In an April 10, 2024 LifeSite article, Michael Haynes reported the sordid details of a scandal involving a nominally Catholic Polish priest:

“A Polish priest has been jailed and fined after refusing to allow paramedics to help a male prostitute who overdosed on sex drugs at a gay orgy the priest organized.”

As grotesque and scandalous as this news is, it is not especially surprising at this point. Indeed, it would be a striking anomaly of nature for these types of things to not happen with some frequency in the pro-immorality milieu fostered by Francis, which today includes:

• The endorsement of openly homosexual priests, such as Fr. James Martin
• The promotion of pro-LGBTQ bishops to the highest positions of authority in the Vatican
• The “authorization” of blessings for same-sex unions with Fiducia Supplicans
• The ongoing Synod on Synodality’s repeated promotion of the LGBTQ agenda

Ideas have consequences. Even if we were to completely disregard the all-important supernatural aspect involved here, it is obvious that promoting homosexuality will generally eliminate impediments to sins involving homosexuality. In a real way, the rampant immorality we see among those who defend the anti-Catholic errors promoted by Francis flows naturally from the bad theology. We see the bad fruits of bad trees.

Traditional Catholic priests can commit grave sins in spite of working in a religious environment that remains the most effective antidote to rampant immorality.

Whereas the scandal involving the Polish priest is not surprising in light of the post-Conciliar theological confusion that Francis has perpetuated and intensified, another scandal reported during Eastertide is far more devastating both because the victims are children and it involves a priest of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), the priestly organization that has done so much to oppose the corrupting influence that has plagued the Church for the past sixty years:

“On April 4, 2024, appearing before the criminal court of Gap, a priest of the Society of St. Pius X [Fr. Arnaud Rostand] admitted facts of sexual abuse against minors, which occurred between 2003 and 2006 as part of his duties with youth in France, then in 2013 and 2018 in the family context. . .  In 2014, after ambiguous and inappropriate attitudes were brought to their attention, the superiors of the Society immediately removed the offending priest from his position and removed him from the apostolate.”

Not surprisingly, this news has caused great sadness and dismay among Traditional Catholics in general, and for the laity who attend SSPX chapels in particular. Does this horrendous fruit point to a bad tree in the same way that the scandal of the Polish priest seems to do?

As an initial matter, there is no point in pretending to have rational discussions if we are determined to adhere to the liberal and emasculated practice of failing to allow for proper distinctions. We should be able, for instance, to say that everyone in power who contributed to this tragedy should be held accountable while also acknowledging that this does not “demonstrate” that the SSPX is corrupted. But if we are determined to avoid rational distinctions, we will miss these important realities:

• “Novus Ordo” priests can be holy and virtuous in spite of working in a religious environment that promotes rampant immorality in various ways.
• Traditional Catholic priests can commit grave sins in spite of working in a religious environment that remains the most effective antidote to rampant immorality.

Opportunistic enemies of Traditional Catholicism in general, and of specific groups of priests in particular (e.g., the SSPX, FSSP, ICKSP, etc.), want us to avoid making rational distinctions.

Opportunistic enemies of Traditional Catholicism in general, and of specific groups of priests in particular (e.g., the SSPX, FSSP, ICKSP, etc.), want us to avoid making rational distinctions. However, if we follow their liberal, emasculated “reasoning,” we really ought to abandon organized Christianity altogether because there has never been an order or denomination that has not had “authority” figures who have fallen into these types of grave sins. For that matter, Our Lord ought to have abolished the priesthood after He was betrayed by Judas, rejected by St. Peter, and abandoned by all but St. John.

If we want to think about this tragedy rationally, though, we would do well to begin by recognizing that Satan has rarely, if ever, had as much power as he does now, and that he directs a considerable portion of his efforts to attack Catholics who earnestly seek to do God’s will. This fact alone should alert us to the likelihood that the Traditional Catholic priests we admire so much for their sacrifices are often tempted beyond our imagination to fall. This obviously does not excuse priests who commit scandals, but it should inspire all of us to pray and sacrifice for our priests, as they do for us.

In addition, we have to honestly think about the “clericalism” issue, as discussed by Francis in his August 20, 2018 “Letter to The People of God”:

“It is impossible to think of a conversion of our activity as a Church that does not include the active participation of all the members of God’s People. . . . This is clearly seen in a peculiar way of understanding the Church’s authority, one common in many communities where sexual abuse and the abuse of power and conscience have occurred. Such is the case with clericalism, an approach that ‘not only nullifies the character of Christians, but also tends to diminish and undervalue the baptismal grace that the Holy Spirit has placed in the heart of our people.’ Clericalism, whether fostered by priests themselves or by lay persons, leads to an excision in the ecclesial body that supports and helps to perpetuate many of the evils that we are condemning today. To say ‘no’ to abuse is to say an emphatic ‘no’ to all forms of clericalism.”

Is Francis right on this? Does the cure for clerical abuse reside in putting priests and laity on the same level, as Vatican II sought to do? Interestingly, we see essentially the opposite argument from Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, as found in Priestly Holiness (a compilation of his texts on the priesthood):

“If we lose faith in the priesthood, if we lose the idea that the priest is made for the unique sacrifice which is the sacrifice of the altar, the continuation of the sacrifice of our Lord, then we also lose the meaning of priestly celibacy. . . . When they see the supposed new equality between priests and the laity, turning laymen into priests and priests into laymen, the priests themselves begin to say, ‘If we are men like everyone else, if we are no different than they are, then why can’t we get married, too?’” (pp. 421-422)

Even so, we should reflect on the potential dangers associated with an exaggerated estimation of the dignity and perfection of priests.

According to this logic, the Vatican II revolution’s efforts to blur the distinctions between priests and laity — which Francis supports — would actually make it more difficult for priests to remain celibate (and thus avoid sexual abuse), which is exactly what we have seen for sixty years. As such, Archbishop Lefebvre’s reasoning sounds much more persuasive than Francis’s assertion that priests commit sexual abuse because they think they are superior to the laity.

Even so, we should reflect on the potential dangers associated with an exaggerated estimation of the dignity and perfection of priests. All else being equal, it seems that the conditions for abuse could be exacerbated based on two foreseeable results from an exaggerated adulation for priests:

• The priest who lets his guard down in the face of such flattery might be more prone to fall into temptations.
• Laity who hold, and display, such an exaggerated fondness for priests could be more prone to finding themselves in situations in which abuse is more likely to occur.

Surely this does not begin to explain all instances of clerical abuse and, even if this is a factor in some instances, it in no way excuses clerical abuse. However, if we sincerely want to address the issue rationally, we should consider how excessive and unbalanced views of priestly dignity could contribute to abusive situations. This might be even more likely to occur in Traditional Catholic communities, in which we really do have great reason to love and respect our priests.

Beyond these two considerations at least loosely related to theology — (i) that Satan is attacking priests with great intensity, and (ii) that we should probably guard against treating priests as reincarnated saints — many of the frustrations Catholics have with the way in which scandals are handled relate more specifically to ethical relationships between priestly organizations and the laity. In this regard, we want to see the same types of protections in place in the Church that we find in the secular world where there is a potential for abuse:

• Those in positions of potential abuse should be thoroughly screened during their selection and formation, and then proactively monitored during the performance of their duties
• Organizations should recognize that they are trusted gatekeepers — we have a right to expect that known abusers will not be given access to children
• As a general matter, we expect to be provided timely and accurate information to the extent it is valuable in our decisions about safeguarding our families
• We need to have great confidence that not even those in the highest positions will be given a free pass if they commit abuse

In recent years, the SSPX has instituted a program aimed at providing some or all of these types of protections. Would such a program have prevented Fr. Rostand’s abuse? If not, all parties involved should want to learn from the tragic situation and enhance these programs as necessary.

We need men who are ready to give everything in order to help bring about the kingdom and the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are living in a time when you have to be a hero or nothing at all." -Abp. Lefebvre

Even when these programs mitigate harm, though, it is evident that public relations play a crucial role in how the laity perceive scandals. Although we know it is charitable to give others the benefit of the doubt, we live in a world in which the “playbook” for revealing scandals is fairly well established. Concretely, we have been conditioned to expect certain information relatively shortly after a scandal comes to light — and when we do not get that information, we often assume the worst. That may not be virtuous, but it is reality in 2024 and ignoring the reality about how most people respond to scandals can give rise to further scandals.

Ultimately, God permits evils for a reason, and these tragic crosses are compatible with Our Lord’s Resurrection even if we cannot readily find a place for them in the Eastertide joy we sought during Lent. In the spirit of trying to find a way in which this tragic situation can purify and strengthen our love for God, perhaps all Catholics, and especially Catholic priests, would do well to reflect on the words of Archbishop Lefebvre:

“We cannot be priests only halfway. We cannot have a hesitant, stumbling vocation. To lead this combat, we need men with profound convictions, men who have the faith, who have charity. We need men who are ready to give everything in order to help bring about the kingdom and the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are living in a time when you have to be a hero or nothing at all. You have the choice: either to abandon the fight, or to fight like heroes. You cannot compromise or you are going to be struck down in the first engagement; you are not going to be able to resist the repeated attacks of the devil. You can see how the devil tries every possible means to divide us, to corrupt us, to diminish our ranks, even within the Society. He is very clever in creating oppositions, divisions, in order to weaken our forces.” (Priestly Holiness, pp. 469-470)

All of us need to hear these words, but Traditional Catholic priests need them now more than ever. If, during these trials, we can fix our gaze on God, always seeking to do His will and refusing to compromise, even when all seems lost, He will not abandon us, and the trials will purify our love for Him. Satan wants us to do the exact opposite of this because he hates us and God — and so in these times of anxiety, and even desolation, we must do all we can to cooperate with God’s grace to instead “give everything in order to help bring about the kingdom and the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

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