Phoenix from the Ashes

This book is an excellent history and review of the attack on Sacred Tradition. Beginning with a review of the history of Church councils and key events and continuing with an insightful, frank and pointed analysis of the actions taken to attack and destroy the Sacred Tradition of the Church both in its doctrine and worship.

Phoenix from the Ashes provides readers with a complete history of the crisis in the Church and what we are facing as traditionalists or conservative Catholics. Sire’s book, at 460 some-odd pages is lively, never boring, intelligent, and well written. There are very few footnotes. Sire’s arguments are factual, clear and, for the most part, as complete as they need to be to best make his point. And there are many. The book provides a sweeping, thorough account of the modernist current infecting the Church and is divided into two parts. In Part one, the Building of Catholic Tradition, we are given a real feast in eight chapters of intellectual and ecclesiastical history. Sire carefully and thoroughly explores past attacks on the Faith and the Church, bad Popes, protestant slander, atheistic apathy, and the rise of liberalism and modernism. If there is one summary point to it all, it is there is nothing new under the sun. You will be well armed with the facts, names, dates, and arguments necessary to tackle the second section of the book: The Dismantling of Tradition. No doubt you will be familiar with the modernist crisis in the Church, Vatican Two, the role of Paul VI, Freemasonry, Financial scandals in the 70’s and 80’s, the Society of St. Pius X, and a myriad of details that all somehow can and do hang together. What Sire does with all these things is to expertly sew them together without overwhelming you. And he doesn’t just shrug at all this, but outlines what he believes is necessary for the Church to continue to fulfill its mission int he 21st century. Truly, you will be a bit wiser for having read this book.