Pope Pius XI: “Wherefore, let the faithful also be on their guard against the overrated independence of private judgment and that false autonomy of human reason. For it is quite foreign to everyone bearing the name of a Christian to trust his own mental powers with such pride as to agree only with those things which he can examine from their inner nature, and to imagine that the Church, sent by God to teach and guide all nations, is not conversant with present affairs and circumstances; or even that they must obey only in those matters which she has decreed by solemn definition as though her other decisions might be presumed to be false or putting forward insufficient motive for truth and honesty. Quite to the contrary, a characteristic of all true followers of Christ, lettered or unlettered, is to suffer themselves to be guided and led in all things that touch upon faith or morals by the Holy Church of God through its Supreme Pastor the Roman Pontiff, who is himself guided by Jesus Christ Our Lord.”

It is as if Pius XI is speaking to Catholics today. Most of the problems regarding rebellion against Pope Francis is based on those who are unwilling to be guided by the Pope, the body of Bishops, and the Councils. They often speak as if they are only bound by solemn definitions. They presume that any non-infallible decisions are false whenever these decisions contradict their own ideas.

The opponents of Pope Francis put their own reasonings and private judgment above the authority of the Pope and Bishops. They constantly claim that the Pope is wrong, and the main reason seems to be that the Pope dared to contradict their own private judgment and human reasoning.

The opponent of the Pope will “trust his own mental powers with such pride as to agree only” when the Pope teaches the opponent’s own understanding. Some of these papal accusers even complain when the Pope teaches in different wording than they would use. This is not faith. It is reason alone, and the reason of fallen sinners, who have rejected Church authority.

Pius XI teaches that the Roman Pontiff “is himself guided by Jesus Christ Our Lord.” And this is not only true when the Pope teaches infallibly.

Ronald L Conte Jr