Those who Identify themselves as Feeneyites, usually fail to apply the the following Catholic Principles:
Section I
What Principles Does the Church
Require You to Follow?
I. You must believe the teachings of both the solemn and the
universal ordinary magisterium of the Church (Vatican I).
A. General Principle:
• “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 [magisterium], to be believed as divinely revealed.” Vatican Council I, Dogmatic Constitution on the Faith (1870), DZ 1792.— 2 —
B. The Code of Canon Law imposes the same obligation.
(Canon 1323.1)
C. Therefore, you must believe by divine and Catholic faith
those things:
1. Contained in Scripture or Tradition, AND
2. Proposed for belief as divinely revealed by the Church’s
authority, either through:
a. Solemn pronouncements (by ecuмenical councils, or
popes ex cathedra) OR
b. Universal ordinary magisterium (teaching of the
bishops together with the pope, either in council, or
spread throughout the world.)
D. This is not “optional,” or “a matter of opinion.”
• It defines the object of faith — what you are obliged to believe.
• Further, it is de fide definita — an infallible, unchangeable,
solemn pronouncement.
II. You must believe those teachings of the universal ordinary
magisterium held by theologians to belong to the faith
(Pius IX).
• “For even if it were a matter concerning that subjection which
is to be manifested by an act of divine faith, nevertheless, it would
not have to be limited to those matters which have been defined by
express decrees of the ecuмenical Councils, or of the Roman Pontiffs and of this See, but would have to be extended also to those
matters which are handed down as divinely revealed by the ordinary teaching power of the whole Church spread throughout the
world, and therefore, by universal and common consent are held
by Catholic theologians to belong to faith.” Tuas Libenter (1863),
DZ 1683.
III. You must also subject yourself to the Holy See’s doctrinal
decisions and to other forms of doctrine commonly held as
theological truths and conclusions. (Pius IX).
A. General Principle.
• “But, since it is a matter of that subjection by which in conscience all those Catholics are bound who work in the speculative
sciences, in order that they may bring new advantage to the Church
by their writings, on that account, then, the men of that same convention should realize that it is not sufficient for learned Catholics
to accept and revere the aforesaid dogmas of the Church, but that
it is also necessary to subject themselves to the decisions pertaining
to doctrine which are issued by the Pontifical Congregations, and
also to those forms of doctrine which are held by the common and
constant consent of Catholics as theological truths and conclusions, so certain that opinions opposed to these same forms of
doctrine, although they cannot be called heretical, nevertheless
deserve some theological censure.” Tuas Libenter (1863), DZ 1684.
B. You must therefore adhere to the following:
1. Doctrinal decisions of Vatican Congregations (e.g., the Holy
Office).
2. Forms of doctrine held as:
a. Theological truths and conclusions.
b. So certain that opposition merits some theological
censure short of “heresy.”— 3 —
IV. You must reject these condemned positions on this issue:
A. Theologians have “obscured” the more important truths of
our faith. (Condemned by Pius VI.)
• “The proposition which asserts ‘that in these later times there
has been spread a general obscuring of the more important truths
pertaining to religion, which are the basis of faith and of the moral
teachings of Jesus Christ,’ HERETICAL.” Auctorem Fidei (1794) DZ
1501.
B. Catholics are obliged to believe only those matters infallibly
proposed as dogmas. (Condemned by Pius IX.)
• “And so all and each evil opinion and doctrine individually
mentioned in this letter, by Our Apostolic authority We reject, proscribe, and condemn: and We wish and command that they be considered as absolutely rejected, proscribed and condemned by all the
sons of the Catholic Church…”
“22. The obligation by which Catholic teachers and writers are
absolutely bound is restricted to those matters only which are proposed by the infallible judgement of the Church, to be believed by
all as dogmas of the faith.” CONDEMNED PROPOSITION. Encyclical
Quanta Cura and Syllabus of Errors (1864), DZ 1699, 1722.
C. Encyclicals do not demand assent, because popes are not exercising their supreme power. (Condemned by Pius XII.)
• “It is not to be thought that what is set down in Encyclical Letters does not demand assent in itself, because in these the popes do
not exercise the supreme powers of their magisterium. For these
matters are taught by the ordinary magisterium, regarding which
the following is pertinent ‘He who heareth you, heareth me.’; and
usually what is set forth and inculcated in Encyclical Letters, already pertains to Catholic doctrine.” Humani Generis (1950), DZ
2313.