New ‘Declaration of Truths’ Affirms Key Church Teachings

[Genesis315]

New ‘Declaration of Truths’ Affirms Key Church Teachings| National Catholic Register

The original document is linked in the article as a pdf. It’s nice to see a brief, straightforward re-affirmation of various doctrines. The Church should do more of this kind of thing, like she used to. IMO it’s much more helpful than the ultra-wordy missives that have become the norm in modern times.

 

[JohnR77]

Yes similar article n summary on| LifeSite

Cdl Burke, Bp Schneider issue ‘declaration of truths’ to correct rampant ‘doctrinal confusion’ in Church - LifeSite

faith to remedy the “almost universal doctrinal confusion and disorientation” endangering the spiritual health and eternal salvation of souls in the Church today.

 

[KMG]

Refreshing clarity.

 

[Rockoh22]

In a time of ambiguity it is refreshing to have clarity.

 

[VanitasVanitatum]

You don’t need to bring them into this.

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

Looks like the only qualm I have with the “declaration” is the insistence on mandatory priestly celibacy as an absolute - basically as being part of the nature of the priesthood itself. This is a uniquely Latin/Roman Catholic notion that we Eastern Catholics deny vehemently (we have too many good married priests to insist on priestly celibacy as part of the nature of the priesthood).

 

[Genesis315]

They seem to be inadequately distinguishing celibacy with continence–mandatory celibacy in the West was the manner in which the apostolic tradition of priestly continence came to be expressed, especially given the practice of daily Masses. The East acceded instead to periodic continence, permitted due to less often service at the altar.

“The Apostolic origins of priestly celibacy” by Christian Cochini SJ is a good read on this. Here’s a briefer treatment of this topic among various essays on celibacy published on the Vatican website for the Congregation for Clergy:

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/c...ts/rc_con_cclergy_doc_01011993_chisto_en.html

 

[Emeraldlady]

1. In accordance with Holy Scripture and the constant tradition of the ordinary and universal Magisterium, the Church did not err in teaching that the civil power may lawfully exercise capital punishment on malefactors where this is truly necessary to preserve the existence or just order of societies (see Gen 9:6; John 19:11; Rom 13:1-7; Innocent III, Professio fidei Waldensibus praescripta; Roman Catechism of the Council of Trent, p. III, 5, n. 4; Pius XII, Address to Catholic jurists on December 5, 1954).

This is just political posturing and a misrepresentation of the ‘constant tradition of the ordinary and universal Magisterium’. Aquinas in referring to mans right to the death penalty, quotes Scripture.

“Our Lord forbids the uprooting of the cockle, when there is fear lest the wheat be uprooted together with it. But sometimes the wicked can be uprooted by death, not only without danger, but even with great profit, to the good. Wherefore in such a case the punishment of death may be inflicted on sinners.”

Our Churchs tradition recognises that under circumstances where the death penalty causes more harm than good in society, it is FORBIDDEN to use it. That has been the growing moral consciousness both in the world and the Church for many years now. Unfortunately some who think they know better than the Pope and the Magisterium still like to claim the unconditional right to use it without being told by any Pope what’s what.

Lets not pretend this is not just another attempt by Burke to undermine Pope Francis authority and claim himself as the alternate ‘papal’ authority.

 

[OneSheep]

Lets not pretend this is not just another attempt by Burke to undermine Pope Francis authority and claim himself as the alternate ‘papal’ authority.

With the words “truly necessary”, I think they cover themselves. In any modern society, the death penalty is not truly necessary to preserve “just order”, and of course earlier teachings did not “err”, revelation continues to unfold.

I like Pope Francis’ and the CCC’s wording better, so I’ll go with those, as I will for the rest of the items they bring up. I’m not confused, but perhaps they are/were.

 

[Shakuhachi]

1. After the institution of the New and Everlasting Covenant in Jesus Christ, no one may be saved by obedience to the law of Moses alone without faith in Christ as true God and the only Savior of humankind (see Rom 3:28; Gal 2:16).

So Jews cannot be saved. Very different from Nostra Aetate.
“Although the Church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures. All should see to it, then, that in catechetical work or in the preaching of the word of God they do not teach anything that does not conform to the truth of the Gospel and the spirit of Christ.”

http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_...ts/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html

 

[Emeraldlady]

I’m not confused, but perhaps they are/were.

I’m less generous about what their motives are/were I’m afraid. Crd Burke does not want a foreigner not even a Pope, encroaching on the US ‘sovereign’ right to make their own moral judgements.

 

[FirstFiveEighth]

Aren’t you Episcopalian?

 

[JohnR77]

Lets not pretend this is not just another attempt by Burke to undermine Pope Francis authority and claim himself as the alternate ‘papal’ authority.

Now I completely disagree with your conclusion. To add more clarity to what 1 sheep stated above
I submit The Following quotation below. This is important because Pope Francis for whatever reasons chooses to be vague about many things and left himself open to the Interpretation that capital punishment was always wrong.

Following recent changes to the Catechism to declare the death penalty inadmissible,
it. [ C Burke’s new statement ]
states that the Church “did not err” in teaching that civil authorities may “lawfully exercise capital punishment” when it is “truly necessary” and to preserve “just order of societies.”

 

[KMG]

This letter simply and clearly states timeless doctrinal realities.

If someone deviates from the timeless realities of this letter, it’s not the fault of Cardinal Burke and the other signers.

 

[Emeraldlady]

Emeraldlady:

Lets not pretend this is not just another attempt by Burke to undermine Pope Francis authority and claim himself as the alternate ‘papal’ authority.

Now I completely disagree with your conclusion. To add more clarity to what 1 sheep stated above
I submit The Following quotation below. This is important because Pope Francis for whatever reasons chooses to be vague about many things and left himself open to the Interpretation that capital punishment was always wrong.

Following recent changes to the Catechism to declare the death penalty inadmissible,
it. [ C Burke’s new statement ]
states that the Church “did not err” in teaching that civil authorities may “lawfully exercise capital punishment” when it is “truly necessary” and to preserve “just order of societies.”

No. Nobody thinks that the Church “erred” and that capital punishment was “always wrong”. Over the last century around the world nations have been abolishing capital punishment as “wrong in our time”. The claim that that’s whats happening is a strawman to undermine the authority of the Pope and to claim that Europeans and other non American countries are godless in their decision to abolish it. We’ve heard that now for years.

I believe that the reason for the need to emphasise it’s inadmissibility in today’s culture of death is to counter the false claim of some Catholic faction that the morality of its use none of the Church’s business.

 

[Emeraldlady]

This letter simply and clearly states timeless doctrinal realities.

If someone deviates from the timeless realities of this letter, it’s not the fault of Cardinal Burke and the other signers.

The letter is simply and clearly ‘pushback’ against the authority of the Magisterium.

 

[KMG]

The truths stated in the letter are timeless. No pope can simply change them because of his personal wishes.

 

[Emeraldlady]

The truths stated in the letter are timeless. No pope can simply change them because of his personal wishes.

The job of the Church is to make sure the deposit of faith and ‘timeless’ doctrines, are transmitted to the faithful in fullness and that requires the constant examination and reformulation of these doctrines in the light of revelation. When an expression of doctrine is no longer reflecting revelation, God gave us the Holy Spirit to guide the Churchs hand to ensure authentic transmission.

Now there are factions in the Church who state blatantly that the death penalty is not a moral issue and that Popes have no business making it one. They are wrong. They are not reflecting the traditional Church teaching, hence wanting to strip away from the Catechism anything that impedes their ‘sovereign’ right to act according to their own moral code.

That is what motivating this letter.

 

[KMG]

No, this letter is motivated by the rampant confusion regarding doctrinal matters that currently exists in some quarters of the Church.

 

[Emeraldlady]

No, this letter is motivated by the rampant confusion regarding doctrinal matters that currently exists in some quarters of the Church.

So said the Canadian Bishops Conference about the Winnipeg Statement. So said Fr Feeney about his ‘alternative’ version of Catholic doctrine. Nothing new under the sun.