Clergy & academic group accuse Pope Francis of heresy

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This is just a list of stuff Pope Francis has done that these guys apparently don’t like.

It’s remarkable that these signatories blather so much in this letter. I wouldn’t think that it would take 20 pages to explain what heresy a sitting pope has committed. They seem like they’re educated enough to come up with something clearly defined.
 
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Fr Z is quasi-indirectly promoting this now… or so it appears to me in one of his most recent blog posts. He has a huge following.
 
1Lord1Faith said:
This is just a list of stuff Pope Francis has done that these guys apparently don’t like.
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Yes, and much of it is just a list of people that the Pope promoted that they don’t like. The fact that a big chunk of their complaint seems to be that the folks they like didn’t get good jobs under this Pope speaks volumes.
 
TMC said:
The fact that a big chunk of their complaint seems to be that the folks they like didn’t get good jobs under this Pope speaks volumes.
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This is what is so perplexing. Why would they include that kind of stuff in a supposedly serious letter. They are either not very smart, or this is all just a political stunt - in which case they could have done better by not accusing the pope of heresy. Either way it doesn’t work.

It makes me think more and more that these theologians and priests are very isolated and don’t really know what they are doing. I can’t imagine a more bungled way to accuse a sitting pope of heresy, or make a ‘political’ statement. Whichever it is they’re trying to do.

Their approach reminds me of the things I’ve heard about clericalism, that is, being out of touch with the laity. Even though these priests have no chance of advancement in the Church after this, they nevertheless have shown how removed they are from the laity through what seems to be an epidemic of isolation within some circles in the Church.
 
Well, most people would not admir it…some already did and they are humble in doing so. Jimmy akin says the signatories do not have doctorates. But Fr. Fessio said that the signatories are intelligent people. Does Akin have a doctorate? 🤷‍♀️
 
That’s a valid concern about the open letter. Raymond expressed something similar to Fr Fessio on the show. Fr commented that if he did something wrong they could report to Raymond’s superior. But he has a superior, the Pope does not, his superior is God.
 
Phillip_Rolfes said:
I’ll admit that I have my reservations about much of what Pope Francis says and does,
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I wonder if you could indulge me given that the opportunity has arisen in this thread. I’ve been a life long practicing Catholic from a family with a long far reaching history of Catholic practice, Priestly and Religious vocations and a spattering of Bishops in there.

There is a long historical understanding of the sacred gift of the Papacy as an institution to put faith in with the protection of the Holy Spirit as per Christs promise.

Pope Francis by not just his devout and blameless record in the Church as a Priest, but also his uncompromising adherence to Christlike responses to modern problems, is exemplary Christianity.

What do your reservations stem from?
 
If they are from members of the clergy and theologians I think it’s more than reasonable.
 
Just a point of clarification. Jimmy Akin didn’t say that the signatories don’t have doctorates, but that they don’t have doctorates in theology.
 
Praise God! You and I have similar family backgrounds! 😄

If you’d really want to hear about my personal reservations, I’d be happy to share them with you in a private message. But honestly, I don’t think sharing my reservations does any one any good. The pope is still the pope, after all. And just because I have reservations doesn’t mean that I don’t pray for the pope and respect him because of the office he holds.
 
CilladeRoma said:
I want to see the theological credentials of the people who wrote this letter.

It is the height of hubris to accuse a Pope of heresy, especially dont really know what you are taking about.
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The truth of a statement is not based on the authority of the person making it. Do you have issue with what was said, or just the credentials of those who said it?
 
Both. Especially because if you are going to accuse someone of heresy, especially the Holy Father, you darn better well know what you are talking about.
 
I believe that the authors have several valid points of concern. However, publicly accusing the pope of heresy may prevent the open letter from critical and meaningful evaluation by serious and thoughtful theologians and bishops.
 
MikeInVA said:
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CilladeRoma:
if you are going to accuse someone of heresy, especially the Holy Father, you darn better well know what you are talking about.
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So what did they get wrong?
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Based on what my limited knowledge of the issue:
They accuse someone of heresy based on the imposition of their own conclusions and understanding of what was said, not on concrete occasions of heresy.
Accusing someone of heresy ventures into concrete legal considerations they are not qualified for and which the Pope doesn’t even come close to satisfying legally.

They can be really correct in their own theological viewpoints, and they can be really off base in accusing someone (especially the Pope) of breaking the law.

This happens all the time even on these forums. People have correct understanding of a theological issue, and accuse someone else of breaking the law when the accusation simply does not apply.
 
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