Expert: Fr. Michael - 9/16/2010

Question
QUESTION: This is a follow up question to Fr. Michael's answer about visiting a Moslem Temple.  He instructed that "As a Catholic, you cannot engage in false worship.  That is a grave sin against the First Commandment and smacks of heresy.
How did the Pope avoid falling into this danger as he has given the example of attending Moslem worship? Answer to
Francis,

This is a wonderful question which requires a more nuanced answer than someone like Fr. Michael gave.  Judging by his profile, he may or may not be in communion with the church.  Self-described traditionalists are often members of "independent Catholic churches" or the Society of St. Pius X.  

I am a traditional Catholic in that I believe in what the Church has always taught and will always teach, but these so-called traditionalists have a false opinion of the church and the world before the mid-20th century.

In the case of Muslim worship, it is best not to take part in the totality of their worship.  There is nothing wrong with going to observe out of respect-and ask your friend if this is ok- for you to observe rather than actively participate.  (Likewise, when I invite non-Catholics to Mass, I expect them only to participate to the extent they feel comfortable.)

With regards to the actions of recent Popes praying with non-Christians and in other houses of worship, these prayers are ecumenical and do not compromise the Catholic faith in any way.
I hope this helps,
Cody
Do you agree?  this Cody answer does not really answer the point is He violating the 1st Commandment, giving scandle?


ANSWER: What you describing is certainly not "traditional Catholicism."  You are espousing the teaching of the New Order sect.

The dogma of the Catholic Church has been that there is one true Faith established by Jesus Christ, the Catholic Faith.  It is irrational for contradictory Faiths, teaching contrary doctrine and morality, to be simultaneously true.

The Muslim believes that Mohammedanism is the true Faith.  At least that is an honest (if erroneous belief) on his part.  A Catholic attending such a service would be publicly denying the true Faith.  "Ecumenism," embracing such concepts as "we all worship the same god," "all gods are the same," has traditionally been condemned by the Catholic Church.  True, the New Order sect embraces it.

"Nuancing" is a fancy New Order term used to deny the Catholic Faith without the denier having the honesty of coming right out and saying so.  Our Lord says:  "But let your speech be yea, yea:  no, no:  and that which is over and above these, is of evil (Matthew 5:37/DRV).  Our Lord did not "nuance."  He spoke God's own truth directly.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Father, you did not answer part of my question.  Can a man do what was done at the Blue Mosque at Istanbul and hold the Catholic faith and an office in the Roman Catholic Church?

Answer
Essentially, what you are asking is:  can the pope be a heretic?  Catholic theology allows for this possibility.  The Vatican I Council in its preparatory work found forty heretical popes out of about 250.

There are technical problems with finding a pope a heretic.  The  heresy cannot just be material, such as participating at the Blue Mosque, but formal.  That is a higher standard to prove to result in the loss of office, and there is really no clear procedure set up for making such a finding.

Therefore, according to the Fathers and Doctors, one must simply refuse to obey such a pope suffused with the "odor of heresy," as the term is (as did St. Augustine, for one example) and wait for the judgment of history, which is often retroactive (as in the case of Liberius).