OPEN LETTER TO PAPA FRANCESCO FROM LUCRECIA REGO DE PLANAS

In several Catholic sites and blogs, is circulating an open letter to Pope Francisco by former director of Catholic.net  Lucrecia Rego de Planas . As important is the author, having been the director (until recently) one of the largest Catholic networks in  the Internet,  with its amount of material and its visitors. Mrs. Lucretia, and other industry Catholic "conservative" (which come sighting) have begun to show their concern for what we may call-gradual disfigurement of the papacy, which is promoting the same Francisco with his gestures and words to the media communication.

As our readers will not agree with several of the statements of Ms. Rego de Planas, but we see interesting and brave of them-in some respects-this letter he addressed Francisco and then reproduce.

Who do we believe?

Letter to Pope Francis from an Argentine Catholic who knows him very well: "Who should I believe, the Gospel, the Magisterium, Tradition or the Pope?" by  Lucrecia Rego de Planas   

                                              

10/10/2013

Dearest Papa Francesco, I am so pleased to have the opportunity to greet you. Surely you will not remember me, seeing so many new people every day must be hard to remember everyone, even those with whom you talked and lived during the long course of your life.

Over the past 12 years, you and I, many times have found ourselves in several meetings, church meetings and conferences that took place in the cities of Central and South America on various topics (communication, catechesis, education). During these pastoral meetings I had the opportunity to live with you for so many days, sleeping under the same roof, sharing the same table and also the same desk. Then you were the Archbishop of Buenos Aires and I was the director of a leading Catholic media.

Now you are the Holy Father and I ... only a mother, a Christian, married to a good husband and nine children, who teaches mathematics at the University and seeks to cooperate as best as I can with the Church, the place where God has put it.

In these meetings several years ago, I remember more than one brought you to me and said: - "Girl, tell Jorge Mario, we're friends", I replied, startled: "Absolutely not, Mr. Cardinal! God forbid you from giving of one of his princes on earth. "

Now, however, I beg to call you, because you are no longer the card. Bergoglio, but the Pope, my Pope, the sweet Christ on earth, to which I have the confidence to address as my father.

I decided to write to you because I suffer and I need you to comfort me. I'll explain what is happening to me, trying to be as short as possible. I know you like to comfort those who suffer, and now I'm one of them.

When I first met you during these retreats, when you were still Cardinal Bergoglio, I was struck and puzzled that you never acted like the other cardinals and bishops. To give some examples: you were the only one there that did not genuflect before the tabernacle or during the Consecration, if all the bishops presented themselves with their cassocks and their clerical garb, because that was required by the necessary rules for the meeting, you will presented yourself in suit and clerical collar. If all of you were sitting on the seats reserved for the bishops and cardinals, you left empty the place of Cardinal Bergoglio and you sat in back, saying "I'm fine here, so I feel more at ease."If others came with a vehicle that corresponds to the dignity of a bishop, you had arrived after the others, busy and in a hurry, telling aloud your encounters in public transport in order to come to the meeting. Seeing these things - I am ashamed in telling this - I said to myself: - "Phew ... who wants to attract attention! Because, if you want to be truly humble and simple, is it not better to behave like the other bishops to go unnoticed? ". Even some of my Argentine friends who attended these meetings, somehow noticed my confusion, and I said - "No, you're not the only one. We all were always puzzled, but we know that clear criteria, and in speeches show convictions and certainties always faithful to the Magisterium and the Tradition of the Church, it is a brave loyal defender of right doctrine ... Apparently, however, loves to be loved by all and please everyone. In this sense could one day make a speech on TV against abortion and the next day, in the same TV show, bless the pro-abortion feminists in the Plaza de Mayo, could make a wonderful speech against masons and, hours later, eat and drink with them at the Club Rotary Club. "

My dear Papa Francesco, it is true, this was the card. Bergoglio I knew closely. One day, intent on chatting animatedly with Bishop Duarte Aguer in the defense of life and of the liturgy and the same day, at dinner, chatting animatedly with always Ysern Bishop and Bishop Rosa Chavez on base communities and the terrible obstacles that represent "the dogmatic teachings "of the Church. One day a friend of the Cardinal Cipriani and Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga to talk about business ethics and against the ideologies of the New Age and a little later a friend of Casaldáliga and Boff to talk about class struggle and the "wealth" that the techniques could donate to the Eastern Church.

With this in mind, you will understand that I with greatly widened his eyes when I heard your name after the '"We Have a Pope" and from that moment (before you ask) I have prayed for you and for my beloved Church. And I have not stopped doing it for a single day since then. When I saw you on the balcony, without miter, without cape, breaking the protocol of greeting and the reading of the Latin text, with this trying to differentiate yourself from the rest of the Popes in history, smiling, worried, I said to myself: "Yes, without a doubt. This is the Cardinal Bergoglio. " In the days following your election, you gave me a number of occasions to confirm that you are the same person I had known closely, always looking for a diversity: you asked for different shoes, a different ring, a different Cross , a different chair and even room and home different from the rest of Popes that always had been content humbly with those things provided, without the need of "special" things, especially for them. In those days I was trying to recover from the immense pain felt by the resignation of my beloved and much admired Pope Benedict XVI, in which I identified from the beginning to the clarity in his teachings (the best teacher in the world), for his loyalty the Liturgy, for his courage in defending the right doctrine among the enemies of the Church and a thousand things that will not be listed here. With him at the helm of Peter I felt like I had stepped on land. And with his resignation, I felt the ground disappear beneath my feet, but I understand it, the winds were really stormy and the papacy was something too rough for his strength, now diminished by age, in the terrible and violent culture war being waged.

At that moment I felt abandoned in the midst of war, the earthquake, in the increasingly fierce hurricane, and suddenly you came to replace him at the helm. We have a new captain, we give thanks to God! I confided in full (without any doubt) that, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, with the prayer of the faithful, with the weight of responsibility, with the assistance of the working group in the Vatican and with the awareness of being observed throughout the world , Papa Francesco leave behind the special things and ambivalences of the card. Bergoglio and would immediately take command of the army, and with renewed vigor continuing the path of struggle that his predecessor had set.

Unfortunately, to my surprise and dismay, my new general, rather than take up arms once arrived, he began his tenure using the time as the Pope to call his barber, to his dentist, his milkman and his newsagent, attracting attention to his person and not on the relevant issues of the Papacy.

Six months have passed since then and I recognize, with love and emotion, you've done thousands of good things. I really like (very much) your formal speeches (to politicians, gynecologists, communicators, the World Day of Peace, etc..) And your homilies on feast days, because in them we see a thorough preparation and a deep meditation of each word used. Your words, in these discourses and homilies have been a real food for my spirit. I really like that people love you and applaud you. You are my Papa, the Supreme Head of my Church, the Church of Christ. However - and this is the reason for my letter - I must say that I also suffered (and suffer), from many of your words, because you say things that feel like stabs in the lower abdomen during my repeated attempts to a sincere loyalty to the Pope and the Magisterium .

I feel sad, yes, but the best word to express my current feelings is: perplexity. I do not know what to say and what not to say, I do not know where to go on and let it go. I need you to orient me, dear Papa Francesco. I'm really suffering, and much, for this concerns me still. My biggest problem is that I have devoted much of my life to the study of Sacred Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium, in order to have strong reasons to defend my faith. And now, many of these solid foundations are in contradiction with what my beloved Pope says and does. I am shocked and I need you to tell me what to do.

I'll explain myself better, with a few examples. I can not applaud a Pope who does not kneel before the tabernacle or during the Consecration as taught by the rite of the Mass, but I can not criticize it, because it is the Pope! Benedict XVI asked us in the Redemptoris Sacramentum that we are to inform the bishop of the unfaithfulness and liturgical abuses we are witnessing. Ma .. Who should I inform if the Pope himself does not respect the liturgy? I do not know what to do. I disobey the instructions of our Pope Emeritus? I can not feel happy to have eliminated the use of the paten and kneeling for Holy Communion, and even that you never give communion to the faithful, who do not call yourself "the Pope", but only "Bishop of Rome "or you do not use the fisherman's ring. But I can not even complain, because you are the Pope! I do not feel proud that you have washed the feet of a Muslim woman on Holy Thursday, since it is a violation of liturgical law, but I can not issue a peep, because You are the Pope, to whom I owe respect and to whom I must be faithful! I was hurt terribly when you have punished the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, because they were celebrating the Mass in the ancient rite with the explicit permission of your predecessor in Summorum Pontificum. And punish them, is to go against the teachings of previous popes. But who do I communicate my pain, you're the Pope! I did not know what to think or say when you have mocked publicly a group that had sent you a Spiritual Bouquet of rosaries, calling them "those who count the prayers." Such Spiritual Bouquets are a wonderful tradition in the Church, what am I to think and I do not like it if my Papa derides those who offer them to him? I have many friends who are "pro-life" who a few days ago were very saddened by your calling them "obsessed and obsessive." What should I do? Console, softening falsely your words or hurt them even more, repeating what you said to them, seeking to be faithful to the Pope and his teachings? WYD you asked young people to "make some noise in the streets." The word "casino", as far as I know, is synonymous with "disorder", "chaos", "confusion." Really this is what you want them to do the young Christians in the streets? There are already enough confusion and disorder in the world? I know of many single and older women (spinsters), which are very cheerful, funny and generous and really felt badly when you said that the nuns were not to have a face like a spinster. I was very sick at heart for my friends and me, it hurt me in my soul for them, because there is nothing wrong with being alone and to dedicate one's life to good works (in fact, loneliness is specified as a vocation in the Catechism). What should I tell my friends who are "spinsters"? That the Pope was serious (which I can not do a Pope), or that I support the Pope in the fact that all the old maids have a face like a bitter religious?

A couple of weeks ago you said that "what we are experiencing is one of the best moments of the Church." How can you say that as Pope when we all know that there are millions of young Catholics who live in concubinage and many millions of Catholic marriages where they use contraceptives, when the divorce is "our daily bread" and millions of Catholic mothers kill their children not born with the help of Catholic doctors, when there are millions of Catholic businessmen who are not guided by the social doctrine of the Church, but by ambition and avarice; when there are thousands of priests who commit liturgical abuses, and when there are hundreds of millions of Catholics who have never had an encounter with Christ and do not know the essence of the doctrine, when education and governments are in the hands of the Freemasons and the world economy in the hands of Zionism? This is the best time of the Church? When you said it, beloved Pope, I panicked. If the captain is not seeing the iceberg before us, it is very likely that we smash against it. Do You really believe that or is it just a way of saying dear Pope? Many great preachers have felt devastated to know that you said that now no longer have to talk about the themes of which the Church has already spoken and which are written in the Catechism.

Tell me, dear Papa Francesco, what must we Christians who want to be faithful to the Pope and also to the Magisterium and Tradition do? Let's stop preaching even though St. Paul has told us that we must do so at every opportunity in season and out of season? What with the courageous preachers, we force them to silence, while truly spoil sinners and gently tell them that if they can and want to, should read the Catechism to know what the Church says? Whenever you speak of the "shepherds smelling of their sheep," I think of all those priests who allowed themselves to be contaminated by the things of the world and have lost their scent of priesthood to acquire a certain smell of decomposition. I do not want the smell of shepherds with sheep, but sheep that do not smell of dung, because their pastor care and always keep clean. A few days ago you talked about the vocation of Matthew with these words:  "I am impressed by the gesture of Matthew.He clings to his money, as saying: 'No, not me! No, this money is mine " .  could not help but compare your words with the Gospel (Mt 9, 9), contrary to what Matthew himself says of his vocation: "And Jesus went forth from thence, he saw a man who was sitting at the tax office, whose name was Matthew, and said unto him, Follow me. And he rose and followed him. " 

I can not see where the grasping of money (not what I see in the painting by Caravaggio). I see two different narratives and wrong exegesis. Who should I believe, the Gospel or the Pope, if you want (as I really want to) be faithful to the Gospel and the Pope?

When you talked about the woman who lives in concubinage after a divorce and an abortion, you said  she "now lives in peace." I wonder: can someone live in peace, a lady who is voluntarily removed from the grace of God? The previous Popes, from St. Peter to Benedict XVI, said that it is not possible to find peace away from God, but Pope Francis said so. What should I support, the teachers always or this news? Should I say, starting today, to be faithful to the Pope, that peace can be found in a life of sin? Then you tossed the question without answer on how a confessor should behave, as if to open the Pandora's box knowing that there are hundreds of priests who mistakenly recommend continuing in concubinage. Why does my Papa, my dear Papa, not tell us in a few words what should be advised in cases like this, instead of opening doubts in sincere hearts?

I met Cardinal Bergoglio in almost a family environment and I am a faithful witness to that you are intelligent, friendly, spontaneous, very witty and very clever. But I do not like that the press is publishing all your sayings and quips, because are not a village priest, nor the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, now you're the Pope! and every word you say as Pope, acquires ordinary magisterial value for many of who read and hear you.

Anyway, I wrote taking too much of your time, my good Papa. With the examples I have given you (although there are many others) I think I made clear the pain of uncertainty and perplexity I'm living.

Only you can help. I need a guide that illuminates my steps based on what the Church has always said, speak boldly and clearly, does not offend those who work to be faithful to Jesus' command, to call "the bread, bread and wine wine"," to call sin " sin" virtue " virtue", although this risks his popularity. I need your wisdom, your firmness and clarity. I ask for help, please, because I am in agony.

 I know that God has equipped you with a very acute intelligence, so that, trying to comfort me alone, I could imagine that everything you do and say is part of a strategy to disconcert the enemy, by introducing yourself in front of him with the white flag and so letting your guard down.

But I'd like you to share it with those who are fighting this strategy at your side, because, in addition to disconcerting the enemy, you are disconcerting us, we do not know where he is and where our headquarters is located in front of the enemy. Thank you once again for all the good you have done and what you said during the feast, when you uttered beautiful homilies and speeches because there really are served a lot. Your words inspired and gave us the impulse to love more, to love, to love in the best way, to show the world the loving face of Jesus

I send you a hug branch very loving, my dear Papa, with the assurance of my prayers. I also ask for yours, for me and for my family, of which I enclose a photo, so that you can pray for us, knowing our face. Your daughter loves you and pray for you every day, 

Lucrecia Rego de Planas

Huixquilucan, Mexico, September 23, 2013

You can read the text of the original letter in Spanish:

http://lacomunidad.elpais.com/lplanas/2013/9/26/perplejidad-carta-al-papa-francisco

Liturgia Latina: 11th October, Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary...

Liturgia Latina: 11th October, Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary...: Maternity of the BVM Mary is the Mother of Jesus and the spiritual Mother of all those who were redeemed by the blood of Jesus. The divin...

SOME DEFINITE SERVICE BY CARDINAL JOHN HENRY NEWMAN (1801-1890)

SOME DEFINITE SERVICE BY CARDINAL JOHN HENRY NEWMAN (1801-1890)

“God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.

He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work.

I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place,
while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.

Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.”

PAPA FRANCESCO AND THE MOST HOLY ROSARY

The Holy Father said the month of October is also the month of the Rosary, noting how it is the tradition on the first Sunday of this month to pray to the Madonna of Pompeii, the blessed Virgin Mary of the Holy Rosary. Pope Francis said the Rosary is “a school of prayer,” and “a school of faith!”

From Papa Francesco's Angelus message Sunday October 6, 2013



Prayer with Mary, especially the rosary – but listen carefully: the Rosary. Do you pray the Rosary every 

day? But I’m not sure you do… [the people shout "Yes!"] Really? Well, prayer with Mary, especially the 

Rosary, has this "suffering" dimension, that is of struggle, a sustaining prayer in the battle against the evil one 

and his accomplices. The Rosary also sustains us in the battle.

From Papa Francesco's Assumption Day homily 2013

Feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

On this feast of the Most Holy Rosary, I ponder just how many souls have been snatched from the jaws of hell through the tenacity of grandmothers (and mothers) faithfully praying the rosary every day? How many graces of conversion (and reversion) can be directly contributed to the continual, relentless 'telling of the beads' down through the centuries?

  We read about the miracles wrought through praying Our Lady's rosary. We especially think today about the victory over the Turks at Lepanto attributed to Our Lady's rosary. How often has Our Lady in her apparitions of the past centuries called us to take up our rosaries daily and pray them? I think we can be tempted to think of the rosary as simply a private devotion which is antiquated and too repetitious for modern man. I have said it before and I shall say it to my last breath: the faithful recitation of at least 5 decades of Our Lady's rosary will change your life!  I cannot reiterate this enough. I would shout it from the mountain tops if I were able.  Recitation of the rosary ever day will be one habit which will be our greatest comfort (next to our worthy receptions of Holy Communion) at death. My dear deceased confessor Fr Charles Schoenbaechler used to refer to the holy rosary as "a cell phone to Our Lady". He used to tell us to always "keep our cell phone to our mother in our pockets".  I would urge everyone who does not already pray the rosary every day to begin this holy practice today if only one decade at a time.

THE CHURCH IN GERMANY WILL COLLAPSE

This is my English translation of an interview by the German News Weekly Spiegel Magazine with Fr Gaudron of the SSPX. 

Priest of the Society of St Pius X Father Gaudron: "The Church in Germany will collapse"

Anna-Katharina Pale

The members of the SSPX despise homosexuality, religious freedom and ecumenism. Pope Benedict sought dialogue with the ultra-Catholic community, his successor runs a different course. In the interview, the dogmatist Matthias Gaudron talks about the difficult relationship with Francis.

Pope Francis promotes himself as a reform-Pope. He wants to open the Catholic Church to accept gays and promote inter-religious dialogue. Contact with the Pius brothers, he has broken off.

This is also part of its path towards a church which no longer closes its mind from the social reality anymore: The SSPX are of the opinion that real Catholics do not tolerate gays in the church, that the Mass is to be celebrated according to the old rites. Matthias Gaudron is the head of the German SSPX dogmatists. He taught Dogma for 15 years at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Zaitzkofen and deals with the contents of Catholic doctrine. In this interview he explains the attitude of the Brotherhood to the Pope.

SPIEGEL: Benedict XVI. examined the approach to the SSPX Now Pope Francis sits on the chair of Peter.  What do you expect from his pontificate?

Gaudron: Currently the talks between the Vatican and SSPX are on ice. In part, it looked perhaps under Pope Benedict that criticism of the Second Vatican Council would be allowed. But now we have found that we cannot express any more criticism. Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller is responsible as Prefect of the Congregation for us. He does not like us. He acts hostile towards us, since he has been in Rome.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Francis said in a much-publicized interview : "Whoever looks for 'Security' in the theory in an exaggerated manner, who doggedly seeks the lost past, has a static and backward-looking vision in this way, faith is an ideology among many.."

Gaudron: This is a very problematic statement. It is simply a fact that the Catholic faith has something about it that is beyond time. If the only dogmatic security should be that God is God in man, I think that's a little bit too little. For this I do not have to be Catholic. The truths of the creed can not be changed even by the Pope.

SPIEGEL: Benedict defended and promoted the old liturgy. What do you expect from Pope Francis?

Gaudron: It was clear this important act of Benedict, in principle, that every priest has the right to celebrate the old liturgy. Francis can not revoke it.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Francis has sent a signal to homosexuals ...

Gaudron: ... his attitude is contradictory. The Pope claims to accept the teaching of the Catholic Church. Stating that homosexuality is a sin. And on the other hand Francis gives the impression that it was okay to be gay. The belief that homosexuality is a sin, we share with Jews and Muslims, this is not a teaching of the SSPX. Either I stick to this theory, I can not approve of homosexuality, or I'll accept it. But then I am no longer Catholic.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: The Pope is not Catholic therefore in your mind?

Gaudron: Well, I would not say that. He says yes, he would adhere to the doctrine. I would only point to the contrary.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: . Pope John XXIII and John Paul II will be canonized.What do you say?

Gaudron: We have serious reservations about it. With John XXIII will especially the Council be canonized, which he opened. Pope John Paul II has given the impression that all religions are equal. But that's not true. The Catholic Church is founded by Christ and therefore true. But when I realize this truth, then I can not pretend it does not matter what religion I have. Only the Catholic Church is the true Church.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: That attitude does not help in inter-religious dialogue.

Gaudron: Our mission is to lead people into the Catholic Church.Therefore, we must talk to each other and lead to inter-religious dialogue.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Tolerance is something else. They carry the idea, the aim of the dialogue ad absurdum.

Gaudron: Tolerance means that I respect the other in his convictions, even if I think this is wrong and do not want to force him to convert to my own views. This is self-evident. The Catholic Church has lost among those convinced dissenters much credibility, because it is often done in interreligious dialogue as if we as Catholics did not know ourselves what is true and the truth would have still to explore with believers of other religions.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Is it true that the SSPX members are growing?

Gaudron: Yes, and therefore we can no longer be overlooked by the Vatican. It is not a rapid growth, but a constant.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How do you explain that?

Gaudron: It attracts people, who are drawn to someone who consistently lives his faith. Many say the church would regain members if they would be open. But if that were so, then people would still flock en masse to the Protestant churches, where there already is what they seek from the Catholic Church: gay marriage, no celibacy. Such noncommital attitude has no power to inspire. Where there is tradition there is growth.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Pope Benedict has always upheld the tradition, still in Germany Catholics abound who have left the church.

Gaudron: The Church in Germany will collapse in 15 to 20 years. There will be neither priests nor faithful. So I do not understand how Francis can tell the church the situation is better than almost never before. That's far from reality. The church has no growth. At World Youth Day  very many young people go who would otherwise never go to church and have nothing to do with Christ.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: So rather a small church strictly for believers as a national church, standing in the middle of society?

Gaudron: Yes. Most of all I would of course rather have a large church of convinced staunch Catholics, as was the case before the Council. But if the price of the membership is to water down the faith, then I would prefer the small one.

Father Gaudron is the author of an excellent work, "The Catechism of the Crisis in the Church" published in English by Angelus Press. 

Tortured and killed for his fidelity in the use of the cassock

Rolando Rivi: The testimony of the bloodied cassock

 Contemporary historiography is always presenting more deeds of blood that involve priests and seminarians in the Italian post-war and of which the communist party was responsible. One very moving and particular example that is the young Rolando Rivi, selected, kidnapped and killed because of the cassock that he used to love and that he used to call the intact vestiges of Christ and because of his desire to imitate and celebrate Christ once he would become a priest.

A small church of Visignolo di Baiso, in Emilia, upon the first mountain range of the Apennines, in a large picture frame of a crucifix surrounded by saints, there is noted the presence of a seminarian with the clothing and the hat of a priest.

The painting was made 30 years ago by the pastor of the parish; he was convinced that the young aspirant to the priesthood would sooner or later become a canonized saint.

His clean face and his vision is striking. It is the seminarian Rolando Rivi, one of the victims of the immediate post war, who happened to die just a few kilometres from this place as a result of the homicidal rage of the communist party members.

The story was not spoken of until recently, but it is impossible to deny that the Emilia region was especially bathed with the blood of priests and seminarians, who were victims in that period of the persecution and hatred against Christ and the Church.

Just a few weeks before his assignation, a member of the party, armed to the teeth, who was around the town of Rolando spoke openly saying: “The fascists and Germans are almost extinct… our fight must now be made against the masters, the rich and certain priests… These are now our enemies.”

The hatred which had spread during the war was still alive among many and was producing the death of many innocents, because of the ideology of class wars and the proletariat revolution made by a group of violent men, who even today, decades later are still celebrated even in school history books, as national heroes and liberators.

Rolando Rivi was kidnapped, tortured and killed for his fidelity in the use of the cassock, which made such hatreds arise from the members of the party, making him a very vulnerable person and easy to individuate.

They wanted to silence a future priest, but the eloquence of his martyrdom became an even stronger message after his death.

Rolando Rivi was born in San Valentino in the Emilia region January 7^th, 1931. His parents, Roberto and Albertina Canovi were humble farmers whose only treasure was the faith. He was baptized the following day and he received the second name of Maria because in the last part of the Rite he was entrusted to Our Lady. After the transmission of physical life, the supernatural life received in baptism was the greatest gift he received from his parents. It was a simple gesture, but it was animated by a correct sense of Christian doctrine and by a strong faith that was able to recognize original sin and its consequences together with the justification and sanctifying grace received in baptism.  The pastors of St. Valentino, Fr. Luigi Jemmi and later Fr. Olinto Marzocchini had the privilege to form a generation of their parishioners in doctrine and Christian piety.

Their apostolate was fruitfully fed by a rich, transparent interior life and perceptible also to the eyes of a child.

In fact, Rolando was fascinated with his pastor Fr. Olinto: “How beautiful -he thought- to become like him! To celebrate the Mass with Jesus in my hands, to carry the soul of Jesus…”

He gave everything of himself with the intention of guiding his people to the Christian life; he was very active with the Catholic Action movement, distributing the meetings on different days so that different categories of people could participate; his presence among children and young people invited them to an intense life of prayer focused on the Eucharist and Mary; his catechesis to the adults every Sunday afternoon was very frequented; the charity that he used to exercise toward the poor people; his continual availability for confession and spiritual direction, his constant visits to sick people; his long prayers in front of the tabernacle, where even in late hours, he stayed awake praying for his parishioners, especially those who were killed fighting in the war.

The most beautiful memories of his childhood (Rolando remembered) were when he used to help serve the mass as an altar boy. He was deeply touched by the words of the priest. Brief homilies, but directed to the heart, messages that really made one consult, question and reflect about the sense of existence and eternal destiny.

“Sacerdos propter Eucharistiam” The priest according to the Eucharist

Rolando used to ask himself: “Why can’t I become like him?”

When he was just eleven he entered to the diocesan seminary of Marola. It was October 1^st 1942, that same day as was the custom; the young man wore the cassock with happiness for the first time.

Guided by his spiritual director Fr. Alfedo Castagnetti, he entrusted his new life to Our Lady in the month of October that is dedicated to the rosary. Actually in that year it was the 25^th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima (1917-1942).

The Rector Msgr. Luigi Bronzoni, a very educated priest, authoritative and paternal, used to teach more by his life than with words, offering a healthy example of love towards God and towards each one of the boys entrusted to his care.

When vacations were approaching he would explain to the seminarians that they had to be very careful not to associate with bad companions and occasions of sin, but moreover they had the obligation to distinguish themselves by prayer and service in the parish, in study and in purity, in good works and dedication to the Lord.

“Even in vacations  - he used to recommend - the seminarians must always wear the cassock which is the sign of our belonging to Jesus.”

Rolando used to encourage his peers saying: “Someday with the help of the lord we will be priests. I will be a missionary. I will go make Jesus known to those who do not know him yet. Our duty as priests is to pray a lot and to save many souls and to bring them to paradise.”

His father always admired him deeply: “My son is so good and studious.”

Rolando wore his cassock and white collar with pride, even in vacations in the hot month of summer. Some of his peers who normally sought comfort didn’t wear the cassock and even some of his relatives told him: “You are on vacations, take off your cassock, be freer to move and play…” He answered: “I don’t have to take my cassock off, I can’t, it is the sign that I belong to Jesus!”

His cassock was not for him a human or social barrier for relationships with others. It was not an impediment for the development of his activities, even the recreational ones. The seminarian Rolando Rivi was a very active young man. A witness of this was one of his classmates from seminary, who is now a priest and pastor, Fr. Vezzosi: “Rolando was vivacious and smart in all the games: at soccer, at volleyball, he was the champion of the class. He was very attentive in school, an exemplary student, deeply in love with Jesus. Everything in him was a superlative, it was a big joy to be with him, he transmitted to all his happiness and optimism. He was the perfect image of a holy young man and rich with all possible virtues in daily life, a “hero.”

After having “amazed” the kids of his town with his abilities and his virtues he used to propose to them: “Now let’s go to pray to Jesus in the church.” He took the opportunity to lead them to the front of the altar and teach them to relate to Jesus, who was his best friend.

Everyone knew how affectionate he was to his cassock. He wore it always.

It was very common to see him walking the streets of San Valentino, normally going towards the Church alone or with others, always smiling in peace, ready to say hello to everyone, always with his austere cassock.

But not everything in his life was cheerful, carefree and worriless. In his personal and family life there was the reality of the Great War in which three of his uncles died. More than anyone else, he was the consoler of the heart of his grandma, who deeply mourned the loss of her sons.

Another sad surprise arrived on the horizon…in September 1944 the seminary was occupied by a hundred German soldiers. The seminarians had to flee and return home.

Rolando Rivi returned to his family in San Valentino just like his friends, but he brought books with him, intending to study Italian, Latin and Mathematics with the intention of not losing time, but waiting for better times.

In his house he continued to feel like a seminarian. He was like a little twig flying around in a storm, his biggest joy was daily Mass and Communion, meditation, afternoon adoration and the rosary. His favourite place was the rectory. Besides sports, another passion of his was music. Whenever he placed his hands over the keyboard of a harmonium he was in ecstasy.

 Even the time of trial was for him peaceful and he always knew how to be happy. He was never an introvert in his seminary years, but always very friendly, alive and very sociable even to the point that everyone was happy with him. He was so amicable that everyone used to talk to him. He had contact with all the people and children of his town. In his house, in the afternoon, he used to lead the rosary together with his grandma Anna.

To the children and little cousins and to those of five or six years old, he used to teach them to serve Mass and he would play with the smaller ones to create in them a sense of serenity on their sadder days.

Rolando was very sure of his role as tutor, so to speak, in his relationship with the youth.

The daily life in the town of San Valentino was very calm until the summer of 1944. After this many groups, Germans, fascists and partisans began to pass through. Many bad things began to occur, robberies and violence, even against the priests.

The priest, a servant of the Gospel, became the true sign of contradiction before, during and after the war. Anyone who denied love made this witness of Christ the target of his anger.

In this way hatreds were becoming stronger against priests, who worked for the pacification of souls and denounced violence from whatever source.  The priests who were killed were the real friends of the people in the most difficult times, when there was lack of food, protection work and help they always offered everything, even depriving themselves of these goods. But the system of “Striking the shepherd that the sheep may be dispersed” (Zc. 13,7) is characteristic of the enemies of God from any country or any race.

Rolando was a witness of these events when he was insulted by the communist partisans who were passing through the mountains.

One of his friends today remembers: “The Communist partisan who encountered us on the road, threatened us with obscene phrases about our future that in reality were not very reassuring.”

Rolando perceived everything and suffered without allowing himself to be weakened by anyone, he was really proud to belong to Jesus and of the fact of having been chosen by him for a very important mission.

He continued to be the good and sociable young man that everyone knew. In his simplicity he believed in the goodness of everyone, it seemed impossible that anyone was able to do something bad.

In San Valentino, the pastor Fr. Marzocchini, the one who was a strong inspiration for the vocation of Rolando was targeted. One morning, it came to be known that during the preceding night the priest was humiliated and suffered a beating. They robbed everything, even the shoes he was wearing.

During the mass that he celebrated after the brutal aggression, Fr. Olinto was feeling ill: Rolando and the other altar boy serving Mass understood that something bad had happened. When Rolando came to know what happened, he felt this like an offense against his own father.

He did not say a word of hatred against the partisans.

In the meantime that Fr. Olinto Marzocchini was moved to a more secure place, a very young priest, Fr. Alberto Camellini age twenty five, arrived in the town to provide his priestly service.

Even today it is recounted: “It was an atmosphere of fear and tension which made relationships between the people very difficult. To be able to know parishioners, visits normally took place in the company of seminarians and Rolando Rivi took part in these.”

The seminarian did not hesitate to explain what his future plans were (…I will be a priest and missionary).  As well he was very open showing his heart, his love for Jesus Christ, the Church and even his vivacity and his talents together with his musical gifts. Fr. Alberto began to know him and to appreciate him.

Everyone used to see the young seminarian walking in the streets, everyone knew his life style, he was known as: “The little priest.” His parents used to tell him: “Don’t wear the cassock, at least don’t wear it during these times…” They used to explain that it was not prudent to wear it in such unstable moments.

But Rolando used to answer: “But why, what is so wrong with me wearing it? I don’t have any reason not to wear it. I am studying to be a priest and this cassock is the sign that I belong to Jesus.”

Belong to Jesus, belong only to Jesus, It was the only desire of his whole existence to belong only to Jesus every day.

 “Jesus of my life. Jesus of my heart” he used to write. He was always ready for Jesus, not only to work hard for him but even to sacrifice himself.

It is true that this clothing which symbolizes the eternal God and Christ, who is the savoir and judge, was a motivation of hatred for those who wanted to know nothing about it. It is a motivation of hatred even today. It constricts those who just want to speak blasphemies and forget whatever they have said.

  Notwithstanding the risk, Rolando did not ever want to take off the cassock, but for him it already meant a lifelong duty.

  He really loved that cassock. To wear it was for him a true honor and a glory. It was like an open declaration of love and belonging to Jesus.

It was clear for him what it meant in that time to prepare himself for being a priest. He knew that the future was not supposed to be easier. But he was not discouraged nor closed in his house, he was without fear. We can say today that he really showed his love to fulfil the mission, walking around the town with his cassock very visible in his unique style and clear identity, always in peace. Even in that horrible, unsafe environment, he continued wear his cassock.

He used to say: “No I can’t I can’t take away my cassock, I have no fear, I am not afraid or worried, I cannot hide myself. I belong to the Lord.”

He was only fourteen years old, a little older than a child, but he never hid his clear identity of being a passionate aspirant to the priesthood. He continued wearing the black robes and the biretta.

In a very instinctive way he already knew that to camouflage oneself harms the apostolic work in which signs and symbols, in the same way as gestures, are a very important part.

Yesterday like today, the ecclesiastic habit is not indifferent both to the user and the one having seen it.

It may not be hated in itself, but because of the deepest reality that reminds people of something they do not always like.

It can be rejected because of requirements that it carries for the one who wears it and who has to become a witness of coherence and who has to be a worker before God and men.

 If it doesn’t produce admiration in everybody, it causes respect, because more so in hostile environments to Christianity, it is a sign that the one who wears it serves a reality that he believes more than using it to his advantage.

Msgr. Giuseppe Mora said: “It was frequent in the town that certain disputes arose and it was not easy to reply to them. Sometimes it was easier to be silent, it happened that in a discussion some people attacked the Church unjustly and the activity of the priest. Rolando defended directly the  Pope, Jesus, the Church and the priests without any fear.”

In the same way he used to defend the pastor, Fr. Marzocchini from calumny provoked by the communist partisans.

He was known for his faith and courage; he was admired but as well seen in a bad light, because openly he showed that he wanted to become a priest.

On Holy Thursday of 1945 he wrote: “Thank you Jesus because you have given us yourself in the Holy Host and you are always with us…help me to return soon to seminary and become a priest.”

Friday in the meantime that he was kissing the crucifix, he repeated the offering to his best friend: “My whole life is for you o Jesus, to love you and to become love.”

On April 10, 1945 on the morning of the Tuesday after Low Sunday, he was already in the Church.

He was happy because he already received communion, he didn’t know that this was his viaticum.

He went back to his house and bringing with him some books, he went to the forest to study. As usual he was wearing his cassock.

At noon when he had not returned his parents started looking for him. With his books they found a note:

 “DO NOT LOOK FOR HIM HE IS COMING WITH US FOR A LITTLE WHILE.” – The partisans.

His father and the priest Fr. Camellini were looking for him everywhere.

The partisans had taken him to their base in the Emiliano Mountains. They took his cassock which made him very upset. They insulted him and hit him on his legs with his belt.  Right now in front of them, they had a small child covered in wounds and crying. In fact these same things happened to Jesus. For three days Rolando was in the hands of those godless men.

Mountains of blasphemies and insults against the church and the priesthood and other kinds of vulgarities fell on him, the poor little one. In this way the fear of flagellation in the poor body of this child became his own way of the cross.

Rolando was innocent, crying and whimpering like a little lamb taken to slaughter, he prayed from the depths of his heart and he asked for mercy. Still his soul was possessed by Christ and he was strong and in peace. Someone really touched by this testimony suggested to allow him go because he was just a child and there was no real motivation behind killing him.

But others denied this possibility and said: “Shut up or you will have this same fate.” The hatred against the priest and the cassock that represents him was stronger. They decided to kill him: “Tomorrow we will have one less priest.”

Nightfall came and they took him, bleeding into a forest in Piane di Monchio (Modena).

In front of the grave that was already dug, Rolando understood everything. He whimpered and implored for forgiveness and mercy, he was answered by a kick but he then said: “I want to pray for my mom and dad.”

He knelt next to the grave pit and he prayed for himself, for the people that he loved and possibly for the assassins. Two revolver shots sent him to the earth in his own blood. One last thought and one last beat of his heart for Jesus, he was completely in love…then the end.

  The partisans covered him with shovels of earth and some dry branches from the trees.

His cassock became a soccer ball, later seen as a “trophy of war,” under the door of a neighbouring house.

It was April 13, 1945, the anniversary of the young martyr St. Ermenegildo (+585 A.D.) Friday, like the one on which Jesus gave himself on the cross. Rolando was 14 years and 3 months old.

Rolando Maria Rivi with his life, his word and moreover with his blood had proclaimed “What is more dear to me in this world is Christ.”

On that bloody day, Fr. Alberto Camellini went to see the diocesan bishop, Eduardo Bertoni.

The Bishop was sick on his bed, weakened because of pain and the assignation of ten of his priests. April 19, Fr. Giuseppe Jemmi, an associate pastor in Felina had been killed. Msgr. Bretoni heard and then began to cry without consolation and exclaimed: “Now they are killing my seminarians too!”

Pius XII on March 19, 1958 addressing 100,000 youths from the Catholic Action in St. Peter’s square in Rome said: “The earth which has been irrigated with tears will smile with pearls of love and once the blood of the martyrs has been dispersed, it will make new Christians grow… after one of the hardest and most difficult winters will come a spring which will be the announcement of a very rich and light summer.”

The partisans who hated the Church and the priest thought that for Rolando everything was finished with the two shootings and with the shovels of earth that were thrown on his martyred body, in the grave in the forest of Piane di Monchio.

But no, this was just the beginning.

John Paul II on Sept. 23 1990 was in Ferrara, he spoke about the priest and seminarian martyrs saying: “The tortures and sufferings have made more evident the footprints of the ancient witness of faith…one word I want to say to the youth in preparation for the priesthood is that it is necessary to cultivate a sincere and deep love for Christ and one’s brothers, it is necessary to dispose the old heart to total donation.”

It is the message of Rolando that like a living seed bears fruit and is being fulfilled.

Rolando Rivi lived only fourteen years, he lived only to become a priest, to celebrate in the altar and offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and to announce to his brothers, like a real missionary, the real Jesus Christ.

There is an empty altar in which this young man never celebrated the Mass, but there are so many other youths that have been called to the priesthood and with enthusiasm, driven by this example, will celebrate on this same altar.

Rolando has gone directly to the altar of glory, making of himself a pure host, holy and immaculate, offered to God for the salvation of his brothers.  

P. Alfonso M.A. Bruno FI

http://www.clerus.org/clerus/dati/2010-05/11-13/The_Testimony_of_the_Bloody_Cassock.html

ST FRANCIS AND THE WOLF

The Little Flowers of St. Francis, tr. by W. Heywood, [1906], at sacred-texts.com

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CHAPTER XXI

Of the most holy miracle which St. Francis wrought when he converted the very fierce wolf of Agobio

DURING the time that St. Francis dwelt in the city of Agobio, there appeared in the territory of Agobio a very great wolf, terrible and fierce, the which not only devoured animals but also men and women, so that all the citizens stood in great fear, because ofttimes he came nigh unto the city; and all
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men went armed when they went forth from the city, as if they were going to battle; and therewithal they were not able to defend themselves from him, when haply any man encountered him alone; and for dread of this wolf things came to such a pass that no one dared to leave the city. Wherefore, St. Francis, having compassion on the men of the city, was minded to go forth to meet this wolf, albeit the citizens altogether counselled him not to do so; and, making the sign of the cross, he went forth from the city with his companions, putting all his trust in God. And because the others feared to go farther, St. Francis alone took the road toward the place where the wolf was. And lo! while many citizens who had come out to behold this miracle were looking on, the said wolf made at St. Francis with open mouth. Whereupon St. Francis advanced towards him, and making over him the sign of the most holy Cross, called him unto him and spake to him after this manner: "Come hither, friar wolf. I command thee in Christ's name that thou do no harm to me nor to any other." O marvellous thing! Scarcely had St. Francis made the sign of the cross than the terrible wolf instantly closed his mouth and stayed his running; and, in obedience to that command, came, gentle as a lamb, and laid himself down at the feet of St. Francis. Then St. Francis spake unto him thus: "Friar wolf, thou dost much damage in these parts, and thou hast committed great crimes, destroying and slaying the creatures of God without His licence: and not only hast thou slain and devoured beasts, but thou hast also had the hardihood to slay men, made in the image of God; for the which cause thou dost merit the gallows as a thief and most iniquitous murderer; and all men cry out against thee and complain, and all this city is thine
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enemy. But I desire, friar wolf, to make peace between thee and them; to the end that thou mayest no more offend them and that they may forgive thee all thy past offences and neither men nor dogs may pursue thee any more." At these words, the wolf, by movements of his body and tail and eyes, and by bowing his head, showed that he accepted that which St. Francis said and was minded to observe the same. Thereupon St. Francis spake unto him again saying: "Friar wolf, inasmuch as it seemeth good unto thee to make and keep this peace, I promise thee that, so long as thou shalt live, I will cause thy food to be given thee continually by the men of this city, so that thou shalt no more suffer hunger; for I know full well that whatever of evil thou hast done thou hast done it through hunger. But seeing that I beg for thee this grace, I desire, friar wolf, that thou shouldst promise me that never from henceforward wilt thou injure any human being or any animal. Dost thou promise me this?" And the wolf, by bowing his head, gave evident token that he promised it. And St. Francis said: "Friar wolf, I desire that thou swear me fealty touching this promise, to the end that I may trust thee utterly". Then St. Francis held forth his hand to receive his fealty, and the wolf lifted up his right fore-foot and put it with friendly confidence in the hand of St. Francis, giving thereby such token of fealty as he was able. Thereupon St. Francis said: "Friar wolf, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come now with me, nothing doubting, and let us go and stablish this peace in the name of God". And the wolf went with him obediently, like a gentle lamb; wherefore the citizens beholding the same marvelled greatly. And anon, the fame thereof was noised abroad through all the city, and all the people,
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men and women, great and small, young and old, thronged to the piazza to see the wolf with St. Francis. And when all the folk were gathered together, St. Francis rose up to preach unto them, saying, among other things, how, by reason of sin, God permits such pestilences; and far more perilous is the fire of hell, the which must for ever torment the damned, than is the fury of a wolf which can only kill the body; how much then are the jaws of hell to be feared when the jaws of a little beast can hold so great a multitude in fear! "Turn ye then, most dear ones, turn ye to God, and do befitting penance for your sins, and God will save you from the wolf in this present world and from the fire of hell in that which is to come". And when he had done preaching, St. Francis said: "Hear ye, my brethren. Friar wolf, who is here before you, hath promised and sworn fealty to me, that he will make peace with you and never more offend you in anything; do ye now promise him to give him every day that whereof he hath need; and I become surety unto you for him that he will faithfully observe this covenant of peace." Then all the people with one voice promised to provide him food continually, and St. Francis spake unto the wolf before them all, saying: "And thou, friar wolf, dost thou promise to observe the covenant of peace which thou hast made with this folk, that thou wilt offend neither men nor beast nor any creature?" And the wolf kneeled him down and bowed his head, and, with gentle movements of his body and tail and ears, showed as far as he was able his determination to keep that covenant wholly. Said St. Francis: "Friar wolf, as thou didst me fealty touching this promise, without the gate, so now I desire that thou do me fealty, before all the people, touching thy promise, and that thou wilt not deceive
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me concerning my promise and surety which I have given for thee". Then the wolf, lifting up his right foot, put it in the hand of St. Francis. By which act, and by the other acts aforesaid, all the people were fulfilled with so great joy and wonder, alike for devotion toward the saint, and for the strangeness of the miracle, and for the peace with the wolf, that they all began to shout to heaven, praising and blessing God who had sent them St. Francis, who, by his merits, had freed them from the jaws of the cruel beast. And thereafter, the said wolf lived two years in Agobio, and entered familiarly into the houses, going from door to door, neither doing injury to any one nor receiving any; and he was courteously nourished by the people; and, as he thus went through the town and through the houses, never did any dog bark after him. Finally, after two years, friar wolf died of old age; whereat the citizens lamented much, because as long as they saw him going so gently through their city, they recalled the better the virtue and sanctity of St. Francis.

What is the hermeneutic of continuity?

Sunday, September 01, 2013

FROM THE BLOG 'UNAM SANCTAM CATHOLICAM'

What is the hermeneutic of continuity?

Ever since the pontificate of Benedict XVI, the term "hermeneutic continuity" has been proposed
 as descriptive of an interpretation of the Second Vatican Council that stresses continuity between
 pre and post-Conciliar teachings. This "hermeneutic of continuity" is generally opposed to a
 "hermeneutic of rupture", which sees Vatican II in terms of a break or rupture with tradition.
 Progressive are generally "rupturists", while conservative, orthodox Catholics favor
the hermeneutic of continuity proposed by Benedict XVI and enthusiastically embraced by
 those advocating a reform of the reform.

But what exactly is the hermeneutic of continuity? Is it as self-evident as the simple definition
 I gave above would lead us to believe? In fact it is not, and while I support the concept of
 the hermeneutic of continuity, I must firmly insist that we begin by understanding what
 the hermeneutic of continuity is exactly - and what it implies.

To say that the hermeneutic of continuity stresses continuity between pre and
post-Conciliar teaching is not sufficient, because there is two ways one can interpret
 what this means, and as we shall see, much is riding on which approach one prefers.

Two ways of interpreting "hermeneutic of continuity":

1) The teaching of the Second Vatican Council is already in perfect continuity
 with Tradition, and in proposing a hermeneutic of continuity, we are being
 asking to realize and appropriate this truth. The hermeneutic of continuity is 
simply recognizing what the Council "really taught" as opposed to what liberals 
drew out of it. In this interpretation, discontinuity is a myth that must be dispelled
 by proper catechesis.

2) The teaching of the Second Vatican Council presents a departure from
 Catholic Tradition, and in proposing for a hermeneutic of continuity, 
we are being asked to look for a way to reconcile Conciliar teaching with
 pre-Conciliar teaching. The hermeneutic of continuity consists in new statements
 or actions on the part of the Magisterium, bishops and priests to bring the 
Vatican II documents into synthesis with prior Magisterial
 teaching. In this interpretation, discontinuity is a fact that must be rectified.

Look at these for a moment and notice how different the two approaches are. While both
call for an interpretive schema that stresses continuity, the former denies the existence of
 objective discontinuity while the latter actually takes it for granted. It might be
objected that the latter interpretation actually puts one in the camp of the rupturists, since
 it presumes that there is a true divergence between Conciliar teaching and
Catholic tradition - an objective rupture. But it is important to point out that a
true rupturist interpretation not only acknowledges the rupture, but celebrates it
and works to further it. We, on the other hand, acknowledge the fact of a rupture,
 but work to rectify it, to close the gap, to bring all things into harmony inasmuch
 as is possible.

It is in the second sense that I, too, believe a hermeneutic of continuity is vitally
 important for restoration. But this does not consist of simply returning to
the documents, uncovering the "riches" of the Council, or stressing what
the Council "actually taught" as opposed to how it was "implemented."
I have written elsewhere on how the Council Fathers noted many problems
 with the Conciliar documents from the outset; I have alsodemonstrated that
 the theory of a council "hijacked" by the media and other outside interests is
 not tenable. We need, desperately need, a hermeneutic of continuity,
 but it does not simply consist in rediscovering the documents or returning
 to what the Council "really taught." These are dead ends.

It would be worth asking: if there really is an objective discontinuity,
a real rupture of sorts, what's the use in trying to "bring it into harmony"
 with tradition? Discontinuity, by definition, means there is no continuity,
 and if so, how can we speak of "reconciling" or synthesizing it?

In acknowledging an objective discontinuity, I do not mean to say that the break
 is so grave, the chasm so wide, that it cannot be crossed. The majority of
the Council Fathers, even men of unimpeachable orthodoxy like Marcel Lefebvre,
ultimately signed off on the Council documents, which indicates that they must
 have believed that the documents were compatible with Tradition in some sense,
 even if only "with great difficulty." Vocabulary was novel, the manner of
 speech was different from prior Councils, different angles or aspects
 of questions were explored which previously had not been, the ends
of the Council were pastoral rather than dogmatic, and the very "mood"
of the Council was profoundly different from previous Councils.
All of these things taken together signify an objective "change of direction"
in the Church's understanding of itself - but, as Vatican II itself and Paul VI
 himself noted, this orientation was fundamentally pastoral, which ultimately
means discretionary. If the Church wanted to, they could go back to its
 pre-Conciliar orientation or even adopt a new one without any change in teaching.
 So, when we speak of harmonizing or bridging the gap, we mean not the
attempt to put a square peg into a round hole, but rather effecting a true metanoia,
a change of direction, within the Church, such that her fundamental orientation
 is realigned with Tradition.

But this means we must confess that the orientation is currently not aligned.
In calling for a hermeneutic, we are implicitly acknowledging that there
 is a discontinuity that needs to be addressed. Or, as Chris Ferrara put it recently,
 "What kind of Council needs a 'hermeneutic' just to understand Catholic teaching?"
 If the hermeneutic of continuity is more than just "rediscovering the riches"
of the Council, then it is in fact something extrinsic that needs to be applied.
 It is something akin to a syllabus, or an explanatory note followed up by
 a rigorous campaign of implementation - a dedicated, intentional effort on the
 part of the Magisterium to impose continuityon the Council by stating
 definitively how the documents are to be interpreted and bringing them
 into harmony with Tradition.

Can this be done? A recent statement of the SSPX opined that the Council could
 only be brought into harmony "with great difficulty." But to counter that with
Cardinal Newman, "ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt."
 So, yes, we need a hermeneutic of continuity, but paradoxically, this hermeneutic
 of continuity must begin from the premise of acknowledging an
 objective discontinuity. Only if you acknowledge where you are can you
 even begin to think about where you ought to be going.