Bound by the Beautiful Truth of Sacred Tradition

By Amanda Evinger

A Treasure Map to be Found

Back in 2009, my husband and I were richly blessed to purchase an antiquated rectory associated with an old country mission parish amid the rolling prairie hills of Haymarsh, western North Dakota. Although it hadn’t been lived in for decades, my handy, homeschooled husband was able to give it quite an impressive makeover. We continue to live in it today along with our seven children. When we first bought it, a treasure map came along with it. It was the real deal, in fact, and had been left behind by homesteaders way back in the 1800s. They had buried their gold somewhere near our home, making sure to leave a map with an “X” that marked the spot.

Over the years, as one can imagine, the map has stirred up plenty of fascination and attention. However, despite seemingly endless hours of searching by countless treasure hunters, the treasure remains yet to be found. I must say it has been a little heartbreaking to see seeker after seeker coming out here over the years with a bounce of hope in their steps and a metal-detector in their grip, only to leave with empty hands and a defeated look on their face. The treasure is somewhere and people know it, but regardless of all of the tireless efforts that have been poured forth to find it, it still remains buried. Why? Who knows – maybe the map could have been drawn out with more detail and accuracy; maybe word-of-mouth tradition could have passed on a bit more information about the treasure’s whereabouts to future generations; or perhaps the treasure seekers just haven’t been quite determined enough. Who knows?

Yet as I witness these ardent treasure seekers, I can’t help but think of the many roamin’ Roman Catholics out there, who may be seeking the treasures of the Church, but are not finding them. Why? It definitely isn’t because the treasures of our faith are not splendid enough to expend energy hunting for or luminous enough to see in the midst of the darkness. Could it be because there aren’t enough people willing to take the painstaking effort to draw up treasure maps to help them find the way, or is it because these treasure maps just aren’t given out to the right people at the right times? Or possibly is it because the seekers aren’t hungry enough for the majestic Treasure of all treasures – Christ, His Eternal Truths, His Sacraments in their purest forms, and the Mass of His Most Sacred Heart – the Immemorial Mass? God only knows, but the reality of it remains – it is the privilege and duty of us traditional Catholics to seek the heavenly treasure of Truth with all of our souls, to study the treasure maps we can find, and share them with everyone we can.

Bound by Truth: A Timeless Treasure Map

Recently, I have been deeply inspired by coming across a “jewel” of a treasure map myself – Bound by Truth (Angelico Press, 2023)by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski. Bound by Truth is a sort of “compendium of Sacred Tradition” which helps the heartfelt, inquisitive, soul-searching Catholic grapple with the issues of authority, obedience, tradition, and the common good. According to its accompanying description (posted at angelicopress.com) it covers the following areas:

Part I, “Papacy, Patrimony, and Piety,” addresses the teaching of Vatican I on the pope’s universal jurisdiction; the limits of his authority in light of other authoritative principles such as liturgical tradition and local custom; the properly Catholic way to interpret and follow the Magisterium; and the virtue of intelligent, God-fearing, and communally perfective obedience versus its vicious distortions—willful rebelliousness on the one hand, and a blind, thoughtless, self-destructive submissiveness on the other. Part II, “Faithful Resistance,” looks at historical examples of prelates who legitimately pushed back against papal overreach; discusses how clergy should navigate unjust episcopal decrees on private Masses, concelebration, the use of the Rituale Romanum, etc.; shares advice and strategies for laity who seek to promote and defend tradition in their dioceses; and draws inspiration from persecuted religious sisters, whether their tormentors were Soviet Communists or apparatchiks of the postconciliar ecclesiastical bureaucracy.

Throughout the book, Dr. Kwasniewski helps traditionalists to gain a balanced view of Catholicism, encouraging us to avoid developing or nurturing disordered views of Catholicism and the Church. He helps us see the dangers of becoming “hyperpapalists” and “contracting” what he calls “Magisteriumitis”. Those who are sick with this “bug” desperately hang on each whim and word of the current Holy Father, regardless of whether or not he is honoring Sacred Scripture and Tradition in doing so. They also may blindly heed the non-dogmatic, non-authoritative teachings of various Church documents or the Magisterium, often even recklessly placing them above the truly dogmatic, authoritative teachings of the Church throughout all time, or the inerrant Word of God itself. Contrarily, he gives us a good understanding of what a genuine traditionalist actually is when he writes:

“In this sense, then, the Catholic traditionalist of today is simply a Catholic who is free from the mental disease of Magisteriumitis and who strives —in his faith, his life, his thought —to hold together the three pillars of original Tradition, namely: written Tradition, unwritten Tradition, and the guardianship of Tradition.”[1]

By honoring these three pillars in a balanced way, Tradition-savoring Catholics can live vibrant, healthy spiritual lives, as the very lifeblood of Mother Church.

Addressing Concelebration

Of special recognition is the chapter in which Dr. Kwasniewski addresses the controversial issue of concelebration, especially when it becomes “required” by various Church documents or at the request of bishops. Dr. Kwasniewski’s take on the whole predicament is refreshing, well-articulated and supported by the best of resources. He makes it clear that according to Canon Law, no priest is required to concelebrate any Mass at any time, regardless of what members of the hierarchy may say, and that it is against the dignity of the priesthood to attempt to force a priest to do so. At one point, he quotes Fr. Gerald Murray, a renowned canon lawyer, on the subject:

The clear presumption . . . is that a priest who chooses not to concelebrate at the Chrism Mass or at other Masses, as is his right, is suspected of not recognizing the validity and legitimacy of concelebration itself. . . . That is an unwarranted suspicion and presumes that it is likely that the priest rejects concelebration as valid and legitimate, rejects the liturgical reform as a whole, and lacks ecclesial communion with the bishop in addition. Such rash conclusions about the intentions of priests who choose not to concelebrate Mass cast these men in the position of being presumed guilty of grave offenses for simply exercising their canonical right to celebrate Mass individually. [2]

Observations about the Status of the Society of St. Pius X

Aside from SSPX: The Defence published by Kennedy Hall, Bound by Truth features perhaps one of the most honest, concise explanations of the status of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) to date offered by a prominent theologian. In his book, Dr. Kwasniewski opens the chapter titled, “On the SSPX and the Situation of Catholics in the Trenches” by highlighting a statement from the Archdiocese of Kansas City regarding the Immaculata, an absolutely magnificent church recently built by the SSPX.[3]Although the statement discouraged Catholics from attending Mass at the Immaculata because it claimed that its Masses are “not licitly offered,” the archdiocese wished it to be known that “it does not consider the SSPX to be schismatic,” that “one may fulfill one’s obligation to participate at Holy Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation by attending an SSPX Mass,” and that SSPX marriages done at the Immaculata are valid because faculties for witnessing them are requested from, and granted by, the archdiocese. “This may not be a warm welcome, but it’s not exactly the cold shoulder treatment either,” Dr. Kwasniewski observes.

As part of a sort of a “nutshell defense” of the SSPX, Dr. Kwasniewski writes:

Opponents of the SSPX typically rest their case on the notions of ‘full communion’ and ‘canonical mission.’ Their argument requires one to believe that if the pope outlawed the Latin Mass entirely, tradition-loving Catholics would have no choice but to swallow that decision and go back to the Novus Ordo. Indeed, Catholics would be required, by the force of logic, to believe that a Fr. James Martin or a Fr. Michael Pfleger are ‘in full communion’—that they act with the Church’s mandate and their Masses bear the stamp of approval—while Fr. Gladtrad Fiddleback, SSPX, down the road, offering the Mass of the Ages ‘outside of communion,’ robs the sheepfold and prevents Catholics from fulfilling their obligations. [4]

As he explains, by understanding what “full communion” actually means, namely fully Catholic, one can live out the Holy Faith with the utmost devotion. His words remind us that in this time of grave cultural and moral decadence, ecclesiastical scandal, and liturgical shipwreck, it is essential to research Our Holy Faith. Our hearts will be uplifted and our souls enlightened in amazing ways by diving into the history of Christianity and the Church from unbiased sources; the spirituality of the Saints canonized before Vatican II; and the teachings of the doctors of the Church and the dogmatic councils.

“Such arguments are very easy to come by,” Kwasniewski continues. “They are, in my opinion, specious at best and injurious at worst, as they ignore the prescriptive rights of tradition, the prior duties of the hierarchy toward the faithful, and the normal requirements of orthodox Catholic communal life. In short, they treat authority and obedience in an absolutist and positivist way, and fail to grasp their intimate relationship with the common good.”[5]

Furthermore, he expressed gratitude for comments made by the late Bishop Huonder, a Swiss bishop who received ecclesiastical permission to spend his retirement living with the SSPX:

One point I especially appreciated in the first part of Bishop Huonder’s interview was his emphasis on how the faithful, after the Council, were left abandoned, confused, and scandalized by novel teachings and liturgical wreckage, and no one seemed to care—they were like the sacrificial meat that had to be offered to the mouth of the insatiable idol of Progress. Archbishop Lefebvre actually cared about them, cared enough to feed them with truth and grace. He was not the only one, certainly, but he was among the most courageous and uncompromising. [6]

And to those who accuse the SSPX of being in a state of schism or maintaining a dangerously schismatic mentality, Dr. Kwasniewski responds:

In short: it is far easier to see schism or a schismatic mentality in Pope Francis and the German bishops than in any bishop or priest of the SSPX. The former have deviated from dogma, tradition, and liturgy; the latter adhere to them inflexibly while accepting an irregular status resulting from the unwillingness of ecclesiastical authorities to rule for the common good. [7]

In addition, he shows concern for those who are bent on the strict technicalities of “full communion” – and arguably blindly so. After all, even some of the noblest Saints, such as St. Athanasius, deterred from what the vast majority of the Church’s hierarchy believed and insisted upon (in this case, Arianism) in order to remain more authentically in full communion with Holy Mother the Church and Christ, the Eternal King and author of all truth. One could even infer that being overly rigid about remaining in what is perceptibly, on a surface level, in “full communion” with the Church can promote a Pharisaical attitude that may possibly even endanger one’s salvation.

I am quite sick and tired of people who, for all intents and purposes, ignore the plight of the ordinary faithful, even today; who seem to think the only thing that can possibly matter is for Catholics to “stay in communion” with whomever and do whatever, even if it’s false or harmful, unworthy of Our Lord and of souls purchased by His Blood, even if it’s likely to lead their children to exit a lame-duck charade they will soon grow bored with. No: this attitude is insulting, irrational, inhuman, intolerable. Parents, in particular, have an obligation to seek out tried and true ways of supporting their own life of faith and the transmission of faith to the next generations. [8]

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

Overall, Bound by Truth gives an inspiring “dose” of moral courage to those who hold the Immemorial Mass dear to their heart of hearts. It helps us see that our love of the Latin Mass goes far deeper than merely fond sentimentality, emotional attachment, or surface appreciation for Church history. Dr. Kwasniewski’s thoroughly documented, theologically sound, and spiritually inspiring words bring us a firm sense of conviction about just how important our mission as traditional Catholics really is. Ultimately, we are fighting a battle against evil, and asserting so should not appear “offensive” to any sincere Christian. He writes:
“Whoever attacks this traditional form of the Mass, which truly merits the name ‘Roman Rite,’ is attacking all that is Catholic —the historical, traditional, ancient, and ancestral rituals that express, inculcate, and transmit the orthodox faith that comes to us from Christ and the Apostles. Such a person is attacking the host of saints, the cloud of witnesses, whos faith and charity were nourished on the Church’s traditional liturgical rites.”[9]

Click here for a full lecture from Dr. Kwasniewski at the 2025 CFN Conference!

Further, contrary to popular opinion, the mission of divine love which we give ourselves to is founded upon obedience, and not the contrary. It is a call to obey Almighty God in the most noble way, and at times, in the most challenging, sacrificial way. It may even be, in a strong sense, a “white martyrdom” because when we “obey God and not men” we have to lay down our desires for human respect and worldly success. When a traditional Catholic “disobeys” various ecclesiastical authority figures in order to preserve the bona fide teachings of Our Holy Faith and the Mass of all Time, they are doing so because of obedience. They are doing so out of a true, ardent love for Almighty God and His Bride.

“Our principled resistance to those who are themselves disobedient to divine law, natural law, and ecclesiastical tradition —whether this resistance of ours takes the form of open confrontation or a more subtle, indirect effort to bypass and undermine their agendas and enactments —is not a matter of “being disobedient.” It is recognizing what is inherently right, using the twin gifts of faith and reason, and then doing it in the fear and love of God. Obedience is grounded always in reason and in the sensus fidei.”[10]

Perhaps it is a little like saving dozens of children from drowning by bringing an endangered ship to shore despite the captain’s reckless, stubborn desire to sail the turbulent waters. Above all, we are called to the highest and most noble virtue of all – charity, and charity goes hand-in-hand with truth.

“There is nothing more urgently needed in the Church today than the overcoming of false notions of obedience, which play into the hands of the enemies of Christ who wish for nothing more than to sever the Church once for all from the faith and morals and liturgy she once upheld and treasured. It cannot be denied anymore that many of the Church’s rulers are abusing their authority.”[11]

Sturdy Anchors at Sea

Bound by Truth, as well as other traditional theological works which make the fullness of Catholicism come alive, have served as anchors for me amid the enigmatic, hurricane-prone post-Vatican II seas. I am incredibly grateful to Our Lord for bringing them into my life. They have helped me find my way in the wondrous world of Holy Mother the Church. Page by page, they have enabled me to realize my personal mission within Her lively beating heart and illustrious spirit. Time and time again, they have shown me that, similar to David’s battle with Goliath, the fight for the triumph of Sacred Tradition may be terribly fierce, but its soldiers are mighty and many, and the war we fight ultimately belongs to Our Lord. It is a fight that belongs to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and not to His humble subjects.

“Except that there are those who know and who care: the traditionalists. And they are not going away. On the contrary, their number is growing. A crime of the magnitude of the liturgical reform cannot remain hidden forever; Divine Providence will expose it, and call forth fruits of repentance and restoration.”[12]

And most of all, they have given me tremendous hope. As Dr. Kwasniewski puts so beautifully in Bound by Truth:

Never can we despair. Christianity, in its cruciform beauty, contains always the promise of triumph over death. All the same, suffering and dying, however triumphant their issue, cannot but be painful. God, in His Providence, is permitting His Church to be crucified. Such torture the Church has endured many times, and from the concentration of faith engendered in those chaotic periods came her fiercest glories. Sacred Tradition asserts itself most of all in moments when the Mystical Body is under attack, either from without or from within. [13]

As lighthouses for the Faith, theologians such as Dr. Kwasniewski are providentially given to us to remind us that Our Lord is the King of Truth, and He never fails to guide those who seek Him. As children of the light, we will never be abandoned by the Father of Light, in Whom there is no darkness, shadow or turning.

How satisfying to come out on the other end with the invincible Tradition of the Church fresh in hand, like a sword that was just waiting to be sharpened and wielded anew! It is not for us to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in His own power (Acts 1:7). It is our privilege to remain faithful to the deposit of faith and the treasury of Tradition we have inherited from the Church of all ages — from the saints, from the popes in their totality — and to defend it against anyone who pretends to be its lord and master. [14]

If we labor to bring forth the glory of God alone, we will never be abandoned or lost along the way, for Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat! For our God is a “consuming fire” as the Sacred Scriptures say – a fire that ultimately brings about purity and hope in beautiful ways. If we give every ounce of fight and fire that we have brimming in our poor souls, we will make Him reign as the Sovereign King of Creation once again. We will overcome obstacles of all kinds, big and small, seen and unseen.

Let us strive, by God’s grace, to be worthy of standing side by side with those who first led the people of God out of the Egypt of the ‘reform’ into a land flowing with the milk and honey of Catholic tradition. We can do it. God has given us reason, He has given us personal experience, He has given us the collective wisdom of twenty centuries of Catholicism. The victory is ours if we will hold fast and never lose heart. [15]

Dedication to faithful priests included in Bound by Truth

For all priests who have sacrificed
comfort, security, ambition, or reputation
to remain true to Catholic Tradition
and to keep it alive for Christ’s faithful
The Lord is your inheritance
and the Church will one day
sing your praises.