- ecclesial news -

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN COMMUNION WITH THE ROMAN POPE? THE CRITERIA OF Infallibility

.

The legitimate fellowship covers the whole field of the legitimate and praiseworthy acts of the Supreme Pontiff, but to the extent that he had to break the law of God and the Church, to that extent communion with him could not exist.

.

Author
Giovanni Cavalcoli, o.p.

.

.

PDF print format article

.

.

the statue of St. Peter the Apostle in the homonymous Vatican Archbasilica

Two months ago, by letter 7 October, Cardinal Marc Ouellet there, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, He addressed to Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, former apostolic nuncio to the United States of America, to remind him that it was his duty to be in communion with the Supreme Pontiff, [Text of the letter, WHO]. Contrary to the opinion of the Prefect, however, I believe that Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò is in communion with the Supreme Pontiff, although I can understand to some extent the opinion of Cardinal Marc Ouellet. Indeed, communion with the Supreme Pontiff, It does not say that it is unlawful to disapprove any of its conduct prejudicial to the virtues, or good government of the Church.

.15

The easy to point to the Supreme Pontiff, as did the Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, of failing to official records, how serious is the matter in which the Holy Father would have missed, then scold him filial and respectfully, calling it his duty, if everything is done in a correct manner and motivated by the right intention, It has nothing to do with a break in the communion of faith or discipline with the Supreme Pontiff.

.

A simple note of reproach, If this criticism is fair and motivated, It is not to be confused with that disobedience or rebellion against the Head of the Catholic Church in its teaching of faith and his ministry will, instead it is the rupture of communion with him. The reproach, indeed, It refers to the rule infringed by the accused and recognizes the norm as the basis of communion with reprimanded, in case the Pope same, responsible for having failed in his pastoral duty.

.

Rupture of communion it was rather that of Luther who accused the Supreme Head of the Church of heresy for not accepting his heretical theory of justification without works, thus showing to undermine the very principle of communion with the Roman Pontiff and with the Church, principle that recognizes the Successor of Peter the teacher of the faith.

.

Remember that the true Catholic communion with the Supreme Pontiff, also entails communion with the Church, it is not, as many believe that you believe in him obediently, a simple sympathy or psycho-emotional empathy, or a simple bond of affection or admiration human or earthly or political for him, less so it is a subjective attachment to man Jorge Mario Bergoglio, with his personal tastes and opinions; whereby, with more appropriate term to the theater or to the sports champions actors, foolishly consider themselves "fans" of the Holy Father or, with an expression of exaggerated confidence, "friends", not to mention his idolaters. So that, those who in any way move any criticism of the Supreme Pontiff, as reasonable, respectful and motivated, would by that very fact his "enemies" and "haters", or worse: not in "communion" with him.

.

Rightly, they see themselves as "fans" because they are fanatics, because it seems to them that the Pope satisfied them in their vices and their heresies. The trouble is that actually, the Holy Father Francis, as far as the Supreme Pontiff is Orthodox, But you do not care to have clear language and appropriate to avoid the misunderstanding or two-way, and failing to refute the bad interpretations or manipulation. And this - let's say it bluntly - is a dishonesty, that if reported in a correct manner by no means breaks the Catholic communion with the Supreme Pontiff, on the contrary confirmation, because in this way a service so that it can correct itself is made; therefore, we could not be more in communion with him.

.

The Holy Father Francis, together with its so-called "friends", It should not take offense at all and fight back; It should not close in a contemptuous silence, or even respond with resentment and slander, indeed would do well to take into consideration is the critical, to welcome the calls and the supplications, to listen to the advice, to accept the reform proposals, to dissolve dubia, to recognize their wrongs, have compassion for the suffering Church and betrayed, asking God for forgiveness if necessary, since the mercy of God is for him, together with the remission of sins.

.

The communion with the Roman Pontiff is not a loving relationship place on the merely human level, psychological or social, which however it is not impossible, but it is essentially a firm and constant will to love and obedience to the Vicar of Christ, The successor of Peter, and it is founded on the belief of theological faith and effect of divine grace that Christ chose to build his Church on the rock of Peter, without the powers of darkness can never destroy it [cf. 16, 13-20]. In particular, this communion, which is unity of ideas and wishes with the Supreme Pontiff, It involves a theoretical basis and practical execution. The theoretical basis is the knowledge of faith, their Catholic, that the Supreme Pontiff, Special thanks to assistance provided by Christ to Peter - "strengthen your brethren» [cf. LC 22,32] —, Doctor is true and true of the immutable truths of faith, why can not err in learning and teaching has been revealed, especially the dogmas of the faith, not just on solemn and extraordinary circumstances of the definitions of new dogmas - "from the chair of Peter,» —, but also in the ordinary and everyday circumstances.

.

The practice of communion with the Supreme Pontiff, from which descends the concrete ecclesial communion, It consists in obedience to his pastoral guide, his commands and its administrative arrangements, legal and legislative. But such obedience is no less, if we detect in the Supreme Pontiff, After thoughtful and mature judgment, failures to justice or prudence or against other virtues. For this fall should make an important distinction between these lines, concerning the Petrine ministry, which addresses the question of communion with the Supreme Pontiff had allegiance to this ministry.

.

We remember then that the Roman Pontiff receives as such by Christ a special gift of the Holy Spirit, that serves as both a teacher of the faith and is for the government of the Church, besides having sanctifying grace, common to every Christian grace, for the exercise of human and Christian virtues. Obviously, the grace of the Holy Spirit comes on for all three of the above tasks: teaching the gospel truth, the government of the Church and the exercise of the Christian virtues.

.

As for the assistance of the Holy Spirit, it is unfailing exercise of the ordinary and extraordinary doctrinal magisterium of the Supreme Pontiff, because the grace infallibly moves his will to proclaim the truth about the saving truths of the faith. If not, it would mean that it would no longer promise made by Christ to Peter and his successors to assist them as teachers of the faith. Which it is of course unthinkable. In this act, so, the will of the Supreme Pontiff, while remaining free, He is infallibly moved by the Holy Spirit to choose and to express the truth; so the Pope can not sin consciously and deliberately heresy. Who on this point it is not in communion with the Supreme Pontiff, it is heretical.

.

This infallible assistance of the Holy Spirit, that the Pope has in knowing, to announce, explain, defend and spread the Gospel, It is similar to the more important that exercised in inspiring the biblical hagiographers everything and only what through them wanted to reveal to mankind, everything else being only the fruit of their fallible intelligence.

.

Likewise, what the Pope thinks or says outside of his apostolic teaching, He thinks and says it to his own risk and peril. The difference between the Biblical inspiration and assistance to the Supreme Pontiff is that in the first case is at stake content revealed, while in the second it is the acquisition, understanding and interpretation of this content.

.

Unlike the case of grace that the Pope has at its disposal for his moral conduct and the government of the Church. He may reject this grace and then fall into sin. And this, therefore, the behavior plane of the Pope, where it can be rebuked and corrected, without breaking fellowship with him. It is clear that the legitimate communion extends for the whole field of the legitimate and praiseworthy acts of the Pope, but to the extent that he had to break the law of God and the Church, to that extent communion with him could not exist.

.

Here we give a communion with the Supreme Pontiff, which, however, it is not, as in the previous case, communion of faith, but communion of discipline. How can you break the previous communion with heresy, Here you can break communion with the schism, which it is disobedience to the Supreme Pontiff in his will of legislators and legal and pastoral guidance of the Church.

.

The modernists, vice versa, who claim to be friends of the reigning Pontiff and that actually enjoy her favors, They do not know what is the real communion with the Roman Pontiff. Whereby, despite appearances to the contrary, They are actually schismatics. Indeed, for them communion with the Supreme Pontiff is not the union of their wills with the Holy Father Francis as infallible guardian of an absolute and immutable truths, they don't believe in, properties of the doctrine of the Gospel; but harmony and collaboration with the subjective and debatable, even harmful, political and pastoral line Bergoglio, disguised as revolutionary turning point, great prophecy and reform, full implementation of Vatican II.

.

The Holy Father Francis, on the other hand it gives space to this false communion, because it seems to hold more affirmation of his personal prestige, that does not cure the purity and the defense of the doctrine of the faith. This is where comes the stern warning about Augustinian: "Those grazing sheep of Christ with the intention to condition them to themselves and not to consider them of Christ, show love not Christ but themselves, as they are pushed from the glory greed or power or gain, not by love obey, to help, to please God " [Treat. 123, 5; CCL 36, 678-679].

.

Do not you wonder then that the modernists They are not critical to the Holy Father Francis, while they have harshly attacked the last Pontiffs, as St Paul VI, Saint John Paul II and Benedict XVI. The reason is that they understood that, while these Popes were anti-modernists, today operates a large force are convinced that the Holy Father Francis is one of them, whereby, if one part were secretly schismatics against previous Popes, behold, now they have become obedient hypocritically, indeed fanatics reigning Pontiff, which however, Unfortunately, that face is not much to dispel this misconception and take from them the distances.

.

Who is really in communion with the Pope and speaks frankly, Today is accused by the modernists not to be in communion with the Supreme Pontiff. They instead, for their heresies, They are actually schismatics, they pose to the Pope's friends, which should be more cautious in giving them confidence, since the exploit to their advantage.

.

Who is not in communion with the Supreme Pontiff deserves to be excommunicated. But we must say that the Pope in this matter can make mistakes, ie it can excommunicate someone who does not deserve it, while it may not excommunicate someone who deserves. So what should one do unjustly excommunicated? According to St. Thomas Aquinas has to bear humbly and patiently. I would add that to pray, and offer their sufferings for the salvation of the souls of his persecutors.

.

Varazze, 16 December 2018

.

.
.
«You will know the truth and the truth will set you free» [GV 8,32],
but bring, spread and defend the truth not only of
risks but also the costs. Help us supporting this Island
with your offers through the secure Paypal system:

or you can use the bank account:
They were IT 08 (J) 02008 32974 001436620930
in this case, send us an email warning, because the bank
It does not provide your email and we could not send you a
thanks [ isoladipatmos@gmail.com ]

.

.

.

.