Update: https://fromrome.info/2021/02/18/msgr-gracida-calls-gloria-tv-accusation-of-sedevacantism-a-hit-piece/
NEWS (https://fromrome.info/category/news/)
MSGR. GRACIDA CALLS GLORIA.TV ACCUSATION OF SEDEVACANTISM A “HIT PIECE”
FEBRUARY 18, 2021 (https://fromrome.info/2021/02/18/msgr-gracida-calls-gloria-tv-accusation-of-sedevacantism-a-hit-piece/) EDITOR (https://fromrome.info/author/marcianusaristides/) LEAVE A COMMENT (https://fromrome.info/2021/02/18/msgr-gracida-calls-gloria-tv-accusation-of-sedevacantism-a-hit-piece/#respond)
by Br. Alexis Bugnolo
Yesterday, the En.NEWS feed of Gloria.TV published an article entitled “Retired Bishop Openly Supports Sedevacantism” (https://www.gloria.tv/post/SVTwgcTuLQbk6LFi7BSXcBHNK), causing an international sensation among Catholics.
The article opened with a statement of fact kind of assertion:
Retired Corpus Christi Bishop René Gracida, 97, Texas, believes that Francis is “not a bishop, not a Catholic and not a Pope” (Abyssum.org, January 13).
Gracida now openly (https://www.gloria.tv/post/hEUD1xSMqGkz1bd3LNA2Vrevv) embraces sedevacantism, the theory that Pius XII (+1958) was the last pope implying that after him the Church ended. For Gracida, John XXIII started a “false church,” and he and all his successors were impostors.
The problem with the article is that its claim could not be more false.
Bishop Gracida is an ardent and life long opponent of Sedevacantism.
I asked Bishop Gracida personally to comment on the article by Gloria.TV. Here are his exact words:
I consider it a hit piece. Anything you can publish which will assert the fact that you and I are in agreement with regard to the invalidity of Pope Benedict ‘resignation” and that I am certainly not a sedevancantist.
Understand “I give permission to”, before “Anything”.
Evidently the author of the article at Gloria.TV cannot even read, because the article at Bishop Gracida’s blog, entitled, “Jorge Bergoglio: 3 things he is not” — which En.News did not even link to, was the reprint of a letter recounting the argument of Sedevacantists, by 3rd parties and was not written by Bishop Gracida, but bore the name and email address of Jason Fabaz, an Insurance Agent at St. Mary’s Kansas, as was evident from the fact that his email was printed clearly printed twice at the top of the letter (as is commonly had in email formatting), as the source and recipient of the letter. (You can read the letter at archive.org (https://web.archive.org/web/20210215044750/https://abyssum.org/2021/02/13/jorge-bergolio-three-things-he-is-not/)).
Bishop Gracida, to those who know of his blog, reprints articles by others, he rarely writes his own. In the style of the great Scholastics, Saint Thomas Aquinas and St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio, he does not omit to put in discussion matters with which he does not agree. All who know of his blog, know this.
Because of his poor eyesight, he also often posts on his blog articles he wants to keep or archive, since in his browser he can expand the type face to make the letters visible. Readers of his blog know of this, if they are attentive and constant.
The letter in question is not even a complete argument, but the summation of points of Church teaching which might be used to sustain the entitled thesis. The argumentation is not even in the style of Bishop Gracida, but is clearly taken from other sources of those schooled in Sedevacantism.
If as En.News at Gloria.TV supposes, any republication of error is conscious assent or support of error, then we would have to class St. Thomas Aquinas as a Muslim on account of his refutation of the religion of Muhammad, if he had ever happened to take notes from the Koran and share them in correspondence.
For that reason, I judge it unfounded even to claim that Mr. Fabaz is a sedevacantist from the mere fact that the contents of the article were shared in correspondence by him.
But the real reason Gloria.TV attacks Bishop Gracida is that he is the only Bishop in the Church who has unflinchingly sustained for 8 years that the renunciation of Pope Benedict XVI was doubtful, whereas Gloria.TV sustains the opposition position, seeing that the Ordinary of the priest who founded Gloria.TV himself holds that Bergoglio is the Pope.
Many users at Gloria.TV hold the unsustainable position rebutted by all Catholics and sedevacantists, that a pertinacious heretic can hold an office in the Church. Indeed, the Code of Canon Law of 1983, promulgated by Pope John Paul II, in Canon 1364 in fact teaches that heretics are excommunicated ipso facto . But Catholics differ from Sedevacantists, in two things: our founder was not a pedophile, and we do not hold that private individuals can arrogate to themselves the right of emitting juridical judgements in the Church. Indeed, in the Catholic Church, heretics are publicly declared outside of the Church after reproof, and only when ordinary or extraordinary authority intervenes, that is by their ordinary bishop, or by the Pope, or by local or general councils. — However, this does not mean that in grave matters, that private individuals in public can not denounce others as heretics, for heresy. Such charges should be well founded to avoid the sins of calumny and defamation and the civil and canonical crime of damaging the reputation of another. — But obviously, such private denunciations do not make someone outside of the Church in a juridical sense. Only Bishops, Pope and councils can do that.
Holding that Benedict XVI is the one true valid pope, is not sedevacantism nor does it lead to sedevantist positions. Sedevacantists hold that there is no valid pope.
Rather those who hold that the renunciation of Benedict is valid and that Bergoglio was validly or not validly elected are the ones who are arriving at sedevacantist positions, because they hold that Bergoglio on account of his public manifest heresies has lost his office.
FromRome.Info has reached out to Mr. Fabaz for comment, and if he desires, will add his comments in an update to this article later today.
What Does the Magisterium Teach?
Humility is the path both to being a Catholic & to saving our soul.
1.) Heretics pick & choose which Magisterial teachings they accept & which they reject.
2.) Heretics judge for themselves (aka private judgment), they think they know better than the Magisterium.
3.) Heretics make themselves into their own popes, deciding which Magisterial teachings are true and which are false.
1.) Catholics do NOT pick & choose which Magisterial teachings to accept & which to reject, they MUST simply accept them all.
2.) Catholics do NOT judge for themselves (aka private judgment), they do NOT think they know better than the Magisterium.
3.) Catholics do NOT make themselves into their own popes, deciding which Magisterial teachings are true and which are false.
Can you rebut the following by using infallible quotes from the Magisterium? If not, then shouldn't we believe exactly what Vatican I, Humani Generis and Mortalium Animos teach?
1.) You, nor I, nor the SSPX, nor the Resistance, nor Archbishop Lefebvre are infallible.
2.) The Catholic Church is infallible.
3.) The “…See of St. Peter ALWAYS remains unblemished by any error.” (Vatican I) It was given a “gift of truth and NEVER failing faith.”
4.) The Solemn Magisterium is infallible. (Vatican I)
5.) The Ordinary Magisterium is infallible. (Humani Generis)
6.) Encyclicals and Ecuмenical Councils are infallible.
7.) “…the power to teach, govern and administer the Sacraments, derive their supernatural efficacy and force of the building up of the body of Christ from the fact that Jesus Christ, hanging on the Cross, opened up to His Church the fountain of those divine gifts, which prevent her from ever teaching false doctrine.” (Mystici Corporis Christi)
8.) Vatican II is heretical and countless subsequent Encyclicals of the V2 popes are heretical, (http://www.holyromancatholicchurch.org/heresies.html (http://www.holyromancatholicchurch.org/heresies.html)), therefore it is not possible for Roncalli thru Bergoglio to be Popes, because Vatican I infallibly teaches:
The First Vatican Council
Dogmatic Constitution of Vatican I,Pastor Aeternus
Pope Pius IX, July 18, 1870 A.D.
“Indeed, their apostolic teaching was embraced by all the venerable fathers and reverenced and followed by all the holy orthodox doctors, for they knew very well that this see of St. Peter always remains unblemished by any error, in accordance with the divine promise of our Lord and Savior to the prince of his disciples: I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren.
“This gift of truth and never-failing faith was therefore divinely conferred on Peter and his successors in this see so that they might discharge their exalted office for the salvation of all, and so that the whole flock of Christ might be kept away by them from the poisonous food of error and be nourished with the sustenance of heavenly doctrine.”
The First Vatican Council
Dogmatic Constitution on the Catholic Faith, Dei Filius
Pope Pius IX, 24 April 1870 A.D.
“Wherefore, by divine and Catholic faith all those things are to be believed which are contained in the word of God as found in Scripture and tradition, and which are proposed by the Church as matters to be believed as divinely revealed, whether by her solemn judgment or in her ordinary and universal magisterium.”
Humani Generis
On Modern Errors
Pope Pius XII – August 12, 1950
Paragraph 20: “Nor must it be thought that what is expounded in Encyclical Letters does not of itself demand consent, since in writing such Letters the Popes do not exercise the supreme power of their Teaching Authority. For these matters are taught with the ordinary teaching authority (magisterio ordinario), of which it is true to say: “He who heareth you, heareth me…” (Lk. 10:16)
Notice above in Humani Generis, Pope Pius XII infallibly teaches that
1.) Encyclical Letters are the Ordinary Magisterium, "of which it is true to say: “He who heareth you, heareth me…” (Lk. 10:16)
2.) So if we admit that Christ is infallible,
3.) Then we must admit that Encyclicals and the Ordinary Magisterium are infallible.
Mortalium Animos, Encyclical by Pope Pius XI, 1928
“The Magisterium of the Church (“Ecclesia Magisterium”) which in the divine wisdom was constituted on earth in order that revealed doctrines might remain intact forever, and that they might be brought with ease and security to the knowledge of men, … is daily exercised [cotidie exercetur] through the Roman Pontiff and the Bishops who are in communion with him.” (Pius XI, Mortalium Animos, 1928)
Note Well: The Teaching Authority (Magisterium) of the Church is exercised every day…not just in extraordinary circuмstances, so there is no way to maintain that Vatican II and 62 years worth of Encyclicals and Catechisms from 1958-2020 weren’t the Magisterium of the Church…the Church’s Magisterium is incapable of teaching heresies…thus it is proof positive that John XXIII – Francis are not now/have never been, true Popes.
Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporis Christi, June 29, 1943:
22. Actually only those are to be included as members of the Church who have been baptized and profess the true faith, and who have not been so unfortunate as to separate themselves from the unity of the Body, or been excluded by legitimate authority for grave faults committed. “For in one spirit” says the Apostle, “were we all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether bond or free.” 17 (https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius12/p12mysti.htm#easy-footnote-bottom-17-357) As therefore in the true Christian community there is only one Body, one Spirit, one Lord, and one Baptism, so there can be only one faith. 18 (https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius12/p12mysti.htm#easy-footnote-bottom-18-357) And therefore if a man refuse to hear the Church let him be considered — so the Lord commands — as a heathen and a publican. 19 (https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius12/p12mysti.htm#easy-footnote-bottom-19-357) It follows that those are divided in faith or government cannot be living in the unity of such a Body, nor can they be living the life of its one Divine Spirit.
23. Nor must one imagine that the Body of the Church, just because it bears the name of Christ, is made up during the days of its earthly pilgrimage only of members conspicuous for their holiness, or that it consists only of those whom God has predestined to eternal happiness. it is owing to the Savior’s infinite mercy that place is allowed in His Mystical Body here below for those whom, of old, He did not exclude from the banquet. For not every offense, however grave it may be, is such as of its own nature to sever a man from the Body of the Church,as does schism or heresy or apostasy.
31. Just as at the first moment of the Incarnation the Son of the Eternal Father adorned with the fullness of the Holy Spirit the human nature which was substantially united to Him, that it might be a fitting instrument of the Divinity in the sanguinary work of the Redemption, so at the hour of His precious death He willed that His Church should be enriched with the abundant gifts of the Paraclete in order that in dispensing the divine fruits of the Redemption she might be, for the Incarnate Word, a powerful instrument that would never fail. For both the juridical mission of the Church, and the power to teach, govern and administer the Sacraments, derive their supernatural efficacy and force of the building up of the body of Christ from the fact that Jesus Christ, hanging on the Cross, opened up to His Church the fountain of those divine gifts, which prevent her from ever teaching false doctrine and enable her to rule them for the salvation of their souls through divinely enlightened pastors and to bestow on them an abundance of heavenly graces.
If Bergoglio is the Pope, then Vatican II is the Magisterium!
In 2020, the church in Italy marked the 50th anniversary of the “renewal of catechesis” following the Second Vatican Council.
“The catechesis inspired by the Council,” said Pope Francis, “is continually listening to the heart of the man, always with an attentive ear, always seeking to renew itself.”
Pope Francis insisted: “This is the Magisterium. The Council is the Magisterium of the Church. Either you are with the Church and therefore you follow the Council, and if you don't follow the Council or you interpret it in your own away, as you desire, you do not stand with the Church.” He asked that there be "no concessions to those who seek to present a catechesis that does not agree with the Magisterium of the Church.”
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-01/pope-francis-catechesis-is-the-echo-of-the-word-of-god.html (https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-01/pope-francis-catechesis-is-the-echo-of-the-word-of-god.html)
If Paul VI was a true Pope, then this is the Magisterium
"Each and all these items which are set forth in this Dogmatic Constitution have met with the approval of the Council Fathers. And We by the apostolic power given Us by Christ together with the Venerable Fathers in the Holy Spirit, approve, decree and establish it and command that what has thus been decided in the Council be promulgated for the glory of God. (The last paragraph of every Vatican II Docuмent, including the “Dogmatic Constitutions” of Vatican II)
Paul VI in a general audience of 12th January 1966 (http://w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/it/audiences/1966/docuмents/hf_p-vi_aud_19660112.html):
“Given the pastoral character of the Council, it avoided pronouncing in an extraordinary way dogmas endowed with the note of infallibility; but it has nevertheless furnished its teachings with the authority of the supreme ordinary magisterium, which ordinary and so obviously authentic magisterium must be received docilely and sincerely by all the faithful, according to the mind of the Council concerning the nature and purposes of the individual docuмents.
https://w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/it/audiences/1966/docuмents/hf_p-vi_aud_19660112.html (https://w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/it/audiences/1966/docuмents/hf_p-vi_aud_19660112.html)
If John Paul II was a true Pope, then this is the Magisterium
Fidei Depositum
Apostolic Constitution, John Paul II, Oct. 11, 1992
ON THE PUBLICATION OF THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
PREPARED FOLLOWING THE SECOND VATICAN EcuмENICAL COUNCIL
To my Venerable Brothers the Cardinals,
to the Archbishops, Bishops, Priests,
Deacons and all the People of God
JOHN PAUL II, BISHOP
SERVANT OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD
FOR EVERLASTING MEMORY
THE DOCTRINAL VALUE OF THE TEXT
“The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I approved 25 June last and the publication of which I today order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church's faith and of Catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition and the Church's Magisterium. I declare it to be a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion and a sure norm for teaching the faith.”