There is no denying.
Some Catholic media outlets won't say it publicly but they know it just like the rest of us who aren't ostriches.
For example [there are so many to pick from] a pope who says hell is not eternal because any soul that has been damned will be destroyed, is speaking heresy.
This is wrong because 1) damnation is eternal, 2) souls are not destroyed they are eternal, and 3) this is a basic teaching of the Holy Catholic Church that must be accepted and believed because Jesus Christ himself stated such in Sacred Scripture (Matthew 25:46).
Catechism: 1035 The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, "eternal fire." 617 The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.
Catechism: 2089 Incredulity is the neglect of revealed truth or the willful refusal to assent to it. "Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same; apostasy is the total repudiation of the Christian faith; schism is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him." 11
That said, we, the faithful (key word here) should not abandon ship.
Our first pope, Saint Peter was corrected by Saint Paul when he was in error, he accepted the correction and that was that, as the saying goes.
Pope Honorius I, believed that Christ had only Divine Will (Monothelitism) during his time as pope. He pushed and taught this heresy through out his papacy and many followed and believed him- perhaps because...well, he was the pope!
They ignorantly thought that a pope could change the Faith and go against centuries of Sacred Teaching. They were wrong, and those who did not repent paid the ultimate price for it. Excommunication and death outside the Salvation found in Christ's Holy Catholic Church.
Pope Honorius I was not condemned as a heretic for decades AFTER his death during the Third Council of Constantinople. Yet he was pope and the Church did not collapse or self destruct because he blathered heresy. What did happen was he created a following of a bunch of heretics who like himself were eventually excommunicated. To those of you out there swallowing the heresies of any Catholic clergy, open your eyes. Your very salvation depends upon it.
Sadly, there were others like Honorius I in the history of our Church and unfortunately, there may be more in the future. Had Honorius I accepted correction, he would not have died an excommunicated heretic.
Now we have Pope Francis, preparing to celebrate...er...commemorate another excommunicated heretic who died outside the Church. Martin Luther.
Will Pope Francis accept correction (see yesterday's post HERE) before he dies and is (in my opinion) declared a heretic by some future council? I certainly pray and hope so.
Mr. Louie Verrecchio apparently disagrees with me on this -or am I reading this wrong? [my apologies if I'm reading this wrong]
Over at AKACatholic.com in his "Pope or Anti-pope: Does it matter?" post, Mr. Verrecchio wrote the following...
Over at AKACatholic.com in his "Pope or Anti-pope: Does it matter?" post, Mr. Verrecchio wrote the following...
Quote: Even so, let’s consider some of the arguments being floated to this end:– A future pope will have to sort this mess out for us; we are unable.
The Church is mired in an unprecedented crisis that has been festering for more than five decades now.
In such an environment as this, it is entirely unreasonable – irresponsible even – to simply sit back and wait for a new conclave to elect an intrepid defender of the Faith who will right the ship and set the record straight. I mean, let’s face it, folks – the papabile talent pool is no more than ankle deep at this point.
Rest assured, Our Lord is not asking us to set aside our intelligence and ability to reason in this matter; on the contrary, we need to make use of these God-given gifts all the more in the absence of true shepherds.[clipped]
My response is, look at previous councils! This is how the Church works and has always worked. The Third Council of Constantinople- decades after Pope Honoriuos I's, death declared him a heretic and his teachings heretical. This might very well be the case with Pope Francis himself should he refuse correction.
So what do we Catholics do when we have a current pope speaking heresy and commemorating heretics?
Mr. Verrecchio in his post says we have two options, "fight or flight"...
Quote:
It’s “fight or flight.”
In the face of this unprecedented attack on the Petrine ministry, the “visible foundation” of the Church, some Catholic commentators will flee, and it must be said that flight has its rewards. Others will dig in and fight, which is always carried out at a cost.
I choose the latter.[end]
Again I ask, am I reading this correctly?
I hope he means 'fight'...but if he means 'flight'...no!
Flight? Flight to where? Mr. Verrecchio does not elaborate- and after re-reading this a few times I am admittedly unclear as to which "latter" he is referring to. That said, my response stands for all who are considering "flight"- that is not an option for Catholics!
I hope he means 'fight'...but if he means 'flight'...no!
Flight? Flight to where? Mr. Verrecchio does not elaborate- and after re-reading this a few times I am admittedly unclear as to which "latter" he is referring to. That said, my response stands for all who are considering "flight"- that is not an option for Catholics!
We do not take flight. We are the church militant on earth. We fight! We stand with the teachings handed down to us from the Church. We reject heresy- even when it comes from a pope.
What we never do is take flight from Christ's Holy Catholic Church.
We are not cowards. Our Lord is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Holy Catholic Church is His Church and as such we must cling to Her regardless of who is pope or what heresy might come from his lips.
There is no where else to go folks. Please don't fear a heretical pope. Cling to your Faith as it was handed down to you over the centuries. Popes come and popes go. We have good ones, we have great ones and occasionally we have heretical ones.
Do not take flight. Fight.
In Christ,
Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner
***Addition: I truly hope that Mr. Verrecchio means "fight" and not "flight". My message in this post remains to those who have or are thinking of taking "flight" from the Church.***
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