Some people are asking me where the danger is in the Papal interviews and messages. They sense something is not correct as so many of the statements are opposite of what they have learned and studied. But, many cannot put their finger on the roots of the problems or confusions.
There is one word which covers all the areas of chaos and that is modernism. I have put the great encyclicals against modernism as links on the blog and referred to these many times.
Modernism is a label which covers many errors. These heresies are just some which fall under the modernist label.
Indifferentism
Eirensism
Immanentism
False Ecumenism
Agnosticism
Kantianism
Pantheism
Universal Salvation
Socialism
Marxism
False Collegiality
Democracy instead of Hierarchy
And, if one wants a complete list of the Church's condemnation of these and others, check out these documents, from this list on the Catholic Encyclopedia site.
The following are the principal decrees or documents expressly directed against modernism.
- The pope's address on 17 April, 1907, to the newly-created cardinals. It is a résumé which anticipates the Encyclical"Pascendi".
- A letter from the Congregation of the Index of 29 April, 1907, to the Cardinal Archbishop of Milan with regard to the review "Il Rinnovamento". In it we find more concrete notions of the tendencies which the popes condemn. The letter even goes so far as to mention the names of Fogazzaro, Father Tyrrell, von Hügel and the Abbate Murri.
- Letters from Pius X, 6 May, 1907, to the archbishops and bishops and to the patrons of the Catholic Institute of Paris. It shows forth clearly the great and twofold care of Pius X for the restoration of sacred studies and Scholastic philosophy, and for the safeguarding of the clergy.
- The decree "Lamentabili" of the Holy Office, 3-4 July, 1907, condemning 65 distinct propositions.
- The injunction of the Holy Office, "Recentissimo", of 28 August, 1907, which with a view to remedying the evil, enjoinscertain prescriptions upon bishops and superiors of religious orders.
- The Encyclical "Pascendi", of 8 September, 1907, of which we shall speak later on.
- Three letters of the Cardinal Secretary of State, of 2 and 10 October, and of 5 November, 1907, on the attendance of theclergy at secular universities, urging the execution of a general regulation of 1896 on this subject. The Encyclical had extended this regulation to the whole Church.
- The condemnation by the Cardinal-Vicar of Rome of the pamphlet "Il programma dei modernisti", and a decree of 29 October, 1907, declaring the excommunication of its authors, with special reservations.
- The decree Motu Proprio of 18 November, 1907, on the value of the decisions of the Biblical Commission, on the decree"Lamentabili", and on the Encyclical "Pascendi". These two documents are again confirmed and upheld by ecclesiastical penalties.
- The address at the (Consistory of 16 December, 1907.
- The decree of the Holy Office of 13 February, 1908, in condemnation of the two newspapers, "La Justice sociale" and "La Vie Catholique". Since then several condemnations of the books have appeared.
- The Encyclical "Editae" of 26 May, 1910, renewed the previous condemnations.
- Still stronger is the tone of the Motu Proprio "Sacrorum Antistitum", of 1 September, 1910, declared:
- by a decree of the Consistorial Congregations of 25 September, 1910. This Motu Proprio inveighs against modernist obstinacy and specious cunning. After having quoted the practical measures prescribed in the Encyclical "Pascendi", the pope urges their execution, and, at the same time, makes new directions concerning the formation of the clergy in the seminaries and religious houses. Candidates for higher orders, newly appointed confessors, preachers, parish priests,canons, the beneficed clergy, the bishop's staff, Lenten preachers, the officials of the Roman congregations, or tribunals, superiors and professors in religious congregations, all are obliged to swear according to a formula which reprobates the principal modernist tenets.
- The pope's letter to Prof. Decurtins on literary modernism.