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Defend Tradition Dogma Heresy Tradition

Defending the Sacred Tradition Part 4 – The Society of St. Pius X

These changes the results of liturgical abuses such as clown mass and pagan rituals enter the church including the Holy Mass. Some priest approves of faithful marrying other religion sect and convert to their religion. Some Priests are not wearing cassock and some nuns often removing their veils. Catechism is no longer available in most of the church today. This is what Archbishop Lefebvre warn us of disorder than becomes a danger to out faith. This is why Pope St. Pius V fixed when there’s a disorder in the church and this is why St. Pius X restore so we can once again worship Christ in the right manner and strengthen our faith. When Archbishop Lefebvre retired as Superior General of Holy Ghost Fathers, he was approached by young French seminarians who are traditionalist. 

Let me pause for a moment to make a note that Sanhedrin.net is not affiliated to the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) or any Traditional Catholic Societies. But we have the same goal to spread and teach the readers about the Sacred Tradition including the Traditional Latin Mass.

When the young seminarians asked the archbishop to teach them according to the Tradition, he was hesitating at first because he is too old to guide them. But after a while, he was convinced because he thinks this is the sign from God. In 1970, he founded the Priestly Society of St. Pius X or SSPX with the permission of Bishop François Charrière, Bishop of Lausanne. It continues the Sacred Tradition, including the Traditional Latin Mass or the Tridentine Mass, which contradicts the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. SSPX becomes a center of controversy as they continue the Sacred Tradition, many people followed and attend their Holy Mass including those who have not agreed with the changes of Vatican II. Because of his old age, He decided to consecrate four bishops of the SSPX, though the Vatican doesn’t want him to continue to consecrate four Bishops. Pope John Paul II condemned this consecration and treat it as schismatic act and they were automatically excommunicated (But the Society of St. Pius X is not excommunicated, only Lefebvre, the archbishops who joined the consecration and the consecrated bishops) 

Did Archbishop Lefebvre and his four bishops commit a schismatic act? The answer is NO. Even though they did not follow the orders of the Pope, archbishop consecrates four bishops to continue the sacred tradition, Archbishop’s act was stated in the canon 1323 no. 4 of the 1983 Code Canon Law “a person who acted coerced by grave fear, even if only relatively grave, or due to necessity or grave inconvenience unless the act is intrinsically evil or tends to the harm of souls”. So, what does the canon stated “tends to the harm of souls?” The teachings of Vatican II are harm to our souls. That is why Archbishop Lefebvre and the SSPX choose not to follow its teachings. And since they followed the Canon Law, the excommunication of Archbishop Lefebvre and the four bishops are not official or effective. We are now currently living in the End Times and this is where we must strengthen our faith to God as Pope St. Pius V and Pope St. Pius X did in the past and do not be afraid. Because some clergy and ordinary faithful are already following the path that Archbishop Lefebvre started…

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Defend Tradition Dogma Heresy Tradition

Defending the Sacred Tradition Part 3 – The Vatican II Council and Archbishop Lefebvre

Before the Vatican II Council started, Pope John XXIII pointed Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre as one of the Central Preparatory Commission for the council. Archbishop Lefebvre has a good background and a record in the church. He is a defender of the Catholic Faith and the sacred tradition. He was assigned to draft and prepare the documents for the Second Vatican Council. But after the first session of the council, the drafts were rejected because the council wants to focus on reformation that gives more favor to modernism and for the protestants. Archbishop Lefebvre together with other bishops who rejected the reforms of the Vatican II Council organized a group called “Coetus Internationalis Patrum (International Group of Fathers)” to stop the reformation and to maintain the sacred tradition but ends in a failure. It also results that many clergy disagree with his views, including the Holy Ghost Fathers, a religious congregation where he is a superior general. He resigned as a superior general of the Holy Ghost Fathers because he refused to implement Vatican II Council inspired reforms. 

Why did Archbishop Lefebvre and other archbishops refuse the reformation of the Vatican II Council? Because it is dangerous to our faith. He predicted that this council inspired change will lead to disorder which we are now experiencing today, such as communion in the hand, different versions of the Mass in different places (which Pope St. Pius V changed), liturgical dances and removing the Holy Sacrifice as it slowly becomes an entertainment to the faith full. Second, it gains more favor to the protestants which resulted that our Holy Mass is now similar to the Protestants. Third is that the Council’s ecumenism is where other religions that did not institute by our Lord Jesus Christ is part of the Catholic Church including Paganism. This council inspired is a poison to our faith, and it is sad to see that those people who are not aware of this are now slowly drinking this poison. But God never abandoned us, He loves us very much and the Blessed Virgin Mary will continue to guide us… One year after the resignation of Archbishop Lefebvre from the Holy Ghost Fathers, he was approached by a group of Traditionalist of French Seminary.

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Defend Tradition Dogma Heresy Tradition

Defending the Sacred Tradition Part 2 – The Modernism and Pope St. Pius X

Modernism may be a good evolution for the mankind but it has a side of evil which the Catholic Church faced during the 20th Century. And modernism also enters the church that affects some of the clergy. The effects of Modernism made a change in the church like the modern music that slowly enters the Holy Mass while the Gregorian Chant slowly fades in different churches. It also makes the Holy Mass look like an orchestra rather than a Holy Sacrifice and some musicians after they played their part will have a chat to each other that bothers the Mass. The the priest will have to wait the music to finish before he continues his activities in the Holy Mass. But what evil does the modernism have? There are good in modernism such as automobiles, because will not have to walk or ride a horse in days or years. Telephones are also good because you don’t have to send a messenger to a far away land and received it after one or two years. Films and music to entertain us if we want to relax. But the evil of modernism that we talk about is against the faith of God. Why it is against the faith of God? Simple, modernism teaches us to love and accept other religions, including those who worshipped false Gods, accepting the teaching of the Protestantism and believe the scientific theory as truth. And mostly, as Protestanism spread and accept modernism, they make the people happy and enjoy while worshipping in God in their which they make fun the Sacred Tradition of having a Holy Sacrifice during the Mass. Many people joined the protestantism because they want to feel good and happy instead of making a sacrifice for God during the Holy Mass. This is what the evil of modernism has, it will cause heresy, danger to the faith and poison to the church. 

The previous Popes may be against Modernism, but there no major act against it. Until one Pope faces the Modernism without hesitation. And that is Pope St. Pius X. When he was elected a Pope in 1903, he fought modernism inside the church as it slowly enters the church. His motto is “To restore all things to Christ”. He restored the Gregorian Chant and brought back the glory of the Holy Mass. He encouraged people to often receive Holy Communion instead receiving it once a year. Because the teaching of protestantism and modernism has spread all over the world, he ordered all the churches around the world to have Catechism to spread the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, the apostles and the Catholic Church. Even he acquired enemies and critics, he still faces it and fight the evil of modernism with courage because of his love to God. 

Sadly, his great battle against the evil of modernism was forgotten when the Vatican II Council began, which it embraces modernism and had more concern to protestants that brings heresy instead of the Catholic Faith that has the truth. Let us pray to St. Pius X and to the Blessed Virgin Mary to help us to defend the Sacred Tradition of the Church and asked them to pray for us to God.

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Defend Tradition Dogma Heresy Tradition

Defending the Sacred Tradition Part 1 – St. Pius V and Martin Luther

He saw the corruption in the Church and then started to spread false teachings, including having his own interpretation of the Sacred Scripture and the Justification of Faith Alone (Sola Fide). Because of his heresies, he was excommunicated in 1520. Then he began establishing a new church and his false teaching spread that led others to build their own church according to their own interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures which resulted in the birth of Protestanism.

They started attacking the Sacred Tradition of the Church, including the doctrines of Purgatory, Praying to the Saints, to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the one that they attack the most, the Eucharist and the Holy Mass. They targeted the faithful, including priests who did not know the faith and doctrines of the Church. As Protestantism spread, it won the hearts of many people, the priests as well as the hearts of various princes, including those in Germany. Pope Paul III wished for a council as a counter-reform which resulted in the Council of Trent. But the council was delayed a few times because of war and the attacks of the Protestants until it reached its end in 1563 with resulted in the condemning of all Protestant doctrines, Catholic Church leadership reformation, proclamation that Church’s interpretation of the Bible was unquestionable and the proclamation that the Sacred Tradition have much authority as Scripture. Even though the Council of Trent has ended, the problem in the Church is still unresolved.

Until a Dominican Priest and Cardinal, Antonio Ghislieri was elected as Pope in 1566 and took the name of Pius V. As a priest, he supported the papacy against the Protestants. He was known to inculcate discipline, develop the practice of monastic virtues and as a Dominican, he has a devotion to the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was ordained Bishop of Sutri and became Pope after the death of Pope Paul IV with the support of St.Charles Borromeus. As pope, he imposed the canons and decrees of the Council of Trent. He fixed the problems that the previous pope cannot like dismissing the Papal Court Jester, forbidding horse racing in St. Peter’s square, severe sanctions were imposed against blasphemy, adultery and sodomy which he became the subject of hatred in Rome. He also championed and reinforced the Holy Tradition of the Church. And eventually he abolished the sale of indulgence in 1567. As the protestants attacked the sacred tradition, including the Holy Mass, he promulgated the Tridentine Mass and made it mandatory where all the priest must celebrate it to make the church united. And as a Dominican, he also established a devotion to the Holy Rosary, and to be recited to all the church and faithful to the world.

In this article we have looked at the differences between Saint Pius V and Martin Luther. Martin Luther, having seen the problems within the church, decided to become heretical, left the church and create his own. On the other hand, St. Pope Pius V, stayed in the church and resolved the problems from the inside.

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Dogma Mariology

The Dogmas of the Virgin Mary Part Four – The Assumption

But since the Pope has already declared the dogma and we take the account from traditions, it is what we believe. And why is the Virgin Mary so unique to the Assumption? What did she do? We know the Blessed Virgin was innocent from the very beginning. From the moment of her conception and when she was born, she had no original sin. And so the Archangel Saint Gabriel said: “Thou art full of grace, blessed are you among all women.” God has chosen the Blessed Virgin to the Theotokos, Mother of God and Mother of the Savior. “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

And since the Blessed Virgin is most pure, her reward is to be taken up into Heaven both her body and soul or have an Assumption. If the Lord had prepared rooms for His Apostles in Heaven, he would have prepared more for His Mother. So the Virgin was led to Heaven with body and soul.

So how did this happen? The time of the departing of the Blessed Virgin came. Also, during this time, the Apostles were spreading the Good News across the world. Some angels told them (the Apostles) that the Virgin was nearing the hour of her departure. The apostles returned to where the Virgin was located – in Ephesus. Ten Apostles arrived because Saint John was already in Ephesus with the Holy Mother. They reached the Virgin Mother before she went to sleep (Dormition). The last to arrive was Saint Thomas. He asked if he could see the Blessed Virgin for the last time. But when Saint Thomas went to the grave, there was no longer the body of the Blessed Virgin. She has already been assumed or taken up into Heaven. You can find this event in the vision of Blessed Anne Catherine Emerich.

The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption every August 15. What does this dogma say? It tells us that if we do good and continue doing good, we will one day be in the company of Our Lord in Heaven.

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Dogma Eucharist Heresy Protestantism

The Council of Trent

What is the Council of Trent?

The Council of Trent is a meeting of the Cardinals in Trent. Its main objective is Catholic Reformation or Catholic Revival.

When is the Council of Trent began?

The Council of Trent began on 1543 by Pope Paul III.

Why Pope Paul III started the Council of Trent?

It is to condemn the heresies of the Protestants and to fix the issues such as corrupt bishops, priest, financial issues abuse such as the popular selling of indulgences and some faithful Catholics including the priest are not able to defend the Catholic Faith against the protestants. Because of Luther’s Sola Scriptura (Scriptures Alone) and Sola Fide (Faith Alone) teachings, the protestants mainly attack the papacy, the purgatory, the sacraments including the Holy Mass because they are not primary named in the Holy Bible. Some protestants also attacked the mistranslation of the scriptures, prayers including the Roman Missal.

What are the results of the Council of Trent?

During the end of Council of Trent by Pope St. Pius V, the selling of indulgences was abolished. Pope St. Pius V, reform the Holy Mass and named it “Tridentine Mass”. His objective is not to create a new Mass but to return the Holy Mass by making it more uniformed. Before the council of Trent, every church in the world has their own version of the Holy Mass and was celebrated in vernacular language. In the Tridentine Mass, the language that will be used is Latin and some parts of the Mass that was removed during the previous centuries was reused. Pope Pius V commanded that the Tridentine Mass is the only version that will be celebrated in the world. The Council of Trent also released a Cathecism that can be used by the priest and also the faithful in their catechism. The Tridentine Mass is the form of the Mass that was used until in 1969, under the Vatican II Council, Pope Paul VI reformed the Mass according to the modern world which the church used the version of the Protestants. But some Traditional Catholic Societies still used the Tridentine Mass.

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Dogma Heresy

The Poison Called Heresy

St. Paul prophesied about these false teachings in his letter to Timothy:

“The time is sure to come when people will not accept sound teaching, but their ears will be itching for anything new and they will collect themselves a whole series of teachers according to their own tastes; and then they will shut their ears to the truth and will turn to myths.”
2 Timothy, 4:3-4 New Jerusalem Bible

St. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, defines heresy as “a species of infidelity in men who, having professed the faith of Christ, corrupt its dogmas”. Heresy is a formal denial or opposition to the accepted dogma and established doctrines of the Church.

Heresy is different from apostasy and schism. Apostasy is completely abandoning the Christian faith by embracing a new ideology or religion. Heretics never leave the faith in Christ. In short, they are still technically Christians in beliefs. Schism, on the other hand is a separation from the unity of the Church because of an unresolved internal issue. Throughout history, the division within the Church was commonly connected to the Papal authority. Schismatics, because of anger, pride or ambition, separate themselves from the communion of the Church. They are not necessarily heretics because they may believe in the established doctrines of the Church. They can be considered as rebels than heretics. To sum it up, heresy denies faith while schism opposes love.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church discusses the differences: “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” (CCC 2089).

Who can commit heresy?

A person must be baptized and a member of the Church to commit heresy. A baptized person who refuses to be corrected even though he is aware of the teaching of the Church is a heretic. He who is fully aware of a dogma but has already chosen to violate and even commit contrary teaching is also a heretic. But if that person is open for correction and sincerely unaware of the Truth, he is not committing heresy.

Do we consider the Jews, Muslims or other Christian denomination heretics?

Jews, Muslims and other Christian sects are not heretics since they do not practice a valid baptism, they are just a separate religion.

How about the Protestants?

The proponents of the Protestant Reformation were Catholic priests that is why Protestantism is considered a heresy and the proponents like Martin Luther are heretics. They were baptized and was correctly taught the Catholic faith but instead rejected the Truth and propagated false doctrines known as The Five Solas. These false doctrines persist in some Catholics today.

How does the Church counter these heresies?

The Holy Church makes decisions through Councils and from time to time, ecumenical councils are assembled in order to counter these heresies. From these councils, doctrines are established to get rid of confusions and fortify the faith of the flock. An example of these councils is the Council of Trent, which was convened to counter the poison of the Protestant Reformation.

Heresies persist up to this age to confuse the faith of the flock. The Holy Trinity, the Divinity of Christ, the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the Perpetual Virginity of Mary and the Immaculate Conception are some of the doctrines that are being attacked every now and then. The heresy of Modernism has a great effect on the current state of the Church, most specially on the traditional rituals and process within the Church which were altered in order to adapt to the modern times. The heresy of the Prosperity Doctrine is a great poison that deceives a number of Catholics. This heresy promises entitlement to material and physical blessing as long as you believe in Him. This is false because God never promises a life of prosperity and comfort in this world, but by keeping our faith to Him, He promises our freedom from pain and poverty in the afterlife. By sincerely praying to Him, He will supply our needs, and that is not necessarily having an abundant life. We always pray for God’s will to be done – all the time.

St. Paul advised us through his message to Timothy:

“But you must keep steady all the time; put up with suffering; do the work of preaching the gospel; fulfill the service asked of you.”

2 Timothy, 4:5

Let us remain firm to our Catholic beliefs and always ask the Blessed Virgin Mary’s for guidance and redemption from these poisons.

 


 

More Readings:
https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/heresy
https://www.newadvent.org/summa/3011.htm
https://www.catholicbible101.com/thefivesolas.htm

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Dogma Mariology

The Dogmas of the Blessed Virgin Mary  Part Four – The Assumption

But since the Pope has already declared the dogma and we take the account from traditions, it is what we believe. And why is the Virgin Mary so unique to the Assumption? What did she do? We know the Blessed Virgin was innocent from the very beginning. From the moment of her conception and when she was born, she had no original sin. And so the Archangel Saint Gabriel said: “Thou art full of grace, blessed are you among all women.” God has chosen the Blessed Virgin to the Theotokos, Mother of God and Mother of the Savior. “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

And since the Blessed Virgin is most pure, her reward is to be taken up into Heaven both her body and soul or have an Assumption. If the Lord had prepared rooms for His Apostles in Heaven, he would have prepared more for His Mother. So the Virgin was led to Heaven with body and soul.

So how did this happen? The time of the departing of the Blessed Virgin came. Also, during this time, the Apostles were spreading the Good News across the world. Some angels told them (the Apostles) that the Virgin was nearing the hour of her departure. The apostles returned to where the Virgin was located – in Ephesus. Ten Apostles arrived because Saint John was already in Ephesus with the Holy Mother. They reached the Virgin Mother before she went to sleep (Dormition). The last to arrive was Saint Thomas. He asked if he could see the Blessed Virgin for the last time. But when Saint Thomas went to the grave, there was no longer the body of the Blessed Virgin. She has already been assumed or taken up into Heaven. You can find this event in the vision of Blessed Anne Catherine Emerich.

The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Assumption every August 15. What does this dogma say? It tells us that if we do good and continue doing good, we will one day be in the company of Our Lord in Heaven.

Categories
Dogma Tradition

The Sacred Tradition

What is the Sacred Tradition?

The Sacred Tradition or the Oral Tradition is the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostles by the word of mouth. Some of the teachings of our Lord and the Apostles are not written in the Sacred Scriptures. And some of these teachings are taught by the apostles to their disciples, the Church Fathers.

What is the Sacred Scripture?

The Sacred Scriptures are the writings of the followers of one True God, from the time of Moses to the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. In short, it’s the Holy Bible. The bible was compiled under the Pope Saint Damasus I and was translated to Latin by Saint Jerome that resulted into the Vulgate.

What are the examples of the Sacred Tradition?

The examples of the Sacred Traditions are the Holy Mass, the Apostolic Succession and Papacy, The Holy Sacraments, the Sacramentals, Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Saints and the Angels and the Purgatory.

Does the Sacred Tradition match to Sacred Scriptures?

Yes. Let me give some of the examples of the Sacred Tradition that matches the Sacred Scriptures:

  1. The Catholic Church – Foretold in the Old Testament such as Isaiah 2:2-3 and Micah 4:1-2 until its foundation in Matthew 16:18-19 in the New Testament.
  2. Intercession – On the book of Tobias 12:12, the Angel present prayers to God. Then on Luke 16:27-31 where there’s a intercession by departed man for his brothers. Saint Paul asks for Intercessory prayers on his Letters to the Romans (Romans 15:30-32) and to the Ephesians (Ephesians 6:18-20). And from the Book of Revelation where the Angel presents the prayers of the Saints to God (Revelation 8:3-4).
  3. Purgatory – The controversial place which the protestants denied to believe because its name was never be found in the Bible. Yes, the name does not exist but the description and its functionality described in the Bible, like in Matthew 5:26 and Luke 12:59 where it says the soul will not be released until all debts are paid, which the debts are the sins. Then in Saint Paul’s letter to the Corinthians stated that a man will be saved but through fire (1 Corinthians 3:15), and the fire that Saint Paul stated is the fire in Purgatory. In Revelation 21:27, stated that “Nothing unclean shall enter Heaven”, which means a man who lives on earth faithfully to God but still has a stain of sin like the venial sins, must go through purgatory to be cleansed.

Even though these traditions are not written, we must remember that not all teachings of our Lord or the Apostles are written in the sacred scriptures, and they teach them by words just like what Saint Paul the Apostle said “Brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle”. Also, we must follow the traditional teaching of the Church with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Source: My Catholic Source

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Dogma Mariology

The Dogmas of the Blessed Virgin Mary  Part Three – Immaculate Conception

Let us take this one by one. The Pope said it was a privilege. Why did he say that? Let us look at the greeting of the Archangel Saint Gabriel – “Ave, full of grace. The Lord is in you”. And so with Saint Elizabeth’s greetings – “Blessed are you amongst women.” The Blessed Virgin would not receive the totality of grace in her soul if it had a mark of the spiritual death caused by the stain of the original sin. Saints like St. Justine, St. Ireneues, St. Ephriem, St. Ambrose, and St. Agustine are also testifying by the said teachings. The feast of the Immaculate Conception has been celebrated in the Greek Church since the 7th century and throughout Europe in the 12th century.

In a proof stated by Saint Thomas Aquinas, the redemption of the Blessed Virgin is a preservative redemption. It was a different kind of saving from what happened in humanity. What happened to humanity is liberative redemption. In common salvation, because man is in sin, we need to be cleansed. Let us describe it this way. There was mud on our path, and we were soiled with it as we passed by the path. Then we were cleaned from it through washing. But because the Virgin has preservative redemption, she has been kept away from contacting mud even before crossing it and therefore has not been soiled by it.
That is why God, when He came down to earth, chose to be His Mother, somebody who never became a companion of evil or never became under the dominion of sin. Because He will live in her womb for nine months, naturally, she should be immaculately clean. The Redeemer should have a Mother who was born and conceived immaculately.
Having this privilege also means that the Blessed Virgin has never had an instant of disobedience to God. She has become obedient to God. Also, through this privilege, her intelligence has never experienced a mistake. Her judgment is always correct. That’s why she is called the Seat of Wisdom, Virgin Most Prudent, and Mother of Good Counsel.

All four of the Virgin’s Dogmas are linked to one another because being the Mother of God means that the Blessed Virgin should be without sin and remain an eternal Virgin. And because she was immaculate, she was ascended into heaven with the body and soul. That is why the Dear Virgin is genuinely unique to all creations – blessed amongst women. Here is where the series about the Marian Dogmas will end. In the future, we hope to have more Dogmas regarding our Dear Mother.

The Sanhedrin was the forum for the pharisees, who believed in the resurrection and in angels, and the saducees, who are akin to new theories and philosophies. All beliefs and philosophies concerning God and His creation are allowed to be expressed here.

 

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