The Catholic Bottom Line – Part IX

 

Shepherds are not wolves.

St. Paul tells us in Acts 20:28-29 that wolves will enter the Church.

Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. I know that, after my departure, ravening wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

St. Paul was echoing the words of Our Lord: Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. By their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (Matt. 7:15-16)”

Haydock wrote in his bible commentary:

Beware of false prophets, or heretics. They are far more dangerous than the Jews, who being rejected by the apostles, are also avoided by Christians, but these having the appearance of Christianity, having churches, sacraments, &c. &c. deceive many. These are the rapacious wolves, of whom S. Paul speaks, Acts xx. Chry. hom. xix. Origen styles them, the gates of death, and the path to hell. Com. in Job. lib. i. Tom. 2. [1]

False prophets are heretics who appear to be Christians with churches, sacraments, etc. These are the wolves in sheep’s clothing, and according to St. Paul, they appear to be Catholic bishops or shepherds.  Cornelius a Lapide wrote in his bible commentary about the bad fruit as “1. Of false doctrine; 2. Of bad morals and wickedness. Luther and Calvin have given examples in this age.”[2]

Christ is the Good Shepherd. He would not leave wolves to watch His sheep. The pope is the shepherd and true teacher of Christ’s flock. The bishops and priests are also teachers and shepherds. The Church might have bad teachers and poor shepherds but they can’t be false teachers. Since wolves are not shepherds, the pope, bishops, and priests can’t be wolves in sheep’s clothing. The wolves can only appear to be popes, bishops, and priests of Christ’s Church. They enter the Church in appearance only. Christ commands us to judge their acts and judge and beware of them.

Footnotes:

[1] The Haydock Bible. Matthew 7:15.

[2] THE GREAT BIBLICAL COMMENTARY OF CORNELIUS À LAPIDE

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The Catholic Bottom Line – Part VIII

The fourth mark by which the true Church of Christ can be identified is apostolic.

The Church that can trace it’s origin to the Apostles is the Apostolic Church.

The Roman Catechism declared, “The true Church is also to be recognized from her origin, which can be traced back under the law of grace to the Apostles; for her doctrine is the truth not recently given, nor now first heard of, but delivered of old by the Apostles, and disseminated throughout the entire world. Hence no one can doubt that the impious opinions which heresy invents, opposed as they are to the doctrines taught by the Church from the days of the Apostles to the present time, are very different from the faith of the true Church.

That all, therefore, might know which was the Catholic Church, the Fathers, guided by the Spirit of God, added to the Creed the word Apostolic. For the Holy Ghost, who presides over the Church, governs her by no other ministers than those of Apostolic succession. This Spirit, first imparted to the Apostles, has by the infinite goodness of God always continued in the Church. And just as this one Church cannot err in faith or morals, since it is guided by the Holy Ghost; so, on the contrary, all other societies arrogating to themselves the name of church, must necessarily, because guided by the spirit of the devil, be sunk in the most pernicious errors, both doctrinal and moral.”

The fourth or apostolic mark of the Catholic Church is a visible mark like the other three marks, viz. one, holy, and catholic. Each and every particular church and mission of the Catholic Church has all four marks. All four marks are interconnected to the doctrine and ministry of the Church. No other church has any of the four marks as the Catholic Church defines them. If you find the Church that’s one, then you’ve also found the Church that’s holy, catholic, and apostolic.

Apostolic succession is the unbroken succession of pastors in any particular office in the Church. We see it perfectly in the highest office of the Church, which is the Chair of Peter or papacy. Only those pastors who occupy an office can have full Apostolic succession. To obtain Apostolic succession, not all pastors must be ordained or consecrated to hold an office, but all ordained or consecrated pastors must hold an office.

When a pastoral office of a particular church or mission becomes vacant, the apostolic mark doesn’t disappear from that particular church or mission or else the particular church or mission would effectively disappear each time the office becomes vacant.

Every particular church and mission of the faithful united to the Chair of Peter has all four marks, because the marks are not dependent on the offices being filled, but only that they can be filled or the potential of being filled. For instance, the Church in Japan, which had no pastors for 300 years, existed with the four marks, because it was united to the Office of Peter and governed by that office, even when there was no pope.

The whole Church is governed by the Chair of Peter when the office is vacant. Proof: The Church must ALWAYS obey and follow the laws and teachings of the Church that stem from the Office of Peter just as we are governed by Christ through His Word and Instruction. The governing would be imperfect, since the Church is in an incomplete or imperfect form without a pope.

Just as the Church can be in an incomplete or imperfect form without a pope, the four marks can be incomplete or imperfect. For instance, during the Great Western Schism, when three men claimed the papacy, the mark of oneness was incomplete or imperfect. The oneness existed but it was difficult to see and understand. The apostolic mark exists in potentiality when it comes to the filling of offices for Apostolic succession, but exists fully in apostolicity in doctrine, which is guaranteed by apostolicity in mission. Since the mission remains with the potentiality of the filling of office, and the Church is one body morally in law and doctrine with the highest office, the mark is still visible and perhaps more visible than the mark of oneness during the time of the Great Western Schism.  

The Bottom Line:

* No other church can have any of the four visible marks that identify the true Church.

* The apostolic mark does not require any office to be filled but only that they can be filled.

* Each and every particular church and mission united to the Chair of Peter has all four marks with or without pastors.

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The Catholic Bottom Line – Part VII

The third mark by which the true Church of Christ can be identified is Catholic or universal. The Church is universal in time, place, and doctrine. She is not confined to one nation or one class of people.

The Roman Catechism: “She is also called universal, because all who desire eternal salvation must cling to and embrace her, like those who entered the ark to escape perishing in the flood. This (note of catholicity), therefore, is to be taught as a most reliable criterion, by which to distinguish the true from a false Church.”

Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, Cantate Domino: “The Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that all those who are outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans but also Jews or heretics and schismatics, cannot share in eternal life and will go into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless they are joined to the Church before the end of their lives.”

Pope Leo XIII, Satis Cognitum #9: “The practice of the Church has always been the same, as is shown by the unanimous teaching of the Fathers, who were wont to hold as outside Catholic communion, and alien to the Church, whoever would recede in the least degree from any point of doctrine proposed by her authoritative magisterium…But he who dissents even in one point from divinely revealed truth absolutely rejects all faith, since he thereby refuses to honor God as the supreme truth and the formal motive of faith… The Church alone offers to the human race that religion – that state of absolute perfection – which He wished, as it were, to be incorporated in it. And it alone supplies those means of salvation which accord with the ordinary counsels of Providence.”

A church that claims that salvation can be attained elsewhere is obviously missing the third mark. A church that declares that it has the fullness of means of salvation but other deficient religions are a means of salvation most definitely does not possess the third mark.

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The Catholic Bottom Line – Part VI

The first mark by which the true Church of Christ can be identified is unity or oneness.

The Roman Catechism explains, “The faith which all are bound to believe and to profess is one.”

That faith which all are bound to believe and to profess consists in the written word of God and in tradition, and those which are proposed by the Church, either in a solemn pronouncement or in her ordinary and universal teaching power, to be believed as divinely revealed, all the judgments and decrees of the Apostolic See, and all points of doctrine proposed by the Church’s authoritative magisterium. [1]

Opinions are not part of the Faith. Catholics may disagree on opinions, which have not been settled by the Church.[2]

God through St. Paul declared to the Ephesians (4:5), “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

For this reason, the public sin of apostasy, heresy, and schism causes persons to be severed from the Church by its very nature. If the Church had visible apostates, heretics, and schismatics, it wouldn’t be visibly one. [3]

Pope Pius XI declared in Mortalium Animos #10: “For since the mystical body of Christ, in the same manner as His physical body, is one, compacted and fitly joined together, it were foolish and out of place to say that the mystical body is made up of members which are disunited and scattered abroad: whosoever therefore is not united with the body is no member of it, neither is he in communion with Christ its head.”

Since the mark is a visible sign of the true Church, it must appear so in the external forum. It’s on this account that theologians can disagree on whether occult heretics are members of the Body of the Church. The Body refers to the external forum. The Soul represents the internal forum. Occult heretics are not united to the Soul of the Church. It’s also on this account that St. Robert Bellarmine could say, “For although Liberius was not a heretic, nevertheless he was considered one, on account of the peace he made with the Arians, and by that presumption the pontificate could rightly be taken from him: for men are not bound, or able to read hearts; but when they see that someone is a heretic by his external works, they judge him to be a heretic pure and simple, and condemn him as a heretic.” (De Romano Pontifice, II, 29)

A church that appears divided in faith is obviously missing the first mark. A church whose laity disagrees with its leader on a doctrine of faith most definitely does not possess the first mark.

 

Footnotes

[1] The First Vatican Council declared: [The object of faith]. Further, by divine and Catholic faith, all those things must be believed which are contained in the written word of God and in tradition, and those which are proposed by the Church, either in a solemn pronouncement or in her ordinary and universal teaching power, to be believed as divinely revealed. (Dogmatic Constitution concerning the Catholic Faith, Ch. 3, FIRST VATICAN COUNCIL, Pope Pius IX) (Denz. 1792)

Pope Pius IX declared in Quanta Cura, Dec. 8, 1864: “And, we cannot pass over in silence the boldness of those who “not enduring sound doctrine” [II Tim. 4:3], contend that “without sin and with no loss of Catholic profession, one can withhold assent and obedience to those judgments and decrees of the Apostolic See, whose object is declared to relate to the general good of the Church and its right and discipline, provided it does not touch dogmas of faith or morals.” There is no one who does not see and understand clearly and openly how opposed this is to the Catholic dogma of the plenary power divinely bestowed on the Roman Pontiff by Christ the Lord Himself of feeding, ruling, and governing the universal Church.”

“You will firmly abide by the true decision of the Holy Roman Church and to this Holy See, which does not permit errors.” (Lateran Council V, Bull ‘Cum postquam’ by Pope Leo X)

Pope Leo XIII declared in Satis Cognitum (# 9), June 29, 1896: “The practice of the Church has always been the same, as is shown by the unanimous teaching of the Fathers, who were wont to hold as outside Catholic communion, and alien to the Church, whoever would recede in the least degree from any point of doctrine proposed by her authoritative Magisterium.”

[2] Theological opinions are free views on aspects of doctrines concerning Faith and morals, which are neither clearly attested in Revelation nor decided by the Teaching Authority of the Church. Their value depends upon the reasons adduced in their favour (association with the doctrine of Revelation, the attitude of the Church, etc.).
A point of doctrine ceases to be an object of free judgment when the Teaching Authority of the Church takes an attitude which is clearly in favour of one opinion. Pope Pius XII explains in the Encyclical “Humani generis” (1950): “When the Popes in their Acts intentionally pronounce a judgment on a long disputed point then it is clear to all that this, according to the intention and will of these Popes, can no longer be open to the free discussion of theologians” (D 3013). (Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma)

[3] Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporis Christi: “For not every sin, however grave it may be, is such as of its own nature to sever a man from the Body of the Church, as does schism or heresy or apostasy.”

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The Catholic Bottom Line – Part V

Pope Leo XIII taught in Satis Cognitum (SC) 5: “‘It happens that, as in the human body, some member may be cut off a hand, a finger, a foot. Does the soul follow the amputated member? As long as it was in the body, it lived; separated, it forfeits its life. So the Christian is a Catholic as long as he lives in the body: cut off from it he becomes a heretic – the life of the spirit follows not the amputated member’ (S. Augustinus, Sermo cclxvii., n. 4).”

The pope continues in SC 8: “‘Our Lord Jesus Christ, when in His Gospel He testifies that those who not are with Him are His enemies, does not designate any special form of heresy, but declares that all heretics who are not with Him and do not gather with Him, scatter His flock and are His adversaries: He that is not with Me is against Me, and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth’ (S. Cyprianus, Ep. lxix., ad Magnum, n. I).”

In both instances, Pope Leo XIII is describing public heretics for he uses the analogies of the body and its members and the flock which gathers or scatters.

So the public heretic is not a Catholic and member of the Church.

Therefore, a Catholic cannot privately believe his pope is a public heretic for it would mean that he privately believes his pope is not a Catholic and member of the Body of the Church. A non-Catholic and non-member of the Catholic Church can’t be at the same time the Head of the Catholic Church.

Ironically, those members of the Vatican 2 religion who have privately judged their Vatican 2 pope to be a heretic have made a judgment against the judgment of their church, which they argue is a dogmatic fact and call a heresy and mortal sin for rejecting.

See here.

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The Catholic Bottom Line – Part IV

Church law requires only cardinals to elect the pope, but it’s by Divine right that Peter has successors. [1]

Professor and Cardinal Louis Billot, S.J. taught, “When it would be necessary to proceed with the election, if it is impossible to follow the regulations of papal law, as was the case during the Great Western Schism, one can accept, without difficulty, that the power of election could be transferred to a General Council…Because natural law prescribes that, in such cases, the power of a superior is passed to the immediate inferior because this is absolutely necessary for the survival of the society and to avoid the tribulations of extreme need.” (De Ecclesia Christi)

[1] Vatican 1 Canon declared, “if anyone then says that it is not from the institution of Christ the Lord Himself, or by Divine right that the blessed Peter has perpetual successors in the primacy over the universal Church . . . let him be anathema.”

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The Catholic Bottom Line – Part III

Withholding assent and obedience to those judgments and decrees of the Apostolic See, whose object is declared to relate to the general good of the Church and its right and discipline, provided it does not touch dogmas of faith or morals, IS A SIN AND THE LOSS OF CATHOLIC PROFESSION. [1]

Pope Pius XII declared:

“Actually, only those are to be included as members of the Church who have been baptized and PROFESS THE TRUE FAITH…” (Mystici Corporis Christi, June 29, 1943.)

 

[1] Pope Pius IX taught:

“And, we cannot pass over in silence the boldness of those who “not enduring sound doctrine” [II Tim. 4:3], contend that “without sin and with no loss of Catholic profession, one can withhold assent and obedience to those judgments and decrees of the Apostolic See, whose object is declared to relate to the general good of the Church and its right and discipline, provided it does not touch dogmas of faith or morals.” There is no one who does not see and understand clearly and openly how opposed this is to the Catholic dogma of the plenary power divinely bestowed on the Roman Pontiff by Christ the Lord Himself of feeding, ruling, and governing the universal Church…Therefore, by our Apostolic authority, we reprobate, proscribe, and condemn all the singular and evil opinions and doctrines severally mentioned in this letter, and will and command that they be thoroughly held by all children of the Catholic Church as reprobated, proscribed and condemned.” (Quanta Cura, Dec 8, 1864.)

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The Catholic Bottom Line – Part II

The Church founded by Christ is Holy. This Second Mark of the Church is de fide.

The First Vatican Council declared that “in the Apostolic See the Catholic religion has always been preserved untainted, and holy doctrine celebrated.”

The Council of Trent, Session XXII, Can. 7: If anyone says that the ceremonies, vestments, and outward signs, which the Catholic Church uses in the celebration of Masses, are incentives to impiety rather than the services of piety: let him be anathema [cf. n. 943]. (D. 954.)

Pope Gregory XVI declared, “Furthermore, the discipline sanctioned by the Church must never be rejected or branded as contrary to certain principles of the natural law. It must never be called crippled, or imperfect or subject to civil authority.” (Mirari Vos)

Pope Leo XIII declared, “There must need be also the fitting and devout worship of God, which is to be found chiefly in the divine Sacrifice and in the dispensation of the Sacraments, as well as salutary laws and discipline. All these must be found in the Church, since it continues the mission of the Saviour forever. The Church alone offers to the human race that religion – that state of absolute perfection – which He wished, as it were, to be incorporated in it. And it alone supplies those means of salvation which accord with the ordinary counsels of Providence.” (Satis Cognitum)

Pope Pius XI declared, “Not least among the blessings which have resulted from the public and legitimate honor paid to the Blessed Virgin and the saints is the perfect and perpetual immunity of the Church from error and heresy.” (Quas Primas)

A Church that promotes erroneous or heretical teachings or practices by law and decree would not be holy. Even the liturgy is perfect. This article of faith is denied by many because the laws, the liturgy, the practices, or the doctrines are considered crippled, harmful, and unholy.

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The Catholic Bottom Line

Due to the fact that many points I make in articles are being overlooked or forgotten, I’ve decided to highlight them in a series of articles. I will add other points relative to sedevacantism and the attacks against it.

The current position of most all sedevacantists is that none of the Vatican 2 popes have lost the pontificate. They never had it. Therefore, all the arguments about a pope losing his office do not actually apply to sedevacantism.

However, our position is the same about how a pope loses his office by way of heresy, apostasy, or schism. He loses it automatically on his own without a declaration from the Church. It’s called defection of faith and canons 188.4 and 1325 cover it.

According to the Church, no one, not even the whole Church, can judge or declare a true pope as a heretical antipope. No one is needed to say that an antipope is an antipope. Therefore, all arguments advocating judging or declaring a true pope heretical are itself heresy.

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