RECOGNISE AND RESIST: A DIABOLICAL DISORIENTATION

(Letter sent to a friend after adhering to the sedevacantist position)

Since my conversion, I have sought to live my faith sincerely and serve Our Lord to the best of my ability. My first contact with Catholicism was through a charismatic group, but I quickly realised that it did not correspond to the true faith; it felt like an entirely different religion.

Over the years, I became aware of modernist errors, stopped attending the New Mass, and began attending the SSPX and the Institute of the Good Shepherd. The more I learnt about the current crisis, the more perplexed I became by how the revolution have overtaken and twisted everything. The “recognise and resist” position at first seemed to be the only plausible explanation for this diabolical disorientation… until everything changed!

While recovering from surgery, I used my free time to strengthen my spirit through prayer, pious practices, and good reading. While studying the Denzinger, I found that the Roman pontiffs vehemently anathematised this view.

According to the magisterium:

•  Even non-infallible teachings are authoritative. 
• The teaching authority is protected by divine assistance. 
• Catholics are obliged to obey the ecclesiastical authority under pain of mortal sin.

A. ON THE PAPACY

''Furthermore, in this one Church of Christ no man can be or remain who does not accept, recognise and obey the authority and supremacy of Peter and his legitimate successors. Did not the ancestors of those who are now entangled in the errors of Photius and the reformers, obey the Bishop of Rome, the chief shepherd of souls?''  (Pius XI, Mortalium Animos,n.11)

''Nor can we pass over in silence the audacity of those who, not enduring sound doctrine, contend that “without sin and without any sacrifice of the Catholic profession assent and obedience may be refused to those judgments and decrees of the Apostolic See, whose object is declared to concern the Church’s general good and her rights and discipline, so only it does not touch the dogmata of faith and morals.” But no one can be found not clearly and distinctly to see and understand how grievously this is opposed to the Catholic dogma of the full power given from God by Christ our Lord Himself to the Roman Pontiff of feeding, ruling and guiding the Universal Church.'' (Pius IX, Quanta Cura, n.5)

''For any man to be able to prove his Catholic faith and affirm that he is truly a Catholic, he must be able to convince the Apostolic See of this. For this See is predominant and with it the faithful of the whole Church should agree. And the man who abandons the See of Peter can only be falsely confident that he is in the Church. As a result, that man is already a schismatic and a sinner who establishes a see in opposition to the unique See of the blessed Peter from which the rights of sacred communion derive for all men.

For the Catholic Church has always regarded as schismatic those who obstinately oppose the lawful prelates of the Church and in particular, the chief shepherd of all. Schismatics avoid carrying out their orders and even deny their very rank.'' (Pope Pius IX, Quartus Supra, n.6 and 12 )

''They, therefore, walk in the path of dangerous error who believe that they can accept Christ as the Head of the Church, while not adhering loyally to His Vicar on earth. They have taken away the visible head, broken the visible bonds of unity and left the Mystical Body of the Redeemer so obscured and so maimed, that those who are seeking the haven of eternal salvation can neither see it nor find it.'' (Pius XII, Mystici Corporis, n. 41)

''Therefore, because of your special faith in the Church and special piety toward the same Chair of Peter, We exhort you to direct your constant efforts so that the faithful people of France may avoid the crafty deceptions and errors of these plotters and develop a more filial affection and obedience to this Apostolic See. Be vigilant in act and word, so that the faithful may grow in love for this Holy See, venerate it, and accept it with complete obedience; they should execute whatever the See itself teaches, determines, and decrees.''  ( Pius IX, Inter Multiplices, n. 7.)

B. ON THE INFALLIBILITY OF THE POPE AND THE INDEFECTIBILITY OF THE CHURCH

''The Pope has the divine promises; even in his human weaknesses, he is invincible and unshakable; he is the messenger of truth and justice, the principle of the Church's unity; his voice denounces errors, idolatries, superstitions; he condemns iniquities; he makes love for charity and virtue.'' (Pius XII, Discourse Ancora Una Volta)

''However, it is not up to individuals, easily deceived by the appearance of good, to resolve the issue: but it belongs to the Church to issue a judgment, and everyone must acquiesce to it, under penalty of incurring the censure issued by Our predecessor Pius VI. He declared the proposition lxxviii of the Synod of Pistoia injurious to the Church and the Spirit of God that governs it, while it subjects the established and approved discipline of the Church to discussion, as if the Church could establish a discipline that is useless or too burdensome for Christian freedom.'' (Leo XIII, Testem Benevolentiae)

''In fact, only a miracle of this divine power could preserve the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, from the stain in the holiness of its doctrine, law, and end amidst the torrent of corruption and lapses of its members. Its doctrine, law, and end have produced a bountiful harvest. The faith and holiness of its children have produced the most salutary fruits. Here is another proof of its divine life: despite a large number of pernicious opinions and a great variety of errors (as well as the vast army of rebels), the Church remains unchanging and constant, “as the pillar and foundation of the truth,” in professing an identical doctrine, in receiving the same Sacraments, in its divine constitution, government, and morality…''(Pope Pius X, Encyclical Editae Saepe, n. 8)

''In the Apostolic See, the Catholic religion has always been preserved immaculate, and the sacred doctrine has been professed. … In it is found all the true strength of the Christian religion.'' (From the formula of Pope Hormisdas, endorsed by the Fathers of the Fourth Council of Constantinople).

''The See of St. Peter remains always immune from all error by virtue of the divine promise made by the Lord, Our Saviour, to the Prince of his disciples: 'I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren.' This indefectible charism of truth and faith was therefore divinely conferred on Peter and his successors in this See so that they might exercise their exalted office for the salvation of all, so that the entire flock of Christ, taken away from the poisonous pastures of error, might be nourished with the food of heavenly doctrine, and that, after eliminating what leads to schism, the whole Church might remain one and, supported on its foundations, might remain firm against the gates of hell'' (Pastor Aeternus, cap. 4).

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 After studying this, I fell into despair. I  was deceived and betrayed precisely by those who claimed to be the guardians of tradition!

Credits:useche360(Pixabay)

Unfortunately, the SSPX position is not only SCHISMATIC (for disobeying or ignoring the hierarchy) but also HERETICAL (denial, at least in practice, of the indefectibility of the Church).

THERE ARE ONLY TWO PATHS...

1. If Francis is pope, you must obey him. 

Everything he teaches is SAFE, and the faithful are OBLIGED to give assent of intellect and will. The only possible resistance is when he issues an IMMORAL COMMAND (asking a subordinate to killsomeone, for example), in the capacity of CIVIL GOVERNOR, in LEGITIMATE DEFENCE (If Bergoglio tries to harm you, you do not sin by defending yourself) and in other similar cases. 

2. If he teaches errors, he CANNOT be the Roman Pontiff. So, it is not enough to resist what he teaches; You ought to reject him as well.

In the first case, you will have a visible institution and hierarchy, but you will not have the Catholic faith and will be obliged to defend: 

• The Second Vatican Council 
• The new Mass 
• The new canonisations 
• That the death penalty is against the gospel 
• That Jews do not need conversion
• Communion for public sinners 
• LGBTQ blessings

In the second case, you will have difficulties receiving the sacraments, divisions, and open questions (how will a new pope be elected? Where is the hierarchy?). However, you will have the Catholic faith, free from contradictions, heresy, or schism. I say that you cannot fall into schism, for:

"Finally, those who refuse to obey a Roman Pontiff because they suspect his person or because of unfavourable rumours spread outside that he was dubiously elected, as happened after the election of Urban VI, or those who may resist him as a civil ruler and not as pastor of the Church cannot be considered schismatics." (Ius Canonicum, vol. VII, by Francis Xavier Wernz, SJ, and Peter Vidal, SJ (Rome: Gregorian University, 1937), p. 439. Imprimatur 1937.)

A prolonged vacancy is not against Our Lord's promises. In the Great Western Schism, we had three papal claimants. For 40 years, nobody knew who the Vicar of Christ was.

If the Church had a heretical visible head, however, She would have failed and would be a false religion. Christ and his vicar constitute but one head (Mystici Corporis, 39). Therefore, the pope's mind is that of Christ.

If Francis is a legitimate successor of Saint Peter, and he has decreed gay blessings and communion in mortal sin for adulterers, it is necessary to conclude that this is the will of Our Lord! It would be blasphemy!

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