God’s secret plan to deal with the sins of conservative Catholics, who teach heresy, commit schism, condemn anyone who disagrees as heterodox, denigrate the Pope, and think they are in charge of doctrine and discipline. And I’ll tell you what it is. I’m quite sure about this.
God will inspire Pope Francis to teach truths which are found in Divine Revelation, truths expressed by the Holy Spirit through the Pope, which the conservatives will mistakenly think are heresy. They will cry out against the Pope, condemn him as a heretic, and depart from the Church into schism.
Francis will resign and the next Pope will be conservative — so the schismatics will rejoice! Then the Pope will say to them: “Away from me you evildoers. I have never known you.” And the conservative Pope will excommunicate them for heresy and schism.
Then they will join the sedevacantists. For they have done the same deeds, putting themselves above Popes. They have made the same claims, that the Popes have gone astray and only they are faithful. They will eat bitter herbs in a corner, and cry themselves to sleep every night.
Ronald L. Conte Jr.
Is possible to criticize Pope’s actions in a proper and legitimate way, without putting themselves above the Pope?
Which could be this way?
Sure.
Example: The Pope has a teaching on the death penalty. Defend him against accusations of heresy. Disagree with him on the evaluation of the circumstances of society.
Example: Assure everyone that the Pope has the best of intentions, but disagree with him on the best way to handle the abuse crisis.
We can disagree with a non-infallible teaching or a decision on discipline. But we must do so with respect, with confidence that the Pope is guided by God, without animosity or arrogance (as if we were infallible).
What about the Pope rejects God’s help? Is the Pope free of committing this sin?
We have historical examples of Popes that cared about themselves, their power, much more than Church’s one.
Dante Alighieri’s Inferno is full of clerics, and bishops, and also some pope.
Surely a Pope cannot teach “ex cathedra” an heresy, but aside that, a Pope is capable of mortal sin, because is still free.
The prevenient grace of God keeps the Pope from teaching grave error, even when he is not speaking ex cathedra, and keeps the faith of the Pope from failing.
Yes, but this doesn’t necessarily imply that a Pope cannot be evil, or hypocrite, or selfish, or more focused about his own power than the wellness of the Church.
Popes can commit mortal sins pertaining to their personal lives. My understanding is they cannot teach grave error, commit apostasy, heresy, or schism, or commit any grave sin that would be contrary to the indefectibility of the Church (an intention to harm the Church; a plan to undermine dogma; etc.). I also do not think Popes can be thoroughly evil persons, though they can sin gravely.
Do you think is possible that a Pope, even though not teaching formally heresy, with his practical actions does help and boost the spreading of heresy into Church?
Pope Honorius I did not do enough to stop the spread of heresy. That is probably the limit to what a Pope could do.
Actually, Pope H1 helped the spreading of heresy. He was posthumously condamned for this by his successor (if I remember well).