Pope Benedict and Traditionalism

A writer from Eureka, California, called to my attention the other day Sandro Magister's article, "The End of a Taboo: Even Romano Amerio Is 'A True Christian'" (www.chiesa, Feb. 6, 2006). The significance of the article is that Amerio -- the author of Iota Unum: A Study of Changes in the Catholic Church (now deceased, pictured left) -- was the leading figure of the traditionalist opposition in the Church of the twentieth century, and although he suffered for this from a general ostracism, it now turns out, in Magister's words, that "his central thesis is the same as that of Benedict XVI -- who wants to make peace with the Lefebvrists."

My source in California writes: "Amerio wrote a second book, Stat Veritas, a critque of Tertio Millenio Adveniente." Interestingly, on Magister's website you can find a review of a striking critique of John Paul II's ecumenism by one of Amerio's disciples, Enrico Radaelli, Il mistero della Sinagoga bendata, reviewed by Magister in a post entitled "The Latest Heresy: Ecumenism. Accusations from a Catholic Traditionalist" (April 15, 2003). The introduction to Radaelli's book is written by an Opus Dei priest, Antonio Livi.