Big Shot: Blogs Are the Instrument of Divine Providence, Says Bishop Schneider

13 Dicembre 2020 Pubblicato da Marco Tosatti

Marco Tosatti

Dear Readers of Stilum Curiae, “Big Shot” has sent us an extremely gratifying reflection, based on the interview that Bishop Athanasius Schneider has given to Chiesa e Post Concilio in relation to his latest book, which is extremely interesting and which we will soon share more about. Enjoy your reading.

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Dear Tosatti, Stilum Curiae is the instrument of Divine Providence to spread the Truth… This is what Bishop Athanasius Schneider implicitly explains here below in the third response of his interview with Chiesa e Post Concilio (partially given here below). His statements have no need of further comment.

Big Shot

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From Chiesa e Post Concilio:

Bishop Schneider: The Catholic Blogosphere, Instrument of Divine Providence

Christus Vincit, The Triumph of Christ Over The Darkness of Our Time

Bishop Athanasius Schneider

Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Astana, Kazakhstan

(extracts from pp. 155-156; 332-333 of the Italian edition)

Is the internet an important means for defending the faith by lay people?

Yes, certainly. I see the internet and social media as providential instruments that offer lay people who want to defend the faith a unique way to come together. It would not have been possible 30 years ago. Now I see lay people, men and women, who have the courage to say to their parish priest or their bishop or even to the Holy See: “Please, some things concern us, they do not correspond to the faith of our ancestors. We want to defend the faith of the Church, Our Mother.” However, the progressive ecclesiastical establishment – which I call the nomenklatura – now accuses the laity of interference, saying: “It’s not your job, be quiet!”

It smells like clericalism, right?

Yes, a similar attitude of certain clergy toward the laity reveals an inordinate clericalism. But the lay faithful ought to respond to these arrogant clergy. This is what Vatican II taught about the duty of lay people to give witness and defend the faith. They can say to these clergy: “If you love Vatican II so much, allow us to criticize you! Allow us to freely raise our voice in the Church to defend the faith of our ancestors. We have the right to express our concern even to the Pope, because we are one family.” In this new and courageous attitude of numerous laity, I see the intention of the Second Vatican Council being realized. God has permitted evils after the Council in order to derive great good from them in the end.

We are living in the era of the internet. Can you offer any specific advice for bloggers and Catholic web sites?

The Catholic blogosphere is an instrument of Divine Providence today to spread the perennial truth of Christ and His Church at the height of an unprecedented ecclesial crisis. I consider it a truly providential gift which connects those who share the same purposes and intentions, feeling to some extent that they belong to a family of faith.

May God bless good Catholic bloggers! Certainly sterile controversies must be avoided. We can provide information about what happens – at times we have no other choice than to share information and facts that are negative, otherwise we would be living on another planet. However, we need to do so in a balanced way, without constantly focusing on negative news, but also offering positive information about good things that are happening in the Church all over the world, with regard to the promotion of purity of doctrine, prayer, and the beauty of the liturgy. It is furthermore very useful to present examples of beautiful Christian lives in the history of the Church and also in our times. Catholic bloggers will do well if they stick to these guidelines.