Roman Catholicism

• Transubstantiation

• 17th century practice of selling fake saint bones and names from Rome to churches faroff. From Martyn Rady's The Habsburgs.

• Roman Catholicism has a typical percentage of members who leave (28%), but by far the smallest percentage of members who converted from something else (7%), among American large religious groupings, according to this survey by a Catholic online magazine.:

The Pope

• "Can a Catholic Ever Disobey a Pope?" blog, Paul Casey July 17, 2020).Excellent article, with many quotes from Catholic theologicans such as Cajetan and Bellarmine and a good example from the 12th century of the Bishop of Lincoln. See also "The HEretical Pope fallacy" La Stampa (2017)

• [ https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2016/07/haec-sancta-1415-conciliar-document.html Haec Sancta] is a 1415 Council of Constance document that is now said to be heretical because it puts councils over Popes. Two Popes confirmed it, which makes for a paradox. "The possibility of heresy in the Pope, does not compromise the dogma of infallibility, as even if he wanted to define a heresy ex cathedra, his office would be lost at that very same moment. (Pacifico Massi, Magistero infallibile del Papa nella teologia di Giovanni de Torquemada, Marietti, Torino 1957, pp. 117-122)."

"The hermeneutic of “continuity” thesis between Haec Sancta and the Tradition of the Church was soon abandoned. Haec Sancta is certainly the authentic act of a legitimate ecumenical Council, ratified by three Popes, but this is not enough to render binding on the doctrinal level a Magisterial document which is posed in contrast with the perennial teaching of the Church. Today we regard that only those documents, which do not damage the rights of the Papacy and do not contrast with the Tradition of the Church can be accepted from the Council of Constance. These documents do not include Haec Sancta, which is a formally heretical conciliar act.

"Historians and theologians explain that Haec Sancta can be repudiated since it was not a dogmatic definition, inasmuch as the typical formulas such as anathema sit are missing and verbs like “order, define, establish, decree and declare”. The real importance of the decree is of a disciplinary and pastoral nature and does not imply infallibility (cfr. for example the voice Concile de Constance, of Cardinal Alfred Baudrillart, in the Dictionnaire de Théologie Catholique , III, col. 1221 (coll. 1200-1224)."

• "Deposing Popes: A Historical Review, One Peter Five.

Purgatory

• A good article on indulgences in 2023: "The greatest hurdle is the last. Making a good confession is not particularly difficult, and going to Communion and praying for the Pope's intentions are easier still. It's being free from all attachment to sin that's hard and it's quite possible that even evi-dently good people, who seek plenary indulgences regularly, never, in their whole lives, obtain one, because they are unwilling to relinquish their favorite little sins.

There is an account of St. Philip Neri, who died in 1595, preaching a jubilee indulgence in a crowed church. A revelation was given to him that only two people in the church were actually getting it, an old char-woman and the saint himself. Not exactly encouraging, huh? But don't worry. If you aren't perfectly disposed and can't get the plenary indulgence. you'll at least come away with a partial."

Works Salvation

Milo Y. has repented of his sins and become devout. Sounds genuine, actually-- he admits to slipping a bit. He still has a big problem, though--- bad theology of a kind which has bad practical implications for him, in particular. https://buff.ly/3t7HdEY

He says, "Secular attempts at recovery from sin are either temporary or completely ineffective. Salvation can only be achieved through devotion to Christ and the works of the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. "

And he says, "Secretly, I feel I've done enough good in this life to excuse me from earthly penance for past sins.”

This is a big problem of Roman Catholicism: works salvation, the Pelagian heresy that you can achieve forgiveness by balancing your sins with enough good works (a) helping other people, and (b) in prayer, fasting, and piety.

You can't. That's what got Martin Luther going. He tried to be the best monk he could--- and he had the desire and talent to do it--- and he saw it wasn't enough: he was still a miserable sinner. 1st Thesis: The Christian life is one of repentance (=change)---you never beat sin.

Rather, God forgives you despite your sin. In gratitude, you try to please him, but you do that knowing you'll fail. Thus, you expect failure, and you don't give up when it happens. And you don't grow cocky about temptation's dangers.

A good way to appreciate this idea is to read Tolstoy's novella, Father Sergius. https://gutenberg.org/files/985/985-h/985-h.htm

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