This is the Only Catholic Blog Written From the Perspective of Oklahoma, and About Catholicism in Oklahoma

Laramie Hirsch took down his blog, which transitioned over the years to speaking primarily about realities relative to the Catholic Faith, and at times relative to the local Church.  From my google search, I'm finding no other Catholic blog left based in Oklahoma, or at all related to the Church here, let alone a traditionalist blog.  

So it seems I am the only Catholic blogger, at least actively so, writing about the Faith to Okies, or from the perspective of being a born and raised Okie.  I would welcome Hirsch to return, if for no other reason than to talk about his astronomy and private revelation interests, of which I benefited the most. I myself cannot seem to stop writing even if I wanted to, it being even hard to take temporary breaks.  It is what it is.  

My goal has always been to log my thoughts on this website format, as an outlet of my faith, values, and personal experiences here in Oklahoma on the ground level, as in an actual blog (web log = blog, after all).  

A kind of pubic journal for the international reader as well, to benefit from meditation on universal truths from the perspective of my concrete life here in the Heartland (the upward dimension of the blog); and then secondarily, to meditate on universal truths as they apply to the historical development of my local Church (the local dimension).  

That remains the mission of The Okie Traditionalist.  Hope you enjoy it. 

Happy Fall weather (P.S. I will tell you a gem -- there is a 2 mile hiking trail around Lake Bixhoma outside Bixby, outside Tulsa, that is very hilly, that would make an excellent Fall hike).

Lake Bixhoma

Outside of Bixby, Suburb of Tulsa

Response to FSSP Vicar General. Please Do Not Scapegoat Catholic Bloggers.

Per Gloria TV, and Anthony Stine commenting on it, the Vicar General of the FSSP recently blamed traditional Catholic bloggers and Youtubers (and other websites) for the past and forthcoming clampdown on the True Mass by the Vatican.  It is not clear if the blame is the a) entire group, b) most of this group, or c) just certain websites/people.  It seems more the former (a or b) since no websites were distinguished.  It seems like a general statement.

Here is my response to this priest.

First, I believe ironically you yourself probably have, and still actively do, benefit from the traditional Catholic blogosphere.  It, like the internet, has become a necessary evil, a necessary tool.  Had the modernists not high-jacked the Council, the liturgy, or the Vatican (or created the internet in the first place, i.e. within the sphere of secular society) we wouldn't be in this situation.  The hard fact is we are no longer in the 20th century.  We are in the age of the internet.  This is where people searching for Truth in all things look.

Second, I agree there is bad behavior and bad players across the traditional Catholic blogosphere.  I hesitate to point fingers at a particular website, or point at the person on a personal level, but I agree there is bad behavior.  But that is not the same as this medium of voicing the legitimate concerns and criticisms of lay Catholics (but also certain priests and bishops, who are active within this sphere).

This appears to be scapegoating, to take shame (which is projected onto the FSSP by the modernists) off the FSSP so it will not also end up persecuted when Traditionis Custodes 2.0 is rolled out.  Show Rome that the shame is not with the FSSP, but instead a tiny group of men with keyboards, who you could fit in one living room.  Blame this tiny groups of keyboard jockey's for Francis and his regime coming after us all.  To appease the modernists, with the hope they will buy into that (they see through that too), blame the rad trad bloggers, and not clamp down on the FSSP.

By the way, I am not responding to the entire FSSP, or even all FSSP leadership, but to this one priest, at least to the degree that he personally, in his position, represents the current stance of the FSSP with regards to its current relations with Rome.

This approach appears to me to be, with all due respect, unjust.  It comes across like narcissistic blame-shifting, in order to preserve the FSSP's existence.  It comes across like spiritual and psychological abuse.

Hence this blog post.

If Pope Francis wants to shut down the FSSP, or force it to bridge over the the New Religion (which I think most FSSP priests, likely you yourself, in their heart of hearts believes really exists, just as the SSPX describes it), it is not because of us traditional Catholic bloggers.

That would be objectively diabolically unjust, to persecute an entire Society of Apostolic Life, and the laity attached to it, to suppress even more Catholic Tradition, because of a few men you could fit into one living room.  However mad and rad they are (or not).

Does that mean Michael Matt, the editors of Rorate Coeli, or their few allies online, would be single-handedly causing persecution of the FSSP?

If we are doing grave evil, then you are free to point that out to me, as long as it is civil, and shows exactly what divine, ecclesiastical, or civil law is violated.  This is my email:  JosephOstermeir@gmail.com.  Yet, I will engage any accusation and ask for sources, within the bounds of civility, seeking fellowship over personal polemical conflict.

The blame, Father, rests with one group, and that is the modernists.  If bloggers are bringing about a clampdown or forthcoming persecution, then that amounts to a living room of men with keyboards causing further suppression of Catholic Tradition, which would be logically absurd. 

I ask you to reconsider this accusation, and take it back, or at least modify it with distinctions.

Despite problems, we are a voice of the people, of the laity, who are about 99.999% of the Catholic Church.  In fact, Pope Francis has made comments actually encouraging lay Catholics to write blogs, make podcasts, etc, even critical of abuses in the Church.

Catholic Tradition and the True Mass is more than a preference.  It is the standard.  It is an obligation.  It must be publicly defended as such against the modernists, even in the Vatican.  

Outside of the SSPX, this message is unfortunately, largely being spread wide and far by lay Catholic writers, when we need to hear more of this from the pulpit, including at FSSP Masses.  That is the unfortunate, raw reality of where we are at.

Happy Fall weather.

Bishop Tissier (RIP). Okie Trad Nominates Fr. Rutledge for North American SSPX Bishop, Fr. Onoda for Asia/Australia SSPX Bishop. Will Rome Allow New Bishops?

May Bishop Tissier de Mallerais rest in peace (RIP).  May he now intercede for the cause of Catholic Tradition.  The man was a saint.  One of the priests ordained by the Archbishop to be an auxiliary bishop for the Society, to ordain, confirm, consecrate churches, and publicly preach and teach the Faith.  Canon law (which is ultimately the law of the Pope), allows a bishop to consecrate another bishop without papal mandate, during a state of emergency, even if that bishop might be subjectively mistaken.  When said bishop is made, under those circumstances, he receives the apostolic mandate from the Church immediately, and is a legitimate Successor to the Apostles.

Bishop Tissier de Mallereis (RIP)

Intercede for the Church

My wife and a group of traditional Catholic women once escorted His Excellency around the Philippines on one of his apostolic visits to confirm, preach, and teach.  There is a funny story about that trip, which shows the childlike quality of this saintly man.  It is a hot and humid climate, and on that day particularly hot and humid.  They pulled over to a sari sari store to get him some food.  He smiled and said in his French accent "No, no, please just bring me Pepsi."  They all laughed, as he sat in the shade downing bottles of cold, sugary cola, which he probably needed to treat the serious dehydration that comes with the near constant sweating that comes with travelling around the RP.

I once heard one of his conferences at the Angelus Press conference giving one of the most impassioned, theological analyses of the problem of the Novus Ordo Missae.  He said that one of the great contributions of Lefebvre, who he also passionately characterized at this conference as a saint (he wrote THE biography of the Archbishop), was to be a heroic bishop and Confessor of the Faith, specifically defending heroically more than any other bishop since the Council the doctrinal nature of the Mass as a PROPITIATORY SACRIFICE.  

The Catholic Mass Literally Is

Jesus Christ on the Cross, in His Bloody Sacrifice

Working through an Ordained Priest at the Altar

Through the words of Consecration

And the Element of Bread and Wine

To Literally Transform them mystically Into

His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity

And THEN offering that Bloody Sacrifice

In an UNBLOODY way, Under the Appearance of Bread and

 Wine

Upwards in the Vertical Dimension,

To God the Father

SECONDARILY as a Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving

And SECONDARILY as a Memorial of the Last Supper

But PRIMARILY as a Propitiatory Sacrifice

Which Means to Forgive Sins, and Ultimately SAVE SOULS

(My own description, see traditional catechisms, Council of Trent)

Out of all four of the SSPX bishops, in my opinion, he was the most holy, humble, and authentically zealous in his preaching.

The world is composed of North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia.  Not counting the Arctic circle or Antarctica, or a few little regions I'm forgetting.  Right now there are only TWO remaining Society bishops, and they are up there in years.

On one hand, I sympathize with these bishops being exhausted by decades of intense international travel.  I cannot image. On the other hand, I can appreciate the idea of avoiding setting up what might mistakenly be viewed as a parallel hierarchy, or a parallel church, especially in ongoing relations with Rome.  So perhaps the Society just needs four bishops, one for the Americas, one for Asia, one for Europe/Africa (I'm thinking there's not a lot of SSPX chapels in Africa to warrant their own bishop, though that would be cool too).

This is just one man with a blog, but here are my thoughts:  perhaps Bishop Fellay can serve Europe/Africa,  Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta South America, and two new bishops, one for North America, one for Asia/Australia.  We were talking about this tonight.

The Okie Trad also hereby nominates Fr. Rutledge, prior of St. Mary's in Kansas, for North America.  Fr. Rutledge is relatively young, I think in his 40's, looks very healthy, is very balanced in his temperament and personal approach (I've interacted with him in St. Mary's, and once as SSPX chapel treasurer).  He seems extraordinarily focused and talented.  He was instrumental in building the new Immaculata church in St. Mary's, but I think also the new seminary.  He seems solid as a large rock of granite.

Fr. Rutledge, SSPX

Prior of St. Mary's Priory, Immaculata Church

And, the Okie Trad hereby nominates for the Asia district Fr. Onoda, SSPX.  Fr. Onoda is incredibly respected for his holiness, humility, charity, childlike personality (which I think reflects his Japanese temperament--see his recent YT interview on his contacts with the seer of Our Lady of Akita), zeal for the Faith, zeal for the fight for Catholic Tradition, love of the Society, and pastoral zeal for souls imparted to his care.  He seems very diplomatic to the Catholics and clergy attached to the Novus Ordo, and very balanced in his traditionalism.

Fr. Onoda, SSPX

Japanese Priest, Asian District

But, how will Rome respond?  This is my view.  It is all like a Tug of War.  On one end are the modernists in the Vatican since the Council.  On the other end are the traditionalists, especially the SSPX and FSSP, and all Ecclesia Dei groups (I still use the term).  The modernists keep pulling to the right traditionalists towards their direction, to re-merge back into the Novus Ordo liturgy and practical new religion (the religion of "Catholic" modernism/liberalism).  

The tactic of the Vatican modernist trying to pull us in their direction is bait and switch, ever more since 2013.  The rumor is the Vatican will give formal permission for new SSPX bishops (the bait), which would be interesting since supposedly they have no "legitimate canonical status," so how could the Vatican allow new bishops, when those bishops would be functioning without canonical approval, which would indicate even more regularization of the Society.  Yet, recall in 1988, Cardinal Ratzinger did in fact act wrongly in the Lefebvre negotiations, truth be told (I believe Ratzinger later as pope admitted to this with sincerity).  It was a bait and switch dynamic, in the negotiations.

Lefebvre was convinced the Crisis in the Church equated to a "state of necessity" to consecrate auxiliary bishops (to ordain, in order to preserve the traditional priesthood), and was ready to do so with or without the Vatican's approval.  On the other hand, he exhausted himself trying to work out an agreement.  Bishop Tissier describes that period in great detail in his book.  It really was a bait and switch situation.  Give bishops, OR punish by ostracizing the Society as  a schismatic devil.  That is what unfolded in 1988 and since.

But that is in fact still the dynamic.  Bait and switch.  For the SSPX, my concern would be to allow bishops, but only if the Society accepts a doctrinal agreement that is unilateral, agreeable only to the Vatican, but which would require the Society to compromise its positions.

One position is the necessity of publicly opposing the spirit of Vatican II, not only as invented by liberals after the Council, but which came out of the Council after it was highjacked by the liberals, both in its historical event and historical causality on the universal Church post-1965, but in the ETHOS of the documents itself.  

That ETHOS was the theological system of the modernists and progressives who re-wrote the documents, and manipulated (unjustly) the internal discussions of the Council.  They ended up taking over the Council.  This goes beyond conspiracy theory, but is the historical record.

So the Vatican could pressure the Society to accept something it cannot in exchange for permission to consecrate bishops, under the veiled threat of that dictatorial establishment in the Vatican synonymous with this current pontificate.  Sign what we want you to sign, agree to compromise, and allow bishops. If not, then consecrate new bishops, and finally excommunicate in total the entire Society (including the lay faithful). 

THAT is my concern.

The bait and switch applies also to the FSSP, Institute, etc.  Psychologically manipulative tactics, such as gaslighting, victim-blaming, and blame-shifting, under threat of ostracization.  Which is very painful in all its forms.

All of a sudden, treat the FSSP etc as something new, to be "learned about," but in reality investigated to see how pervasive within their ranks are "radical traditionalists" like those schismatic weirdos (sarcasm) over at the SSPX, or those who appreciate them.

Bait and switch.  Hey guys, we think you're great, so here's the deal, you guys need to learn to say, and to say, the Novus Ordo, and to morph the TLM in the direction of it.  If you do, then great, you can continue to exist.  Start shifting towards us.  Make some  changes obviously under the subtle threat that IF YOU DON'T. then we can do to you what we did to the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate.  A subtle tug of war, drawing the traditionalist towards what they want. And what the modernists want is to draw us into, and eventually convert to, modernism.

FSSP priests, if you haven't, please read what Archbishop Lefebvre wrote, in his interventions regarding the Council and New Mass, and his interventions with the Vatican.  Please consider what is at stake.  Is it just Mass in Latin with Gregorian chant, and a vibrant parish? Or ultimately preserving the Catholic Faith, and the true Mass, come hell or high water.  Let the chips fall where they may.  If it comes to a Traditionis Custodis 2.0 "Final Solution" crackdown on not only the diocesan TLM (n Tulsa diocese, that's at Sts. Peter and Paul, and Holy Cross-Wagoner), but on the FSSP etc, then let the chips fall where they may.

I think that is the ongoing approach of the Society.  Draw a line in the sand.  Or rather look very closely at the sand, and see where the Church itself has already drawn the line, in terms of religious liberty, ecumenism, collegiality, liturgy, Church relations with the State and society, and the doctrinal nature of the Mass.

I am pro-SSPX, and I am pro-FSSP, but there are differences, and if you were to ask me in the corner of the church parking lot my opinion, or read this blog, I would describe the key differences, and explain why I generally side with the Society position on those key issues.

That said, the modernists in the Vatican know if you put all of the SSPX priests (700), and FSSP priests (368), in one room, practically speaking they are the SAME.  They represent the Remnant. 

They represent you and me.  And you and me are the Remnant Church.

I myself prepare for more persecution, ostrracization, hardship, etc at the hands of the modernists in power.  So be it.  Blessed are the persecuted.  We WILL NOT compromise.  Not one jot or tittle.  Not ONE IOTA, of the Faith.

Come hell or high water.

Which to me means not playing the game of Tug and War.  Drop the rope and walk away. Remain Catholic.  Remain inside the Church.  Do not leave the Church for radical forms of sedevacantism (see my last post), Eastern Orthodoxy, or laxity.  Rise above the crows like an eagle.  Beware more than ever of the crows trying to pull us down, while focusing on flying to heavenly heights.

And that is all I have to say about that (for now).

Happy Fall weather.

Back to silent mode for a while (unless something compels me to write again).

The CMRI, CMRI East Oklahoma, Dogmatic Sedevacantism, and the Beauty of Indefectibility

I was surprised to learn somewhat recently in my life the position of the traditionalist organization of priests called the CMRI, that while the Catholic Church did exist until the 1960's, in the form of the See of St. Peter, the Pope, and bishops in communion with him (as it did since the very beginning), that since the 1960's that divinely instituted structure somehow morphed into a new Formal Schismatic Church.  They publicly, formally identify the Catholic Church today as a Formal Schismatic Church.  If they are wrong (which they are), they have entered into formal schism, and themselves represent itself a Formal Schismatic Church.  

I myself have had three long, separate discussions with a CMRI priest confirming this, while being given no direct doctrinal explanation how this is possible, according to the Church's teaching on indefectibility, when asked several times, except to assert that this is, according to them, first an observable historical fact, and therefore must somehow be in accord with the doctrine of the Faith.  Myself, I am not  a sedevacantist, and have already exhausted myself years ago studying it to conclude that either it is false, imprudent, or at worst schismatic, therefore to be avoided in itself.  I find it somewhat tolerable if held in a modest way, yet as a movement leading to schism, based in part on the writings of Archbishop Lefebvre (who will be canonized one day).  

However, we did have a brief exposure once to the CMRI group in eastern Oklahoma, enough to confirm the popular opinion about the CMRI outside of sedevacantist circles.  Warning:  I cannot discourage the local reader enough to avoid the CMRI in any diocese.  I am sure some of their priests and laity are fine people, but, rising above the passing particulars of individuals and material circumstances, if dogmatic sedevacantism is wrong (it is), that logically leads to formal schism, which is actually a greater sin against the Church than heresy. 

One error some traditionalists fall into is to think heresy is a greater sin than schism, which can lead to wrong directions. It is the other way around. 

From reading their material, listening to their conferences, and personal exchange, their degree of sedevacantism seems to surpass any priestly sedevacantist organization calling itself Catholic.  If you visit their chapel, you must do a general confession if you have been confessing to the FSSP, Institute, or Novus Ordo priests, whose ordinations are in the conciliar line following the new rites of consecration and ordination.  

You must abstain from meat every Friday, and observe certain pre-conciliar feast days no longer in force, and other since abolished pre-conciliar laws, under pain of mortal sin, that must be confessed if intentionally not observed.  The CMRI do not recognize the legitimacy of any Catholic diocese, the FSSP, Institute, diocesan TLMs, approved eastern rite Masses, eastern rite dioceses in communion with Rome, or Novus Ordo parishes.  

Their superior has stated in a conference very clearly that while he believes one might go to SSPX Masses for the sake of receiving the sacraments, not only does he not recommend doing so, but holds the organization as a whole to not be Catholic, citing exceptions of certain priests in the SSPX he knows about who are sedevacantist.  Based on their position, and their pastoral directives to all Catholics, if for example, you live in eastern Oklahoma, there is only one legitimate church and Mass you can attend, the CMRI.  No where else.

You cannot attend the FSSP, doing so must be confessed and stopped.  These are the facts.  It should not be ignored either that the CMRI has been identified by several impartial law enforcement, investigatory, and journalistic sources as having a history of cult-like behavior, including in some cases, although the prevalence is disputed, spiritual and psychological abuse of the laity, and in some reported cases physical abuse of children.  From my experience, I do not believe this is just part of their past from the distant days of their founder Francis Schuckardt, a sexual molester, drug addict, criminal, who claimed at one point to be the pope, and set up the CMRI like his own personal cult.

In contrast, the beauty of the Church's teaching on indefectibility can give us great peace.  Christ instituted not only the Office of Pope, but through St. Peter He divinely instituted the See of St. Peter in Rome.  As much as the Church could have an anti-pope, an invalid pope, a materially heretical pope, a pope hell bent on destroying the Church, the majority of cardinals or priests in Rome losing their faith, Rome itself CANNOT lose the Faith, not formally, only in a material way in some of its members.  It can be somewhat overshadowed by an eclipse, but not entirely.  Union with Rome then is absolutely necessary, which the CMRI formally rejects (which the SSPX does not, which is a very different situation).

"The Church is in Rome; Rome is in the Church"

St. Augustine

Within the Church, a sincere Catholic can always find a Catholic Mass, Catholic teaching, good priests, and faithful laity.  The sacraments are preserved.  The institution of bishop, priest, universal Church, and the local Church is preserved.  Communion with the Pope and the local Bishop then guarantees union with the Church.  It is true that the more a bishop or priest deviates from Catholic Tradition, and teaches heterodox ideas, the closer he gets to material heresy, and in time even to formal heresy.  Yet, hope in the Church rests on Christ's promise that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church.

That does mean we can get a bad liturgy, some invalid or ilicit bishops and priests, even possibly an anti-pope or invalid pope, but it does not mean what the CMRI thinks it means.  The Catholic Church as the divinely instituted hierarchy of pope and bishops under him absolutely cannot morph into a False Schismatic Church, leaving only some (a tiny few in their view) true scattered bishops and priests.  This equates to claiming the Catholic Church has been destroyed.

But the Church cannot be destroyed.  It still exists not only in Rome, and in local diocesan Churches, but it still IS Rome, and still IS the local Churches in union with Rome.  The CMRI officially in their literature and conferences rejects this.  This explains the situations of cult-like abuse and psychological control of laity, and certain sectarian practices, that accompany this extreme sedevacantism.  For example, the CMRI as a rule once had men and women sit on opposite sides of the aisles in church, claiming since this was once in Church history practiced in certain areas, that while this was never the practice of the Catholic Church in North America, it should still be the standard; such a practice was defended to me by a CMRI priest.  

The latter view would lead to despair and darkness, whereas the traditional doctrine and traditional ecclesiology leads to a steadfast hope and light.  It leads to a socially healthy dynamic, spiritual balance, avoids Jansenism, and guides the Catholic faithful along what St. Thomas calls the Via Media, the Golden Mean, or Middle Path.  In everything, including all aspects of faith and morals, and religious practice, this remains the constant tradition of the Church, avoiding all extremes.

One view would unfortunately lead to sectarianism and isolationism, which harms the person and the soul, while the other leads to unity with the universal Catholic Church, true openness to all Catholics, and those seeking the Faith and fellowship in the Church.

This blog always aims to uphold the good, true, and beautiful, and when necessary defend those divine gifts from dangerous errors that would lead us to sin and disturb our peace of soul.  Since its beginning, my rhetorical approach is to address universal topics from the perspective of my local experience here in Oklahoma.  The Okie Traditionalist therefore always aims to simultaneously examine universal issues from the perspective of Oklahoma culture and the Church here, for the benefit of most readers who are not Okies, while also applying universal ideas to reporting on and discussing local Church affairs.

For example, I have talked about the Francis Effect in the my diocese causing a shift of orthodox Catholics in the backpew of the Novus Ordo eventually making their way now in droves to the FSSP, Sts. Peter and Paul TLM, Holy Cross-Wagoner TLM, or the TLM offered in the Clear Creek Abbey public church.  Not in Oklahoma, but nearby, I recently interviewed one of the traditional Sisters of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of the Angels in Gower, MO about the incorruption of St. Wilhelmina's body, and the medical miracles that followed praying to her.  I also have addressed when necessary certain unfortunate changes in my local Church.

His Excellency, Bishop David Konderla

Bishop of our Local Church

The Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma

Ordination Mass (TLM), Clear Creek Abbey

In light of this, I invite all members of the CMRI to study the Church's teachings on indefectibilty, and seriously ask if this position of the CMRI poses the risk of formal schism.  I invite you to attend the TLM in the Tulsa diocese, Oklahoma city diocese, or the SSPX in OKC. Visit a Novus Ordo parish for Eucharistic Adoration, rosary, Stations of the Cross, visit with the priests and laity.  The local opportunties for orthodox piety and fellowship are endless, despite the modernist Crisis.  

Please do not turn inward into the view all that is left of the Catholic Church is the CMRI here in eastern Oklahoma or nearby.  Visit Clear Creek Abbey, visit Sr. Wilhemina's body and pray for her intercession if having a serious medical condition (mine has greatly resolved because of her miraculous intervention--details are forthcoming in a future post).  I pray for the priest and laity there that they will open themselves up to full unity with the local Catholic Church.  Sedevacantism is a legitimate open question, but cannot be treated or imposed in any way like a dogma.  The Church cannot be destroyed.  The gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

References:

CMRI website

CMRI conferences on Youtube

CMRI podcast

My personal notes

NewAdvent.org

Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma

Vatican I (note very restrictive definition of papal infallibility)

Fr. Hesse on YT conferences explaining validity of new rites of consecration/ordination (traditionalist independent priest, doctorate in theology former Vatican insider, worked for Cardinal Stickler in Rome)

SSPX Articles explaining indefectibility (and its beauty)

Most Precious Blood FSSP Tulsa website

Sts. Peter and Paul website

Holy Cross-Wagoner website (see TLM times)

Clear Creek website

SSPX, FSSP websites OKC

Beautiful Catholic Churches in eastern Oklahoma:  Holy Family cathedral, Sts. Peter and Paul shrine of St. Torribeo, Clear Creek Abbey church, many rural parishes built before the Council, St. Therese of Liseaux parish in Collinsville, Cascia Hall preparatory school St. Rita Chapel, etc etc

Peanut. My "Man's Best Friend." A Small Miracle When She Died.

My "man's best friend" Peanut died this last Thursday at 1:20 a.m., a black dauchshund, 13 years old, of cancer.  Ripe old age, relatively minimal symptoms.  She's gone on a lot of hiking trips with me.  She enjoyed riding in the car during cooler weather, and was intensely loyal.  

I was predicting the likely beginning of serious symptoms starting as early as Friday, planning to have her put down Thursday morning, but her decline accelerated Wednesday evening.  We spent the evening near her on her bed.  At 1 am, I told my wife it didn't look she was going to pass that night, and we should go to bed.  

A Classic Film for the Catholic Family

Her respiratory rate was declining, but she was still somewhat alert and oriented.  That accelerated decline had begun probably earlier in the day, worsening in the evening.  But we needed to sleep, and take her to the vet in the morning for her final voyage into the eternal mind of God.  

By the way, since Scripture says in heaven God grants all our desires, and He is all powerful, and  have yet to encounter a metaphysical argument that God could not in some way re-materialize a pet in heaven, then I believe if I make it to heaven, I will see again Peanut, and we'll take hikes once again.  

At 1 am we prayed the rosary that she would pass as soon as possible to ease her suffering, and that it would be peaceful, thanking the Good Lord for her life.  At 1:15 we finished, and she nearly immediately got up and went over and took a drink of water, breathing very heavily.  

At about 1:17, my wife picked her up and held her in her arms like a baby wrapped in a blanket, and then put her in my arms cradled like a baby, she looking up into my eyes, while her breathing got even worse.  

She was struggling with her breathing, but looked to be in a state of calm and peace looking up at me, as she slowly "let go," and fell into her eternal sleep.  It was a graceful moment, a gift from Our Lady, a small miracle.We had spent 7 hours plus watching over her.  

After the rosary, we were going to go to bed minutes later.  But I hoped she would be able to pass as soon as possible, and with us, in as peaceful a way as possible.  Statistically, according to an AI calculation using many inputed variables, the odds of this occurrence is 1 in 1.5 billion.  This corresponds to a miracle, also the phenomenon called synchronicity.  

RFK, Jr.

How "Synchronicity" Brought Him Back to God

With synchronicity, an extreme coincidence coincides with a prayer or state of meditation on some aspect of your life, in such a way that God coordinates that state with the natural world to impart a divine message. This is found in the Bible, and lives of the saints, and something that has been happening to me at a high rate since August (future blog posts planned about this).  

I interpret the meaning to be that God was with us that night, showing us profoundly His existence and in an intimate way in our life, loved Peanut as His creature, and worked His love through her as our pet dog.  Thanks be to God for this miracle, to show not only us, but you the reader, and anyone you might share this with, that yes indeed the Good Lord exists!  And Our Lady intercedes in a special way to Him, for us!

Current Thoughts on Blogging

I have become ever more aware of how the world as broadcast over the internet, including through traditional and conservative ecclesiastical and secular news sites, can create a kind of loop of obsession, following the latest "breaking story," when time spent online is excessive, and the focus is on the negative.  

Pathological factors can manifest online, and in turn the world of the internet can manifest pathological factors in real life, like an endless loop.  I think people can get caught in these kind of loops--myself included, especially--in the religious and political sphere, and not be fully conscious they are until even years later, as to its detrimental effect.  

Every man, and that includes my fellow Catholic bloggers (and You-tubers), has to discern that for themselves, how much to focus on what, and how much to invest of their lives online.  But as for me, I am taking a short hiatus from blogging, with the exception of a post or two that may seem necessary for me to post (for my own sake), in order to re-think and re-frame in my mind this little hobby and one-man apostolate of sorts.  My goal has been, is, and will be even more than before to promote the good, true, and beautiful, focusing on those things, while also defending those things from that which attacks them, while focusing on the former.

Happy Fall weather.

Bishop Edward Slattery (RIP). My Wife had a Premonition

Bishop Slattery died this Saturday evening at 9 pm.  May he rest in peace.  And may he intercede now for our local Church.  He was a holy man, holy priest, and a holy bishop, known for his heroic dedication to preserving our Catholic tradition.  

Bishop Edward Slattery (RIP)

Bishop Emeritus, Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma

He nurtured the original Community of St. Peter, founded the FSSP parish, later established a church for it, brought in the Clear Creek monks and sisters, for a period several pro-Latin Mass communities, promoted Gregorian chant, ad orientem worship, a parish for families living near Clear Creek attached to the traditional Mass, actively supported the traditional Mass at Sts. Peter and Paul, built new traditional churches and chapels, etc.  

I first got to know him, as the new bishop, serving Mass for him at Holy Family cathedral in the 1990’s.  He was a gentleman, kind, humble, quiet, had a contemplative temperament, was very devout, and is said to have said the TLM privately in later years of his life.  He had an extraordinary dedication to the Church. 

Two hours before he died, my wife and I were hiking at the NSU-BA hiking trail, when two black and white butterflies kept bumping into her, that behavior of butterflies as a child always prompted her to pray for someone dying at that moment, per her Filipino mother and culture, she not knowing for whom she was praying.  Black symbolizes mourning; white symbolizes new life.  It seems a sign from God through nature that Bishop Slattery is now with God.  

His Requiem Mass will be at Clear Creek Abbey, where the monks offer the Traditional Latin Mass.  LINK   Please have Masses said for him. 

The Miraculous Healings of Sister Wilhelmina, Interview with One of Her Sisters

Sr. Wilhelmina Lancaster, OSB

Introduction:

Sr. Wilhemina Lancaster, OSB was the founder and mother superior of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles in Gower, Missouri, near Kansas City.  She died in 2019.  Her convent, and another convent she founded in southern Missouri, is dedicated to the traditional Divine Office, the traditional habit and contemplative life, and to the Traditional Latin Mass. 

In addition to following the traditional norms of the Rule of St. Benedict, they have a special devotion to Our Mother Mary, and praying for priests.  They are purely contemplative with no active apostolate, yet for income they do operate a retreat house for priests and make traditional vestments for priests.  Through Mary, and prayer, they assist the priests, like spiritual apostles.  

Their Gregorian chant CDs have been on the list of top musical hits in the US, they themselves doing little to promote that source of income.  They had prayed a novena for fundraising, and within the period of that novena were contacted by a recording company. 

When Sr. Wilhelmina’s body was exhumed a year ago to transfer it to their church, in accord with the tradition of burying the foundress in the convent church, the Sisters discovered that her body is totally incorrupt, and also her entire habit not decomposed, despite other cloth, cardboard, etc. inside the simple wood coffin being decomposed.  An expert had previously told them to expect her remains to be reduced to bones.  One priest remarked it seemed God had preserved her body in order to preserve her traditional habit itself.

The Incorrupt Body of Sr. Wilhelmina

Gower, Missouri

She would be, if I understand it right, the first a) Black American saint, b) totally incorrupt American saint, and c) saint with a special devotion to preserving our Catholic tradition, including the ancient liturgy of the Church.  She is a beacon of hope.

Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles

Gower, Missouri

My wife and I visited their convent this past weekend, a week ago, as a kind of pilgrimage, from Friday through Sunday, praying for my own healing and recovery.  See past blog post giving health updates.  

Saturday concluded a novena to Sr. Wilhelmina for a) God’s Will to be done, b) thanksgiving that my symptoms are not caused by any serious physical cause, c) based on the evaluations of several specialists and many tests, d) but especially lately miraculous signs helping to indicate more clearly what my condition is, and what it is not, that it is temporary; more details on this later, e) for God to bless our family, friends, and acquaintences, especially those who are seriously ill, f) for my ongoing recovery, g) and lastly, if it is God’s Will, to recover from my symptoms during or shortly after this novena/pilgrimage, in such a way to help show the sanctity and intervention of Sr. Wilhelmina.

While there, we had the permission and privilege to sit down and interview on behalf of the readers of The Okie Traditionalist blog one of the sister’s about Sr. Wilhelmina. Here is the interview followed by my own testimony of my own miraculous healing:

The Interview:

 

Sr. Martina, O.S.B. met with us to answer our questions in their parlor.  We talked for about forty-five minutes, taking notes.  She is a somewhat newly professed nun who had cared for Sr. Wilhelmina in the last years of her life while being a novice.  It was a delightful and ecstatic experience.  

1.  I asked about miraculous healings of people attributed to praying to Sr. Wilhelmina.

Sister said there were many miracles reported of healing after praying to Sr. Wilhelmina, since her body was exhumed over a year ago  She gave the top three examples. 

Miracle #1

The Healing of an SSPX Priest

She said that the first miracle that occurred after discovering the incorrupt body, and the most prominent so far, was the healing of an SSPX priest named Fr. Joseph Horvath, a former diocesan priest, cured from an extreme case of heart disease.  

A couple times she had to step outside the room to verify some of these facts:  a) Father was very ill preparing for possible death, unable to do much of any priestly work, b) he had had three heart attacks, a pacemaker implanted into his heart, and c) his heart was so ill it was basically failing, d) but one day he was praying in chapel and heard a voice say “Go to Wilhelmina.”  It didn’t say “Sr. Wilhelmina,” just “Wilhelmina.”  He asked other priests present if they had heard the voice; they hadn’t.  

He had never heard of Sr. Wilhelmina before, and had to find out about her, e)  this was right around the time her body was exhumed and found to be incorrupt, after which time her story became I think the most followed story in 2023 in the Catholic news, f) so he left his priory in Kentucky, despite very bad health, and made the trip to northwest Missouri, and venerated Sr. Wilhelmina asking for her prayers, g) while there he told the Sisters he was starting to feel better after praying to Sr., h) when he returned home his symptoms greatly improved, he was feeling a recovery, i) he later went to his doctor who told him there was now nothing wrong with his heart, that it was now a healthy heart, j) ever since this miracle, Father has been “kept very busy doing work.”  He is back to full time work in his priestly apostolate.  

Incidentally, we talked about the significance of the first and most prominent miracle being of an SSPX priest, and her insight was that perhaps it was especially because he is a priest, as part of their charism is especially to pray for priests, but also perhaps to promote more unity between traditional Latin rite Catholics. 

She said that after this miracle, they have now been having the habit of SSPX priests go on retreat in their retreat house for priests.

 

Miracle # 2

The second greatest miracle (really two miracles in one) was the healing of a man from cancer and his wife from end-stage dementia.  His son gave him a rosary to pray, and told him to pray to Sr. Wilhelmina.  Sr. Martina could not recall if the father was a lapsed Catholic or a non-Catholic, but that either way he was not a practicing Catholic.  The man prayed the rosary, and his cancer disappeared, and his wife’s dementia completely resolved having a good mental status. 

Miracle # 3

A doctor started praying  to Sr. Wilhelmina for his wife’s cancer, and afterwards her abdominal tumors appeared to be “empty” as if they were hallow.  She survived and recovered, the cancer was cured. 

Also:

Sister wanted to add her own observation of a possible miracle, or at least a sign of Sr. Wilhelmina intervening. At the time they discovered Sr.'s incorrupt body, her sister, who had already had children, had a difficult delivery of another child, her status becoming critical, going to the ICU. In the ICU her body filled with fluids, she dangerously gaining a lot of water weight.  

Fourteen different doctors said they thought she would not survive, but the fifteenth doctor said they thought she “might” survive.  At that time she was praying for her sister to Sr. Wilhelmina, right after seeing her incorrupt body, and on the very day that she learned that her sister did survive (she is alive to this day), a rainbow appeared over her grave. 

2.  Next, I asked her what she thinks Sr. Wilhelmina would say if she were sitting there with us, and if I asked her what she could say to those reading this interview, going through an extreme hardship in life, in particular extreme illness and pain.

Sister paused for a moment and thought, and then confidently said that Sr. Wilhelmina would tell the people to “go to your mother.”  That when you are in most need, you go ask your mother to help you.  That that was constantly her message to the Sisters, often invoking Our Lady with a single Hail Mary.  We should go to our Mother Mary, especially in the rosary. 

"Go to your mother."

She then told the story about how as a novice she went to Sr. Wilhelmina for counsel, and asked what was the key to being a good novice and nun.  She was telling this story as something to add to what she might say to people.  She had thought she might say something about humility or another virtue, but her answer was revealing to her: to be devoted to prayer ITSELF, as in devotion to the DISCIPLINE of daily prayer. I understood that to mean a devotion to piety and a structure of daily prayer.

I took that to mean that while we all focus on what we need to fix in our life, in order to be happy, we need to take a step back and think about that.  That the key to all of that is consistent daily prayer, that is the answer.  That when daily prayer is a good habit in us, then all our concerns and worries are answered. Simply by maintaining a discipline of daily prayer, everything will fall into place, no matter how grave or hellish is your situation. 

This was especially a strong message for me, which matched up exactly with my own situation, and what I had been discerning lately.

3.  I asked about the current official Church status regarding the miracle of incorruption. 

She explained that their Bishop had investigated the incorruption recently and said experts determined it to be “highly atypical.”  The Catholic News Agency released a report from the Bishop maybe a week before this interview stating a medical investigation on behalf of the Church determined the body was completely incorrupt, with no signs of decomposition, in particular in light of the fact of the circumstances of burial: no embalming, simple wood coffin, buried simply in the ground, no special protections.  A pathologist, two other physicians, and a coroner conducted the investigation.  The final report gives no scientific explanation for this. 

To me, this is an indirect, unofficial way, of indicating this is indeed a miraculously incorrupt body, without yet officially saying so, if read in the most favorable light.  a) The body is totally incorrupt, b) a medical investigation was performed, showing no known scientific or natural causes for it, and c) therefore, I think logically we can conclude (using a basic syllogism), that Sr. Wilhelmina’s incorruption was not natural, but supernatural and miraculous.  

It is a miracle. 

Incidentally, there is no profiteering from this miracle, fanatical behaviors, or unorthodox ideas, from what I could tell, as have accompanied some false phenomenon in the Church.  The pilgrims were quiet and genuine. And from reading their daily log of pilgrims in the vestibule, this has become a major daily pilgrimage site.

4.  We discussed the details of the incorruption of her body.  

I related how when the first time I approached her body I felt a lot of emotion but then when I saw her face covered in wax there was a slight moment of doubt since I couldn’t see her face directly.  Incidentally, later I saw photos and videos online showing a perfectly intact face at the time her body was exhumed. 

Sister assured us her entire face, and actually her entire body from head to toe are TOTALLY incorrupt.  That is zero decomposition.  Yet, her grave had caved in causing a minor alteration to her face where the wood had pressed into her face, and the cleaning of her body caused some minor alterations.  

Later after Vespers when we talked again, Sister told us she had talked to Sr. Scholastica again, who told her to assure us (which includes the readers of this article) that her body was totally incorrupt including the face, and that her face looked just as it did the day she died, which was relatively youthful looking for her age (she died at age 95).  We were told it still feels like a normal live body without stiffness (rigor mortis).  And there is no bad odor.

5.  I then asked about a cause for canonization. 

Sister said that there is presently no formal cause or project to promote the canonization of Sr. Wilhelmina, that all of this is still so relatively new they have not had a chance yet to start organizing anything like that. 

I’m reminded that these things traditionally go slow, the Church exercising extreme caution.  For example, St. Padre Pio wasn’t canonized for over half a century, and his body is incorrupt, he performing countless miracles when alive, and after his death.  I pray her cause is fully promoted beyond those who might oppose it.

St. Michael the Archangel, pray for us.

6.  We then discussed more details about Sr. Wilhelmina’s life.

Sister went on to describe how she had a) a vision of Mary at age 2, b) a vision of Christ at her first Holy Communion around age 9, c) was a very simple, childlike, ordinary person “blending in” with the community not sticking out, d) frequently used humor especially irony, including to humbly comment on the crisis in the Church, e) composed a short hymn/poem to God’s Will she often sang that had a flare of fun to it, and f) had a special devotion to the Divine Office itself.  

Sister emphasized that the way she died showed the importance of the Divine Office (which laity can pray in the form of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, available through Angelus Press).  Around her death bed, all the Sisters stood chanting Matins, evening prayer,  and when the new Mother Superior sprinkled her with holy water, at that moment she literally breathed her last breath and passed away. 

                                           Conclusion:

I thank Sister Martina for this interview, and for its permission.  I also encourage everyone to pray to Sr. Wilhelmina, especially for healing and spiritual renewal/restoration, if needed, and to go on a pilgrimage to visit her incorrupt body.  Tell people who are gravely ill, homebound, disabled, and in nursing homes to pray to her, as well as the rosary, and to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.  Also please pray for and promote her canonization one day. 

Sr. Wilhelmina was right.  Prayer is the answer to everything.  No matter how hard your situation might be in life, "go to your mother," to Our Mother Mary in the rosary, who shows us intimately her Son, especially in the Eucharist.  Christ will always offer some degree of healing and relief, but He wants us to consistently pray to Him daily, with the discipline of prayer, to give complete faith and trust in Him, and then miracles will happen.  The first major miracle was of a priest who initially heard in prayer a voice say "Go to Wilhelmina."  So if you are in need, also "go to Wilhelmina."

Please share this story with others struggling with serious illness, struggles in their faith, etc. 

Onward and upward!

For more information, see the following links:

Benedictine of Mary Queen of Apostles LINK

Interview with Sr. Scholastica, OSB, about Incorrupt Body  LINK

Interview with Sr. Mary Josefa, OSB, about Incorrupt Body  LINK

Pilgrims visiting Sr. Wilhelmina  LINK

Report from the Bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph  LINK

For any questions or feedback, please email my wife for correspondence, at:   

paixzafra@yahoo.com