“Strengthen what Remains” – End of Year Round-up for 2023
“Unfortunately, these examples are becoming more frequent, and closer to home.”
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
Editors’ Round-Up
Dear Readers and Friends of The WM Review,
We have reached the end of another year – our third year-end since we launched this project in the summer of 2021. We would like to offer a round-up of this year’s work, and explain our aims for this coming year.
“Strengthen what Remains”
We recently changed our motto and tagline to better reflect The WM Review’s intended mission – to “strengthen” the faith and resolve in “what remains” of the Church today.
We want to enable Catholics to keep the faith in the worst crisis in the history of the Church.
To do this, we need to get the right ideas out to those who are on the brink of losing the faith and disappearing into heresy, schism or apostasy.
Last year, we mentioned the tragic stories of those who find themselves unable to continue as Catholics, because they are unconvinced by the more simplistic explanations of our current situation.
Unfortunately, we regret to say that these examples are becoming more frequent, and closer to home.
Perhaps you even know of some who have lapsed from the faith?
While many of those who converted under the Covid regime are still with us, we are noticing an increasing attrition amongst friends of friends, or even some personal friends.
This is only going to increase following the latest enormities coming out of Rome.
The open weakening of faith everywhere has been shocking, especially online where people feel freer to speak their minds.
We want to help these persons keep the faith.
There is so much low-quality and misleading material circulating online, especially in video format, that it is more vital than ever that our level-headed Catholic essays and resources are available for free.
We want to dedicate time to producing a systematic epistemology of our current crisis, and for recasting pre-conciliar fundamental theology into a form that will help provide “a reason for our hope” today.
This is an extremely ambitious task, and will take time and resources to achieve – and, as the saying goes, this material is not free to create.
Becoming a monthly donor is a crucial way which you can help us fulfil our mission – to “strengthen what remains”:
Please read this round-up to the end, so that you can see how YOU can help The WM Review to keep things going in 2023 and beyond.
The Apostolicity of the Church
In April, we published the first part of a series on the vexing question of the Church’s apostolicity. It is important for us to “strengthen what remains” here, as several traditionalists have become “post-trads” over this very issue, and either lapsed into conservative conciliarism, or even into outright apostasy.
This proved to be very controversial. The goal is to establish the following points:
Ordinary / residential bishops are the successors of the apostles
There must always be living successors of the apostles in the Church
The question of jurisdiction has been badly misunderstood by many today
An extended vacancy of Holy See does not entail the extinction of the apostolic hierarchy.
Here are the parts:
The Apostolicity of the Church – Who are the Successors of the Apostles?
The Apostolicity of the Church – What is ordinary jurisdiction?
The Apostolicity of the Church – The source of ordinary jurisdiction
It is a difficult series to complete due to some technical and uncertain questions, but we hope to complete it in 2024 – but not without your help.
Engaging YouTube Televangelist Mr Michael Lofton
In 2022, we published a piece engaging the YouTube televangelist Michael Lofton over his treatment of issue of sedevacantism. Despite this resulting in a block on Twitter and subsequent silence, in February we published a second attempt to engage with him:
In this piece, we flagged some of the misconceptions which he has about tradition and traditionalists. We invited him to desist from promoting these misrepresentations. As with our previous piece, we received no reply.
Later in the year, we republished an edited and expanded extract from this article, as well as a relevant extract from Fr Houghton’s novel, Judith’s Marriage.
Labelling other Catholics as “radical traditionalists” is immoral – here’s why
Tradition and Antiquarianism in “Judith’s Marriage”, Fr Bryan Houghton
Later in the year, we tried again, publishing an extract from McHugh and Callan’s classic moral theology manual on the matter of communicatio in sacris – attending non-Catholic liturgies. We then published another piece engaging with Lofton’s ideas on this matter, with reference to Eastern Catholics and their schismatic counterparts, and differing treatment of the SSPX and other traditional Masses.
Is it legitimate for Catholics to assist at non-Catholic liturgies? – McHugh & Callan, 1958
What does Michael Lofton mean about the legitimacy of attending non-Catholic liturgies?
There does seem to have prompted something of a response from Mr Lofton, in that he soon released a video lecture on this matter. This lecture failed to take notice of the relevant distinctions and nuances.
For example, our piece pertained solely to the question of attending non-Catholic liturgies, and as such Mr Lofton’s supposed examples of giving the sacraments to non-Catholics (or allowing non-Catholics to attend our liturgies) are irrelevant at best. At worst, they could seem like an attempt to obscure the question with false parallels.
This course of action has thoroughly given the lie to Mr Lofton’s repeated claim that traditionalists do not engage with his arguments.
Our reach on Twitter is greater than Michael Lofton’s – not least because he blocks so many who try to engage with him. However, as a YouTube televangelist, his reach is very wide.
You can help us expand our reach by becoming a monthly donor.
A monthly donation of any level is a great help when it comes to planning our work and reaching those confused by the new breed of macho conciliar televangelists.
Heresy, Profession, Unity and Excommunication
At the start of the year, we published the final parts in our series about the unity of the Church, the profession of faith, membership heresy and excommunication. The essay on excommunication contains some authoritative texts which are devastating for the position which supposes that warnings and declarations are necessary for an heretic to lose his membership of the Church.
What is the difference between an excommunicate and an open heretic?
Are we obliged to believe every person who calls himself a Catholic?
Should mistaken Catholics be called “material heretics”?
What is the state of a Catholic who submits to a “false magisterium”?
We also published some expanded extracts from this series later in the year:
Short essay: The Agony in the Garden and the unity of the Church
St Thomas More clarifies that heretics leave the unity of the Church – read what he says
We also published some classic texts relevant to this topic:
How should we behave towards those whom we think are in error? Fr A. Vermeersch, 1913
Why an understanding of “human acts” is crucial for moral judgments – Driscoll, 1920
Although not a part of this series, our essay on the Anglicanisation of traditional Catholics proved very popular, and helps to break the spell of those whose “rethinking of the papacy” is leading people away from Rome and towards a something more like Canterbury.
What does the Church have to offer? – an extract from Mgr R.H. Benson
The Anglicanisation of Catholics – are we the “high-church wing”?
The Vindication of John Henry Cardinal Newman
We have always been admirers and appreciators of John Henry Newman, and previously drew on his corpus for reflections and sermons.
Newman has long been hailed as a hero by those saying that we must “rethink the papacy”, as previous traditional theology is clearly incompatible with the idea that Francis and his recent predecessors have been true popes.
It is most unfortunate that some traditionalists have believed (or, in some cases, even promoted) the portrait of Newman which these men have advanced. In a similar way, some have believed and promoted the lie that Newman was himself a liberal, modernist or generally untrustworthy.
Previously, we had published several texts to show how he has been misrepresented by various parties on matters of the papacy and Our Lady. This year we began publishing responses to certain critiques levelled against him by traditionalists, and by going right to the heart of the issue of our current time – modernism.
We started by publishing some extracts from his classic work The Idea of a University, in which he laid out and rejected the principles of modernism fifty years before St Pius X’s landmark encyclical, Pascendi Dominici Gregis:
John Henry Newman, Anti-Modernist – Part I
John Henry Newman, Anti-Modernist – Part II
John Henry Newman, Anti-Modernist – Part III
John Henry Newman, Anti-Ecumenist
Following these pieces, we explained why the American convert Orestes Brownson’s criticisms of the late cardinal were both vexatious and hypocritical. This is important because some proponents of the anti-Newman myth call him as a witness against Newman.
We also had cause to respond to accusations against Newman made by a certain traditionalist bishop, which included him holding modernist principles and remaining a Protestant. We also provided new context to his famous comments about conscience, toasting the Roman Pontiff, and his supposed friendship with Baron Von Hügel:
Orestes Brownson is not a credible critic of John Henry Newman – here’s why
Bishop and Cardinal – Is Cardinal Newman's idea of conscience 'precisely modernist'?
Bishop and Cardinal – Accusations of modernism and protestantism against Cardinal Newman
Bishop and Cardinal – Was Cardinal Newman 'very friendly' with 'arch-modernist' Baron von Hügel?
There is a lot more to say about Newman in this department, and many other aspects of the anti-Newman myth to address in due course.
It is more important than ever for us to vindicate Newman against his accusers.
His insights into the nature of the Church of England are very helpful for understanding our current situation.
His sermons and letters provide a valuable source of inspiration for living out the faith and “strengthening what remains” in the modern world.
But these treasures remain closed to those who are scared by the accusations which they hear, to the impoverishment of our fellow Catholics. Will you help make them better known?
Papal Elections
We also published three texts about how papal elections may work if all the cardinals were to die or (worse) disappear into heresy.
Papal elections without the cardinals? – St Robert Bellarmine
Papal elections, including without the Cardinals – Journet & Cajetan
What is the Church like during a period of sede vacante? Journet & Cajetan tell us
This is highly pertinent to our current situation, because those who insist that Francis and his recent predecessors have been true popes will often insist that if they were not, then all their appointments to the cardinalate would be invalid, and that it would therefore be impossible to elect a new pope.
Similarly, some who adhere to the various versions of the cassiciacum theory of Bishop Guérard des Lauriers urge this same sedeplenist objection against those who remain unconvinced, and offer their theories as the supposedly “only Catholic solution”. These great theologians show that this is objection is of very little force.
Persecution
We also published a text from Fr H.J. Coleridge on persecution, as well as some reflections on the rash way in which some seem to look forward to persecution in our day. This latter also addressed the glib (and misleading) way the Japanese “Hidden Christians” are presented as proof that Catholics today should avoid the sacraments from priests holding differing opinions on the current crisis in the Church.
What are the effects of persecution? Fr H.J. Coleridge SJ, 1885
Preparation for Tyranny: Persecution, Bravado and the Japanese “Hidden Christians”
In the notes preceding the Fr Coleridge text, we drew links between what he presents as the effects of persecution and what has unquestionably occurred since Vatican II.
We began writing a more explicit exploration of this idea, which we hope to publish this year.
You can help sustain our work by starting a monthly donation to The WM Review, which will free up pressure elsewhere and allow us to dedicate the attention to these really important matters.
Book reviews
We published several reviews this year.
Why can mental prayer be so difficult? Review of Boylan’s “Difficulties in Mental Prayer”
Book Review: “Christ in the Church” by Mgr Robert Hugh Benson
Book Review: “Christ in His Mysteries” by Dom Columba Marmion
What is Theology? With a review of Mgr Joseph Clifford Fenton ‘What is Sacred Theology?’
“A fragrance of prayer” – review of Dom Columba Marmion’s ‘Words of Life on the Margins of the Missal’
We hope to have other (overdue) reviews of other books from The Cenacle Press and Mediatrix Press this year.
Monarchy
The coronation of King Charles III and the ensuing controversy among some American Catholics prompted us to examine some of the issues around monarchy, and specifically the role of the Crown in the British constitution.
Is monarchy just an illusion, used to dignify shadowy forces?
Should Catholics avoid celebrating King Charles III’s coronation?
S.D. Wright, one of our editors, also appeared on the Catholic Family Podcast to discuss the same issue:
Catholic Family Podcast – Commentary on King Charles with S.D. Wright (The WM Review)
The Atonement and “outside the Church there is no salvation”
We have begun an ongoing project of publishing texts examining issues around the atonement, and the dogma “outside the Church there is no salvation.”
Sacrifice and triumph – How does Christ’s passion reconcile us to God?
We are all under the dominion of the Devil unless we are incorporated into Christ – Fr Stolz tells us why
Can non-Catholics have the theological virtue of faith? Fr Marín-Sola asks the question
Is the Church’s authority indispensable for every act of divine faith? Fr Marín-Sola and St Thomas answer
The latter two links above are a section from Fr Marín-Sola’s famous (and very rare) book The Homogenous Evolution of Catholic Dogma. They explain the relationship between the Church and the individual person’s assent given to divine revelation. They also show that some presentations of the debate over what must be believed explicitly for salvation have neglected crucial points and conditions for the assent of faith.
The Roman Liturgy – A New Companion to the Liturgical year
In December, we also began publishing extended editions of my series on the Roman liturgy, previously published LifeSiteNews.
The pieces focusing on the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany cycle draw out the apocalyptic qualities of the seasons.
Christ the King: “Are you a King, then?” – Christendom and the Social Kingship of Christ
Advent I: The Advent Liturgy and the Apocalypse
Advent II: The Close Presence of Christ in Advent
Advent III: Advent and the Preparation for Victory
Christmas and Christ’s Triumph over Darkness
Although these are the first parts, the series explores the view espoused by some liturgical writers, that rather than representing the beginning of the liturgical cycle, Advent follows on seamlessly from the final Sundays after Pentecost, that Epiphanytide represents the end of the liturgical cycle, and that Septuagesima represents the true beginning.
The remaining pieces will be published as the liturgical year progresses.
As you can see, we have been hard at work throughout 2023, striving to bring the most relevant, useful and interesting material to our readers, week in and week out.
This is to say nothing of the various other projects which we cannot detail here – all of which are available in our archive.
But maintaining The WM Review is becoming increasingly difficult.
If you have benefitted from our work in 2023, and would like us to continue in 2024, please consider giving now.
We are not a tax-deductible organisation, but if you like material which we publish, then a monthly gift is especially helpful to us.
This allows us to plan in advance and ensures a steady stream of high-quality work.
Our aim in 2023 was to increase the range and frequency of original material, and we have indeed done so.
But it is inevitable that running a website such as this comes with various costs, not least our precious and valuable time.
For these reasons, we ask those who wish to support us to do so.
Whether you give or not, thank you for reading The WM Review – and all the best for 2024!
Yours sincerely,
S.D. Wright and M.J. McCusker
The Editors
P.S.: In the letter to the Angel of the Church of Sardis in the Apocalypse, we find the following:
“These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God and the seven stars:
“I know thy works, and that thou hast the name of being alive. And thou art dead. Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain, which are ready to die. For I find not thy works full before my God.
“Have in mind therefore in what manner thou hast received and heard: and observe and do penance: If then thou shalt not watch, I will come to thee as a thief: and thou shalt not know at what hour I will come to thee.
“But thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments: and they shall walk with me in white, because they are worthy.
“He that shall overcome shall thus be clothed in white garments: and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life. And I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.” (3.1-6)
There are some who think that the letters at the start of the Apocalypse are addressed to each successive “age” of the Church, and that this letter refers to our own.
We do not need to embrace such theories to notice that this letter is uncannily relevant to our time, and to embrace its instructions and warnings.
It summarises perfectly our aim for this project – to “strengthen” the faith and resolve of “what remains” in those “few names” left clinging to the Catholic Church today.
Will you help us fulfil our mission, and “strengthen what remains” in our day?
Thanks again and a merry Christmas!
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