Catholic Candle note: Some of our readers might consider the decline of modesty in the “new” SSPX and the conciliar church as normal and acceptable. This only shows how gradualism affects even Traditional Catholics.

Just as morals slowly and steadily declined in the local parishes after Vatican II, so morals are now declining among self-described Traditional Catholics, who sit silently and do nothing to reverse this soul-destroying trend.

The Catholic Church has always carefully guarded modesty, especially of young women and girls. As Pope Pius XI taught:

[S]pecial care must be had of Christian modesty in young women and girls, which is so gravely impaired by any kind of exhibition in public ....
Divini Illius Magistri, (On Christian Education), Pope Pius XI, §68.

In the 1990s, the Sisters of the SSPX taught the Traditional Catholic standard of modesty, including that a woman’s or girl’s knees must always be covered and her sleeves must always reach at least halfway to her elbow. Here is one way those Sisters used to describe this Traditional Catholic standard of modesty:

Truly modest clothing reaches below the knees whether one is standing or sitting. It has sleeves extending to the elbows. Quarter-length sleeves are nevertheless tolerated, but be careful: if they are too short or loose, bodily movements expose to view what should be concealed.
Quoted from: The Marylike Standards of Modesty in Dress, published by the Sisters of the Society of Saint Pius X, Browerville, MN, p.2 (emphasis added). This publication is not dated but the Sisters distributed it in the 1990s.

But the Sisters and the rest of the N-SSPX are becoming morally lax. Contrast the above standard of traditional modesty to the picture in the Sisters’ latest article published in the Angelus Magazine. This picture is of a girl exposing half her thighs and wearing a sleeveless blouse.

Nov-Dec. 2018 Angelus Magazine, p.61.

Sadly, the N-SSPX Sisters are merely following the new direction of their leaders. The “new” SSPX wants to “fit in” with the world and with the conciliar church.

Here are a few more examples of the “new” SSPX liberalizing itself to “fit in” with the world and with the conciliar church:

Thus, the N-SSPX undermines the traditional modesty it used to uphold. For example, the “new” SSPX promotes the idea of women wearing pants (trousers) if the women around them wear pants.

Read the N-SSPX’s own words, quoted from its own source, here: ../priests/pfluger-culture-women-trousers.html

The SSPX Sisters taught the opposite in the 1990s, viz., that women should wear dresses and skirts and never wear pants. Here is one way the SSPX Sisters explained the Traditional Catholic standard of modesty in the 1990s:

God made men and women different. He gave them their own roles to play in the divine plan. Pants are appropriate apparel for a man’s nature and figure, whereas dresses and skirts are fitting attire for a woman, since they help her maintain her identity and dignity. On the other hand, when a woman wears men’s clothing, the respect due to her God-given nature is lowered.
Girls, dress like true women and daughters of the Virgin Mary. Be courageous enough to get rid of all your pants and shorts. Show that you are proud to be what God has made you! This is your glory before Him and before others.
Quoted from The Marylike Standards of Modesty in Dress, published by the Sisters of the Society of Saint Pius X, Browerville, MN, p.3. This publication is not dated but the Sisters distributed it in the 1990s.

Regrettably, the “new” SSPX’ promotes lax morals in many ways. Here are a few more examples:

The “new” SSPX chose to use a picture of a bare-shouldered woman to advertise a book it sells.
Read the N-SSPX’s own words, quoted from its own source, here: ../priests/sspx-immodesty-sell-books.html
The “new” SSPX “decorates” its article on marriage with a generic “clip art” picture of a conciliar wedding, with a sleeveless bride exposing part of her flank.
See, the SSPX’s DICI Magazine, #310, p.5.
The “new” SSPX published a picture of their schoolgirls dressed in their school uniforms, some of which are miniskirts (inches above the knee).

Conclusion

Beware of the Sisters and of the Angelus Magazine:

The Sisters of the Society of St. Pius X have weakened and compromised like the rest of that group. Don’t look to them for guidance and for the Catholic standards they used to uphold.
Reject the liberal and immodest Angelus Magazine. It is a tool for revolution within the SSPX.
Here are two more examples of the Angelus Magazine acting as a tool of the N-SSPX revolutionaries:
- ../priests/sspx-meaningless-definition-tradition.html
- ../priests/sspx-the-new-sspx-teaches-the-vice-of-presumption-as-if-it-were-the-virtue-of-hope.html