Separation of Church and State? Never!

In the light of the many confusing and modernist notions that have emanated from Rome since the Second Vatican Council, it is useful to turn to approved and classic works dealing with various aspects of true Catholic doctrine. For that reason I have re-read Fr. Denis Fahey's The Social Rights of Our Divine Lord Jesus Christ the King, which I first studied in 1990. This book was originally published, with Imprimatur, in 1932, and was adapted by Fr. Fahey from an earlier work in French by the Rev. A. Phillipe. In essence, it expounds the Catholic doctrine on the rights of Our Lord Jesus Christ in society.

The following quotes demonstrate the logical progression of Fahey's thought.  They are from the first section of the book, Chapters 1 through 6, which deal with the fundamental doctrine on Church and State. Subsequent chapters are concerned with the errors introduced into the modern mentality by the “Declaration of the Rights of Man” of 1789, and of ways to remedy them.

“Now the first truth – on which all others depend, and which imposes obligations on the creature – is that of the sovereign dominion of God over every creature and the absolute dependence of every creature on God.”   

“We can never lose sight of the fact that man is placed on earth to prepare for eternal happiness. All institutions, divine or human, have for their last end the glory of God and the salvation of souls”

“The constitutions of nations, their legislation . . . must like everything else, on account of this last end, be in conformity with the Eternal Law of God, with the Creed and with the Ten Commandments.”  

“The Sovereign Pontiffs have always taught that there should be a perfect understanding between Church and State. The reason of this is simple enough: Church and State are two institutions established by God.”

“Pius IX and Leo XIII have explicitly condemned the doctrine of the separation of Church and State.”   [Pius IX's Syllabus of Errors and Leo XIII's Immortale Dei and Libertas, are quoted in later chapters of the book.]

“Public homage of adoration and love, thanksgiving and reparation, is in fact owing to Christ in His Godhead. This homage is laid upon Christ as man, and upon all men by Christ as King.”

“It belongs then to His kingship to lay upon men and upon human society those various kinds of spiritual worship, for they are the only means, both for man and for society, to attain their final end, union with God in the Three Divine Persons.”  

“The Divine Master wants His Church to be in the world the instrument for the salvation of souls.” 

 

 “Every Society then must obey the Church as Christ Himself, for the Church is commissioned to explain His mind and will just as much to men gathered in society as to the individual.” 

A nod to the late Fr. Luigi Villa for inspiring the title of this post.