FR. FAHEY -- A PROPHET IN MODERNIST TIMES
By Patricius Anthony
TRADITIO Traditional Roman Catholic Internet Site
E-mail: traditio@traditio.com, Web: http://www.traditio.com
Copyright 2010 P. Anthony. Reproduction prohibited without authorization.
Last Revised: 05/23/10
At Rockwell College, the preparatory school which Fr. Fahey attended, a surprising remark was made by one of the retired Novus Ordo religious members when recently asked about the late priest: "You want to know about Fr. Fahey? Fr. Fahey was a prophet!"
Of course, to a traditional Catholic, this is nothing new. However, that the admission came from a member of an institution which has long been "Novus Ordoized," speaks quite a bit about Fr. Fahey's legacy.
While some Rockwell members acknowledge his prophetic warnings, the school makes no mention that he matriculated there nor are there any other references of his achievements. In fact, displays of traditional Catholicism have been all but purged. Walking through the main hallway lined with portraits of the school's luminaries including Ireland's first Prime Minister, Eamon de Valera, a local Cashel resident remarked that at one point a picture of Archbishop Lefebvre hung on the walls. It was removed, however, after his involvement with the Society of Saint Pius X.
The Archbishop once visited Rockwell after his appointment as Superior General of the Holy Ghost Fathers. He resigned his post in 1968 citing that the Order had gotten out of control and would no longer pay attention to him.
The disastrous effects of Modernism and the Vatican II revolution are also sadly evident at the Holy Ghost seminary at Kimmage Manor, Dublin where Fr. Fahey taught for many years. The buildings which once housed a seminary are now used as retirement and nursing facilities for elderly religious. There are simply no vocations to the Novus Ordo. Father Francis Comerford, C.S.Sp., who wrote a moving tribute to Fr. Fahey after his death originally published in the Tipperary Star, is presently a resident at Kimmage.
An active member of the religious community recalled that the seminary was at one time a thriving place. He spoke of grand funeral processions and other public demonstrations of the Faith which took place on the grounds. Now, much of the land has been sold off to residential development. Fr. Fahey is buried at Kimmage Manor, but his grave site is surrounded by upper middle-class housing units. Holy Ghost members are no longer buried there.
While many of Fr. Fahey's admonitions have been ignored, it is unlikely that he would have ever anticipated the devastation which took place not only to his own religious order, but to the Faith at large. It would have surely pained him that the Church in which he loved and tenaciously defended would have been willingly transformed into an ecumenical monstrosity now headed by a paedophile-enabler and arch neo-Modernist.
One aspect of modern life which Fr. Fahey frequently warned about was the public acceptance of impurity and vice which was increasingly promoted through the mass media. The trends of his day have now become enshrined features of Western life.
Instead of heeding the warnings of Fr. Fahey, the West has given into the promoters of immorality. Life has become so de-Christianized that public acceptance and institutional recognition of perversity can no longer be combated on moral grounds. The hope of many on the Right for the de-legitimization of perversity through political action is doomed. "Same-sex marriages," "alternative life styles," and other abominable notions have to be first repudiated on a spiritual level and then eradicated socially.
Almighty God's Church should be at the forefront in denouncing such abominations that cry to heaven for vengeance. Because of its capture by neo-Modernists and many of its own members heinous acts of immorality, compounded by a cover up orchestrated from the very pinnacle of its hierarchy, Newchurch can offer little resistance to society's acceptance and legal recognition of perversity.
If the Church took an uncompromising Catholic position on such matters it would, no doubt, receive tremendous push back, lose even more of its members and eventually face persecution, however, in doing so it would be performing the task for which it was Divinely created: preaching the truths of Christ. This is what many of the great saints did such as Joan of Arc, one of Fr. Fahey's favorites, who opposed the corrupt powers of her day both secular and religious.
The exponential growth of the State and concomitantly the decline of individual rights so lamented by conservatives and libertarians is not because nations no longer observe "constitutional limits," but because Almighty God and His Church have been removed from any meaningful role in Western society as Fr. Fahey explains in his magnificent, The Mystical Body of Christ and the Reorganization of Society [MBCRS]:
As the revolt against the Divine Plan for order in the world and the denial of God's Rights have spread, respect for man's personal rights has diminished. These rights are being denied and the world is threatened with the return of a slavery worse than that of Ancient Rome, in proportion as rulers of States no longer see in their subjects members of Christ. As the social organization of the world has been increasingly withdrawn from the rule of Christ the King, human beings are being treated more and more as mere individuals completely subject to the State, just as in the days before Christ. [MBCRS, p. viii]
Even if there was a return to limited constitutional order, it would not rectify the fundamental crisis of Western civilization. A turn around will only be achieved when the ethos of societies, as Fr. Fahey preached, are centered on the Kingship of Christ. And it has been the failure of Western man to resubmit himself to the Divine King that is at the heart of every social problem of the day.
No matter what political arrangement man chooses to be governed by, those institutions owe their allegiance to God and His Church as Fr. Fahey points out:
First of all, States and Nations are meant to acknowledge the Catholic Church as the super-natural and supranational Mystical Body of Christ and to unite with Christ as Priest in the renewal of the humble submission of Calvary in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. [MBCRS, p. 85]
The Church has always held that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the sublime act of worship that God's creatures can bestow upon Him. It is, therefore, incumbent on the state to facilitate and safeguard the true form of worship within its realm as Fr. Fahey emphasis: States and Nations as such, that is, as organized developments of human life dependent on God, are bound to worship God in the way He has indicated that He wants to be worshipped. [Ibid.]
To show that the ideal of the "separation of Church and State" cannot be reconciled with Catholic political thought, Fr. Fahey quotes Pope Leo XII's encyclical, Immortale Dei: "It is a sin for the State not to have a care for religion . . . or out of many forms of religion to adopt that one which chimes in with its fancy: for we are bound absolutely to worship God in that way which He has shown to be His Will." [Ibid.] It is not just a coincidence that since the "enlightenment" concept of "separation of Church and State" has become a ruling paradigm of the Age, the level of morality among the masses has sunk precipitously.
The above quote is another demonstration that instead of promoting his own "idiosyncratic views" in the fields of history, politics, and economics as his critics charge, Fr. Fahey grounded his analysis squarely on papal teachings.
Fr. Fahey spoke often about the power of the mass media and the forces which control it. Its influence would become as potent a force in the molding of public opinion and shaping of cultural mores as that of governments, academia or any other social institution. Since its inception, the mass media has largely been dominated by those long hostile to the Mystical Body of Christ who have used their power to promote immorality and vice. Fr. Fahey accurately predicted that if the media was not reeled in, or if an effective Catholic counterforce was not created, Christian morality would be undermined resulting in the loss of many souls:
The demons know how difficult it is for human beingsto extricate themselves from the meshes of this vice [impurity], so we can well understand why, in view of the preparation of a revolution, every means will be employed to propagate sins of the flesh, such as the cinema, the press in both pictures and advertisements, the new forms of dress and recreation for youth, and so on. [MBCRS, pp. 124-25]
Masonic and secret organizations have long had a significant part in the corruption of morality. Fr Fahey quotes the following passage from an Italian Masonic organization (Alta Vendita) which demonstrates the insidious role that such groups have played in the breakdown of morals. "Let us spread vice broadcast among the multitude. Let them breathe it through their five senses, let them drink it in and become saturated with it. . . . Make men's hearts corrupt and vicious and you will have no more Catholics." [Ibid., p. 125] Fr. Fahey adds after the passage: "When human beings have been brutalized by impurity, they will allow themselves to be enslaved without making any attempt to react." [Ibid.]
The corruption of morals which has led to the degeneracy of succeeding generations is an area that the modern Right is unequipped to address. One reason is that many conservatives/libertarians are themselves leading immoral lives. A number of their spokesmen have been divorced and remarried which is also the case of Novus Ordo Catholics who have received phony marriage annulments from Newchurch. It must not be forgotten that Ronald Reagan, arguably conservatism's most recognizable figure, was a divorcee.
Few among the Right have pointed out that the acceptance of divorce was a step toward the legal recognition of "gay marriage." Fr. Fahey understood the baneful societal consequences of divorce and argued that it was the Church and State's duty to defend the inviolability of marriage. The contrast between the Christian view of marriage and that of Satan, which the modern world has adopted, was succinctly explained in The Kingship of Christ and Organized Naturalism:
The Unity and Indissolubility of Christian Marriage symbolize the union of Christ and His Mystical Body. This is the foundation of the Christian Family. Our Lord wants His Members to cultivate purity and honour virginity, under the guidance of His Immaculate Mother. . . . Satan aims at undermining Christian family life, directly by the introduction of divorce and indirectly by the propagation of immorality. The attack on the moral law may be launched under the pretext of the interests of the race. Satan hates the pure, especially the Immaculate Queen of Heaven. [pp. 14-15]
Fr. Fahey then quotes Pope Leo XIII's on marriage and divorce from his Encyclical, Arcanum:
Because of divorce the nuptial contract becomes subject to fickle whim; affection is weakened; pernicious incentives are given to conjugal infidelity; the care and education of offspring are harmed; the seeds of discord are sown among families, the dignity of woman is lessened and brought down, and she runs the risk of being deserted after she has served her husband as an instrument of pleasure. And since it is true that for the ruin of the family and the undermining of the State, nothing is so powerful as the corruption of morals, it is easy to see that divorce is most injurious to the prosperity of families and of States. [Ibid., p.15]
Nor can conservatives and libertarians oppose "same-sex marriages" when they have in their ranks prominent members who are openly "gay." Many libertarians go beyond their conservative kinsmen and accept the legalization of "same-sex marriages."
With such a constituency and system of beliefs, how then can conservatives oppose the rampant immorality of the modern age? The financial outlook is bleak, Third World immigration, legal and illegal, is a catastrophe, but the breakdown of basic Christian morality is the most serious issue that Western man faces. Tax cuts, restraints on government spending, border control, or a return to constitutional rule will not offset the corruption of the public's moral fiber.
One of the most important factors which has sustained the liberal democratic order has been the general rise in affluence among the masses. This, along with guarantees of "personal freedoms" (mainly the allowance to commit "sin"), has enabled liberal democracies to maintain their rule. While the culture was becoming increasingly debased, as long as there were jobs and a plethora of consumer goods (many of which in the post-Modern era could be obtained via easy credit), moral issues were largely ignored. Rampant divorce, public acceptance of co-habitation, state sanction of abortion and later perversity were little contested as long as the economy performed and Westerners had their "liberties."
The utter failure of policy makers to effectively deal with the current economic downturn (except to amass more power) and the continued cultural rot presents an opportunity for those who seek a return to the Reign of Christ the King. Liberal democracy, that could once rely and boast of its economic might (the wealth of which was largely created in spite of government policies), is now on shaky ground. Many will search for alternative paradigms not only for economic relief, but cultural regeneration. The re-establishment of a Christian order will become increasingly attractive as society further sinks both financially and morally.
The rise and dominance of Judeo-Masonry which Fr. Fahey spent a considerable time documenting has generated a reactionary development throughout many Western states which can be loosely described as "nationalism" be it of the populist, racialist, revisionist, or isolationist variants. Such reactions were criticized by the priest.
Nationalists, both then and now, understood the insidious role that the "Jewish nation" (Fr. Fahey's term) and secret societies have played in the perversion of the culture. While most nationalists recognize the agenda of these forces, they, like their enemies, adhere to the same naturalistic and "anti-Incarnation" mentality which Fr. Fahey condemned. And, as the priest predicted, nationalists have not been able to overcome their adversaries committed as they are to a naturalistic mindset. The enemies of the Mystical Body of Christ are being inspired by a supernatural force, their defeat can only be accomplished, as Fr. Fahey recommended, through heavenly assistance.
Related to nationalists within the political Right are libertarians which during Fr. Fahey's time were known as "classical liberals." Most libertarians do not see (or will not publicly admit) the control of Western institutions by Judeo-Masonry. They contend that the State is at the root of all social and financial problems.
Unlike nationalists, libertarians have a more "universalist" outlook whose principles are, to them, applicable to all men, at all times, in all places. Libertarian political philosophy is "antistatist" with a belief in the sanctity of private property, voluntary cooperation, free trade, a sound (metallic) monetary system, and opposition to state warfare.
Culture matters little to libertarians; most are anti-religious. Libertarians do not oppose same-sex marriages, divorce, or abortion as long as there is no aggression (abortion?!) against person and property. They are not anti-family, however, libertarians do not see the family as the most important social institution (the Catholic Church being Divinely created) of human existence. Blinded by "unrestrained individualism," they would place "the market," private property, peaceful coexistence among nations, on an equal footing with the family.
Because of their universalist outlook and individualistic system of ethics, libertarians would be more difficult to "convert" to the ideals of Christ the King than nationalists. Like Marxists, they are radical naturalists who seek a stateless utopia based on private property and individual rights with no role for Almighty God or His Church in human affairs.
Neither of these groups, or for that matter, any other political organization on the Right has the capability to defeat the forces of Judeo-Masonry unless they adopt, as Fr. Fahey preached, the principles of Christ the King. And, no matter how politically attractive their platforms may be, Catholics should not champion their causes.
While the establishment of the Kingship of Christ is essential for the spiritual well being of society, its accomplishment does not mean that a country's members should neglect their responsibilities to their homeland, community, or neighbor. Fr. Fahey certainly practiced what he preached in his love of Ireland, however, it was a feeling based on true charity, not prideful patriotism: "The duty of Catholics to their native country," wrote the priest, "is not merely a negative one, namely the avoidance of exaggerated nationalism, which is one of the consequences of the revolt against the Divine Plan for order. Catholics must positively love their native land and must strive to defend it not only against external enemies, but also against the naturalistic forces that are striving to disrupt its internal organization." [MBCRS, p. 89]
Throughout Fr. Fahey's writings, reliance on papal teachings was tantamount as he quotes from Pius XI's encyclical Mit brennender Sorge on the relationship between the Church and the various races and ethnic groups which may all, if they keep the Commandments, find a place in Christ's Holy Catholic Church: "The Church founded by the Redeemer is one – for all peoples and nations. Beneath her vault, that like God's firmament arches over the whole earth, there is a place and home for all peoples and tongues, there is room for the development of all the particular qualities, points of excellence, missions, and callings, that God has assigned to individuals and peoples." [MBCRS, p. 89]
Of course, the contemporary notion of patriotism has been corrupted and transformed into allegiance to the nation state. This trend began over the past few centuries with political centralization and accelerated after the establishment of the welfare/warfare state the latter of which was purposely designed to supersede local authority and, eventually, replace many of the functions and responsibilities of the family.
It is a sad commentary on modern conservative political thought when a member of a Novus Ordo congregation recognizes the sagacity of Fr. Fahey while those on the Right continue to ignore him. Conservatives' dismissal of him and other like-minded thinkers is just one of the reasons why liberalism has largely triumphed. Unlike conservative analysts, Fr. Fahey not only identified the underlying cause of the crisis, but provided a Christian framework for its solution.
It is not too late for Western man to rid himself of the forces which seek his destruction, however, to accomplish such a task will mean the abandonment of pride in the sense that it can be done without Almighty God. The first step toward this end is a return to the proper worship of Almighty God through the true Mass and the placement of His Divine Son at the head of each and every land where all peoples willingly submit to His merciful rule.
If the King of the Universe is not placed upon His earthly throne, exploitation, financial misery, and spiritual slavery to the demons will continue to be part of a very dismal future as Fr. Fahey so rightfully prophesized:
Without the acknowledgement of the rule of Christ,peace, that relative peace which is possible in this fallen world, cannot be attained here below. . . . If this guidance [that of the Church]is not accepted with regard to the moral aspect of questions, then we shall see an accentuation of the reign of brute force, under the domination of some section of the human race usurping the place of God, with disastrous results for the poor and the weak. [MBCRS, p. 51]