This is a significant and important 20 page letter written to the Pope by a group of scholars. I hope Rome takes it seriously. I am in Rome right now two blocks away from the Vatican. I’d love to go over and beg Pope Francis to consider this letter seriously.  I am not saying that I agree or disagree with the letter but I agree with the frustration and the need for the Pope and the Vatican to respond and give clarification to the bushel basket of confusion they have created among the faithful

Below is a video from Fr. Joseph Fessio and Mark Brumley, the president of Ignatius Press, discussing the situation and encouraging the Pope and the Vatican to respond for the good of the Church.  Based on past experience I don’t think this will happen, but I sure agree with them that The Pope should respond and hope he does.

Here is the link to Jimmy Akin’s rebuttle of the letter accusing the pope of heresy.

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This Post Has 6 Comments

  1. Richard Pinion

    The real test will be if any bishops sign it.

  2. ACatholic

    Mr. Ray. I mean this in all sincerity, but I hope that you and other serious Catholics who have had little to no experience with the traditions of the Church that were altered following Vatican II realize that the last 50 years of chaos and confusion is chiefly the result of the infiltration of some extremely dark characters into the Church. The Mass is not meant to be a free for all as free for all in the Mass is the biggest cause of the free for all in doctrine. The men who changed the Mass wer keenly aware of lex orandi lex credendi and a "new mass" was there Trojan Horse for the doctrinal war we are engulfed in now. The Mass must be a serious sobering experience, as it is in the Traditional Latin Mass, and this is crucial for their to be peace and future generations of strong Catholics. Please, attend a Traditional Latin Mass and see for yourself. Study the Catechism of the Council of Trent, look at the numbers of vocations, parishes, and the strength of Catholic culture in general prior to Vatican II, look into Paul VI, listen to Taylor Marshall and Michael Matt on these subjects. The Church was healthy because it was authentic and uncompromising which is exactly what it needed most now. I pray that you will take the time to research these issues. The Church needs string evangelizers like you fighting for the truths of the Catholic Faith. Now is not the time to cling to the experiments of Vatican II that have decimated the Church and will continue to do so and result in more souls going to Hell. The Church needs an authentic and full return to tradition to once again capture the hearts of men and thereby save their souls.

    STEVE RAY HERE:

    Dear A Haggard

    God bless you and thank you for posting on my blog. Thank you also for your love of Mother Church.

    I am kind of surprised that you write to me as if I’m a newbie as if I have never read or heard or seen what you’re referring to.

    I have the Catechism of the Council of Trent and the documents of that council and use them frequently. I have quoted them in my five books with Ignatius Press that I’ve published.

    I follow Marshall Taylor on Twitter and I have frequently attended Latin Mass. And much more…

    However I am also loyal to Vatican II when it is taught correctly. I came into the church under the pontificate of John Paul 2 and loved Benedict more than I can say. They were able to incorporate Vatican II AS it was meant to be. Too bad others have hijacked it for their progressive ends.

    And don’t forget that the sex crisis did not start with Vatican II. It was pre-Vatican II priests who are already well on their way to causing the sex scandal we’re continuing to experience today.

    I am a loyal convert to the Catholic Church. I love the history and tradition of the church and I love the church today even with all its problems. But the problems are not new today. We have a different sort of problems but the church has never had a Golden Age.

    If I were to reject the current church and go back to a Radical Traditionalist “protest”, it would be like me jumping on a horse and then falling off the other side.

    Again, God bless you and our mutual love for the Church of Jesus Christ, known today as in days of old — as the Catholic Church.

    Sent from Steve Ray’s iPhone
    http://www.CatholicConvert.com
    http://www.FootprintsOfGod.com
    Twitter.com/JerusalemJones

  3. Mary McCurry

    To Steve Ray –
    Thank you, thank you, thank you!! for your response to A. Catholic Haggard. I grew up in the Trad Latin Mass with very devout and good Catholic parents. But that didn’t stop me from becoming an atheist at age 9 and leaving the Church altogether until I was converted (re-verted technically) at age 59 (in 2006) well into Vat II which was totally new to me. I came back into the Church with a ZEAL that has not died. I am not saying that either conversion was do to the Masses but I do claim that the Church, as the Mystical Body of Christ, was the overriding influence whose Holy Spirit cover me and continues to guide and protect me with the grateful ascent of my God given free will. Thank you again.
    And thanks to Mark Brumley who taught me well when I was a newbie and Fr Fessio who prays the Ordinary Form of the Mass with both reverence and beauty as I witnessed at the Carmelite Chapel of Cristo Rey in years past.
    God Bless you all,
    Mary McCurry, OCDS

  4. Michael Quigley

    STEVE RAY HERE RESPONDING TO MIKE’S COMMENT BELOW:

    Mike, thanks for your clear and concise thoughts. I couldn’t agree with you more on all points!

    MIKE WRITES:

    Thank you Steve Rey for posting this! Although I have not read it myself or know most of the signers (I am aware of one though, whom I will not mention, I recently read a rather sketchy article from him that "Vatican2 Catholicism" should die out, and blames some or many of the problems caused under Pope Francis papacy on….. none other than St. JPII and Pope Benedict HOW WRONG) by I agree with Fr. Fessio and the other Ignatius press guy, although this letter isn't really substantial evidence for accusing Pope Francis of heresy, it SHOULD be taken seriously because it does state some legitimate concerns, and goes to show how much confusion there is in the Church today…….and the Pope unfortunately continues to be silent about it. I also thank you Steve, for posting Jimmy Akin's reaction to the letter. I agree, the respectful asking of the Pope to clarify himself by Cardinal's Burke and Muller is much different than calling on the bishops of the world to call Pope Francis a heretic, without substantial evidence of real, formal heresy, will probably not be taken seriously by anyone in the Church. Likewise, Raymond Arroyo says something similar in a great interview with Fr. Fessio on The World Over, which I will share (because I know you are a fan of Raymond, Steve) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb0wLPIN-OY We need more sane and intelligent interviews like these. Thank You

    I also would like to add one rather disturbing thing. I observed that the more confusing Pope Francis and the bishops get…… the "radical traditionalists" movement seems to get bigger and angrier. Not only do these people go after our Pope in an uncharitable way (although I disagree with several things the Holy Father has done, he still deserves respect), they surprisingly attack conservative, orthodox Catholics who are not as extreme. An example of this is when is saw MANY if not most of the comments on Mr. Arroyo's video were negative or angry comments referring to Francis as 'pope' and ranting at Raymond, Fr. Fessio, and EWTN for being too soft on the Pope! For example: "I'm so done will EWTN! And I thought Raymond was on our side!" We should pray that Francis clarifies himself or something, because his actions are causing dangerous ripple effects. St. John Paul, pray for us and for our Church!

    God Bless

  5. Jim

    I think Jimmy Akin is right to say this brouhaha is a waste of everybody's time.
    I think if the pope is expected to reply to every accusation against him, all he will need to do as a pope is to waste his time replying to accusations. Jimmy Akin is right to say, the accusers need to be responsible enough to prove the merit of their accusations first before it's worthy of a response. And as Jimmy showed, they have clearly not.

    STEVE RAY HERE: He should definitely respond to challenges from his brother BISHOP’S and Cardinals.

  6. Sharita D'Souza

    Thank you Steve, I am a cradle Catholic from India, but my interest in understanding scriptures and Church doctrines really began after I heard your conversion story and your defending the catholic faith DVD’s (which my Parish Priest gave me to listen to).
    Thank you once again for defending Vatican II. I have come across Taylor Marshall’s videos on Youtube and though I feel blessed some of his work greatly helps people understand the Catholic faith, he also ridicules the entire Vatican II and emphasizes that the Church is infiltrated. For a brief period I literally started having my doubts over Vatican II and the fruits it has produced. I don’t have the intellectual ability to understand everything, but I think I have faith to know that Jesus will always protect His Church.

    Watching Taylor Marshall’s video’s really makes one feel like there is nothing but evil in the Church. I understand one should criticize the in-correct practices, but how about some charity as well?

    I really feel blessed to know your thoughts on this. God Bless you and your family.
    – Sharita

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