Against All Odds | Catholic Identity In An Age Of Counterfeits

LtoR: Sword of Saint Michael, the Blessed Sacrament, Relic of the True Cross

Above | A procession of priests carrying the sword from the statue in the famous shrine of Saint Michael in Gargano, along with the Blessed Sacrament and a relic of the Holy Cross (a gift brought by a Crusader in 1228).

We belong to the Church militant ; and she is militant because on earth the powers of darkness are ever restless to encompass her destruction. Not only in the far-off centuries of the early Church, but down through the ages and in this our day, the enemies of God and Christian civilization make bold to attack the Creator’s supreme dominion and sacrosanct human rights. No rank of the clergy is spared ; and the faithful—their number is legion—inspired by the valiant endurance of their shepherds and fathers in Christ, stand firm, ready to suffer and die, as the martyrs of old, for the one true Faith taught by Jesus Christ. Into that militia you seek to be admitted as leaders. | Pope Pius XII

Against all odds, i.e., exposing and challenging odd ideas, fraudulent claims and other ecclesial oddities.

Say what?!

There are plenty of groups calling themselves Christian these days. There have always been communities who felt themselves to be 'more Christian' than the Church founded by Jesus Christ. Such groups have little to boast about, however. They call themselves "orthodox" or "prophetic" or "reformed" or even "catholic", and yet they cannot prove the one thing necessary. Id est, by or in whose authority can they make the claim they are Christian? When measured against the testimony of Holy Scripture, and the apostolic teachings preserved in the Catholic Church (cf Thess 2:15), counter claims of authority are rather hollow.

John Chrysostom was born at Antioch around AD 347 and would fight for the reform of the Church until his exile in AD 404. His homilies emphasize his belief in the primacy. He called Peter "the leader of the choir, the mouth of all the apostles, the head of that tribe, the ruler of the whole world, the foundation of the Church, the ardent lover of Christ." | (WP) Giles, E., ed. Documents Illustrating Papal Authority: A.D. 96-454. London: S.P.C.K., 1952. p. 126.

And why, then, passing by the others, does He converse with Peter on these things? (John 21:15). He was the chosen one of the Apostles, and the mouth of the disciples, and the leader of the choir. On this account, Paul also went up on a time to see him rather than the others (Galatians 1:18). And withal, to show him that he must thenceforward have confidence, as the denial was done away with, He puts into his hands the presidency over the brethren. And He brings not forward the denial, nor reproaches him with what had past, but says, "If you love me, preside over the brethren." ...And the third time He gives him the same injunction, showing what a price He sets the presidency over His own sheep. And if one should say, "How then did James receive the throne of Jerusalem?," this I would answer that He appointed this man (Peter) teacher, not of that throne, but of the whole world. | https://catholicbridge.com/orthodox/pope-acts-15-james-and-peter.php

Ubi Petrus ibi Ecclesia. Where Peter is, there is the Church.

As Catholics, we acknowledge the origin of the Church in Jesus Christ. He founded the Church on the shoulders of Peter, the chief apostle, the first pope. Some claim that Peter - and any successor to Peter - is subject to ecumenical councils. They miss the fact, however, that from the beginning it has been the other way around. 'It' being the right order of things established by Jesus. All councils are subject to Peter and his successors. The pope would send legates to represent and preside in the pope's name at councils. No ecumenical council was legit without a pope's approval.

The Catholic Church's teaching on catholicity may be helpful to clear the air of the smog of confusion (and deceit), and can be summarized as follows:

Universality and Unity | Catholicity means the Church's universal mission and scope. The Church is "catholic" or "universal" in the sense that Christ is present in her, and she has received the fullness of the means of salvation that Christ willed. [2] This catholicity is reflected in the Church's mission to gather together people and entire nations, cultivating a sense of responsibility not only for oneself but for others and all humanity. [1] Catholicity brings a spirit of conciliation, where various communities overcome their own interests to engage in dialogue and mutual support. [1]

Spreading the Faith | Secondly, the Church is catholic because she has been sent by Christ on a mission to the whole human race. All people are called to belong to the new People of God, which is to be spread throughout the whole world and to all ages. [4] The Church ceaselessly and efficaciously seeks the return of all humanity under Christ the Head. [4]

Visible Unity | Catholicity and unity go hand in hand. The unity of the Church has a specific content - the faith that the Apostles passed on in Christ's name. [3] This unity is visible, as the Church speaks all languages and the Word of God is disseminated in all languages, reflecting the Church's universal scope. [5] The Church's catholicity is a gift from the Lord, enabling her to seek the return of all humanity under Christ. [4]

In summary, the Catholic Church's catholicity refers to her universal mission, unity of faith, and visible spread throughout the world, reflecting Christ's presence and the fullness of salvation entrusted to her. [245]

References

1. Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church: Christ – Our Pascha 923
2. CCC 830
3. 29 June 2005: Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul
4. CCC 831
5. General Audience of 17 September 2014
6. Catholic Encyclopedia The Church

Edict of Thessalonica, 27 February AD 380

Theodosius I, Roman Emperor from 379 to 395, was not the kind of man to mince words. Theodosius' name means 'God's gift'. His gift to the world was to provide a step forward in the evangelization of all peoples by affirming for the Church a clear sense of identity and purpose.

It is our desire that all the various nations which are subject to our clemency and moderation, should continue the profession of that religion which was delivered to the Romans by the divine Apostle Peter, as it has been preserved by faithful tradition and which is now professed by the Pontiff Damasus and by Peter, Bishop of Alexandria, a man of apostolic holiness. According to the apostolic teaching and the doctrine of the Gospel, let us believe in the one Deity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in equal majesty and in a holy Trinity. We authorize the followers of this law to assume the title Catholic Christians; but as for the others, since in our judgment they are foolish madmen, we decree that they shall be branded with the ignominious name of heretics, and shall not presume to give their conventicles the name of churches. They will suffer in the first place the chastisement of the divine condemnation, and in the second the punishment which our authority, in accordance with the will of heaven, will decide to inflict. Theodosian Code XVI.i.2 | Bettenson, Henry (1967). Documents of the Christian Church. Oxford University Press US. p. 22.

The Pontiff Damasus to whom Theodosius referred was the pope who "presided over the Council of Rome of 382 that determined the canon or official list of sacred scripture. He spoke out against major heresies (including Apollinarianism and Macedonianism), thus solidifying the faith of the Catholic Church, and encouraged production of the Vulgate Bible with his support for Jerome." (WP)

Pope Damasus I, asserting the Apostolic Tradition, stated:

Likewise it is decreed . . . that it ought to be announced that . . . the holy Roman Church has not been placed at the forefront [of the churches] by the conciliar decisions of other churches, but has received the primacy by the evangelic voice of our Lord and Savior, who says: ‘You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it; and I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. . . . ’ [Matt. 16:18–19]. The first see, therefore, is that of Peter the apostle, that of the Roman Church, which has neither stain nor blemish nor anything like it (Decree of Damasus 3 [A.D. 382]). | Catholic Answers

Take note of Damasus' powerful clarification and confirmation:

(T)he holy Roman Church has not been placed at the forefront [of the churches] by the conciliar decisions of other churches.

In other words, the preeminence of Rome was and is not determined by "other churches" but by the will of God. Not even a pope's shabby behaviour nor confused teaching, i.e., teaching that runs sideways from the received teaching of the Church, can diminish the truth of the origin and continuing authority of the Catholic Church. Popes who have erred have been condemned by later popes, and their few heterodox non-magisterial (off-the-cuff?) utterings have been consigned to the dustbin of history.

The pope speaks infallibly (ex cathedra) under the following conditions:

• Subject Matter: The pope must be speaking on a matter of faith or morals. [12345] The infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself. [5]
• Capacity: The pope must be speaking in his official capacity as the supreme pastor and teacher of all Christians, not merely in a private capacity. [2345] He must intend to bind the whole Church to his teaching. [2]
• Intention: The pope must clearly indicate by certain words, such as "we define" or "we proclaim," that he intends to speak infallibly and definitively settle the matter. [125]
• Universality: The pope's teaching must be addressed to the whole Church, not just a particular local church. [25]
• When all these conditions are met, the pope's definition of a doctrine of faith or morals is considered infallible, irreformable, and binding on the whole Church. [2345] This infallibility is a charism granted to the pope by the Holy Spirit to preserve the Church in the truth of the faith. [5]

References

1. A Catechism of Christian Doctrine (The Baltimore Catechism No. 3) 531
2. Catholic Encyclopedia Infallibility
3. CCC 891
4. Code of Canon Law 749 §1
5. Lumen Gentium 25

Under the very well defined conditions of what constitutes infallible teaching, no legitimate pope has ever taught heresy. In the past, (non-Catholic) Eastern patriarchs have been mired in heresy and condemned by Rome for their departures from the Catholic Faith. Thankfully, as our non-Catholic brethren engage the Church's teachings more and more, the distance between Catholics and non-Catholics is diminishing.

In a letter from Pope Agatho, accepted by Constantinople III, the Pope says the Roman Church “has never erred,” has never yielded to “heretical innovations,” and “remains undefiled unto the end.” Agatho links this claim directly to the “divine promise” found in Luke 22:32, where the Lord prays that Peter’s faith would never fail. Declarations that the Apostolic See “has been kept unsullied” are claims of papal infallibility. Catholic Answers

For the sake of the salvation of those souls who remain separate from the Apostolic See, or suffer in some kind of impaired communion (such as the SSPX), we would do well to share the confidence given us by Jesus through his vicars, the successors of Peter.

When the occasion arises that one may share the joy of being Catholic with others, and if one discerns a need for bold (not brash!) discourse, do not be humble nor be proud. Be honest and state the fact that Jesus Himself established the Catholic Church. We, therefore, and all who claim to be Christian, would do well to abide by God's will by celebrating communion with the one visible Church that Jesus promised to protect until His return.