Letting Things Go On

TRANSCRIPT
 

As confusion in the Church mounts and piles up and proliferates and multiplies, one major reason is because there are never any real consequences for those who add to the confusion. For decades now, Rome has refused to denounce all of this in any meaningful way.

Sure, every now and then something is declared bad or not to be done or whatever, but then there is virtually no enforcement, and that's when something is actually even said — few words, even fewer actions. And it doesn't matter if we're talking about heresy or schism; Rome actually does very little.

James Martin is given just as much of a wide berth as the schismatic SSPX. At least the SSPX has been declared in schism and/or lacking any canonical standing by the last three popes. Martin, on the other hand, gets virtually no verbal condemnation.

But neither Martin nor the schismatics ever actually get disciplined; nothing ever happens to them. In short, they never feel the consequences of their assaults against the Church. And make no mistake here — they are assaults. Assaults of a different kind, sure, but assaults nonetheless.

There are, after all, two keys: one for teaching, the other for jurisdiction. Martin attacks one key,  schismatics the other. And this lack of actual discipline stretches back quite a number of decades. Homosexuality in the seminaries was condemned by then-Cdl. Ratzinger, but nothing was ever really done about it.

Likewise, the movement begun by Abp. Marcel Lefebvre was declared schismatic at its inception by Pope John Paul, and Lefebvre was excommunicated. But again, nothing — or perhaps better stated, not enough — was done. And from a practical point of view, both heretics and schismatics get to claim the same mantle of defense: "Rome has not canceled us."

Not being punished is not an endorsement, a blessing of the Church. It's just yet another example of the woeful administration by the hierarchy of bringing discipline to the most errant sons of the Church. Somewhere, a few generations ago, Rome lost practically all taste for discipline, and the result has been chaos.

Ratzinger would not banish Hans Küng. John Paul would not expel sex-abusing bishops. Francis has said privately he wants the confusion, which is pretty obvious at this point. Phony apparitions are allowed to proliferate even when a string of local bishops have condemned them.

Movements that can be described as many things — just not Catholic — have been allowed to spring up and even flourish in the Church. Books that are anti-Catholic can be published by Catholic press. Politicians can receive Holy Communion after casting a vote to kill children. In fact, you can literally get away with murder and never have to fear being punished or disciplined.

All of this is to say, if you hear a schismatic, for example, saying, "Pope Francis let our priests hear confessions and perform marriages," it means nothing. The very same people who embrace Francis for those things, turn around a moment later and claim he's not the real pope — or that he's a heretic. Which is it, guys? Does he have the authority to do what he does for you, or is he not really the pope? You can't have it both ways.

Likewise, James Martin, just like the SSPX on the principle of disobedience, will promote gay everything at the exact same time Francis is granting an interview to the Associated Press saying homosexual activity is a sin. Which is it, Jimmy? You post pictures of yourself all over social media saying the pope supports you, just like the SSPX posts that they have the Pope's support as well. But in the end, which is it?

It seems every schismatic and heretic in the Church these days can claim some kind of "cover" or approval by Rome and then make hay of it on social media. Rome really needs to get a handle on this situation and do it fast. It's alright for a father, even the Holy Father, to lower the boom on a disobedient son. Drop the hammer, Your Holiness — on both sides. Things have been allowed to go on for way too long — again, on both sides.