Category Archives: Magisterium

Defining Acts versus Non-defining Acts

Posted on 3 June 2012 by Ron Conte

The Magisterium teaches either infallibly or non-infallibly. All teachings of the Magisterium are either infallible, and therefore without the possibility of error, or non-infallible, having only a limited possibility of error (but never to such an extent as to lead … Continue reading →

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Contraception Controversy: the unitive meaning

Posted on 24 May 2012 by Ron Conte

Sinful secular society not only approves of contraception as if it were moral, but also promotes contraception as if it were a moral obligation. More recently, some persons have begun to proclaim that contraception is a right, one that must … Continue reading →

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Faithful Dissent versus Blind Obedience

Posted on 9 May 2012 by Ron Conte

The universal Church has Christ as its head, and the Holy Spirit as its guide. All the faithful in Heaven, in Purgatory, and on earth are members of the universal Church. Even baptized non-Catholic Christians, and any non-Christians who may … Continue reading →

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How the SSPX nullifies the infallibility of the Magisterium

Posted on 21 April 2012 by Ron Conte

The Magisterium teaches infallibly in any of three ways: 1. Papal Infallibility 2. Conciliar Infallibility 3. ordinary and universal Magisterium These infallible teachings are preserved free from all stain of error by the work of the Holy Spirit. The faithful … Continue reading →

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new edition of Pope Pius XII’s Address to Midwives

Posted on 2 April 2012 by Ron Conte

I’ve just posted online a new edit of one of the most well-known and influential Papal addresses: the Address to Midwives by Pope Pius XII. The other online editions of this Address are substantially incomplete: Fisheaters.com PapalEncyclicals.net EWTN.com They lack … Continue reading →

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Why neither the Pope, nor the body of Bishops, can commit heresy

Posted on 18 March 2012 by Ron Conte

A valid Pope can never commit the sin of apostasy, or heresy, or schism, because God positively and absolutely prevents it. See my previous article: Can a Pope commit the sin of heresy? By the grace of God, and by … Continue reading →

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Birth Control and Church Authority

Posted on 17 March 2012 by Ron Conte

This post is an analysis of the theology in an article by Dr. Gary Gutting, professor of philosophy at Notre Dame University. The article was published in the New York Times: Birth Control, Bishops and Religious Authority (15 Feb 2012). … Continue reading →

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Is it heresy to reject the teachings of Vatican II?

Posted on 3 January 2012 by Ron Conte

I’m not convinced that nothing was taught by Vatican II under Conciliar infallibility. However, given the premise that all Vatican II doctrines were proposed non-infallibly, can it be a heresy to reject any particular teachings of Vatican II? Typically, a … Continue reading →

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Jeff Mirus’ Grave Doctrinal Errors on Infallibility

Posted on 4 December 2011 by Ron Conte

Dr. Jeff Mirus has a Ph.D. in Intellectual History from Princeton University (1973). Although his degree studies focused on the history of the Church, he does not have a degree in theology. Even so, like any other layperson in the … Continue reading →

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Heresy and the Priestly Ordination of Women

Posted on 23 October 2011 by Ron Conte

Dogma The teachings of the Catholic Faith are found in three sources: Sacred Tradition, Sacred Scripture, and the Magisterium. The Magisterium teaches from Tradition and Scripture, and also from natural law; but all the teachings of natural law are also … Continue reading →

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Latin Translation Error in Unam Sanctam

Posted on 20 October 2011 by Ron Conte

The document Unam Sanctam was issued by Pope Boniface VIII in November of 1302. It remains an important magisterial document because it teaches that the Church as two types of authority: 1. the spiritual authority (usually called the Magisterium or … Continue reading →

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The Next Liberal Pope and the Ordination of Women Deacons

Posted on 27 September 2011 by Ron Conte

I would like to cover two related topics in this post: (1) What will happen when, eventually, a liberal Pope is elected, and, (2) Does the Church have the authority to ordain women to the deaconate. On the first point, … Continue reading →

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