Posted on 07/23/2005 9:57:35 AM PDT by Salvation
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The Disposition of Priests |
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07/15/05 |
If an ordained priest does not believe in transubstantiation, do the communicants receive the Body and Blood of Christ? |
**Therefore, the validity and efficacy of the sacrament do not depend upon the holiness or orthodoxy of the minister; rather the validity and efficacy are independent of the subjective constitution of the minister.**
Subjective?
**Succinctly, to deny the belief of transubstantiation is heresy.**
BTTT!
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How many heretical, drunk, fornicating, proud etc. ministers could dance on the point of a needle?
Great, succinct answer to a question that troublemakers often have raised.
Indeed! But amazingly, they don't want to hear that answer, do they?
I'm not sure that my opinion aligns with that of the Church, but I think that, if I know that a priest is not a believer - or a heretic - or living out of line with the vows he has taken, then I choose NOT to take The Sacrament from him. If I don't know any of these things, then I'm taking The Sacrament in good faith.
BTW, I like that priest's vestments in the photo. Nicer than the table cloths that our local priests wear.
Do you sew? Offer to make your priest some truly outstanding vestments? That;s what one of our parishioners did. The priest paid for them out of his own money and took them with him when he was transferred however.
The reality of the Blessed Sacrament does not depend upon your belief in its validity.
Of course, that's correct. But, I can do what's reasonable to assure that all parties involved treat it with appropriate respect.
ex opere operato. The sacraments are effectual in conferring God's grace by reason of their divine institution...from the work already done.
For example, let's say a priest has gone through great personal hardship, and at the moment he doubts even that God exists.
But he feels a duty toward the congregation, and a duty to carry out his vows to the bishop.
The sacrament will be valid because the Church Herself will make up for what he lacks, so long as he does what the Church does.
Though he may not have the faith to intend the bread and wine to become the Body and Blood of Our Savior, the Church will supply the faith he lacks.
But someone who has doubts is not himself a heretic.
Succinctly, to deny the belief of transubstantiation is heresy.
Our author is confusing things a bit by imprecise language.
To publicly deny transubstantiation, and to persist in the denial even after pastoral correction, is heresy.
To be a heretic, one must publicly deny a doctrine of the faith, or act in some way which denies a doctrine (e.g., baptizing only in the name of Jesus, and not the Trinity), and then be obstinate in the denial after educative reproof by his superiors.
A "disbelieving priest" is only a man who has doubts about the faith. He is not a heretic until he publicly denies a dogma, such as transubstantiation.
As I understand the topic of this thread, the priest saying the Mass has made no public denials. His disbelief is private. And the question is: Would his Mass still be valid? In such a case the answer is: Yes.
On the other hand, if a priest is publicly and obstinately denying the doctrine of transubstantiation, even after correction by his bishop, then he is no longer doing what the Church does. He is doing something contrary to what the Church does.
So if this "intention" or "belief" is private ("occult", known only to himself and/or a few others), the Mass will be valid.
But if this "intention" or "belief" is creating public scandal to the point of formal excommunication, the his "mass" is not valid.
Unfortunately, I don't sew. But if there's some way to donate to such a cause, I'd gladly do that.
Bump! Good explaination. I've always thought this anyway; good to get confirmation.
If the priest doesn't believe, he should retire and take up golfing!
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