PPP -- Special TORC Lenten Series PREFACE

Ultramontane Preludes... "The Quiet Before the Storm"

To All to Whom these presents come, greetings and salutations in The Suffering Christ Jesus. These subjective studies are intended more as profiles of the Traditional Old Roman Catholics rather than comparisons between my communion and the manifold Old Catholic bodies throughout the globe. That contemporary movement is too broad a conglomeration to even try. Each independent faction is a denomination unto itself with a mind of its own. Most of them are subdivided even more by vain egos, selfish motives, maliciousness and ignorance. Accordingly, I wouldn't even go there lest this read like a yellow scandal sheet rag.

Yet, still, there are common denominators which could serve to integrate and unite us. There are a handful of canonical Old Catholic jurisdictions which have much in common with us TORCs. I will stress those. Most of us are imbued with the same Spirit, though different gifts. We have a common mission and a shared history, until church politics and secular modernism separated us. Accordingly, each church entity should be individually considered on their own merits and demerits. But that is not my intention here. Rather, it is to explain and contrast my Catholic communion in relationship to this wider Church movement at large.

My editorial comments are not meant to infer that one communion is necessarily better than another is, not even my own. The subjective reader will prayerfully draw his or her own conclusions through their spiritual discernments. I am not stating or suggesting that we Traditional Old Roman Catholics are superior to other ORCC judicatories, nor “more Catholic than the Pope”. This treatise should not be misread as an imperium over them.

I also hope that I don’t give the wrong impression that I am a final authority on these subjects - hardly so. My only qualifications are that I was a first-hand party to many of these developments for almost 30 years and held several Chancery positions while they transpired and changes rapidly and radically proliferated. (My extensive resume and curriculum vitae are available upon request to select inquirers.) Previously, I was educated in the Catholic parochial school system before and after Vatican Council II (therefore, I have a valid basis of comparison), public high school, state college - and religious formation and study for almost 14 years. I consider my perspectives to be well rounded since I experienced the world from many secular and clerical vantage points while also serving within it.

If I come off as offensive or brash to the reader then perhaps he or she might be in denial of this factual history - or taking it personally. WARNING: These “Padre's Pastoral Points” are not a politically correct exercise in interfaith diplomacy. I regard false ecumenism as so much futility, like mental masturbation, since our (ORC vs. OC) core distinctions are like day and night. There can be no compromise with them. Therefore, if I should step on any toes while presenting these positions then please realize that I’m only exercising my priestly office as my ordination requires. Hence, I make no apologies in doing so.

May the Love of Christ transform us,
Archpriest Anthony Augustine +

STYLE: My typography and ecclesiastical writing style was abandoned by much of The Church decades ago. Although this might seem incorrect to most proof readers, pronouns for our Lord Jesus Christ, references to His Church, ecclesiastical titles, etc. are still "initial capped" by this writer which was always the respectful tradition of The Church until very recently. (We teach by example!) Pick up any Catholic newspaper or book and note their casual irreverence there. Also, the colors which I will employ here in this special series will have a practical and coded purpose – to guide the reader through this maze of monographs. Bold RED is used to offset The Words of our Lord Jesus Christ, plain RED for emphasis. BLUE is used for scriptural attributions and to symbolize my Church tradition. Episcopal GREEN indicates that they were spoken or written verbatim by bishops, or promulgated by Church councils or synods. Penitential PURPLE, also the color of this liturgical season, indicates a contrary position. I will also employ bold for emphasis and italics for titles, foreign languages, quotations, etc. This writer reserves the right to take other artistic liberties as well.