The Catholic Monitor asks Steven O'Reilly: "Is Communion for Adulterers 'Explicitly a Here[sy]'? Answer: Yes or No" & "Are the Ten Commandments Infallible Catholic Dogma?
- LifeSiteNews, "Confusion explodes as Pope Francis throws magisterial
weight behind communion for adulterers," December 4, 2017:
The AAS guidelines explicitly allows "sexually active adulterous couples
facing 'complex circumstances' to 'access the sacraments of
Reconciliation and the Eucharist.'"
- On February 2018, in Rorate Caeli, Catholic theologian Dr. John Lamont:
"The AAS statement... establishes that Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia
has affirmed propositions that are heretical in the strict sense."
- On December 2, 2017, Bishop Rene Gracida:
"Francis' heterodoxy is now official. He has published his letter to the
Argentina bishops in Acta Apostlica Series making those letters
magisterial documents."
- Doctor
of the Church St. Francis de Sales totally confirmed beyond any doubt
the possibility of a heretical pope and what must be done by the Church
in such a situation:
"[T]he Pope... WHEN he is EXPLICITLY a heretic, he falls ipso facto from his dignity and out of the Church, and the Church MUST either deprive him, or, as some say, declare him deprived, of his Apostolic See."
(The Catholic Controversy, by St. Francis de Sales, Pages 305-306)
The Catholic Monitor (CM) was honored to have the publisher of .RomaLocutaEst, Steven O’Reilly, who is a former intelligence officer, visit its comment section in which he and the publisher of CM had a back and forth.
I asked Steve O'Reilly:
"Is Communion for adulterers 'explicitly a here[sy]'? Answer: yes or no"
O'Reilly's answer in The Catholic Monitor comment section was:
My
reply, first, "heresy/heretic" can be used in a strict
canonical/theological sense, or in a looser sense (i.e., as Lamont
suggests). I do believe communion for adulterer is certainly an error --
or 'heretical' in this looser sense.
Familiaris Consortio 84
repeats the perennial teaching of the Church on the question, and JP II
speaks of the non-communion practice is what the Church 'professes in
faithfulness to Christ' (that's a loose quote from memory)...so to say
or allow the opposite, is to profess an error which is NOT faithful to
Christ. So, what does it mean for Francis? John XXII was in error on the
Beatific Vision, but as the doctrine up to that point had not been
dogmatized...he was not technically a "heretic" in the strict sense. The
next pope defined the question.
Might Francis' case in this
sense be analogous to John XXII...possibly. It is for the Church to
decide the question, to examine Francis words (or lack of them) in this
matter. Lamont might be right, but I've seen arguments, such as made by
Cardinal Muller, that the Buenos Aires Guidelines in the AAS can be read
in an orthodox sense (I think theologian Dr. Fastiggi make similar
point to Muller) which would neutralize the AAS controversy -- if they
are right. Personally, I think Muller has a hard go of it to prove his
interpretation. [https://www.thecatholicmonitor.com/2022/04/the-catholic-monitor-aqua-debate-steven.html]
My response was:
Steve,Thanks for the questions and your time and effort. As my regular CM readers know, I very rarely get involved in the comment section, but I consider you a gentleman and a friend whom I disagree with on some issues, but respect. I'm working and have a lot on my plate on top of that so I'm probably going to do a post or two on them. I may do a comment post on your comment on Cardinal Mueller's theory on Communion for adulterers which in my opinion is plainly ridiculous. [https://www.thecatholicmonitor.com/2022/04/the-catholic-monitor-aqua-debate-steven.html]
O'Reilly's response was:
Fred,
to be clear...I wasn't saying I agree with Mueller's
theory. My point is, there are divergent opinions on the question, even
thought I have a hard time seeing how Mueller can hold his opinion. So,
do not suggest I agree with Mueller. [https://www.thecatholicmonitor.com/2022/04/the-catholic-monitor-aqua-debate-steven.html]
The Catholic Monitor, again, asks O'Reilly:
"Is Communion for adulterers 'explicitly a here[sy]'? Answer: yes or no"
The Catholic Monitor, also, asks O'Reilly a question it asked Ed Condon, Phil Lawler, and Jimmy Akin on :
"Are the Ten Commandments infallible Catholic dogma?
Here is the post that asked the above question:
Getting a few Laughs as Lawler, Condon & Akin in Attacking 19 Scholar say Ten Commandments aren't Infallible Dogma
I got a few laughs reading the snooty attacks on the 19 scholar heroes
by pompous Catholic commentators who apparently don't think the Ten
Commandments are infallible Catholic dogma.
Catholic News Agency Ed Condon very seriously wrote the "pope himself...
content[s] that Amoris can and should be read in continuity with
Catholic teaching."
But, Condon doesn't show us where Communion for those committing
adultery is anywhere in previous Catholic teaching so there could be
"continuity."
Catholic Culture Phil Lawler nonchalantly says "the claim that the Pope has committed heresy is at best a leap of logic."
But, Lawler doesn't show how it is a "leap of logic" to come to the
logical conclusion that teaching Communion for those committing adultery
is a heresy.
Finally, coming down from the mountain comes the National Catholic
Register's Jimmy Akin who proclaims in "addition to demonstrat[ing]
dogmas, the Open Letter also fails to demonstrate that Pope Francis
obstinately doubts or denies dogma."
But, Akin doesn't show how Communion for those committing adultery which
way back in 2017 was endorsed by Francis's Argentine letter that is
called "authentic magisterium" by his Vatican and placed in the Holy
See's AAS doesn't "demonstrate obstinately doubts or denies dogma."
It appears that these really smart Catholic guys with their really deep
analysis of Catholic moral dogmatic theology don't think the Ten
Commandments are infallible dogma.
Thanks for the laughs guys. [https://www.thecatholicmonitor.com/2019/05/getting-at-few-laughs-as-lawler-condon.html]
Pray an Our Father now for reparation for the sins committed because of Francis's Amoris Laetitia.