Dear Tradition in Action,

I find your article on the beatification of Cardinal Newman inadequate and perhaps dishonest.

How can you not be aware of the fact that Pope St. Pius X praised a book by an Irish bishop, whose purpose was to defend the orthodoxy, and specifically the non-modernism of Newman? In this autograph letter the holy pope heartily praised Newman.

Also, you seem to exclude from the possibility of beatification anyone who is a convert to the faith. Perhaps St. Augustine should be removed from the liturgical calendar. Or some of the English Martyrs, etc.

I think at the very least you should, for honesty's sake, mention St. Pius X's judgment.

     Sincerely in Christ the King, and in the Immaculate,

     Rev. Fr. Paul J. McDonald




TIA responds:

Rev. Fr. McDonald,

The letter of St. Pius X you referred to is quite well known in the traditionalist and conservative English-speaking milieus. We did not mention it in our critique because it is not our concern to report the obvious.

Everyone also knows that Newman is presented as a conservative, in part based on that laudatory letter.

So, since Newman was in fact a person who played a double game- on one hand, promoting Liberalism whenever he could and, on the other hand, avoiding condemnations by writing some things that made him appear conservative - it seems to us that the most important thing to do is to expose his liberal character.

Indeed, since his “conservative” positions are already known, we are showing his liberal ideas so that people can become aware of his ambiguity. Also, by exposing Newman's inner liberal mind, we prevent our traditionalist and conservative brothers from swallowing the liberal poison he always spread.

How this reconciles with the letter signed by St. Pius X praising him is a topic that, God willing, we plan to address when the full liberal and devious character of Newman will be sufficiently depicted.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

Dear TIA,

Once again, Dr. Horvat has diligently researched and documented yet another important topic regarding the debasement of clothing within our society. This time, it is the too often overlooked maternity industry, promoted by self serving and under-qualified fashion designers. This was once a modest-oriented industry, whose sole purpose before the radical 1960's was to provide millions of women from all walks of life with the opportunity of dressing in appropriate garments, solely constructed for the benefit of her pregnancy.

Sadly, the numerous Catholic mothers-to-be, like many of the blushing bride's whom I cater to in my custom bridal business, are shamelessly encouraged to take their cues from an unending array of self-absorbed and recklessly immoral celebrities. Both of these industries were no doubt once considered the final frontier of modest attire for appropriate events.

Silly and unnecessary trends that unfortunately focus heavily on certain areas of a woman's posterier are usually the end result of the work of a small number of marginally talented designers, shamelessly awestruck by a clientele of wealthy and tacky female celebrities.

What a shame that an industry once served by an array of truly talented and visionary European courtiers and their stylish muses has now been hijacked by a steady stream of amateurish designers, celebrity and hip-hop wannabe fashion designers. By far the worse culprits within this current industry are no doubt the homosexuals, who dominate the industry, while infusing all sorts of tacky and tasteless paraphernalia, only to bring out the worst in female customers. This frightening trend alone would make an interesting topic.

One can observe the annual runways to view the steady stream of dreadfully revealing and semi-nude attire worn on the stick-like and boyish figures of numerous runway models. This is without a doubt a collective effort being promoted by the homosexual lobby in order to cheapen the female form, while creating their highly sexualized attire for public consumption.

How much worse can this society sink, now that the industry no longer sets any kind of standards or dignity in regards to our clothing attire? What kind of a morally upstanding daughter can a truly dedicated Roman Catholic parent raise, when her only female role models are shameless entertainers like Lady Ga-Ga, Miley Cyrus and Rhianna?

What is it going take to in order to motivate the current Church leaders to follow the example of the late Pope Pius XII, and speak out publically and vehemently against immodest fashions?

     R.X.

TIA,

With reference to the article on men wearing hat, it is stated in it that a hat should be removed in church. But may I ask: Should one removed his hat in a protestant church? I have in the past refused to remove my hat as a sign that I do not believe the church I am in is used for true worship of God, though of course my hat is removed just outside a Roman Catholic church.

What can you say on the matter?

     Thank you very much.

     N.W.



TIA responds:

N.W.,

Something that the English and Americans were poorly taught is that Catholics should never enter Protestant temples. This removes the difficulty of making a statement with one’s hat.

In the few cases a Catholic may need to attend a non-Catholic religious place, he should ask permission from his local Bishop to be at the event, explaining the imperious reasons for such attendance. When permission is given, the Catholic should make it patent that he is there only for formal reasons. This would translate into maintaining reserve during the service, avoiding praying with the Protestants or participating in any of their ceremonies. This was the way Catholics used to make their statement that they did not believe the place was a place of true worship.

Removing one’s hat inside any building, be it temporal or religious, is a point of etiquette, to be observed even on that rare occasion one might enter a Protestant temple.

     Cordially,

     TIA correspondence desk

Dear Mr. Guimarães,

The hate mail you received here is a complete display of sick minds and the result of Vatican II. Their brains are crippled and soaked with the new religion. Nothing Catholic has come out of it.

Benedict XVI has proved to be a bad example, and is NO Pope (I refer to the Cum Officio Bull of Paul IV), and he is not even Catholic. The majority who claim to be Catholic have the same mind set even here in India.

Its truly wrong to give the impression that BXVI is a Pope for several reasons. At La Salette Our Lady said: "Rome will lose the faith and become the seat of the anti-Christ."

     A.S., India

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