"When you see the Abomination of Desolation, Sitting Where it Ought Not..."

Paul VI did not give Holy Mother Church a New Mass... He created the Seat of the Antichrist.

Those of you familiar with Catholic theology know that the ordained priesthood is absolutely essential to the sacramental life of Holy Mother Church.  Without ordained ministers, the confection of the Eucharist and the celebration of the Holy Mass is impossible.  No layman, no matter how holy, even though he works miracles, could validly render the Holy Sacrifice upon the altar.  Though all be supplied, though he performs the ceremonies most astutely and scrupulously, his actions would be in vain.  The bread and wine would remain; the miracle of transubstantiation would not occur.
And so, how could the Ancient Serpent most subtly and surreptitiously bring about that which Daniel prophesied about seven centuries before the birth of the Messiah: "And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall defile the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the continual sacrifice, and they shall place there the abomination unto desolation"?  The easiest and most subtle way would be to void the sacrament of Holy Orders, and paralyze the Sacred Priesthood.
In that light, tonight we are going to look at a little known apostolic constitution of Pius XII.  Given the importance of this document and its flawed logic and completely novel definitions, that it was promulgated with little fanfare among the cardinals and theologians is downright incredible.  But before diving into this short writing of Pius XII, some background will be in order for most people.

The Candidate for Holy Orders first receives tonsure, then the four minor orders, Porter, Lector, Exorcist, and Acolyte.  Then the three major orders, Sub-Deacon, Deacon, and finally, the priesthood.  All of these orders, substantially, date back to the Apostles, and are of apostolic origin.  Moreover, all the venerable rites and ceremonies enjoy what is known as "immemorial custom".  This means that nobody can ascertain the date they were introduced into the sacred liturgy, with the assumption being they date from the time of the Apostles and Evangelists.  To be morally certain a person has been ordained, he must receive all these orders from a duly consecrated bishop in peace and communion with the Holy Seat (Often called the Holy See in English, but how the Latin word "Sede" meaning "seat" or "chair" came to be translated as "See" is one of those eternal mysteries of etymology.).  ANYTHING LACKING, MUST BE SUPPLIED.

And now, without further ado, Sacramentum Ordinis, in its entirety, that nothing be quoted out of context, and all opinions will be clearly delineated by bracket as follows: [Opinion]

"The Catholic Faith professes that the Sacrament of Order instituted by Christ, by which are conferred spiritual power and grace to perform properly ecclesiastical functions, is one and the same for the universal Church; for, just as Our Lord Jesus Christ gave to the Church but one and the same government under the Prince of the Apostles, one and the same faith, one and the same sacrifice, so too He gave her but one and the same treasury of efficacious signs of grace, that is, Sacraments. For these Sacraments instituted by Christ Our Lord, the Church in the course of the centuries never substituted other Sacraments, nor could she do so, since, as the Council of Trent teaches (Conc. Trid., Sess. VII, can. 1, De Sacram, in genere), the seven Sacraments of the New Law were all instituted by Jesus Christ Our Lord, and the Church has no power over 'the substance of the Sacraments,' that is, over those things which, as is proved from the sources of divine revelation, Christ the Lord Himself established to be kept as sacramental signs."

[Keep this in mind for what follows below.]

"As regards the Sacrament of Order, of which We are now speaking, it is a fact that, notwithstanding its unity and identity, which no Catholic has ever dared to question, in the course of time, according to varying local and temporal conditions, various rites have been added in its conferring; this was surely the reason why theologians began to inquire which of the rites used in conferring the Sacrament of Order belong to its essence, and which do not; it also gave rise to doubts and anxieties in particular cases; and as a consequence the humble petition has again and again been addressed to the Holy that the supreme Authority of the Church might at last decide what is required for validity in conferring of Sacred Orders."

[Pius XII says above that "various rites have been added..."  One would think the burden of proof here is on Pius XII to cite at least one example where a rite, considered by at least some theologians as necessary for validity, has been added to the sacrament of orders after the death of the last apostle.  But he cites not one instance.  Yet, this is going to be the foundation on which he will build his case.]

[Pius XII is also implying that many priests, because they are unsure just what constitutes the validity of orders, are not sure they are ordained.  That is sort of like saying that, because you have never seen the pistons of your car engine, you cannot be sure these are what supply the power to move your vehicle down the road.]

[And now we come to the defining paragraph...]

”All agree that the Sacraments of the New Law, as sensible signs which produce invisible grace, must both signify the grace which they produce and produce the grace which they signify. Now the effects which must be produced and hence also signified by Sacred Ordination to the Diaconate, the Priesthood, and the Episcopacy, namely power and grace, in all the rites of various times and places in the universal Church, are found to be sufficiently signified by the imposition of hands and the words which determine it...

[Many theologians would argue this.  But more to the point, the most definitive tome summarizing the dogmas of Holy Mother Church ever written, The Roman Catechism (also known as the Catechism of the Council of Trent), does not have the same opinion.  To quote the Roman catechism: "Thus the Bishop, handing to him who is being ordained a chalice with wine and water, and a paten with bread, says: Receive the power of offering sacrifice, etc. In these words, pronounced along with the application of the matter, the Church has always taught that the power of consecrating the Eucharist is conferred, and that a character is impressed on the soul which brings with it grace necessary for the due and proper discharge of that office..."  This is what is known as the "Traditio Instrumentorum", and an understanding of it is very important for this discussion.  This rite has been held by many theologians and doctors, including St Thomas Aquinas as exposited in his Summa Theologica.  And any knowledgeable Catholic knows that the opinions contained in the Summa are not to be dismissed lightly.  The Roman Catechism does seem to infer the impostion of hands by the bishop is also integral to the sacrament, as it paraphrases St Paul: " I admonish thee that thou stir up the grace of God which is in thee, by the imposition of my hands; for God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sobriety."]

[Returning to Sacramentum Ordinis...]

”...Besides, every one knows that the Roman Church has always held as valid Ordinations conferred according to the Greek rite without the traditio instrumentorum; so that in the very Council of Florence, in which was effected the union of the Greeks with the Roman Church, the Greeks were not required to change their rite of Ordination or to add to it the traditio instrumentorum: and it was the will of the Church that in Rome itself the Greeks should be ordained according to their own rite....

[Pius XII is misrepresenting the Council of Florence here, but we will get to that momentarily.  Just now, this pontiff has posited a "least common denominator" approach to the sacrament of ordination, claiming that what both East and West, namely, the Byzantine and the Roman Rites, have in common, is all that is required for ordination to be valid.  Let us see how that logic works for the sacrament of confirmation.  Eastern Rite: "Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit."  Roman Rite: "N., I sign thee with the sign + of the Cross, and I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation; in the Name of the Father + and of the Son + and of the Holy + Ghost."  Now, it does not take a very astute mind to ascertain the only two words the rites have in common are "Holy Ghost (Spirit)"  And no theologian would insist these two words signify the sacrament of confirmation.  In mathematics, if a proposition leads to an absurdity, that proposition is regarded as false.  That should apply here also.]

[Continuing with Sacramentum Ordinis...]

 “It follows that, even according to the mind of the Council of Florence itself, the traditio instrumentorum is not required for the substance and validity of this Sacrament by the will of Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. If it was at one time necessary even for validity by the will and command of the Church, every one knows that the Church has the power to change and abrogate what she herself has established.

[Now, far above, Pius XII said that Holy Mother Church can not abrogate, obrogate, derogate, or otherwise alter the form and substance of the sacraments, but here he is saying that indeed, the church can.  So which is it?  But meanwhile, Pius XII is misrepresenting the Council of Florence.  In its letter to the Armenians, the Council of Florence had this to say:  "The sixth (of the seven sacraments) is the sacrament of (holy) orders. Its matter is the object by whose handing over the order is conferred.  So the priesthood is bestowed by the handing over of a chalice with wine and a paten with bread; the diaconate by the giving of the
book of the gospels, the subdiaconate by the handing over of an empty chalice with an empty paten on it; and similarly for the other orders by allotting things connected with their ministry."  As should be clear here, the Council of Florence was NOT issuing a decree, but simply stating the constant teaching of the church, presumably from Apostolic Times.]

[Pius XII is now going to use the "superpower" conferred upon the popes by Pastor Eaternus of Vatican I, the famous decree on infallibility...]

”Wherefore, after invoking the divine light, We of Our Apostolic Authority and from certain knowledge declare, and as far as may be necessary decree and provide...

[It MUST be borne in mind here that Vatican I limited the infallibility of the pope to declaring as binding on the faithful dogmas that have always and everywhere been held by Holy Mother Church.  The pope can only confirm Holy Tradition.  He has no power to impose utter novelties, as Pius XII is about to do here.  Moreover, he does not have to "invoke the divine light", a phrase that sounds eerily Freemasonic, as the Holy Father, by virtue of his office, has perpetually the charism of being free from error when he teaches in matters of faith and morals, so long as he is expositing the constant teaching of Holy Mother Church.]

”...that the matter, and the ONLY matter, of the Sacred Orders of the Diaconate, the Priesthood, and the Episcopacy is the imposition of hands; and that the form, and the only form, is the words which determine the application of this matter, which univocally signify the sacramental effects – namely the power of Order and the grace of the Holy Spirit – and which are accepted and used by the Church in that sense. It follows as a consequence that We should declare, and in order to remove all controversy and to preclude doubts of conscience, We do by Our Apostolic Authority declare, and if there was ever a lawful disposition to the contrary We now decree that at least in the future the traditio instrumentorum is not necessary for the validity of the Sacred Orders of the Diaconate, the Priesthood, and the Episcopacy.

[As can clearly be seen here, Pius XII is clearly tampering with the substance of Holy Orders.  And, not to quibble, but the elevation of a priest to a bishop has no Traditio Instrumentorum.]

”As to the matter and form in the conferring of each Order, We of Our same supreme Apostolic Authority decree and provide as follows: In the Ordination to the Diaconate, the matter is the one imposition of the hand of the Bishop which occurs in the rite of that Ordination. The form consists of the words of the “Preface,” of which the following are essential and therefore required for validity:

“Emitte in eum, quaesumus, Domine, Spiritum Sanctum, quo in opus ministerii tui fideliter exsequendi septiformis gratiae tuae munere roboretur.”

”In the Ordination to the Priesthood, the matter is the first imposition off hands of the Bishop which is done in silence, but not the continuation of the same imposition through the extension of the right hand, nor the last imposition to which are attached the words: “Accipe Spiritum Sanctum: quorum remiseris peccata, etc.” And the form consists of the words of the “Preface,” of which the following are essential and therefore required for validity:

“Da, quaesumus, omnipotens Pater, in hunc famulum tuum Presbyterii dignitatem; innova in visceribus eius spiritum sanctitatis, ut acceptum a Te, Deus, secundi meriti munus obtineat censuramque morum exemplo suae conversationis insinuet.”

(“Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty Father, invest this Thy servant with the dignity of the Priesthood; do Thou renew in his heart the spirit of holiness, so that he may persevere in this office, which is next to ours in dignity, since he has received it from Thee, O God. May the example of his life lead others to moral uprightness.”)

”Finally in the Episcopal Ordination or Consecration, the matter is the imposition of hands which is done by the Bishop consecrator. The form consists of the words of the “Preface,” of which the following are essential and therefore required for validity:

“Comple in Sacerdote tuo ministerii tui summam, et ornamentis totius glorificationis instructum coelestis unguenti rore santifica.”

(“Perfect in Thy priest the fullness of thy ministry and, clothing him in all the ornaments of spiritual glorification, sanctify him with the Heavenly anointing.”)”

[Returning to the Roman catechism, it has this to say: "Lastly, placing his hands a SECOND time on the head (of the person ordained the Bishop) says: Receive the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain they are retained, thus communicating to him that divine power of forgiving and retaining sin which was given by our Lord to His disciples. Such, then, are the special and principal functions of the sacerdotal order."  This implies that the second imposition of hands is also intrinsic to the sacrament.  Now, if Pius XII is correct in his decree, then one would have to admit the Roman catechism was written by buffoons, because not one jot or tittle of what Pius XII has proposed is present here.  Sacramentum Ordinis imposes an utter novelty on Holy Mother Church.]

[But wait, it gets worse!  Pius XII makes no mention of the Minor Orders.  Both St Thomas, the Council of Florence, and the Roman Catechism are of the opinion that the minor orders impose a mark or indelible character on the soul.  Consider this proclamation of the Council of Trent: " "If any one saith, that, besides the priesthood, there are not in the Catholic Church other orders, both greater and minor, by which, as by certain steps, advance is made unto the priesthood; let him be anathema."]

[Now, if was not for Paul VI, this discussion would be limited to theological ivory towers.  But Pope Paul VI would use the logic and definitions of Holy Orders to eliminate the Traditio Instrumentorum and the minor orders and major order of subdeacon from the "New Rite of Ordination".  So does the Vatican II Church have valid orders? ]

[The saints have said that the world needs the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass more than it needs the light of the sun.  How long do you think the earth could survive in continual darkness?  Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.  You are our only hope!!]