Beware! Watchwords of Modernists

Catholic Insight ^ | Mario Derksen

[Stubborn]

The following list of words and phrases are typically used by modernist theologians and lay people, in reference to Catholic theology/practice/attitude/concepts. Most of them are inherently vague and for that very reason are used by the modernists -- it is not clear just what they mean or when their meaning applies.

[Stubborn]

Beware! Watchwords of Modernists Favorite Words and Phrases Used by Modernists MARIO DERKSEN

Once we realize the danger of modernism, it is important to know how to identify modernism on the spot where it occurs, i.e., where it is preached and/or practiced. But this is difficult since modernism is not easily discernible because its particular evil is that it seems to represent sound doctrine when in fact it does not.

The following list of words and phrases are typically used by modernist theologians and lay people, in reference to Catholic theology/practice/attitude/concepts. Most of them are inherently vague and for that very reason are used by the modernists -- it is not clear just what they mean or when their meaning applies.

1. pastoral

2. progressive

3. dynamic

4. open-minded

5. inclusive

6. evolution (in reference to dogma or origin of species)

7. presider / president of the assembly

8. communal celebration (in reference to Holy Mass)

9. eucharistic assembly

10. bread & wine (in reference to the Body & Blood of Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament)

11. altar-table

12. feast of love (instead of "Holy Mass")

13. updating of the Church (aggiornamento)

14. "Spirit of Vatican II"

15. accepting (as in "We are an accepting community")

16. spiritual presence of Jesus (in reference to Jesus' presence at Mass)

17. "Sacraments are an experiential relationship with God"

18. Love (in reference to God, to the exclusion of His Justice)

19. tolerance

20. wafer (in reference to the Host)

21. faith community (instead of "Church")

22. (active) participation (in reference to the Holy Mass)

23. alternative lifestyle (for immoral homosexual behavior)

24. dialogue (instead of conversion)

It is interesting that, as we can list terms and phrases modernists always use, there are also words they never use, or strongly dislike. Such words include Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, penance, repentance, Holy Father, Immaculate Conception, hell, purgatory, holiness, sanctification, sin, Saints (note the capital S!), Real Presence, true Church, objective truth, redemption, and morality.

I wish to note that these above-mentioned twenty words are those commonly used by modernists. I am not saying that anyone who has ever used one or another of these terms is necessarily a modernist. Rather, this list is to draw attention to the commonly-used terminology of those undermining the Church from within. In other words, modernists tend to use these expressions. So beware when you hear them.

Saint Robert Bellarmine, St. Athanasius, and Saint Pius X, pray for us, and deliver us from the heresy of Modernism.

[Stubborn]

It is interesting that, as we can list terms and phrases modernists always use, there are also words they never use, or strongly dislike. Such words include Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, penance, repentance, Holy Father, Immaculate Conception, hell, purgatory, holiness, sanctification, sin, Saints (note the capital S!), Real Presence, true Church, objective truth, redemption, and morality.

Ain't that the truth!

[Convert from ECUSA]

I'll add my own "ain't it the truth", Stubborn. Ain't it the truth!

The list of watch words at the beginning of the article are what I called "episcopagan speak" when I was still on the other side of the Tiber. I still call them by that term.

Here is another modernist buzz word to be aware of - "social justice." I cringe when I hear it. To me, it has the same effect as if I hear Kerry, Daschle, Teddy K, Willie J. or Hillary (you should pardon all those expressions) say it.

[dangus]

Excellent calls on most: If someone resists using the spiritual terms for something, and instead uses pedantic terms for the marvelous, then one has to wonder why are they downplaying what happened.

Bread and wine? commonplace. Body and blood of Christ? astounding. If your wife calls you on the phone, and hears you answer, "Oh, it's just some woman," would she not be upset?

At the same time, it is *sometimes* useful to use such terms. When talking about the offetory, one refers to "bread and wine," not "body and blood," because it is STILL merely bread and wine. Other times, the use of body and blood can cause or reflect the confusion that the bread is only the body and the wine is only the blood; the bread and wine are both each the body AND the blood of Christ. I've heard it said, "they only offer the body at that mass." How terrible! Receiving the body, but not the blood would be disastrous for salvation if it were possible!


Some of the words are inherently heretical, such as "updating the Church." Some, as explained above, promote heresy by using insufficient language: it's not a "communal service," it's the Eucharist. (That's what sets us apart from Protestants!) Others simply have no place in a religious context ("progressive"). However, there are proper uses for a few of these words, such as "pastoral." Whoever included that in the list certainly hates the Second Vatican Council.!

[sinkspur]

Here is another modernist buzz word to be aware of - "social justice." I cringe when I hear it.

Even when Leo XIII uses it in Rerum Novarum in the late 19th century?

The Church has pushed for "social justice" since the time of Christ.

[dangus]

Good call. Anyone who calls income redistribution "social justice" is probably a Marxist. Social justice is a term which fundamentally means human freedom. We have Freedom in America, and income redistribution will not increase that. Solidarity was a movement for social justice; welfare is a movement to largely to validate economic dysfunction.

[dangus]

Ping to post 7, sinkspur

[dangus]

Caveat: Economic freedom is one aspect of social justice, but welfare teaches dependency, not economic freedom.

[Convert from ECUSA]

Dangus,

Exactly what I meant when I mentioned "social justice", a term long hijacked and twisted by the Dems and CINOs into a meaning not remotely like that of what Christ intended and taught.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

My University Center is having a "voting education" seminar, to present the necessary information so that the voters can make a well informed decision as to who to vote for in 2004. The speaker our Pastoral Associate got, the Peace and Justice person for the diocese. My skin began to crawl. This same Pastoral Associate disagrees with the contention that their are some non-negotiable moral stances, feels all issues are pretty must equivalent, and you catch what I am saying.

I am definitely ready to be my normal combative self.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

No, but sadly, Social Justice today has become equated with Marxist Liberation Theology, not the dignity of the human person that it really stands for. Abortion is a Social Justice issue, though the average Social Justice person (the parish's Social Justice Committee), wouldn't consider it a social justice issue.

[pascendi]

"Even when Leo XIII uses it in Rerum Novarum in the late 19th century? The Church has pushed for "social justice" since the time of Christ."

Pope Leo XIII:

"It is impossible to approve in Catholic publications a style inspired by unsound novelty which seems to deride the piety of the faithful and dwells on the introduction of a new order of Christian life, on new directions of the Church, on new aspirations of the modern soul, on a new social vocation of the clergy, on a new Christian civilization, and many other things of the same kind."

[Mershon]

I would add the following to the list:

1. "subsists" instead of "is"
2. inter-religious dialogue
3. praying "with" pagans, but not "together" or "at the same time" (false idol worship)
4. "participating" at Mass instead of
"assisting" at the Holy Sacrifice
5. "elements of truth"
6. "salvific elements" of other religions
7. "imperfectly united to the Catholic Church" instead of heretics
8. Jews and Muslims worship the "same one, true God as Christians."
9. Eucharistic ministers
10. Anything called "ministry" that is run by laymen. The correct term is "apostolate."
11. "separatred brethren" instead of heretics
12. "breathing with both lungs" meaning the Roman Church and the Eastern Orthodox, but NOT meaning the SSPX for some reason.
13. Emphasize the "glass is half full" instead of the "glass half empty."
14. Lots and lots of terms and sentences used in Gaudium et Spes
15. "subsists" instead of "is."

[Mershon]

Hey, sinky. We are talking about the current AmChurch use of the term. I doubt they have read Leo XIII or even JPII for that matter.

Is "social justice" the only objectionable word you found? Nothing else that was listed seemed objectionable to you? Hmm...

[pascendi]

And the word process also.

[sinkspur]

I found your list to be ridiculous, especially your desire to call Protestants "heretics."

Sheesh!!!

[Stubborn]

Great additions!

Amazingly, another word that modernists don't use is "novus ordo". If you remind them that they are in the novus ordo, they will often times take that as some type of insult then say "But novus ordo implies not catholic". - to which I am always tempted to say - "Bingo".

[sinkspur]

The Mass of Paul VI is the normative Mass in the Latin Rite. Whatever you want to call it.

[Stubborn]

Most folks who are in the novus ordo have never even heard of the novus ordo much less that the novus ordo mass replaced the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

I do not know but is it known as "Mass in the Latin Rite" - or "Mass in the Current Rite"?