Catholic Candle Note: One of our Readers sent in the following warning:

I have heard many people who attend the SSPX chapels say during the past four years (especially since the September 1, 2015 granting of the confession indult-jurisdiction): “I’m not leaving the SSPX right now. I won’t lose my Faith. I’ll be able to see if things get too liberal. Nothing bad is happening in our chapel.”

Yet there are long-term consequences of staying in the SSPX. It does indeed weaken one’s judgment and lowers one’s guard against liberalism.

I remember when I was a child, before my parents found out about the changes in the Mass and before they found the Tridentine Mass for us to attend. We, like many Catholics, “church-hopped” in order to find the least-liberal novus ordo mass to attend. I see now, because hindsight is “20/20”, that although my parents fought the conciliar church while they questioned the novus ordo mass and were told “nothing has changed” and “the mass is still the same”, my parents’ Faith was weakened and their guard was lowered, during those years.

Finally, my parents found a Tridentine Mass said by an “independent” retired diocesan priest. When we attended our first Latin Tridentine Mass offered by this priest, my parents said: “It is like coming home again!” I have heard so many others say this same thing when returning to the Tridentine Mass. We attended independent priests’ Masses for many years because, of course, the SSPX was still in its infancy and there were few Mass centers in the U.S.

My parents’ entire search had been to simply find the True Mass. Indeed, while this is an important and a very noble search, they didn’t realize that their Faith was weakened because they weren’t focusing on the entire picture (especially the Faith). In other words, they were not searching for the entire, unadulterated Catholic Faith. Their focus was on the Tridentine Mass, pro multis in the consecration, etc. Thinking back, it is no wonder that my parents went off-track and petitioned for the 1984 Indult Mass and, in later years, petitioned for the Institute of Christ the King Indult to come into their diocese.

I see a direct parallel that will be repeated now. That is, as the SSPX gets its full recognition, the SSPX will officially join the ranks of the Ecclesia Dei indult groups. What will “conservative-minded traditionalists” do then? Will they indult-church-hop, to try to find the least-liberal Tridentine Mass?

There is more to this matter than just the Mass. What about the doubtfully-ordained “priests” at your local indult Mass? What about the watered down, fluffy sermon you will get? The questions go on and on.

The whole of the Faith is important. Every aspect of the richness of the Church’s doctrine, liturgy, sacraments, the uncompromising saints and martyrs of the Church’s glorious history—these are the treasures of the Catholic Church—not just the Tridentine Mass said by so-called “Father” Anybody.

So my warning to you, Dear Faithful who still attend the SSPX chapels, is to get out while you still have some love of the Faith left. Trust in God, as He loves and desires to be trusted, viz., as a child trusts: completely dependent on his dear Father.

God will provide for you, not just the Mass but the entire wealth of the Faith. We Catholics must study our Faith. We must love and appreciate it, in all of its aspects. We must sacrifice to preserve our Faith, stand up for it and testify to its truths. We can’t be Catholics who are looking just for the Tridentine Mass and forget our precious and complete Catholic Faith! If we seek only the Mass, we will most certainly weaken and risk altogether losing our Faith ... and our souls!