Who are the Schismatics?

My copy of Lost Shepherd, complete with tea mug rings!

Phil Lawler, who's excellent book Lost Shepherd is a must read (it provides an essential catalogue of the growing list of disgraceful decisions and events in this papacy) has written an excellent article referencing the current talk of schism here.

I’ve started blocking people who use the word “schism” incorrectly.

My blood pressure is high enough without all y’all’s nonsense.

— Ed. Condon (@canonlawyered) September 17, 2019

Of course, the talk was started by Pope Francis himself who, on his last flight, said he did not fear schism. In response, Lawler wrought this, stating that:

Well, I am. And I’m afraid of any Roman Pontiff who isn’t afraid of splitting the universal Church.
Which means that, yes, I’m afraid of Pope Francis.

In this new article, Lawler offers this interesting analysis of the threat of schisms:

"'The most 'progressive' Catholics recognize they cannot engineer the radical changes they want without precipitating a split in the Church. So they want orthodox Catholics to break away first, leaving them free to enact their own revolutionary agenda"

This struck me a s a real insight. We often wonder why, if they're so desperate to change the Church we love, they don't simply leave and start a faith that they can agree with, but the truth is always about power.

Lawler ends with a heart-felt plea:

We are not thinking of schism. We are thinking of—and working and praying for—the preservation of Catholic unity, a unity that keeps us in full communion not only with the Bishop of Rome and with our fellow Catholics around the world today, but also with all the faithful Catholics of previous generations. It’s our Church: the Church of the apostles and saint and martyrs and of us poor sinners. We’re not leaving. Hell no; we won’t go.

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