"Breaking down the Left"
In order to give more energy to the unstoppable advance of the traditional movement we need to accomplish a “breakdown of the left”. There are many faithful [Catholics] who for years have sympathized with progressive environments, attracted by social problems such as hunger in the world and the worker’s issues, but now they are becoming aware of the desacralizing of Catholicism and are hoping for its “restoration”. There are a lot of people, in good faith. who have found themselves on “the left”, and now we must lead them back to the bedrock of Tradition. One of the mistakes that needs absolutely to be avoided is that of leaving “ the social questions” in the hands of the modernists and “reds”.
We must exploit every occasion to gain some advantage for the good of souls, and therefore for the greater glory of God. We must not stay at the window merely looking at the passing of events; we have to make an effort to attract souls to Tradition, by trying to make use of every occasion that presents itself. I shall explain better. People like those who do not limit their talking to liturgical and doctrinal questions i.e. those who are involved concretely as well in social works. At present the traditional movement has remained on the fringes of ecclesial life, but the time has arrived to take advantage of the situation.
In what way? We ought to give life to new initiatives also in the social sphere, so as to snatch people away from the clutches of the sterile philanthropy of modernism and try to make them fully aware of the great devotional and doctrinal patrimony of Tradition. The primacy of the doctrinal and liturgical questions must remain, but we absolutely need to avoid leaving “the social issues” in the hands of the modernists and their communist friends. The true militant of Catholic Tradition is interested in social questions and is always on the side of the poor and suffering.
If we fail to accomplish “the breakdown of the left” a lot of people will fall into the modernist net, which might continue to increase its philanthropic works for the poor, without however, trying to lead souls to Christ, [thus] giving the wrong idea that the Church is one of the many humanitarian NGOs. If we do nothing, people will think that the faithful linked to the traditional liturgy are interested only in the Cappa Magna, brocade chasubles, shoes with silver buckles, altar cards in gold-chiseled frames and hand-embroidered surplices. This is false, as in reality, traditionalists are the greatest friends of the people (St. Pius X said this), and are interested in the problems of those who are in need. However they do not do this for political reasons nor to make a good impression, but out of simple fraternal charity, which is the true love that comes from God.
We were and always will be against communism. To “break down the left” then, there is no need to understand it as a slide towards the political positions of the progressives, as many people did when they voted for the Christian Democrats. On the contrary, it means snatching away from the modernist and communists, the mass of poor people who have been deceived for decades and bringing them back to Christ, the one and only true Saviour of the human race.
Our points of reference to imitate are not the heads of the modernist NGOs or even the secularists, but rather the heroic figures who have given luster to the Church Militant. I am referring to the examples of St. John Bosco, St Joseph Cottolengo, St. Louis Orione, St. Frances Cabrini, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Bartolomea Capitaneo, and many other valiant followers of the Divine Redeemer.
[Source: Cordialiter - May 28, 2014. Translation: contributor Francesca Romana.]
