Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 11, 2023 / 17:13 pm (CNA).
Cardinal-elect Víctor Manuel Fernández, who is poised to take up his position as the head of the Vatican’s chief doctrinal office in the coming days, has signaled an openness to theological debates, saying they help deepen the Church’s understanding of the Gospel.
“True doctrine can only be a light, a guide for our steps, a sure path and a joy for the heart. But it is clear that even the Church does not yet fully grasp the full richness of the Gospel,” Fernández told veteran Vatican journalist Edward Pentin of the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news outlet, in an exclusive interview conducted by email on Sept. 8.
“The doctrine does not change, the Gospel will always be the same, Revelation is already settled,” said the incoming prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. “But there is no doubt that the Church will always be tiny in the midst of such an immensity of truth and beauty and will always need to continue to grow in her understanding.”
The 61-year-old Argentine theologian also criticized bishops — both “progressive” and those from “traditionalist groups” — who think they have a “special gift of the Holy Spirit to judge the doctrine of the Holy Father,” warning that are on a road to “heresy” and “schism.”
“Remember that heretics always think they know the true doctrine of the Church,” Fernández said.
Fernández, a close confidante and purported ghostwriter of Pope Francis who has been the archbishop of La Plata since 2018, has expressed an openness to consider Church blessings of same-sex unions, provided they don’t result in “confusion.” But in the interview with Pentin he chafed at media implications that his views align with the German Church’s so-called Synodal Way, which has called for dramatic changes to the Church’s teaching on sexual morality and other issues.
The cardinal-elect said the German Church “has serious problems and obviously has to think about a new evangelization,” but he professed to know “little about it” and instead highlighted what he calls his own “formula for dealing with the religious indifference of society” in the way he evangelized as a priest and bishop in Argentina.
“Look, my most famous book is called ‘Los Cinco Minutos del Espiritu Santo’ (‘The 5 Minutes of the Holy Spirit’) and contains a daily meditation on the Holy Spirit that has sold 150,000 copies. Did you know that?” Fernández asked.
“On the other hand, I was a parish priest and I was also a diocesan bishop. Go and ask the faithful in my parish what I did when I was parish priest, and you will see: Eucharistic adoration, catechism courses, Bible courses, home missions with Our Lady and a prayer to bless the home. I had 10 prayer groups and 130 young people,” he continued.
“As diocesan bishop I used to ask people about what I’d discuss in my homilies in the cathedral and in my visits to the parishes: about Christ, about prayer, about the Holy Spirit, about Mary, about sanctification. And last year I proposed to the whole archdiocese to concentrate on ‘growing together towards holiness.’”
Pope Francis on July 1 named Fernández to succeed Cardinal Luis Ladaria Ferrer, SJ, 79, who has been prefect of the dicastery since 2017.
“As the new prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, I entrust to you a task that I consider very valuable,” Pope Francis wrote in a letter to Fernández, published with the announcement of his appointment.
The pope said the dicastery at times has promoted pursuing “doctrinal errors” over “promoting theological knowledge.”
“What I expect from you is certainly something very different,” Francis said. “I ask you as prefect to dedicate your personal commitment in a more direct way to the main purpose of the dicastery, which is ‘guarding the faith.’”
Fernández struck a similar chord in discussing his new role in his interview with Pentin.
“I believe that this dicastery can be a space that can welcome these debates and frame them in the secure doctrine of the Church, thus avoiding for the faithful some of the more aggressive, confusing, and even scandalous media debates,” he said.
But he had more pointed things to say about bishops who judge the “doctrine of the Holy Father.”
The pope not only has a duty to guard and preserve the “static” deposit of faith, Fernández said, but also a second, unique charism, only given to Peter and his successors, which is “a living and active gift.”
“I do not have this charism, nor do you, nor does Cardinal [Raymond] Burke. Today only Pope Francis has it,” he said, an apparent reference to a preface that Burke wrote for a book that is critical of next month’s Synod on Synodality.
“Now, if you tell me that some bishops have a special gift of the Holy Spirit to judge the doctrine of the Holy Father, we will enter into a vicious circle (where anyone can claim to have the true doctrine) and that would be heresy and result in schism,” he said.
“Remember that heretics always think they know the true doctrine of the Church. Unfortunately, today, not only do some progressives fall into this error but also, paradoxically, do some traditionalist groups.”
You can read Pentin’s full interview with Fernández here.
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Cardinal-elect Victor Fernández seems to have a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. On December 8, 2020 he ended the national Marian Year in Argentina with a beautiful homily and prayer of dedication to Mary. In his homily he spoke of the Heart of Mary as the most complete Gospel. The homily and prayer can be found in English and Spanish here:https://eccematertua.com/sites/ecce/files/fernandez.pdf
Didn’t Karl Rahner, SJ, also have a deep devotion to Mary?
If he did, this did not prevent him from soon enough going off solid doctrinal rails to push his version of the “doctrine of Rahner” that Jesuits like Pope Francis still revere and unwisely emulate in many respects.
Moreover, Rahner was one of the great practitioners of linguistic acrobatics during the mid-20th century up until his death in 1984, and this ongoing twisting of language instead of writing with greater clarity is often seen in today’s modernist theologians like Pope Francis to help advance their modernist ideas.
Indeed, Francis and his ghost writers (like Fernández) are great practitioners of studied ambiguity, and a fine and even deep devotion to Our Lady by any of these modernists does not prevent these people from still dishonoring Our Lady by constantly (and Proudly) informing the Faithful that they have special insights and charisms that permit them to alter her Son’s divine and perennial teaching, and then present their gobbledygook and heretical or at least hereticalesque statements as essential to help the Church “continue to grow in her understanding.”
They “judge the doctrine of the Holy Father, they are on a road to heresy and schism. He has a unique and special charism, a gift (Cardinal-elect Víctor Manuel Fernández per Edward Pentin).
Faith informs us that the Roman pontiff has a unique charism in resolving controversies. It doesn’t suggest that he’s infallible in everything he says or does. His preeminent duty is to defend the doctrine of the faith. But then, why, according to Pope Francis, is pursuing errors juxtaposed against guarding the faith? If we assess these concepts of papal charisma the message is that this pontiff, Francis, has the unique gift of expressing a doctrine that further realizes the beauty of the Gospels. That is, in effect, a new revelation. And if we attempt to judge this revelation, we risk schism.
Having just read [Regnum Christi responds to accusations] of the mind control and requisite of complete obedience imposed by the Legionaries of Christ over female aspirants to the religious life, there’s similarity in content and purpose. If His Holiness seeks total control while preaching collegiality he chose the right man. Although that doesn’t remove our right to question, and if necessary challenge what is inconsistent with revelation.
We read from the ghost writer: “But he had more pointed things to say about bishops who judge the ‘doctrine of the Holy Father’.”
As John Henry Cardinal Newman (in step with Vincent of Lerins) wrote of papal infallibility: “The effect of the definition is “not to enfeeble the freedom or vigour of human thought in religious speculation, but to resist and control its extravagance” (“Apologia Pro Vita Sua”).
Which brings us to the natural law and moral absolutes which are now an explicit part of the magisterium, identified as such by the very recent “Holy Father” St. John Paul II. What, exactly, does Fernandez have to say in direct response to Veritatis Splendor (nn. 56, 115, 95) on the coherence (!) between, yes, fixed revelation and, what, ambulatory (?) praxis, other than that Veritatis Splendor “didn’t go far enough” (wasn’t “extravagant” enough)?
From Veritatis Splendor:
“A separation, or even an opposition [!], is thus established in some cases between the teaching of the precept, which is valid and general, and the norm of the individual conscience, which would in fact make the final decision [no longer a ‘moral judgment’!] about what is good and what is evil. On this basis, an attempt is made to legitimize so-called ‘pastoral’ solutions [!] contrary to the teaching of the Magisterium, and to justify a ‘creative’ hermeneutic according to which the moral conscience is in no way obliged, in every case, by a particular negative precept [thou shalt not!]” (Veritatis Splendor, n. 56).
And, “This is the first time, in fact, that the MAGISTERIUM of the Church [caps added!] has set forth in detail the fundamental elements of this [‘moral’] teaching, and presented the principles for the pastoral discernment necessary in practical and cultural situations which are complex and even crucial” (n. 115).
And, as for possible extravagance, “The Church is no way [!] the author or the arbiter of this [‘moral’] norm” (n. 95).
P.S. Framing the “concern” accurately…
under what myopic circumstances can the Church bless homosexual unions, thereby enabling and fostering the further proliferation of the homosexual lifestyle, a “style” which by its very nature does not multiply itself biologically?
Why is foster-Father James Martin awarded a seat at the Synod while a representative of Courage International (couragerc.org) is not equally welcome?
A translation of the weaponized ambiguity from the Dicastery for the a Doctrine of Fernández.
Bishops, only the reigning Pope Francis has the charism to understand and promulgate the living progressive new ways ministry of the Holy Spirit. Even if previous saintly pontificates, Sacred Scripture and Tradition said otherwise, Pope Francis has the only say. Christ changed his rigorist ways toward the Canaanite woman. The Pope corrected his prayer to the Father, etc. The Holy Spirit has given the living Pope the authority to roll out worldwide my new ideas in Amoralist Laetitia to bypass “static” doctrine. “At this point,” we have made few additions to practice. Expect the living Pope after the upcoming Synod to promulgate the draft document I have written to implement the practice of a blessing for same-sex unions that “can be carried out without causing confusion.”
Do you disagree? Close your mouth and pucker up or we will fire you like the “poor man” Burke or Puerto Rico you like the Tyler Ordinary. Capeesh? XOXO 💋
The writings of Cardinal-designate Fernández are similar to those of Marie-Dominique Philippe, O.P.
For instance, consider the Mysteries of Mary. They are profoundly pious. In practice, one has to wonder if there is a special morality, for the truly devoted, where it is God’s will that we “love” beyond the static Commandments. No way, right? Such morality is for everyone with Amoralist Laetitia. It is very modern, never rigid, inclusive. Repentance is not required for those who practice “porno-mysticism.” 💋
Love the kissing-art-lips.
I enjoy your satire, but for some reason it makes me think of this whole pontificate as the Manson Family whenever Charlie or his right hand man Tex Watson speaks to reporters.
Speaking of the unique living Holy Spirit inspired “doctrine of Pope Francis,” one thinks of the cut and paste the Pope did with Fernández’s innovative ideas in Amoralist Laetitia. Perhaps ideologies are meant to be borrowed?
This interview sounds so similar to Fr. Cut and Paste Rosicophant, CSB:
“Pope Francis breaks Catholic traditions whenever he wants because he is ‘free from disordered attachments.’ Our Church has indeed entered a new phase: with the advent of this first Jesuit pope, it is openly ruled by an individual rather than by the authority of Scripture alone or even its own dictates of tradition plus Scripture.”
“At this point it is clear”…
Yep. That doctrine of Francis says it ALL, so well, so completely, so fully that it is too much for us mere faithful folk. We cannot hold onto it. It is WAY too much for us to carry. If Francis could instead offer it to Jesus so He could take it on His Way and then do with it what He wilt.
“The doctrine does not change, the Gospel will always be the same, Revelation is already settled,” said the incoming prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. “But there is no doubt that the Church will always be tiny in the midst of such an immensity of truth and beauty and will always need to continue to grow in her understanding.” [Fernandez seems to minimize the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ. Nowhere does scripture describe her as ‘tiny.’]
The 61-year-old Argentine theologian also criticized bishops — both “progressive” and those from “traditionalist groups” — who think they have a “special gift of the Holy Spirit to judge the doctrine of the Holy Father,” warning that are on a road to “heresy” and “schism.” [Fernandez would recognize heresy and schism? Maybe he could suggest a tiny definition, a picture, or a poem so we could, without doubt, recognize it!]
“Remember that heretics always think they know the true doctrine of the Church,” Fernández said. [Fernandez, Trend-Setter?]
“New doctrine chief . . . warns bishops about ‘schism’ risks”.
Sounds like a threat to me.
More like a push on the back toward an open exit door.
Christ wants us to stay in His Catholic Church.