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Traditional Catholic Faith => SSPX Resistance News => Topic started by: SeanJohnson on June 23, 2020, 07:14:22 AM

Title: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: SeanJohnson on June 23, 2020, 07:14:22 AM
Letter of support from Bishop Thomas Aquinas

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7-6NG90alvc/XvBXabodR7I/AAAAAAAABDA/YdACCm8GprkJWSjySaoooVKiDV7GsOVeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/AT.jpg) (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7-6NG90alvc/XvBXabodR7I/AAAAAAAABDA/YdACCm8GprkJWSjySaoooVKiDV7GsOVeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/AT.jpg)

https://tradcatresist.blogspot.com/2020/06/bishop-thomas-aquinas-on-archbishop.html (https://tradcatresist.blogspot.com/2020/06/bishop-thomas-aquinas-on-archbishop.html)


+

PAX


Excellency,

It is from Brazil that I am writing to congratulate you on your writing of June 9. Your lucidity and courage have edified and comforted us a lot.

I was ordained by H.E.Mgr. Marcel Lefebvre in 1980 and consecrated bishop by H.E. Bishop Richard Williamson in 2016. I live in Brazil, at the Benedictine Monastery of the Holy Cross (Mosteiro da Santa Cruz, in Portuguese) of which I am the superior. Here we have always followed the directions of Mgr. Lefebvre, who has always fought both modernism and sedevacantism.

We appreciated your clarity in denouncing the "Parallel Church" that a cardinal named "Conciliar Church". Although this reality is very difficult to define, we are faced with two distinct realities, with distinct ends, distinct doctrines, distinct morals, distinct liturgies, etc., despite the fact that only one Pope is at the head of the two churches, which protects one (the modernist) and persecutes the other (the catholic).

In a conference, Mgr. Lefebvre said, setting out the questions he would do if he were invited to Rome:

"Which Church are you? What Church are we dealing with - I would like to know - if I am dealing with the Catholic Church, or if I am dealing with another Church, a Counter-Church, a counterfeit of the Church? … Now, I sincerely believe that we are dealing with a forgery of the Church and not with the Catholic Church. Why? Because they no longer teach the Catholic faith. They no longer defend the Catholic faith. Not only do they no longer teach the Catholic faith and no longer defend the Catholic faith, but they teach something else, they lead the Church into something other than the Catholic Church. It is no longer the Catholic Church. They sit on the seat of their predecessors, all these cardinals who are in the congregations and all these secretaries who are in these congregations or at the secretary of state; they sit well where their predecessors were, but they do not continue their predecessors. They no longer have the same faith, the same doctrine, or the same morals as their predecessors. So it's no longer possible. And mainly, their big mistake is ecuмenism. They teach an ecuмenism that is contrary to the Catholic faith. They teach an ecuмenism that is contrary to the Catholic faith. They teach an ecuмenism that is contrary to the Catholic faith" (Conference to seminarians, June 8, 1978).

Bishop de Castro Mayer was no less explicit:

"We would say that the best way to abandon the Church of Christ, the Roman Apostolic Catholic Church, is to accept without reservation what was taught and proposed by Vatican Council II. It is the Anti-Church. "(Heri and Hodie Journal nº33 - September 1986). This quote from Bishop de Castro Mayer has been translated from Portuguese.

Before closing, I assure you again of my support, my prayers and the prayers of all the monks of our monastery as well as those of the faithful who are with us and of Brazilian seminarians of Tradition.

Wishing you the courage that only God can give, I assure you, Excellency, of my entire devotion.

In the Sacred Heart and in the Immaculate Heart,

+ Tomás de Aquino, OSB
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 23, 2020, 08:43:20 AM

Here we have always followed the directions of Mgr. Lefebvre, who has always fought both modernism and sedevacantism.

This is garbage.  +Lefebvre was open to sedevacantism and rather sympathetic to the thesis that these men might not be legitimate popes.  This is obviously a ploy to try to dissuade Vigano from going in that direction.  I suspect that the Bishop here got the same sedevacantist vibes from Vigano's letter that I did.

He continues to peddle that head of two Churches crap that R&R developed in an act of desperation.  Sure Berogoglio is the head of a counter-Church while at the same time being the head of the Catholic Church.  This is pure theological trash.

I'd love to see Vigano slap this down.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 23, 2020, 08:47:39 AM
That quote from +Lefebvre sounds more like an articulation of sedeprivationism, that they materially occupy the positions of their predecessors but do not have the same faith.

If they do not have the faith, they are not Catholic.  If they are not Catholic, they do not legitimately hold authority in the Church.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: DecemRationis on June 23, 2020, 08:50:02 AM
This is garbage.  +Lefebvre was open to sedevacantism and rather sympathetic to the thesis that these men might not be legitimate popes.  This is obviously a ploy to try to dissuade Vigano from going in that direction.  I suspect that the Bishop here got the same sedevacantists vibes from Vigano's letter that I did.

He continues to peddle thos head of two Churches crap that R&R developed in an act of desperation.  Sure Berogoglio is the head of a counter-Church while at the same time being the head of the Catholic Church.  This is pure theological trash.

I'd love to see Vigano slap this down.
I am beginning to see the damage of calling someone "pope" simply in recognition of the fact that a heretic is seated in the chair of Peter. I think that goes to the heart of the Sedevacantist objection, and I see it's merit and its consistency. 
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 23, 2020, 08:58:23 AM
I am beginning to see the damage of calling someone "pope" simply in recognition of the fact that a heretic is seated in the chair of Peter. I think that goes to the heart of the Sedevacantist objection, and I see it's merit and its consistency.

I am OK with calling him a Pope out of acknowledgement of the reality that he materially occupies the See.  Vigano of course constantly referred to him simply as Bergoglio.  But to keep claiming that these men don't have the faith but then have legitimate authority in the Church, it's total desperation, an emotional reaction against sedevacantism ... but it's totally bankrupt.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: DecemRationis on June 23, 2020, 09:00:35 AM
I am OK with calling him a Pope out of acknowledgement of the reality that he materially occupies the See.  Vigano of course constantly referred to him simply as Bergoglio.  But to keep claiming that these men don't have the faith but then have legitimate authority in the Church, it's total desperation, an emotional reaction against sedevacantism ... but it's totally bankrupt.
Yes. As I said, it is becoming clearer to me, and apparently others - Vigano it seems also - as time goes by. 
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: 2Vermont on June 23, 2020, 09:06:40 AM
This is garbage.  +Lefebvre was open to sedevacantism and rather sympathetic to the thesis that these men might not be legitimate popes.  This is obviously a ploy to try to dissuade Vigano from going in that direction.  I suspect that the Bishop here got the same sedevacantist vibes from Vigano's letter that I did.
And he'll drop him like a hot potato if he does.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Mr G on June 23, 2020, 09:10:00 AM
I am OK with calling him a Pope out of acknowledgement of the reality that he materially occupies the See.  Vigano of course constantly referred to him simply as Bergoglio.  But to keep claiming that these men don't have the faith but then have legitimate authority in the Church, it's total desperation, an emotional reaction against sedevacantism ... but it's totally bankrupt.
Does the Archbishop call Pope Benedict XVI as "Ratzinger"? 
I heard, that it was common for Italians to refer to the Pope by their family name.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Mithrandylan on June 23, 2020, 09:29:13 AM
This is garbage.  +Lefebvre was open to sedevacantism and rather sympathetic to the thesis that these men might not be legitimate popes.  This is obviously a ploy to try to dissuade Vigano from going in that direction.  I suspect that the Bishop here got the same sedevacantist vibes from Vigano's letter that I did.

He continues to peddle that head of two Churches crap that R&R developed in an act of desperation.  Sure Berogoglio is the head of a counter-Church while at the same time being the head of the Catholic Church.  This is pure theological trash.

I'd love to see Vigano slap this down.
.
Ideally, if Vigano responded, he would point out exactly what you have here: that the Archbishop was no committed enemy of sedevacantism
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: SeanJohnson on June 23, 2020, 09:48:13 AM
This is garbage.  +Lefebvre was open to sedevacantism and rather sympathetic to the thesis that these men might not be legitimate popes.  This is obviously a ploy to try to dissuade Vigano from going in that direction.  I suspect that the Bishop here got the same sedevacantist vibes from Vigano's letter that I did.

He continues to peddle that head of two Churches crap that R&R developed in an act of desperation.  Sure Berogoglio is the head of a counter-Church while at the same time being the head of the Catholic Church.  This is pure theological trash.

I'd love to see Vigano slap this down.

Completely false:

He banned them from admission to the SSPX and made them sign a docuмent pledging their prayer for the pope and rejection of sedevacantism.

That on two occasions he made statements which could be construed as allowing for the theoretical possibility of sedevacantism (statements made in time of grave scandal, but which never caused him to altar his 1981 Pledge, and which he never reaffirmed when relative tranquility returned) is a long way from saying he was “open to and sympathetic” to a position he officially shunned.

It should be obvious that Bishop Thomas understands they position of Lefebvre on this matter.

I think you are upset that Bishop Thomas restated Lefebvre’s position to Vigano, as it hurts your hopes the latter would go sede.  But there never really were any hopes Vigano was going in that direction anyway.  The fact that he refers to Francis as Bergoglio is a human failing stemming from personal indignation, nor the indication of sedevacantist leanings you were hoping for.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: SeanJohnson on June 23, 2020, 10:00:01 AM
That quote from +Lefebvre sounds more like an articulation of sedeprivationism, that they materially occupy the positions of their predecessors but do not have the same faith.

If they do not have the faith, they are not Catholic.  If they are not Catholic, they do not legitimately hold authority in the Church.
Yes, yes: If we can’t make Lefebvre a sedevacantist, we will make him a closet sedevacantist (sedeprivationist).
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: SeanJohnson on June 23, 2020, 10:01:35 AM
I am OK with calling him a Pope out of acknowledgement of the reality that he materially occupies the See.  Vigano of course constantly referred to him simply as Bergoglio.  But to keep claiming that these men don't have the faith but then have legitimate authority in the Church, it's total desperation, an emotional reaction against sedevacantism ... but it's totally bankrupt.
Unless Cajetan, JST, Billuart, Billot, Bellarmine, Torquemada, Vitoria, et al are right!
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: SeanJohnson on June 23, 2020, 10:24:23 AM
.
Ideally, if Vigano responded, he would point out exactly what you have here: that the Archbishop was no committed enemy of sedevacantism.

Isn’t it a little absurd to expect Vigano to presume to correct SSPXers and Resistance clergy and bishops on Lefebvre’s position on sedevacantism?

Should Vigano need to look any further than the official policy in place for the last 40 years, which precludes sedevacantism ad infra?

In any case, we may know soon enough, since I emailed Vigano Bishop Thomas Aquinas’s letter.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Pax Vobis on June 23, 2020, 10:39:13 AM
Quote
Ideally, if Vigano responded, he would point out exactly what you have here: that the Archbishop was no committed enemy of sedevacantism
Ideally, if Vigano is serious about waking up the billions of novus ordo sheeple, the last thing on his agenda would be to spend time on the petty arguments of traditionalists and on what +ABL did or didn't mean.  What matters is the hear and now.  If Vigano comes out tomorrow and says that Francis isn't the pope, this has nothing to do with +ABL's comments, because he was dead before Francis was even elected.  So the debate will rage on, endlessly.  There's so many bigger fish to fry.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: 2Vermont on June 23, 2020, 11:26:05 AM
Any predictions on how many pages this thread will go?   :laugh1:
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: 2Vermont on June 23, 2020, 11:28:43 AM
Isn’t it a little absurd to expect Vigano to presume to correct SSPXers and Resistance clergy and bishops on Lefebvre’s position on sedevacantism?

Should Vigano need to look any further than the official policy in place for the last 40 years, which precludes sedevacantism ad infra?

In any case, we may know soon enough, since I emailed Vigano Bishop Thomas Aquinas’s letter.
Is emailing Vigano that easy?  Is his email address public knowledge?  Maybe this explains why he has written so many letters in the last couple of weeks.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: SeanJohnson on June 23, 2020, 12:11:39 PM
Is emailing Vigano that easy?  Is his email address public knowledge?  Maybe this explains why he has written so many letters in the last couple of weeks.

Well, he set up this website to post his Appeal, and you can submit comments to it.

He (or his associates) May or may not be still monitoring it.

https://veritasliberabitvos.info/ (https://veritasliberabitvos.info/)
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 23, 2020, 12:43:01 PM
Ideally, if Vigano is serious about waking up the billions of novus ordo sheeple, the last thing on his agenda would be to spend time on the petty arguments of traditionalists and on what +ABL did or didn't mean.  What matters is the hear and now.  If Vigano comes out tomorrow and says that Francis isn't the pope, this has nothing to do with +ABL's comments, because he was dead before Francis was even elected.  So the debate will rage on, endlessly.  There's so many bigger fish to fry.

Exactly.  It's absurd to attempt to inject that controversy into Viagano's awakening process.  Bishop Thomas Aquinas seems to oppose Modernism with Sedevacantism, implying that they're almost equal-but-opposite errors.  It's like taking a person who's just converting to Traditional Catholicism and then immediately to start hitting him in the face with different camps vying for whether the person should become R&R or sedevacantist.  If nothing else, that'll just turn them off to the entire thing and confuse them.  It's almost like Thomas Aquinas is trying to immediately win him over to the Resistance camp before he's even necessarily finished his own awakening process.

I would object just as much if Father Jenkins had written him and started promoting the SSPV and trying to explain why the SSPX are no good.
There was no place for that in this letter.

Just thank him for the June 9 letter, encourage him in the conclusions that were on the mark, and let him work it out gradually over time.  I honestly don't care where he ends up ultimately, as long as he holds fast to the principles articulated in his June 9th letter.  What I'm hoping for is that he somehow puts them into action ... whether he becomes sedevacantist (ala Bellarmine) or starts a movement in the NO to ministerially depose Francis (ala Cajetan and John of St. Thomas).
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Mithrandylan on June 23, 2020, 12:49:52 PM
I did not mean by my earlier comment that it would be ideal for Vigano and Bishop Aquinas to have some protracted dialogue about Lefebvrist exegesis.  I agree with Ladislaus' interpretation of Aquinas's opening paragraph, that it was petty and suggestive.  I wouldn't want to see Vigano write a response that argued the point.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Cera on June 23, 2020, 04:40:58 PM
I think you are upset that Bishop Thomas restated Lefebvre’s position to Vigano, as it hurts your hopes the latter would go sede.  But there never really were any hopes Vigano was going in that direction anyway.  The fact that he refers to Francis as Bergoglio is a human failing stemming from personal indignation, nor the indication of sedevacantist leanings you were hoping for.
An alternate explanation exists for Vigano's calling Bergoglio that name, an explanation related neither to indignation nor sede leanings.
He may be aware of the election of Siri to the papacy in the 1958 conclave, his acceptance, his taking the name Pope Gregory XVII, the outside message from Bnai Brith threatening to kill all hierarchy behind the Iron Curtain, his "resignation" which was invalid according to Canon Law.
Vigano may be aware of the successors to Pope Gregory XVII who are in hiding. Vigano may be aware that since 1958 the true Catholic Church has been underground and the apostate anti-Church has been in the hands of Freemasons/ Communists/Satanists.
Vigano may be aware that the Church founded by Jesus Christ has been in ECLIPSE since 1958 and the Church has been under the reign of the anti-christ.

https://whitesmoke1958.com (https://whitesmoke1958.com/)

theimmaculateheart.com/gregoryXVII.htm (http://theimmaculateheart.com/gregoryXVII.htm)
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Plenus Venter on June 23, 2020, 08:01:09 PM
If they do not have the faith, they are not Catholic.  If they are not Catholic, they do not legitimately hold authority in the Church.
Here is summed up by Ladislaus the essential problem of sedevacantism, a problem that Archbishop Lefebvre understood, but Ladislaus, sadly, does not.

The sedevacantist effectively sets himself up as pope. He takes this opinion, expressed by Ladislaus, and promulgates it as absolute, definitive, dogmatic, binding on the Catholic conscience. Just as we see above. He adds something to the Catholic Faith. That is not Catholic. It is neither 'absurd', nor 'petty' to want to keep someone from embracing such an error, of which the Dominicans of Avrille said in their Small Catechism of Sedevacantism: "This is a position that has not been proven at the speculative level, and it is imprudent to hold it at a practical level, an imprudence that can bear very serious consequences.”

The folly of such a line of conduct should be immediately obvious by considering the opinion of just a few eminent theologians and canonists:

1. BILLUART: "The more common opinion holds that Christ, by a particular providence, for the common good and the tranquility of the Church, continues to give jurisdiction to an even manifestly heretical pontiff until such time as he should be declared a manifest heretic by the Church" - De Fide, Diss V, A III No 3 Obj 2

2. GARRIGOU-LAGRANGE: "...a secretly heretical Pope would not remain a member of the Church in act (...) but he would keep the jurisdiction by which he has influence over the Church by governing it. Thus he would keep the reason (or nature) of being the head towards the Church, on which he would have an influence, but he would cease to be a member of Christ, the invisible and First Head. Thus, in a most abnormal fashion, he would be the head of the Church by jurisdiction, but he would not be a member.

"This would be impossible if it would be about a physical head, but this is not contradictory if we talk about a secondary moral head: The reason being whereas a physical head cannot exercise influence on the members without receiving the vital influx of the soul; a moral head, as the Roman Pontiff is, can exercise a jurisdiction on the Church even if he receives no influence of internal faith and charity from the soul of the Church.

"So, as Billuart says, the pope is constituted a member of the Church by his personal faith, that he can lose, and the head of the visible Church by jurisdiciton and the power that can coexist with internal heresy..." - De Christo Salvatore, 1946, p232  Note: Fr Garrigou-Lagrange is obviously only referring to internal heretics, but it is relevant to the quote from Ladislaus.

3. JOHN OF ST THOMAS: "So long as it has not been declared to us juridically, that he is an infidel or heretic, be he ever so manifestly heretical according to private judgment, he remains, as far as we are concerned (quoad nos), a member of the Church and consequently its head. Judgment is required by the Church. It is only then that he ceases to be Pope as far as we are concerned" - Cursus Theologici II-II, De Auctoritate Summi Pontificis, Disp II, Art III, De Depositione Papa

4. FR PAUL LAYMANN SJ: "It is more probable that the Supreme Pontiff, as concerns his own person, could fall into heresy, even a notorious one, by reason of which he would deserve to be deposed by the Church, or rather declared to be separated from her. (...) Observe, however, that, though we affirm that the Supreme Pontiff, as a private person, might be able to become a heretic and therefore cease to be a true member of the Church, (...) nevertheless, for as long as the Pope is tolerated by the Church and publicly recognised as the universal pastor, he is still endowed, in fact, with his power as pontiff, in such a way that all his decrees would have no less force and authority than they would if he were truly faithful" - Theol. Mor. Bk 2 Tract 1 Ch 7 p153

5. SUAREZ: "I affirm: If he is a heretic and incorrigible, the Pope ceases to be Pope as soon as a declarative sentence of his crime is pronounced against him by the legitimate jurisdiction of the Church (...) In the first place, who should pronounce such a sentence? Some say that it should be the Cardinals; and the Church could undoubtedly assign this faculty to them, above all if it were established with the consent and decision of the Supreme Pontiffs, just as was done for the election. But to this day we do not read anywhere that such a judgment has been confided to them. For this reason, it must be affirmed that of itself it belongs to all the Bishops of the Church. For since they are the ordinary pastors and pillars of the Church, one should consider that such a case concerns them. And since by divine law, there is no greater reason to affirm that the matter involves some Bishops more than others, and since, according to human law, nothing has been established in the matter, it must necessarily be held that the matter should be referred to all of them, and even to a general council. This is the common opinion of the doctors. One can read Cardinal Albano expounding upon this point at length in De Cardinalibus (q.35, 1584 ed, vol 13, p2)" - De Fide, Disp 10, Sect 6, n 10, pp 317-18

6. CAJETAN: "... a heretical Pope is not deprived (of the Papacy) by divine or human law... Other bishops if they become heretics are not deprived ipso facto by divine or human law; therefore, neither is the Pope. The conclusion is obvious, because the Pope is not in a worse situation than other bishops - On the Comparison of the Authority of Pope and Council, Ch XIX

7. BELLARMINE: "...if the pastor is a bishop, they (the faithful) cannot depose him and put another in his place. For Our Lord and the Apostles only lay down that false prophets are not to be listened to by the people, and not that they depose them. And it is certain that the practice of the Church has always been that heretical bishops be deposed by bishop's councils, or by the Sovereign Pontiff" - De Membris Ecclesiae, Lib I De Clericis, Cap 7 (Opera Omnia, Paris: Vives, 1870, pp 428-429)  Obviously not referring to the Pope, but still relevant to Ladislaus's quote.

"I honestly don't care where he ends up ultimately" (Ladislaus). I do. I hope he ends up in the truth. It matters! It has implications for the salvation of souls... "a position that has not been proven at the speculative level,.. it is imprudent to hold it at a practical level, an imprudence that can bear very serious consequences.”




























































































Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: DecemRationis on June 23, 2020, 08:09:26 PM
Here is summed up by Ladislaus the essential problem of sedevacantism, a problem that Archbishop Lefebvre understood, but Ladislaus, sadly, does not.

The sedevacantist effectively sets himself up as pope. He takes this opinion, expressed by Ladislaus, and promulgates it as absolute, definitive, dogmatic, binding on the Catholic conscience. Just as we see above. He adds something to the Catholic Faith. That is not Catholic. It is neither 'absurd', nor 'petty' to want to keep someone from embracing such an error, of which the Dominicans of Avrille said in their Small Catechism of Sedevacantism: "This is a position that has not been proven at the speculative level, and it is imprudent to hold it at a practical level, an imprudence that can bear very serious consequences.”

The folly of such a line of conduct should be immediately obvious by considering the opinion of just a few eminent theologians and canonists:

1. BILLUART: "The more common opinion holds that Christ, by a particular providence, for the common good and the tranquility of the Church, continues to give jurisdiction to an even manifestly heretical pontiff until such time as he should be declared a manifest heretic by the Church" - De Fide, Diss V, A III No 3 Obj 2

2. GARRIGOU-LAGRANGE: "...a secretly heretical Pope would not remain a member of the Church in act (...) but he would keep the jurisdiction by which he has influence over the Church by governing it. Thus he would keep the reason (or nature) of being the head towards the Church, on which he would have an influence, but he would cease to be a member of Christ, the invisible and First Head. Thus, in a most abnormal fashion, he would be the head of the Church by jurisdiction, but he would not be a member.

"This would be impossible if it would be about a physical head, but this is not contradictory if we talk about a secondary moral head: The reason being whereas a physical head cannot exercise influence on the members without receiving the vital influx of the soul; a moral head, as the Roman Pontiff is, can exercise a jurisdiction on the Church even if he receives no influence of internal faith and charity from the soul of the Church.

"So, as Billuart says, the pope is constituted a member of the Church by his personal faith, that he can lose, and the head of the visible Church by jurisdiciton and the power that can coexist with internal heresy..." - De Christo Salvatore, 1946, p232  Note: Fr Garrigou-Lagrange is obviously only referring to internal heretics, but it is relevant to the quote from Ladislaus.

3. JOHN OF ST THOMAS: "So long as it has not been declared to us juridically, that he is an infidel or heretic, be he ever so manifestly heretical according to private judgment, he remains, as far as we are concerned (quoad nos), a member of the Church and consequently its head. Judgment is required by the Church. It is only then that he ceases to be Pope as far as we are concerned" - Cursus Theologici II-II, De Auctoritate Summi Pontificis, Disp II, Art III, De Depositione Papa

4. FR PAUL LAYMANN SJ: "It is more probable that the Supreme Pontiff, as concerns his own person, could fall into heresy, even a notorious one, by reason of which he would deserve to be deposed by the Church, or rather declared to be separated from her. (...) Observe, however, that, though we affirm that the Supreme Pontiff, as a private person, might be able to become a heretic and therefore cease to be a true member of the Church, (...) nevertheless, for as long as the Pope is tolerated by the Church and publicly recognised as the universal pastor, he is still endowed, in fact, with his power as pontiff, in such a way that all his decrees would have no less force and authority than they would if he were truly faithful" - Theol. Mor. Bk 2 Tract 1 Ch 7 p153

5. SUAREZ: "I affirm: If he is a heretic and incorrigible, the Pope ceases to be Pope as soon as a declarative sentence of his crime is pronounced against him by the legitimate jurisdiction of the Church (...) In the first place, who should pronounce such a sentence? Some say that it should be the Cardinals; and the Church could undoubtedly assign this faculty to them, above all if it were established with the consent and decision of the Supreme Pontiffs, just as was done for the election. But to this day we do not read anywhere that such a judgment has been confided to them. For this reason, it must be affirmed that of itself it belongs to all the Bishops of the Church. For since they are the ordinary pastors and pillars of the Church, one should consider that such a case concerns them. And since by divine law, there is no greater reason to affirm that the matter involves some Bishops more than others, and since, according to human law, nothing has been established in the matter, it must necessarily be held that the matter should be referred to all of them, and even to a general council. This is the common opinion of the doctors. One can read Cardinal Albano expounding upon this point at length in De Cardinalibus (q.35, 1584 ed, vol 13, p2)" - De Fide, Disp 10, Sect 6, n 10, pp 317-18

6. CAJETAN: "... a heretical Pope is not deprived (of the Papacy) by divine or human law... Other bishops if they become heretics are not deprived ipso facto by divine or human law; therefore, neither is the Pope. The conclusion is obvious, because the Pope is not in a worse situation than other bishops - On the Comparison of the Authority of Pope and Council, Ch XIX

7. BELLARMINE: "...if the pastor is a bishop, they (the faithful) cannot depose him and put another in his place. For Our Lord and the Apostles only lay down that false prophets are not to be listened to by the people, and not that they depose them. And it is certain that the practice of the Church has always been that heretical bishops be deposed by bishop's councils, or by the Sovereign Pontiff" - De Membris Ecclesiae, Lib I De Clericis, Cap 7 (Opera Omnia, Paris: Vives, 1870, pp 428-429)  Obviously not referring to the Pope, but still relevant to Ladislaus's quote.

"I honestly don't care where he ends up ultimately" (Ladislaus). I do. I hope he ends up in the truth. It matters! It has implications for the salvation of souls... "a position that has not been proven at the speculative level,.. it is imprudent to hold it at a practical level, an imprudence that can bear very serious consequences.”

You need to put the word "dogmatic" before Sedevacantist. 

As it is, you take an opinion about a certain type of Sedevacantist, as expressed by yourself, and promulgate it as definitive, dogmatic, binding on the Catholic conscience.

Or something like that.

 
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Plenus Venter on June 23, 2020, 08:14:38 PM
You need to put the word "dogmatic" before Sedevacantist.

As it is, you take an opinion about a certain type of Sedevacantist, as expressed by yourself, and promulgate it as definitive, dogmatic, binding on the Catholic conscience.

Or something like that.

 
Thanks, DR, I take your point, and I agree. But Lad's statement is in fact not expressed as an opinion.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Nadir on June 23, 2020, 08:23:19 PM
Does the Archbishop call Pope Benedict XVI as "Ratzinger"?
I heard, that it was common for Italians to refer to the Pope by their family name.
Italians use the pope's surname, always preceded by "papa" as in Papa Sarto, Papa Pacelli etc. 
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: DecemRationis on June 23, 2020, 08:25:09 PM
Thanks, DR, I take your point, and I agree. But Lad's statement is in fact not expressed as an opinion.
Ok. 

But Lad's statement is fact, not opinion. If you do not have the Catholic faith, you are outside the Church; you are not Catholic. 

And he is not a dogmatic Sedevacantist. 

Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: SeanJohnson on June 23, 2020, 09:06:52 PM
Ok.

But Lad's statement is fact, not opinion. If you do not have the Catholic faith, you are outside the Church; you are not Catholic.

And he is not a dogmatic Sedevacantist.

False:

Material heretics are not outside the Church.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: DecemRationis on June 24, 2020, 05:01:25 AM
False:

Material heretics are not outside the Church.
But that only means you believe material heretics have the Catholic faith. 

In any event, the statement "if you don't have the Catholic faith, you're outside the Church" remains true. 
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Plenus Venter on June 24, 2020, 05:41:49 AM
But that only means you believe material heretics have the Catholic faith.

In any event, the statement "if you don't have the Catholic faith, you're outside the Church" remains true.
Material heretics (caveat: 'material heretic' is understood in different ways) may have the Catholic Faith, and it is not up to me to judge!


Also, you left off the punch line from Ladislaus's quote, "...and therefore they do not legitimately hold authority in the Church". I hope you can see from my response that he is at variance in this with some of the greatest minds of the Church.  So the statement is clearly not a Catholic one.


There are many distinctions in Catholic theology. An answer in a catechism is only the briefest of summaries of sometimes complex subjects that fill whole libraries in theological works, and these catechism answers are subject to many clarifications and distinctions.


Let me give just one example that relates to your assertion "if you don't have the Catholic Faith, you're outside the Church": St Robert Bellarmine, discussing the second of his famed 'five opinions', "that the Pope, in the very instant in which he falls into heresy, even if it is only interior, is outside the Church and deposed by God", replies "that the foundation of this opinion is that secret heretics are outside the Church, which is false". So immediately you can see that your assertion is not unconditionally true.


Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Struthio on June 24, 2020, 07:14:04 AM
Material heretics (caveat: 'material heretic' is understood in different ways) may have the Catholic Faith, and it is not up to me to judge!

Here a more helpful approach:

Manifest material heretics just like manifest formal heretics do not (outwardly) profess the Catholic Faith and therefore don't belong to (the body of) the Church. That's independent of the specific definition of the distiction between material vs. formal heretic.

Occult material heretics just like occult formal heretics do (outwardly) profess the Catholic Faith and therefore do belong to (the body of) the Church.

Since we're not able to read hearts, we can't judge whether s.o. is or is not an occult heretic. On the other hand we can judge whether s.o. is or is not a manifest heretic, and we should do so where necessary to avoid false Gospels and sacrilege.


Manifest heretics can't belong to (the body of) the Church, since the Church visibly (and audibly) professes one Faith.

Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: 2Vermont on June 24, 2020, 07:37:34 AM
False:

Material heretics are not outside the Church.
Is Francis merely a material heretic?
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: SeanJohnson on June 24, 2020, 07:41:08 AM
Is Francis merely a material heretic?
At least.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: 2Vermont on June 24, 2020, 07:46:01 AM
At least.
How so?
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: SeanJohnson on June 24, 2020, 07:52:16 AM
How so?
Bad hair.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: 2Vermont on June 24, 2020, 07:55:09 AM
Bad hair.
Don't want to expand on your "at least" huh? 
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: SeanJohnson on June 24, 2020, 07:58:12 AM
Don't want to expand on your "at least" huh?
Nope
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: 2Vermont on June 24, 2020, 08:01:51 AM
Nope
:laugh1:  
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: DecemRationis on June 24, 2020, 08:08:13 AM
Material heretics (caveat: 'material heretic' is understood in different ways) may have the Catholic Faith, and it is not up to me to judge!


Also, you left off the punch line from Ladislaus's quote, "...and therefore they do not legitimately hold authority in the Church". I hope you can see from my response that he is at variance in this with some of the greatest minds of the Church.  So the statement is clearly not a Catholic one.


There are many distinctions in Catholic theology. An answer in a catechism is only the briefest of summaries of sometimes complex subjects that fill whole libraries in theological works, and these catechism answers are subject to many clarifications and distinctions.


Let me give just one example that relates to your assertion "if you don't have the Catholic Faith, you're outside the Church": St Robert Bellarmine, discussing the second of his famed 'five opinions', "that the Pope, in the very instant in which he falls into heresy, even if it is only interior, is outside the Church and deposed by God", replies "that the foundation of this opinion is that secret heretics are outside the Church, which is false". So immediately you can see that your assertion is not unconditionally true.
Point well-taken.

However, let me caution you on the last paragraph and the issue of occult heretics. First, St. Robert does not make my statement "not unconditionally true," as the issue of whether an occult heretic is still inside the Church sans possession of the Catholic faith is is a disputed issue which the Church has not settled.

That men must treat occult heretics as members of the Church since there is no external manifestation of their lack of faith is necessary and true.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: 2Vermont on June 25, 2020, 08:28:30 AM
Point well-taken.

However, let me caution you on the last paragraph and the issue of occult heretics. First, St. Robert does not make my statement "not unconditionally true," as the issue of whether an occult heretic is still inside the Church sans possession of the Catholic faith is is a disputed issue which the Church has not settled.

That men must treat occult heretics as members of the Church since there is no external manifestation of their lack of faith is necessary and true.
It is interesting that Plenus Venter cites St Bellarmine with respect to secret heretics, but fails to include his reference to secret heretics in his fifth and true opinion when speaking of manifest heretic popes:

Now the fifth true opinion, is that a Pope who is a manifest heretic, ceases in himself to be Pope and head, just as he ceases in himself to be a Christian and member of the body of the Church: whereby, he can be judged and punished by the Church. This is the opinion of all the ancient Fathers, who teach that manifest heretics soon [mox — better translation: immediately] lose all jurisdiction, and namely St. Cyprian who speaks on Novation, who was a Pope in schism with Cornelius: “He cannot hold the Episcopacy, although he was a bishop first, he fell from the body of his fellow bishops and from the unity of the Church” [332]. There he means that Novation, even if he was a true and legitimate Pope; still would have fallen from the pontificate by himself, if he separated himself from the Church. The same is the opinion of the learned men of our age, as John Driedo teaches [333], those who are cast out as excommunicates, or leave on their own and oppose the Church are separated from it, namely heretics and schismatics. He adds in the same work [334], that no spiritual power remains in them, who have departed from the Church, over those who are in the Church. Melchior Cano teaches the same thing, when he says that heretics are not part of the Church, nor members [335], and he adds in the last Chapter, 12th argument, that someone cannot even be informed in thought, that he should be head and Pope, who is not a member nor a part, and he teaches the same thing in eloquent words, that secret heretics are still in the Church and are parts and members, and that a secretly heretical Pope is still Pope. Others teach the same, whom we cite in Book 1 of de Ecclesia. The foundation of this opinion is that a manifest heretic, is in no way a member of the Church; that is, neither in spirit nor in body, or by internal union nor external. For even wicked Catholics are united and are members, in spirit through faith and in body through the confession of faith, and the participation of the visible Sacraments. Secret heretics are united and are members, but only by an external union: just as on the other hand, good Catechumens are in the Church only by an internal union but not an external one. Manifest heretics by no union, as has been proved.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: DecemRationis on June 25, 2020, 11:15:29 AM
It is interesting that Plenus Venter cites St Bellarmine with respect to secret heretics, but fails to include his reference to secret heretics in his fifth and true opinion when speaking of manifest heretic popes:

Now the fifth true opinion, is that a Pope who is a manifest heretic, ceases in himself to be Pope and head, just as he ceases in himself to be a Christian and member of the body of the Church: whereby, he can be judged and punished by the Church. This is the opinion of all the ancient Fathers, who teach that manifest heretics soon [mox — better translation: immediately] lose all jurisdiction, and namely St. Cyprian who speaks on Novation, who was a Pope in schism with Cornelius: “He cannot hold the Episcopacy, although he was a bishop first, he fell from the body of his fellow bishops and from the unity of the Church” [332]. There he means that Novation, even if he was a true and legitimate Pope; still would have fallen from the pontificate by himself, if he separated himself from the Church. The same is the opinion of the learned men of our age, as John Driedo teaches [333], those who are cast out as excommunicates, or leave on their own and oppose the Church are separated from it, namely heretics and schismatics. He adds in the same work [334], that no spiritual power remains in them, who have departed from the Church, over those who are in the Church. Melchior Cano teaches the same thing, when he says that heretics are not part of the Church, nor members [335], and he adds in the last Chapter, 12th argument, that someone cannot even be informed in thought, that he should be head and Pope, who is not a member nor a part, and he teaches the same thing in eloquent words, that secret heretics are still in the Church and are parts and members, and that a secretly heretical Pope is still Pope. Others teach the same, whom we cite in Book 1 of de Ecclesia. The foundation of this opinion is that a manifest heretic, is in no way a member of the Church; that is, neither in spirit nor in body, or by internal union nor external. For even wicked Catholics are united and are members, in spirit through faith and in body through the confession of faith, and the participation of the visible Sacraments. Secret heretics are united and are members, but only by an external union: just as on the other hand, good Catechumens are in the Church only by an internal union but not an external one. Manifest heretics by no union, as has been proved.
Thank you for a fuller context. I took the liberty of highlighting some sections. 
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 25, 2020, 04:09:02 PM
At least.

Father Chazal without hesitation states that Berogoglio is without a doubt a manifest heretic.  He merely adopts the position, against +Bellarmine, that manifest heretics need to be deposed.  He repeatedly stated that he had to "agree with the sedevacantists" about this.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 25, 2020, 04:12:54 PM
Here is summed up by Ladislaus the essential problem of sedevacantism, a problem that Archbishop Lefebvre understood, but Ladislaus, sadly, does not.

The sedevacantist effectively sets himself up as pope. He takes this opinion, expressed by Ladislaus, and promulgates it as absolute, definitive, dogmatic, binding on the Catholic conscience.

Nonsense, Full Stomach.  Archbishop Lefebvre held a much more nuanced view of the Pope question that you claim.  I get tired of those who claim that he was unequivocally anti-sedevacantist.  That's just an outright lie.

No, what you're describing is DOGMATIC sedevacantism, but you try to lump all of sedevacantism in with it.  I too have criticized dogmatic sedevacantism on the same grounds that you cite.  That's grossly dishonest and you are hereby disqualified from this discussion.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: SeanJohnson on June 25, 2020, 05:15:41 PM
Father Chazal without hesitation states that Berogoglio is without a doubt a manifest heretic.  He merely adopts the position, against +Bellarmine, that manifest heretics need to be deposed.  He repeatedly stated that he had to "agree with the sedevacantists" about this.
Fr. Chazal without hesitation rejects SP and SV in his book.
I also agree that Bergoglio is a heretic.
The difference is that Chazal and I (along with JST, Cajetan, Billiart, Suarez, etc) believe the Church can have an heretical pope until his deposition is declared, and you do not.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 25, 2020, 07:54:27 PM
Fr. Chazal without hesitation rejects SP and SV in his book.
I also agree that Bergoglio is a heretic.
The difference is that Chazal and I (along with JST, Cajetan, Billiart, Suarez, etc) believe the Church can have an heretical pope until his deposition is declared, and you do not.

No, the part you miss, Sean, is that Father Chazal states that this heretical pope has no authority, is impounded, and needs to be categorically ignored.  That lack of authority is the sedeprivationist equivalent of ceasing to be Pope formally, while retaining material office.  Father Chazal repeatedly used language like he sits there in the chair and wears white but has no authority.  That's very closely akin to sedeprivationism despite his denials.  He denounces SP in his book because it's a knee-jerk reaction, but when you analyze his position it's nearly identical.  SSPX and former SSPX have been brainwashed into regarding SV as this nasty boogeyman that must be avoided at all costs so he feels obligated to reject it in so many words, despite actually articulating principles very much akin to SP.  SP, by the way, is not SV ... despite the fact that +Sanborn has spun it that way because he only reluctantly accepted SP because +McKenna would not consecrate him otherwise.  But after his consecration he started peddling a flavor of SP that was more SV than it was true SP.

Classical R&R holds that the Pope has formal authority and must be obeyed in all things that do not run contrary to faith or morals, but can and must be resisted in those things that do.

Father Chazal's position is closer to SP than to classical R&R.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Banezian on June 26, 2020, 12:26:40 PM
No, the part you miss, Sean, is that Father Chazal states that this heretical pope has no authority, is impounded, and needs to be categorically ignored.  That lack of authority is the sedeprivationist equivalent of ceasing to be Pope formally, while retaining material office.  Father Chazal repeatedly used language like he sits there in the chair and wears white but has no authority.  That's very closely akin to sedeprivationism despite his denials.  He denounces SP in his book because it's a knee-jerk reaction, but when you analyze his position it's nearly identical.  SSPX and former SSPX have been brainwashed into regarding SV as this nasty boogeyman that must be avoided at all costs so he feels obligated to reject it in so many words, despite actually articulating principles very much akin to SP.  SP, by the way, is not SV ... despite the fact that +Sanborn has spun it that way because he only reluctantly accepted SP because +McKenna would not consecrate him otherwise.  But after his consecration he started peddling a flavor of SP that was more SV than it was true SP.

Classical R&R holds that the Pope has formal authority and must be obeyed in all things that do not run contrary to faith or morals, but can and must be resisted in those things that do.

Father Chazal's position is closer to SP than to classical R&R.
If Sanborn isn’t a good representative of SP, who is?( you’ve made comments to that effect several times but haven’t pointed to who this  authentic SP alternative to Sanborn is)
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 26, 2020, 12:33:00 PM
If Sanborn isn’t a good representative of SP, who is?( you’ve made comments to that effect several times but haven’t pointed to who this  authentic SP alternative to Sanborn is)

Yes, I've gone over this on other threads.  +Sanborn presents SP as if it were SV.  Other adherents of the SP position have also pointed this out.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Banezian on June 26, 2020, 12:56:30 PM
Yes, I've gone over this on other threads.  +Sanborn presents SP as if it were SV.  Other adherents of the SP position have also pointed this out.
Yes so who articulates the position clearly and authentically? The position you articulated above seems reasonable but I wouldn’t call it SP- Francis is still materially Pope( insofar as we recognize his material occupancy  of the chair and resist him, the position could still be classed as a variant of R&R- albeit not “classical R&R” as you put it) 
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 26, 2020, 03:18:58 PM
Yes so who articulates the position clearly and authentically? The position you articulated above seems reasonable but I wouldn’t call it SP- Francis is still materially Pope( insofar as we recognize his material occupancy  of the chair and resist him, the position could still be classed as a variant of R&R- albeit not “classical R&R” as you put it)

Here's one example.  +Sanborn persists in his dogmatism regarding not putting una cuм in the Canon.  But if someone is materially Pope-designate, it would not necessarily be inappropriate to insert his name in the Canon with the una cuм.  So for him the material occupancy is meaningless, whereas the classic SP would be very similar to what Father Chazal articulated in terms of the implications of the material occupation, that the Pope (or Pope-designate) remains the visible sign of unity for the Church.  He's also backed away from the notion that the current Cardinals could legitimately elect a pope or that Bergoglio could convert and resume the papacy.  So it you take those implications out of the mix, the distinction between SV and SP become meaningless.

Part of the SP mentality has to do with the notion that only the Church has the authority to handle the matter with any degree of finality, and that stance is largely incompatible with dogmatic sedevacantism.  SP is by its nature a much more moderate variant of sedevacantism, and it actually addresses many of the R&R objections against sedevacantism proper.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: 2Vermont on June 26, 2020, 03:32:21 PM
Here's one example.  +Sanborn persists in his dogmatism regarding not putting una cuм in the Canon.  But if someone is materially Pope-designate, it would not necessarily be inappropriate to insert his name in the Canon with the una cuм.  So for him the material occupancy is meaningless, whereas the classic SP would be very similar to what Father Chazal articulated in terms of the implications of the material occupation, that the Pope (or Pope-designate) remains the visible sign of unity for the Church.  He's also backed away from the notion that the current Cardinals could legitimately elect a pope or that Bergoglio could convert and resume the papacy.  So it you take those implications out of the mix, the distinction between SV and SP become meaningless.

Part of the SP mentality has to do with the notion that only the Church has the authority to handle the matter with any degree of finality, and that stance is largely incompatible with dogmatic sedevacantism.  SP is by its nature a much more moderate variant of sedevacantism, and it actually addresses many of the R&R objections against sedevacantism proper.
I have had discussions with other sede friends and we also believe Bishop Sanborns stance on the una-cuм is inconsistent with the Cassiciacuм Thesis.  I do agree with him about una cuм though...i will no longer assist at a mass una cuм a heretic.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 26, 2020, 06:58:19 PM
I have had discussions with other sede friends and we also believe Bishop Sanborns stance on the una-cuм is inconsistent with the Cassiciacuм Thesis.  I do agree with him about una cuм though...i will no longer assist at a mass una cuм a heretic.

No, it's possible to be SP and offer Mass without the una cuм, but it's not consistent with CT to be dogmatic about it and denounce those who insert it as basically non-Catholic.  You need to be careful not to slide into schismatic dogmatic sedevacantism.  At the end of the day, we don't have the authority to excommunicate from the Church.  There were clearly many heretics in the Church before Vatican II.  So, for instance, Cardinal Cushing of Boston was every bit as heretical as any of the post-V2 papal claimants.  But a priest would not have a right to omit his name from the Canon because he judged him a heretic.  Inserting his name into the Canon was a statement that the priest remained in submission to the Church's hierarchy and not an attestation regarding the personal orthodoxy of Cushing.

I think the dogmatic sedes might do well to reflect on this particular scenario to test their dogmatic sedeism.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Struthio on June 26, 2020, 07:47:03 PM
You [2Vermont] need to be careful not to slide into schismatic dogmatic sedevacantism.

So what? You, Ladislaus, you already slid into "schismatic dogmatic anti-(dogmatic sedevacantism)".

Yeti tried to explain it to you recently in your Jenkins-thread. But unfortunately you don't even listen. You haven't been careful and thus already got lost in "schismatic dogmatic anti-(dogmatic sedevacantism)".

 :fryingpan: :jester:


[/IRONY OFF]
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: 2Vermont on June 26, 2020, 08:48:46 PM
No, it's possible to be SP and offer Mass without the una cuм, but it's not consistent with CT to be dogmatic about it and denounce those who insert it as basically non-Catholic.  You need to be careful not to slide into schismatic dogmatic sedevacantism.  At the end of the day, we don't have the authority to excommunicate from the Church.  There were clearly many heretics in the Church before Vatican II.  So, for instance, Cardinal Cushing of Boston was every bit as heretical as any of the post-V2 papal claimants.  But a priest would not have a right to omit his name from the Canon because he judged him a heretic.  Inserting his name into the Canon was a statement that the priest remained in submission to the Church's hierarchy and not an attestation regarding the personal orthodoxy of Cushing.

I think the dogmatic sedes might do well to reflect on this particular scenario to test their dogmatic sedeism.
I don't necessarily believe a person who does assist at una cuм mass is not Catholic.  But don't expect me,  a sedevacantist, to assist at a mass una cuм a heretic who claims to be pope.  My una cuм position is just consistent.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Plenus Venter on June 27, 2020, 12:44:44 AM
It is interesting that Plenus Venter cites St Bellarmine with respect to secret heretics, but fails to include his reference to secret heretics in his fifth and true opinion when speaking of manifest heretic popes:

Now the fifth true opinion, is that a Pope who is a manifest heretic, ceases in himself to be Pope and head, just as he ceases in himself to be a Christian and member of the body of the Church: whereby, he can be judged and punished by the Church. This is the opinion of all the ancient Fathers, who teach that manifest heretics soon [mox — better translation: immediately] lose all jurisdiction, and namely St. Cyprian who speaks on Novation, who was a Pope in schism with Cornelius: “He cannot hold the Episcopacy, although he was a bishop first, he fell from the body of his fellow bishops and from the unity of the Church” [332]. There he means that Novation, even if he was a true and legitimate Pope; still would have fallen from the pontificate by himself, if he separated himself from the Church. The same is the opinion of the learned men of our age, as John Driedo teaches [333], those who are cast out as excommunicates, or leave on their own and oppose the Church are separated from it, namely heretics and schismatics. He adds in the same work [334], that no spiritual power remains in them, who have departed from the Church, over those who are in the Church. Melchior Cano teaches the same thing, when he says that heretics are not part of the Church, nor members [335], and he adds in the last Chapter, 12th argument, that someone cannot even be informed in thought, that he should be head and Pope, who is not a member nor a part, and he teaches the same thing in eloquent words, that secret heretics are still in the Church and are parts and members, and that a secretly heretical Pope is still Pope. Others teach the same, whom we cite in Book 1 of de Ecclesia. The foundation of this opinion is that a manifest heretic, is in no way a member of the Church; that is, neither in spirit nor in body, or by internal union nor external. For even wicked Catholics are united and are members, in spirit through faith and in body through the confession of faith, and the participation of the visible Sacraments. Secret heretics are united and are members, but only by an external union: just as on the other hand, good Catechumens are in the Church only by an internal union but not an external one. Manifest heretics by no union, as has been proved.
I don't know why you would find that interesting, 2Vermont, since the other quote clearly illustrates the point I was making.
 
Rather, you are just grasping at any opportunity to promote Sedevacantism.

What is far more interesting is that you mislead readers by omitting St Robert Bellarmines's explanation of what constitutes a manifest heretic:
"Now in my judgement, such an opinion cannot be defended (that of Cajetan). For in the first place, that a manifest heretic would be ipso facto deposed, is proven from authority and reason". St Robert continues: "The authority is of St Paul, who commands Titus, that after two censures, that is, after he appears manifestly pertinacious, an heretic is to be shunned..."

Pertinacity must be demonstrated by admonitions, says St Robert, to demonstrate the Pope as a manifest heretic, according to the authority of Sacred Scripture.
 
Where are the censures, the admonitions, for the Popes since Pope Pius XII? Indeed, who would give them? Is it sufficient for anyone to simply judge that a Pope must be pertinacious? Is this the opinion St Robert holds? Are you certain? is it infallible? Clearly, when put in the context of everything St Robert says in this discussion this is not his opinion, his non-infallible opinion! Yet dogmatic Sedevacantists alone feel qualified to dogmatically settle the matter.

Moreover, once pertinacity has been demonstrated by admonitions, is that the end of the story? Can anyone then make the judgement that the Pope is deposed? Is a declaration by the Church of his heresy necessary? Theologians debate, but dogmatic Sedevacantists pontificate! It just beggars belief!

Listen again to what St Robert teaches about the deposition of heretical bishops: "...if the pastor is a bishop, they (the faithful) cannot depose him and put another in his place. For Our Lord and the Apostles only lay down that false prophets are not to be listened to by the people, and not that they depose them. And it is certain that the practice of the Church has always been that heretical bishops be deposed by bishop's councils, or by the Sovereign Pontiff" - De Membris Ecclesiae, Lib I De Clericis, Cap 7 (Opera Omnia, Paris: Vives, 1870, pp 428-429). You will note that Bellarmine's proof from 'authority and reason' of his fifth opinion applies just the same to an heretical bishop. Manifest heresy renders you outside the Church whether you are a Pope, bishop, priest or layman. Yet the bishop is not ipso facto deposed?

So an heretical bishop is not deposed without due process. The Sovereign Bishop, however, is deposed by Divine Law and judged such by anyone? Pope by Divine Right, with no rights whatsoever, as Fr Chazal aptly comments in Contra Cekadam...
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Plenus Venter on June 29, 2020, 04:28:44 AM
Nonsense, Full Stomach.  Archbishop Lefebvre held a much more nuanced view of the Pope question that you claim.  I get tired of those who claim that he was unequivocally anti-sedevacantist.  That's just an outright lie.

No, what you're describing is DOGMATIC sedevacantism, but you try to lump all of sedevacantism in with it.  I too have criticized dogmatic sedevacantism on the same grounds that you cite.  That's grossly dishonest and you are hereby disqualified from this discussion.

Ladislaus, son of Boleslaus.

It is the likes of you that give me my full stomach. Yes, I've had a gutful! (Only slightly serious, Lad, it is more Bishop Fellay and his accomplices that are responsible for that phenomenon)

I apologise to all for dragging out this thread, I missed this comment of Lad's which I think requires a response.

The audacity of you, Lad, to come onto a Resistance website and attack one of our learned and holy bishops, and tell me I am disqualified from the discussion. It is you, who pervert the faithful followers of Archbishop Lefebvre with your false doctrine, and attack those whom we esteem, who ought to be barred from the discussion and the site, at least until you pull your head in.

You are confused, indeed.

You are not a dogmatic sedevacantist, you say, yet what is this if not a dogmatic statement asserting a false teaching of sedevacantism?: "If they do not have the faith, they are not Catholic.  If they are not Catholic, they do not legitimately hold authority in the Church." It doesn't sound like an opinion to me. And you clearly mean it in the context as applied to Pope Francis.

It is a statement blatantly at odds with a multitude, and indeed the common opinion, of theologians and canonists. And it is exactly the error I highlighted in my earlier response – pontificating - for which you call me dishonest. I don't care what you have said in other threads about dogmatic SV, I am addressing what you said in this thread in your attack upon Bishop Tomas D'Aquino, and it is precisely as I said to be the problem with SV - dogmatically adding to the Catholic Faith.

Billuart says "The more common opinion holds that Christ, by a particular providence, for the common good and the tranquility of the Church, continues to give jurisdiction to an even manifestly heretical pontiff until such time as he should be declared a manifest heretic by the Church", but Ladislaus says (pontificates): "If they do not have the faith, they are not Catholic.  If they are not Catholic, they do not legitimately hold authority in the Church.", and "to keep claiming that these men don't have the faith but then have legitimate authority in the Church, it's total desperation, an emotional reaction against sedevacantism ... but it's totally bankrupt". Billuart, stand corrected!

John of St Thomas says "So long as it has not been declared to us juridically, that he is an infidel or heretic, be he ever so manifestly heretical according to private judgment, he remains, as far as we are concerned (quoad nos), a member of the Church and consequently its head. Judgment is required by the Church. It is only then that he ceases to be Pope as far as we are concerned", but Ladislaus says (pontificates): "If they do not have the faith, they are not Catholic.  If they are not Catholic, they do not legitimately hold authority in the Church.", and "to keep claiming that these men don't have the faith but then have legitimate authority in the Church, it's total desperation, an emotional reaction against sedevacantism ... but it's totally bankrupt". John of St Thomas, stand corrected!

Fr Paul Laymann says "for as long as the Pope is tolerated by the Church and publicly recognised as the universal pastor, he is still endowed, in fact, with his power as pontiff, in such a way that all his decrees would have no less force and authority than they would if he were truly faithful", but Ladislaus says (pontificates):"If they do not have the faith, they are not Catholic.  If they are not Catholic, they do not legitimately hold authority in the Church.", and "to keep claiming that these men don't have the faith but then have legitimate authority in the Church, it's total desperation, an emotional reaction against sedevacantism ... but it's totally bankrupt". Fr Laymann, stand corrected!

Enough said!





 
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 29, 2020, 08:35:24 AM
Ladislaus, son of Boleslaus.

It is the likes of you that give me my full stomach. Yes, I've had a gutful! (Only slightly serious, Lad, it is more Bishop Fellay and his accomplices that are responsible for that phenomenon)

I apologise to all for dragging out this thread, I missed this comment of Lad's which I think requires a response.

The audacity of you, Lad, to come onto a Resistance website and attack one of our learned and holy bishops, and tell me I am disqualified from the discussion. It is you, who pervert the faithful followers of Archbishop Lefebvre with your false doctrine, and attack those whom we esteem, who ought to be barred from the discussion and the site, at least until you pull your head in.

This is not about the broader question of R&R vs. sedevacantism, and I'm not going to bother engaging in another 50 pages of debate on the subject.

What's at issue is your deliberate distortion and misrepresentation of Archbishop Lefebvre as being categorically and even (as some of you claim) dogmatically opposed to sedevacantism.  When you engage in such distortion, you immediately disqualify yourself from as being a candidate for any rational discussion of the subject due to obvious bias.

As for criticizing a Resistance bishop, these men are not popes and are not infallible.  In fact, they don't have any kind of authority in the Church.  Oh, wait, with R&R you're allowed to criticize and bash the Vicar of Christ, but the Resistance bishops are beyond all criticism.  That's the same crap the SSPX have pulled for decades, that while it's a free-for-all when it comes to attacking the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, the SSPX authorities are beyond all criticism.

And Bishop Thomas Aquinas does the same thing you do, distorting the positions of Archbishop Lefebvre.

For those interested in actually seeking the truth about what +Lefebvre thought about the possibility of the See being vacant, they can read his own words and decide for themselves:
http://www.fathercekada.com/2012/09/04/pro-sedevacantism-quotes-from-abp-lefebvre/ (http://www.fathercekada.com/2012/09/04/pro-sedevacantism-quotes-from-abp-lefebvre/)
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Tradman on June 29, 2020, 08:55:33 AM
Isn’t it a little absurd to expect Vigano to presume to correct SSPXers and Resistance clergy and bishops on Lefebvre’s position on sedevacantism?

Should Vigano need to look any further than the official policy in place for the last 40 years, which precludes sedevacantism ad infra?

In any case, we may know soon enough, since I emailed Vigano Bishop Thomas Aquinas’s letter.
First you have to sew the net before you gather fish.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Clemens Maria on June 30, 2020, 12:38:48 PM

John of St Thomas says "So long as it has not been declared to us juridically, that he is an infidel or heretic, be he ever so manifestly heretical according to private judgment, he remains, as far as we are concerned (quoad nos), a member of the Church and consequently its head. Judgment is required by the Church. It is only then that he ceases to be Pope as far as we are concerned", but Ladislaus says (pontificates): "If they do not have the faith, they are not Catholic.  If they are not Catholic, they do not legitimately hold authority in the Church.", and "to keep claiming that these men don't have the faith but then have legitimate authority in the Church, it's total desperation, an emotional reaction against sedevacantism ... but it's totally bankrupt". John of St Thomas, stand corrected!

The only people who believe John of St Thomas had it right are the R&R folks.  The Novus Ordo folks, the Resignationists (e.g. Fr. Paul Kramer), sede privationists, and sede vacantists all recognize that JST is not correct and that St Robert Bellarmine, Doctor of the Church, had the correct view (regardless of the nonsense that Siscoe and Salsa are peddling about Bellarmine's view being the same as JST).  But let's suppose that JST is correct.  The SSPX (R&R) view is that the hierarchy of the Catholic Church led almost the entire Church (save for the SSPX, apparently) into a silent apostasy.  So much for the indefectibility of the Church!  If on the other hand you limit the hierarchy of the Church to only those clergy who have remained faithful to the traditional doctrine of the Church, then I would have to point out that the Church has already made a judgement about the legitimacy of the Novus Ordo "popes".  We don't follow them!
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 30, 2020, 01:05:54 PM
The only people who believe John of St Thomas had it right are the R&R folks.  The Novus Ordo folks, the Resignationists (e.g. Fr. Paul Kramer), sede privationists, and sede vacantists all recognize that JST is not correct and that St Robert Bellarmine, Doctor of the Church, had the correct view (regardless of the nonsense that Siscoe and Salsa are peddling about Bellarmine's view being the same as JST).  But let's suppose that JST is correct.  The SSPX (R&R) view is that the hierarchy of the Catholic Church led almost the entire Church (save for the SSPX, apparently) into a silent apostasy.  So much for the indefectibility of the Church!  If on the other hand you limit the hierarchy of the Church to only those clergy who have remained faithful to the traditional doctrine of the Church, then I would have to point out that the Church has already made a judgement about the legitimacy of the Novus Ordo "popes".  We don't follow them!

Yes, but the Church has not condemned the position of John of St. Thomas, so a person could hold it in good conscience.  Nevertheless, as you point out, the REAL problem is how legitimate papal authority could lead the entire Church into grave error.  It's a problem of indefectibility more than a quible about the strict limits of infallibility.  I have no problem with Father Chazal's position, for instance, because he states that these men are deprived of authority while they await deposition by the Church (basically the John of St. Thomas position).  So the disposition of a heretical pope is a detail that can be debated among Catholics.  What cannot be debated is whether or not legitimate authority could damage the Church this badly.

PV up there doesn't seem to understand this distinction of mine between the authority and the office (basically the sedeprivationist distinction).  Those who wreaked this much destruction on the Church cannot have done this using legitimate papal authority.  That destroys the Church's indefectibility.  But it is possible, depending on how you resolve the issue, that they continue to hold the office until the Church decides otherwise.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 30, 2020, 01:08:08 PM
Perhaps a better distinction regarding the various Traditional Catholic groups, rather than R&R vs. sedevacantist, would be whether or not people believe that the V2 papal claimants still have authority in the Church.

Do the V2 papal claimants still have authority in the Church?

NO -- Sedevacantists, Sedeprivationists, Father Chazal
YES -- classic R&R

Do the V2 papal claimants still hold office in the Church?

NO -- Sedevacantists
YES -- classic R&R, Father Chazal, sedeprivationists

It's this division that helps explain why Sean Johnson puts Father Chazal in the R&R camp, while I put him in the non-R&R camp.  I distinguish between classic R&R and Father Chazal's "R&R".

Classic R&R is the only position that holds that these Conciliar popes have held legitimate authority in the Church; they believe that they have authority when they teach/command what is true/moral but not when they teach/command what is erroneous/immoral.

And this is why I'm perfectly fine with Father Chazal's positon.  He does not impute the destruction in the Church to legitimate papal authority.  I care very little for the academic debate between Bellarminists and Cajetanists/JSTists.  All I care about is the pernicious allegation of classic R&R which holds that legitimate papal authority can destroy the Church's doctrine/discipline and can lead souls to hell.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Meg on June 30, 2020, 01:23:51 PM
Perhaps a better distinction regarding the various Traditional Catholic groups, rather than R&R vs. sedevacantist, would be whether or not people believe that the V2 papal claimants still have authority in the Church.

Do the V2 papal claimants still have authority in the Church?

NO -- Sedevacantists, Sedeprivationists, Father Chazal
YES -- classic R&R

Do the V2 papal claimants still hold office in the Church?

NO -- Sedevacantists
YES -- classic R&R, Father Chazal, sedeprivationists

It's this division that helps explain why Sean Johnson puts Father Chazal in the R&R camp, while I put him in the non-R&R camp.  I distinguish between classic R&R and Father Chazal's "R&R".

Classic R&R is the only position that holds that these Conciliar popes have held legitimate authority in the Church; they believe that they have authority when they teach/command what is true/moral but not when they teach/command what is erroneous/immoral.

And this is why I'm perfectly fine with Father Chazal's positon.  He does not impute the destruction in the Church to legitimate papal authority.  I care very little for the academic debate between Bellarminists and Cajetanists/JSTists.  All I care about is the pernicious allegation of classic R&R which holds that legitimate papal authority can destroy the Church's doctrine/discipline and can lead souls to hell.

You KNOWINGLY misrepresent Fr. Chazal's position, and have done so for quite awhile. And no, I'm not going to belabor the point.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 30, 2020, 01:28:53 PM
You KNOWINGLY misrepresent Fr. Chazal's position, and have done so for quite awhile. And no, I'm not going to belabor the point.

Get off this thread, Meg.  You provide no meaningful contribution whatsoever.  There's no misrepresentation.  Father Chazal clearly states that they "have no authority" and are impounded and can be ignored entirely.  I went through his entire two-hour presentation and cited chapter and verse (gave the exact minute and second marks.  You have no earthly idea what you're talking about.  You have no idea with the authority vs. office distinction even means.

You clearly have a psychological impairment about the issues raised by sedevacantists to the point that you cannot get past words and terms and semantics.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Meg on June 30, 2020, 01:30:54 PM
Get off this thread, Meg.  You provide no meaningful contribution whatsoever.  There's no misrepresentation.  Father Chazal clearly states that they "have no authority" and are impounded and can be ignored entirely.  I went through his entire two-hour presentation and cited chapter and verse (gave the exact minute and second marks.  You have no earthly idea what you're talking about.  You have no idea with the authority vs. office distinction even means.

You clearly have a psychological impairment about the issues raised by sedevacantists to the point that you cannot get past words and terms and semantics.

Stop lying about Fr. Chazal, and I'll be happy to not post on this thread.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: forlorn on June 30, 2020, 01:31:25 PM
I've just come to the realisation that I have no idea what + means. 

I first ever saw it on this site with +ABL and I just shrugged it off assuming it meant a clergyman or bishop or something, but now with ++ I'm really curious what these mean. 
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Meg on June 30, 2020, 01:32:58 PM
I've just come to the realisation that I have no idea what + means.

I first ever saw it on this site with +ABL and I just shrugged it off assuming it meant a clergyman or bishop or something, but now with ++ I'm really curious what these mean.

It means bishop.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 30, 2020, 01:49:07 PM
Stop lying about Fr. Chazal, and I'll be happy to not post on this thread.

You're lying about my lying, and you're slandering me, but that's par for the course, Meg.

I've gone through his presentations in painstaking detail and cited proof.  You just make stuff up according to you own personal bias.

In all the time you have posted here, I fail to recall a SINGLE rational argument you've made about any subject.  You simply emote, huff-n-puff, make gratuitous assertions, and hurl ad-hominems.  You bring no value whatsoever to 99% of the threads on which you post.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Ladislaus on June 30, 2020, 01:54:54 PM
So what? You, Ladislaus, you already slid into "schismatic dogmatic anti-(dogmatic sedevacantism)".

Yeti tried to explain it to you recently in your Jenkins-thread. But unfortunately you don't even listen. You haven't been careful and thus already got lost in "schismatic dogmatic anti-(dogmatic sedevacantism)".

 :fryingpan: :jester:


[/IRONY OFF]

That's because you're completely ignorant about even the most basic of distinctions.  You and Yeti both.  I'm a dogmatic indefectibilist ... because the indefectibility of the Church and the Magisterium is in fact, ahem, dogma.  If you want to say that Paul VI was a pope but was being blackmailed, or that he was replaced by a double, and that his acts were not free or were not his own, I might disagree but have no problem with that theologically as an indefectibilist.  If you want to say, like, Fr. Chazal, that they have lost authority and been impounded but retain their office until the Church decides otherwise, I have zero problem with that.

And, if you remain in the Novus Ordo and claim that Vatican II should have the "hermeneutic of continuity" applied to it and that it doesn't contain any error, and that the New Mass is not positively defective, especially in its Latin form, I am going to seriously disagree with you, but that position also doesn't violate indefectibility ... as wrong and as misguided as it might be.  I have much else less a problem with the conservative NO Catholic hermeneutic crowd than I do with classic R&R, which is Protestant.

So obviously my problem is not whether you happen to believe that the V2 papal claimants have been popes, but it has to do with the dogma of indefectibility.
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Pax Vobis on June 30, 2020, 04:43:06 PM

Quote
You KNOWINGLY misrepresent Fr. Chazal's position,
Oh, Meg, you are one triggered Lady.  If there existed sede statues you’d be first in line to topple them over, all the while muttering to yourself “St Lefebvre, pray for me.”  
Title: Re: Letter of +Thomas Aquinas to ++Vigano
Post by: Struthio on June 30, 2020, 07:13:54 PM
That's because you're completely ignorant about even the most basic of distinctions.  You and Yeti both.  I'm a dogmatic indefectibilist ... because the indefectibility of the Church and the Magisterium is in fact, ahem, dogma.  If you want to say that Paul VI was a pope but was being blackmailed, or that he was replaced by a double, and that his acts were not free or were not his own, I might disagree but have no problem with that theologically as an indefectibilist.  If you want to say, like, Fr. Chazal, that they have lost authority and been impounded but retain their office until the Church decides otherwise, I have zero problem with that.

And, if you remain in the Novus Ordo and claim that Vatican II should have the "hermeneutic of continuity" applied to it and that it doesn't contain any error, and that the New Mass is not positively defective, especially in its Latin form, I am going to seriously disagree with you, but that position also doesn't violate indefectibility ... as wrong and as misguided as it might be.  I have much else less a problem with the conservative NO Catholic hermeneutic crowd than I do with classic R&R, which is Protestant.

So obviously my problem is not whether you happen to believe that the V2 papal claimants have been popes, but it has to do with the dogma of indefectibility.

And that's why you call "dogmatic sedevacantists" schismatic?