Who will be in schism?

If the pope and bishops objectively defect from the Faith, exactly who will be in schism?

Let us consider the scenario where Pope Francis does officially approve a document on the reception of the Eucharist that is in open contradiction to authoritative, dogmatic Church doctrine on faith and morals – that is, the doctrine concerning the immorality of receiving the Eucharist while in a state of mortal sin. In that case, the pope and the bishops who formally approve such a teaching would themselves have defected from the Apostolic Faith, and they would therefore be the ones in schism. As manifest heretics, they would no longer be part of the Church, the mystical body of Christ. Those who retain the true faith would still remain Roman Catholics.

If this does occur, there will probably be innumerable Catholics who can no longer in good conscience follow those bishops and priests who have left the Faith.

St. Athanasius, fourth century: “It is a fact that they have the premises – but you have the Apostolic Faith. They can occupy our churches, but they are outside the true Faith. You remain outside the places of worship, but the Faith dwells within you” (see link).

If they have no place to worship, these faithful will be nourished by the Rosary, spiritual communion, meditation, spiritual reading, and praying the traditional Mass using a missal. Hopefully they will coalesce into groups and come to know one another. Perhaps they may become so effectively organized within a diocese that they can even consider electing a true bishop to be followed in lieu of one who has defected.

Nota Bene:  Of course the Faith of Peter cannot fail according to Christ's promise. Therefore if the one sitting on the Chair of Peter openly defects, it indicates he had already lost the Faith prior to his election, and was not a true pope to begin with.

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Frank Rega, www.frankrega.com