Prior to really getting into it, let’s first clarify what the Society is and is not. Before I go forward I need you, my readers, to understand what the Society is for what it is; not for what you’ve heard, have been told, or what you think it is. Information easily becomes false, misled, or erroneous, among both laypeople and even religious. It has become like a game of telephone; you won’t know exactly what it is until you find out firsthand, and I always make it of personal importance not to share anything that isn’t true. I won’t and don’t pretend to know everything about it, but I do know enough to continue to attend in good conscience.
Getting down to the basics, the Society of St. Pius X was founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, in 1970, in a diocese in Switzerland. Straight from the Society, here’s the mission:
“The main goal of the Priestly Society of St. Pius X is to preserve the Catholic faith in its fullness and purity, to teach its truths, and to diffuse its virtues, especially through the Roman Catholic priesthood. Authentic spiritual life, the sacraments, and traditional liturgy are its primary means of bringing this life of grace to souls.”
That’s it. There’s nothing crazy, wild, or not Catholic, or Protestant about it. My awesome priest put it this way, we are part of the Society especially because we want authentic Catholicism. I’m not sorry for attending, and I do not want some watered down version of our faith. I know I’m about to offend some people, but that’s what the Novus Ordo missae is; a watered down version of the Roman Missae, sometimes barely even Catholic. This isn’t a post bashing the novus ordo, yet it has to be said. It’s not well-known that several very important prayers, designed to garner us the graces our souls so desperately need, are totally and completely missing from the Novus Ordo missae, as compared to the traditional liturgy, (I believe only 2 or maybe 3 prayers are present out of the 12 in the TLM, correct me if I’m wrong). In less words, graces are choked out and it’s a fact. It’s not a fact just because I’m saying it is, or because a saint or pope has said it is, but because simply comparing the two liturgies will tell you it is.
As sinners we need all of the graces we can get to overcome sin and to elevate our souls closer and closer to union with God. To me, there’s no point in attending a mass that has very little graces as compared to one abounding in grace. I dare you to ask yourself this, why are you letting yourself miss out on that? Notice that I’ve never once said that the Novus Ordo mass is invalid, so don’t even try to twist my words on that.
Now I’ve heard the objection of remaining at Novus Ordo parishes to set the example of maintaining reverence, but I don’t buy that anymore in the slightest. I’ve tried it, and frankly it doesn’t work. It’s only working within the realms of your imagination. Hard to swallow but it’s true. When the altar is turned around with the priest facing the people, God isn’t the focus of mass anymore, it’s the people. Since it’s all about the people, no one is looking at the reverent ones; they’re too busy looking at themselves because that’s what taught and encouraged. My advice is to just stop going, get to a mass that’ll aid in saving your and your families souls, that’s what it comes down to. It doesn’t come down to “solidarity”, “unity”, or “fellowship”, with the parish community, that’s of no importance whatsoever. To me it is dangerous and foolish to be so presumptive that you don’t need the additional graces to save your soul. As they say, pride goes before the fall. I say this with love because I have been there, and because I care.
There’s also the controversy that SSPX is against the sitting pope or worse, sedevacantists. Before I started doing my own research or attending myself, I also thought it was sedevacantist. I couldn’t make the distinction between sedevacantism and SSPX because I was never correctly taught. Once about two years ago I stumbled upon an SSPX chapel where they were preparing for mass, and I falsely thought it was sede, since I didn’t know the difference, so I left in a hurry. The Society still remains under the pope, accepts him as Pontiff sitting in the Chair of Peter, and prays for him during mass. If anything I think the Society respects and honors the papacy more than others, but that’s just my opinion. At my parish we even have a picture of him in the hall, that doesn’t look like being anti-Pope to me.
I understand that people think the Society is sedevacantist or outside of the Church because of the ordination of the bishop’s by Archbishop Lefebvre. Or, because the canonical status is irregular. (However that is changing) I’m here to tell you that the “excommunication” was never formal, and more about the case of Supplied Jurisdiction, which is in Canon Law. Since Archbishop Lefebvre acted and the Society acts under supplied jurisdiction, the Society is not acting outside of the Church, since again supplied jurisdiction is permissible in Canon Law. The thing about VII (whoop there it is) is that as only a pastoral council, it was never meant to be a binding council doctrinally, except within the case of faith and morals. Yet not everyone understands or cares to understand Canon Law, or what is binding and what is not binding, so as a result we have this misunderstanding.
Yes, there’s controversy over the Society, but much of it is misinformation or straight out slander. You can give me a hundred reasons not to attend the Society, but I won’t stop. I’ve already heard them, with the rebuttals close behind. To add to it, I won’t even go to diocesan Latin masses if I can help it, and I’m not sorry or ashamed to admit it.
The main reason I love the Society is because of the way it approaches the priesthood. Far too many men are effeminate, and I’m sick of it, especially in priests. Every single SSPX priest or seminarian I have come across has been masculine, and it’s so refreshing. I have much to say about watered down and effeminate novus ordo seminaries, but for that topic I will digress. I’m already trying to be feminine, and I don’t need a priest to be effeminate right next to me. For my own parish priest I have such respect and admiration that I’ve never had for another priest. He’s truly a father to me, and he’s showed me what a priest is to be. Not distant or discontented from his parishioners, but masculine and down in the trenches with them, actually taking the time to be there for them, and know us outside of just a quick handshake, and “God bless you,” after mass. I don’t want a priest who is only pastoral and not available to the people. SSPX gives the priesthood and priests back to the people as they are sacerdotal and I wish it were something we could all have, since it’s such a blessing and treasure. I think it’s something everyone, Catholic or not, should experience.
The Society of St. Pius X is for everyone, and it’s not something to be afraid of or intimidated by. There your soul will be fed, challenged, and healed in a truly Catholic way. It’s been such a huge blessing for my family, and even boyfriend. The experience isn’t something I can fully put into words because it’s something you have to experience for yourself. I’ve shared much of my faith journey here, and after searching for so long, my soul is at home there, and home is where it will stay.
