Theology without praxis is the theology of demons

—Attributed to St. Maximos the Confessor

This short yet poignant sentence has been adopted as the motto of the new and growing movement, the Tradistae. Taking their inspiration from Integralists of the old guard, Pater Edmund von Waldstein of Sancrucensis and the writers of The Josias, their goal is the same: to bring about a civilization ordered to the Common Good and cooperation of the Spiritual and the Temporal. And their means of bringing it about is very simple and yet profound: to practice the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy.

And truly what better means can there be for achieving it? Only by ministering to the Spiritual and Temporal needs of men can we remove the void the modern schism of the two has created. Only by living the example of Christ will the Christian life be seen as the true and meaningful life all men now yearn for. In order to perfect society we must perfect ourselves, reaching outwards to share Christ’s life within us. The Restoration of Christendom begins within ourselves, our neighbors, our community. Without these there is no foundation; the very acts we do in the service of God and neighbor each build a small part of Christendom upon Earth.

It is very simple to join the Tradistae, to become a member one must only live the Works of Mercy. So simple and yet how many of us neglect them? How many times have I myself neglected the calling to give food to the hungry, or instruction to the ignorant? It is a sobering thought that I have neglected Christ in the least of my brethren so many times in the pursuit of other, ultimately vain, things. And yet it is so easy to live the life of Mercy, “For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.” 

Many are the sins against the innocent, the worker, the orphan, and the widow which are crying now to Heaven. Yet we each can do our small part to atone for them by serving them in the manner which our Lord has shown us. Let us follow in the example of our Tradistae brothers, leading this resurgence of Integral Catholicism by consciously living the Works of Mercy. Our Lord Jesus Christ has gone before us showing us Himself as the Way, why do we tarry on road? Let us make haste to meet Him in our brethren!

-Ritter von Donau

 But I have only taken this as the first and most evident case of the general truth: that the great ideals of the past failed not by being outlived (which must mean over-lived), but by not being lived enough… The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried. 

-G.K. Chesterton, What’s Wrong with the World