(Pope Leo XIII, Satis Cognitum, 1896, Paragraph IX – Taken from American Ecclesiastical Review)
My friends, does Pope Leo XIII in the quote above teach that it is the judgment of the Church that cuts off the heretic from the Church? No. As I have repeated over and over again, the public sin of manifest formal heresy per se (i.e., by its very nature) separates the heretic from the Church. In other words, one who knowingly, consciously, and willingly publicly asserts a proposition that is in direct contradiction to a Church teaching that must be believed with Divine and Catholic Faith separates himself from the Church by that very fact. This is precisely what Pope Leo XIII teaches us. This also precisely what Pope Pius XII teaches us (see here). Why is it, then, that so many in the so-called Resistance oppose the Magisterium by asserting that it is the judgment of the Church that separates from the heretic from the Church or that we must wait for the Church to judge when it is factually evident that another is a public manifest formal heretic? A fact is perceived by the senses and apprehended by the intellect. Our Lord gave us these faculties to use for His glory and the salvation of our souls. Many in the so-called Resistance have no problem using these faculties in judging that Vatican II and the Novus Ordo Rite of Mass are not Catholic even though the Church has not yet officially condemned them as such. Yet when it comes to using these same faculties to accept the above principle and/or apply it to judge a manifest heretic as such, they become paralyzed.
Note also that Pope Leo XIII teaches us that it is the unanimous teaching of the Fathers that one who recedes from the authoritative Magisterium in the least degree is outside of Catholic communion (see also here). Pope Leo XIII implies here that this teaching is infallible because a teaching unanimously held by the Church Fathers cannot be erroneous.
Finally, but not exhaustively, the teaching of Pope Leo XIII is evident in Canon 188.4º of the 1917 Code of Canon Law (and Canon 194 §1.2º of the 1983 Code) regarding loss of office:
“Any office becomes vacant upon the fact and without any declaration by tacit resignation recognized by the law itself if a cleric: Publicly defects from the Catholic faith.”
So the same paralyzed adherents of the so-called Resistance not only oppose the teaching of the Church and Fathers in their doctrine, they also oppose the Church in her Canon Law.
Wake up so-called Resistance; wake up.
The so called ‘’recognize and resist’’ position leads Catholics who are members of the CHURCH MILITANT of our times to more passively accept ANTIPOPE bergoglio than reflects a CHURCH MILITANT spirit.
Though we respect the priesthood, and pray for one of those mentioned by name and others in our daily HOLY Rosary, we have also had the occasions to be called names such as sedevacantist, arm chair theologian, etc… if it was/is not a possibility that this is calumny, it is certain that it was/is mean-spirited. The many attempts to silence the TRUTH could also be considered to be occasions of vincible ignorance on the parts of a priest and the followers because they never wanted the multitudes of evidence offered by Father Kramer, Canon Law, nor Pope Benedict’s own words to establish that he intended to not renounce the munus. Instead the name calling was used.
Also, the TRUTH that Archbishop Lefebvre’s position is being followed does not support the case because Archbishop Lefebvre was not living during the time of ANTIPOPE bergoglio, and Archbishop Lefebvre was one of the most active members of the CHURCH MILITANT when HE REFUSED TO ‘’recognize and resist’’ at that critical time in salvation history when he militantly responded with extremely important actions to form and ordain priests and to Consecrate Bishops. A. Lefebvre’s spirit of TRUTH and his CHURCH MILITANT spirit is obvious.
In addition, A. Lefebvre also spoke these following words in an Interview in Écône, on August 2nd, 1976, that are clearly not of a ‘’recognize and resist’’ position by any stretch-
“That the heresy come to us from someone that be as elevated in dignity as possible, the problem is the same for the salvation of our souls. In this regard many of the faithful are in grave ignorance as to the nature and the extension of the infallibility of the Pope. Many think that every word that comes from the mouth of the Pope is infallible.”On the other hand, if it appears certain to us that the faith which was taught by the Church for twenty centuries cannot contain error, we have much less of an absolute certitude that the Pope be truly Pope. Heresy, schism, ipso facto excommunication, and invalid election are some causes which could make it happen that a Pope never was one or would cease to be one. In this obviously very exceptional case, the Church would be in a situation similar to that which occurs after the death of a sovereign pontiff.’’
The above words of Archbishop Lefebvre clearly established that the possibility of the situation of the present day Antipope bergoglio crisis was a reality, and that we are presently in the time of interregnum after the death of POPE BENEDICT XVI. So, for the salvation of souls, it is far beyond acceptable to hold the position of ‘’recognize and resist’’ because the TRUE CHURCH according to A. Lefebvre and also many others of authority throughout salvation history as Father Kramer presents have already taught the TRUTH pertaining to ANTIPOPE bergoglio.
This false accusation of sedevacantism is harmful to many souls and should be publicly retracted just as it was publicly taught and espoused for Catholics to believe and also against Catholics who sought and followed the TRUTH about ANTIPOPE bergoglio.
Your words as follows-
”Why is it, then, that so many in the so-called Resistance oppose the Magisterium by asserting that it is the judgment of the Church that separates the heretic from the Church or that we must wait for the Church to judge when it is factually evident that another is a public manifest formal heretic? A fact is perceived by the senses and apprehended by the intellect. Our Lord gave us these faculties to use for His glory and the salvation of our souls. Many in the so-called Resistance have no problem using these faculties in judging that Vatican II and the Novus Ordo Rite of Mass are not Catholic even though the Church has not yet officially condemned them as such. Yet when it comes to using these same faculties to accept the above principle and/or apply it to judge a manifest heretic as such, they become paralyzed.”
Our response as follows-
Our own experience with this has helped us to understand some things. We have also asked ourselves this same question, and these same 3 answers matter-
1. The leaders are controlling the thoughts of their followers with misinformation, and their compliance is, generally speaking, required by the leader and those within the group.
[As a side note, this explains how most Catholics complied to the counterfeit vatican 2 new church, the counterfeit novus ordo mass, and so forth.]
2. The people cannot see the TRUTH, and they do not want to hear it.
3. GOD is not giving them the light, the eyes to see, and the ears to hear with which GOD will ALWAYS provide to those who desire the TRUTH above all else.
Catholics are called to take up our crosses and follow JESUS, no matter how uncomfortable and how sorrowful the acceptance of the TRUTH causes the soul with a white martyrdom or the body with a blood martyrdom because Catholics are called to suffer; and the TRUTH today requires a matter of great and continuous suffering for all Catholics who follow the ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC, and APOSTOLIC CHURCH which JESUS CHRIST instituted without choosing any exceptions to THE TRUTH.
“Why is it, then, that so many in the so-called Resistance oppose the Magisterium etc…?” Because the fear of being labeled a “Sedevacantists” is so ingrained in them that they will at all costs not see reality that the man they thought was pope is not.
I don’t consider myself a Sedevacantist as I accept all popes up to and including Benedict XVI. However, two priests I greatly respect, Fr. Rafael and Fr. Hewko, think that I am a Sedevacantist. In the end, the label is not that important.
The criticism of the world is of no importance.
What matters ETERNALLY is THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD.
Certainly.