Why Sedevacantism and Independent Traditional Catholicism is Wrong

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Anonymous said...

Thank you Mr. Hoyle for your humility in coming back to the Catholic Church, and for the extensive research here. A few more quotes from the pre-Conciliar Magisterium:

"Do not admit anyone to the clergy, entrust to no one the ministry of the mysteries of God, allow no one to hear confessions or preach sermons, do not transfer any administration or office to anyone, before you carefully weigh, examine and “test their spirit to see if they are of God.”- Pius VII, Diu Satis

“It behooves priests to be subject to the bishops, whom “they are to look upon as the parents of their souls,” as Jerome admonishes. Nor may the priests ever forget that they are forbidden by ancient canons to undertake ministry and to assume the tasks of teaching and preaching 'without the permission of their bishop to whom the people have been entrusted; an accounting for the souls of the people will be demanded from the bishop.'" - Gregory XVI, Mirari Vos

"From the seminary on, the future priest must learn to give filial and sincere obedience to his superiors in order to be always ready later on to obey his Bishop docilely according to the teaching of the invincible Athlete of Christ, Ignatius of Antioch: “Obey ye all the bishop as Jesus Christ obeyed the Father''. “He who honors the bishop is honored by God''. “He who does anything without the Bishop’s knowledge, serves the devil.” “Do nothing without the bishop, keep your body like the temple of God, love union, flee discord, be an imitator of Jesus Christ as He was an imitator of His Father”. - Pius XII, Menti Nostrae

“Let the authority of their Bishops be sacred to the priest; let the latter be convinced that their ministry will be neither holy, nor profitable, nor respected, if it be not exercised under the guidance of their Bishops.” - Leo XIII, Nobilissima Gallorum Gens

“Let them favour common action; let them willingly submit to those "whom the Holy Ghost has set as Bishops to rule over the Church of God;" let them respect their authority and never undertake anything against the will of those they should look on as their leaders in the battle for Catholic interests.” - ibid.

“For it is not priests alone, but all the faithful without exception, who must concern themselves with the interests of God and souls — not, of course, according to their own views, but always under the direction and orders of the bishops; for to no one in the Church except you is it given to preside over, to teach, to ‘govern the Church of God which the Holy Ghost has placed you to rule.’” - St. Pius X, E Supremi

“This episcopal power includes by its very nature clerical discipline regarding the sacred ministry and the conduct of the priests, for the priests are attached to the bishop like the strings of a lyre.” - Leo XIII, Iampridem

Finally, Leo XIII addresses the SSPX who privately judge that their local bishop isn't worthy of obedience to justify their "state of necessity":

“Among the prelates, indeed, one or other there may be affording scope to criticism either in regard to personal conduct or in reference to opinions by him entertained about points of doctrine; but no private person may arrogate to himself the office of judge which Christ our Lord has bestowed on that one alone whom He placed in charge of His lambs and of His sheep. Let every one bear in mind that most wise teaching of Gregory the Great: ‘Subjects should be admonished not rashly to judge their prelates, even if they chance to see them acting in a blameworthy manner, lest, justly reproving what is wrong, they be led by pride into greater wrong. They are to be warned against the danger of setting themselves up in audacious opposition to the superiors whose shortcomings they may notice. Should, therefore, the superiors really have committed grievous sins, their inferiors, penetrated with the fear of God, ought not to refuse them respectful submission.’” - Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christianae