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Author Topic: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?  (Read 17062 times)

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Offline DecemRationis

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Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
« Reply #105 on: April 24, 2018, 08:50:47 AM »
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  • Just think for a minute how events would have played out had there been a heretic Pope in the past ages of the Church when the majority of the hierarchy were clearly still Catholic.

    1 ) Pope says something heretical.

    2 ) Somebody close to him reprimands him.

    3 ) Pope doubles down.  [If he retracted at this point, it's a non-issue.  So the heresy must in fact be pertinacious.]

    4 ) More people reprimand and correct him.

    5 ) Pope pertinaciously holds his opinion.

    6 ) Growing doubt among more and more Catholics about his orthodoxy.

    7 ) Universal Consensus that he's a heretic.

    8 )  Church declares in Imperfect General Council that he's not the pope.

    With Bergoglio we're on step 6.  At what point does the Papa Dubius situation kick in?  Somewhere between 3 and 6.  If during this time he were to define a dogma, what would the status of that dogma be?  Because of the serious positive doubt in play, it would not be possible to accept it with the absolute certainty of faith required of dogmas.  Thus the famous theological maxim:  Papa dubius papa nullus.:  a doubtful pope is no pope.  Meaning that, for all intents and purposes, due to the grave substantial positive doubt about his orthodoxy, he does not exercise teaching authority with the requisite certainty regarding its authenticity.  At that point he goes into the "quarantine" state described by Father Chazal.

    Now, in the steps above, at what time does he cease to be Pope?  Well, I submit ... along with Father Chazal ... that he would formally cease to have authority somewhere between 3 and 6.

    Now, when would Bellarmine say he was deposed?  Somewhere between 6 and 7 I imagine.  Many of the more dogmatic Bellarminist sedevacantists say 3.  But I find that problematic.  How about Cajetan?  Only at step 8, in his view, would the Pope cease to be pope.

    Even then, what would be the status of any dogmas he tried to declare during steps 3-6?  That's in serious doubt.  This is why Bishop Guerard des Lauriers, in his thinking, significantly improved upon the state of this question.  If this Pope tried to define a dogma in the 3-6 stages, there would be positive doubt about its authority.  Consequently, for all intents and purposes, this Pope lacks all authority.  Again, Papa Dubius Papa Nullus.

    So this is an incredibly complex topic.  And people are obviously entitled to have different opinions about it.

    All I know, however, is that Vatican II and the Novus Ordo Mass could NOT have come from the legitimate authority of the Church.

    Now, again, referring to the above steps, most R&R would follow the Cajetan opinion that he only ceases to be Pope at Step 8.  On its own a position that's defensible as Catholic.  That's why I have said that I have no issue PER SE with anyone who holds that opinion.  And I reject the calumny spread about me by Pax and Meg that I have declared heretical anyone who believes that the V2 Popes are legitimate.  I most certainly do not.  I reject only the proposition that an Ecuмenical Council and the Church's Universal Discipline (Rite of Mass and Canon Law) can become so corrupt as to endanger souls.  That I do consider to be heretical.  But if you wanted to say that Bergoglio is Pope based on following the Cajetan position and because Step 8 hasn't happened yet, that's your right to hold that.  But do NOT tell me that an Ecuмenical Council has taught heresy to the Church, or I will punch your lights out (virtually speaking, verbally, and by way of argument).  That's as if you would insult my mother calling her a whore.  Do not call my mother, Holy Mother Church, a whore ... I will NOT tolerate this.  That's why I will tear you to shreds for promoting that filth.  NOT because you happen to think that Bergoglio remains pope until deposed by the Church.

    But the progression above shows why the Cajetan position is LOGICALLY untenable, and Bishop Guerard got it right.  Once there's positive doubt about a V2 Pope's orthodoxy, he cannot exercise authority with the REQUIRED certainty.  Everything he teaches and does and imposes becomes DOUBTFUL.  And, as such, there's no obligation to follow it.  Sededoubtism.  That's why Canon Lawyers have taught that someone is not schismatic if he refuses submission to a Pope based on grave positive doubts regarding his person or the legitimacy of his election.  I have BOTH.

    And, finally, as I have said, very few R&R are actually TRUE sedeplenists.  To be a sedeplenist, you MUST accept the legitimacy of Bergoglio with the CERTAINTY OF FAITH.  You can no more speculative even hypothetically about the possibility that he MIGHT NOT be than you can speculate that there may not be Three Divine Persons in One God.  And every SSPX bishop has in fact thus speculated.  Once you speculated, this means GRAVE POSITIVE DOUBT regarding the Bergoglio (or his predecessors), and this means ZERO AUTHORITY, as Father Chazal has articulated.  I would guess that only 5% of all R&R are actually REAL SEDEPLENISTS.  Most of them just pay lip service to Bergoglio because he remains in material possession of the See and has not reached Step #8.  So much of the fighting on this matter is fake, and Sedeplenists are NOT IN FACT Sedeplenists but more Sedeprivationists (without admitting it).  Father Chazal has taken the step of properly articulating the reality of this position.

    A very good post. Particularly the highlighted part. I consider good faith Sedevacantists, those of the R & R persuasion, and Novus Ordites my brothers in Christ. All of those in "good faith" believe that redemption is through Christ alone and in His one and only Church (the Catholic Church) through the grace of the sacraments. There are such in each of those camps, and in the gradations between them. 

    Unfortunately, most in the R & R camp are guilty of the inconsistency you point out: a true pope giving us a soul-endangering Mass and ecuмenical council. 

    Indeed, that is a position dangerous to the faith. It is one thing to say "bad idea" and "I'll continue with the Mass that was never abrogated" - to resist and hold to tradition - and another to say that a genuine successor to Peter is officially teaching to the universal Church via a council, and giving the Church a Mass, that is harmful to souls.  

    A good clarification from you that is appreciated here, and one I happen to agree with. 

    DR
    Rom. 3:25 Whom God hath proposed to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to the shewing of his justice, for the remission of former sins" 

    Apoc 17:17 For God hath given into their hearts to do that which pleaseth him: that they give their kingdom to the beast, till the words of God be fulfilled.

    Offline Pax Vobis

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #106 on: April 24, 2018, 10:54:26 AM »
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    Manifest heresy can be at least recognized by any Roman Catholic well grounded upon the Faith.
    Cantarella believes that any 'joe plumber' catholic can make a determination on what is or isn't heresy, and also judge stubbornness too, of the Pope of all people, and do so 3,000 miles away from the comfort of their lazy-boy chair.  Talk about chaos!  Talk about "armchair" theologians!  This is insanity.


    Offline Cantarella

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #107 on: April 24, 2018, 11:01:58 AM »
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  • Cantarella believes that any 'joe plumber' catholic can make a determination on what is or isn't heresy, and also judge stubbornness too, of the Pope of all people, and do so 3,000 miles away from the comfort of their lazy-boy chair.  Talk about chaos!  Talk about "armchair" theologians!  This is insanity.

    Good quotes to reflect upon today. How is your inner disposition towards the Pope you recognize and the Holy See?

    Pope Pius X is saying here that "there can be no holiness when there is disagreement with the Pope".






     
    If anyone says that true and natural water is not necessary for baptism and thus twists into some metaphor the words of our Lord Jesus Christ" Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit" (Jn 3:5) let him be anathema.

    Offline Pax Vobis

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #108 on: April 24, 2018, 11:06:59 AM »
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    This idea that you must not call heresy heresy unless a bunch of heretics in Rome tell you you can is just ridiculous.
    The laity have a duty to know their Faith well enough to recognize blatant heresy, of which many of the post-conciliar popes have flirted with (and/or crossed the line).  The point of the laity recognizing heresy is to avoid it and safeguard their faith, not to correct Rome.  We laity have no authority to correct a pope in an official manner, nor to make a determination on the perniciousness of a pope, with whom we have no day-to-day contact, nor working relationship.  Only Church officials in rome can make this determination in an OFFICIAL manner, and that is their job, not ours.  The Church is not a democracy, it is has a hierarchy for a reason; to make difficult decisions.

    The Church has always acted slowly in many areas.  Look at past saints and how long it took for them to get canonized (centuries in some cases).  There is no advantage to rushing such decisions.  We need to be patient and remember that God is in control of His Church.  Nothing can happen unless He allows it to happen.

    Offline Cantarella

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #109 on: April 24, 2018, 11:19:11 AM »
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  • Cantarella believes that any 'joe plumber' catholic can make a determination on what is or isn't heresy, and also judge stubbornness too, of the Pope of all people, and do so 3,000 miles away from the comfort of their lazy-boy chair.  Talk about chaos!  Talk about "armchair" theologians!  This is insanity.

    Yet, you have no problem with the same "joe plumber" recognizing heresy in nothing less that an Ecunemical Council and rejecting as sacrilegious a Rite of Mass promulgated and celebrated by the Sovereign Pontiff.
    If anyone says that true and natural water is not necessary for baptism and thus twists into some metaphor the words of our Lord Jesus Christ" Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit" (Jn 3:5) let him be anathema.


    Offline Ladislaus

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #110 on: April 24, 2018, 12:22:18 PM »
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  • Yet, you have no problem with the same "joe plumber" recognizing heresy in nothing less that an Ecunemical Council and rejecting as sacrilegious a Rite of Mass promulgated and celebrated by the Sovereign Pontiff.

    Precisely.  I too have the objection to SVism that "Joe Plumber" cannot be in a position to recognize deposition.  That would lead to chaos in the Church.  Yet the same is true of "Joe Plumber" rejecting V2 in the first place, as  you point out.  That's why I call my position "sededoubtism".  We can question, formulate a positive doubt, but that's as far as we can go in principle.  I knew a guy who rejected Pius IX, and a few who rejected Pius XII ... based on their own lights.  Where does that stop?  And R&R claim that "Joe Plumber" can reject the teaching of an Ecuмenical Council.

    Recall the continuum I laid out on the path to sedevacantism.  I believe that we're n a Papa Dubius stage of the process ... .which suffices to strip him of all formal authority.

    So what's the difference between Magisterium-Sifting (R&R) and Pope-Sifting (SVism)?  I raised this problem in my 1995 article on sedevacantism.  I think that I have an answer, and I'll articulate it later when I have some more time.

    Offline Pax Vobis

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #111 on: April 24, 2018, 01:01:10 PM »
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    Yet, you have no problem with the same "joe plumber" recognizing heresy in nothing less that an Ecunemical Council and rejecting as sacrilegious a Rite of Mass promulgated and celebrated by the Sovereign Pontiff.
    The difference is quite simple but it hurts your agenda so you have to resort to exaggerations to make the distinction seem crazy. 

    1.  The difference is that recognizing the pope as pope is REQUIRED to be catholic.  It is the DEFAULT catholic position.  If there arise an extreme situation in the papacy, then ONLY THE CHURCH can deal with this situation.  The laity have absolutely no say in any of this.  They didn’t elect the pope and they can’t accuse him of heresy.  To say otherwise is the most ridiculously anti-catholic assertion there is.  Our Church is founded on a hierarchy.  The laity are at the bottom of the totem-pole.  You don’t have a vote, you’ll never get one and if you think you should have one, you should join another religion.  

    2.  V2 and the new mass are not required for salvation.  You can wine and moan all you want, but you cannot escape this fact.  Because they are not required to be believed, it’s not wrong to question them on aspects where they disagree with Tradition.

    Offline Ladislaus

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #112 on: April 24, 2018, 01:05:43 PM »
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  • The difference is quite simple but it hurts your agenda so you have to resort to exaggerations to make the distinction seem crazy.

    1.  The difference is that recognizing the pope as pope is REQUIRED to be catholic.

    Ah, I see, so when a Pope dies and before a new one is elected, there are no Catholics left in the world ... since there's no Pope to be recognized.  And if I die during such an interregnum I would be lost, since I am not Catholic anymore.


    Offline Ladislaus

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #113 on: April 24, 2018, 01:25:07 PM »
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  • Ah, I see, so when a Pope dies and before a new one is elected, there are no Catholics left in the world ... since there's no Pope to be recognized.  And if I die during such an interregnum I would be lost, since I am not Catholic anymore.

    And why is it that we have to have a Pope?  So he can mislead us and endanger our souls?  Good reason there to be required to have a Pope.  Plus, we don't actually have to obey the Pope, so the requirement for salvation reduces to:  "We are required as Catholics to pay lip service to someone wearing white robes as being the Pope." (but not to remain in Canonical submission to him nor to heed his Magisterium nor to worship God with the same Rite of Mass that he uses.  Check.

    Offline Clemens Maria

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #114 on: April 24, 2018, 01:39:57 PM »
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  • The difference is quite simple but it hurts your agenda so you have to resort to exaggerations to make the distinction seem crazy.

    1.  The difference is that recognizing the pope as pope is REQUIRED to be catholic.  It is the DEFAULT catholic position.  If there arise an extreme situation in the papacy, then ONLY THE CHURCH can deal with this situation.  The laity have absolutely no say in any of this.  They didn’t elect the pope and they can’t accuse him of heresy.  To say otherwise is the most ridiculously anti-catholic assertion there is.  Our Church is founded on a hierarchy.  The laity are at the bottom of the totem-pole.  You don’t have a vote, you’ll never get one and if you think you should have one, you should join another religion.  

    2.  V2 and the new mass are not required for salvation.  You can wine and moan all you want, but you cannot escape this fact.  Because they are not required to be believed, it’s not wrong to question them on aspects where they disagree with Tradition.
    I agree with you that the laity have no say, it is the clergy who are divided on this issue.  We as laymen are only defending the position of certain clergy who hold that position.  There might be some laymen who are off on their own but that is irrelevant to the debate between the R&R and SV positions.  There are significant numbers of clergy on both sides of the debate.  As to your point #1, you are begging the question.  You can't prove a man is pope by starting with the assertion that he is pope.  You also can't prove that the Conciliar church hierarchy is the hierarchy of the Catholic Church by the assertion that it is the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.  When there is a man who clearly holds the Catholic faith and is recognized by a large percentage of Catholic clergy (who likewise clearly hold the Catholic faith) as the pope then we can be sure he is the pope.  Otherwise, there is doubt.  Also, there is no requirement to be correct about your decision as to whether or not to recognize a certain clergyman as the pope as long as it was made in good faith.  St. Vincent Ferrer was incorrect about who was the pope.  What you ought not to do is trash the Church's traditional ecclesiology in order to justify your position.  One of the strengths of the straight SV position (as opposed to the sedeprivation position) is that is based purely on traditional ecclesiology.  There is nothing new that needs to be added on.  You can't say that about the R&R position which introduces the novelty that a pope can be systematically resisted on matters of faith and morals and that the Church's magisterium can lead Catholics astray.  Likewise, the sedeprivation position introduces the novelty that an ecclesiastical office (jurisdiction) can be separated into matter and form and that a clergyman can possess the matter without also possessing the form.  It might work but it is a novelty.  No theologian prior to the crisis ever proposed such a thing.  But there have been 260 sede vacante periods in the history of the Church.  Nothing novel there.
    Finally, one thing that everyone should keep in mind concerning these debates is that we (traditional Catholics) are all resisting the man who is currently claiming to be pope.  The only difference is our justification for doing so.  It could be that some of us have the correct justification and some of us don't.  Or since none of us is infallible, we could all be wrong.  So don't forget that you will be judged according to the measure you use to judge others.

    Offline Pax Vobis

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #115 on: April 24, 2018, 01:50:59 PM »
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    The difference is that recognizing the pope as pope is REQUIRED to be catholic.
    I'll repeat this, since you continue to exaggerate my claims and distort what the above sentence means.  Obviously, if a pope dies, there is no one to recognize, so your example is silly.

    Quote
    (but not to remain in Canonical submission to him nor to heed his Magisterium nor to worship God with the same Rite of Mass that he uses. 
    I'll repeat, the post-conciliar popes do not require V2 or the new mass to be accepted for salvation.  Submission only applies to requirements.


    Offline forlorn

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #116 on: April 24, 2018, 01:54:00 PM »
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  • I'll repeat this, since you continue to exaggerate my claims and distort what the above sentence means.  Obviously, if a pope dies, there is no one to recognize, so your example is silly.
    And sedevacantists believe there is no Pope to recognise right now. 

    Offline Pax Vobis

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #117 on: April 24, 2018, 01:56:46 PM »
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    There are significant numbers of clergy on both sides of the debate
    I'm sorry but no traditional clergy have jurisdiction so they are not part of the hierarchy.  When I say 'hierarchy' i'm talking about Cardinals and officals of Rome, who have as their job the govermental aspects of the entire church.  No trad cleric has any say in the matter of the pope, because they don't have the power or vocation to 1) elect him or 2) study the theological questions surrounding his heretical actions.

    Offline Pax Vobis

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #118 on: April 24, 2018, 01:58:51 PM »
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    You can't prove a man is pope by starting with the assertion that he is pope.  You also can't prove that the Conciliar church hierarchy is the hierarchy of the Catholic Church by the assertion that it is the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. 
    The Church has been headquarted in Rome since before you were born.  Those who reside in Rome as the pope and Cardinals are such, whether you want to accept reality or not. 

    Offline Clemens Maria

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    Re: Are Sedevacantists Clueless About St. Bellarmine's True Position?
    « Reply #119 on: April 24, 2018, 02:30:27 PM »
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  • I'm sorry but no traditional clergy have jurisdiction so they are not part of the hierarchy.  When I say 'hierarchy' i'm talking about Cardinals and officals of Rome, who have as their job the govermental aspects of the entire church.  No trad cleric has any say in the matter of the pope, because they don't have the power or vocation to 1) elect him or 2) study the theological questions surrounding his heretical actions.
    According to Wilhelm and Scannell and other approved theological manuals, the hierarchy consists of all clergy (those who have received first tonsure).  Aside from the pope, no one has jurisdiction over the Roman See.  And according to canon law, only the College of Cardinals can elect a pope during a sede vacante.  Obviously they would have to agree that there is a sede vacante.  But several pre-Vatican 2 theologians speculated about what would happen in the event that the College of Cardinals is wiped out or incapacitated.  They all agree that the authority to elect a pope (and obviously to determine whether or not there is a sede vacante) would devolve to other members of the hierarchy.  Some said it would be the Roman clergy (note they don't have ordinary jurisdiction over anything).  Some said to an imperfect general council.  There is no canon law or general agreement about how this situation would be handled.  The only agreement is that it can be handled.  And it doesn't require jurisdiction to accomplish it.  Obviously, the participation of the highest possible authorities gives legitimacy to the final outcome.  So in fact, trad clerics could have a say in the matter.  Your mistake is in assuming that Conciliar clerics are actually Catholic and that they possess jurisdiction.  If you throw that idea away then, yes, traditional Catholic clerics would be part of the process.