Fun Reading
by modestinus
If you were ever curious why many mainline Catholics make fun of traditionalists, look no further than the latest Rorate Caeli thread on the recent decision to refer to Pope Benedict XVI as “Pontiff Emeritus” after he abdicates this Thursday.
The secrets of Fatima are the western version of that stupid “third Rome” prophecy that floats among Russian zealots.
I guess this answers my previous question regarding your thoughts on Fatima.
No, my citation to R.C. has nothing to do with my thoughts on Fatima and everything to do with my embarrassment over the behavior of a certain segment of Catholicism that I really, really want — in my heart of hearts — to agree with and support.
The most I will say about Fatima at the moment (aside from the fact that I believe wholeheartedly in the appearance of the Blessed Virgin there and her delivery of three secrets) is that it is not for the laity — especially the ill-informed, reactionary laity — to declare or, really, speculate upon its meaning. The message of Fatima was made clear enough, as have the failings of the Catholic Church to adhere to it. What comes next is far from certain, though I find it utterly imprudent and dangerous to sit around looking at current events going, “Oh! Oh! Is this a sign of what’s in the Third Secret? Oh, no, I guess not…Oh! Oh! What about that?”
The problem with most traditionalists is that they just ain’t traditional enough, but are as imbued with a spirit of immanentism as everyone else in many cases, inasmuch as they takes themselves, their feelings, and especially their appetitive suffering to be the measure and rule of judgment, as opposed to right reason.
I suppose this makes most trads modernists. Heh.
I don’t feel like reading the Rorate thread so I’ll take your word that there’s prime loonery in it. But this “Pontiff Emeritus” title is just silly. I suppose it was inevitable once the whole Bishop Emeritus regime was concocted.