Doctrine

14 11, 2021

How Hard Is It To Avoid Heresy?

By Father David Nix|2021-11-15T12:49:52+00:00November 14th, 2021|Theology|

Consider a putatively-conservative Roman Catholic archbishop who invites his priests to pray with Lutherans in a Lutheran community building. This really happened. But because this bishop is "pro-life," he is considered "conservative" by most of his laity. Thus, most mainstream Catholics will pretty quickly forgive a bishop inviting their own Catholic priests to a Lutheran prayer service. That is, if they even think there's anything to forgive in that. I think the attitude among most of the laity today is basically: Well, I make mistakes in my vocation, so I can't judge my superiors who make mistakes in their vocations. Fair enough. There's some humility in that attitude. But there's [...]

11 11, 2021

St. Vincent of Lerins on how to Navigate a Church Crisis
St. Vincent of Lerins on how to Navigate a Church Crisis

St. Vincent of Lerins on how to Navigate a Church Crisis

By Father David Nix|2021-11-09T22:41:47+00:00November 11th, 2021|Theology|

Many Catholics think that "Catholic" means "universal," and they are correct, but they make the mistake of thinking this is universal not through history but just today in this current Church crisis. We look to the great saint and doctor of the Church of the 5th century, St. Vincent of Lerins, for how to navigate a Church crisis when many bishops believe and teach different things. St. Vincent of Lerins was one of the very, very few bishops who fought against the global 5th century heresy of Arianism believed by 99% of the bishops of his day. We will see below in his writings why "Catholic" does not mean [...]

12 08, 2021

True Obedience vs. False Obedience
True Obedience vs. False Obedience

True Obedience vs. False Obedience

By Father David Nix|2021-08-12T13:57:16+00:00August 12th, 2021|Theology|

As many of you know, I have blogged and podcasted on the following chart many times. If you remember, I usually put the Magisterium as part of "Ecclesial Law" at level 2. However, this was wrong. I have recently been corrected and told that both Scripture and the Magisterium are considered to both constitute Divine Law at level 1 as now seen here: 1. Divine Law ➡️ Eternal Law Found in Scripture and Magisterium 2. Ecclesial Law ➡️ Mutable Rules Set by Rome 3. Particular Law ➡️ Mutable Rules Set by Local Ordinary (bishop) What is included in the Magisterium? Not only does "the Magisterium" include ex-cathedra statements of [...]

22 07, 2021

Four Aspects of Modernism
Four Aspects of Modernism

Four Aspects of Modernism

By Father David Nix|2021-08-04T18:17:01+00:00July 22nd, 2021|Theology|

With the tension between Apostolic Catholics and modernist heretics reaching fever pitch this month, we have to return to the warning issued over 100 years ago by Pope St. Pius X on modernism, which he called "the synthesis of all heresies." Yes, I know we all get tired of hearing the term "modernism is the synthesis of all heresies." But we still have to stop and remind ourselves constantly that opposing modernism is not tantamount to opposing digital expressions of the Gospel or even opposing new "packaging" of the old-school Gospel in a digestible fashion to modern ears. Rather, we must remember that modernism is opposing that which attempts to [...]

20 07, 2021

Rule for Thinking With the Church #13
Rule for Thinking With the Church #13

Rule for Thinking With the Church #13

By Father David Nix|2021-07-20T01:56:18+00:00July 20th, 2021|Theology|

If we wish to proceed securely in all things, we must hold fast to the following principle: What seems to me white, I will believe black if the hierarchical Church so defines. For I must be convinced that in Christ Our Lord, the bridegroom, and in His spouse the Church, only one Spirit holds sway, which governs and rules for the salvation of souls. For it is by the same Spirit and Lord who gave the Ten Commandments that our holy Mother Church is ruled and governed.—St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, Rules for Thinking with the Church #13 St. Ignatius of Loyola is one of my favorite saints. In [...]

29 06, 2021

How Humble Are Traditionalists?

By Father David Nix|2021-06-29T13:00:44+00:00June 29th, 2021|Theology|

For I delivered unto you first of all, which I also received: how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures: And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, according to the scriptures: And that He was seen by Cephas; and after that by the eleven.—1 Cor 15:3-5 DRB. The Apostle Paul is writing here that what he delivered over to the early Christians is exactly what he first received (tradidi enim vobis in primis quod et accepi.) And this tradition was not just "small-t tradition," but "Big-T Tradition." In other words, St. Paul delivered over Divine Revelation to others just as it [...]

22 06, 2021

Religious Indifferentism is Arianism

By Father David Nix|2021-06-21T16:29:56+00:00June 22nd, 2021|Theology|

If Pope St. Pius X was correct that "modernism is the synthesis of all heresies" then wouldn't we see all heresies of the past fulfilled in it? Yes we would see that. And yes we do see that If Jesus is merely the "privileged route to salvation," then all religions can be a vehicle to salvation. However, this notion is no different from Arianism. Here's why: Jesus claims to be God. Jesus claims to be the only way, truth and life. If this is not true, then He is not God. And this is Arianism. Thus, religious indifferentism encapsulates a thousand heresies, including Arianism. Notice that belief in the Trinity is [...]

25 05, 2021

Two Thoughts On Pentecost

By Father David Nix|2021-05-25T12:22:01+00:00May 25th, 2021|Theology|

https://youtu.be/Fo4Ge3FMrDM A couple possible objections to my Pentecost video... First, didn't Pope John XXIII's promise of a New Pentecost come true in the Eastern Hemisphere? The New Pentecost seems to be a dud since "the numbers tanked," as I said in the video. At this point, a fair counter to the above would be: "Ah yes, Fr. David, the numbers of Catholics greatly dropped in North America and South America since Vatican II, but the numbers of Catholics in Africa and Asia increased. Doesn't this prove the New Pentecost?" I admit this is a very strong retort. However, my retort to the retort is equally simple: The good bishops of Africa and Asia [...]

29 04, 2021

Do We Need Catholic Labels in the 21st Century?

By Father David Nix|2021-04-28T22:22:39+00:00April 29th, 2021|Theology|

I'm fully aware there were heated debates on matters of speculative theology between Franciscans and Dominicans in the Middle Ages on topics such as "Is the intellect or the will the is the primary faculty in the beatific vision? (I think the Franciscans said the will and the Dominicans said the intellect.) I'm also fully aware there were heated political factions in the 19th century between Catholics and that already there were debates in politics between "liberals" and "conservatives." But far and away, Catholics in the 13th century and Catholics in the 19th century (and every century in between) did not use nasty titles modern like "traditional Catholic" or "liberal [...]

11 02, 2021

Real Union Within the Catholic Church
Real Union Within the Catholic Church

Real Union Within the Catholic Church

By Father David Nix|2022-05-11T17:33:45+00:00February 11th, 2021|Theology|

With all these accusations of "schismatic" and "conspiracy theorist" being hurled from normy Catholics to traditional Catholics, let's see what St. Thomas Aquinas has to say: “The sin of unbelief, which fundamentally severs a man from the unity of the Church, simply speaking, makes him to be utterly unfit for receiving this sacrament of the Eucharist because it is the sacrament of the Church's unity.”—St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica 3.80.5ad2 This means that sins against the Deposit of the Faith unchanged from Apostolic times is more what separates a Catholic from worthiness to receive the Eucharist than fighting for reform within the hierarchy. (In fact, fighting for Church reform comes from [...]