Reality Check for Non-Sedevacantists…
Demonstrating the Folly of the False Traditionalist ‘Recognize & Resist’ Position
Inspired by a recent suggestion from Mr. Stephen Heiner of True Restoration, we have decided to illustrate the absudity of the false traditionalist “recognize and resist” position by taking a recent article from Mr. John Vennari, one of the main propagators of this position in the United States, and substituting every mention of “Francis” with the phrase “Vicar of Jesus Christ on Earth”, which Mr. Vennari absolutely insists is exactly who “Pope” Francis is. The recognize-and-resist view is essentially the position that true Catholics must recognize the Vatican II church and its hierarchy as the true Catholic Church of Jesus Christ and as the legitimate Roman Catholic shepherds (in contrast to sedevacantism, which denies that the Vatican II church is the Catholic Church or its clerics are Roman Catholic authorities), yet resist them in any and all matters pertaining to faith, morals, church government, or worship inasmuch as these are harmful, impious, erroneous, sacrilegious, or heretical. (As can easily be seen here, such an absurd position makes the Church into an irrelevant and harmful monstrosity against which one has to guard oneself, rather than the Bulwark of Goodness and Truth from which to draw joyfully and with absolute safety and confidence the waters of salvation – cf. Isa 12:3; 1 Tim 3:15).
For the original text of Mr. Vennari’s article called “Blessed Pius IX, a Model in Our Struggle” and our scathing critique of it, see our post here. We will now take this text and replace every mention of “Francis”, “he”, etc., with “Vicar of Jesus Christ on Earth.” See for yourself how laughable and absurd Vennari’s position becomes (which is also the position shared by most other ‘traditional Catholics’, especially that of the Society of St. Pius X):
I’ve been following the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth’s words and actions, and read the entire book On Heaven and Earth that he co-wrote with Rabbi Skorka.
The Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth seems to have a good heart and some good Catholic instincts, but theologically the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth is a train wreck – remarkably sloppy.
Though this might shock some readers, I must say that I would never allow the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth to teach religion to my children.
For example, the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth recently claimed that all men, Catholics, non-Catholics and atheists, are all “first-class” children of God. There are 16-year-old traditional Catholics who know better than to make such a claim. Scripture and Catholic Tradition teach that we are adopted children of God only through Baptism and incorporation into the Church by means of Faith and Sanctifying grace. (Read Part I of Abbbot Marmion’s Christ the Life of the Soul that describes this truth with doctrinal clarity and immense beauty).
The Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth is thoroughly of the Vatican II orientation. The Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth was formed in the 1960s by the Jesuits, so we cannot expect much else. A man of the 70s, the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth reminds me of some of the soft ‘social justice’ priests in high school (1972-1976) whom I found repulsive.
Anyone with a devotion to Our Lady can be rescued. I hope whatever devotion the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth has to Her rescues him from himself.
The Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth’s co-author Rabbi Skorka just attended a huge interreligious Focolare meeting in Rome and praised the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth to the skies, promising that the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth will be a “Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth of change”.
National Catholic Reporter recently noted that the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth is not so much a Lumen Gentium Catholic but a Gaudium et Spes Catholic. I think this assessment is correct.
The Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth admitted there is a gay lobby in the Vatican, but also said he is too disorganized to enact a reform, and will leave that to his committee of Cardinals.
While in Argentina, when [then-“Cardinal”] Bergoglio could not get permission for exorcisms from the Vatican, he would send the person who needed ‘exorcism’ to a Lutheran Pastor!
The Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth is ecumenical to the gills. It is pointless to pretend otherwise. As the Fatima Message says, “Pray a great deal for the Holy Father”.
I see the need to step up our resistance to the Vatican II chaos is greater than ever, since the Vicars of Jesus Christ on earth have more and more established the new orientation as the new norm. Too many of today’s Catholics believe the ‘spirit of Assisi’ and ecumenical gatherings constitute the true face of Catholicism.
Sound absurd enough? That’s “recognize-and-resist” for ya!
Keep in mind that Vennari’s rejection of sedevacantism is very stern. He is just as insistent that Francis is the Pope and that you cannot say otherwise, as he is insistent that we must resist and reject the Vatican II religion. In fact, in 2011, Vennari’s Catholic Family News published a horrendously flawed article against sedevacantism written by John Salza, which we roundly refuted here: The Chair Is Still Empty: Parts 1 and 2 (Part 2 deals with Salza’s errors in Catholic Family News; Part 1 with Salza’s errors in The Remnant). Up to this point, we are still waiting for a retraction from Catholic Family News and The Remnant, because the howlers contained in Salza’s article were so numerous and so glaring that no amount of rhetoric could excuse or justify them. Salza was clearly in error, but so far has not issued a retraction (in contrast to Tradition In Action, which has recently retracted some errors).
Sedevacantism is the only orthodox and workable solution to the problem of the Vatican II church.
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