Rorate-Caeli, Taylor Marshall, Pachamama and Traditionis Custodes
Rorate Caeli claims that Taylor Marshall's Pachamama stunt was one (if not the most important) motivator to get the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes moving
On December 7th, 2022, Rorate-Caeli said on Twitter that they could “affirm for sure, from the most reliable sources, that the whole thought process that led to Traditionis Custodes started with Marshall’s pachamama grift stunt”.
The allegation is very, very serious.
Rorate-Caeli is one of the oldest traditional Catholic blogs, with its first post dating to December 2005.
Taylor Marshall is considered by many the most influential traditional Catholic online, with over 127k followers on Twitter and 441k subscribers on YouTube.
Rorate-Caeli explained that after the “Pachamama grift stunt” funded by Taylor Marshall, some people of interest presented Marshall “to Francis as the prototypical Trad” and “videos of Marshall were actually shown to him, with all his outlandish behavior, and our enemies in Francis’ circle smelled blood. They had the drafts of Traditionis custodes ready and all they needed was for Francis to change from aloofness to hatred.”
The veracity of Rorate-Caeli allegations is yet to be confirmed, but the seriousness of it is evident.
Our goal here is to (1) present the allegations of Rorate-Caeli in an easy-to-read format and (2) elaborate a timeline of main events from the Pachamama first appearance in the Vatican up to Traditionis Custodes promulgation.
1) Rorate-Caeli allegations
The Rorate-Caeli allegations were made over a Twitter thread that started when one user argued that Marshall was unknown in Roman curia… here is what Rorate-Caeli had to say:
Unfortunately, not only do they know well ‘@taylorrmarshall in the Vatican -- we are free to affirm for sure, from the most reliable sources, that the whole thought process that led to Traditionis Custodes started with Marshall's pachamama grift stunt.
Francis was not particularly fond of Traditionalists (though he was of the SSPX), but his instinct was to keep a mostly aloof attitude regarding us. Just months before the Amazon Synod, he approved additional optional prefaces and saints' days for the 1962 Missal.
His attitude hardened when he felt personally humiliated by the stunt made up by Taylor Marshall. (This is not to minimize the ridiculousness of the Manaus, Brazil, tourist souvenir dolls placed in sanctuaries in Rome as if they were representations of pachamama.)
If they had been thrown out due to some zealous Roman hothead, in a spur of the moment, that would have been one thing, Unfortunately, it was a premeditated stunt with the intent to generate views, clicks, and MONEY.
Marshall was presented to Francis as the prototypical Trad.
Videos of Marshall were actually shown to him, with all his outlandish behavior, and our enemies in Francis' circle smelled blood. They had the drafts of Traditionis custodes ready and all they needed was for Francis to change from aloofness to hatred.
Marshall managed that.
Hope the cash and "fame" he got for it were worth it.
It was later added:
NB #2: One very important update regarding the timeline of events here.
Our sources asked for one VERY IMPORTANT correction in the timeline. First, came pachamama stunt in late 2019. At the time, no one knew if it had been provoked or staged. Then, in April 2020, came the new optional prefaces for the 1962 missal - those angered the anti-TLMers.
However, in LATE MARCH 2020 (right before the prefaces were published (https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2020/04/important-texts-of-7-new-prefaces-of.html…), in an interview with Mr. Tschugguel, Marshall revealed that the whole episode had been concocted and financed by him.
This was shortly thereafter (and almost immediately following our great win with the optional prefaces) revealed to the Pope by those who wanted to show him that his greatest public humiliation (the ridiculous episode of dolls thrown into the Tiber) had been a "Trad" thing.
The pachamama episode had filled Francis with deep resentment, and then our enemies made him believe it was the collective responsability of Traditionalists. He was shown videos of Marshall (and of a second famous American Catholic "youtuber") and took the decision to issue TC.
2) A timeline
We compiled here a timeline of the main events to help better understand the allegations from Rorate-Caeli.
October 4th, 2019
“Pope Francis witnessed an indigenous performance” (Catholic News Agency) where a Pachamama idol was at the center of it.
October 21th, 2019
Pachamama statues are thrown into the Tiber river by an unknown person. The act was captured in video and published on YouTube. You can watch it here.
A few hours later, Taylor Marshall was one of the first to report the act in a Tweet, which is now deleted but can be seen here:
I announce to you with great joy: the Pachamama idols that polluted the Church of St Maria Traspontina have been cast away into the Tiber River as an act of obedience to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ & in reparation to His Sacred Heart wounded by sin
October 25th, 2019
Italian Police recover Pachamama idols from the Tiber river. (NC Register)
November 4th, 2019
Alexander Tschugguel reveals himself as the author of the act on his YouTube Channel. You can watch it here.
February 20th, 2020
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith signs the “Quo Magis” decree.
This decree added seven optional prefaces to Traditional Latin Mass. The decree was interpreted as a positive action from the Magisterium towards the Latin Mass.
March 7th, 2020
The prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Ladaria, sent a survey to the world’s bishops regarding the Summorum Pontificun. It reads:
Thirteen years after the publication of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum issued by Pope Benedict XVI, His Holiness Pope Francis wishes to be informed about the current application of the aforementioned document.
RorateCaeli comments:
Quite strangely, now, 13 years after Summorum, when it has become a permanent part of the life of the Church in many places throughout the world, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), now responsible for Summorum, has sent out a new survey for bishops on the application of Summorum Pontificum
March 27th, 2020
Taylor Marshall shares that he funded Alexander Tschugguel (who threw the Pachamama into the river) and planned it with him. Watch the conversation of both in this YouTube Interview:
Alexander and I had met in Rome before all this. We met before even the Pachas were out. When we learned about the tree that was planted in that ceremony with the Pachas, we were at dinner and we were discussing how we might go in and rip that tree out of the ground
So you worked out your plan with your friend, and I wired you some money for airfare, and you guys flew from Vienna over to Rome and you got it done! A wonderful thing! … and then you sent me the video footage and I edited the video footage — this has never been told before — and then as I just waited until you texted me and said “our airplane is off the ground in Rome” or “free we're out of Rome” and then at that point I uploaded the footage to YouTube so that's is the real story
July 16th, 2021
Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes is published (Vatican).
A final note
While we, in one way, rejoice the removal of pagan idols from a Catholic church, we are also concerned that the sponsors of this act may have put into motion the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes due to their bad reputation and “outlandish behavior” while also associated with the promotion of Traditional Latin Mass.
Rorate-Caeli, Taylor Marshall, Pachamama and Traditionis Custodes
I've never seen "bad behavior" in TM, only excellent catechesis and serious concern for the Church and souls. I'm surprised that Rorate is blaming the good guy here. What am I missing?
A “most reliable” 8th century inside source has said it is rumored that St Boniface had a “bad reputation” among the Germans. This source claims their resentment was even further fueled by Boniface’s “outlandish behavior” when he chopped down their beloved sacred oak tree. It is further claimed this act made the Germans believe it was the collective responsibility of Christians as it was associated with Boniface's promotion of Christianity. Yup, pagans tend to get salty about their cursed idols being disrespected. And I tend to think Rorate Caeli has gotten a nasty habit of snarky ad-hominems against good Catholics who display courage - notibly Taylor Marshall and Archbishop Vigano. The truth is that Francis has ALWAYS had his sights set on Benedict XVI’s Summorum Pontificum. If you don’t think so, well I got a bridge to sell ya….