Catechism Of The Crisis

Is there a crisis in the Church today?

One would have to close one's eyes not to see that the Catholic Church is suffering a grave crisis. In the 1960's, at the time of the Second Vatican Council, there were hopes for a new springtime in the Church; exactly the opposite has come to pass. Thousands of priests have abandoned their office, and thousands of monks and religious have returned to secular life. There are very few vocations in Europe and not many in North America either; countless seminaries, convents, and religious houses have closed their doors. Many parishes lack priests, and religious congregations are obliged to abandon schools, hospitals, and homes for the aged. As Pope Paul VI lamented on June 29, 1972:

Through some crack, the smoke of Satan has entered the temple of God.

"I absolutely wish that this book [The Catechism of the Crisis in the Church] is made available for the English speaking countries." -- His Excellency Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General of The Society of St. Pius X