Dear TIA,

Sometimes photographs "speak" a thousand words and your juxtaposition of the photographs of Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Pius XII is one such occasion. In the first, we see a populist Pope trying to bring the Church to the people. A very misguided policy and one that can serve only to further devalue the Church in the eyes of those who look beyond the superficial.

The photograph of Pope Pius XII, on the other hand, displays all the pomp, majesty, serenity and authority of the traditional Church. This was a Church full of confidence and sure of the righteousness of her position and her divine mission in the world. This was a Church that demanded people come to it if they wished to save their souls. This was a church that demanded complete obedience to her teaching and complete obedience to the will of God as interpreted infallibly by His Church.

This attitude prevailed right from the Papacy down to the priest in the parish and the nuns in their convents. We gave them respect and obedience because they demanded it, and by their position and demeanor, zeal for souls and piety they deserved it. We loved and feared and respected them as ministers and representatives of the Almighty God Himself.

In the industrial school where I served, I witnessed the most recalcitrant girls become obedient within weeks of arriving. In the nearby Magdalene Institution over 100 of the most hardened and vile women, many from the lowest classes of society, were kept disciplined by a handful of Sisters. This came about through strict disciplinary procedures and the pious example of the Sisters. "Permissiveness" was not a word recognized by the Sisters in those days. The relationship was one of "mother" to "child" and even the oldest Magdalene had to refer to the youngest Sister as "Mother."

This ability to demand respect and obedience is sadly lacking in our "modern" religious and it is entirely their own fault. The "populist" Church is not respected; it is not even popular. Such vocations as there are today are largely to the traditional orders where young boys and girls still feel they are challenged.

I am really surprised and disappointed at the photograph of Pope Benedict XVI. Quite honestly I credited him with more intelligence and more dignity. The Papacy is not a side show or a circus act. It is the institution given the task of converting the world to the will of Almighty God and continuing the work of His Divine Son. This is a heavy responsibility. There is none heavier. Our Holy Father must begin to behave in a manner which reflects this.

     Yours faithfully,

     C.M.P. from Ireland

P.S. Thank you so much once again for your heroic defense of true Catholic Standards.

Mesdames et Messieurs,

In the aftermath of the shocking presidential election in the US, I have been unable to sleep well. I believe that our country has been betrayed, that Mr. Obama is not an American citizen (he cannot produce a valid birth certificate, and this is now the matter for a lawsuit that is going to the US Supreme Court), and that communist traitors in league with Chavez of Venezuela have committed voter fraud to tip the balance in his favor.

The silence of the Bush administration is more disturbing still: Bush, as Commander in Chief of the US, has the right and duty to see that the information provided by national security agencies do not fall into the hand of non-citizens or those of terrorist, communist and anti-American sympathies. He has the right to demand proof of Obama's birth in Hawaii - and has not done so. The Patriot Act can now be used as a weapon by Obama and his communist cabinet to persecute true patriots! This is a very real and ugly threat looming fast.

I think we have suffered a coup d'etat, and many Americans have been duped into voting for this shadowy man. Voter fraud cannot perhaps explain all of the votes apparently cast for this abortion-loving demagogue. Where is the Vatican now? Benedict XVI has offered congratulations to the president elect!

It seems that the saint for these times in our country must be St. Joan of Arc. She defended her beloved France against the English despite the cowardice and treachery of both churchmen and bureaucrats. Please, let us remember to invoke her guidance as we try to restore our democracy here! The persecutions are just about to begin under these thugs, as they have been happening even during the campaign phase. We will need the help of all the saints not to lose heart in the days to come.

     In Jesus and Mary,

     K.M.

Dear TIA,

I have been following your website for the past few years. Though I don't necessarily agree with all your positions, I do value the valuable insights that I find on your site. Without a Magisterium that will settle issues of our time based on Tradition, I guess we trads will have to do the best we can fending for ourselves.

As with many Catholics, after a lot of soul searching and research, I gradually evolved (or logically emerged) into a Traditional Catholic.

Unfortunately, my wife is stuck in the belief that the Church cannot be wrong - regardless of the obvious breaks with Tradition by the New Church. I know that I too found it difficult to move beyond this belief but with the vast amount of evidence available, it became undeniable. This unfortunate circumstance makes it quite difficult for us to agree on some of the fundamentals of our Faith (e.g. ecumenism, religious liberty, primary purpose of marriage, roles of husband and wife, the "luminous mysteries" of the Holy Rosary, etc.).

Little did I realize how much impact some of these issues have on everyday life. There really is a huge difference between the traditional Church and the New Church.

At one point, I decided that I could no longer attend a New Church Mass and so my wife agreed to assist at a diocesan indult Mass an hour from our home. I pray that her exposure to the traditional Mass will change her heart.

Do you have any resources or advice on how to deal with such situations?

     Sincerely,

     M.A.



TIA responds:

Dear M.A.,

It seems to us that the situation you describe is one of those in which only grace is able to act efficiently. The fact your wife has agreed to go to a Traditional Mass already appears as a sign of openness that allows hope. You can surely try to win more graces for her by praying and offering sacrifices.

Besides the counsel of prayer, the only advice we can offer is to be patient. Our Lady has her own time to act that follows the psychology of each individual. It is good to have confidence and wait for her to act instead of doing things our way.

Be sure we will be praying for your wife also in this intention.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

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