Some very strange things are happening of late, with regard to Michael Voris at RealCatholicTV, and the directive of the ordinary of the Archdiocese of Detroit that Voris cease to use the word "Catholic" in connection with his website.
In order to situate this matter in terms of historical precedent, I have decided to take a break from my usual topics, and the general orientation of this blog, in order to recount in detail an earlier episode where a similar directive was issued by another Catholic bishop to another Catholic lay apologist.
The quote which I reproduce above as the title of this post is taken from the first edition (page 131) of the USCCB Adult Catechism (2006).
I ask every Catholic reader to reflect upon these words very carefully.
If these words do not outrage and scandalize you, they should.
The words are heretical; the sentence directly contradicts Scripture, the Fathers, and the dogmatic teaching of Councils and Popes from the very beginning of the Church.
The words were the subject of a famous essay, in "Culture Wars" magazine, by a Catholic apologist who understood the stakes, and the theological implications, of an official promulgation of such an outrage in an official teaching document of a national bishops' conference.
The sentence was, as the result of an unprecedented decision, ordered removed from future editions of the USCCB Adult Catechism by the overwhelming vote of our bishops.
The Catholic lay apologist who wrote the "Culture Wars" essay?
Well, he was required by his bishop to remove the word "Catholic" from his website.
Just as Michael Voris has now been required by his bishop to remove the word "Catholic" from his website.
In this earlier case, the lay apologist instantly complied with what I believe the evidence will show was, in truth, a grotesquely unjust- but perfectly legal- directive.
Sometimes obedience involves the acceptance of even unjust directives from legitimate ecclesiastical authority.
We know by our Holy Faith that such obedience has its reward in heaven.
Down here, of course, it can seem more like hell on earth.
It is important to understand what those who stand firmly and steadfastly for the Faith can expect, in this awful time.
Because this matter continues to provoke great controversy in certain circles, I intend to recount it fully and accurately, with full documentation of the events on an accurate timeline.
I promise you, it will be worth the read.
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