What is the Third Order of the Society of St. Pius X?
Why should I become a member In 2002?
By Father Gerard Rusak

You know that the priests of the Society of St. Pius X are engaged in a battle for the True Faith and for souls.

A Doctrinal Battle

You know that Archbishop Lefebvre founded and continued the Society of St. Pius X because he knew this was the best way he could serve the Church. You know that today the Society of St. Pius X is a major opposition to the neo-modernism and ecumenism infiltrating the Church.

A Moral Battle

You know that Society priests are among the few to speak out against the widespread immorality that surrounds us. You know they do not fear to condemn many serious sins and occasions of sin passed over in silence by others. You know also that the priests and bishops of the Society can do little if they are not backed by faithful who are fully behind them.

A Spiritual Battle

You know that the prayers and sacrifices of hidden souls really count. You know at last that the devil is terribly strong, and poor humans extremely fickle and inconstant, especially today. You know that you are also a weak human being. If left alone to yourself, you know that you often accomplish nothing in the spiritual order. You know that practically all the saints recommended a rule of life either for the Orders they founded or for the souls they directed.

It is for all of these reasons that you ought to become a member of the Third Order of the Society of St. Pius X. How can you effectively get behind the Society priests one hundred percent in the battles they are waging? How can you join the battle and cease to be a mere spectator? Join the Third Order and you will enter into the battle of the Society on its triple front: Doctrinal, Moral and Spiritual.

The Doctrinal Battle

Third Order members get behind the priests in the Doctrinal Battle first by accepting fully the position of the Society concerning the New Mass, Vatican II, sedevacantism, etc.. Third Order members are obliged by the Rule of the Third Order to strengthen themselves for the Doctrinal battle by study of the Acts of St. Pius X, the Catechism of the Council of Trent, and other recommended books. Third Order members understand the position of the Society and firmly adhere to it. They thus support this great work of the Church.

The Moral Battle

Morals flow from Doctrine. If the Society preaches doctrine, it also must battle the world, the flesh and the devil on a moral plan. Here again Third Order members are right behind their pastors. Priests warn against^ television, cinema, birth control, immodesty, drunkenness, neglect of children's education and other occasions of sin. Third Order members abstain from television and the like, love large families, excel in modesty, practice sobriety, make sure that their children receive a traditional Catholic education, and keep themselves and their family from serious occasions of sin. This puts them also in the battle with religious and priests as examples of the true Christian life preached by the latter. If no faithful were to put into practice what the priests preach, we would begin to believe these last to be liars or fools preaching an impossible morality. Again here, Third Order members are absolutely necessary.

The Spiritual Battle

Finally, it is very well and good to say one is going to fight in the first two battles, but this is impossible without prayer and extremely difficult without a fixed rule of some kind. Thus, Third Order Members oblige themselves by a Rule to their doctrinal convictions, their moral resolutions and to the prayer life recommended by Archbishop Lefebvre. Daily Rosary, morning and evening prayers, meditation or Mass, spiritual reading, true devotion to Our Lady, Sunday Mass, bi-monthly or monthly confession and a retreat every two years make up a basic plan of life any devout Christian should follow. Third Order members not trusting their own fickleness and inconstancy oblige themselves by the Rule to keep these practices. Once again they enter the battle as courageous soldiers.

In conclusion, Third Order members are generous souls who do not want to leave priests, religious and bishops alone on the battlefield, but by fighting against their own sensuality, the world and the devil want to help bring about the victory of the Church and the salvation of souls.

To apply for membership the Third Order in Canada write to Rev. Fr. Gerard Rusak at the same address as Communicantes. There is one-year period of postulancy to see if one can keep the rule. Profession in the Third Order follows, at which members receive a medal of St. Pius X and a crucifix. Third Order members also receive a monthly newsletter, Tradidi, to instruct, encourage and fortify them.