Posted on 09/21/2024 8:57:37 AM PDT by ebb tide
Renowned canon lawyer Father Gerald Murray denounced Pope Francis’ claim that “every religion is a way to arrive at God” as “contradictory to what Christ himself said.”
“Jesus Christ said, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life,’ and the Church teaches that there is only salvation in Christ,” Fr. Murray said during an appearance on the Thursday episode of EWTN’s The World Over with host Raymond Arroyo.
Fr. Murray pointed to Pope John Paul II’s Declaration Dominus Jesus as an expression of the definitive teaching of the Church, quoting the former pope’s statement, “ … it is clear that it would be contrary to the faith to consider the Church as one way of salvation alongside those constituted by the other religions … ”
Francis’ remarks in Singapore, on the other hand, are giving the “impression to people who aren’t Christian” that “you don’t need to convert in order to be following the path that God gave to the world,” Fr. Murray noted to Arroyo.
He stressed that Catholics understand that other religions “are not revealed by God” or are they “willed” by Him. Therefore, we cannot tell people of other affiliations to keep practicing their own erroneous religion.
“No, Christ said (to go out and preach the Gospel and baptize all nations,” Fr. Murray said.
“To say that God wills that other people don’t follow Christianity is in fact contradictory to what Christ himself said,” he pointed out.
Later in the interview, he recommended that Francis “hash out” the truth of Christ and His Church’s teaching in a “theological discussion” with people like Bishop Athanasius Schneider, Cardinal Gerhard Müller, and Cardinal Raymond Burke.
“Because the impression given to people is that Catholicism is not serious anymore about converting everybody, but in fact that’s the central mission,” Fr. Murray said.
This teaching of “Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus” (no salvation outside the Church), has been increasingly rejected by modernizing activists in recent years, yet remains valid and unchanging in the Church’s teaching.
Pope Leo XII pronounced it clearly in his 1824 encyclical letter Ubi Primum:
It is impossible for the most true God, who is Truth Itself, the best, the wisest Provider, and the Rewarder of good men, to approve all sects who profess false teachings which are often inconsistent with one another and contradictory, and to confer eternal rewards on their members. For we have a surer word of the prophet, and in writing to you We speak wisdom among the perfect; not the wisdom of this world but the wisdom of God in a mystery.
By it we are taught, and by divine faith we hold one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and that no other name under heaven is given to men except the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth in which we must be saved. This is why we profess that there is no salvation outside the Church.
The Catholic Church notes that it is possible for those remaining outside the Church “through no grave fault of their own” and who are somehow unaware that the Church is the true Church to still be saved “by making use of the graces which God gives them.” However, salvation in these cases of “invincible ignorance” is not found through other churches but is through the Catholic Church as the channel of grace, as taught by St. Thomas Aquinas.
Ping
He seems to have unloaded with both barrels on those who seek to give him the benefit of the doubt. It’s getting harder and harder to do that.
But, since basically disavowed the papacy immediately on being elected, I guess it’s really no big deal.
Frankie let the cat out.
I pray that Francis repent before he dies. He does not have much time left to do so.
What is wrong with this man? “I Am The Way! No one goes to the Father except through me.” - Jesus Christ. Essentially.
It’s been a long time since Sister Constance in 7th grade, but I seem to remember something like ‘I am the truth and the light and the way, and none shall come to The Father but through me’. Something like that....
I mean no blasphemy, only that if I know that, why doesn’t The Pope?! For Gawd’s sake!
Huh?
That is a disastrous understanding of Scripture and specifically how God views His own name.
Friend, this is a life of death issue that needs to be nailed down.
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. Stop calling this evil, “Pope”.
In my view, the best analysis of Pope Francis Singapore speech was by Fr. Harrison at OnePeterFive.
After reading it, I felt like it captured the substance of my posts in this thread very well.
Fr. Murray is a solid Theologian as well.
Please note that I am not calling the Holy Father “a heretic”. That would be to accuse him of formal heresy, and none of us is in a position to know whether or not he’s fallen that far.
Apparently, neither he, nor you, are capable of differentiating between a formal heretic and a material heretic.
No, I think his position is to say the statement is materially heretical, which is mine. A Catholic can only be a Formal heretic if legitimate Authority in the Church defines you as a Heretic. We have been through this already. You disagree that is fine.
A Catholic can hold to a materially heretical opinion or say something Heretical, which I think Pope Francis did, but to be a Formal Heretic is not within Fr. Harrison’s authority.
That has been my position all along. No need to debate this again. You hold to a different position, that is fine.
From my perspective, I am not in position to charge Him with Formal Heresy, but what He said is wrong and the statement is materially heretical. I think Fr. Harrison’s position and Fr. Murray’s are consistent
I listened to Fr. Murray on several Catholic YT channels and he clearly said Pope Francis was wrong and in error with the statement. He said we should in Charity tell the Pope His in error. In fact, He said the fact that Most Bishops are not coming to the Pope’s defense suggest, I use suggest, says they don’t agree with Pope Francis statement but are trying to figure out how to charitably tell Him He is in error.
And let me state again, while I am not accusing the Pope of being a Formal Heretic, His “statements were materially heretical”. That has been my position all along
P.S. Any catholic can accuse Francis of being a heretic based on facts. However, we can neither judge nor convict him of being one.
I would agree here accept avoid the word “accuse” as I take that term to be a formal term that would be used in a Church Canonical Trial.
But in substance I agree with you but in form I would say the Pope made a statement that is Materially heretical and see if He will recant or clarify it which as of now He has not regarding the Singapore speech.
Don't hold your breath. He has yet to recant any of the many heresies he has proclaimed over the years.
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