Saturday, November 25, 2017

FATHERS AND SONS



παῦροι γάρ τοι παῖδες ὁμοῖοι πατρὶ πέλονται,  οἱ πλέονες κακίουςπαῦροι δέ τε πατρὸς ἀρείους 
("few sons are wont to be like [their] father; /more [are] worse; few [are] superior to [their] father). Homer

If you read last week's post, or hang out in traditional-Catholic chat rooms, you're aware that Tradistan has reached its tipping point. Whatever the Big Kahuna's real condition is, he's on his way out ...  pronto. The Kid's élite backers at the cult compound aren't going to let their boy-"bishop" play "auxiliary" to Big Don any more than necessary — just long enough to get his "episcopal" act together.  That won't take too much time: sede "bishops" can acquire on the fly the little bit of ceremonial they need, provided they've got a decent MC.

Forget all that hogwash in the MHT newsletter about resuming a normal life or God's still having more use for the Donster or no intention of slowing down. Soap-opera platitudes, that's all that is. Even as you're skimming this post, Trad Nation's writing off the freshly sidelined Tradzilla. (Richard Scarry's "Lowly Worm" is the more apropos sobriquet. It's sure to stick.)

The sharp-elbowed skirmish to assert de facto bossman-status over Sedelandia has already broken out. It's instructive that Junior isn't a front runner* notwithstanding Don's blather that "[m]any priests already look to him for leadership." (Sounds like a line dictated by the cult's paterfamilias.) Family money may command deference or envy, but it cannot garner respect and loyalty. "Clergy" and "seminarians" in the swamp are probably nervously scouting for a safe way out.

The Donster could live to be a centenarian, but this brush with mortality combined with next year's "consecration" of his replacement has landed him to the ash can of Sedelandia. As a consequence of the rector's marginalization, a paradigm shift has begun.

Although PL has never had much regard for the Kahuna as a scholar, a churchman, or an original thinker, we'll admit many in terminally naïve TradWorld once held him in high regard. Whether or not traddies endorsed his off-the-wall rules or unsavory hellfire-and-brimstone Sunday harangues, some (quite mistakenly) gave him at least grudging respect as an authority on theology, Church history, and Catholic culture.

That's because, once upon a time, the "Lowly Worm" used to be the closest thing to a celebrity guru that Tradistan could trot out as a proxy for legitimacy.  Oh, sure, his rival Wee Dan tried to hoodwink people into believing he, not Sin-burn, was The One, but His Deficiency couldn't carry it off. "One Hand" doesn't have the pulpit/altar presence, the blunt force of aggressive personality, the vague appearance of savoir-faire, the rudimentary formation, the physical stature, or the undoubted holy orders that Discipline Don possesses.

Let's admit it: as long as you weren't too picky about standards, ignored the nasal drone, and had never made the acquaintance of pre-Vatican II clergy, the rector made you think he was the genuine article. No one else in Tradistan can do that, not the Jellyfish, not the Pivmeister, not the Wee One, not the Boy-"Bishop"-Elect, and most definitely not the overstuffed Ham Sandwich.

And that's the crisis Tradistan faces. In absolute terms, the Donster may be a shallow mediocrity, but, compared with his would-be replacements, he's a prodigy of learning. Now that he's shuffling off the sede scene, there will be no undisputed Mr. Big to whom sect zombies can look for misguidance delivered with a sneer.

At the center of the crisis isn't Kim Jong-Don's health. It's the fact that he never adopted a true spiritual son, one who could lead blind Tradistan as its sole luminary. Perhaps he lacked the necessary generosity of soul, or perhaps he had no choice other than a Hobson's choice. Maybe he couldn't bear the notion that, in the Republic of the Mind, an enlightened master grooms an apprentice not only to be his successor but also to surpass him in every respect. In all likelihood, he never understood (or read) the affirmation of the Good Gray Poet: I am the teacher of athletes,/ He that by me spreads a wider breast than my own proves the width of my own,/ He most honors my style who learns under it to destroy the teacher. 

To become such a mentor, a revered framer of estimable men capable of realizing an independent life of their own, you must first make a brutally honest assessment of your own deficiencies. Then you've got to map out a plan to guarantee your protégé will exceed your limitations. But before that, however, you have to recruit the right talent, don't you?

The way we see it, some 30-40 years ago, Donnie should have found an intellectually gifted young man and secured the formation required to become the undisputed Number One of Tradistan. The designee naturally wouldn't have attended the sorry excuses for schools that sedes operate, especially Big Don's.  He would've been sent to the most reputable grammar and secondary schools in the nation, institutions with high standards, credentialed teachers, and selective admissions.**  Upon receiving his high-school diploma, the well-prepared young man would've matriculated to an accredited and well-regarded college or university for a privileged liberal-arts education (with a major in Latin and Greek).

During his university years, this spiritual son's formation would have been enriched by private tutoring in ecclesiastical subjects, taught by men who had received degrees from Catholic institutions of higher learning before V2.  Only after he graduated would he have set foot in a sede "seminary" (LOL).  To supplement the substandard training on offer from such an unaccredited "clerical trade school," he would attend specialized seminars at an area college (say, in advanced English composition to prevent his imitating Don's turgid prose style).

At length, after "ordination," our young "bishop"-elect would have gone on to earn a prestigious postgraduate degree or two in humane languages and learning or — dare we hope?— Biblical studies. Thereafter, he'd profit from regular sojourns in Europe or South America, studying privately with disciplinary masters. Think delightful Roman summers at the feet of the redoubtable Reggie "il benzinaio" Foster; bright spring days in Salamanca at the university library; or mild porteño winters under the tutelage of an aged professor emeritus of theology, aching to pass on his matchless expertise before he—and it—disappeared.

But there aren't many bright, gifted American boys in the Tradistani archipelago of imposture, are there?

Among the few sede families with a gene pool capable of producing youth of promise, mammas don't let their babies grow up to be clergy. The "Lowly Worm" must've taken what he had to take, and gladly, too, for then there'd be no chance of being outclassed by an understudy. With the Donster's exit from center stage, the tedious sede melodrama will close; all the untalented players will drift away to perform their impious pantomime before brainless suckers or self-interested wheeler-dealers.

The time has come to dispatch Lefebvre's ghost from Sedelandia.  The "Great Man" meme is as dead as disco. It was never true in the first place, seeing that American sedes have been led by nematodes all along. No aspirant to the bandit See of Tradistan will prevail inasmuch as the known candidates are intellectual amoebae.  The sooner sedes recognize they never had a swami of Lefebvre's caliber, the sooner we'll see a very untraditional organizational model in place.

Instead of looking to publicity-crazed pus-blisters for leadership they're incapable of providing, Catholics will go their separate ways, all the while looking inward. Aided by a new class of traditional "bishop," whose aim is to make available the sacraments, not build mini-empires or gain notoriety or pretend to represent the Church, upright folk will at last have what they've always prayed for: sanctification without insufferable sanctimony.

As more and more unaffiliated "priests" are sent out to serve the laity, the usual "bishop"-led cults, with their manic emphasis on money and control, will find themselves without flocks to shepherd. Simple economics will force them to contract, retreating to safe havens populated by primitive, jiggling cult freaks.

But whoa! We're getting ahead of ourselves here. We'll have more to say about this brave, new post-Big-Don world of Sedeology next week. For the present, make room for Daddy as the door hits him on his way out.

* Nor is anyone from the Slupski-Thục line. Europeans—the Germans in particular — view it as entirely vitiated, as do many thoughtful Americans who've witnessed some of the ceremonies.

** Save your energy and don't send us a comment about the necessity of protecting a young mind from secular and N.O. influences. We know plenty of adolescent trads attending such schools, and their faith is completely intact.  (But then, they have professional moms and dads who graduated from college.) These young people fare better than forlorn homeschoolers or the luckless offspring interned in sede fake "schools": Those are the poor devils most at risk of losing their faith and any future as a productive citizen and breadwinner.

30 comments:

  1. Plenty of good non-sectarian institutions that would fit the bill. Here in the Milwaukee area, we have Brookfield Academy. And then for higher ed, something like Hillsdale College.

    But are folks in Tradlandia so paranoid about "contamination" that the places I mentioned are not good enough?

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    1. Excellent choices. Maybe the kids aren't good enough to attend those institutions, so culties make up excuses.

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  2. Does Tradzilla's future involve working as a WalMart greeter? I'd bet the personal loyalty he would have anticipated is less than what he has discovered.

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    1. It's only fitting that he'd suffer the same fate as he had supposed Dannie & Checkie might when the $GG $CHOOL $CANDAL reached its height.

      One question: Is snarling the same as greeting?

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    2. Maybe it is. The fate of these men is a source of mild amusement to me. Since Dolan, Sanborn and Cekada read this blog I'll note that their bete noire, Clarence Kelly, is respected and most importantly secure. He kept his eyes on the prize IMO-Abp Lefebvre's original vision from the 70's. Kelly was a shepherd not a hireling.

      No I don't attend the SSPV (FSSP now) and haven't had anything to do with any of these men in almost 30 years. But my smoke detector (so to speak) never went off with Kelly. It did with the others.

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    3. We agree. He's eschewed the spotlight and all the public controversies and seems to focus on the providing the sacraments. We also hear that the chapels and schools affiliated with him are happy places. Plus his orders seem to be bulletproof.

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    4. Yes, publishing an entire book-length denunciation (titled the Sacred and the Profane of all things!) of the Thuc-line is a fine way to "eschew...public controversies."

      Having Jenkins condemn folks who associate with those from the Thuc-line from the pulpit is also a fine gesture (and this I heard in 2017). Just focusing on providing the sacraments...so early in the morning that nobody a hour away can make it there...for reasons. But wait, if you were baptized after 1970 you weren't, so better not approach that communion rail, heathen!

      You may have heard wrong, too. NEVER have I been to a traditionalist parish (and this would include sedevacantists and sedeplenists) as dreary and somnolescent as Immaculate Conception in Norwood, Ohio.

      His orders do seem to be bulletproof, but since when has that really mattered to you? Would he not be a wandering bishop, a non-cleric, just the same?

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    5. Oh, yes, indeed, he's still an episcopus vagans in our book, and not a Roman Catholic cleric. Nevertheless, his orders appear beyond reproach, and hence he and the men he ordains confect true sacraments. That's a great advantage in Sedelandia.

      As for his book, the way we understand it, he didn't start the fight that led to its publication. Relative to IC, we must disagree. We've attended many times and found the people cheerful and satisfied. Moreover, we've spoken to Catholics who know both the $GG/B'ville cults and SSPV chapels, and they confirm all the good reports we've heard.

      But everybody has his or her own story to tell, and yours is not to be ignored. No doubt there are problems, as there must be with all this lawlessness. It just appears, IOHO, that SSPV has far fewer disillusioned former members than the sede cults. Furthermore, they keep a much lower profile, which is to their credit.

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    6. Ha! Then that person has never been to Brooksville! The sermons are horrible. Everyone looks so sad and newcomers comment how unwelcome they feel.

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    7. Immaculate Conception has so many former SGG parishioners because of the SGG school scandal and how it was handled. In fact, Lotarski's own daughter switched over to the "dreary" church you suggested. It's amazing how a church that has done genuine good to even non-Catholics, can be put below SGG or the MHT scandalville.

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    8. I have it on very good authority that "Anon" @ 5:30pm is in fact YOU, Reader!!!

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    9. Then YOUR authority is not very good at all!

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    10. I'm anon 5:30, and I have nothing to do with this site. I'm just glad it's out there warning people of this place. The Scandals of sgg and mht will come out eventually, and the defenders of those places will start putting the pieces together that they knew all the time but couldn't connect the dots. Instead, is they defended the place based on how you should never say anything against a priest, no matter how corrupt.

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    11. Bishop Mendez consecrated 2 different "Bishops" using the Novus Ordo
      "ordination of a Bishop" during the early 1970's.
      He "ordained" men using the
      "New rite of Ordination" multiple times.
      Yes,Bishop Kelly's orders are valid but Bishop Mendez had more than a few skeletons in his closet.
      It's insanity to say Thuc line is invalid yet Mendez line is 100% "Traditional Catholic"
      Personally I hold the Thuc, SSPX,SSPV lines to be perfectly valid and likewise with the Duarte-Costa line if the Bishop can properly trace his orders.
      In 2017,there were a group of German Traditional Catholics seeking Episcopal Consecration from Bp.Slupski or Bp.Dymek.
      The 2 priests in question had been ordained by Bishop Storck in Germany right before he passed way.
      Bishop Storck was ordained in Traditional rite by a valid German Bishop in 1973 or 1974.
      Subsequently
      Bishop Des Lauriers consecrated him during the mid 1980's.

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  3. First of all, many do not have respect for junior or his family. They see junior and Sanborn turning a blind eye to that family, who in fact, have all moved to be near him so that they can live in a secluded Jonestown cult. The parishioners all know who is in charge in Jonestown, and it's Senior Selway. He gives the orders and junior and tradzilla Rex follow.

    Not only that, but that parish might as well only have three families in it because those are the only ones who matter. They may throw some crumbs here and there to some families who can contribute a bigger tithe, but all in all the church circles around the 3 families and relatives. They even act like they own the place, and they do not like newcomers.

    You just wait. Selway has been covering up some big scandals in Jonestown. It's all going to come crashing down one day, hopefully soon.

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    1. Why do many not respect his family?

      Is there something in particular they did wrong?

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    2. Even in Michigan, there are rules for the Catholic parishioners and there are rules (non-rules) for the Selway Catholics. It's amazing that money bought a miter and the fact that the 10 commandments don't apply to the Selway's. As long as you have the name, Sanborn has always treated you above the rest. Money buys everything in Sanborn's church.

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    3. The fact that a church, school, and seminary were moved for junior is still contention. Sanborn packed up the school and seminary (left the church to one of his not so well liked or schooled priests) in order to accomodate one priest? Then the families with money followed him to Florida and started their own school, convent, and seminary (using what money????). The faithful who had provided a parish and helped support his seminary were abandoned (granted, the Selway's did provide a good amount of money to secure their son's place). Not everyone has money or the ability to pick up and move to another state and Sanborn knew this. It is thought that he specifically knew this but also knew the ones he abandoned were not as controllable as the big 3 were.

      So, yes, not everyone likes a family who every part of a church revolves, they aren't expected to follow the rules, and they have always acted like they own the place.

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    4. I think people are getting tired of the Selway name, quite frankly. They can only throw their money around so long before people are tired of having to bow down to them. In Michigan, everyone was suppose to worship the family because they "kept the school, church, and seminary" running. We can assume that with more of them (kids having their own kids) they just demand even more respect and more kissing up to them. Why don't they rename their church already and get it over with? The Selway Family Church.

      What will they do now that Selway is bishop and no longer needs Sanborn? Will Sanborn just go to Europe and fade away?

      Since it has always been known that Selway was forced to be a priest, will any orders he gives actually be valid? I don't think his boyish looks can carry him anymore like they did when he was younger? His photos always look cold like he's ice staring through the camera. Does he ever smile? It's crazy what being around Sanborn since he's been 6 years old has done to him. It has obviously turned him just as cynical as his mentor.

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  4. Hi Reader,

    This is completely off subject but I hope you will post my question. Thanks to you, I am studying Greek on my own so I was really enthused about the Greek epitaph this week. What I can not figure out is you translated κακίους like a predicate nominative but isn't it accusative?

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  5. Neither κακίους nor ἀρείους is used as an accusative in the epigraph. There they are nominative plurals.

    Some Gk. adjectives add to the root of the positive the ending -ιων for the masc. & fem., -ιον for the neuter to form the comparative. In the masc. & fem nominative/vocative plural, there can be two forms, as you can see in the word for “better”: βελτίονες and βελτίους. Perhaps you were confused by the fact that such adjectives have two accusative masc. & fem. plurals, βελτίονας , βελτίους, the second of which is identical to the second form of the nom. & voc.

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  6. "Some are attracted to the priesthood by ambition and love of honours; while there are others who desire to be ordained simply in order that they may abound in riches, as is proved by the fact that unless some wealthy benefice were conferred on them, they would not dream of receiving Holy Orders. It is such as these that our Saviour describes as hirelings, who, in the words of Ezechiel, feed themselves and not the sheep, and whose baseness and dishonesty have not only brought great disgrace on the ecclesiastical state, so much so that hardly anything is now more vile and contemptible in the eyes of the faithful, but also end in this, that they derive no other fruit from their priesthood than was derived by Judas from the Apostleship, which only brought him everlasting destruction.

    (Catechism of the Council of Trent, “The Sacraments: Holy Orders”; underlining added.)"

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  7. Reader have you ever come across the book Abbot Extraordinary by PF Anson? It is a most interesting character study in its own right but so many of its observations may be applied to the SGG set up. The constant demands for money, the lavish expenditure while constantly begging and pleading poverty ,the ridiculous posing and assuming off ecclesiastical authority which no one has granted , and even down to the constant foreign travel as a form of escapism. Sadly the famed Anglo Catholic Benedictine Aelred Carlyle seemed to have alot more charm than his modern American imitators.

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    1. No, we haven',t but we'll check its availability on Amazon this morning. Thanks much for the recommendation!

      We'll also wager that Carlyle was not only more charming that the American impostors but that he was far more educated.

      Hope we can get the book soon.

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    2. Abbot Allred was a dreamer and a romanticist, but I don’t think he was an evil man. Quite the contrary! After all he managed to revive the Benedictine life in the C of E and his work by twists and turns continues both in the Catholic and Anglican churches today. When forced by Bishop Gore to consider his status, Dom A made the courageous decision to seek corporate reunion with Rome which was effected with more than all due haste. Even in the US an abbey exists that ultimately reaches back to Caldey. Also, Dom A served for years as an RC missionary who was well loved by the Canadians.

      I think you are right. Dom A studied to be a doctor, and somehow I recall that he came from a professional or even a diplomatic family.

      Actually there is no comparison with these soup eating rogues.

      Anything by Anson is collectible. Be prepared for sticker shock. Try the library!

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    3. We appreciate the advice, but luckily we found one gently used for under $20.

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    4. I have Bishops at Large by Anson. Very informative!

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    5. We just ordered it! From the blurb online, it looks like a goldmine of information. We're very grateful for the tip.

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  8. I have an original and did know until now that it was was back in print.

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  9. Oh, the Mickey Mouse reprint has been around for a few years. Hold on to your original unless you need the money! I’ve seen it go for up to $500.00 on eBay. It’s quality is not all that great because Anson relied on the gossip of many bitter old queens, but there it is. The other fellow who covered this topic is equally as bad. A doctoral thesis is waiting to be written.

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