Matthew Castagna, president of the traditionalist Catholic club «Christus Rex», in the middle of the year it caused a stir when «Cattolici, between Europeanism and populism". After a few months the book continues to be discussed in many circles also due to the fact that Verona has ended several times and has been described in some media as a sort of Italian Vendée. Chestnut, who is one of the permanent signatures of Veronanews.it, explains that the 2018 "It was a year of particularly intense work" both when the publication of the book was "in the home stretch" and on a political level, in the broad sense of the term, precisely because of the testimony in the context of public life, that Christus Rex cultivates day after day, event after event.

Matteo, il 2018 It was a year that caused a lot of talk about your club, especially in relation to the issue of abortion. The feminist world has unequivocally criticized many of your initiatives. Vero?
«True yes. But what could we expect from a front that doesn't look favorably on us? However, to better understand how we moved on a public level it would be good to explain a couple of things".
Which?
«Our presence in the area, our public interventions, our actions both in the ecclesial and political spheres have always characterized us as the most original secular group in the traditionalist galaxy".
It can be said that you have created a niche of your own?
"Yes, if you want to use a journalistic simplification".
And wanting to clarify better?
«Let's say that having no competition, everything we do may seem easier to layman eyes».
It certainly doesn't go unnoticed. You do it on purpose?
«No».
Seriously?
«Right. We cut to the chase: to the content and not to the container. The rest is part of the dynamics of communication. What is certain, however, is that if you work with perseverance and dedication, even at a media level, the fruits will come.".
Many people say it though. You too?
«I would say yes. And we have good reason for it considering that we have been on the front line for twenty years. Everyone recognizes this. Even the opponents. In our world there are those who believe they are militant because they are so intellectual, because he is an academic or because he is always on social media; because in order to break out of patterns that, for some reason they are tight, they venture into tortuous paths, sometimes murky, until it derails into sensational errors, feeling strong under the cover of some priests. Right, also youthism, lack of experience, the frenzy of excelling, the feeling of having to chase someone, or the use of Religion as “good screen” due to various forms of parasitism they do not help the good fight for Christ the King. What's the point of babbling so much and not doing anything?? Who for thirty denarii over-dimensions a historical episode to the point of ridiculousness, actually marginal, waste time and, perhaps without wanting to, steps on the toes of all so-called tradition. We have chosen to always stay on track. Trying to understand reality and operate in temporal society in concrete ways. We have always chosen to show our face. Because Saint Philip Neri taught study and prayer, but also the action, which is not done behind a keyboard or in the library or even by confusing one's state duties with those of priests. As, from us, that since January 2015 we have an office available in the city that is a symbol of tradition and identity sovereignism, they come and visit us for a while’ everyone. We talk to everyone. They're even looking for us from Germany, from France where they are filming a documentary that also talks about us. Even the Barcelona newspaper La Vanguardia wanted to hear from us. And there was no shortage of Il Fatto Quotidiano, The Espresso, The Republic. In January we will be on a deferred basis “Direct Intake” su Rai3. Do’ the Venetian media are taken for granted, among which Canale Italia stands out, but there is no shortage of the Arena, The Courier, the TGR Veneto, Tele Arena, Telenew. Being able to rely on a city councilor and being able to have our say with deputies and ministers also helps a lot. We have to rebuild, not necessarily destroy. We have to be as smart as snakes, Jesus said, even if we often see ourselves surrounded by thrushes with the agility of sloths. In short. We have to get busy. Only in this way can we bring home results and correspond to Grace, who then reaps what has been well sown".
An example?
Our battles on gender, ecumenism and more generally on issues that have to do with people's mentality. Nobody equals Verona. Motions pass here “no abortion”, even with the votes of the leader of the Democratic Party. Who, if a municipal concession slips out of line, the councilor must publicly apologize to the city. From us, political viability for traditionalist and identity movements is everywhere and total. The geese are allowed to quack, until they remain voiceless. But it's right for the goose to quack, God forbid, it would be profoundly wrong to prevent it, by any method".
You mean that your club still believes pluralism is always a must?
«In pluralism, those who tell the truth are needed. Within the latter the truth emerges by itself, how common sense emerges".
How Christus Rex's action came to fruition in 2018?
«We have a very strong doctrinal position, which must correspond to a conduct that, while considering personal sins, It's certainly not easy or comfortable. Therefore we are not many. We cannot be many if the world turns upside down compared to us or vice versa. But it is not the number that makes the Truth, the one with a capital “V”.. Our history proves it. It is faith without compromise. It is the infinite hope that the fires of hell will never prevail, despite it all. It is Charity with our true neighbor, i.e. the affine, the neighbor, the brother in faith who makes us grow in virtue and be open to the world as Christ wanted it, not like Bergoglio and his friends give us to drink".
Therefore on the ecclesial level, your position is unchanged? What is your priestly reference?
«We are sedevacantists, yes and simply, or totalists since the death of Pius XII, occurred in '58. For the sacraments we have the grace of the availability of the Mater Boni Consilii Institute, who for some months has been celebrating the only traditional Catholic mass and not in communion with the occupiers of the Conciliar Church also in Verona, the fourth Sunday of the month. We attend their masses and receive the sacraments in Trentino, always from them. Occasionally, A very good priest comes to visit us, a Benedictine missionary and sedevacantist like us, Father Maria Romualdo».
And how do you feel about all this??
«As Saint Cyprian said about apostate clerics: they have churches, we have faith”. Why, dal the Council bad times are going on from itself not to be reconciled by the compromised council, modernists don't give you places of worship".
And so?
«It's necessary, therefore, rent them from private individuals or buy them, if you can. Basements, chicken coops or warehouses continuously every holiday ordered are not decent, at least as long as there are other possibilities and you are not in a state of obvious persecution. We are not Islamic, that they grab, many times illegitimately, the warehouses and adapt them to mosques. We don't buy warehouses to turn them into churches, especially if illegally. It's not part of our culture, which contemplates the principle of non-contradiction and also the principle of legality. As, let us give to Caesar what is due to him and to God what is due to God. A Verona, tradition has always had places of worship suitable for use. Let's leave certain gypsies to the councilors".
Your first book «Catholics between Europeanism and populism» published by Solfanelli was published in mid-August, and it's already in its first reprint: we have a journalist Matteo Castagna, now also a writer. How did it go with this book? You had to work hard?
«I won't deny that it was hard: two years of research. Who edited the afterword of the text, Giacomo Bergamaschi, he knows well how much it cost in terms of time, effort and work. Just as my friend from Verona who followed me in the last draft knows. Over six hundred footnotes. A great bibliography for a book that, in the opinion of some leading modernists, contrary to almost all the theses presented, it has significantly raised the bar for our environment, before and more than myself who wrote it. I wanted to answer comprehensively, complete as much as possible, according to my personal vision and that of Christus Rex-Traditio to those who asked me whether Catholics should be with the sovereignists or the globalists. A study was needed, a wise man, well documented and, at times, original because there is already a lot on the market on this topic".
In the end, however, your book also sells on the globalist platform par excellence, i.e. Amazon. Of course, Providence is inscrutable, sometimes not?
«The irony is there. I more humbly created an email address for myself, or christusrex@libero.it, who wants my book for 17 write to me in euros and shipping included, I'll get it to your home".
But anyway, now we are also into self-advertising?
«I prefer to use the term réclame, it is less modernist".
Beyond the irony, what plans do you have for the 2019?
«We have three key concepts in mind».
Which they would be?
"Persevere, improve, grow. We are soldiers of Christ and His political soldiers. We do not agree with providence nor do we want to humanly direct it. As always, we will strive to correspond to the grace and the signs that God has never let us lack".
Look, but you follow national politics assiduously?
«In a healthy way, with due intellectual detachment. But I follow her. Also because by collaborating with a national newspaper like Verità gioco forza uno one keeps well updated on that side too. Which is also part of my conscience as a citizen".
Today the M5S and the League are in government. What would happen if this majority were to fail?
«At the moment it seems like a remote hypothesis to me. The polls show the two governing parties at 60% or so. It is true that they sometimes argue and that they are heterogeneous on many topics, but I managed to keep the bar straight despite everyone trying to make them jump, on a maneuver that has truly courageous parts. Above all it made us raise our heads, after years of Fantozzian subjection, in front of’ Europe, who didn't expect to have to deal with a’ Italy with balls. I feel that someone is suggesting that those who have the wind in their sails today should pull the plug when the European elections definitively establish them as the party with a relative majority. I don't think this will happen, but since in politics everything is possible, I think it could happen, in Italy, a sort of modernization of the system, where the League represents Sovereignty and the M5S a new form of socialist globalism. There is around these two parties, but, nothingness, that is, there are prairies to explore and experiments to do, in absolute freedom. So, We will see. In the meantime, we await the first effects of the financial maneuver and the implementation of the points of the government contract. Let's leave owls and cassandras in their daily gnawing".
Your association has always said it is an opponent of single thinking. In this scenario many blame Rai, what a force it is, it is the first cultural industry in the country, precisely the fact of being one of the first actors in this trend designed to exclude those who describe different cultural parables. What are your thoughts on this??
«I respect Marcello Foa, the new president of Rai, on a professional and personal level. He knows this very well. I know he's trying hard. He will soon be a speaker at a conference on fake news with Enrica Perrucchietti, professional who gave up the press to remain totally free. On the topic, which we discussed together in Verona last month with a conference that had the same theme, it is not, as you know and as seen, truly a mainstream issue. Foa is not alone, but you can't expect miracles in a few months. It is in a very difficult apparatus, I would say okkupato with the kappa for decades".
And then?
«We are staying, but', confident, hoping that we can progressively overcome single thinking, for a truly pluralist public service, where there is also space for those who are not ashamed of being a Catholic faithful to Tradition or a convinced sovereignist or a good reporter free from party constraints. For example, Rai4 is another field, all to be invented and built. There are smart people, with the right ideas, which could be given a chance, with courage and determination. The bold like to get involved. I like bold people. I also believe in President Foa".
Marco Milioni