M
MrS
Guest
Thanks for your opinion… one that I share. Said well, and with charity.But, as I have said, when heretics are allowed to run the show (for whatever reason) - and when the faith is under attack like it is today, a person must take extraordinary measures to protect their faith. That is what I do. Obedience is a very high moral virtue; but Faith is a supernatural, theological virtue which is much higher than obedience. Obedience is great, but faith is greater than obedience.
If it should ever happen, that obedience places my faith in danger, I am obliged not to obey. Faith is the foundation of the supernatural life, and it is, as Pope Leo XIII said “the first bond which unites man to God”. It would be wrong to obey that which places our faith in danger. In this we are not dealing with Papal Infallibility. Believing a truth revealed by God will never place our faith in danger (just the opposite). But following opinions of the Pope, which are contrary to what the Church has always taught, may. It is possible (and even likely) that attendence at an irreverent Mass - or listening to a heretical sermon - will place our faith in jeopardy. That is why I believe, given the extraordinary situation today, it is acceptable to attend Mass a Church “not in union with the local Bishop” (who is probably a heretic). For this I am called a “schismatic”. I can handle it. I would rather be called names and keep the faith, than be “in union with my local Bishop” and end by “believing like my local Bishop”. Certainly, I would prefer to attend a reverent Church that is not outside the diocese, but that is not always possible. Therefore, I do what I think is best. What else can we do in a situation like this?
Regarding “sola traditio”. That is a very poor claim. Traditional Catholics do not base their faith on “tradition alone”. They base their faith on what has been defined by the Church - they accept every single dogmatic statement of the Church, and they learn their faith from the Catechism (older catechisms). Traditional Catholics still believe what your grandparents beleived; and they still detest what the past Popes condemned.
In addition to believing all of the dogmas of tha faith, and detesting the errors condemned by the past Popes, they also accept Scripture. In fact, they even accept the scriptures that are politically incorrect. I know that is hard to beleive, but it is true. For example, Traditional Catholic even believe 1 Thes 2:14,15, which says “the Jews killed… Our Lord Jesus Christ”. They get called a lot of names for beleiving that teaching from the Bible, but they still do.
So it is a very poor argument to claim that Traditional Catholics follow “tradition alone”. Traditional Catholics believe every dogma of the faith; teach their children out of the catechism, and probably quote saints, past councils, and past popes in defence of their positions more than any other group. I find it very interesting that the Protestants are loved (with great affection) while Traditional Catholicse despised (with bitter hatred).
“If you had been of the world [liberal], the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world… therefore the world hateth you… if they have persecuted me, they will persecute you” (John 15:19-20).