And we know that to them that love God all things work together unto good… (Romans 8:28)
One may feel compelled to ask if “all things” includes even such abominations as Amoris Laetitia.
The answer, of course, is yes, and while the way in which this terrible affront to Our Lord and His Church will ultimately be used by God unto good remains to be seen, we can leverage it as such even now.
How so?
As Divine Providence would have it, the Gospel reading for the Second Sunday after Easter in the Traditional Latin Mass included the following:
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. But the hireling and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and flieth: and the wolf casteth and scattereth the sheep, And the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling: and he hath no care for the sheep. (John 10:11-13)
It seems to me that the publication of Amoris Laetitia represents a moment of choosing, in particular, for our clerics. In the days and weeks to come, the attentive will discover who among the sacred hierarchy are true shepherds, and who are but little more than mere hirelings.
The shepherds, men after the heart of Jesus Christ, will risk everything – including their very life – to protect the souls in their care from the clear and present dangers found in the dreadful document, Amoris Laetitia. They will sound the alarm loudly and without apology; condemning its grave errors in terms that are certain lest the sheep in their care be devoured.
The hirelings, by contrast, will remain silent in the face of the approaching wolf; at best offering hollow reassurances to their flock that Amoris Laetitia changes nothing of Catholic doctrine. They will fail to warn of its poisonous prose for fear of losing the favor of their superiors, and the position and comforts they currently enjoy.
For example, in an article written for National Catholic Register, Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke has revealed himself to be an esteemed member of the sacred hirelings. [I’ll have more to say on Cardinal Burke’s lack of Christian conviction and the conciliar disease that effectively stripped him of his manhood later.]
Though the hirelings may deceive themselves into believing that by failing to confess the truth before men they will therefore be allowed to do even more good moving forward, Our Lord who “came not to send peace, but the sword” warned otherwise:
But he that shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven. (Mt 10:33)
This brings me to the light that Amoris Laetitia (and other terrible realities in the Church today) can shine on our spiritual directors and other trusted advisors.
It occurs to me that certain of the faithful (some of whom are readers of this space) are not infrequently advised by their priests to avoid the “fever swamps” of the “traditionalists” (aka Catholics) where they risk getting caught up in the “bitterness” of those who seem only to find fault with the Church in our day.
This line of direction goes something like this:
While there are problems in the Church indeed, this has ever been the case; even from the earliest times. The Church is still the Church! Christ is still made present to us therein! We know that He will reign victorious in the end! Let us put aside all negativity and focus instead on all of the avenues of grace that God provides through the Church, in spite of her difficulties, as aids unto our salvation!
First, please allow me to clear up the misconception (or perhaps, deception) that “traditionalists” (aka Catholics) only find fault.
Take a look at what happens here, for instance. Does one find on this blog a great deal of criticism of false teachings, faithless prelates, and others?
Indeed, but for every condemnation of error one also finds affirmation of truth as both are necessary.
For instance, along with treatments concerning the dangers of the Novus Ordo, one also finds affirmations of the liturgical treasures that were lost. In addition to essays confronting the erroneous post-conciliar approach to other religions, one also finds insight into the Church’s evangelizing mission as perennially understood. Where the Council’s regrettable treatment of religious liberty is duly critiqued, one also finds proclaimed the immutable doctrines of the Church concerning the Sovereign Rights of Christ the King.
You get the point.
That said, the reason the kind of spiritual advice outlined above resonates with so many is that it is not entirely untrue, but more importantly, it’s relatively painless.
You see, while acknowledging the good and embracing the means of sanctity provided in the Church is truly necessary, it is also necessary to avoid doing so in such way as to make it all about ourselves and what we stand to gain; ignoring, as it were, the Divine Other who died for our sins and that which is due Him.
I have no doubt that all concerned, if questioned, would readily proclaim after Peter, “Lord, you know that I love you!”
And yet, if we pay but little heed to the magnificent offenses that are daily heaped upon Him, if we barely lift a finger to refute error in defense of Him and the truth that He came to proclaim, if we do not willingly suffer every blow that He is dealt at the hands of wicked churchmen and others in the depths of our very own soul, it may rightly be asked if indeed we truly love Him.
A spiritual director who shepherds in truth would never suggest that one avoid the weight of the Cross that comes from plainly facing the crisis of faith in the Church in favor of acknowledging and embracing that which is good. This is a false dichotomy, and those priests who counsel their faithful accordingly, though they may mean well, are ultimately acting as hirelings, even if only in ignorance.
Much of what has been said here thus far applies in some way to those in the apostolate of Catholic media as well.
Pay close attention indeed, my friends, and we will see very clearly in the various reactions to Amoris Laetitia who has care, not so much for the Lord who is Truth and His little ones, but primarily for himself. We will discover who is more interested in furthering his own franchise than building the Kingdom of Christ. We will see who finds it expedient to tiptoe around the truth rather than risk persecution by condemning the egregious errors put forth by Pope Francis.
Armed with this knowledge, the question then becomes what we should do about it.
As it concerns our priests and bishops, we should be willing to risk our own comfort and favor by calling them to account, respectfully but plainly.
It must also be said that we can, and we should, lend no material support to those parishes and dioceses that are pleased to allow the wolf to roam freely among the sheep.
Oh, but my parish and diocese also does a lot of good!
Don’t kid yourself. Would any responsible Catholic offer financial aid or otherwise support a clinic that gives free flu shots to the poor, but also happens to perform abortions?
All in all, Amoris Laetitia is a gravely evil document that gives us a great deal to lament and to suffer.
At the same time, however, it will help us distinguish the shepherd from the hireling, the sheep from the goats, and for this we can be thankful.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rryNhTIt6uc/VwvMF1TybrI/AAAAAAAAIl0/98yeQqTsLwEkbzfeO6NHaPD1h4v888OGA/s1600/twitter.png
This is a reply from a commentator “Ana Milan” @ Voxcantor. Pretty concise and poignant.
“Don’t hold your breath on anyone stepping out of line & denouncing AL. They have thus far demonstrated they are all club members of Modernism instituted by the spirit of Vatican II. Cardinals Brandmuller, Burke, Sarah & Bishops Schneider & Gracida have spoken recently but none show any wish to actually denounce this Papacy, even though they know where it is taking us. The positions they hold in the Hierarchy give them clout which the laity does not possess, yet they all urge us to stand-up and fight. What are they going to do – sit in their armchairs & watch us being annihilated whilst the Protestant insurrection of 500 years ago again takes the upper hand, this time supported by our Pope going to Lund to help them commemorate this grand occasion & pray with them. We Pharisees, Pharaohs & hard of heart are spurned – they now only have time & mercy for the wicked Modernist who has no intention of living by the rules laid down by Christ Himself but only want recognition of their Right to partake of the Body & Blood of Christ in Holy Communion which we were always taught was for the baptised Catholic in the state of grace.. Some aren’t even Catholic, like the Lutheran woman PF advised to go by her conscience on approaching Holy Communion with her Catholic husband. Neither did he comply with the request made by a Lutheran worker in the Vatican to be accepted into the CC & also his friend Bishop Tony Palmer’s similar request saying it was best they stayed where they were. Of course, this would make sense if he already knew there was going to be a capitulation to Protestantism which would show its face in 2017 – the same year as the 100th anniversary of the Fatima apparitions.”
Let us pray three Hail Mary’s for the hierarchy and in reparation of the many sins committed.
The Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Akita, Japan,
to Sr. Agnes Sasagawa
October 13, 1973
“My dear daughter, listen well to what I have to say to you. You will inform your superior.”
After a short silence:
“As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by My Son. Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the bishops and priests.”
“The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres…churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.
“The demon will be especially implacable against souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sadness. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them”
“With courage, speak to your superior. He will know how to encourage each one of you to pray and to accomplish works of reparation.”
“It is Bishop Ito, who directs your community.”
And She smiled and then said:
“You have still something to ask? Today is the last time that I will speak to you in living voice. From now on you will obey the one sent to you and your superior.”
“Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary. I alone am able still to save you from the calamities which approach. Those who place their confidence in me will be saved.”
St. Thomas More, St. John Fisher and the hundreds of Catholic Martyrs during reformation times died, for, nothing.
Luther would be proud. Oh what am I saying? Francis and company will travel to Sweden on Halloween to celebrate the joint commemoration of the 500 years of the Holy Reformation.
Perhaps I have missed something. Have any priests, bishops, cardinals, etc. (within the N.O. establishment) come forward to reveal that they are true Shepherds? If Burke is the best we have, many sheep will be lost.
Saint Peter writing on false teachers:
2 Peter 2:1-22
1But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there shall be among you lying teachers, who shall bring in sects of perdition, and deny the Lord who bought them: bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2And many shall follow their riotousnesses, through whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you. Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their perdition slumbereth not.
4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but delivered them, drawn down by infernal ropes to the lower hell, unto torments, to be reserved unto judgment: 5And spared not the original world, but preserved Noe, the eighth person, the preacher of justice, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. 6And reducing the cities of the Sodomites, and of the Gomorrhites, into ashes, condemned them to be overthrown, making them an example to those that should after act wickedly.
7And delivered just Lot, oppressed by the injustice and lewd conversation of the wicked. 8For in sight and hearing he was just: dwelling among them, who from day to day vexed the just soul with unjust works. 9The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly from temptation, but to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be tormented.
10And especially them who walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government, audacious, self willed, they fear not to bring in sects, blaspheming. 11Whereas angels who are greater in strength and power, bring not against themselves a railing judgment. 12But these men, as irrational beasts, naturally tending to the snare and to destruction, blaspheming those things which they know not, shall perish in their corruption, 13Receiving the reward of their injustice, counting for a pleasure the delights of a day: stains and spots, sporting themselves to excess, rioting in their feasts with you: 14Having eyes full of adultery and of sin that ceaseth not: alluring unstable souls, having their heart exercised with covetousness, children of malediction: 15Leaving the right way they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam of Bosor, who loved the wages of iniquity, 16But had a check of his madness, the dumb beast used to the yoke, which speaking with man’s voice, forbade the folly of the prophet.
17These are fountains without water, and clouds tossed with whirlwinds, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved. 18For, speaking proud words of vanity, they allure by the desires of fleshly riotousness, those who for a little while escape, such as converse in error: 19Promising them liberty, whereas they themselves are the slaves of corruption. For by whom a man is overcome, of the same also he is the slave. 20For if, flying from the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they be again entangled in them and overcome: their latter state is become unto them worse than the former. 21For it had been better for them not to have known the way of justice, than after they have known it, to turn back from that holy commandment which was delivered to them. 22For, that of the true proverb has happened to them: The dog is returned to his vomit: and, The sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire.
Mark 9:42 And whosoever shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me; it were better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
Looks like Cardinal Burke isn’t going to come through?
In fact, apparently he’s now blaming the rest of us for spreading scandal by pointing out the errors in the Pope’s document.
I’ll keep this in mind the next time Cardinal Burke begins preaching to us about how we’re supposed to risk our lives and stand up to all manner of evil opposition.
Y’know, the serpent in the garden of Eden didn’t change the official doctrine either, but instead went on to say, “Hence it is can no longer simply be said that all those eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil are deprived of life. More is involved here than mere ignorance of the rule. A subjects may know full well the rule, yet have great difficulty in understanding “its inherent values”, or be in a concrete situation which does not allow him & her to act differently and decide otherwise without further sin. Factors may exist which limit the ability to make a decision…”
Do factors exist then that would cancel out the consequences of death & eternal damnation?
I read this today, posted under a traditional (aka Catholic) Facebook post:
“The tongues of the “traditionalists” are very powerful weapons of satan.”
Oh, the inversion! The perversion!
As Pius X warned us in Pascendi, there are two currents in modernism….the progressive and the conservative. What we are seeing play out in front of us is the exposing of the conservative current. The conservatives are just there to keep things from moving too fast.
Waiting to see how Bishop Athanasius Schneider responds…which I fully expect to be along the same line as Cardinal Burke (hope I’m wrong though). And Bishop Fellay and the SSPX…well, I guess we’ll find out if the “resistance ” folks were right after all.
Anyone with a clue has probably known that Burke is a complete joke/imposter for quite a while now (then again, this is my belief of any member of the vatican 2 religion no matter how “conservative” or “traditional” they may outwardly appear at times…and the higher up the ranks the worse they are). If what he is currently saying hasnt clinched it for the thick-headed among us that he is no good then I dont know what will.
I agree. Only time will tell. But the way things are going, this will unfold quickly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjlWYp1qQLA
Speaking about presumption.. You’re all in for a treat. Check out Francis’ latest Homily (11 April) Santa Martha.
He extols Judas. “Poor innocent Judas”.
If someone has an English translation, put on your seat belts.
https://denzingerbergoglio.com/2016/04/11/el-pobre-judas/
How much longer this institutionalised apostasy, this wholesale fraud by the great majority of bishops and priests – how much longer must this contemptuous mutiny continue? How many more souls must be corrupted and lost? How long till the good bishops do their fundamental duty and condemn the horrific evil heresies continually promoted by Pope Francis and protect soyls from his evil influence? Lord, have mercy! Christ, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!
Here is the English Translation.
http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/04/11/pope_francis_warns_against_those_who_judge_with_closed_hea/1221870
In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis sifted the wheat from the chaff from the two synods on the family, and kept the chaff.
Before I fled the Church of Darkness (v2 sect) a NO priest accepted that V2 was a substantial change and not an accidental change and approved of it. We have people who KNOW that V2 departed from Church teaching and think it ‘s hunky dory. And they are supposed to look after souls? They have a Protestantized view of church. People gather together as a community to entertain each other and have picnics rather than to offer sacrifice to God.
Did SSPX make any PUBLIC statement that addressed to Pope Francis directly yet on this document?
I think I might have found out what Bishop Williamson is Resisting……
LOL….exactly.
I dont believe they did but in fairness to them maybe they are doing their due diligence to fully process the entire document before issuing a statement. I am not a supporter of the SSPX but I dont doubt the overall sincerity of the order.
With the above being said I do believe that it is of the utmost importance that Bp Fellay takes a no-nonsense, hardcore, no prisoners taken approach when drafting the society’s eventual response. Any burke-like, milquetoast nonsense will not go over well…as it shouldnt.
“Is it conceivable that no voice of authority is speaking out within the Church to condemn these public sins? Where are the Machabees of today?
Your Eminence, for the honor of the one and only true God, Our Lord Jesus Christ, make a public protest. Come to the help of the bishops, priests and faithful who are still Catholic.”
Archbishop Lefebvre
“… Rome is in darkness, because Rome at present can no longer hear the voice of truth -Rome no longer hears the voice of truth…
They are shutting themselves up in their errors, they are shutting themselves up in darkness, and they are quite simply going to lead souls into apostasy, the ruination of the divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the ruination of the Catholic and Christian Faith…”
+Lefebvre
“Incalculable scandal is being given to Catholic souls. The Church is being shaken to her very foundations.
If faith in the Church as the one and only Ark of Salvation disappears the Church herself disappears.”
+Lefebvre
“I refuse to contribute to the destruction of the Church, because now, they are destroying the Church. I refuse to go to my death, and before Jesus Christ the Judge, and hear that ‘you destroyed the Church.’ I refuse. I refuse to give a contribution to the destruction of the Church.”
+Lefebvre
“So we must be aware of this dramatic and apocalyptic combat through which we are living, and not play it down, because the moment we play it down, we no longer wish to give battle, we become weaklings and we dare no longer proclaim the Truth…”
+Lefebvre
“I am only trying to be the shepherd who tries to tend a disoriented flock in the spirit of the first pastor and those who followed him.”
+Lefebvre
“The Pope refused to make public the Virgin Mary’s message: well, the punishments foretold by Mary are coming: the apostasy announced in Scripture is on its way; the coming of the Anti-Christ draws near, as is perfectly obvious.”
+Lefebvre
I am afraid that we have to face the fact that the clergy, esteemed or not, are not at the place where they will stand up for Jesus Christ. This whole Church debacle is exposing the inner workings of each so-called follower of Jesus Christ, myself included. As the comment above this one (GMU) stated , ‘What are they going to do–sit in their armchairs and watch us being annihilated whilst the Protestant insurrection of 500 years ago takes the upper hand, this time supported by our Pope going to Lund to support them….’ They want us, the laity, to do their job, while it is that they who have the position and clout to speak and we do not. The laity have been standing up to the falsehoods for years and it has done no good. It is so painful to watch and so painful to live through. I do not hold out any hope that the present clergy will stand up. They will not because it costs too much and they are paralyzed by human respect. Let each of us turn to Jesus Christ within our heart and follow Him.
http://www.francefidele.org/
+Fellay just wrapped up (11 days ago) an informal meeting with Francis in the wake of the unilateral recognition. It would not be prudent to speak out against the errors in AL.
Sedevacantism: A Bridge Too Far
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The dogmatic sedevacantist position is one that appears as a legitimate solution to this crisis in the Church (the worst in Her history) only to those who have not yet fully explored its ramifications and/or do not know her theology well enough. In point of fact, there are at least several “one-shot kills” of the position – simple facts that, in and of themselves, render it untenable – impossible and leading directly to material heresy. We will explore a few of them here.
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Before we begin, there is something else to note: The dogmatic sedevacantist position actually *encompasses* the “recognize & resist” response to wayward prelates (which is what the Church really teaches, more or less) that they mock, but simply takes it further – at least one bridge too far (and sometimes as many as 30 or so). Those who recognize prelates the Church has validly elected (as the Church and even common sense require, in the end), but decline to accept their non-binding, non-infallible teachings (again, as the Church commands) use their intellects and actual, binding Church teaching to determine what is congruent with that teaching and what is not – just as God and the Church have always required. Sedevacantists do the same, but then, continue where they have no logical or lawful right to go, declaring that a pope the Church has elected is not really a pope because the individual determines he is a heretic either before or after his election. So, when the sede disparages the position that the popes and theologians have aspired, to recognize but resist prelates with false (but non-binding) teachings, they condemn their own position as well, essentially.
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Concerning that critical determination of heresy, it is here where the dogmatic sedes first go wrong – and these errors in premise result in large errors in conclusion. The fact (as has been thoroughly demonstrated by Robert Siscoe over the past few years, causing sede leaders to (futiliy) shift their arguments, etc.) is that there is no theologian in the history of the Church who ever sanctioned what the sedes do: Making the critical determination of formal (obstinate) heresy a matter of private judgment. Bellarmine, the sedes’ go-to theologian, was explicit in the fact that the determination of formal heresy is something that belongs to *the Church*: the Church must, at the least, issue two formal warnings to an erring pontiff before it declares him *to have judged himself* (since he can be judged by no man).
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To continue past that, the basic tenet of dogmatic sedevacantism – that men canonically elected pope are actually *not*, and that an individual can determine this for himself and then insist upon it as a *public fact* that mus be accepted by all – can be proven false rather simply and from several different angles. Here are a few:
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1) The Fourth Ecumenical Council of Constantinople, Canon 10: The Church directly and formally considered the question of whether or not the faithful can formally separate from any prelate sans judgment by the Church, and the answer was no. Sedevacantists live materially under the anathema the council declared:
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“… this holy and universal synod justly and fittingly declares and lays down that no lay person or monk or cleric should separate himself from communion with his own patriarch before a careful enquiry and judgment in synod, even if he alleges that he knows of some crime perpetrated by his patriarch, and he must not refuse to include his patriarch’s name during the divine mysteries or offices.”
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Fr. Cekada, in a perfect display of what sedevacantism is really about, objects that this canon that says one can’t depose prelates doesn’t apply to the prelates he wants to separate from because he’s declared them deposed! It comes back to his judgement, which he insists must be regarded as factual and accepted with ecclesiastical (if not divine) faith, regardless of any “careful enquiry and judgment in synod”.
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So, already, we can say sedevacantism is false: QED.
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2) The Church’s public acceptance of a supreme pontiff is itself proof of his validity; the theologians agree that it is a dogmatic fact. I.e., if we didn’t know if we ever had a pope we wouldn’t know ANYTHING: We wouldn’t know the dogmas he’d proclaimed (directly or via ratification of an ecumenical council’s teachigs) were true or not. Thus, the Holy Ghost would not allow, could not allow the visible Church to accept a pope as such if he were not. Anarchy (such as the anarchy of sedevacantism) would be the result if the Church did not have certainty in the validity of a papal election: Not only would no one ever know if we had a pope or not at the present time, no one could ever have even moral certainty in the validity of past popes, and thus no one could grant even ecclesiastical faith to *any* of the Church’s dogmas (since the validity of the promulgating pontiff would not be morally certain). (And we do have sedevacantist leaders extent who have declared invalid popes that reigned centuries ago that the Church has always recognized as valid pontiffs, so this not some kind of theoretical red herring.)
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(Note that the exceptions such as the Western Schism do not undo this rule: In such cases there obviously was *not* universal acceptance of the pontiff.)
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3) The Visibility of the Church: The Church’s visibility is one of her three attributes – necessary qualities that follow directly from her nature – and sedevacantism leads directly to a denial of it (or her indefectibility, which is an even more serious breach of Catholic doctrine).
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This visibility has both material and formal aspects: Materially, people can identify the Church by her visible members & hierarchy and also (the important, formal part) know that this is the Catholic Church, by her Marks. For God to command that souls enter this Church (as He does) as the Ark of Salvation, it must be formally visible. As Christ’s incarnate, physical Body was visible, so is that of His Church. (And as He is composed of two natures, divine and human, so is the Church – one can err, one cannot.)
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The notion of an invisible Church (with visible members) was, of course, one of the primary errors/denials of the early “Reformers”, and that is exactly where sedevacantists have pitched their tent today – as with the Protestants, it is essentially a necessary consequence of their position. Sede leaders have advanced models of the Church that are identical to the Protestant definition. But the Church cannot be invisible; it cannot be hidden; it cannot be some visible entity other than what it was in the past. Any of these things destroy the Church’s teachings regarding her visibility. Sedevacantism tosses this to the wind with their talk of the “false church of Vatican II”. If this Church is now false, where, now, is the Catholic Church? Clearly they cannot point to any specific Church that has her four Marks and necessary attributes. They know this and do not try; that is how they end up with the Protestent definition of the Church.
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(Somewhat related to visibility is the mark of universality (catholicity). Theologians have discussed two two aspects of catholicity: right & fact. The former of these means that the Church always had the aptitude to spread throughout the world, and the latter that it did, in fact, do so. Van Noort, among others, notes that once the Church became universal in fact (spread to many nations) this characteristic became a permanent, necessary quality of it. Thus, once the Church (visible as she always has been and will be) became spread broadly among many nations, this so-called moral universality became a permanent property. The Church is now formally visible throughout virtually the entire world, perpetually – everyone (generally speaking) knows of the Catholic Church. It can never be the case that the Church that was once so broadly visible can cease to be visible, formally, anywhere. It will also never be reduced to a number or size that lacks moral universality – a *tiny* remnant.)
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I think there are more one-shot killers such as these but that will suffice.
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We can say it’s intuitively obvious that the Church just can’t work the way the sedes assert. If personal heresy (judged authoritatively by a third-party individual) were enough to deprive a pope of his ecclesiastical office (or prevent him from obtaining it), no Catholic at any time in history would know if we had a pope or not and thus no Catholic in the world at any time or place could have ecclesiastical faith in anything the Church has ever taught as definitive. This point is intentionally reiterated for effect.
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God hasn’t given us a Church, perpetual, indefectible, and immaculate, the infallible Ark of Salvation, yet so ridiculously fragile and subject to individual whim as they imagine. It can’t have been meant to work that way and it does not work that way. Realizing how terrible this crisis of modernism is, seeing the Church bruised and bloodied, is indeed impetus for *exploring* notion such that the pontiffs who have ruled over this ruin were and are not truly popes. However, it simply is not possible to conclude so without embracing not only logical absurdities but material heresy as well.
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So, concluding that sedevacantism just doesn’t work, what’s a Catholic to do when faced with Popes who at least seem to undermine Catholic doctrine in their statements and practices, and even foist (but not authoratively) a new Rite of Mass upon the entire Roman Church designed to subjugate Catholic dogma so as to appeal to heretics? Fortunately, the answer to that query is essentially provided by the theologians and popes of old. The below is nothing but the barest of introductions to the subject.
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Sedevacantists like the papal bull Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio because they think it justifies their position. However, Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio speaks of *valid popes*: “the Roman Pontiff… who may judge all and be judged by none in this world, may nonetheless be contradicted if he be found to have deviated from the faith”. Here we have a veritable R&R proof-text, don’t we? We have a Supreme Pontiff telling us in a papal bull no less that the faithful should, indeed, “contradict” (resist) a pope who has “deviated from the faith”. Implicit in the statement is the notion that human beings must be willing to use their intellects to determine what is congruent with the defined, infallible Faith and what is not. He is to be resisted, but certainly there no justification for declaring him deposed.
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St. Bellarmine, Doctor of the Church: “We must point out, besides, that the faithful can certainly distinguish a true prophet (teacher) from a false one, by the rule that we have laid down, but for all that, if the pastor is a bishop, they cannot depose him and put another in his place [recognize]. For Our Lord and the Apostles only lay down that false prophets are not to be listened to by the people [resist], and not that they depose them [recognize]. And it is certain that the practice of the Church has always been that heretical bishops be deposed by bishop’s councils, or by the Sovereign Pontiff” (from De Membris Ecclesiae, as quoted in True Or False Pope, pp 645-646; bracketed portions are from True of False Pope). So, the sedes’ go-to theologian tells us that false prophets are “not to be listened to” *and* specifically that they “not depose him”.
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Pope Adrian II: “It is true that Honorius was posthumumously anathematised by the Eastern churches, but it must be borne in mind that he had been accused of heresy, *the only offense which renders lawful the resistance of subordinates to their superiors, and their rejection of the latter’s pernicious teachings*” (Cited by Billot, Tractatus de Ecclesia Christi, as quoted in True or False Pope, pp 647, emphasis mine).
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The canon Si Papa, part of canon law for around eight centuries, says this: “Let no mortal man presume to accuse the Pope of fault, for, it being incumbent upon him to judge all, he should be judged by no one, unless he is suddenly caught deviating from the faith.” (This quote is sometimes attributed directly to Pope Innocent III; it is likely not his, but clearly reflects not just theological opinion but Church law. It is also used by sedevacantists themselves to justify individuals’ formal separation from/deposition of a pontiff, but it clearly justifies no such thing.)
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Of course, there are many more such quotations, from theologians including Aquinas, that could be brought to bear.
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These teachings of the theologians and papal Magisterium are congruent with what the Magisterium teaching about itself, in that it is the Deposit of Faith that is the primary rule of faith, with the Magisterium secondary. The secondary Rule cannot contradict the primary without losing its essence and validity. Aquinas: “We believe the successors of the apostles only in so far as they tell us those things which the apostles and prophets have left in their writings” (De Veritate, as quotes in True or False Pope, pp 648). Aquinas points out that it is the virtue of Faith that allows Catholics to sense error – Catholics have the blessing of the Church as Mother and Teacher, but, especially in abnormal times, no Catholic can leave himself without the benefit of both his intellect and the enlightenment of the Holy Ghost.
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This post is intended to be as brief, given the venue. I recognize that references are not provided consistently. If you’d like to challenge any particular point, please go ahead, and I will respond with more detail and references.
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Finally, for a thorough demonstration on how the leaders of the sedevacantist movement have completely and absolutely failed to meaningfully engage, much less refute, Salza & Siscoe’s new work, have a look here:
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http://www.trueorfalsepope.com/p/sedevacantist-watch.html
Maryiloverher, I love these Abp lefebvre quotes- please don’t stop posting them.
I believe the laity will play THE key part in the reform of our holy church.
It is always wrong not to speak out against such evil when countless souls are at stake. Lord, have mercy!
Amen. If only we had a living bishop who would speak the truth in Faith and morals thus!