I want everyone to understand that Jesus gave His Church a great gift, that the Church is indefectible. She can never go astray, nor lead us astray. And the Pope is the head of the Church on earth and the Rock on which the Church is built. So the Pope can never fall into heresy, not in his heart and mind, not in his personal opinions, and certainly never in his teaching. The prevenient grace of God never permits the Pope to commit heresy, or schism, or apostasy.

Soon many conservative and traditionalist Catholics will accuse Pope Francis of teaching heresy, and they will depart from communion with the one true Church. Do not be confused by their errors.

The teaching of the Church is reliable because it is Her teaching. We can trust the truth of the Church’s teaching without having to depend on our own knowledge and judgment.

Some foolish persons think that they should judge whether a teaching of a Pope or Council is true or false. If they judge it is false, then they say, “It is not of the Magisterium”. If they judge that a teaching of the Pope is heresy, then they say, “The Pope has lost his authority to teach, and is no longer a true member of the Church, since he taught heresy.” But that approach is backwards.

We believe what the Pope teaches because it is the teaching of the Pope. We believe what each Ecumenical Council teaches because it is the teaching of the Pope gathered with the body of Bishops. If that teaching conflicts with our own understanding, then we have erred and need to accept correction.

It is pure arrogance to say, when the teaching of the Pope conflicts with one’s own ideas, that the Pope must have gone astray. The Rock on which the Church is founded is not each one’s personal judgment as to which teachings to accept.

Soon the great apostasy will begin, most likely in the fall of 2015. But the progress toward the great apostasy is well underway. Pope Francis will teach some controversial doctrine, which conflicts with the assumptions and false conclusions of many conservatives. And many will falsely accuse the Pope of heresy and depart from the Church.

More in my booklet: The Warning, Consolation, and Miracle in 2016

by
Ronald L. Conte Jr.
Roman Catholic theologian and
translator of the Catholic Public Domain Version of the Bible.

Please take a look at this list of my books and booklets, and see if any topic interests you.