Modernism - Bp. Joseph Selway 08-30-20

Summary

Bp. Joseph Selway delivers a detailed reflection and tribute to Saint Pius X, emphasizing his role as a staunch opponent of modernism, a heresy he condemned in his 1907 encyclical Pascendi Dominici Gregis. Saint Pius X, who died in 1914, foresaw the destructive infiltration of modernist ideas within the Catholic Church, especially their subtle spread among clergy and seminaries. Modernism, rooted in the agnosticism of Immanuel Kant, denies the existence of objective truth and reduces faith to a subjective, individual experience. Pius X warned that this relativistic approach to religion would inevitably lead to the collapse of the Church’s doctrinal integrity and open the door to atheism and syncretism. His prophetic vision anticipated the upheavals that would culminate in the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), which the speaker views as the fruition of modernist errors, radically altering Catholicism. Bp. Selway also recounts the life of Giuseppe Sarto (Pius X’s birth name), highlighting his humble origins, deep piety, pastoral zeal, and intellectual rigor. Throughout, Bp. Selway calls on Catholics to emulate Saint Pius X’s uncompromising resistance to modernism, emphasizing the urgent need to protect faith, especially in educating children, and to persistently expose and combat modernist errors in the Church today.

Highlights

• Saint Pius X condemned modernism as the “culmination of all heresies” in his 1907 encyclical Pascendi.
• Modernism is rooted in Kantian agnosticism, which denies the certainty of objective truth, including the existence of God.
• Modernists present a deceptive appearance of orthodox faith while promoting subjective, individualistic religious experience.
• Pius X foresaw the danger of modernism leading to ecumenism, relativism, and eventually atheism.
• The Second Vatican Council is seen as the practical manifestation of modernist ideology within the Church.
• Saint Pius X’s humble origins and pastoral zeal exemplify his dedication to the Church and the fight against error.
• There is a call for continual vigilance and active resistance to modernism, especially in protecting the faith of future generations.

Key Insights

• Modernism as a Hidden Heresy within the Church: Saint Pius X identified modernism not as an external threat but as an internal infiltration, making it more dangerous because it disguised itself as Catholicism. This internal threat required a strong and clear response, which he provided through Pascendi. The awareness of “enemies of the cross of Christ” within the Church highlights the complexity of combating heresy when it masquerades as orthodoxy.
• Philosophical Root of Modernism in Kantian Agnosticism: By tracing modernism’s roots to the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, Bp. Selway elucidates how skepticism about human reason’s ability to know objective truth fundamentally undermines traditional Catholic doctrine. Kant’s view that we cannot know God’s existence with certainty leads to a radical subjectivism in faith, where truth becomes relative and individual, eroding the universal claims of the Church.
• The Danger of Subjective Faith: Modernism’s reduction of religion to personal experience threatens the very foundation of Catholicism, which is built on objective revelation and immutable doctrines. This subjectivity opens the door to pluralism and ecumenism, where all religions are seen as equally valid, contradicting the Church’s teaching on the uniqueness of Christ and the Catholic faith.
• Prophetic Vision of Vatican II as a Modernist Outcome: Bp. Selway presents Vatican II not as a renewal or aggiornamento but as the tragic realization of modernist ideas. Pius X’s foresight is portrayed as prophetic, warning that the Council’s reforms would lead to doctrinal confusion, liturgical changes, and a general spirit of relativism that continues to challenge Catholic identity.
• Saint Pius X’s Personal Holiness and Pastoral Zeal: The narrative of Pius X’s life—from his humble beginnings in northern Italy to his rise as Pope—reveals the qualities that equipped him to confront modernism: simplicity, hard work, deep faith, and a pastoral heart. His ongoing catechism lessons as Pope illustrate his commitment to catechesis and formation, crucial weapons against erroneous ideas.
• Call to Daily Resistance and Formation: Bp. Selway stresses that combating modernism is not a one-time effort but a continuous daily duty, especially for parents responsible for the spiritual formation of their children. The warning about the loss of grace and spiritual blindness due to compromise underlines the high stakes involved in this struggle.
• Theological and Cultural Implications of Modernism: The heresy of modernism impacts not only theology but the broader culture of the Church, affecting liturgy, ecclesiology, and the moral life. The text implies that modernism’s relativism undermines all objective truth, which damages not only religion but the entire fabric of Christian civilization.

In sum, Bp. Selway's homily is a passionate call to remember and emulate Saint Pius X’s courageous and uncompromising stand against modernism, warning that failure to do so risks the loss of authentic Catholic faith and identity. It intertwines historical, philosophical, and pastoral insights to underscore the enduring relevance of Pius X’s message in the contemporary Church.

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