SSPX Fatima, my spiritual home.

 27th July 2021

I had another post written and ready for today but I sensed that Our Lord wanted me to write something on the SSPX here in Portugal.

On Sunday I was blessed to go to Confession and attend Mass at the Chapel of the Child Jesus of Prague which is served by priests of the SSPX.

I love it there. The priests are so hard working. It is even more amazing considering that there are only two of them to cover the whole of Portugal.

There is Mass in Lisbon on Sunday mornings and often the same priest drives up to Fatima to celebrate the 6PM Mass. They offer bi-monthly Masses in Porto and Coimbra.

They also offer catechesis, Sacramental preparation and visit the sick. In the course of a month they cover many hundreds of kilometres. In my experience every single priest of the SSPX that I have had the pleasure of meeting or knowing is extremely hard working. Nothing is ever too much work or effort for the Glory of God and the salvation of souls.

I have met and known many priests in my life and I can honestly say that the priests of the SSPX are, by far, the hardest working priests I have ever come across.

A recent encounter confirmed this for me. A new priest from Spain has been sent to Portugal to replace Fr Samuel Bon (another great priest) who was moved to France to continue his priestly ministry there after six years of hard work here.

Unfortunately the new priest wasn't feeling very well on Sunday. Don't worry. It wasn't Covid (people seem to have forgotten that there are other illnesses).

After Mass I wanted my statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel blessed. The priest was sitting in the Sacristy looking dreadfully pale. I apologised for disturbing him but he said that it was no problem. He quietly blessed the statue and was very gracious. I left the Sacristy impressed at how, although unwell, he received me with respect and kindness.

Similarly the priest who heard my Confession is a humble, gracious and joy filled man.

As I stepped out of the Chapel I saw the people gathered there. People from different parts of the world. English, French, Spanish and, of course, Portuguese was buzzing in the air.

They chatted to each other and moved and mingled. The priest who heard my Confession was standing there, chatting and smiling. Others chatted over more serious, personal matters. Everyone behaved as friends.

These priests and people are not rigid or Schismatics. They are joy filled Catholics trying to preserve and live out the Traditional Catholic Faith.

Some of them like myself have come from a Novus Ordo background. They are all welcomed with warmth and generosity.

Sure, the sermons are firm, clear and orthodox. But that does not make them rigid.

They are firm with sin when they hear your Confession. But I never ever leave the Confessional feeling berated. I leave feeling respected.

That may sound strange to say but it is true. The priests are firm on my sins but fatherly to me.

Something that I would like to share here is that I have struggled with scrupulosity for many years now. It's been tough for me. I was diagnosed with OCD in 2004.

I have been to Confession to many priests over the years but it has only under the pastoral care of the SSPX that I have made real progress. I used to really struggle with Confession. In fact I used to dread it.

Now I can't wait to go. The priests obviously receive excellent formation at Seminary. They know how to deal with souls.

Thanks to the priests of the SSPX I feel a deeper hope. Before I just could not believe that I could become a Saint and I know I have a LONG WAY to go. But the teaching, the pastoral care and approach together with the Traditional Sacraments have given me the hope that even I could, with God's Grace, become a Saint one day.

I never really believed that when I was in the Novus Ordo.

I don't think it is too strong to say that I love the SSPX and the priests. Catholics should love their priests and I think that the terrible state of the Church over the past 50 + years has meant that most Catholics have fallen out of love with them and even the Church.

When Sunday ends and I am living my life during the week I often catch myself thinking of the past Sunday's Confession, Mass, Sermon and moment of Holy Communion. Such is the impact that they have on me.

God, through the SSPX, has given me more hope and joy. I know that I am not the only one to be so blessed.

Not bad for a group of "rigids".