The Present Crisis in the Church, Part II - Fr. Michael DeSaye 04-22-24

SummaryThis homily, part two in a series addressing the crisis in the Catholic Church, focuses on defending the doctrine of the Church's indefectibility—the belief that the Church can never lose or corrupt the Catholic faith as handed down by Christ and the apostles. Fr. DeSaye critiques the "recognize and resist" position held by groups such as the SSPX and certain traditional Latin Mass communities. This position acknowledges the indefectibility of the Church but claims that recent popes, especially since Vatican II, have promulgated errors in doctrine, morals, and worship, which faithful Catholics must resist while still recognizing the pope as legitimate.Fr. DeSaye argues that this stance is internally inconsistent and unsupported by Catholic teaching. They demonstrate that no authority in Church tradition or Scripture permits resistance against the pope’s universal teachings, laws, or disciplines. The "recognize and resist" advocates rely on a misinterpretation of St. Robert Bellarmine’s writings to justify their resistance, but Bellarmine’s texts actually affirm the pope’s infallibility and the impossibility of the Church erring in faith and morals.The homily further explains that the pope cannot promulgate a new or defective religion because the papacy was instituted to preserve the Catholic faith. If a person does not intend to safeguard the faith, they cannot validly hold the papacy. This reasoning is used to contend that the post-Vatican II popes, beginning with John XXIII, are not true popes due to their destructive intentions towards Catholic doctrine. Fr. DeSaye also rejects the idea that Catholics can legitimately doubt the identity of the true pope, emphasizing that salvation depends on submission to the Roman pontiff. The sermon concludes with a promise to explore the issue of papal intention more deeply in a future discourse.HighlightsThe Catholic Church is indefectible; it cannot lose or corrupt the true faith.The "recognize and resist" position admits the pope’s legitimacy but rejects some teachings as erroneous.No Catholic authority permits resistance to the pope’s universal teachings, laws, or disciplines.St. Robert Bellarmine affirms the pope’s infallibility and the impossibility of Church error in faith and morals.The identity of the true pope is essential for salvation and cannot be subject to doubt.Popes who do not intend to preserve the Catholic faith cannot validly hold the papacy.The post-Vatican II popes are argued not to be true popes due to their intent to pervert the faith.Key InsightsIndefectibility of the Church as a Fundamental Doctrine: Fr. DeSaye emphasizes that the Church, by divine promise, will never fundamentally lose or corrupt the Catholic faith. This doctrine underpins all arguments against the idea that the Church as a whole could defect, even if some individuals or groups within it stray. The indefectibility doctrine is a safeguard against theological chaos and ensures continuity of true teaching from the apostles through every age.Critique of the Recognize and Resist Position: The homily critiques this position for its logical inconsistency. While recognizing the pope’s legitimacy, it claims the pope can promulgate heresies or errors binding upon the universal Church—a contradiction since the Church cannot err. This position creates a paradox: the pope is both the supreme authority and a source of error, which undermines the unity and authority essential to Catholic ecclesiology.Authority and Submission in Catholic Teaching: Fr. DeSaye stresses that Catholic doctrine does not allow the faithful to resist the pope’s universal teachings or laws. This is supported by Scripture, councils, and Church Fathers, who teach that submission to the pope is necessary for unity and salvation. Resistance is only licit in cases of direct attack on the Church’s survival, not in disputing universal teachings or disciplines.St. Robert Bellarmine’s Teachings on Papal Infallibility: Bellarmine’s writings are pivotal in this discussion. While the "recognize and resist" advocates selectively quote him, the full context reveals Bellarmine strongly affirms the pope’s infallibility and the impossibility of the Church erring. Bellarmine’s argument that it is less possible for the pope to err than the Church itself shows the deep theological foundation for papal authority and the unity of faith.The Necessity of Certainty Regarding the Pope’s Identity for Salvation: The homily highlights that knowing and submitting to the true pope is essential for salvation. Doubt or indifference about the pope’s identity is equated with jeopardizing one’s salvation, just as uncertainty about baptism would be. The historical example of the Great Western Schism is acknowledged but distinguished from the current crisis, as past claimants acted within orthodox parameters, unlike today’s situation.Intention as a Criterion for Legitimate Papacy: A key insight is that valid papal authority requires the pope’s intention to preserve and guard the Catholic faith. If a claimant to the papacy intends to undermine or destroy the faith, they lack the requisite intention to receive or hold the office validly. This theological principle is used to argue that the post-Vatican II popes are not true popes, as their actions and teachings contradict the Church’s mission.The Crisis of Vatican II and Post-Conciliar Popes: The homily contextualizes the crisis as stemming from Vatican II and subsequent pontiffs who have allegedly promulgated errors and innovations contrary to Catholic tradition. Fr. DeSaye asserts that these popes’ intentions and teachings reflect a departure from the papal mission, thus invalidating their authority. This position challenges mainstream Catholic acceptance of these popes and calls for further examination of papal legitimacy.In conclusion, the homily rigorously defends Catholic doctrine on papal authority and indefectibility, critiques the "recognize and resist" stance as inconsistent with Church teaching, and presents a theological framework for questioning the legitimacy of recent popes based on their intentions and teachings. The importance of clear submission to the true pope is emphasized as vital for maintaining faith and ensuring salvation.TrueCatholicFaith.com