, myself, and many others are trying to prevent – a circular firing squad among traditional Catholics.  That would be most contrary to the spirit of cooperation, true tolerance and understanding we are all trying to foster.  Just a reminder, this blog has never been a “free speech zone.” I’m generally pretty tolerant of comments, even hostile ones, but I’ve always maintained that this blog is primarily MY place for MY ideas and I retain the right to terminate commenting on a given post or subject at any time.

I know a lot of people like a good internet no-holds barred throwdown.  We all have a certain tendency, even need, to justify the conclusions we’ve arrived at.  But let’s start thinking more about traditional Catholicism as a broader movement, as Mr. Matt expresses (and I think Father Rodriguez, who has suffered so much for the good of souls, agrees).  I don’t mean to be repetitive or boring but I think this point has got to be stressed with more and more fervor.  Traditional Catholics as a unified group are starting – maybe barely starting – to attract enough numbers to have a marked influence on the course of the Church.  Divided, however, we are still all probably too small to have an effect. That is exactly what the modernist-progressive cabal – our real opponents in the Church – want to see.  They want us divided and focused as much or more on fighting ourselves as on fighting others.

That is of course not to say that we cannot make necessary distinctions and point out problems and limitations with each traditional group from time to time, in the appropriate context, and always with as much charity as possible.  One signal triumph of the modernists alluded to by Father is that ALL the traditional groups have various problems or compromises attendant to their current mode of existence.  I personally find it very difficult to say that this group’s compromise is less problematic than that group’s irregularity, or vice versa.  What we should all be doing is working towards demanding an end to any compromises or irregularity, rather than shouting at each other about the other guy’s perceived failings.

There, I’m done.  Sorry if I’m thumping the tub real hard on this but I think recent experience indicates this is a subject that needs a lot of reinforcement.

Yes, I get it.