AMORIS LAETITIA: The Denial of Justification

The marriage of Princess Grace and Prince Ranier of Monaco

"Satan now surrounds the Sacrament of Matrimony as a vulture awaiting the death of the Catholic heart."

The above quotation from Mr James Larson's examination of Amoris Laetitia is a disturbing reminder of what is at stake for the Church and the world if it continues to be hypnotized by the degeneracy of Modernism which is eating away the Faith.  In Part One of Mr Larson's study  and Part Two, (both which are on Mr Larosn's website.) the author walks us through the thorny path leading to the dire reality, found in Part Three below. 

Amoris Laetitia: Part III
Modernism Invades the Catholic Heart

“The final battle between the Lord and the reign of Satan will be about marriage and the family.” (from Sister Lucia of Fatima’s letter to Cardinal Carlo Caffara)

The many critiques of Amoris Laetitia which have been penned in recent weeks are replete with accusations of errors in regard to moral theology: Situation Ethics, Consequentialism, Fundamental Option, Gradualism, etc. However, while all these errors are present, they do not penetrate to the fundamental, very specific heresy which underlies all the rest: the denial of the Catholic doctrine of Justification as taught by the Council of Trent. Pope Francis writes the following:

“For true charity is always unmerited, unconditional and gratuitous.” (296).

The Council of Trent teaches just the opposite. While the grace of charity is totally unmerited in itself (what Thomas calls first grace), it is not unmerited or unconditional in its application to the human soul. It is in fact the most merited thing in human life, requiring the subjection of the mind and will to God’s revealed truth, and the renunciation of all objective mortal sin.

Francis, in direct contradiction to Trent, teaches that “in an objective situation of sin [in the context of Amoris Laetitia, the adulterous situation of those civilly divorced and remarried is here clearly indicated] – which may not be subjectively culpable, or fully such – a person can be living in God’s grace, can love and can also grow in the life of grace and charity…(305).”

There can be no possession of charity, and no “living in God’s grace” for one living in objective mortal sin. As the Council of Trent teaches, with one mortal sin charity and justification are lost. Nor can such a person “grow in the life of grace and charity.” As Trent also makes clear, sanctifying grace and charity may indeed grow and increase, but only where justification and charity are already present.

Sister Lucia’s statement quoted above, that the final battle between Christ and Satan will be “about marriage and the family”, might at first sight seem quite surprising. We might protest that there are deeper theological issues and doctrines which would surely have to hold a higher priority for Satan’s malice and plan of attack – such things as the divinity of Christ, or the truths concerning the Incarnation. We might further claim that even greater damage has done by such things as false ecumenism, religious indifferentism, the banalities of the New Mass, or the prostitution of the priesthood and the religious life to the world. I think, however, that we need to look deeper in order to perceive the depth of the threatened devastation which is now upon us.

Read the whole article here.

Charles, Zita and at far right the Emperor Joseph, responsible for the vetoing of Cardinal Rampolla at the conclave which gave us St Pius X