What Do I Do Now?

As anyone who has read my 'conversion story' posted on my old blog, 'The New Crusade', knows, I was 33 years old when I became a Catholic. It was a long and arduous journey, from evangelical protestantism, through 'Anglo-Catholic' Anglicanism in the Episcopal Church, and a final stop in the Eastern Orthodox Church of the Patriarchate of Serbia. During all that time I vigourously fought what I considered to be the false Papal claims made by the Roman Catholic Church.

When, by the Grace of God and the prayers of His Most Holy Mother, I accepted the Catholic Faith on the night of 20 September 1980, I thought my journey was over. As my Faith deepened, through reading and prayer, I was led to swear to the Creed of the Council of Trent. It contains the following two paragraphs:

I acknowledge the Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church as the mother and mistress of all churches; and I promise true obedience to the Bishop of Rome, successor to St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and Vicar of Jesus Christ. 

I likewise undoubtedly receive and profess all other things delivered, defined, and declared by the sacred Canons, and general Councils, and particularly by the holy Council of Trent, and by the ecumenical Council of the Vatican, particularly concerning the primacy of the Roman Pontiff and his infallible teaching. I condemn, reject, and anathematise all things contrary thereto, and all heresies which the Church hath condemned, rejected, and anathematised. 

At the same time I swore the Oath Against Modernism of St Pius X. In it are contained the following (my emphasis):

Fourthly, I sincerely hold that the doctrine of faith was handed down to us from the apostles through the orthodox Fathers in exactly the same meaning and always in the same purport. Therefore, I entirely reject the heretical' misrepresentation that dogmas evolve and change from one meaning to another different from the one which the Church held previously.

I firmly hold, then, and shall hold to my dying breath the belief of the Fathers in the charism of truth, which certainly is, was, and always will be in the succession of the episcopacy from the apostles. The purpose of this is, then, not that dogma may be tailored according to what seems better and more suited to the culture of each age; rather, that the absolute and immutable truth preached by the apostles from the beginning may never be believed to be different, may never be understood in any other way.

I promise that I shall keep all these articles faithfully, entirely, and sincerely, and guard them inviolate, in no way deviating from them in teaching or in any way in word or in writing. Thus I promise, this I swear, so help me God.

So what does this have to do with the price of eggs in China and why am I writing this post? Because, today the news broke that Pope Francis has attempted to elevate his heretical teaching in Amoris laetitia, that civilly 'divorced' and 'remarried' persons should be admitted to Holy Communion despite their persistence in grave and public sin. He has stated that that his false and heretical teachings are now part of the 'authentic magisterium'.

I won't bother to reprint the entire article, which can be read here, but it makes the point that this is a direct contradiction to Canon 915 of the Johannine Code of Canon Law of 1983 (my emphasis):

Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion.

It also violates the plain words of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Matt. 19:6(b):

Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.

 The words of St Paul, in First Corinthians 7:10,11, written under the Inspiration of God, the Holy Ghost, confirm this:

But to them that are married, not I but the Lord commandeth, that the wife depart not from her husband. And if she depart, that she remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. And let not the husband put away his wife.

Further, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in Paragraph 1640, reiterates the timeless, infallible doctrine of Christ on the indissolubility of marriage:

Thus the marriage bond has been established by God himself in such a way that a marriage concluded and consummated between baptised persons can never be dissolved. This bond, which results from the free human act of the spouses and their consummation of the marriage, is a reality, henceforth irrevocable, and gives rise to a covenant guaranteed by God's fidelity. The Church does not have the power to contravene this disposition of divine wisdom.

 And the Code of Canon Law, 1983, in Canon 1141 says:

A marriage which is ratified and consummated cannot be dissolved by any human power or by any cause other than death.

So, Francis has decided that he can override Christ, the Apostle Paul, the Catechism, and Canon Law by the stroke of a pen! Not even a Solemn Encyclical, but an off-the-cuff- letter written to the heretical Bishops of Argentina, confirming them in their heresy!

Since he claims that his heresy is now part of the 'authentic magisterium', Canon Law lays this burden upon Catholics:

Can. 752 Although not an assent of faith, a religious submission of the intellect and will must be given to a doctrine which the Supreme Pontiff or the college of bishops declares concerning faith or morals when they exercise the authentic magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim it by definitive act; therefore, the Christian faithful are to take care to avoid those things which do notagree with it.

I am psychologically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually incapable of giving 'a religious submission of the intellect and will' to teachings that I know to be false, that I know to be heretical, and that I have every reason to believe come from the Father of Lies, Satan himself, even if those teachings are purported to be given by the One, Holy, Roman, Catholic, and Apostolic Church!

This attempt by Francis to alter the unchangeable and infallible Magisterium of the Church on the absolute indissolubility of a ratified and consummated marriage, is more than just an intellectual matter for me. it matters on a very deep emotional level. 

As those who know me personally already know, I recently reconciled with my wife after she 'divorced' me 13 years ago. After we separated I entered into an adulterous 'marriage' being fully aware of the Church's Teachings on the matter. As long as that union persisted, I went to Mass regularly but never went to Confession or Holy Communion. Why should I? I had, at the time, no intention of ending the union, and to make a good Confession requires a firm purpose to avoid sin and the occasion of sin in the future. I could not, in good conscience, approach the Sacrament of Penance. And to receive Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin is a further sin in itself. When the union ended, I immediately went to Confession and Holy Communion, and my health permitting, have continued to do so.

So, now comes Francis saying, 'No! No! You had it all wrong! Christ, the Apostles, the Catechism, and Canon Law mean nothing. As long as you feel good about it, go ahead and receive Holy Communion despite being in a state of grave sin.' I'm sorry, Señor Bergoglio, I am truly sorry. but I will follow all those before I follow you in your heresy!

So, what will I do? I've been a faithful Catholic for over half my 70 years. After 37 years, two months, and four days, I can no longer consider my self in communion with the Bishop of Rome, who has proven himself to be a manifest heretic.  I am not, and will not become, a sedevacantist. Francis is Pope until the Church acts. Even tho' I can see that he is a heretic from his own words, it is far above my pay grade to declare the Seat vacant. I prayed for him fervently tonight before Mass and during it. I prayed that he might be converted to the Catholic Faith. However, I cannot in good conscience imply a communion that doesn't exist. 

So I will do what I did tonight, I went to Mass, and I fulfilled my obligation by waiting until the Priest's Communion to leave. I could not, with a good conscience, receive Holy Communion which would imply that I am communion with a known and public heretic. I left after the Priest's Communion because it would have been too painful to kneel and watch others receive Our Lord, when my loyalty to Him prevents me from doing so.

I will continue to do this until God in his own good time restores sanity to the Church, and the Bishop of Rome is a Catholic.

May God have mercy on his Church and on me, a poor sinner! Blessed Mother of God, Destroyer of all heresies, pray for us! All ye Angels and Saints of God, Pray for us!