Mons. Brunero Gherardini's new book, "Il Vaticano II: Alle radice d'un equivoco" ("Vatican II: at the roots of a misunderstanding": Turin, Lindau, 2012, 410 pages), is being released in Italy. Below, a translation of the final portion of its prologue, as Gherardini presents, in his unmistakable tone, the reason for the publication of this volume, the latest in a series of studies on the problems of Vatican II, its documents, and its contradictions with Sacred Tradition.
The new generation, either of bishops and priests, or of simple lay faithful, is often placed off-limits [regarding the questioning of conciliar elements incongruous with Tradition], and even reacts by assuming the position of "defensor fidei" - that is to say, of Vatican II - when anyone dares to raise some question on the continuity of the latter with the original doctrine. A half-century of uninterrupted hammering does not go by in vain, that is, not without the bitter fruits "of ash and venom".
These are fruits that are made even bitterer by the silencing - in practice, even if not formally imposed - of a Tradition that crossed the length of twenty centuries before someone blocked its course, in the name of Vatican II, as a "petrified" reality, as an "incomplete and contradictory" ecclesial value.
There remains truly the fact that neither Vatican II can be recognized fully and peacefully in it [Tradition], nor can it be harmonized with the tune of Vatican II. They are two scores that cannot be reciprocally harmonized with the "dominant", not due to any accidental note, but because one is intrinsically different from the other; and at times even opposed.
I will have no difficulty with finding, document after document, all the "othernesses", and in particular the antitheses, of the aforementioned scores. The list would involve entire documents, such as GS [Gaudium et spes], DH [Dignitatis humanae], UR [Unitatis redintegratio] and N ae [Nostra aetate], alongside peculiar points and doctrines: for example, the incarnation of the Word in every man, the "subsistit in," the collegiality of the bishops under the structure not of the "corpus episcoporum," but of the organization of the universal governance of the Church, incomplete communion, the Church of Christ as a sum of churches or of ecclesial communities.
This is not the point. Or not the one to which the present publication is dedicated. Even though the development of my reasoning will not be able to completely avoid recalling this or that particular Conciliar "otherness" when faced with the uninterrupted Tradition of the Church, the reason for which I write is related not to the list of the mentioned "othernesses," but rather with the intent of proving the unfoundedness of the objections raised either against myself or against those who think like me, and with the central concept on which such objections depend. Already in the title I call this idea a "misunderstanding". I proceed to prove it.
[Source: Lindau s.r.l., Torino]
Big Gherardini! In the best tradition of the disputatio.
ReplyDeletePerhaps with the regularization of the SSPX the 'discussion' on V2 may begin in earnest.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this current book may be the key unlocking the minds of many.
P^3
O Tradical, the discussion began BEFORE the regularisation of the SSPX and the discussion becomes less urgent with the regularisation of the SSPX.
ReplyDeleteIn fact the irregularisation of the SSPX makes the discussion more interesting... why was regularisation ever an issue?
Why bother replying because Rorate Coeli only debates to pursue its own agenda, your comments are censured when you are no longer an entertainment for its members. Truth is concealed with a display of unnecessary virtue - Oh what sadness for you to be condemned to irrelevance... Let me waste no more time !
Fr Stephen Abraham.
Fr. Abraham, FSSPX, how do you do! How are things in England?
ReplyDeleteNC
Why must you have to have continuity of Tradition from before Vatican 2 to after Vatican 2. If Vatican 2 was pastoral as they say can't the pastoral things have been wrong, as we see they have been, while Dogma which Vatican 2 wasn't interested in can't be wrong. Puzzled? why must they be in continuity. Pastoral things are ways to try things , Dogma is the unchangeable TRUTH.
ReplyDeleteClick here for a Google translation of the 1st ~40 pages.
ReplyDelete"The new generation, either of bishops and priests, or of simple lay faithful, is often placed off-limits [regarding the questioning of conciliar elements incongruous with Tradition], and even reacts by assuming the position of "defensor fidei" - that is to say, of Vatican II - when anyone dares to raise some question on the continuity of the latter with the original doctrine. A half-century of uninterrupted hammering does not go by in vain, that is, not without the bitter fruits "of ash and venom"."
ReplyDeleteIt is good that Msgr. Gherardini said this. One of the common illusions among Traditionalists (and this can be easily verified in the comboxes even of this blog) is that Vatican II is losing its attraction among the new generation of prelates and clergy. On the contrary, the new generation of clerics in the Church has known only Vatican II, have little knowledge of the authentic Tradition of the Church, and will see deviations from Vatican II as 'heresy'.
This is perhaps the best reason why the SSPX should now reconcile. The SSPX's presence may be needed as a tiny but persistent voice in the middle of the overwhelming dominance of Vatican II - based discourse in the Church.
When this get translated to English, I hope rorate caeli post notification.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Msgr. Gherardini is offering another smack-down to VII-hyperinflated big-headed super-dogmatists! (Cf)
ReplyDeleteWhen will Roberto de Mattei's book be translated into English?
ReplyDeleteCan someone tell me where I can buy Msgr Gherardini's previous books, translated into English?
ReplyDeleteNC,
ReplyDeleteFr. Stephen Abraham has left the SSPX, even though he still stays at one of their houses in England. I guess now I can see why he left.
For Bill, 11 May at 15:43:
ReplyDeleteTo the best of my knowledge, the only book of Gherardini translated to English is the first one of his trilogy on Vatican II: 'Vatican II: A Much Needed Discussion' (2009). You can order it from the Centre Leonard Boyle (send an email for information on price and shipping charges from Italy): http://www.centreleonardboyle.com/comeordinare.html
Luciana Cuppo
Fr. Angelo Geiger of the Franciscans of the Immaculate has a new book coming out that, from all appearances, will castigate Gherardini, de Mattei, and others for critically examining Vatican II.
ReplyDeleteThat's a book I have no interest in reading, except for further clarifying just what Fr. Geiger is. The Gherardini book, however, I am very interested in.
Hi Fr. Abraham,
ReplyDeleteThus far the 'discussion' has been rather one sided. In fact, 'discussion' has been in the form of pleas for a discussion - that started shortly after the death of Bl. JP II. Funny that.
Either way, it appears that the Church has reached a critical point. Perhaps it is the tipping point.
Father, I would recommend you review the Stockdale principle:
"I never lost faith in the end of the story, I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade."[11]
We have the opportunity to watch a turning point in the Church. It is either going to get worse or better.
One thing is certain: Without the buckler of patience, you (and I) will not be long without a wound.
Fr. Abraham,
ReplyDeleteI mislabeled the 'principle' - it is called the Stockdale Paradox
"This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be."[11]