+St. Bernard of Clairvaux+
Dear Readers,
Occasionally I receive on my site e-mail a comment by a reader such as the following. Because these general comments should be addressed and any errors corrected, from now on they will be included here as blog material.
Comment from Mary:
“Traditionalist clergy most certainly can administer the sacraments and carry on the mission of the Church because extraordinary jurisdiction is granted to them by holy mother Church in this time when the only valid priests are those being ordained by the SSPX and sedevacantist bishops, because they’re the only bishops who are valid. There is no more ordinary jurisdiction since the bishops appointed by Pope Pius XII died out or retired. Only extraordinary jurisdiction is left. Most Catholics are not aware that the Church teaches that “necessity has no law.” This means that when a state of an emergency necessity arises like the current predicament of the imminent end of the Apostolic succession caused by the imposition of invalid rites and heresy, which automatically excommunicates, any valid bishop may (and ought to) come to the rescue of the Church and give freely of what he has received.”
My Response:
Dear Mary,
Why do you not identify the source of your quote as scholastic theology requires? Another important rule in scholastic theology is to first define terms before attempting to “prove” any point being made in theological discussion. For one to be considered valid, he must first possess orders AND jurisdiction, or he cannot possess apostolic succession, (see the article under this title on my site). Such a cleric mustprove he possesses such jurisdiction, (Can. 200). How does one prove that he possess extraordinary jurisdiction when St. Francis de Sales says this can be proven only by miracles? (“Catholic Controversy”). A validly ordained cleric must have received appointment to an office by competent authority (one possessing orders and jurisdiction, in communion with a canonically elected pope), in conformity with the sacred canons, according to Can. 147; otherwise it is not valid. Excommunication for heresy (signing even one Vatican 2 document, recognizing a pope or popes as valid when they are usurpers and persisting in this until death, celebrating the Novus Ordo Missae) removes one immediately from any perceived office, (Can. 188 §4). And only a canonically elected pope can remove these censures and vindicative penalties. So if validity cannot exist unless one possess an office, and no competent authority (a certainly valid superior who is free from any heresy or schism) exists, where is the validity? The Church teaches infallibly that one cannot use a probable opinion to receive or confer the Sacraments. So if there is any doubt, one cannot receive or confer. And during an interregnum. Pope Pius XII infallibly decreed that no one may dispense from, alter or change the laws of the Church in any way. If they attempt to do so, their acts are invalid, (see site for Vacantis Apostolica Sedis).
So a close study of the canon laws of the Church and the teachings of the Roman Pontiffs, also the Fathers and Doctors of the Church prove you wrong. In order to refute anything stated when it is backed by these teachings, which the articles on my site definitely are, you must find proofs stating clearly that the Church DOES grant extraordinary jurisdiction to these men in such times; that She infallibly teaches that when ordinary jurisdiction ceases then extraordinary jurisdiction WILL make them valid. Instead She teaches exactly the opposite, for how else could the apostolic succession Christ established for His Church continue on earth? Where are your proofs from the continual magisterium? You are only parroting what these hirelings calling themselves Traditionalists teach their groupies — that what they say goes, and they need no proofs to support them. But what the Popes and the Councils teach IS ALL THAT MATTERS and it contradicts them at every turn. Moreover, we have a strict obligation to know and believe what the Church teaches, and today this can only be done by embarking on a course of individual study.
As Henry Cardinal Manning taught: “Whensoever the light comes within the reach of our sight, or the voice within the reach of our ear, we are bound to follow it, to inquire and to learn; for we are answerable, not only for what we can do, by absolute power now, but for what we might do if we used all the means we have; and therefore, whensoever the Church of God comes into the midst of us, it lays all men under responsibility; and woe to that man who says, ‘ I will not read; I will not hear; I will not listen; I will not learn; ‘ and woe to those teachers who shall say, ‘ Don’t listen, don’t read, don’t hear; and therefore, don’t learn.’… There is a science of God, and it is the gift of God. Do not say ‘this science of God is too hard for me.’ Ask for it, and it shall be given to you. The most perfect act of the human reason, its highestdevelopment, its ripest maturity, is to believe in a Divine Teacher. They that submit themselves to the Catholic Church, because they believeit to be infallibly by the perpetual presence and assistance of the Holy Ghost, therein put forth the highest act of the human reason. Bysubmitting themselves to a Teacher that is divine, they recognise the dependence of the finite on the infinite intellect,” (“Internal Mission of the Holy Ghost”).
You believe men and not God, for He speaks only through his LEGITIMATE pastors and Traditionalists are not and never have been legitimate. My site speaks for itself; all the proofs are there. Where are theirs? Where are yours? Opinions count for nothing in the Church, and that is what you have expressed here. Educate yourself from the teachings of the One, true Church — untainted by the sophistic rantings of these false priests — and then perhaps we can discuss this further.
Blessings,
T. Benns
