|  

Monday, January 26, 2009

Martin / News

Pope embraces schism with Platte City address

Posted by David Martin on Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 8:55 AM

Pope Benedict XVI's recent decision to ex-excommunicate four priests has a significant connection to Kansas City. The priests belong to the Society of Pius X, whose U.S. headquarters is in Platte City.

click to enlarge platte_city_260x150.jpg
A French archbishop named Marcel Lefebvre founded the society in 1970 as a response to the reforms adopted during the Second Vatican Council. Lefebvre offered Mass in Latin against the orders of Rome. In 1988, he consecrated four priests as bishops, which led to his excommunication. A defiant Lefebvre said in response the Vatican was filled with anti-Christs who were "in the process of destroying the church." Lefebvrists were especially critical of the church's efforts to find common ground with other religions, believing they lent credibility to "false" worship.

The society maintained contact with Rome, however. Rapprochement intensified when a traditionalist replaced John Paul II.

Benedict's decision has stirred controversy in no small part because one of the prelates is a Holocaust denier.

click to enlarge school.JPG

In a recent interview, Richard Williamson stated his belief that no more than 300,000 Jews perished in Nazi concentration camps and there "were no gas chambers." (Williamson cites the "work" of execution device maker Fred Leuchter, the pathetic man featured in the 2000 documentary Mr. Death.) Williamson is also a 9/11 "truther" who believes that demolition charges ultimately destroyed the World Trade Center.

The Anti-Defamation League expressed "disappointment" that Benedict had chosen to rehabilitate Williamson, who is reportedly a loner within the society.

The Society of Pius X is unquestionably conservative. A year ago, St. Mary's Academy, a society-affiliated school outside Topeka, made news when it objected to a woman officiating a basketball game.

In Kansas City, the Society of Pius X operates a school, St. Vincent de Paul Academy (pictured), off East 31st Street. A publishing house, Angelus Press, is located near Troost Park.

Tags: , , , ,

Comments (1)

Showing 1-1 of 1

Add a comment

I see you're not bias against the Society at all??!! What don't you like about the Society? What did they to you?

report   
Posted by Ryan Sullivan on January 26, 2009 at 8:00 PM
Subscribe to this thread:
By Email
With RSS
Showing 1-1 of 1

Add a comment

Latest in Plog

Most Popular Stories

Viewed
Commented
Shared

Slideshows

Christopher Elbow's chocolates

The Hollywood Casino

Restoration of the Cosby Hotel

more slideshows »

Top Commenters

All contents ©2012 Kansas City Pitch LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this service may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of Kansas City Pitch LLC,
except that an individual may download and/or forward articles via email to a reasonable number of recipients for personal, non-commercial purposes.
Website powered by Foundation