Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

A Manifest Heretic Can Neither Become nor Remain a Pope
The Daily Knight ^ | September 3, 2024 | David Martin

Posted on 09/04/2024 12:19:41 PM PDT by ebb tide

A Manifest Heretic Can Neither Become nor Remain a Pope

The saints and doctors of the Church teach that if a pope having sufficient knowledge and having made sufficient reflection denies an article of Faith and professes heresy, he falls to heresy and loses his papacy.


When it is taught that ‘a pope cannot profess heresy’ it simply means that this profession cannot be made and completed while he is pope, for upon attempting to profess heresy he loses his papacy and is reduced to a heretic, whereby the profession is made as a heretic and not as a pope.  


Hence a pope as a private person can profess heresy but could never make this profession while occupying the papal office. Consider the words of St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1797), Doctor of the Church:


“If ever a pope, as a private person, should fall into heresy, he should at once fall from the Pontificate. If, however, God were to permit a pope to become a notorious and contumacious heretic, he would by such fact cease to be pope, and the apostolic chair would be vacant.”


St. Robert Bellarmine, Doctor of the Church, makes this very point.


“A Pope who is a manifest heretic automatically ceases to be a Pope and head, just as he ceases automatically to be a Christian and member of the Church. Wherefore, he can be judged and punished by the Church. This is the teaching of all the ancient Fathers who teach that manifest heretics immediately lose all jurisdiction.”


St. Francis de Sales echoes this point as well:


“Now when the Pope is explicitly a heretic, he falls ipso facto from his dignity and out of the Church…”


The 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia states:


“The Pope himself, if notoriously guilty of heresy, would cease to be pope because he would cease to be a member of the Church.”


St. Antoninus says that such a pope who is cut off from the Mystical Body cannot be the head of that Body.


“In the case in which the Pope would become a heretic, he would find himself, by that very fact alone and without any other sentence, separated from the Church. A head separated from a body cannot, as long as it remains separated, be head of the same body from which it was cut off.”


The lus Canonicum on the 1917 Code of Canon Law by Wernz-Vidal makes this same point:


“A pope who falls into public heresy would cease ipso facto to be a member of the Church; therefore, he would also cease to be head of the Church.” It adds, “A doubtful pope is not pope.”


Not Theological Opinions


It’s important to point out that the foregoing statements by the Church Doctors and theologians are not theological opinions but they reflect the continuous teaching of the Church. If anyone would doubt this, let them consider the 1559 Papal Bull Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio by Pope Paul IV. Papal Bulls do not contain opinions but are formal and authoritative proclamations containing weighty and indisputable truths for the instruction of the Catholic faithful.


The pope says in his document:


6. By this Our Constitution, which is to remain valid in perpetuity We enact, determine, decree and define: that if ever at any time it shall appear that any Bishop, even if he be acting as an Archbishop, Patriarch or Primate; or any Cardinal of the Roman Church… or even the Roman Pontiff, prior to his promotion or his elevation as Cardinal or Roman Pontiff, has deviated from the Catholic Faith or fallen into some heresy:


(i) the promotion or elevation, even with the agreement and unanimous consent of all the Cardinals, shall be null, void and worthless;

 

(ii) it shall not be possible for it to acquire validity (nor for it to be said that it has thus acquired validity) through the acceptance of the office, of consecration, of subsequent authority, nor through possession of administration, nor through the putative enthronement of a Roman Pontiff, or Veneration, or obedience accorded to such by all, nor through the lapse of any period of time in the foregoing situation;

 

(iii) it shall not be held as partially legitimate in any way;

 

(iv) to any so promoted to be Bishops, or Archbishops, or Patriarchs, or Primates or elevated as Cardinals, or as Roman Pontiff, no authority shall have been granted, nor shall it be considered to have been so granted either in the spiritual or the temporal domain;

 

(v) each and all of their words, deeds, actions and enactments, howsoever made, and anything whatsoever to which these may give rise, shall be without force and shall grant no stability whatsoever nor any right to anyone;

 

(vi) those thus promoted or elevated shall be deprived automatically, and without need for any further declaration, of all dignity, position, honour, title, authority, office and power.

 

Toward the end of the document the Holy Father says:


10. No one at all, therefore, may infringe this document of our approbation, re-introduction, sanction, statute and derogation of wills and decrees, or by rash presumption contradict it. If anyone, however, should presume to attempt this, let him know that he is destined to incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the blessed Apostles, Peter and Paul.


Given in Rome at Saint Peter's in the year of the Incarnation of the Lord 1559, 15th February, in the fourth year of our Pontificate. 1


+ I, Paul, Bishop of the Catholic Church of Rome

 

In keeping with the above Constitution, theologians and Church doctors make it clear that it is not only licit but dutiful to dismiss and resist the directives of a wayward pope. The eminent philosopher and theologian Francisco Suárez, named doctor eximius et pius by Paul V, had this to say:


“If the pope gave an order contrary to the good customs, one should not obey him; if his intent is to do something manifestly opposed to justice and the common good, it is lawful and valid to resist; if attacked by force, one shall be able to resist by force, with the moderation appropriate to a just defense.”  


St. Robert Bellarmine says:


“Just as it licit to resist a pontiff that attacks the body, it is also licit to resist (him) who attacks the soul, or who disturbs the civil order, or, above all, he who intends to destroy the Church.”


So, we need to ask ourselves: does a pope’s "comprehensive rejection of Catholic teaching on marriage and sexual activity, on the moral law, and on grace and the forgiveness of sins" make him a heretic? Does denying the miracle of the loaves, Mary's role of Mediatrix of all Graces, that God founded the Catholic Church, that He does not will diversity of religions, that evolution is a myth, that homosexuality is a crime, that doctrine never changes, that Hell is a distinct place of eternal punishment, that unrepentant souls are condemned forever, and that Jews need conversion to Christ to be saved... do these denials make a pope a heretic? If so, we have one among us. According to Pope Paul IV and Church doctors he lost his papacy long ago, if in fact he ever possessed it.


Apostasy, Idolatry, Sacrilege

 

Let us not forget how Francis travelled across the seas in July 2022 to apologize to the indigenous people of Canada for the Church’s role in bringing the Faith to them over the past century. Francis alleges that this infringed on their culture. To “repair” for this infringement he engaged in pagan smudging rituals wherein they called upon pagan gods (devils) to purify and bless their land.

 

We saw a similar thing in October 2019 when Francis displayed and venerated the Pachamama earth idol in St. Peter’s Basilica to repair for “crimes” committed against “Mother Earth.” Francis alleges that the Christian West is primarily responsible for these “sins” against the earth idol. His unrelenting down-talking of Western Capitalism testifies to his communist aspirations, which he openly defends, even saying, “It is the Communists who think like Christians.” These sayings and doings are acts of apostasy and idolatry.

 

Even as a seminarian he embraced Marxism, and he is universally applauded today by the Freemasons with whom he is affiliated. Marxism and Freemasonry are intrinsically evil and are wholly committed to destroying the Catholic Church. According to Popes Paul IV and Pius XII, those who embrace or advocate these ideologies automatically excommunicate themselves, thus preventing their ascent to the office of bishop, cardinal, or pope.


Some will argue that the 1983 code of canon law now allows affiliation with Freemasons and Communists without excommunication since it supersedes the previous code that forbade this, but it in no way supersedes the truth and instruction penned by the popes in their Apostolic Constitutions and decrees. As Paul IV said, his 1559 Papal Bull “is to remain valid in perpetuity” so that anyone who attempts to infringe or contradict it “is destined to incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the blessed Apostles, Peter and Paul.”

 

What then shall we say of Pope Francis?


 1. The pope’s Constitution calls to mind the July 13, 1949, decree of Pope Pius XII, which states that Catholics, including high Vatican prelates, who advocate communism or other like secret societies are automatically excommunicated from the Catholic Church. This decree applies today.

 



TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Current Events; Theology
KEYWORDS: frankenchurch; morepopenews
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-53 next last
The pope’s Constitution calls to mind the July 13, 1949, decree of Pope Pius XII, which states that Catholics, including high Vatican prelates, who advocate communism or other like secret societies are automatically excommunicated from the Catholic Church. This decree applies today.

Pope Francis:

"I can only say that the communists have stolen our flag."

Pope Francis has claimed that Communists are closet Christians, who have appropriated the Gospel’s central message of poverty.

1 posted on 09/04/2024 12:19:41 PM PDT by ebb tide
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Al Hitan; Fedora; irishjuggler; Jaded; kalee; markomalley; miele man; Mrs. Don-o; ...

Ping


2 posted on 09/04/2024 12:20:20 PM PDT by ebb tide ("The Spirit of Vatican II" is nothing more than a wicked "idealogy" of the modernists.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ebb tide

the gospel’s central message is not primarily about economics or money, as I read it anyway


3 posted on 09/04/2024 12:30:49 PM PDT by faithhopecharity ("Politicians aren't born, they're excreted." Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ebb tide

Or maybe, Francis isn’t Pope because Pontifax Maximus was always a pagan title and there was actually never such a thing as a Christian “Pope”.

That’s what I’m going with anyway.


4 posted on 09/04/2024 12:31:43 PM PDT by Truthsearcher
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: faithhopecharity

Time for schism. Dissenting cardinals and bishops should organize against this commie heretic.


5 posted on 09/04/2024 12:35:04 PM PDT by Socon-Econ (adi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Truthsearcher
e and there was actually never such a thing as a Christian “Pope”.

Why it's right there in the Bible. 2nd Lazarus 4:14 "and hands were laid upon him and Peter was declared Pope."

6 posted on 09/04/2024 12:39:53 PM PDT by BipolarBob (When life gives you oranges, make mimosas.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Socon-Econ

The modern day protesters sure have a lot to protest against in the Catholic church these days.

They want the church to go back to its roots.

Gee, that sounds awfully familiar...

I wonder how long before all the V2 and pope deniers are officially ex-communicated by the Catholic hierarchy.


7 posted on 09/04/2024 1:04:55 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: ebb tide

8 posted on 09/04/2024 1:50:25 PM PDT by higgmeister (In the Shadow of The Big Chicken! )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: higgmeister
I'm not a Roman Catholic but this evil gives all of us a bad name.   What will you do if the Prelate of your faith has gone astray?   The Methodist Church has just gone through a schism so I can not cast aspersions.

Love your enemy as your self does not mean you should lie down with dogs.

"You should be cautious of the company you keep. Associating with those of low reputation may not only lower your own but also lead you astray by the faulty assumptions, premises and data of the unscrupulous."

9 posted on 09/04/2024 2:04:53 PM PDT by higgmeister (In the Shadow of The Big Chicken! )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: metmom

It’s the prots who are the “pope deniers”. Luther was one of the first and he was rightfully excommunicated.


10 posted on 09/04/2024 2:06:15 PM PDT by ebb tide ("The Spirit of Vatican II" is nothing more than a wicked "idealogy" of the modernists.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: ebb tide
Pope Francis:

"I can only say that the communists have stolen our flag."

Pope Francis has claimed that Communists are closet Christians, who have appropriated the Gospel’s central message of poverty.

The evil truth is that the Communists have stolen salvation from all of its adherents.

11 posted on 09/04/2024 2:11:40 PM PDT by higgmeister (In the Shadow of The Big Chicken! )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ebb tide

miappropriated, perhaps; turning it into a bludgeon of earthly lordship.


12 posted on 09/04/2024 2:17:28 PM PDT by xoxox
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ebb tide
Maybe he could prove his papal bonafides by having a few people burned at the stake for owning and reading Scripture as his predecessors did? Show he's a man of tradition.
13 posted on 09/04/2024 2:46:21 PM PDT by chickenlips (Neuter your politicians)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ebb tide

So you consider Pope Francis the pope after all.

Then why do you attack him so relentlessly?


14 posted on 09/04/2024 2:53:44 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: ebb tide
It’s the prots who are the “pope deniers”.

Says the guy who denies the current pope and who knows how many before him.

15 posted on 09/04/2024 2:56:28 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: ebb tide

https://www.knightsrepublic.com/dailyknight


16 posted on 09/04/2024 2:56:30 PM PDT by em2vn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ebb tide

Why don’t they join in a worldwide strike against the Pope? The Church needs a revolution, the problem is that no one dares to be the leader.
They should take the example of the reformers of the Renaissance...


17 posted on 09/04/2024 3:14:45 PM PDT by californian by choice (Who are those who believe in science?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ebb tide

What shall we say of francis? That he has never been, is not, and never will be the Pope. This obvious evil is NOT the Pope. Pope Benedict did not offer a valid resignation, Pope is not a “shared” position, and this evil was not validly elected. He was placed, much like so many of the world “leaders” now. Evil is currently squatting in the seat, defiling all that it touches.


18 posted on 09/04/2024 3:43:18 PM PDT by GrumpyOldGuy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: metmom; ebb tide

As a roman catholic, I don’t anyone gets excommunicated any more unless they go against the pope’s authority.

By this standard, I think ebb should probably be excommunicated, since he posts against our pope pretty much every day...


19 posted on 09/04/2024 3:49:02 PM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion (🦅 MAGADONIAN ⚔️ )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: aMorePerfectUnion

Several times a day.

I didn’t know the laity had the option of rejecting then pope decided by the College of Cardinals. They did send up the white smoke.

1.2 billion different interpretations of Catholicism and the Catechism of the Catholic church. Pick and choose what you want to believe and what doctrine you agree with or not. You can go as far back in the history of the church that never changes to pick what ecumenical council you like the best and consider to be *true* Catholicism.

That’s a lot of latitude.


20 posted on 09/04/2024 4:25:11 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-53 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson