Having just celebrated the true Kingship of Christ in the great Feast yesterday, it seems necessary to hold up another contrast, in the hopes of encouraging our clergy to right action.

We again attend to the sad saga of enthroning “King Covid” in place of Jesus Christ, as continues in so many Catholic sanctuaries throughout the USA:

Bishop John Wester has again shut down all public Masses in the diocese of Santa Fe “until further notice,” effectively prohibiting nearly 1.5 million faithful Catholics from accessing the Holy Sacrifice until the civil government decides it is “safe” enough to resume.

By the bishop’s decree, this order is effected in accordance with the love of souls and affirmation of Christ’s universal kingship “the Governor’s office, advised by scientists and medical experts… and in accordance with our faith’s concern for the protection of human life.”

We aren’t sure what “faith” is being referenced there in Santa Fe, but it surely cannot be the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Faith. After all, Catholicism would never seek to maintain the “protection of human life” by way of categorically prohibiting its source, sustenance, and ultimate aim: the eternal sacrifice of Christ our Lord.

Who exactly is being adored in the sanctuaries of Santa Fe?

Meanwhile, Indiana bishops have collectively “dispensed” the faithful from ever attending Mass again. Never mind the part where no bishop has authority to dispense from divine law (as the world’s most eminent canonist stated months ago); if a Hoosier travels out of state on a Sunday, he might be obligated to attend Mass on pain of grave sin – but if he stays local, no sweat. In Indiana, it’s No Mass, No Worries – or at least, “until further notice.”

Bishop Kevin Rhoades is also flirting with another Mass shutdown in the diocese of Fort Wayne: “if individual counties or other local governments within the diocese issue more restrictive directives, these must also be closely followed.” In the meantime, he has subjected his flock to a ream of “liturgical directives” that must at least be regarded as criminally inane.

The directives are twelve pages long. Isn’t it amazing what a bishop can churn out when he’s inclined to? Too bad +Rhoades remains disinclined to address the decades of scandal, heresy, sacrilege and sexual deviance openly promoted at his “Catholic” university (you know, the one that gave SuperFaithful awards to Biden and Obama, and now praises the public sodomite and child abuser on their faculty). But we digress.

In no particular order, some snippets from the +Rhoades’ directives (original emphasis):

clergy and extraordinary ministers must wear masks or face coverings

All congregants… must wear such face coverings

Holy water and baptismal fonts must remain empty

social distancing measures must be implemented in every parish

every other pew must be unoccupied

tape must be placed on the floor to mark proper distancing

congregational and choral singing are suspended

keep track of when a church’s socially distanced capacity is reached

Parishes might consider… an online ticketing system

If any symptoms of illness are present, [clergy] must not celebrate or assist at a Mass

anyone with a cough or fever, or who may otherwise be feeling sick, should not come to church for Mass or even for a visit.

According to +Rhoades, if you have so much as a cough, you must not set foot in the house of God. See how far he is from imitating his apostolic predecessors on Good Friday; excepting St. John, the Apostles only abandoned their Lord’s supreme offering on Calvary… at least they didn’t prohibit others from being present!

These days, bishops are doing a better impersonation of centurion guards on crowd control: “Back, you fanatical scuzz! Stay back! Stay home! Stay safe!”

Good Priests: Stand Up

We offer this as another examen for our priests, especially those of “traditional” bent:

Good priests of God, we love you and continue to believe in you – but you must find the courage to stand up and resist these unjust and unprecedented prioritizations of physical goods over the divine rights of Christ and his Church, continually decreed by so many bishops. “Hate speech” censorship and requiring parishes to celebrate sodomitical unions (after all, the Pope approves!) have already begun, and vaccination requirements are just around the corner.

Priests will be making more difficult decisions very soon, and must draw lines in the sand today. Those lines must at least be drawn at the complete cessation of public worship: this cannot happen again. There are plenty of reasons, but the simplest are ad majorem dei gloriam and salus animarum suprema lex. In layman’s terms: the Mass is a divine monument, and souls are more important than bodies.

PRIESTS: Conversion and supernatural fortitude can always be found while life endures. Call upon the grace of your ordination and take strength in the name and worship of Christ. As just one demonstration, huzzah for Fr. Palmer over in the UK:

Wales has decided to close the Churches again. I will be arrested before I deny the sacraments to the people of God again. And I repent for having backed down before. Eternal life comes before this life… or our faith means nothing.https://t.co/4ZflM1OxRH

— Fr David Palmer (@FrDavidPalmer) October 19, 2020

May God richly bless and strengthen Fr. Palmer, and may his brother priests be similarly strengthened, to the honor and glory of Christ our King.

Bravo for all Catholics prepared to honor God in the public sphere, come whatever from bishop or governor. We will need more of this in coming days – for, without public priestly resistance and larger demonstrations of the faithful, the rights of Christ and his Church will continue to be infringed even by those who have sworn to uphold them. One cannot serve God and mammon.

Christus Vincit! Christus Regnat! Christus Imperat!

and Bravo the Restoration!