Podcasts about first vatican council

In 1868 Pope Pius IX issued a call to those who, in his words, 'glory in the name of Christian, yet do not profess the true faith of Christ, nor hold to and follow the Communion of the Catholic Church.' He wanted them to submit to and join with the Catholic church, and hoped that the forthcoming First Vatican Council would catalyse this. Grasping the need for a concise and clear response, grounded in the biblical teaching recovered by the Reformers, Princeton theologian Charles Hodge penned a letter on behalf of the two General Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church in the USA. His explanation of the non-attendance of Protestant clergy at 'Vatican I' is helpful to us as the Pope and the Catholic Church once again loom large in the headlines.   Featured Resources: – Charles Hodge, 'Letter to Pope Pius IX', as re-published in the Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 415 (April 1998). – W. Robert Godfrey, 'The Lutheran–Roman Catholic Joint Declaration', Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 436 (January 2000).   Materials Referenced: Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification: The Lutheran World Federation and the Roman Catholic Church The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification in Confessional Lutheran Perspective (The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod)   Banner Resources on Justification: Buchanan, James, The Doctrine of Justification (Clothbound, 520 pages) Roberts, Maurice, Finding Peace with God: Justification Explained (Booklet, 40 pages) Traill, Robert, Justification Vindicated (Puritan Paperback, 96 pages) Venema, Cornelis P., Getting the Gospel Right: Assessing the Reformation and New Perspectives on Paul (Paperback, 112 pages) Venema, Cornelis P., The Gospel of Free Acceptance in Christ: An Assessment of the Reformation and the New Perspective on Paul (Clothbound, 352 pages)   Banner Resources on Catholicism and its Claims: Bennett, Richard, Catholicism: East of Eden (Catholicism for the 21st Century) (Paperback, 336 pages) Bennett, Richard, Far from Rome Near to God: Testimonies of Fifty Converted Catholic Priests (Paperback, 360) Pollitt, H. J., The Inter-Faith Movement: The New Age Enters the Church (Paperback, 224 pages) Webster, William, Salvation, the Bible & Roman Catholicism (Paperback, 184 pages) Webster, William, The Church of Rome at the Bar of History (Paperback, 256 pages)   Explore the work of the Banner of Truth: www.banneroftruth.org Subscribe to the Magazine (print/digital/both): www.banneroftruth.org/magazine Leave us your feedback or a testimony: www.speakpipe.com/magazinepodcast

Friends of the Rosary,Today, the First Friday of the month, the Roman Catholic Church commemorates Blessed Pius IX (1792-1878).Pius IX [in the picture] defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 8, 1854.He also celebrated the First Vatican Council from 1869 to 1870, representing the dogma of papal infallibility.The Immaculate Conception doctrine reveals that Mary was conceived without original sin from the first moment of her existence. It emphasizes Mary's unique role in salvation history as the pure and sinless mother of Jesus Christ.The papal bullIneffabilis Deus stated:"We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be firmly and constantly believed by all the faithful."Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play⁠• February 7, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

“I have never changed. I have preached and done what the Church has always taught. I have never changed what the Church said in the Council of Trent and at the First Vatican Council. So who has changed? It is the enemy, as Pope Saint Pius X said, the enemy who is working within the Church because he wants the Church to be finished with her tradition.“ - Marcel Lefebvre

Show Notes:: There has been much debate on who has finally say and authority in the church, much of the debating has happened amounts Protestants and Catholics, but who is right? In this week's episode of Real Talk Christian Podcast, Marc Hyde and Chris Fuller look at where the truth may actually be and try to navigate through all the false doctrines surrounding final authority. Grab a cup of Joe and tune in. //Resources Used In This Episode// https://christianrenaissancemovement.com/2017/10/31/sola-scriptura-7-fatal-flaws-of-a-bleak-doctrine/ https://media.ascensionpress.com/2017/10/30/does-the-church-still-believe-in-indulgences/#:~:text=While%20the%20practice%20of%20indulgences,Church%20still%20believes%20in%20indulgences https://au.thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-real-meaning-of-sola-scriptura/ *note, this list comes from A LOT of sources, including our friends at GotQuestions.org 1. FIRST COUNCIL OF NICAEA (325) – Affirmed the deity of Christ. 2. FIRST COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE (381) – Clarified the nature of the Holy Spirit 3. COUNCIL OF EPHESUS (431) – Clarified the nature of Christ's personhood.  4. COUNCIL OF CHALCEDON (451) – Clarified the teaching concerning Christ's nature and person, including the “hypostatic union. 5. SECOND COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE (553) – Confirmed the conclusions of the first four councils. 6. THIRD COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE (680–681) – Clarified the nature of Christ's will. 7. SECOND COUNCIL OF NICAEA (787) – Established guidelines for the veneration of images. 8. FOURTH COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE (869) – Condemned a council that had not been authorized and The Council also reaffirmed the decisions of the Second Council of Nicaea in support of icons and holy images and required the image of Christ to have veneration equal with that of the gospel book. 9. FIRST LATERAN COUNCIL (1123) – Placed limitations on the ecclesiastical rights of lay princes and made plans for a crusade to regain territory lost to Muslims. 10. SECOND LATERAN COUNCIL (1139) – Condemned the errors of Arnold of Brescia 11. THIRD LATERAN COUNCIL (1179) – Condemned the Albigenses and Waldenses and issued numerous decrees for the reformation of morals. 12. FOURTH LATERAN COUNCIL (1215) – Added more condemnation of the Albigenses, condemned the Trinitarian errors of Abbot Joachim, and published other reformatory decrees. 13. FIRST COUNCIL OF LYONS (1245) – Excommunicated and deposed Emperor Frederick II and authorized a new crusade. 14. SECOND COUNCIL OF LYONS (1274) – Provided for a temporary reunion of the Greek Church with Rome and set rules for papal elections. 15. COUNCIL OF VIENNE (1311–1313) – Addressed crimes and errors imputed to the Knights Templar, the Fraticelli, the Beghards, and the Beguines. Also took on projects of a new crusade, the reformation of the clergy, and the teaching of Oriental languages in the universities. 16. COUNCIL OF CONSTANCE (1414–1418) – Ended the Great Schism by the election of Pope Martin V. 17. COUNCIL OF BASEL/FERRARA/FLORENCE (1431–1439) – Moved from city to city due to trouble. Resulted in temporary reunification with the Greek Church and made official the seven sacraments of Catholicism. 18. FIFTH LATERAN COUNCIL (1512–1517) – Authorized a new crusade against the Turks but was quickly overshadowed by the “trouble” caused by the Protestant Reformation. 19. COUNCIL OF TRENT (1545–1563) – Condemned the teachings of Luther and the Reformers and officially recognized the Apocrypha as canonical. 20. FIRST VATICAN COUNCIL (1869–1870) – Affirmed the infallibility of the Pope when speaking ex cathedra. 21. SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL (1962–1965) – One of the goals of Vatican II was to provide clarity on the topic of the role of the church in relation to the world at large. //Other Episode You Might Enjoy// https://realtalkchristianpodcast.com/episodes/060-how-should-we-study-the-bible/ https://realtalkchristianpodcast.com/episodes/054-what-to-do-about-bible-translations/ https://realtalkchristianpodcast.com/episodes/052-coffee-mug-christianity/ https://realtalkchristianpodcast.com/episodes/036-whats-up-with-all-of-these-different-denominations/ // Helpful Links // https://www.youtube.com/@realtalkchristianpodcast The Christian Standard Bible: https://bit.ly/3rulKqi Lifeway Christian Resources: https://bit.ly/3qka4Wv Got Questions?: https://bit.ly/3vSMJfq Dwell Bible App: https://bit.ly/3zUYq8E Cross Formed Kids from Ryan Coatney: https://bit.ly/3h19isZ RTC Quick Links: https://linktr.ee/realtalkchristianpodcast RTC Online: www.realtalkchristianpodcast.com Twin Valley Coffee: https://www.coffeehelpingmissions.com Revive festival : Music Festival | En Gedi Music Fest | Leonidas, MI (myrevivefest.com) Toccoa Coffee:https://toccoacoffee.com RTC Merch-https://rtcpodcast.redbubble.com  

Full Text of ReadingsThursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 476The Saint of the day is Saint Anthony Mary ClaretSaint Anthony Mary Claret's Story The “spiritual father of Cuba” was a missionary, religious founder, social reformer, queen's chaplain, writer and publisher, archbishop, and refugee. He was a Spaniard whose work took him to the Canary Islands, Cuba, Madrid, Paris, and to the First Vatican Council. In his spare time as weaver and designer in the textile mills of Barcelona, Anthony learned Latin and printing: The future priest and publisher was preparing. Ordained at 28, he was prevented by ill health from entering religious life as a Carthusian or as a Jesuit, but went on to become one of Spain's most popular preachers. Anthony spent 10 years giving popular missions and retreats, always placing great emphasis on the Eucharist and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was said that his rosary was never out of his hand. At age 42, he founded a religious institute of missionaries beginning with five young priests, known today as the Claretians. Anthony was appointed to head the much-neglected archdiocese of Santiago in Cuba. He began its reform by almost ceaseless preaching and hearing of confessions, and suffered bitter opposition mainly for opposing concubinage and giving instruction to black slaves. A hired assassin—whose release from prison Anthony had obtained—slashed open his face and wrist. Anthony succeeded in getting the would-be assassin's death sentence commuted to a prison term. His solution for the misery of Cubans was family-owned farms producing a variety of foods for the family's own needs and for the market. This invited the enmity of the vested interests who wanted everyone to work on a single cash crop—sugar. Besides all his religious writings are two books he wrote in Cuba: Reflections on Agriculture and Country Delights. He was recalled to Spain for a job he did not relish—being chaplain for the queen. Anthony went on three conditions: He would reside away from the palace; he would come only to hear the queen's confession and instruct the children; and he would be exempt from court functions. In the revolution of 1868, he fled to Paris with the queen's party, where he preached to the Spanish colony. All his life Anthony was interested in the Catholic press. He founded the Religious Publishing House, a major Catholic publishing venture in Spain, and wrote or published 200 books and pamphlets. At Vatican I, where he was a staunch defender of the doctrine of infallibility, Anthony won the admiration of his fellow bishops. Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore remarked of him, “There goes a true saint.” At the age of 63, he died in exile near the border of Spain. Reflection Jesus foretold that those who are truly his representatives would suffer the same persecution as he did. Besides 14 attempts on his life, Anthony had to undergo such a barrage of the ugliest slander that the very name Claret became a byword for humiliation and misfortune. The powers of evil do not easily give up their prey. No one needs to go looking for persecution. All we need to do is be sure we suffer because of our genuine faith in Christ, not for our own whims and lack of prudence. Saint Anthony Mary Claret is a Patron Saint of: Weavers Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

In 1870, the First Vatican Council defined the dogma of papal infallibility. In continuation on our series on the Papacy, Justin Hibbard explains what papal infallibility is and isn't, why the Catholic Church decided to expand infallibility to the Pope, why Popes aren't eager to use it, and what dogmas have been declared by the Pope through his charism of papal infallibility. Subscribe to Why Catholic? wherever you get your podcasts.Check out the Why Catholic Etsy shop (all proceeds support this podcast).Become a free subscriber or a patron of Why Catholic? and get the next episode and a discount code to the Why Catholic Etsy shop in your email inbox.Follow Why Catholic on Instagram.Subscribe to Why Catholic on YouTubeSHOW NOTES:* Article on the Filioque from New Advent* Nicene Creed & Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed - Catholic Answers* Canons of the Council of Ephesus (431)* Canons of the Council of Chalcedon (451)* Pope Francis' Comments about the 2024 US Presidential Candidates* Episode 110 - Papal Supremacy* Episode 65 - From Doctrine to Dogma* Vatican I - First Dogmatic Constitution on the Church of Christ (Pastor Aertenus)* Episode 104 - The Nuclear Football* Constitution Munificentissimus Deus (1950)* Ubi Primum (1849)* Ineffabilis Deus (1854) Get full access to Why Catholic? at whycatholic.substack.com/subscribe

Send us a Text Message.In this episode, John and Fr. Stephen delve into the historical context of Vatican II.Take a walk through history with us as we revisit the abrupt end of the First Vatican Council in 1870 and the unresolved issues it left behind. Fast forward to 1958, when Pope John XXIII initiated the Second Vatican Council with a focus on inclusivity and transparency. We explore how his vision aimed at addressing the Church's challenges and how the preparatory work set the stage for a significant shift towards openness and communal participation within the Church.Understanding the Second Vatican Council's teachings isn't straightforward, and we tackle the complexities head-on. From the diverse sources and necessary compromises to the broader context of the council's entirety, we provide insights into interpreting these teachings.Have something you'd love to hear Fr. Stephen and John talk about? Email us at myfriendthefriar@gmail.com or click here!

Everything outside of planet earth we call “space” or “outer space.” This inversion is about reclaiming wonder for “the heavens,” which has been lost during the onslaught of “The Enlightenment,” for which a better name would be “The Great Flattening,” “The Vanilla-ing,” or perhaps “The Vacuuming” since we have undergone three centuries of sucking the enchantment out of life, making heaven and all spiritual things prohibited from the public square. Instead of lying in the grass or on rooftops looking up in awe at the incredible depth of the heavens, we now are face down looking at Webb telescope pictures of space on our phones. What a buzzkill. The pictures are amazing, but the wonder is gone if we just see the pics as the images of a mechanical automation spun off by an absentee creator. Even the word space tastes like a saltine cracker compared to the triple-fudge sundae of the word heavens. Perhaps you noticed that the word is plural in some translations of the opening line of Genesis. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth.” In some translations, heaven is singular, but most use the plural form. This requires some inspection because we tend to only think of heaven as where God is, but the bible uses this word to mean the sky, the stars, and where the angels and saints live. Before going too far in this inversion, let's set a stake in the ground as a marker. Whether we say “heavens” or “heaven” matters little in the end. What matters is enchantment. When you are re-enchanted to say “heavens” instead of “space,” heaven becomes larger and more inclusive than what the engineers and physicists have taught us to believe. Seeing the “heavens” opens creation back up to link the immaterial with the material. Much like the composite of our body and soul, so are the heavens of the angels and the stars and the saints and the sky. All of God's creation brings the believer a collective wonder. So how many heavens are there? Or how many levels? Dante had ten. But according to St. Paul, there are three. Let's stick with St. Paul. He said, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven.” In the days of creation, we can also read of the three heavens: * Atmosphere or air, the place of birds and clouds.* The starry heaven, what we now call by more dull names, like space or the universe.* Highest heaven. The third heaven. The heaven closest to God. The unseen, invisible realm, is best described in the book of Revelation. Also known as paradise. We still use terms like this today when speaking of the heavens, but we mean different things when talking about heaven at a funeral versus talking about the heavens in astronomy class. The first answer everyone wishes to know is: what is this third heaven? Is it a place? Is it a dimension? We often use metaphors of mountains or clouds with our imaginations, but imagination is a bit dangerous. Popular ideas about heaven imagined by artists suggest that it's all harps and pearly gates. Seems kind of weak. This is likely why many people would rather rock out at a music festival than pursue heaven. Harps and golden gates lack appeal. Did it ever appeal to anyone? I think not. Please set those old artistic images aside and think of them no longer, because Jesus doesn't elaborate when he tells the apostles that he will go to make a place for them, making no mention of harps or gates. He only speaks of “dwelling places”:In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. (Jn 14:2-3)So it is a place, but a place we cannot fully know yet. It's a house of some kind. A good spiritual reading on heavenly places is The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila. Now there is a mystic that needs to be read by modern people. She embraced the mystery of the heavens and had the gift of articulation for this place that can never be fully articulated in human words. Mystics like Teresa of Avila can lead us toward God without giving us a formulaic answer. This is frustrating for us in the age of data because we want to know all the details, but Jesus says if we know him, we will know the way to this house - and that is sufficient for our salvation. We want all the data, but one of the most important steps toward humility before God is accepting that we cannot know all because we are not God. This concept of the “place” of heaven where the saints exist is a mystery, and the greatness of the act of faith, from the Trinity, to the Incarnation, to the Eucharist at Mass is enmeshing our whole minds, hearts, bodies, and souls into these mysteries in humble prayer. This “place” of heaven is yet another wonderful mystery, which is why meditating on the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary every Wednesday and Sunday is a great way to spend a holy hour. But like many mysteries, Jesus gives clues. “I go to make a place for you,” tells the apostles there would be a place for them to be after earthly death. The third heaven is that place. In other words, what we usually think of as heaven means the third heaven that St. Paul speaks of when his friend in Christ was “caught up” to the third heaven. This is powerful language. St. Paul, like his friend in Christ, is a saint, which means his soul is in the third heaven, even though the bodily resurrection has not yet happened. A few people have been “taken up” body and soul to heaven already. We know that Jesus' resurrected body and soul went to heaven on his own power, in the mystery of the Ascension. The only other human we know for certain was taken up body and soul into heaven is the Mother of God, Mary. She was assumed into heaven, as in pulled up body and soul. As for us regular humans who experienced the effects of the Fall, we know of three specific people in the bible who seem to have been pulled up to the third heaven. * Enoch in Genesis 5: “walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him.” * Elijah goes up to the third heaven in a fiery chariot. * Moses' resting place is unknown and it is a traditional pious belief that he was taken up to heaven. This brings us to one of the strangest events in the Gospels, which is why you should pause on this mystery every Thursday during the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. I'm talking about the Transfiguration, which has much to do with heaven. Jesus takes three apostles to a mountaintop. Jesus turns into pure light. “There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.” Now, the light aspect of this event requires a whole chapter of its own, but for now, just consider who appears with Jesus. Moses and Elijah, two spiritual heavyweights, flank Jesus. Notably, these two men are believed to have gone straight up to heaven. Could it be a preview of the third heaven for the apostles? Could it be that Jesus is showing a glimpse of the unseen, invisible heaven? Yes. Of course it is. What are Moses and Elijah doing? They are talking with Jesus. Understand, please, that this is heaven. They are face-to-face and talking to God. To paraphrase another quote from St. Paul, he says that here on earth we see through a glass darkly but in heaven we will be face to face with God. What is happening at the Transfiguration? We see in heaven Moses and Elijah are face to face, speaking with God. That's what heaven is. No harp is needed. Consider the sixth Beatitude: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Those who have been purified live in rest, in peace, with God, face to face.No wonder Peter is stunned and stammers some nonsense. He hasn't been purified yet for heaven. James and John also fall to the ground when God speaks. And what mere human wouldn't fall to his knees and stammer at this sight? That is actually the correct response. They see their infinite unequalness to God's glory. Seeing Jesus turn blindingly bright and talking to the long-deceased Moses and Elijah - that alone would bring jaw-dropping wonder. Enter in the booming, thunderous voice of God. Then add the glory cloud of the Holy Spirit. Peter, James, and John are alive in space and time, yet somehow amid the Holy Trinity and two of God's most holy chosen people who bore crosses for God to the end, who endured and gained their eternal souls. This would be enough to make us all fall to the ground. But that is the point. That is how we should experience the Trinity. After all, fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and wisdom comes from humility before God. Peter repeatedly learns that God is not his equal or just some extra thing in his life, but that God is infinitely higher and utterly central to his life. Best of all, his preview of heaven in the Transfiguration was recorded by the apostle John so that we can all go there, to the mountain, again and again, and see the preview that Jesus offered. Contemplative prayer done on the mountain of Transfiguration is where the intellect, will, and even the dangerous imagination can seek a glimpse of heaven. We can see the sky and the stars, but we cannot see the third heaven without the help of scripture and prayer. The invisible realm is beyond reason and requires the submission of our intellect and will to see. Another example of a clue about heaven is when Jesus is dying on the cross. He tells St. Dismas, the Good Thief, that “today you will be with me in paradise.” He's not talking about Hawaii. He's talking about the third heaven. It is the place of everlasting worship of God, where everyone lives in obedience to God. And what is paradise? It's not likely what you think. Basically, paradise is where everyone just lives out the Ten Commandments. That is what heaven is: people living in joyous obedience to God and singing together, without trying to win or one-up God or each other. That is what the music of the birds and clouds and stars and planets and angels and saints is. Paradise is kind of like the end of How the Grinch Stole Christmas where all the Whos in Whoville sing together out of joy even after all their consumer stuff is stolen. In fact, the Good Thief in his humiliation on the cross is being purged and purified for paradise right alongside God incarnate. He has a change, a repentance, a turning to Jesus. Obedience to God comes late to him, but the only thing that matters is this: it comes. It happens. Yes, perhaps he only labored in the field for an hour, but Jesus is generous and gives him the full day's wages. He's already singing God's praise while being tortured to death. St. Dismas now desires to be obedient, not out of fear, not for the promise of heaven, but out of the joy that comes from the forgiveness of a loving Father. He wants to follow the Commandments and live in harmony with God's will. And what happens when his turn is pure and true? He is granted entry into paradise by Christ. Jesus says that heaven is paradise. Again, no harps. In the end, the third heaven isn't that hard to understand, because it's just people living the commandments and embracing God's love by giving up their will and ego. What St. Dismas discovers in his last hours is what many of us never will, because our own will is in the way of God's will. Regarding this mysterious third heaven, the question of time arises. I spent a lot of time discussing the nature of time in the first inversion. But here we must consider the nature of time once more. This falls into mystery territory as well. Jesus is like a best friend who won't tell all the spoilers, he only tells us what we need to know to have ultimate enjoyment, or what is known as the beatific vision - pure happiness - upon reaching heaven. If we are talking about heaven as the sky and stars, then time certainly exists, as we can track asteroids and land rockets on Mars. We measure wind in terms of miles per hour. But if we mean the third heaven, empyrean - the highest heaven of the angels and saints - then I'm afraid that knowing the nature of time is beyond my pay grade. God is eternal, outside of time, because he created time. The Maker, the Prime Mover, the First Cause is most certainly outside of time, but can also be present in time, as the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the Incarnation of Christ prove. However, what of time in the heavens of the angels and saints? There is an idea from St. Thomas Aquinas and others called aeviternity, which is not quite the same as eternity. This is not much spoken of today, but I wish it were. Time may be different in St. Paul's “third heaven,” where the saints are. Does time exist in the highest heaven? What do we need to know about it, if anything? Jimmy Akin's “Hitchhiker's Guide to Heaven” can help us here. Connected with the question of whether heaven is a particular place is the issue of whether time exists in it.A popular conception is that it does not. The logic is fairly simple: God exists outside of time. God dwells in heaven. Therefore, there is no time in heaven.That's true enough when heaven is conceived of exclusively as the dwelling place of God, but it is not true when it is conceived of as a place that is occupied by angels and by humans after their deaths. In that case, a different sense of the word time is involved.The First Vatican Council taught that God “from the beginning of time brought into being from nothing the twofold created order, that is the spiritual and the bodily, the angelic and the earthly, and thereafter the human which is, in a way, common to both since it is composed of spirit and body.”This indicates that the spiritual realm is created and subject to time. Thus John Paul II taught that eternity, in the sense of being beyond time, “is here the element which essentially distinguishes God from the world. While the latter is subject to change and passes away, God remains beyond the passing of the world” (General Audience, Sept. 4, 1985). In short, time may exist in the highest heaven, or some form that we don't fully understand. But the good news - great news - is that if we partake in the Sacraments and die in a state of grace, we will learn the answer. As far as salvation goes, we need not know the details about the place Jesus prepares. This is difficult, but this is where the mysteries of the faith can be great sources of meditation and humility. God is first. The heavens are mentioned as his initial step in creation. Earth comes afterward. Worth noting here is that the heavens are created, as God created “out of nothing.” That is to say, the heavens did not exist before or concurrently with God. Like time, it was also created. Like the stars and the sky, the highest heaven is also created. The thrones, dominions, powers, and principalities - all are created by God who created all out of nothing. In this order of introduction regarding creation, heaven gets top billing over earth. This doesn't belittle earth, it simply makes an argument that the spiritual realm existed before matter. This is why spirit is higher than matter. This is why we should realize that our soul has a body, too, as the spirit gives life to the material realm. This order also places us in the proper posture of humility before God, because there is an order to creation and even beings within creation.Interestingly, this ordering fits with modern science, but I don't think that's the main point, since the sacred writer was making a point about religious truth, not modern physics. Genesis is not a math book or science book, but a book of higher truths. But still, it makes me pause to notice the accuracy: according to the Big Bang theory, the heavens were created first, if by the word “heavens” we mean the parts needed for making stars. Truly, heavens is a term worth much contemplation, because it can mean the stars and the sky, or it can mean the spiritual realm - or it can mean both - and it does. Just as we have both souls and bodies, so do the heavens. There is the spiritual heaven and the starry heaven. As it turns out, astrology is mostly nonsense, but they are correct about a couple of things: the position of Saturn and Jupiter and Alpha Centauri do matter to us, because like the planets and stars, we also have matter and all of these bodies have a gravitational effect on each other. But the effect of the stars and planets is not focused on us. That's the mistake of astrology. The music of the spheres in the heavens has the purpose of glorifying God, and that's all. Indeed, these heavenly bodies matter to us, because like all of creation, they matter to God. But they do not dictate our moods or beliefs, because all things created by God that didn't experience the Fall are still rightly aimed at God in their purpose. The birds and clouds in the nearest heaven are good, just as the harmonic motion of the starry night is good, but best of all is the highest heaven, where the angels continually sing God's praises. However, the angels are just doing what the stars and birds are, which is glorifying God. Like the birds, we should live our lives as a small humming in the great song of creation. Just as birds sing, we should make our own song of praise. Birds are fruitful and they multiply, working and singing, and so should we. The stars are in motion, dancing and giving light, and so should we. The saints give witness to the lights that we too can become through the humble offering of ourselves for the glory of God. No bird or star competes with God, rather, they are in concert with God. No bird or star attempts to make a name for itself, rather, they make a name for God. The birds, stars, and angels give us the same lesson that Christ did. The education of Christ surrounds us in the heavens, if only we would forget about ourselves to partake in the great play of creation. The goal of life is to reach heaven, yet as Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is among us.” “Repent and believe, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Forget honor and wealth; look upward to the heavens, as the birds and stars and angels do. The point here is to be inverted in your understanding of the heavens: all of creation glorifies God, from the birds to the stars to the seraphim. This is why the “Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus” is sung right before the Eucharistic prayer at Mass. The “Hosts” of this song are the seraphim, the cherubim, and the angels, in the highest heaven, the third heaven. Like any concert, there are lights raised in the audience, moving in unison, and to partake in the divine nature, we raise our light to play a part in this amazing show, so that while we are just one little light, we can see that we are part of a whole. Every anonymous star adds to the majesty of the night sky, despite getting no name or notice. Our little light of faith is part of the whole, and we can share in the joy because of the certainty that God is at the center of all things, not us. Next time at Mass, when you sing the following words, know that you are part of a choir that includes all of creation, from us on earth and upward to all three heavens. This is why the Mass is more than just an obligation, it is a gift: Holy, holy, holyLord God of Hosts.Heaven and earth are full of your glory.Hosanna in the highest.Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.Hosanna in the highest.Further reading:How many heavens are there?The Hitchhikers' Guide to HeavenHow not to think about heaven - Bishop BarronBlasting Holes Through the Buffered Self - Bishop BarronRe-Enchanting the Secular - Matthew Petrusek. Secularism is the predominate worldview in the West. However, it does not answer the deepest longing of the human heart. Did God Create Heaven?Is heaven a place or only a state of mind? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whydidpetersink.substack.com

From World War I to the Spanish Civil War to World War II, we cover some of the worst periods for the Catholic Church (and for humanity) in this episode. We start by discussing St. John Henry Newman and the fight against modernism, then look at the First Vatican Council, and then how the Church dealt with both liberal democracies and communist and fascist totalitarianisms with the principle of corporatism. Throughout this episode, we realize that the problems facing the Church then are the same problems we are facing today!Follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/UlmtdOpinions

Full Text of ReadingsTuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 474The Saint of the day is Saint Anthony Mary ClaretSaint Anthony Mary Claret's Story The “spiritual father of Cuba” was a missionary, religious founder, social reformer, queen's chaplain, writer and publisher, archbishop, and refugee. He was a Spaniard whose work took him to the Canary Islands, Cuba, Madrid, Paris, and to the First Vatican Council. In his spare time as weaver and designer in the textile mills of Barcelona, Anthony learned Latin and printing: The future priest and publisher was preparing. Ordained at 28, he was prevented by ill health from entering religious life as a Carthusian or as a Jesuit, but went on to become one of Spain's most popular preachers. Anthony spent 10 years giving popular missions and retreats, always placing great emphasis on the Eucharist and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was said that his rosary was never out of his hand. At age 42, he founded a religious institute of missionaries beginning with five young priests, known today as the Claretians. Anthony was appointed to head the much-neglected archdiocese of Santiago in Cuba. He began its reform by almost ceaseless preaching and hearing of confessions, and suffered bitter opposition mainly for opposing concubinage and giving instruction to black slaves. A hired assassin—whose release from prison Anthony had obtained—slashed open his face and wrist. Anthony succeeded in getting the would-be assassin's death sentence commuted to a prison term. His solution for the misery of Cubans was family-owned farms producing a variety of foods for the family's own needs and for the market. This invited the enmity of the vested interests who wanted everyone to work on a single cash crop—sugar. Besides all his religious writings are two books he wrote in Cuba: Reflections on Agriculture and Country Delights. He was recalled to Spain for a job he did not relish—being chaplain for the queen. Anthony went on three conditions: He would reside away from the palace; he would come only to hear the queen's confession and instruct the children; and he would be exempt from court functions. In the revolution of 1868, he fled to Paris with the queen's party, where he preached to the Spanish colony. All his life Anthony was interested in the Catholic press. He founded the Religious Publishing House, a major Catholic publishing venture in Spain, and wrote or published 200 books and pamphlets. At Vatican I, where he was a staunch defender of the doctrine of infallibility, Anthony won the admiration of his fellow bishops. Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore remarked of him, “There goes a true saint.” At the age of 63, he died in exile near the border of Spain. Reflection Jesus foretold that those who are truly his representatives would suffer the same persecution as he did. Besides 14 attempts on his life, Anthony had to undergo such a barrage of the ugliest slander that the very name Claret became a byword for humiliation and misfortune. The powers of evil do not easily give up their prey. No one needs to go looking for persecution. All we need to do is be sure we suffer because of our genuine faith in Christ, not for our own whims and lack of prudence. Saint Anthony Mary Claret is a Patron Saint of: Weavers Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

In this episode, Fr. Stephen and John continue to unpack tradition in the framework of the Second Vatican Council's affirmation of Papal Infallibility and Tradition - key doctrines that tie Catholic Church together. They touch on Johann Adam Möhlar's assertion that Church gospel and tradition stand or fall together, and probe the challenges caused by Latin being used as the primary language during the First Vatican Council. With Father Sanchez's enlightening insights, they trace the continuous thread of faith passed down the generations and explore the timeless truths that shape Catholic Christianity. Have something you'd love to hear Fr. Stephen and John talk about? Email us at myfriendthefriar@gmail.com or click here!

Over two millenia there have, of course, been many papal claims, many of which Orthodoxy has always accepted. The claim to be the Patriarch of the West has proved unobjectionable to the East. The claim to be the primate of the Church is also unobjectionable, though this one requires some historical context. It is the claims explicated in detail at the First Vatican Council of 1870 that have proved the sticking point. But let us proceed slowly and carefully.

Over two millenia there have, of course, been many papal claims, many of which Orthodoxy has always accepted. The claim to be the Patriarch of the West has proved unobjectionable to the East. The claim to be the primate of the Church is also unobjectionable, though this one requires some historical context. It is the claims explicated in detail at the First Vatican Council of 1870 that have proved the sticking point. But let us proceed slowly and carefully.

Over two millenia there have, of course, been many papal claims, many of which Orthodoxy has always accepted. The claim to be the Patriarch of the West has proved unobjectionable to the East. The claim to be the primate of the Church is also unobjectionable, though this one requires some historical context. It is the claims explicated in detail at the First Vatican Council of 1870 that have proved the sticking point. But let us proceed slowly and carefully.

Michael Lofton reviews bishop Strickland’s (Tyler, Texas) pastoral letter on the synod of bishops. He then talks about the First Vatican Council and what it taught about the papacy and what promises are given to its teaching office.

Can the pope be a heretic? Michael Lofton examines Emmett O’Regan’s presentation of Bishop Gasser’s relatio and the First Vatican Council about papal infallibility and papal heresy. He also explains key terms in the discussion that are often misunderstood and then considers whether the pope can be a heretic in his private person and whether […]

Michael Lofton considers whether dogma changes. He examines the First Vatican Council, Mysterium Ecclesiae and Joachim Salaverri’s manual on the church for answers.

Bishop Joseph Strickland has recently made some interesting comments about Pope Francis, as well as the Society of St. Pius X. Michael reviews these comments and then compares them to Bishop Gasser’s Relatio at the First Vatican Council.

What did the First Vatican Council teach about faith and reason? How do Thomists parse the act of faith? How does the Vatican Council's account of faith and reason fit well with Thomistic hylomorphic dualism over and against Descartes' view? Dr. Gaven Kerr joins the podcast again to discuss these issues. The Classical Theism Podcast aims to defend Catholic Christian ideas in conversation. With the help of various guests, I defend three pillars of the Catholic Christian worldview: (1) the God of classical theism exists, (2) Jesus is our Messiah and Lord, and (3) He founded the Catholic Church. We place a strong emphasis on the first pillar, defending classical theism, drawing upon the work of Thomistic philosopher Dr. Edward Feser and many others. John DeRosa www.classicaltheism.com/support Support the show: Check out my book One Less God Than You: How to Answer the Slogans, Cliches, and Fallacies that Atheists Use to Challenge Your Faith >> www.classicaltheism.com/newbook Support on Patreon to help keep the podcast going and to allow me to produce even more quality content: www.classicaltheism.com/support

Full Text of ReadingsMonday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 479All podcast readings are produced by the USCCB and are from the Catholic Lectionary, based on the New American Bible and approved for use in the United States _______________________________________The Saint of the day is Saint Anthony Mary ClaretThe “spiritual father of Cuba” was a missionary, religious founder, social reformer, queen's chaplain, writer and publisher, archbishop, and refugee. He was a Spaniard whose work took him to the Canary Islands, Cuba, Madrid, Paris, and to the First Vatican Council. In his spare time as weaver and designer in the textile mills of Barcelona, Anthony learned Latin and printing: The future priest and publisher was preparing. Ordained at 28, he was prevented by ill health from entering religious life as a Carthusian or as a Jesuit, but went on to become one of Spain's most popular preachers. Anthony spent 10 years giving popular missions and retreats, always placing great emphasis on the Eucharist and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was said that his rosary was never out of his hand. At age 42, he founded a religious institute of missionaries beginning with five young priests, known today as the Claretians. Anthony was appointed to head the much-neglected archdiocese of Santiago in Cuba. He began its reform by almost ceaseless preaching and hearing of confessions, and suffered bitter opposition mainly for opposing concubinage and giving instruction to black slaves. A hired assassin—whose release from prison Anthony had obtained—slashed open his face and wrist. Anthony succeeded in getting the would-be assassin's death sentence commuted to a prison term. His solution for the misery of Cubans was family-owned farms producing a variety of foods for the family's own needs and for the market. This invited the enmity of the vested interests who wanted everyone to work on a single cash crop—sugar. Besides all his religious writings are two books he wrote in Cuba: Reflections on Agriculture and Country Delights. He was recalled to Spain for a job he did not relish—being chaplain for the queen. Anthony went on three conditions: He would reside away from the palace; he would come only to hear the queen's confession and instruct the children; and he would be exempt from court functions. In the revolution of 1868, he fled to Paris with the queen's party, where he preached to the Spanish colony. All his life Anthony was interested in the Catholic press. He founded the Religious Publishing House, a major Catholic publishing venture in Spain, and wrote or published 200 books and pamphlets. At Vatican I, where he was a staunch defender of the doctrine of infallibility, Anthony won the admiration of his fellow bishops. Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore remarked of him, “There goes a true saint.” At the age of 63, he died in exile near the border of Spain. Reflection Jesus foretold that those who are truly his representatives would suffer the same persecution as he did. Besides 14 attempts on his life, Anthony had to undergo such a barrage of the ugliest slander that the very name Claret became a byword for humiliation and misfortune. The powers of evil do not easily give up their prey. No one needs to go looking for persecution. All we need to do is be sure we suffer because of our genuine faith in Christ, not for our own whims and lack of prudence. Saint Anthony Mary Claret is a Patron Saint of: Weavers Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Monday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Anthony Mary Claret, 1807-1870; born in Spain, studied for priesthood, intending to become a Jesuit, but ill health forced him to serve as a secular priest; in 1849, he founded the Claretians and the Claretian nuns; served as archbishop of Santiago de Cuba 1850-1857; returned to the court of Queen Isabella II as confessor; participated in the First Vatican Council; died in a Cistercian monastery in southern France Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 10/24/22 Gospel: Luke 13:10-17

It's Time to Address the Papal Elephant in the RoomPope Francis is the 266th Pope of the Holy Catholic Church, having been elected to the papacy following the vacancy left by Pope Benedict XVI's resignation. I will be the first to admit that I was beyond upset when Benedict announced his resignation. I entertained all sorts of notions of conspiracy theories and that he must be being forced to resign in some way, though he has maintained that the decision was his and borne from personal prayer and discernment. When Pope Francis became Pope, I was watching the news like everyone else in the world. I heard the words “Habemus Papam [we have a pope], Cardinale Bergoglio.” Who?!? Who was this Argentinian Italian Cardinal? What? He's a Jesuit? He's chosen the name “Francis”?!? How odd. Then, over the last nine years, I have been edified, inspired, and emboldened by Pope Francis to have an ever greater zeal for evangelization and a decreased sense of materialism. His document Evangelii Gaudium (2013) is spectacular. I also enjoyed many of the teaching points of Laudato Si (2015). Gaudete et Exsultate (2018) has some solid moments as well! I also particularly like this line from Fratelli Tutti (2020): “We gorged ourselves on networking, and lost the taste of fraternity (FT, 33).” That is a fantastic line. The most recent document on the Eucharist is beautiful, though it does not offer anything substantial new in terms of reflection. No Shortage of Issues With the Current PontificateI know there has been some controversy lately about this document, claiming that the Pope is advancing some sort of Lutheranesque sola fide doctrine, but I unequivocally denounce these criticisms as the bad fruit of uncharity.What I want to stress here is that I have read every encyclical and exhortation that Pope Francis has published, including those not previously listed. I always try to give him a fair shake and read the documents charitably. But I have also been irritated, outraged, scandalized, and befuddled by Pope Francis, especially every time he speaks to reporters on airplanes, gives interviews to atheists who do not take notes, gives talks and sermons that suggest novel interpretations [always bad news when it comes to Church teaching], betrays the Church in China over and over again, allows too much nonsense to continue [in Belgium, Germany, the Amazon, et. al.], says something jesuitically ambiguous, or refuses to clarify matters of doctrine. There are plenty of things to be worried about with Pope Francis. However, I wonder if there are elements in the Church that are looking for problems where there are none. It is perfectly appropriate to charitably criticize error and imprudence. It is not okay to invent mountains out of molehills, or, as the case may be, to invent mountains out of level ground.Pope Francis has done and said many things which are problematic and borderline heretical (many of those in my company would argue that the line has been crossed numerous times into formal or material heresy). His general ambiguity and lack of clarity make it exceptionally difficult to have conversations about the consistency and authority of the Church with radical traditionalists [sedevacantists and those that reject Benedict's resignation], Protestants, Orthodox Christians, and non-Christians alike. This is especially the case in a climate of many lackluster, cowardly bishops and priests [not all, of course], an immobilized laity, a growing contingent of lapsed Catholics, and the ever-looming sex abuse crisis.Many in the Church are worried. Many of my friends have reached out to me to have conversations about the shenanigans they are seeing coming out of the Vatican or from Pope Francis himself. What are we, as faithful Catholics, to make of such turbulent times? I thought it might be fruitful to dive into what the Magisterium is and how we can evaluate levels of Magisterial authority.What is the Magisterium?Jesus Christ is God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, and the Incarnate Word of God. He is also our King, reigning as our sovereign Lord. As the full revelation of God to man, He imparted all that He taught, did, implemented, and is to the Apostles. As the fathers of the Second Vatican Council put it in Dei Verbum, the sacred constitution on the Word of God:“... Jesus perfected revelation by fulfilling it through his whole work of making Himself present and manifesting Himself: through His words and deeds, His signs and wonders, but especially through His death and glorious resurrection from the dead and final sending of the Spirit of truth (DV, 4).”The Church is His Body, of which He is the Head, and He reigns still. In obedience to Him, the faithful here on Earth continue to perpetuate this sacred Deposit of Faith, which is Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scriptures, until He comes again in glory. The council fathers, in the constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, said this:“This Sacred Council, following closely in the footsteps of the First Vatican Council, with that Council teaches and declares that Jesus Christ, the eternal Shepherd, established His holy Church, having sent forth the apostles as He Himself had been sent by the Father; and He willed that their successors, namely the bishops, should be shepherds in His Church even to the consummation of the world. And in order that the episcopate itself might be one and undivided, He placed Blessed Peter over the other apostles, and instituted in him a permanent and visible source and foundation of unity of faith and communion. And all this teaching about the institution, the perpetuity, the meaning and reason for the sacred primacy of the Roman Pontiff and of his infallible magisterium, this Sacred Council again proposes to be firmly believed by all the faithful. Continuing in that same undertaking, this Council is resolved to declare and proclaim before all men the doctrine concerning bishops, the successors of the apostles, who together with the successor of Peter, the Vicar of Christ, the visible Head of the whole Church, govern the house of the living God (LG, 18).”The Magisterium, simply put, is the teaching authority of Jesus Christ to authentically interpret the Deposit of Faith in the age of the Church passed on to the Apostles and their successors: the Pope and the bishops in union with him. As History progresses, we have new technology, means of communication, and techniques which change the way we interact with one another and how we understand the world around us. As such, in His Wisdom, God gave us the Magisterium to faithfully interpret the perennial and unchanging teachings of the Church on Faith and Morals in contemporary circumstances, from age to age.It is important to emphasize this last point: Church teaching on Faith and Morals cannot, does not, and will not change. As the Second Vatican Council clearly teaches: “The Christian dispensation, therefore, as the new and definitive covenant, will never pass away and we now await no further new public revelation before the glorious manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ (DV, 4).”The Church's Magisterium, therefore, does not give us new teachings that contradict old ones, nor does it give us new revelations or pretend to alter the foundational doctrines and dogmas of the Holy Faith. The Magisterium, at any given time, is beholden to the preceding Magisterium. We faithfully echo on the words, life, and teachings of Jesus Christ and His Church without substantial change. A Religion of the Word - The Supreme Rule of FaithThe Word of God is the supreme rule of faith - the standard by which the Divine and infallible faith can be tested. The rule of faith and the Faith itself are from the same divine wellspring. This rule of faith is not extrinsic to the faith nor is it an add-on to the faith. Truly, the Word of God is not a collection of writings or even teachings. The Word of God is Jesus Christ Himself. We are not a religion of the book of God, but rather a religion of the Word of God.The Word of God flows into Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. Sacred Scripture is the driving force of doctrine. The written word of God is inerrant and faithfully transmitted and guarded from error by Holy Mother Church. Sacred Tradition is not primarily a collection of doctrines, but, as the Directory for Catechesis teaches: “is a life of faith that is renewed every day (Dir. 26).” As St. Vincent of Larens taught, Sacred Tradition advances, “consolidated with the years, developed with time, deepened with age (ibid.).”How then can we arrive at the true interpretation of Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition? This is where the Magisterium comes in. The Directory for Catechesis puts the relationship between Scripture, Tradition, and Magisterium well:“The Church's Magisterium, supported by the Holy Spirit and endowed with the charism of truth, exercises its ministry of authentically interpreting the word of God, which it serves. The Magisterium therefore performs the ministry of safeguarding the integrity of Revelation, the word of God contained in Tradition and in Sacred Scripture, and its continual transmission. It is this living Magisterium that interprets it in a consistent manner and is subject to it (cf. DV 10) (Dir. 26).” The living Magisterium interprets Scripture and Tradition in a consistent manner. And the key phrase for today's discussion is that the Magisterium is “subject to” the Word of God. Remember, the supreme rule of faith is the Word of God, Jesus Christ. The Church cannot and will not contradict Jesus on Faith and Morals because the Church is divinely guarded by the charism of infallibility.How Do We Weigh Magisterial Teachings?Doctrine does not change, but it can develop, in a certain sense. Therefore, it is important to understand what is set dogma, what is developed doctrine, what is merely a discipline, and so on. We need to be able to weigh magisterial authority. Not everything the Church teaches is marked by infallibility. For example, let's look at the 1998 profession of faith that used to be used when someone assumed a certain office in the Church. Following the public profession of the Nicene Creed, they would say:“I also firmly accept and hold each and everything definitively proposed by the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals. Moreover, I adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman pontiff or the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise their authentic magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim these teachings by a definitive act.”So, some things are definitively proposed on faith and morals; to these, we firmly accept and hold. We give “religious submission of intellect and will” to the teachings of the Pope or college of Bishops when they speak together, even on matters other than faith and morals, even in the ordinary magisterium. Clearly from this, we see a distinction in level of authority and level of adherence to this spectrum of Church teachings.The main categories, in order of importance are: 1) dogmas, 2) other infallible statements, 3) doctrines that have not been taught infallibly, 4) theological opinions, 5) other non-doctrinal statements.* DogmaDogmas of the Church are truths that the Magisterium teaches infallibly as being divinely revealed in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. These can be taught by the Pope, an ecumenical council, or by the Church's ordinary and universal Magisterium. Dogmas require the theological assent of faith by all members of the faithful. We are not free to dissent from them in any way. To obstinately place them in doubt or deny them is to fall under the censure of heresy. HeresyAs an aside, a lot of people speak about this priest or that, or bishop, pope, or lay person, being a heretic. We have to understand the difference between the crime of heresy and sin of heresy. Formal heresy (the crime of heresy) is “the wilful and persistent adherence to an error in matters of faith” on the part of a baptized person; the persistence in error comes from having been formally corrected but continuing in error. Heresy is a grave sin as well, even if it is committed privately. The important note here is that heresy is the crime and sin of corrupting dogmas of the Church. Heresy is thrown around a lot today as a term, but most of the time the issues would better be described as either theological error or imprudence. For example, if the pope or a bishop phrases something in an unfortunate way, they could have misspoken or made a theological error without it rising to the grave sin and crime of heresy. We have to proceed in love of the truth but also in charity for the individual speaking or writing. * Other Infallible StatementsA step below dogma is “opinions to be held definitively” and these are taught infallibly but are not directly “divinely revealed.” The fact that only men can priests is infallible doctrine but not dogma because it is an open question, theologically, whether it is connected to divine revelation or is itself an example of divine revelation. There is a related discipline to this of clerical celibacy in the Latin Church and episcopal celibacy in the Eastern Churches. So, we see the dogma pertaining to the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the infallible doctrine and reality that only baptized men can validly receive this Sacrament, and the discipline of clerical celibacy. All three: dogma, doctrine, and discipline are important but in various weights and with different magisterial weight.According to St. John Paul II in Ad Tuendam Fidem, in such cases of infallible statements the faithful are “required to give firm and definitive assent to these truths, based on faith in the Holy Spirit's assistance to the Church's magisterium, and on the Catholic doctrine of the infallibility of the magisterium in these matters. Whoever denies these truths would be in a position of rejecting a truth of Catholic doctrine and would therefore no longer be in full communion with the Catholic Church.”So, these statements still pack a lot of weight and are guarded by the charism of infallibility. Other examples of such infallible statements include:* When the Pope speaks ex cathedra with the authority of Peter. This is extraordinary magisterium.* When the bishops, in communion with the Pope, define doctrine at a General Council. This is also called extraordinary magisterium.* When the bishops, in communion with the Pope, together with the Pope, propose definitively in agreement, though they are dispersed. This is the ordinary and universal magisterium.* Doctrines That Have Not Been Taught InfalliblyWhen the Pope speaks in an ordinary, but authoritative way, we are required to submit our mind, intellect, and will, but it is not guaranteed to be infallible. Likewise, it is the case with bishops in communion with the Pope who teach authoritatively in their diocese. Just because these doctrines have not been infallibly declared does not make them unimportant. They are also part of the Deposit of Faith. Sometimes, in the history of the Church there has arisen solid reasons to take the time to define certain doctrines to protect against error or heresy.* Theological OpinionsTheological opinions are the next rung on the ladder. They are not infallible nor are they authoritative. The opinions of theologians can be in legitimate disagreement and ongoing dialogue.* Other Non-Doctrinal StatementsThere are some teachings of the magisterium that are not universal and to be held always. They are more or less circumstantial to time, customs, and culture. For example, if a Church document describes the state of a society, makes suggestions or exhortations, these are to be received with respect and a grateful heart, but do not require strict intellectual assent.Important Sources of Authoritative Catholic Teaching (Non-Papal)There is a hierarchy, not just of dogma, doctrines, and disciplines, but also of magisterial texts. The Church FathersThe writings of the Church Fathers, the writers of the first eight centuries of the Church, are accepted as true and authoritative when they speak “in unison” on a matter over those eight centuries. Repetition through the ages does matter. Doctors of the ChurchThe Doctors of the Church are those ecclesial writers who have been given this title for the great advantage given to the whole Church derived from their doctrine. There are now 23 Doctors of the Church who are held in very high esteem for their faithful teaching. The other Saints as well contribute to the great tradition of the Church in varying degrees through their lives and works.Rules of LifeThese rules govern communal life for certain communities and they have to be approved by the Pope. For example, the Benedictine Rule of Life is the ordered way of living as a Benedictine monk in a monastery.Code of Canon LawThe Code of Canon Law was first compiled from various sources in 1917 and was revised in 1982. The 1982 version is our current Church law which governs all Catholics of the Latin Rite. There is also a Code of Canon Law for the Eastern Churches. These canons are authoritative and binding on the faithful. Papal DocumentsPapal documents all carry various magisterial weight. The five main sources of these are (in order of importance): Wednesday audiences, Apostolic exhortations, encyclical letters, papal bulls, and the motu proprio.Wednesday audiencesEvery Wednesday normatively, when the Pope is in Rome, he gives an audience and a talk to those gathered in St. Peter's square. These audiences are authoritative when they involve teachings on faith and morals, but not infallible. For example, much of St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body was taken from his weekly Wednesday addresses.ExhortationsThe lowest authority of a Papal document is an apostolic exhortation. This is a document in which the Pope exhorts the faithful on a certain matter. An exhortation does not define doctrine, by design. It is higher in authority than a normal ecclesial letter. Exhortations usually follow a meeting of a synod of bishops to outline their deliberations.EncyclicalsA Papal encyclical or letter is a letter from the Pope to the entire Church. The first Encyclical was the first letter of St. Peter. The next recorded example after Peter is a letter from Pope Clement I to the Christians in Corinth. An encyclical seeks to clarify a certain doctrine. Therefore, it is part of the ordinary magisterium of the Pope and requires us to submit our mind and will on matters of faith and morals. Encyclicals have a high level of magisterial authority.Papal BullsA papal bull is a public decree or charter issued by the Pope. These are authoritative and binding. A Bull may treat statutes, appointment of bishops, dispensations, excommunications, Apostolic constitutions, canonizations, and convocations.Motu ProprioA motu proprio is technically a type of rescript, which is an official edict or announcement. A motu proprio is an official legal act taken by the Pope on his own power and volition and personally signed by him. It has full legal effect for Canon Law. Motu Proprio literally means “by his own hand.” Council DocumentsNext, let's take a look at three types of documents that come from General Councils: Constitutions, Decrees, and DeclarationsConstitutionsAn Apostolic Constitution is the most solemn form of legislation issued by the Pope. They are either doctrinal or pastoral. They are issued as Papal bulls because of their solemn and public form.DecreesA decree is an order or law given by the council and the Pope to the rest of the world or a specific group of people. These are legislative acts of the pope. These decrees have the full power of the Pope in making laws.DeclarationsDeclarations are more specific and usually address a specific topic. However, they still carry the same weight as other documents of a general council of bishops in communion with the Pope. So, they are authoritative and infallible on matters of faith and morals.CatechismsThroughout the Church's history, there have also been various written systematic presentations of the Faith. These are called Catechisms. Some are universal and others are for a particular locale. The Catechism of the Catholic Church was promulgated in 1992 originally and in English in 1997. This document was a game-changer. It was the first truly universal Catechism and was so beautifully compiled. It is the go-to standard in terms of understanding what the Church is and what she believes. The Baltimore Catechism was a question/answer Catechism which arose from a local council in Baltimore, Maryland in 1885. It is based on St. Robert Bellarmine's 1614 Small Catechism.The important thing to keep in mind about Catechisms is that they are compilations. They contain dogma, doctrine, and discipline. They contain prudential applications of principles and law. The doctrines contained in Catechism are thus magisterial, but they bear no more weight than before they were compiled in the Catechism.Judging the nature of a teaching…First, we can look at the nature of the document that teaches a doctrine. Some are more authoritative than others. For example, A papal encyclical is more authoritative than the weekly general audiences a pope gives, and the dogmatic constitutions of Vatican II are more authoritative than the council's decrees.The second test is the frequency with which the magisterium repeats a doctrine. If it is something mentioned only occasionally, or has not been mentioned in centuries, it will have a lower level of authority attached to it. But if it is something that the magisterium repeats with great regularity, it is more authoritative.The third test is the tone of the words used to express the teaching. If it is proposed briefly and tentatively, it will have less authority. If it is expounded at length or emphatically, it will have more authority.What To Do If the Pope Seems to Be In Error?So, what do we do when we think that Pope Francis is in error or is holding heretical positions? First, we pray for him. Second, we recognize that God alone judges the Pope… and I mean this juridically. Only the college of cardinals can formally correct the Pope in any sort of authoritative way. Further, no one can be found to be a manifest and formal heretic without a trial. In general, stop calling other people “heretics.” It is unhelpful and often uncharitable. We also need to remember that we must not be guilty of the sin of rash judgment in regards to the Pope (or anyone else, for that matter). The Fourth Council of Constantinople in Canon 10 says: “As divine scripture clearly proclaims, Do not find fault before you investigate, and understand first and then find fault, and does our law judge a person without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?”I do not claim to have the answers. How do you solve a problem like Pope Francis? No clue. But I do know and believe that the Holy Spirit guides and guards the Church. I know and believe that the Church is the Body of Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior, and King. And I know and believe that the entire apostolic action of the Church is directed always to the glory of the Father. I propose that we dive deep into the study and love of Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. The perennial truths of the Faith will not and cannot pass away. When the Pope is truly in error, he ought to be charitably and fraternally corrected. But, if you are reading this (or listening to the podcast), then you are not likely to be the one to correct the Holy Father. Do not trust everything you hear from the armchair theologians and gossipers of the Church on YouTube and other podcasts. Theirs is a poison which does just as much, if not more, harm to the Church as anything we are seeing from the hierarchy. I know this was a much longer article/podcast than normal, but I did not want to shortchange any of the explanations. With much more left to say, I will opt to wait until another occasion. I will end with the words of St. Paul to the Thessalonians:“... test everything; hold fast to what is good (1 Thess. 5:21).”Thanks for reading Will Wright Catholic! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Thank you for reading Will Wright Catholic. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willwrightcatholic.substack.com

Clarification: Gallicanism was NOT the idea that the Church is subservient to the state in matters of doctrine; it is the idea that local bishops must accept a papal doctrine for it to be valid, which led to the state attempting to manipulate its bishops on a mass scale. In part twenty two of this series about the ecumenical councils according to the Catholic Church, Will Deatherage examines the First Vatican Council, which defined the pope's ability to proclaim doctrines infallibly.

Hey, y'all! Throughout Catholic history there have been occasions when a rival, anti, pope will be elected by a breakaway group. That hasn't happened officially since the 15th century, but that didn't stop people from just making themselves pope anyway...But first, we have part 1: a primer of all the history and context you need for the next episode to make the most sense.

Greetings! The next episode in our series on Catholic Liberalism is now available. "Catholic Liberalism in Retreat, 1848-1870," explores how political events and a changing papacy conspired to derail the movement of Catholic Liberalism. The Revolutions of 1848, and the wars of unification in Italy and Germany, left the Church exposed to hostile, anti-clerical governments, and in response Catholics across Europe turn to the power of the papacy to shield them. At the same, time, pope Pius IX and his advisors decided on a combative stance toward political liberalism in Europe, issuing the Syllabus of Errors in 1864, and convoking the First Vatican Council in 1870, which made papal infallibility a dogma binding on the faithful. These events seemed to lead to the demise of any Catholic liberalism hoping to compromise with the modern world--or did they? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/churchcontroversies/support

With this new motu proprio to amend canon law and Church disciplines, Pope Francis has continued his assault to erase, nullify, and spit on the First Vatican Council from December 8, 1869 - October 20, 1870. The post Pope Francis is Erasing the First Vatican Council (Also Anti-Pope Response) first appeared on David L. Gray.

With this new motu proprio to amend canon law and Church disciplines, Pope Francis has continued his assault to erase, nullify, and spit on the First Vatican Council from December 8, 1869 - October 20, 1870. The post Pope Francis is Erasing the First Vatican Council (Also Anti-Pope Response) first appeared on David L. Gray.

"Neither a Heretic Nor a Schismatic" My statement of November 21, 1974, which triggered off the proceedings of which I have spoken, ended with these words: “In doing so…we are convinced of remaining loyal to the Catholic and Roman Church and to all the successors of Peter, and of being faithful dispensers of the mysteries of Our Lord Jesus Christ.” When publishing the text, the Osservatore Romano omitted this paragraph. For ten years and more our opponents have been set on casting us out of the Church's communion by presenting us as not accepting the Pope's authority. It would be very convenient to turn us into a sect and declare us schismatics. How many times the word schism has been applied to us!I have not ceased repeating that if anyone separates himself from the Pope, it will not be I. The question comes down to this: the power of the Pope within the Church is supreme, but not absolute and limitless, because it is subordinate to the Divine authority which is expressed in Tradition, Holy Scripture, and the definitions already promulgated by the Church's magisterium. In fact, the limits of papal power are set by the ends for which it was given to Christ's Vicar on earth, ends which Pius IX clearly defined in the Constitution Pastor Aeternus of the First Vatican Council. So in saying this I am not expressing a personal theory.Blind obedience is not Catholic; nobody is exempt from responsibility for having obeyed man rather than God if he accepts orders from a higher authority, even the Pope, when these are contrary to the Will of God as it is known with certainty from Tradition. It is true that one cannot envisage such an eventuality when the papal infallibility is engaged; but this happens only in a limited number of cases. It is an error to think that every word uttered by the Pope is infallible. Read the full book: https://angeluspress.org/products/open-letter-to-confused-catholics

Full Text of ReadingsThirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 149All podcast readings are produced by the USCCB and are from the Catholic Lectionary, based on the New American Bible and approved for use in the United States _______________________________________The Saint of the day is Saint Anthony Mary ClaretThe “spiritual father of Cuba” was a missionary, religious founder, social reformer, queen's chaplain, writer and publisher, archbishop, and refugee. He was a Spaniard whose work took him to the Canary Islands, Cuba, Madrid, Paris, and to the First Vatican Council. In his spare time as weaver and designer in the textile mills of Barcelona, Anthony learned Latin and printing: The future priest and publisher was preparing. Ordained at 28, he was prevented by ill health from entering religious life as a Carthusian or as a Jesuit, but went on to become one of Spain's most popular preachers. Anthony spent 10 years giving popular missions and retreats, always placing great emphasis on the Eucharist and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was said that his rosary was never out of his hand. At age 42, he founded a religious institute of missionaries beginning with five young priests, known today as the Claretians. Anthony was appointed to head the much-neglected archdiocese of Santiago in Cuba. He began its reform by almost ceaseless preaching and hearing of confessions, and suffered bitter opposition mainly for opposing concubinage and giving instruction to black slaves. A hired assassin—whose release from prison Anthony had obtained—slashed open his face and wrist. Anthony succeeded in getting the would-be assassin's death sentence commuted to a prison term. His solution for the misery of Cubans was family-owned farms producing a variety of foods for the family's own needs and for the market. This invited the enmity of the vested interests who wanted everyone to work on a single cash crop—sugar. Besides all his religious writings are two books he wrote in Cuba: Reflections on Agriculture and Country Delights. He was recalled to Spain for a job he did not relish—being chaplain for the queen. Anthony went on three conditions: He would reside away from the palace; he would come only to hear the queen's confession and instruct the children; and he would be exempt from court functions. In the revolution of 1868, he fled to Paris with the queen's party, where he preached to the Spanish colony. All his life Anthony was interested in the Catholic press. He founded the Religious Publishing House, a major Catholic publishing venture in Spain, and wrote or published 200 books and pamphlets. At Vatican I, where he was a staunch defender of the doctrine of infallibility, Anthony won the admiration of his fellow bishops. Cardinal Gibbons of Baltimore remarked of him, “There goes a true saint.” At the age of 63, he died in exile near the border of Spain. Reflection Jesus foretold that those who are truly his representatives would suffer the same persecution as he did. Besides 14 attempts on his life, Anthony had to undergo such a barrage of the ugliest slander that the very name Claret became a byword for humiliation and misfortune. The powers of evil do not easily give up their prey. No one needs to go looking for persecution. All we need to do is be sure we suffer because of our genuine faith in Christ, not for our own whims and lack of prudence. Saint Anthony Mary Claret is a Patron Saint of: Weavers Saint of the Day Copyright Franciscan Media

Catholic Answers Quiz Show! Elisha vs. Angel Contestant One 1) Which of the following encyclicals was not written by Pope JPII? a) Pacem In Terris (Peace on Earth) b) Veritatis Splendor c) Evangelium Vitae 2)  Pope John Paul was the first non-Italian pope in: a) 1237 years b) 871 years c) 455 years 3) Pope John Paul II attended a) The First Vatican Council. b) The Second Vatican Council. c) Neither because he lived in communist Poland. Contestant Two 1) Pope John Paul gave his teaching, now called the Theology of the Body: a) In an encyclical b) At his weekly audiences. c) In a book called Fides Et Ratio. 2) Pope John Paul got lots of criticism because he once kissed: a)A copy of the Koran. b) Fidel Castro. c) A statue of the Buddha. 3) Pope John Paul II was shot: a) On the feast of Our Lady of Fatima. b) On the feast of the Divine Mercy. c) On the feast of Sts Peter and Paul. ROUND TWO Contestant One 1) The souls in Heaven: a) Are given faith in proportion to how they lived. b) Do not have faith. c) Are given a superabundance of faith. 2) The Apostle Paul was a: a) Sadducee b) Temple Priest c) Pharisee 3) The title “Theotokos” or God-bearer was used: a) By only one of the early church fathers. b) By none of the Church fathers. It is a later development. c) By many of the early Church Fathers. Contestant Two 1) The Communion of Saints refers to: A) The canonized saints who can be honored at Mass. B) All of the saints in heaven whether they have been canonized or not. C) All of those who have been made children of God by Christ whether in heaven, on earth, or in purgatory. 2) Which of the following is true about St. Paul: a) He was a powerful healer, so much so that people could heal the sick just using objects that had touched Paul. b) He was a preacher, but unlike the other apostles, he had no healing ministry. c) He taught that only the sacraments could heal. 3)  The bishops of the Orthodox Churches are: a.) Not successors of the Apostles as Catholic bishops are b.) Successors of the Apostles c.) Successors only of St. Paul but not of St. Peter FINAL JUDGMENT True or False: The Holy Spirit is not the Father, the Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Holy Spirit. True or False: The Investiture Controversy involved Greek Patriarchs refusing to allow the Pope to appoint bishops. True or False: During the Roman persecutions, those who caved to Roman pressure were never allowed back into communion. True or False: Jesus chose only Jewish men for his Apostles. True or False: Jesus had the Beatific vision even when he was in Mary's womb. True or False: Detraction is the sin of lying to hurt the reputation of another. True or False: One is not morally required to always choose the highest good. …

Questions Covered 03:45 – Do Paul and James contradict each other on Justification?  10:12 – I got a Reiki massage in the past, which I heard from a previous caller is wrong. I didn't know this was wrong, but did I open myself up to anything bad?  14:05 – According to the First Vatican Council, no one can reject Papal infallibility without endangering his faith. I'm Easter Orthodox, so am I damned?  18:00 – How do I discern the voice of God from my inner voice?  21:38 – What was the purpose of animal sacrifice in Mosaic Law?  29:00 – Why did God tolerate divorce in the Old Testament?  36:20 – Is it appropriate to thank intercessory saints and angels?  41:30 – I feel like I just had a rushed confession, so should I go back?  49:35 – How do I become confident in my faith without seeming obstinate?  …

When you think about the Catholic Church, you may be tempted to think in terms that are outside of history – the Church is more or less the same since Jesus’ time, right? The continuity is supposed to be obvious, untouchable. Of course, that’s impossible. No matter how much we may try to preserve something, the steady march of time, those slow and plodding changes to society and culture as well as those unforeseen events, inevitably impact even the most resilient of institutions. Today’s episode is a deep dive into one of those perhaps unforeseen events that upended Catholicism – and in particular, the Papacy – as we know it. In fact, how we understand both Catholicism and the Papacy today traces directly to this moment in history. Today's guest, Fr. Jeffrey von Arx, SJ, is a Visiting Professor of the History of Christianity at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry and the Superior and Director of the John LaFarge Jesuit House of Studies at Harvard University. Fr. von Arx guides us through the years spanning the French Revolution through the First Vatican Council and beyond, and reflects on how a near-death experience for the Papacy following the French Revolution led to what he believes is an experience of PTSD – post-traumatic stress disorder – in the Church, and shares what he sees as the outcome of this institutional PTSD. It’s hard to fathom a time when the papacy almost ceased to exist – particularly in the wake of papacies like John Paul II’s and Francis’. And yet, as Fr. von Arx notes, the Papacy as we know it today didn’t have to be this way – and in fact was really close to not existing at all. The Jesuits play a role in this story, too, having suffered their own near-death experience during this same era. And, though it’s tempting to think of this historical deep-dive as unrelated to our own lives, what happened to the Catholic Church between the French Revolution and the First Vatican Council has impacted how we Catholics today experience of faith, our culture and our traditions – not to mention how we interact in society, in politics and in art. Read more from Fr. von Arx: https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/post-traumatic-church https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/09/24/root-china-vatican-agreement-napoleon

We're happy to welcome back Fr. Jonathan Loop, the Principal of Immaculate Conception Academy in Post Falls, ID, to discuss the preparations that were carried out for the Second Vatican Council. We'll take a quick look at the First Vatican Council, and what effect that had on this second council, as well as why Pope John XXIII wanted to convoke this council. Then we'll take a look at the preparations themselves. As you'll see, they were extensive, and beyond some troubling details, they were in fact, very traditional, and caused Archbishop Lefebvre to be optimistic about the good the council could achieve!

We're happy to welcome back Fr. Jonathan Loop, the Principal of Immaculate Conception Academy in Post Falls, ID, to discuss the preparations that were carried out for the Second Vatican Council. We'll take a quick look at the First Vatican Council, and what effect that had on this second council, as well as why Pope John XXIII wanted to convoke this council. Then we'll take a look at the preparations themselves. As you'll see, they were extensive, and beyond some troubling details, they were in fact, very traditional, and caused Archbishop Lefebvre to be optimistic about the good the council could achieve!

Pius IX is not well known today, but he should be. Pope for 31 years, he defind the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception and called the First Vatican Council in 1870. He was also the last Pope to rule as a King over the Papal States. Read the Article - https://www.tfp.org/the-grandeur-of-pius-ix-vicar-of-christ-pontiff-and-king/.

We will explore three selected texts from Catholic figures during the Modern Era: Cardinal Newman (Saint John Henry Newman), the First Vatican Council, and Pope Leo XIII.

Was the infallible Pope still infallible if he lost his mind or his faith or both? The Vatican had seen its share of scandals and aberrant Papal behavior in its two thousand year history. There have been popes who engaged in every kind of sexual promiscuity and deviancy, popes who squandered the Churches’ fortunes on lavish and garish excesses that would have made Donald Trump gasp, almost bankrupting the Church of Jesus Christ, popes who have ruthlessly ordered their political enemies murdered, popes who had sanctioned the torture of those who voiced any criticism of institution or its’ occasional excesses, popes who had started holy wars where millions were slaughtered and popes who had covered up the rampant sexual abuse of children by priests that stretched back to the first century.Papal infallibility is a doctrine that appears nowhere in the New Testament. The 19th century doctrine states that when it comes to formal beliefs of the Catholic Church, the pope is preserved from the possibility of ever committing a mistake. The pope’s word on matters of scripture is, in effect, the word of God and Jesus. The doctrine of papal infallibility was formally adopted as official Catholic dogma at the First Vatican Council of 1869–1870 and was, therefore, a very recent formal creation. The only caveat to this doctrine is that the infallible teachings of the pope must be based on, or at least not contradict, sacred tradition or sacred scripture.It had pretty much always been assumed that the Pope was the alpha interpreter of the New Testament. But the First Vatican Council left no doubt and literally no room for argument. “Because he said so!” became the be-all and end all for inquiring Catholic minds. He is always right and that’s the end of that. So, for example, if the pope were to interpret what has always been accepted as a clear biblical admonition against homosexuality which states, “a man who lies with another man shall be stoned” to mean that gays should smoke pot before engaging in sexual relations, that would be the correct interpretation ipso facto and a billion Catholics would just have to learn to live with it.Infallible, is a novel in which I ask the question of what would happen if the pope hit his head and woke up from the injury suddenly reinterpreting everything? What would happen if (God forbid?) the pope started to sound alarmingly like a secular humanist? If he is infallible, the Church is stuck with him. There is no 25th Amendment for popes. Infallibility would be a Donald Trump wet dream. This episode is a preview of the book, Infallible, and will hopefully get you to think about the unthinkable.

Please share this video on Twitter or Facebook: President Donald Trump wants churches back open. Fr James Martin SJ, disagrees. Did Pope Benedict XVI Fully Resign the Papacy or Just a Part of It? Dr. Taylor Marshall and Dr. Ed Mazza discuss a controversy at the FIRST VATICAN COUNCIL regarding whether the Papacy is de facto the Bishop of Rome or not. Dr Ed Mazza then explores the sayings and words of Ratzinger-Benedict showing that Ratzinger seems to be believe that “being Pope” is not the same as “being incumbent bishop of Rome”? This raises the question, “Can a man be Pope and not the Bishop of Rome?” Dr. Ed Mazza lays out the information and tries to provide an answer to this complicated question? Taylor Marshall’s book: Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within: https://amzn.to/35fGp6k Dr. Edmund Mazza is host of The Bar of History on VirginMostPowerfulRadio.org. He is the author of The Scholastics & the Jews from Angelico Press. His videos can be seen at the Discover Christ YouTube channel. Watch this new podcast episode by clicking here: Or listen to the audio mp3 here: If you’d like to order a copy of Taylor’s new book Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within, you can order it in Hardback, Kindle, or Audiobook. Check out Patreon Patron Benefits for Donating to Dr Taylor Marshall’s Show! All these video discussions are free. Do you want to recommend a show, get signed books, and show support? Here's how: click on Patreon Patron link: Become a Patron of this Podcast: I am hoping to produce more free weekly podcast Videos. Please help me launch these videos by working with me on Patreon to produce more free content. In gratitude, I'll send you some signed books or even stream a theology event for you and your friends. Please become one of my patrons and check out the various tier benefits at: https://www.patreon.com/drtaylormarshall If the audio player does not show up in your email or browser, please click here to listen. If you find this podcast episode helpful, please share this podcast on Facebook. Get more from the Taylor Marshall Show: * Read Taylor Marshall’s historical fiction Sword and Serpent Trilogy. * Download the Study Guide at: http://swordandserpent.com * Take classed with Dr Marshall at the New Saint Thomas Institute. Please visit newsaintthomas.com for more details. Please Share Your Feedback for Taylor Marshall Show: * I'd love to read your feedback: While you listen to today's podcast, would you please take 30 seconds to write a review? Please click here to Rate this Podcast! * iTunes: 3,549,958 downloads * Youtube: 10,

Please share this video on Twitter or Facebook: President Donald Trump wants churches back open. Fr James Martin SJ, disagrees. Did Pope Benedict XVI Fully Resign the Papacy or Just a Part of It? Dr. Taylor Marshall and Dr. Ed Mazza discuss a controversy at the FIRST VATICAN COUNCIL regarding whether the Papacy is de […] The post 419: Is Benedict XVI still the Pope? Did Pope Benedict XVI Fully Resign the Papacy or Just a Part of It? [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

About 100 years ago, Frank Morison, an English journalist, set out to disprove the resurrection of Jesus by examining the facts. As a result Morison, the skeptic, came to believe that Jesus, the Son of God, crucified, dead, and buried, rose again to give eternal life. Morison's book, Who Moved the Stone? is still in print today. This being the Tuesday in the Octave of Easter, I thought of Morison's experience as I listened to this week's podcast—a conversation between Dr. Kent Lasnoski and Dr. Jeremy Holmes about faith and reason centering around Dei Filius, the dogmatic constitution of the First Vatican Council issued in 1870. This document from the 19th century, we'll discover, speaks eloquently to our situation today.

Michael discusses the medieval church and their views on papal infallibility and how they relate to the First Vatican Council.    

T. S. Flanders discusses the false spirit of the First Vatican Council.

T. S. Flanders discusses the false spirit of the First Vatican Council.

T. S. Flanders discusses the false spirit of the First Vatican Council.

My talk from March of 2018, in which I discuss the First Vatican Ecumenical Council (1870), called to deal with issues of church government, and more specifically, the definition of papal infallibility. It covers the religious and political background to this important council, which would set the stage for much of the modern Church, and especially the modern papacy. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/controversies-in-church-history/support

On this episode of What Catholics Believe, Tom and Fr. Jenkins answer email questions: • Was the First Vatican Council officially closed? If not, what are the ramifications? • Why are priests not allowed to marry in the Roman Rite? Were they ever allowed to marry in the past? • Is there a cleansing to get rid of Masonic influence in a family? • What do you think of Climate Change Sunday? • Is the phrase, “hate the sin, not the sinner” Protestant or Catholic saying? • And lastly, Fr. Jenkins explains ‘Why Mercy is nothing without Justice’. Please visit wcbohio.com for more content.

Although the focus of this class is on the history of Protestants of various stripes, it’s also important to realize that Catholicism changed a good deal during the last five hundred years.  In this lecture, you’ll get a brief sketch of the history of significant Catholic movements and doctrinal declarations during this period, including the Read more about 127 Catholicism (Five Hundred 11)[…]

Although the focus of this class is on the history of Protestants of various stripes, it’s also important to realize that Catholicism changed a good deal during the last five hundred years.  In this lecture, you’ll get a brief sketch of the history of significant Catholic movements and doctrinal declarations during this period, including the Read more about 127 Catholicism (Five Hundred 11)[…]

Soldiering for Christ Henry Egly, Fanny Crosby, Carrie Nation, the First Vatican Council Presentation Online Giving

T.J. Nielsen goes through the history of the First Vatican Council, and then connects this with the history of Vatican II.

The title of this episode is Push-BackAs we move to wind up this season of CS, we've entered into the modern era in our review of Church history and the emergence of Theological Liberalism. Some historians regard the French Revolution as a turning point in the social development of Europe and Western Civilization. The Revolution was in many ways, a result of the Enlightenment, and a harbinger of things to come in the Modern and Post-Modern Eras.At the risk of being simplistic, for convenience sake, let's set the history of Western Civilization into these eras of Church History.First is the Roman Era, when Christianity was officially opposed and persecuted. That was followed by the Constantinian Era, when the Faith was at first tolerated, then institutionalized. With the Fall of the Roman Empire in the West, Europe entered the Middle Ages and the Church was led by Rome in the West, Constantinople in the East.The Middle Ages ended with the Renaissance which swiftly split into two streams, the Reformation and the Enlightenment. While many Europeans broke from the hegemony of the Roman Church to launch Protestant movements, others went further and broke from religious faith altogether in an exaltation of reason. They purposefully stepped away from spirituality toward hard-boiled materialism.This gave birth to the Modern Era, marked by an ongoing tension between Materialistic Rationalism and Philosophical Theism that birthed an entire rainbow of intellectual and faith options.Carrying on this over-simplified review from where our CS episodes have been, the Modern Era then turned into the Post-Modern Era with a full-flowering and widespread academic acceptance of the radical skepticism birthed during the Enlightenment. The promises of the perfection of the human race through technology promised in the Modern Era were shattered by two World Wars and repeated cases of genocide in the 20th and 21st Cs. Post-Moderns traded in the bright Modernist expectation of an emerging Golden Age for a dystopian vision of technology-run-amuck, controlled by madmen and tyrants. In a classic post-modern proverb, the author George Orwell said, “If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face – forever.”In our last episode, we embarked on a foray into the roots of Theological Liberalism. The themes of the new era were found in the motto of the French Revolution: “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.”Liberty was conceived as individual freedom in both the political and economic realms. Liberalism originally referred to this idea of personal liberty in regard to economics and politics. It's come to mean something very different. Libertarian connects better with the original idea of liberalism than the modern term “liberalism.”In the early 19th C, liberals promoted the political rights of the middle class. They advocated suffrage and middle-class influence through representative government. In economics, liberals agitated for a laissez faire marketplace where individual enterprise rather than class determined one's wealth.Equality, second term in the French Revolution's trio, stood for individual rights regardless of legacy. If liberty was a predominantly middle-class virtue, equality appealed to rural peasants, the urban working class, and the universally disenfranchised. While the middle class and hold-over nobility advocated a laissez-faire economy, the working class began to agitate for equality through a rival philosophy called socialism. Workers inveighed for equality either through the long route of evolution within a democratic system or the shorter path of revolution via Marxism.Fraternity, the third idea in the trinity, was the Enlightenment reaction against all the war and turmoil that marked European history till then; especially the trauma that had rocked the continent through endless political, economic, and religious struggle. Fraternity represented a sense of brotherhood that rolled across Europe in the 19th C. And while it held the promise of uniting people in the concept of the universal brotherhood of man under the universal Fatherhood of God, it quickly devolved into Nationalism that would only lead to even bloodier conflicts since they were now accompanied by modern weapons.These social currents swirled around the Christian Faith during the first decades of the Age of Progress, but no one predicted the ruination they'd bring the Church of Rome, steeped as it was in an inviolable tradition. For over a thousand years she'd presided over feudal Europe. She enthroned dozens of monarchs and ensconced countless nobles. And like them, the Church gave little thought to the power of peasants and the growing middle class. In regards to social standing, in 18th C European society, noble birth and holy calling were everything. Intelligence or achievement meant little.Things began to heat up in Europe when Enlightenment thinkers began to question the old order. In the 1760s, several places around the world began to feel the heat of political unrest. There'd always been Radicals who challenged the status quo. It usually ended badly for them; forced to drink hemlock or such. But in the mid and late 18th C, they became popular advocates for the middle-class and poor. Their demands were similar: The right to participate in politics, the right to vote, the right to greater freedom of expression.The success of the American Revolution inspired European radicals. They regarded Americans as true heirs of Enlightenment ideals. They were passionate about equality; and desired peace, yet ready to fight for freedom. In gaining independence from the world's most formidable power, Americans proved Enlightenment ideals worked.Then, in the last decade of the 18th C, France executed its king, became a republic, formed a revolutionary regime, and crawled through a period of brutality into the Imperialism of Napoleon Bonaparte.As we saw in an earlier episode, the Roman Catholic church was so much a part of the old order that revolutionaries often made it an object of their wrath. In the early 1790s, the French National Assembly sought to reform the Church along rationalist lines. But when it eliminated the Pope's control and required an oath of loyalty on the clergy, it split the Church. The two camps faced off against each other in every village. Between thirty and 40,000 priests were forced into hiding or exile. Atheists recognized the cultural wind was now at their back and pressed for more. Why stop at reforming the Church when you could pry its grip from all society? Radicals moved to remove all traces of Christianity's influence. They adopted a new calendar and elevated the cult of “Reason.” Some churches were converted to “Temples of Reason.”But by 1794 this farce had spent itself. The following year a statute was passed affirming the free exercise of religion, and loyal Catholics who'd kept a low profile during the Revolution returned. But Rome never forgot. For now, Liberty meant the worship of the goddess of Reason.When Napoleon took control, he struck an agreement with the pope; the Concordat of 1801. It restored Roman Catholicism as the quasi-official religion of France. But the Church had lost much of its prestige and power. Europe would never again be a society held together by an alliance of altar and throne. On the other side of things, Rome never welcomed the liberalism reshaping much of Europe's courts.As Bruce Shelley aptly remarks, Jesus and the apostles spent little time talking about political freedom, personal liberty, or a person's right to their opinions. Valuable and important as those things are, they simply do not come into view as values in the appeal of the Gospel. The freedom Christ offers comes through salvation, which places a necessary safeguard on liberty to keep it from becoming a dangerous license.But during the 19th C, it became popular to think of liberty ITSELF as being free! Free of any and all restraint. Any restriction on freedom was met with a knee-jerk opposition. Everyone ought to be as free as possible. The question then became; just what does that mean. How far does “possible” go?John Stuart Mill suggested this guideline, “The liberty of each, limited by the like liberty of all.” Liberty meant the right to your opinions, the freedom to express and act upon them, but not to the degree that in doing so, you impinge others' ability to do so with theirs. Politically and civilly, this was best made possible by a constitutional government that guaranteed universal civil liberty, including the freedom to worship according to one's choice.Popes didn't like that.In the political and economic vacuum that followed Napoleon, several monarchs tried to re-establish the old systems of Europe. They were resisted by a new and empowered wave of liberals. The first of these liberal uprisings were quickly suppressed in Spain and Italy. But the liberals kept at it and in 1848, revolution temporarily triumphed in most European capitals.Popes Leo XII, Pius VIII, and Gregory XVI by all accounts were good men. But they ignored the emerging modernity of 19th century Europe by clinging to a moribund past.There are those who would say it's not the duty of the Church to keep pace with changing times. The truths of God don't change. So on the contrary, the Church is to remain resolute in holding to The Faith once and for all delivered to the saints. Faithfulness to the essentials of the Christian Faith is not what we're referring to here. You can change the flooring in your house without agreeing with the world. Some Popes of the late 18th to mid 19th century seemed to kind of pull the blinds of Vatican windows, trying to keep out the philosophical ideas then sweeping the Continent. That posture toward the wider culture tended to only further alienate the intellectual community.This early form of Liberalism wanted to address historic evils that have plagued humanity. But it refused to allow the Catholic Church a role in that work as it related to morality and public life. Liberals said politics ought to be independent of Christian ethics. Catholics had rights as private citizens, but their Faith wasn't welcome in the public arena. This is part of the creeping secularism we talked about in the last episode.One of the lingering symbols of papal ties to the Medieval world was the Papal States where the Pope was both spiritual leader and civil ruler. In the mid-19th C, a movement for Italian unity began that aimed to turn the entire peninsula into a single nation. Such a revolution wouldn't tolerate the Papal States. Liberals welcomed Pope Pius IX, who seemed a reforming Pope who'd listen to their counsel. In 1848, he installed a new constitution for the Papal States granting moderate participation in government. This movement toward liberal ideals moved some to suggest the Pope as leader over a unified Italy. But when Pius' appointed Prime Minister of the Papal States was assassinated by revolutionaries, Pius rescinded the new constitution. Instead of putting the revolution down, it broke out in Rome itself and Pius had to flee. With French assistance, he returned and returned the Papal states to an absolutist regime. Opposition grew under the leadership of King Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia. In 1859 and 60 large sections of the Papal States were carved away by nationalists. Then in March of 1861, Victor Emmanuel was proclaimed King of Italy in Florence.But the City of Rome was protected by a French garrison. When the Franco-Prussian War forced the withdrawal of French troops, Italian nationalists invaded. After a short engagement in September of 1870, Rome surrendered. After lasting for a millennium, the Papal States were no more.Pius IX holed up in the Vatican. Then in June 1871, King Victor Emmanuel transferred his residence to Rome, ignoring the protests and threatened ex-communication by the pope. The new government offered Pius an annual salary together with the free and unhindered exercise of his religious roles. But the Pope rejected the offer and continued his protests. He forbade Italy's Catholics to participate in political affairs. That just left the field open to more radicals. The result was a growing anticlerical course in Italian civil affairs. This condition became known as the “Roman Question.” It had no resolution until Benito Mussolini concluded the Lateran Treaty in February 1929. The treaty stipulated that the pope must renounce all claims to the Papal States, but received full sovereignty in the tiny Vatican State. This condition exists to this day.1870 not only marks the end of the rule of the pope of civil affairs in Italy, it also saw the declaration of his supreme authority as the Bishop of Rome in a doctrine called “Papal Infallibility.” The First Vatican Council, which hammered out the doctrine, represented the culmination of a movement called “ultramontanism” meaning “across the mountains.” Originally referring to the Pope's hegemony beyond the Alps into the rest of Europe, the term eventually came to mean over and beyond any mountain. Ultramontanism formalized the Pope's right to lead the Church.It came about thus . . .Following the French Revolution (and here we are yet again, recognizing the importance of that revolution in European and world affairs) an especially strong sense of loyalty to the Pope developed there. After the nightmare of the guillotine and the cultural trauma of Napoleon's reign, many Catholics came to regard the papacy as the only source of civil order and public morality. They believed only popes were capable of restoring sanity to society. Only the papacy had the power to guide the clergy to protect religion from political coercion.Infallibility was suggested as a necessary prerequisite for an effective papacy. The Church had to become a monarchy adjudicating God's will. Shelley says as sovereignty was to secular kings, infallibility would be to popes.By the mid-19th C, this thinking attracted many Catholics. Popes encouraged it in every possible way. One publication said when the pope meditated, God was thinking in him. Hymns appeared that were addressed, not to God, but to Pius IX.  Some even spoke of the Pope as the vice-God of humanity.In December 1854, Pius IX declared as dogma The Immaculate Conception; a belief that had been traditional but not official; that Mary was conceived without original sin. The subject of the decision was nothing new. What was, however, was the way it was announced. This wasn't dogma defined by a creed produced by a council.  It was an ex-cathedra proclamation by the Pope. Ex Cathedra means “from the chair,” and defines an official doctrine issued by the teaching magisterium of the Holy Church.Ten years after unilaterally announcing the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, Pius sent out an encyclical to all bishops of the Church. He attached a Syllabus of Errors, a compilation of eighty evils then in place in society. He declared war on socialism, rationalism, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, public schools, Bible societies, separation of church and state, and a host of other so-called errors of the Modern Era. He ended by denying that “the Roman pontiff ought to reach an agreement with progress, liberalism, and modern civilization.”It was a hunker down and rally round an infallible pope mentality that aimed to enter a kind of spiritual hibernation, only emerging when Modernity had impaled itself on its own deadly horns and bled to death.Pius saw the need for a new universal council to address the Church's posture toward Modernity and its philosophical partner, Liberalism. He began planning for it in 1865 and called the First Vatican Council to convene at the end of 1869.The question of the definition of papal infallibility was all the buzz. Catholics had little doubt that as the successor of Peter the Pope possessed special authority. The only question was how far that authority went. Could it be exercised independently from councils or the college of bishops?After some discussion and politicking, 55 bishops who couldn't agree to the doctrine as stated were given permission by the Pope to leave Rome, so as not to create dissension. The final vote was 533 for the doctrine of infallibility. Only 2 voted against it. The Council asserted 2 fundamentals: 1) The primacy of the pope and 2) His infallibility.First, as the successor of Peter, vicar of Christ, and supreme head of the Church, the pope exercises full authority over the whole Church and over individual bishops. That authority extends to all matters of faith and morals as well as to discipline and church administration. Consequently, bishops owe the pope obedience.Second, when the pope in his official capacity, that is ex cathedra, makes a final decision concerning the entire Church in a matter of faith and morals, that decision is infallible and immutable and does not require the consent of a Council.The strategy of the ultramontanists, led by Pius IX, shaped the lives of Roman Catholics for generations. Surrounded by the hostile forces of modernity; liberalism and socialism, Rome withdrew behind the walls of an infallible papacy.