Still a Moot Point

A recent Pistrina Liturgica article posed the question of whether a priest (instead of a bishop) could validly ordain priests, and invited discussion on the topic.  In response to that article, several of Tradistan’s illiterati accused the author of putting forth opinion as fact (which he certainly did not; he simply posed a question, then solicited opinions on it).*  But, although their comments were totally misdirected and (as usual) reeking of willful misinterpretation, they provided an opening for Pistrina to revisit another area involving “opinion”: Dannie’s one-handed orders.  As Pistrina so adroitly pointed out in a follow-up article, “just as no right-thinking traditional Catholic can safely accept as a valid priest a man ordained by a simple priestt, so too, no traditional Catholic, in light of Pius XII's  1947 Sacramentum Ordinis, can safely accept as a valid priest a man ordained with only one hand.” 

This follow-up article, in turn, generated even further misdirected comments by these same annelids, some morphing into arguments that had absolutely nothing to do with the article’s subject matter, but instead veered off in all sorts of directions (a favorite ploy of those who haven’t any truth to offer), inventing new arguments, and rehashing old ones.  For instance, one commenter again brought up the old canard that Pistrina had not proved that Dannie’s one-handed orders were invalid, to which Pistrina replied (for the umpteenth time) that it NEVER was out to prove invalidity, but only to say that there was DOUBT about that validity.  Another commenter pointed out that the letter from the nine priests to Dannie (urging him to get conditionally re-ordained) also did not constitute proof of invalid orders, because none of them were eye-witnesses to the event, to which Pistrina reiterated (again, for the umpteenth time) that it didn’t say the letter proved invalidity, but that there was DOUBT about that validity.

And then another commenter, referring to yet another Pistrina article (which mentioned that there was an eye-witness -- an SSPX priest -- to Dannie’s one-handed ordination), asked Pistrina to produce his name.  Otherwise, they claimed, this witness was either a liar -- or didn’t exist.  Here again, Pistrina answered that it was not necessary to produce that witness’s name to prove DOUBT about Dannie’s orders – because the letter from the nine priests already does that.  What this witness does provide, however, is further reassurance for us, since we now know that “if it ever went to court,” we have a witness to call on to testify -- and the truth would come out.  These nay-saying commenters know that too.

The fact is, that, except for these hard-core naysayers, virtually EVERYONE in Traddieland knows about Dannie’s defective ordination.  As Pistrina so rightly put it, “Everybody -- and we mean e-v-e-r-y-B-O-D-Y -- who counts in this matter knows what happened.”  These naysayers can wallow in their denial all they want, but the truth is, they know it too – and, again, they know that the vast majority of traddieland now believes Dannie’s orders to be defective, and that if it actually did “go to court,” they wouldn’t have a case. 

And we use that word “case” advisedly, for one of those commenters, one “Introibo ad Altare Dei,” is a lawyer.  And, as a lawyer, he knows full well that, until such a case actually does go to court, no priest is going to be a whistle-blower and “tell” on another priest.  It’s just not done.  And if that priest has not authorized Pistrina to divulge his name -- and he hasn’t – then he’s not about to reveal it himself.  So, “Introibo” can safely play his hypothetical “produce your witness” game, because he knows that Pistrina’s hands are tied – that they are not at liberty to divulge it.**

However, for the rest of the world, the fact that NINE PRIESTS wrote to Dannie urging him to get re-ordained – and that Tony Cekada subsequently wrote a long (and erroneous) treatise expounding on the “validity” of one-handed ordination – makes it more than clear enough that the one-handed ordination took place.  (Why, one may ask, would Tony have gone to all that trouble of writing his treatise, if the one-handed ordination hadn’t taken place?)  Dannie’s defective orders were the talk of Traddieland, and it would’ve been so easy for him to put those reports to rest by simply taking the Church’s prescribed prudent course: conditional re-ordination – but he didn’t.  His steadfast refusal to do so is a sure sign that Dannie is in denial, and is “stone-walling” in a vain attempt to disavow the obvious -- and painting himself into a corner from which he cannot retreat.

It is also an accurate barometer of his intransigence, arrogance, and lack of good will.  If he were truly humble and wise, he would have taken that simple, EASY step; he would have seized such a providential opportunity to show that he was good and humble, and to show -- for once in his life -- some real good will.  But he didn’t.   Instead, he took the denial path, getting his sidekick, Tinhorn Tony, to cobble up his pathetically bungled monograph, with the hope that no one would check its accuracy.  But someone did; and the result is that most of Traddieland considers not only Dannie’s orders doubtful, but those of all whom he has “ordained” as well.

Actually, whether Dannie is “valid” or not, he’s in big trouble with his Maker, for the scandalous events of 2009 alone are enough to brand him as a moral leper*** (just as are Tony Cekada’s remarks about Schiavo).****  And these are just two “tips” of a much bigger “iceberg” of documented evidence on him and Tony – evidence that can be corroborated by scores of witnesses (and even by words from Dannie's and Tony's own lips).  And Dannie and Tony know, again, that “if it ever went to court,” all of this would come to light – this and more – and, consequently, whatever “leverage” they still have left would quickly vanish.  They know this only too well -- and that they can’t afford to let any of it surface.

So, the question of whether Dannie is “valid” or not – which we concluded some time ago is a moot point -- is still a moot point.  The doubts about his validity are not "a necessary ingredient” -- but they are, of course, more “icing on the cake” to reinforce what we already know: that he is illegitimate, that he is a humbug and a fraud.  So, “Introibo’s” attempts to salvage his “validity” are irrelevant.  Most of the trad world is now “on” to Dannie.  Most now know that his orders are doubtful.  But, more importantly, they know that he is scum.   And the more that his supporters try to “beat their drums” for him, the worse they (and he) will look.

In our last article, we mentioned that Dannie was “losing control” at SGG.  Actually, he’s losing control everywhere.  Except for his dwindling band of diehards inside the SGG cult sphere, Dannie is no longer taken seriously anywhere, anymore.  The mass exodus that began in 2009 continues to this day, as more and more people discover what he and Tony are really about.  “Introibo” and others need to learn this lesson too; and if they would concentrate less on winning arguments and more on seeking the truth, they might have a chance to do so. But that takes humility and intellectual honesty, both of which they have shown a distinct lack so far.  One would hope, though, that they’d make the effort.  One would also hope that Dannie and Tony would show some humility and intellectual honesty too – but that also is a moot point, because it presupposes that they have a conscience. 

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* Some who commented on Pistrins’s article pointed out that writing about the validity of priests ordaining priests was merely opinion.  As Pistrina reminded these illiterati, they’re even wrong on that: canon 951 (of the 1917 Code of Canon Law) specifically states that priests can be extraordinary ministers of ordination.  The exact translation, which Pistrina provided in a its article, Calling All Theologians, states: “The ordinary minister of sacred ordination is a consecrated Bishop; the extraordinary [minister is one] who, although he lack episcopal character, has received from the law or from the Apostolic See through a special indult the power of conferring some orders." 

This is just one more of the many instances where Dannie’s minions have shown their woeful ignorance – and have embarrassed their cult hero Dannie in the process.  If they had read the previous article’s comments, they might have found that translation – but they didn’t.  Or perhaps they did get their “intelligence” directly from the dysfunctional duo themselves, who missed it too; and, as Pistrina noted, “Perhaps their ignorant clergy-instigators are unaware of its contents.”  This is entirely probable, for Dannie and Tony have continually demonstrated a woeful ignorance of canon law in everything they say or write.

** It is interesting to note that Pistrina’s original articles about Dannie’s one-handed orders dealt only with doubts about their validity.  These articles brought people like “Introibo” (and even Checkie himself, although he camouflaged himself as “anonymous”) out of their subterranean woodwork to go to bat for Dannie – all to no avail.   Pistrina successfully shot down each and every one of their arguments and objections.  Then, later on, when a Pistrina article mentioned a witness to Dannie’s defective ordination, “Introibo” – having “struck out” with his “validity” argument -- crawled out of the woodwork again to attack Pistrina from a new angle: that the witness does not exist.  But that doesn’t matter, because – again – it’s not necessary to the “doubt” argument.

*** In Pistrina’s article, we commented (as “the Watcher”) words to that effect.  In answer to our comment, someone (obviously one of Dannie’s supporters) retorted that someone called “Introibo ad Altare Dei” (who happens to be a lawyer) supposedly refuted what we said, then added, “boy did he [“introibo”] kick you’re A**!”  Needless to say, we did not look up whatever “Introibo” had to say; but if it was anything like this comment, it wasn’t worth reading – and it wouldn’t have “refuted” anything anyway, for what we said can be verified as true.  But his comment did demonstrate one thing: that lawyers all too often aren’t so much interested in finding the truth as they are in winning the argument.  And when they don’t have the truth on their side, they must resort to using whatever “debating team” tricks they can find to “cloud the issue” and carry their point.

In this case, they accuse Pistrina of trying to prove that Dannie’s one-handed ordination is invalid, when in fact Pistrina has made no such claim.  (“Introibo” and others have repeatedly made this false accusation, which Pistrina has repeatedly had to rebuff.)  What Pistrina actually said was that there was doubt – which there is.  But “Introibo” – being the typical lawyer that he is – figures that repeating the same charge over and over again somehow gives it credibility.  This is a favorite lawyer’s trick -- and politician’s trick, for that matter.  (That is why political ads are repeated so often: “repetition is the mother of belief.”)

**** “Introibo” and the Dynamic Duo’s other apologists MUST be aware of Cekada’s remarks on Schiavo; and they must also be aware of what happened at SGG in 2009.  Both of these events were not only highly publicized (both within SGG and without), but verified by scores of eye-witnesses as well.  For them to be aware of these things, and still defend worms like Dolan and Cekada, is beyond human comprehension.  Also, the fact that they’ve commented on Pistrina’s blog is proof that they do read it -- every article -- although they comment only on those that they (mistakenly) think that they can refute.  On the articles that contain documented evidence that leaves absolutely no room for doubt, they’re (of course) strangely silent.  In other words, they’re more interested in carrying their point than in seeking the truth.