Who Is Dividing Catholics Today?
Editor writes…
Is Taylor Marshall correct in his assessment of who, precisely, is driving people out of the churches? Is he right about the duty of the laity to call out heretics and modernists (both ordained and lay) for causing scandals of one kind or another? Or is it the messenger(s), like Taylor Marshall, who are the problem? The Remnant? Lifesitenews? Christian Order? And any number of lay organisations reporting on the Church in crisis today, including our unworthy selves.
After all, Sacred Scripture is full of warnings about the central importance of charity – we just cannot save our souls without charity. This we need to remember, always: “There is no-one who is without faults, and who is not in some way a burden to others, whether he is a superior or a subject, an old man or a young one, a scholar or a dunce.” (Robert Bellarmine).
So, what do you think of Taylor Marshall’s judgement in the above clip – is he right, wrong, or somewhere in-between? Please don’t say “somewhere in-between” – that’ll throw me 😀
Comments (20)
I think some of Taylor Marshall’s followers are panicking because he said recently something to the effect that Francis can’t be pope, something like that, due to his heresies.
As we know on this blog, we can’t decide that but we definitely can call out his public statements. If anyone, from the lowliest priest to the Pope says something questionable in public, we are free to correct him.
I wouldn’t like to be the one to speak out during a heretical sermon, though, because the whole congregation would be on the side of the priest, that’s how bad things are. We still have too many “Father knows best” types in the pews.
Josephine,
We do have too many “Father knows best” types in the churches these days, so even if their pet priest preached heresy about the Real Presence they would object to anyone correcting him because priests should never be corrected, and definitely never a pope! LOL!
I’m not a Taylor Marshall fan, TBH, but I can’t see him saying anything controversial in that clip. It goes without saying that heretics need to be corrected, and anybody else who is damaging faith and morals. Most of us don’t have to deal with out and out heretics, thank goodness. I think Marshall is being defensive in that video because he’s got himself into trouble with his supporters for going OTT about Francis.
Nicky,
I’m not a TM fan either. In fact, I find him usually too longwinded and repetitive, so that clip is exceptional!
Margaret Mary,
I agree – I’m not really a TM fan either but, saying that, some of his videos are excellent.
Dear Editor and friends
The answer really depends upon one’s conscience regarding the crisis we are in and how do we respond?
For my part all the groups including ourselves l would suggest are motivated by a spirit of charity and out of love for the faith and the good of souls. In addition none of us are under any illusions about our own frailties etc.
I think we all (the above mentioned groups and individuals) provide an opportunity for the wider laity who may or may not be well versed in Church teaching on matters of faith and morals to understand the diabolical circumstances the Church is facing and the issues involved.
As for challenging heresy etc. as an RE teacher of 25 years, l have done this with great charity on numerous occasions with a number of school chaplains, teachers, parents and pupils along with friends and family.
The reaction are mostly hostile and profoundly hostile and nasty towards myself as you may well imagine. I remain undeterred and l shall continue to defend the faith to the best of my abilities.
Our blessed Saviours words have always sustained me throughout my life so far.
“Whoever defends me in the presence of men……etc “
As for me lm very much of the Church Militant attitude again tempered with prudence and charity.
Ave Maria!
Every blessing
Michael 🙏
I think Marshall is right on this one. (I’m not usually a fan). What passes for much of the visible church is rotten in its current leadership. Of course the actual Church cannot ultimately fail.
I just listened to an interesting interview between Fr David Nix and Fr Paul Kramer about how thel mess we’re in relates to Fatima. Fr Kramer has some odd ideas but there’s plenty of good eschatological stuff in there too:
https://rumble.com/v1d7wut-tce-46-fr.-paul-kramer-and-fatima.html
Andrew,
I no longer take any interest in anything Fr Kramer says. For very good reason, which I won’t recount here.
Apologies for the typos
Michael 🙏
Without a doubt, the heretics have to be called out an it is mostly the laity doing that these days, as in the past. I do wonder if Taylor Marshall is on the verge of joining the sedevacantists, but he’s not doing wrong just for speaking out. That is what we are all supposed to do.
I think a better question would be “what” is dividing Catholics today, not “who” – because the “who’s” simply follow the “what’s.”
And the what’s are the major themes of the Vatican II revolution, e.g.
*There needs to be more “active participation” in the liturgy (accompanied by a false definition of active participation).
*The Church is stuck in medieval times and not responsive or relevant to modern man.
*The Church must feel guilty about her past and apologize.
*All religions are equal.
*The priest is just a presider, not an alter christus.
*Latin, the language of the Church, needs to be done away with.
Not to mention the more nefarious items on this agenda, such as homosexuality is a normal expression of love between two men.
All of these themes and more are what have divided Catholics, for many years, into opposing camps: those ignorant, uncatechized sheep who agree with these themes, and those who see them for what they are: destruction of the Faith and of the Church.
And I confess, I did not watch the TM video, because I don’t think laity should be making money and gathering followers off the crisis in the Church. (Please click on my post to subscribe….) 🙂
RCA Victor,
I was reflecting on how to highlight the difference between the “who” in my headline and the “what” in your comment. I just couldn’t better Bernie’s response.. Until I remembered another “what’s the difference” question and answer which I believe you will appreciate, perhaps more than most here 😀
What’s the difference between love and marriage?
Love is blind and marriage is an eye-opener.
😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
There is a lot in what RCA Victor says.
I think that one of the things which should characterize us as Catholic Christians is an all-consuming love for truth in all of its manifestations, from the Truth of He who is the Way, the Truth and the Life down to what Aquinas described as ‘adequaetio rei et intellectus’, or agreement between reality and its linguistic representation.
This is especially important when it comes to commentary on the present grievous state of the Church militant. So much of what comes out of Europe has the air of an indignant rant on what is effectively a car crash, but most often without the nous, intellectual or otherwise, to make a difference beyond the giving of publicity; but so much of what comes out of the United States—with some noble exceptions—is a monetizing of the same car crash with a ‘spin’ that only serves to make matters worse. The logic of the latter is well known to pornographers and cooks alike: make the curry ever hotter so that the punters will keep coming back for more. More clicks, more money … car crash still a car crash, but only worse, and all the while the money rolls in, mortgages and health insurance are paid, and children educated. There is more of an air of both Barnum and the tele-evangelist to much of the US Catholic commentariat than they would probably like to admit. Could the fact that many of these people are converts have anything to do with it?
Catholics who really wish to illuminate what is going on in the Church have to approach the crisis (a term no longer adequate, in my view, for its been going on for rather too long) with a scrupulous love for the truth which spills over into prayer and the outward expression of charity, manifested in an all-encompassing intellectual honesty. Not for them the cheap smearing of their opponents, by innuendo or otherwise. Not for them the fatal mistake of prioritizing personalities over issues, often to the point of completely obscuring the latter. Not for them the giving of scandal. Not for them the suppression, distortion or falsification of the facts in the name of the cause. They can safely leave all of that to the ‘journalism’ of our age which is the main reason why good folks steer clear of political involvement, to the detriment of us all, and why most folks don’t trust the media.
To cut a long story short, we cannot defeat the world using the same arms of the world. We have to use the arms of the Light.
Leitourgos
I read your comment twice, with much interest, and while I find it thoughtful, I would appreciate some “flesh on the bones” regarding “the arms of the Light” in reporting the ongoing apostasy – I agree with you that the term “crisis” is all but redundant now. Precisely, however, what do you mean by “the arms of the Light” and which “arms of the Light” would be effective in reporting the various scandals in the Church and the world, today?
Editor,
Apologies for replying only now, but my attempts to post kept generating an error message.
I was trying to quote St Paul off the top of my head, but he speaks of ‘armour’ and not ‘arms’.
I suppose what I mean is that we are faced with serious divisions in the Church militant which can only be healed through sanctity. Those who combat such divisions through commentary are doing God’s work only if they are operating on his terms.
RCA Victor,
Your last paragraph explains your opening sentence, LOL! If you’d watched the video you’d have known that the topic was people – heretics vs messengers, i.e. who is to blame for the divides in the Church, the heretics (people) or the other people speaking out to correct the heretics. You need a heretic to speak a heresy! Then the “what” comes along (the “what” is that heresy)!
That’s my take on it anyway but if you disagree, I’ll know I’m wrong, LOL!
Its not a matter of believing or agreeing with Taylor Marshall its simply up to us to decide what Christ taught ,what is The Word in both The Old and The New Testaments . I personally dont believe that either Bergoglio or that clown Hollerich are Heretics . As surely One first has to be a Catholic to be a Heretic and Bergoglio and Hollerich dont qualify. At least one can call Martin Luther a Heretic as He at least was a Catholic. I personally like T. Marshall as He takes plenty of flack and we cannot surely have good Catholic Voices and Sites taken down. Also He if He wanted to live a Lie as Bergoglio and His Lavender Men do . He had a career as we know in The Episcopal Church something their is NO chance of Him having in The Catholic Church, under Bergoglio and His Henchnen.
Also its time we called out all of this Garbage from Bergoglio and His chiefly Rotten Cardinals and Bishops. This is all about making Homosexuality something above Normal . This Mob actually want to make it Holy.
FOOF,
Not quite. Here’s an extract from an Evangelical (Protestant) site, where they define “heretic” as follows:
The real heretics therefore are the Catholics (Orthodox too) and they need to repent lest the perish in hellfire as the rest have before them. You can’t do anything about your catholic family and friends that have died, they are burning. Get right with God and tell others the truth!
Since that, right there, is a heresy, it’s obvious that an Evangelical Protestant (and many others) can be heretics. Heresy is simply a false belief/unorthodox Christian doctrine. As in anyone who thinks it’s possible to live without chocolate, anathema sit!
Kidding, of course but you can’t go about the place saying people who were baptised Catholics are not Catholics. They may have lapsed or apostatised but God loves them, all the same and until they draw their last breath, He will be working to save them.
So, FOOF, once again… Behave!
Dear Editor
I agree with your closing remarks.
Our thoughts and prayers must be tempered with prudence and charity and hope that all concerned will by the Grace of God and the illumination of the Holy Spirit realise the error of their beliefs and praxis and like a contemporary Prodigal Son return to their true home the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Ave Maria!
Every blessing
Michael 🙏
Cannon Law states that ,[ As Catholics we MUST Confess our Grave Sins once a Year and are Obliged to do so ]. This Law as i read it says that IF we do not obey that Law we put ourselves outside of The Church.
Now i know being outside of The Catholic Church is not the same as Excommunication ,but am sure that the likes of Jimmy Martin whom i have read much ,but never ONCE have i read of Him say to His Supporters go to Confession. Surely then Jimmy and His Mob are not really Catholics.
I Stand to be corrected . BTW as i have said before my Daughter does not go to Mass Etc. When it is coming up to some of Her friends Childrens First Holy Communion i always Tell Her and Warn Her, in No way to go and Recieve The Eucharist .