Ecumenism Gone Awry

Renew America ^ | October 27, 2005 | Brian Mershon

[Mershon]

Ecumenism gone awry "Conservative" bishop OK with attending heretical worship services, while another warns against attending valid Latin Masses

Brian Mershon Brian Mershon October 27, 2005

Remember Bishop Michael Sheridan of the diocese of Colorado Springs? Back prior to the 2004 presidential election, many Catholics hailed him for his defense of the Holy Eucharist by publicly stating he would forbid Holy Communion to pro-abortion "Catholic" politicians, elected officials and judges.

But in this age of false ecumenism and religious indifferentism, warned against repeatedly by Pope Pius XII, Pope Pius XI (especially in the authoritative encyclical, Mortalium Animos) Pope Benedict XV and Pope St. Pius X (see Our Apostolic Mandate), Bishop Sheridan, a "conservative," "orthodox" bishop, has publicly apologized for remarks made by his executive assistant, Peter Howard, a layman who regularly attends Holy Mass at a parish which offers the Classical Roman Rite of Holy Mass (Traditional Latin or the misnamed "Tridentine" Mass).

What was Mr. Howard's "mistake?" It seems he publicly warned Catholics about the inherent dangers of regularly attending non-Catholic worship services. It is interesting that nearly every single examination of conscience that exists, as well as the Baltimore Catechism, and all Catholic catechisms for that matter, warn against the dangers inherent in attending the worship services of what Catholics consider to be heretical and schismatic sects. Even the current Catechism of the Catholic Church says nothing authorizing Catholics to take part in such "proximate occasions of sin." The catechisms and examinations of conscience called this a sin against the theological virtue of Faith. And for those who insist this sort of bickering about worshipping with our "separated brethren" was "overturned" by Vatican II. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

Pope Benedict XVI has repeatedly claimed that Vatican II needs to be understood and interpreted in light of Tradition. And the decree on ecumenism itself warns against a "false irenicism" and specifically warns that in ecumenical gatherings the Catholic Faith must be presented "in its entirety." So, even for those Catholic laymen and bishops who disagree with my assessment, they cannot point to any authoritative teaching document of the Roman Catholic Church that advises laymen to regularly attend the worship services of heretical and schismatic sects — or — "separated brethren" — which means "ministers" or "pastors" who dress up and pretend to have some God-given authority to lead worship and praise services to their flock.

But within this same week, according to a published report, diocese of Fargo, North Dakota has warned Catholics specifically against attending a valid Holy Mass offered by valid priests. These priests are members of the Society of St. Pius X, and because they de-emphasize teachings on false ecumenism and offer the Traditional Latin Mass primarily in those dioceses where the local bishop has not given "wide and generous permission," as called for by Pope John Paul II, they deserve an especially severe censure and warning.

So where is the ecumenism and good will there? On the one hand, a so-called "conservative" bishop rebukes his executive assistant layman for warning Catholics on the dangers of attending Protestant worship services, but another bishop warns his flock against attending Holy Mass by a valid priest just as it has been offered for 1,600 years. And "No!," despite popular opinion and news reports to the contrary, Vatican II did not "do away with Latin" in the liturgy. In fact, it specifically recommended it "be retained" and that Gregorian chant be given "pride of place" in the Sacred Liturgy, which is exactly what the Society of St. Pius X priests do. The Rev. Joseph Goering, chancellor for the Fargo diocese, warned," They are not acting within the communion of the Catholic Church. It looks Catholic, but it is not in union with the Catholic Church."

Now perhaps I am missing something here, but the decree on ecumenism from Vatican II specifically mentions the fact that non-Catholic Christian religions have "elements of truth" and some "means of salvation." The 1983 Code of Canon Law specifically states that any Mass offered by a validly ordained priest (even the Orthodox Church priests not in full communion with Rome) in a valid rite of the Church with valid matter and intention, is in fact, a Catholic Mass. And the Vatican and the Code of Canon Law say that such Mass attendance fulfills a Catholic's Sunday obligation, unlike the Protestant worship services, advocated by Bishop Sheridan.

And in the post-Conciliar "ecclesiology," we emphasize "perfect" and "imperfect" communion. The clear-cut "they are outside the Church" and "membership" in the Catholic Church are no longer part of the post-Conciliar vocabulary or terminology. So why does the Rev. Goering revert to using pre-Conciliar terminology when referring to validly ordained priests who offer valid Masses that fulfill all Catholics' Sunday obligations by stating they are not "in union" with the Catholic Church? Even the Pope's spokesman, after a recent meeting with Bishop Bernard Fellay of the Society of St. Pius X, stated the goal was "perfect" communion, which means they must be in some kind of "communion" with the Church, albeit perhaps not perfect.

Do we practice more ecumenism with our heretical and schismatic brethren than we practice with Catholics who are merely searching for reverent liturgies and a place where the Holy Eucharist and priesthood are respected, adored and honored? Where the false ecumenism and human respect of Bishop Sheridan "correcting" his lay assistant, who courageously and correctly explained the unambiguous teaching of the Church?

The hypocrisy and lack of charity to the Society of St. Pius X priests and bishops is astounding and so obvious that most people cannot see it. The emperor has no clothes, people! Worship with Protestant sects all you want, but do NOT, I repeat, do NOT attend Masses of the Society of St. Pius X, even if they DO fulfill your Sunday obligation, according to the Vatican and Canon Law.

The theory and practice of ecumenism in our post-Conciliar Church is incoherent, unexplainable and incomprehensible."Go ahead and worship with the heretics and schismatics!

But don't you dare go and fulfill your Sunday obligation at that evil chapel the local bishop has not approved, even though he has refused the Sovereign Pontiff's request to be 'wide and generous' in granting access to the Traditional Latin Mass." And even in those few dioceses where this unnecessary permission has been granted on a wide and generous basis (Thank you Bishop Doran in Rockford, Illinois, Archbishop Burke in St. Louis and in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, his former abode, and Bishop Bruskewitz in Lincoln, Nebraska!), do these same priests always unambiguously affirm the fullness of Catholic doctrine and avoid the errors of indifferentism, false irenicism and false ecumenism? Do they teach the Faith and Vatican II "in light of Tradition"?

I am not a bishop. I am a mere layman. I have but one suggestion for our bishops who are so enamored of, and by, the post-Conciliar novelty called ecumenism.Be as ecumenical and charitable, and dialogue as endlessly, with the Society of St. Pius X bishops and priests as you have done with the Orthodox and Protestants for the past 40 years.

And by the way, there are no "lay members" of the Society of St. Pius X. They are merely Catholics searching for refuge in the wasteland of "the diabolical disorientation" of AmChurch.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brian Mershon is a commentator on cultural issues from a classical Catholic perspective. His trade is in media relations, and his vocation is as a husband to his beloved wife Tracey and father to his six living children. He attempts to assist his family and himself in attaining eternal salvation through frequent attendance at the Traditional Latin rite of Mass, homeschooling, and building Catholic culture in the buckle of the Bible Belt of Greenville, South Carolina.

© Copyright 2005 by Brian Mershon http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/mershon/051027

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The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Alan Keyes, RenewAmerica, or its affiliates.

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[Mershon]

Ping!

[pegleg]

building Catholic culture in the buckle of the Bible Belt of Greenville, South Carolina.

I'd be interested in your assesment of Bishop Baker. He was the priest at my mother in-laws Parish before his promotion to Bishop. My impression is he is an Orthodox, bright and articulate man. In short, one of the good ones.

[Piers-the-Ploughman]

Bullseye, nice post.

Greenville, SC, the South, or "God's country" as my mother-in-law says (Gastonia, NC)

[Mershon]

Bishop Baker is orthodox and has been very benevolent to us traditional Catholics. We are not his priority, but things have been good. I don't doubt his orthodoxy.

However, he still has not cleaned house as he needs to, but he has a severe shortage of priests, so he is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

[murphE]

BTTT! Good job Mershon.

[Pyro7480]

Sorry I didn't get to this earlier, Mershon.

Catholic ping!

[murphE]

I'm glad you pinged this out. It's kind of odd this article, written by "our very own" Mershon, is getting so few comments, dontcha think? ;-)