mccallansteve - "Science has proven..."? - how so? DNA taken and compared? Or are you talking about Dr. Chojnowski's "same old, same old" (I like that description English Catholic) interpretation of photographs? My interpretation, as a nurse having working with the elderly, is that all the differences can be explained by aging, different teeth, and heavy glasses. I speak from first-hand experience. Does that make me "willfully blind"? No, it makes me less susceptible to auto-suggestions being plugged as dogmas. There is also logic to consider. Our blessed Mother kept St. Lucia alive as her messager. Why would she do that if she knew Sr. Lucia was going to be replaced with an imposter? Are you suggesting Heaven couldn't foresee the future? That she "didn't see that one coming!"?

FSSP are neither heretics or schismatics. And if we go down the road of questioning who is validly ordained, we could end up with no priests at all. His Grace, Archbishop Lefebrve, was ordained by Bishop Achille Lienart, "an active participant of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965)...a leading liberal voice at the council and sat on its Board of Presidency" (Wiki~). Ok, the Rite hadn't been changed back then, however Bishop Lienart was definitly a high grade modernist and there is no guarantee he conducted the ordination rite correctly. And that seems to be the crux of your argument. Afterall, why warn against the SSPX and yet embrace ex-SSPX priests? It is obviously not the ordinations you are highlighting there but the politics. Ironically though - a large number of those resistant priest are as modernist as they come. I was glad to see them go given the battles over their humanistic viewpoint.

In an age where even the traditional Catholic youths are struggling to hold onto their faith, this is wonderful to see. I would rather that my child was one of those students giving praise in the way they understand, than have thrown off the faith altogether. The language and the music of the angels may not be present but good will, joy, and large numbers are. I know so many of these new rite Catholics who have recently - since the covid plandemnic - opened their hearts and minds to the traditional movement. And they bring an abundant of fresh air into what is in danger of becoming a cynical, elistist boys club. Many of us here started off "modern" Catholics - give them time - they too will find the greater path eventually.