As I wrote last week, my statements concerning Francis, the dubia, and what I consider to be the judgment of formal heresy that he has pronounced against himself, has been met with a number of objections; not just from the usual suspects, but from traditional Catholics as well.
Let me broaden this just a bit to say that said objections have come also from a number good friends for whom I have great respect.
Among them is Robert Siscoe, who as readers will recall, co-authored the book True or False Pope with yet another friend, John Salza.
At Robert’s suggestion, he and I have agreed to engage in an exchange of ideas concerning how or when a heretical Pope loses his office; in particular, as the topic relates to current events under Francis.
Our hope is that this exchange will in some way prove edifying for our readers; helping them to come to grips with the historic, unprecedented events through which we are presently living.
Robert and I are confident that, if nothing else, we will demonstrate in this effort that so-called “traditionalists” (aka Catholics) can disagree strongly on important matters and yet remain not only charitable toward one another, but friends and brothers in arms.
Look for a post from Robert Siscoe engaging my position in this space tomorrow.
Ad majorem Dei gloriam!
We are suffering great trauma as Catholics who are loyal to the whole of the Faith, unadulterated. We are in unprecedented, terrible times, and need to support and help each other as we struggle in a Church riven with apostasy, heresy and satanic evil. Thank you to Mr Verrechio and Mr Siscoe for humbly trying to serve and defend God and the Hoky Faith in this most awful of times for the Church and the world. God bless and protect you all.
I’m very tolerant of all sorts of opinions in the combox, but misinformation – even if passed on unintentionally – that impacts on another’s reputation is another story. You may notice that some comments were deleted. That’s the reason. Thanks for understanding.
Louie
The truth is revealing itself as we speak. Stick to what you know is right and let everything else fall where it may. We will all answer to our Lord eventually.
Sorry Louie, my fault. Overstepping the mark on your blog.
I look forward to the exchange with Mr Siscoe.
This should be good. A calm and charitable discussion about this issue is sorely needed. I pray that Mr. Verrecchio and Mr. Siscoe can discuss the topic without bitterness and personal insults. If they can pull it off, it will be the first time I have seen it.
Mr Siscoe and/or Mr Salza probably will quote reams of Canon Law telling us simple people we cannot pronounce Bergoglio a heretic and quote us this and that Church Authority …yada yada…blah blah blah…
Bergoglio could sodomize a little boy on the steps of St. Peter’s and burn his body to a statue of Moloch and these legalist people would argue : “He’s still the Pope!”
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The truth is ….I just don’t care what they think or say.
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The sheep know the shepherd’s voice.
John 10:1-5
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1 Amen, amen I say to you: He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up another way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he hath let out his own sheep, he goeth before them: and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice.
5 But a stranger they follow not, but fly from him, because they know not the voice of strangers.
Michael F Poulin
Louie, you’re doing a great service forr the Church through this blog. None of us have all of the correct answers all of the time. Each of us is learning.
I look forward to reading the insights garnered from your correspondence with Mr. Siscoe.
I agree with you…..the people who you speak of put their papism above their Catholicism. They are currently lost. They continue to defend a man who hates our Church, simply because he was “elected” (by a bunch of other men who hate our Church). This is why im a sedevacantist.
One last thing: our great Catholic theologians, whose ideas and words are NOT infallible, did not live in 2016. Salza and Siscoe will predicate everything they say on the words of theologians but will stray away from infallible papal proclamations.
Great comment above
Michael F Poulin
I think it is a very sad commentary on the ridiculous situation which faces Catholics and the Catholic Church when it must be debated between two great Catholic men as what to do with a heretical Pope. I am sure it will be very interesting, but I don’t expect a solution until Bergoglio packs his bags.
Archbishop Lefebvre:
“But at the same time that we are weak, because we are few in number in relation to the mission that Almighty God asks us to accomplish, at the same time, we are strong. We are strong with the word of Our Lord Jesus Christ Who said, “I will be with you unto the consummation of the ages.” We are strong, precisely because we ourselves want to carry on the mission of Our Lord Jesus Christ – to continue the Church. And this is what makes us strong – strong in this essential bond with tradition, with all that Our Lord has taught us, with the institution of the Church and with all Our Lord has bequeathed to His Church, strong in these things, strong in being with all the elect of heaven.
Strong in being with all the Catholics of the earth who want to preserve their Catholic Faith. Strong – in this we are assured – in victory! Not that we are seeking to cry our victory against those who are ill-willed towards us – against those who persecute us. I speak of Our Lord’s victory over Satan which He won by His Cross. We are convinced that this victory will carry on, it could not do otherwise than continue because the Church must carry on and must persevere. As a consequence, if sometimes, you are overcome by feelings of discouragement, by feelings of being rent inside – nearly of despair at the sight of the Church torn and suffering, struck from all sides; if these feelings invade your soul, know that Our Lord is with you, provided that you keep the words that Our Lord gave us, that Our Lord Jesus Christ taught us.
And it is by these sacrifices that one day the enemy will be driven away from the Church and that the Church will again discover her splendor. It will no longer be undermined by persons who desire its disappearance, or who desire its destruction.
And so today we must all pray together. We must pray, in particular, that God will drive away the enemies from the Church in order that the church may again give the graces which the faithful need and which the world needs for its salvation.”
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Cross of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, and all the instruments of His Holy passion, that Thou mayest put division in the camp of Thy enemies, for as Thy Beloved Son hath said, “a kingdom divided against itself shall fall.”
Prayer The Conversion of Freemasons
O Lord Jesus Christ, who showest forth Thine omnipotence most manifestly when Thou sparest and hast compassion, Thou who didst say, “Pray for those who persecute and calumniate you,” we implore the clemency of Thy Sacred Heart on behalf of souls made in the image of God, but most miserably deceived by the treacherous snares of Freemasonry, and going more and more astray in the way of perdition. Let not the Church, Thy Spouse, any longer be oppressed by them, but appeased by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, Thy Mother, and the prayers of the just, be mindful of Thy infinite mercy, and, disregarding their perversity, cause these very men to return to Thee, that they may bring consolation to the Church by a most abundant penance, make reparation for their misdeeds, and secure for themselves a glorious eternity. Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.