Saint John Henry Newman, and the dangers of Sugary Smiles

[Michie]

Today is the Solemnity of S John Henry Newman; I offer a word of caution.

When Amoris Laetitia emerged, it was followed by a News Conference compered by the Schoenborn of Vienna. When Diana Montagna asked the very sensible question ... whether this were not a change in doctrine ... the Graf flashed on that ghastly sugary smile which, he presumably thinks, makes him look charming, and told her that it was "Development" and that it was "all in Newman".

We may find ourselves hearing more of this kind of trickery: it needs to be nailed.

S John Henry wrote on The Development of Christian Doctrine while he was still an Anglican. He wanted to satisfy himself that the contemporary Roman Catholic Church really was identical with the Apostolic and 'primitive' Churches ... despite any superficial appearances to the contrary! In the course of writing, any doubts he had were resolved, and he sought admission into the One Fold of the Redeemer. In so doing, he left his essay unfinished. It still is.

Newman did NOT write that work so as to provide future papal regimes with a useful blueprint for changing doctrine.

His message was NOT: "Hey, all you future Heretical Holinesses in the Henceforth, you wanna change dogma? Here's a good wheeze: Just call it "Development"!!"



Liturgical Footnote:

Continued below.

Saint John Henry Newman, and the dangers of Sugary Smiles

Today is the Solemnity of S John Henry Newman ; I offer a word of caution. When Amoris Laetitia emerged, it was followed by a News Conferenc...

liturgicalnotes.blogspot.com

 

[Michie]

By his abuse of Catholics’ already-unhealthy overemphasis on the papacy, Pope Francis is leading many of them to now look more closely at the underlying official teaching

Not long ago Pope Francis, in lamenting the existence of “backward-looking” American Catholics, said that “doctrine evolves…doctrine also progresses, expands and consolidates with time and becomes firmer, but it is always progressing.” The pope was essentially arguing that Catholics should not be upset about potential changes to doctrine, because doctrine is not static, but always developing.

Well, yes and no.

Development of doctrine is a concept made most famous by St. John Henry Newman in the 19th century, but it is an idea that actually goes back to the early Church, particularly to St. Vincent of Lerins, whom the Holy Father is fond of quoting. It’s a concept well-accepted by Catholics, but also one little understood.

Continued below.

How Pope Francis Is Inadvertently Developing the Doctrine of the Papacy

By Eric Sammons - By his abuse of Catholics’ already-unhealthy overemphasis on the papacy, Pope Francis is leading many of them to now look more closely at the underlying official teaching.

crisismagazine.com