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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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Heresy Modernism Protestantism

The Born-Again Christians

Who are the Born-Again Christians?

They are the protestants who have more modern approach. They called themselves megachurches and nondenominational Christians. Their name is from John 3:3 of the New Testament.

When the Born-Again Christian began?

Their origin was traced back from Martin Luther because they are still part of Protestantism. But according to Philip St. Romain their origin was traced back in 1909-1915. But the word “born-again” popularized in America when Jimmy Carter run for president.

What do you mean modern approach?

In our modern time, when someone is suffering or sad, they have an urge of something that makes them happy. One of the methods of the Born Again are music to attract people and words from the Bible that most people can relate.

What are the similarities of the Born-Again Christians and First Protestant Sects?

The first protestant sects have their own churches similar to the Catholic and Orthodox Church. But most of the Born-Again Christians have no churches, instead they have their founder’s house or a building as their headquarters. They also believe in Faith Alone and Scriptures Alone. They also don’t accept some books from the Bible and remove some books, chapters and verses which is contradict their belief.

What are the similarities of the Born-Again Christians and the Catholic Church?

Just like other Protestant Sects, they also believe in the Holy Trinity like the Catholic Church.

What are the differences of the Born-Again Christians and the First Protestant Sects?

The Born-Again Christians has more modern approach than the first Protestant Sects. They have no ordination and anyone can become a minister.

Do the Protestant have Seven Sacraments?

Similar to the first Protestant sects, they only have two sacraments: Baptism and Eucharist. Some have no Sacrament of Eucharist and Matrimony is not a sacrament for them.

If they have Sacrament, it means that they believe that Christ is in the Blessed Sacrament?

No. Most of the Born-Again Christians believe the Eucharist is just a symbol. Even thought they have Communion Service, the bread that they eat and wine that they drink is not the body and blood of Christ. Only the Catholic Priest can consecrate the bread and wine with the power of God, it becomes the Body and Blood of Christ in the Holy Mass.

Is it okay for a Catholic to attend Born-Again events and gathering?

No. As their joyful and fun approach can attract you to join them, it will also damage your faith. As protestant, they are more eager to have happiness than to sacrifice for our Lord.

What is main belief of the Born-Again when it comes to Salvation?

The Born-Again Christians believe we are already saved when Christ died in the Cross. And when we died, we are going straight to Heaven without absolution from a priest during our life here on earth. This belief is very dangerous to our soul. Our Lord Jesus Christ give his apostles a power to forgive sins before his ascension as a priest. Because God knows that even our Lord died in the Cross to save us from sins, we humans are capable to sin again.

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Heresy Modernism Protestantism

The Catholic Charismatic Movement

 

When the Catholic Charismatic Movement Began?

It began in 1967 when some Catholics for Duquesne University attend a protestant worship service. They claimed that have been baptized by the Holy Spirit. Then they gather on the university chapel where some students said that they also received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. In 1975, Pope Paul VI officialy welcome this movement. After that, many Catholics also formed their own Catholic Charismatic Movement such as Couples for Christ and the Feast of Bo Sanchez.

Why these Catholic started this Charismatic Movement?

Some Catholic Charismatic Movement believe that this modern or protestant approach will make the faithful Catholics remain in the church or renew their faith as Catholics.

What are the similarities of the Charismatic Movement and the Born-Again Christians?

The Charismatic Movement and Born-Again Christians have similar approach. They gather in a stadium or event hall to have their worship. Use popular music such as rock music which their worship becomes a concert.

What are their differences?

The Catholic Charismatic Movement remains faithful to the Catholic Church as they attend the Holy Mass, pray the rosary and also pray to the saints.

Is there a danger when you join the Charismatic Movement?

Sadly, yes. May be their goal is to bring back people to the Catholic faith, or those who have little faith will have a renewal. But their approach and methods are from the Protestants. This will affect the faithful’s attitude towards faith. For example, instead of making a sacrifice like kneeling in front of the Sacred Host in the Holy Mass, most people are avoiding to kneel. Just like the protestants, they are more focused on bible study and forgot to learn the oral teachings of the apostles and the first Christian fathers. They want to open more of themselves than the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints. Some examples are their sharing part where they share their life with Christ, and when you listen to them, they just tell you their life and no part which how Christ change or affect their life. Another danger is that there are people will use this movement for money which they called the Prosperity Doctrine. During a Charismatic Movement event, there are people will first talk about faith and after that, there’s a person who will go to stage and now talking about money and business. According to the American Protestant Leader, this charismatic movement helps the protestant increase their numbers. As their methods are similar, they can also easily sway to leave the Catholic faith.

We Catholics, in order to become faithful, we don’t need this method for us to heal from suffering or to strengthen our faith. All we need is God, all we need is to pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to the saints to help us strenghten our faith to God, pray the Holy Rosary everyday. All we need is Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist during the Holy Mass, because he is the medicine for our body, mind and especially our soul.

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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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Heresy Protestantism

The Protestant Reformation

 

What is the Protestant Reformation?

The Protestant Reformation or simply reformation is a protest against and wanted to reform the Catholic Church.

 

How the Protestant Reformation began?

The reformation was started by John Wycliffe who questioned the privileged status of the clergy who had powerful role in England, then followed by Jan Hus who wants to eliminate the selling of indulgence and the concept of purgatory. But in 1517, Martin Luther, an Augustinian priest who post a Ninety-Five Theses against the abuse of the selling plenary indulgence by some clergy. After that, he left the church and spread false teachings. These theses become a symbolic start of the Protestant Reformation.

 

What is Plenary Indulgence?

Is a remission of the entire temporal punishment for sin. Plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions such as pious reading or listening to Sacred Scripture for at least half and hour, Adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist and Pious exercise of the Station of the Cross. In order to obtain the plenary indulgence, the faithful must be in the state of grace by having the Sacrament of Confession and received the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

 

Why there is a selling of Indulgence?

During 1517, Pope Leo X authorized the sale of indulgence. One of the examples is granting indulgences for those who donate to reconstruct the St. Peter’s Basilica. This becomes a way for the corrupt clergy to make money by selling indulgence. This event make Martin Luther write and post his theses on the door of the All-Saints Church which results of many people followed Luther.

 

What happened to Martin Luther after he posted his theses?

Martin Luther was excommunicated by Pope Leo X on 1521. Then he led the Protestant Reformation and become the father of protestanism,

 

Why Martin Luther was excommunicated if he wants to stop the Corruption within the Church because of selling Indulgence?

Instead of pushing the abolish of Selling Indulgence, he taught heresies which is the Sola Fide (Faith Alone) and Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) which contradicts the teaching of Our Lord and the apostles which leads to his Excommunication. His teachings were spread all over Europe which results of formation of protestanism, which made people leave the Catholic Faith and build their own church such as Calvinism, Mormons, Jehovas’ witness and more.

 

Is Martin Luther right about the corruption of selling indulgence?

Yes, but instead making the right move by fixing the corruption within the church, he led more faithful to the false teachings and leave the only church that Christ built by building their own church.

 

Are there Protestants still building their own church today?

Yes, the continous of building their own church and ignores the Church of God is still happening today. Most of them are from the other Protestant Churches who has their own teachings. One of the latest Protestants today are called “Born Again Churches” which their methods are according to modernism.

 

Is the Church of God, the Catholic Church is dead?

No! as our Lord said when He build His Church upon St. Peter:
“And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
This means no one including the gates of hell cannot destroy the Catholic Church. Many protestants will tell you that the church is dead because it has corruption and scandals, this is one of their tactics for you to join them. Remember, one of Christ’s apostle, Judas is a greedy person and betrayed our Lord, but our Lord’s followers didn’t abandon the Church just because there’s a a problem within it.

Was the Selling of Indulgences abolished?

The selling of indulgences was abolished in 1567 by Pope St. Pius V. Unlike Martin Luther, St. Pope Pius V fixed the issues inside the Church without leaving it and without false teachings.

Categories
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

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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