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Offline Hermes

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Was Cardinal Newman a Modernist?
« on: July 26, 2021, 11:41:48 AM »
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    • LETTER
    In which Pope Pius X approves the work of the Bishop of Limerick
    on the writings of Cardinal Newman.
    To his Venerable Brother
    Edward Thomas Bishop of Limerick


    Venerable Brother, greetings and Our Apostolic blessing. We hereby inform you that your essay, in which you show that the writings of Cardinal Newman, far from being in disagreement with Our Encyclical Letter Pascendi, are very much in harmony with it, has been emphatically approved by Us: for you could not have better served both the truth and the dignity of man.


    It is clear that those people whose errors We have condemned in that Docuмent had decided among themselves to produce something of their own invention with which to seek the commendation of a distinguished person. And so they everywhere assert with confidence that they have taken these things from the very source and summit of authority, and that therefore We cannot censure their teachings, but rather that We had even previously gone so far as to condemn what such a great author had taught.


    Incredible though it may appear, although it is not always realised, there are to be found those who are so puffed up with pride that it is enough to overwhelm the mind, and who are convinced that they are Catholics and pass themselves off as such, while in matters concerning the inner discipline of religion they prefer the authority of their own private teaching to the pre-eminent authority of the Magisterium of the Apostolic See. Not only do you fully demonstrate their obstinacy but you also show clearly their deceitfulness.


    For, if in the things he had written before his profession of the Catholic faith one can justly detect something which may have a kind of similarity with certain Modernist formulas, you are correct in saying that this is not relevant to his later works. Moreover, as far as that matter is concerned, his way of thinking has been expressed in very different ways, both in the spoken word and in his published writings, and the author himself, on his admission into the Catholic Church, forwarded all his writings to the authority of the same Church so that any corrections might be made, if judged appropriate.
    Regarding the large number of books of great importance and influence which he wrote as a Catholic, it is hardly necessary to exonerate them from any connection with this present heresy. 

    And indeed, in the domain of England, it is common knowledge that Henry Newman pleaded the cause of the Catholic faith in his prolific literary output so effectively that his work was both highly beneficial to its citizens and greatly appreciated by Our Predecessors: and so he is held worthy of office whom Leo XIII, undoubtedly a shrewd judge of men and affairs, appointed Cardinal; indeed he was very highly regarded by him at every stage of his career, and deservedly so.


    Truly, there is something about such a large quantity of work and his long hours of labour lasting far into the night that seems foreign to the usual way of theologians: nothing can be found to bring any suspicion about his faith. You correctly state that it is entirely to be expected that where no new signs of heresy were apparent he has perhaps used an off-guard manner of speaking to some people in certain places, but that what the Modernists do is to falsely and deceitfully take those words out of the whole context of what he meant to say and twist them to suit their own meaning. We therefore congratulate you for having, through your knowledge of all his writings, brilliantly vindicated the memory of this eminently upright and wise man from injustice: and also for having, to the best of your ability, brought your influence to bear among your fellow-countrymen, but particularly among the English people, so that those who were accustomed to abusing his name and deceiving the ignorant should henceforth cease doing so.


    Would that they should follow Newman the author faithfully by studying his books without, to be sure, being addicted to their own prejudices, and let them not with wicked cunning conjure anything up from them or declare that their own opinions are confirmed in them; but instead let them understand his pure and whole principles, his lessons and inspiration which they contain. They will learn many excellent things from such a great teacher: in the first place, to regard the Magisterium of the Church as sacred, to defend the doctrine handed down inviolately by the Fathers and, what is of highest importance to the safeguarding of Catholic truth, to follow and obey the Successor of St. Peter with the greatest faith.


    To you, therefore, Venerable Brother, and to your clergy and people, We give Our heartfelt thanks for having taken the trouble to help Us in Our reduced circuмstances by sending your communal gift of financial aid: and in order to gain for you all, but first and foremost for yourself, the gifts of God’s goodness, and as a testimony of Our benevolence, We affectionately bestow Our Apostolic blessing.


    Given in Rome at St. Peter’s, on 10 March 1908, in the fifth year of Our Pontificate.
    Pius PP. X


    (Pope St. Pius X, Apostolic Letter Tuum Illud; original in Acta Sanctae Sedis XLI [1908].)
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    Offline LeDeg

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    Re: Was Cardinal Newman a Modernist?
    « Reply #1 on: July 26, 2021, 01:11:02 PM »
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    • Didn't Cardinal Newman have dislike for the Syllabus of Errors, specifically the portion on Religious Liberty?
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    Offline SeanJohnson

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    Re: Was Cardinal Newman a Modernist?
    « Reply #2 on: July 26, 2021, 01:13:05 PM »
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    • You KNOW there's a crisis in the Church when someone posts a letter by Pope St. Pius X, and it immediately starts getting down-votes!
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    Offline SimpleMan

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    Re: Was Cardinal Newman a Modernist?
    « Reply #3 on: July 26, 2021, 01:13:09 PM »
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    • In the year 1908, under the pontificate of St Pius X, the only thing worthy of a true Catholic, would have been to say Roma locuta est, causa finita est.

    I have always had a big problem with Newman's quote on conscience:

    "Certainly, if I am obliged to bring religion into after-dinner toasts … I shall drink — to the Pope, if you please — still, to Conscience first, and to the Pope afterwards"

    Come again, your Lordship?

    I maintain, and have always maintained, that my "conscience" is whatever the Church says it is.  My conscience is the Church, and the Church is my conscience.  No exceptions.  Quite frankly, the past almost-50 years, I have heard "conscience this" and "conscience that" so much, that I really don't even like to hear the word.  Now as far as application of traditional Catholic moral teaching to individual situations, unless I'm missing something, that is not conscience, that is casuistry --- applying conscience (i.e., Church teaching) to concrete situations.  People can and do differ on these matters.  Sedevacantist or not sedevacantist?  The trolley dilemma?  Use of atomic bombs in warfare under Particular Circuмstance X, Y, or Z?  I just helped one homeless guy the other day, and I'm not made out of money, I can't help everyone, do I help another homeless guy who is walking by my car right now on the entrance to the Walmart parking lot with a scrawled cardboard sign?  Those are entirely proper uses of "conscience".  "I don't see anything wrong with birth control regardless of what Humanae vitae says", not a proper use of conscience.  The difference should be clear to any thinking Catholic.

    I shall read the link below and educate myself further, but right now, I was just taking a lunch break from tending to my father's finances, so now's not the time.  I'm sure there is nuance I'm missing.

    https://www.newmanreader.org/works/anglicans/volume2/gladstone/section5.html




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    Offline SimpleMan

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    Re: Was Cardinal Newman a Modernist?
    « Reply #4 on: July 26, 2021, 01:13:39 PM »
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    • Quote from: SeanJohnson on July 26, 2021, 01:13:05 PM
    You KNOW there's a crisis in the Church when someone posts a letter by Pope St. Pius X, and it immediately starts getting down-votes!
    Amen to that, brother.
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    Offline roscoe

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    Re: Was Cardinal Newman a Modernist?
    « Reply #5 on: July 26, 2021, 04:03:31 PM »
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    • I hope the Forum will note that St Pius X-- when referring to the Cardinal's hat for Newman--  assures us Pope Leo XIII is a 'undoubtedly a shrewd judge of men & affairs...."

    This would apply as well to the appointment of Card Rampolla-- who is responsible more than anyone for the survival( at the time) of Hapsburg Monarchy in Espana. :popcorn:
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