Over the past few months there are those who are claiming the Pope is not the Pope. These voices have become more hysterical as the crisis deepens (this is obviously the work of Lucifer to induce Catholics to abandon the Faith due to Francis' "apostasy").
Let us ask ourselves:
Who would declare the Pope has lost his "office", and by what authority?
Who would decide what "manifest heresy" is, and by what authority?
I refer readers to an article written a number of years ago by Br. Andre Marie, in which he wrote the following:
Regarding the possibility of an heretical pope and his consequent loss of office, I would like to present another argument. Supposing we were to follow the opinions of certain authors that if a pope were to fall into heresy, he would then lose his office. Then suppose that we were to apply that opinion to a certain pope. At best, what we have accomplished is to establish, based upon theological speculation, the possibility that the See of Peter could be vacant. That is all we could do, given the uncertain nature of this situation. At this point, the individual Catholic is at a moral juncture: Either accept a man as the Roman Pontiff whom he thinks might not be pope, or reject him. If he realizes that the claimant to the Apostolic See might be the pope — and he has to admit that he might be — then rejecting the claimant constitutes a schismatic act.
Let me explain. This is what is known in moral theology as a “practical doubt.” About this “practical doubt” the Jesuit moralist, Father Slater, says the following. “If I eat meat with a practical doubt as to whether it is not forbidden on that day by the Church, I commit a sin of the same kind and malice as if I ate meat knowingly on a day of abstinence.” Apply this to the pontificate. If I refuse my subjection to the Roman Pontiff with a practical doubt as to whether or not he is the pope, I commit an act of schism. It’s a form of spiritual Russian Roulette.
Let those who have already fallen into sedevacantism consider Br.Andre Marie again:
“Yes, and we all know what our Lord did. He deposed the high priest and declared the Seat of Moses vacant! Didn’t He?” The point is simply this: If the Man-God himself had enough respect for the sovereign pontiff of the law of types and figures as to say of the heretical Jew who was soon to murder Him, that he sat “in the seat of Moses,” how does anyone in the present law, the more perfect law, dare to do the opposite? Let me spell this out. Our Lord was not a sedevacantist. The evil deicide heretic who had authority over the “church” of Israel, was still the head of the true Religion. The religious society of the Old Law was still intact.
Anyone wishing to save his soul could look to this office for leadership. Its sacrifices were accepted by God, and despite the abusive use to which it was put, the prophetical office was even maintained by this man. What did St. John say about Caiphas’ prophesy of our Lord’s death? “And this he spoke not of himself: but being the high priest of that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation.” No matter how you view it, the present Pope’s actions come nowhere near the iniquity of Caiphas.
Friends, the temptation to schism (and heresy) will increase as Rome darkens. DO NOT abandon the Faith for some Synagogue of Satan. The Church is ONE and She is visible.
We have a lot of spiritual work before us. Are we ready and willing to take on this task? If we are, then we can delay the coming of Antichrist and his False Prophet.
At the coming of Antichrist there will be an imposter on the Throne of Peter, a bishop, but not the Pope: he is known in Sacred Scripture as the False Prophet, and he will serve Antichrist.
However, we have yet to see the manifestation of Antichrist, a Jew who will be the agent of Lucifer and a monstrous parody of Our Lord Jesus Christ. However, we do see definite spiritual and geopolitical signs that the stage is being set for the manifestation of the Man of Perdition.
It is our duty, as Catholics, to pray for the Pope, as it was the duty of Jews to pray for Caiphas, the "pope" of the then, true Old Testament Church. The Jews failed in their duty, and Caiphas committed the greatest spiritual crime in history: Deicide.
With the Crucifixion of the Messiah, the Jews fell into mass apostasy and the faithful remnant of Israel entered the Church, the New and only Israel. Let us pray for the Pope, so that he does not commit the second gravest crime in history: becoming the False Prophet, and serving Antichrist.
Pray for the Pope, pray for the conversion of the Jews.
Most of those who believe Francis is not pope do not say he lost his office because of heresy. Most believe either that Benedict did not validly resign, or that Francis was not validly elected because of the multiple violations of JPII's UDG, which said that one violation nullifies an election.
ReplyDeleteIf pope francis isnt the pope and benedict is then francis is creating a flase church a religious deception and his followers are in schism. While the true church maybe in eclipse it is still visible
ReplyDeleteAgree with Mary’s comment, 100%. This argument that the Church and the Pope must be visible is abused. For all who have eyes to see and reason...
ReplyDeleteDuring the last couple of millennia, the Church has witnessed the emergence and eventual identification of antipopes-men who appeared and claimed to be Pope, but in truth were not. This appearance did not validate their claims, and neither did their existence render the Church invisible. Like many proffered defenses of Bergoglian legitimacy, the argument presented above proves too much.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, it must be noted that the "doubt" constitutes a double-edged sword. If refusing submission to a true Pope is schism, then giving it to a false one is idolatry.
This is why the Bergoglian claim must be examined by the Church. People anxious to remind others of a lack of competence to proclaim that Benedict is still reigning would do well to mitigate their own confidence in "Pope Francis" with the same objective circumspection.
MaryP is correct. One Pope must leave the *Office* validly and completely - through death (normally) or abandonment (valid and complete resignation) before another Pope is elevated to the Office. Failing that, Conclave invalid.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know why so many Catholics blithely accept what has never been seen before: two visible Popes. “Properly Manifested” (Canon 332.2) that is not.
His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI (he insists on this title .... the Emeritus suffix has no place in Sacred Tradition) never left. So he cannot be restored.
Importantly, but not exclusively, the new fellow has none of the marks of a Pope, all of the marks of anti-Pope. The Chinese Christians have been abandoned. God wills a multiplicity of faiths. Make a mess. Who am I to judge. According to conscience, sodomites may receive Holy Eucharist. The death penalty is no longer admissible. Sodomites advance and are protected in the Church while faithful Tradition is persecuted.
It is clear to me, Sacred Tradition does not bind me to accept two visible Popes and this new unheard of, baseless theological term - Emeritus Pope.
There have been far worse elections to the papacy than this one. Yet, those popes, were popes. They were never declared anti-Popes, even for the grave crimes committed in obtaining the papacy. So no the election is not invalidated or nullified.
ReplyDeleteAs to "doubt", it exists for those who who "doubt" the occupant of the See of Peter is not the Pope. There is no other doubt. The only judge on the Pope is a future Pope. There is no other way. To claim the See of Peter is vacant, or its occupant is not Pope without recourse to the Pope is a self-contradiction. It is absurd for the lay faithful to claim authority in deciding who is Pope and who is not.
I now ask those who state Francis is not Pope: where do you go to Mass, from whom do you receive the Sacraments? You cannot attend any parish that has his name in the Canon. Further, aligning yourself with Benedict is of no use, because from the moment he aligned himself with Francis, he too, fell into apostasy and heresy and left the Church. You see where this all leads?
@ Barona:
ReplyDeleteOk. You pray for the intentions of the Pope at every Holy Mass, right? Are you aware of what his intentions are? Do you really want those intentions spread throughout the Church? Are you going to incorporate those intentions into your own life and into those of your spouse, children? Married Priests. Female clergy. God as “Father-Mother-Creator” (Amazon Synod). Adulterous relationships permitted to receive communion. Chinese Bishops chosen by the Communist Party. The death penalty, now inadmissible. (Etc).
You pray for his intentions, and so you receive communion. Do you honestly, in your heart of hearts pray for his intentions; earnestly hope they are enacted throughout the world? He clearly wants you to accept these teachings; incorporate them carefully into your life. Are you? Do you honor every word and teaching of the Pope and instruct your family in them all?
Because if you are praying that prayer in Mass, *you had better mean it*.
I, on the other hand, explained very clearly to my Faith Formation Director, and then to my Priest, my firmly held convictions ... arrived at after many years of conscience formation and consideration .... that Jorge Bergoglio is not the Pope - His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI is, and that I cannot acknowledge Francis as Pope. I then willingly and clearly submitted myself to his authority to take away the Sacraments at his judgement. He did not do so. Neither of them did. Short story: my position was clearly affirmed. I receive the Sacraments in good conscience. I worship God Almighty. I venerate His Blessed Mother. I submit myself to all *valid* Popes who have ever lived *in union* with Jesus Christ my Lord.
Let's get to the nuts and bolts of the matter, and look at Sacred Scripture, Mt 16: 19: “And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.” THIS A PROMISE OF CHRIST GRANTED TO PETER UPON HIS PROFESSION OF LOVE! Christ never breaks his Promises! so can anyone really say that if Satan’s vicar, indeed any Pope, binds the Church with an official law (as Bergoglio has supposedly done in placing it in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis) that allows divorced and remarried Catholics living as man and wife, demanding Marriage rights, Our Lord is going to bind such a thing in Heaven? Give me a break! One would be making a hypocrite out of Christ, whereby he says it’s not OK for those in mortal sin to receive Holy Communion, but it is OK for those in mortal sin to receive Holy Communion. In fact to hold such a position one would indeed be blaspheming Our Dear Lord already so outraged today. I’m sorry, but this is not a matter of a practical doubt, it's a matter of fact. This is but a brief argument concerning the Papacy of Francis. But neither can I be considered to be a sedevacantist, because I have shown that Benedict is the true Pope in my treatise on his renunciation, beginning with the official Latin text of his Announcement. Any questions and/or objections would be most welcome. God bless, Father Belland
ReplyDeleteI didn't say either thing. I was just taking issue with the article's saying that those who say that Francis is not pope pope say so because they think he is in heresy. From what I see, most say F is not pope because of a problem with the resignation or the election
ReplyDeleteFAther BElland, would you post a link to your thesis? I would like to see the original Latin of the renunciation.
ReplyDeleteThe former Pope Benedict is clear that he resigned the papal Office, as he informed the German press in 2018. Attempts to impose private judgement on who is or who is not Pope just doesn't fly.
ReplyDeleteFurther, I cannot allow schismatic or quasi-schismatic commentary that will further confuse the Faithful. You shall have to exchange your information in some other way, but Toronto Catholic Witness will not become some clearing house for protestantism, masquerading as Catholicism. Every heretic and schismatic always thinks he is saving the Church.