Skip to main content

The Apostolic Exhortation and the Abolishment of the Sin of Presumption - The Remnant

+
JMJ

What will be the effect of the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia ?

Because of its silence and ambiguity, where the documents of V2 devastated the liturgical and doctrinal life of the Church, AEAL will destroy the moral life the of Church.

P^3

Courtesy of the Remnant





The Apostolic Exhortation and the Abolishment of the Sin of Presumption

Written by  Michael J. Matt and Thomas More
Rate this item
(76 votes)
PopeAttendsHolyMassOpeningExtraordinaryf3RnEq3OGtylThe New Synodal Church at Work
Cardinals Dolan (L) and Wuerl Attend Mass for the Opening of the Extraordinary Synod On the Family in Rome Last October
There is no other way to say this: Despite its protestations to the contrary Amoris Laetitia represents an attempt to achieve a revolution in Catholicism at the expense of the prior teaching of the Church on the indissolubility of marriage and reception of the Eucharist.

In addition, and on a more mundane level, it is a tediously long and verbose piece of poorly-written and thought-out amateur post-modern-deconstructionist sociology.

In order to achieve its aim of deconstructing the sacraments of Matrimony and the Eucharist, the tome paints the picture of sacramental marital love as a torture chamber of abuse, domination, sexism, exploitation and endless financial and emotional travails.

The sacrament of Matrimony, it is claimed, subjects its participants to the need to mutually beg constant forgiveness and afford each other mercy on an on-going basis.

Indeed, in what would appear to be extremely disturbing language representing significant confusion about the nature of spousal love, the work attempts to point out that hurdles to staying married for life include the growing ugliness and infirmity that accompany old age.  Such assertions are simply incomprehensible and reflect what, in light of the hierarchy's recent behavior, could be interpreted as being a disturbing glorification of and fascination with youth. 

Drawing upon such diverse and meaningful sources as "Eastern masters," Erich Fromm, Martin Luther King, Babette’s Feast, and numerous and plethora of Pope Francis's own prior statements, and, on occasion even selective quotes from the Bible, the author demands that the Church accept and not comment negatively about divorce and adultery.  This, he asserts, will minimize the frequency of those phenomena.  

Moreover, despite the horrific nature of sacramental marriage which he depicts, the author nonetheless purports to make a case for encouraging those in irregular unions to become sacramentally married.  The question as to why someone "living in sin" would seek to enter into such an horrific institution is not readily answered, especially since, it would seem, the institution is no longer to be considered de facto indissoluble, even if it is, currently, theoretically de jure indissoluble. Indeed, at one point marriage is actually called a contract in the document. 

Moreover, with regard to the so-called concept of graduality, it must be noted that it, effectively, results in Amoris Laetitia asserting that all actions are more or less equivalent. It does this by asserting that even in bad things, good things subsist.  Thus, it follows that bad things are really good. Cohabitation, for example, reflects affection, affection is good, therefore, cohabitation is good. 

Further, the so-called concept of gradualness facilitates adulterers (who are in grave sin) receiving Communion.  This is to be accomplished, depending on the facts of the situation.  But one thing is asserted strongly:  No one is to be kept away from Communion forever. 

Although only the rapprochement of those in "irregular relationships" is considered, there would appear to be no rational basis for refusing to extend the logic involved to all of those in grave sin.  The reception of Communion by all grave sinners, of whatever kind, is left to the conscience of the sinner and their pastor.  This is one undoubted time bomb of a slippery slope contained in Amoris Laetitia; another is the justification for a married priesthood; and, who knows, perhaps even a gay and married priesthood.  The floodgates have opened, and who are we to judge?

Finally, no one in the congregation has a right to be scandalized by this, it would seem. Scandal and banning from Communion are perhaps only to apply to those who engage in social injustice, something for which Pope Francis unsurprisingly expresses deep disdain.     

In terms of discernment, it would appear that all Catholics, including Catholic bishops, now have some discerning of their own to do.  We now await the leadership that has been sorely lacking heretofore.

In the meantime, we are left to reassure ourselves that, well, the Exhortation is not as bad as it could have been. As one jubilant observer put it, “Hey, we really dodged a bullet here!” 

Really? So that’s how far down the rabbit hole we’ve plunged, where “dodging heretical bullets” in papal Exhortations is sufficient grounds for a declaration of victory?  (Do these commentators even hear themselves anymore?)

No bullet was actually dodged here, of course. Everything is exactly on schedule. This Exhortation is Act I in an ongoing “synodal process” designed to establish the ‘new Church’ about which we heard so much at the Synod on the Family in Rome last October.

At the final press conference, Cardinal Peter Turkson explained how this new process will work, how it's going to take years to set up this 'new Church', and how at next year's Synod, for example, the question of same-sex unions will be tackled:



So, buckle up.

Is it an exaggeration to suggest that Rome's Mercy Madness represents the de facto abolishment of one of the two sins against the Holy Ghost? 
The Catholic Encyclopedia notes that Presumption is a “vice opposed to the theological virtue of hope. It may also be regarded as a product of pride. It may be defined as the condition of a soul which, because of a badly regulated reliance on God’s mercy and power, hopes for salvation without doing anything to deserve it, or for pardon of his sins without repenting of them.”

Sound familiar? 

It would seem that this is not the end but rather the beginning of the crucifixion of the Mystical Body of Christ in the modern world.

"
Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

News Roundup: July 11, 2025

 + JMJ This has been an interesting month for news ... First we had the leaking of the 2021 report on what I would call the "Survey of Tradition".  Not surprisingly, the report was generally positive and Pope Francis ... for whatever reason ... still proceeded with Traditionis Custodes.  Andrea Grillo is not pleased with this turn of affairs. I suspect that the 'leaking' of the report is a symptom of a course correction.  Time will tell as this pontificate unfolds.  I am still curious to hear if the SSPX Superiour General will be invited to Rome this summer while the Pope reclaims the Castel Gandolfo.   That is my critical success indicator for whether or not Catholics can really consider the pontificate of Pope Francis (RIP) are truly an aberration of the past. Then we have the firing of John-Henry Westen from Life Site News.  I have no idea what happened to cause the board coup - - - as close a the vote was - he is now out of LFN.  There is...

News Roundup: May 13, 2026

 + JMJ Introduction I have set this article to post on May 13th, the anniversary of the first of six apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima. Fatima while a historical fact, still seems to point to the future.  Has the consecration been done according to her wishes?  Will another Pope do it again in the face of a world going mad and slipping into the same conditions that fostered two great wars? I don't know.  But I pray that the message of Fatima to repent and do penance is heard in the hearts of Catholics every where.  We carry the light to the world and need to illuminate the 'The Way'. The Catholic Church Obviously, the death of Pope Francis I and the election of Pope Leo XIV is a major development in the Catholic Church and the World. Just what the immediate outcomes of these two events will take some time.  I strongly suspect that there will be no calls of Santo Subito for Pope Francis.  If there is and if they do canonize Pope Francis ....

Rome,the SSPX and this time of Crisis - Updated

+ JMJ Obviously there's lots of events right now. First we have the April 1st - I almost thought it was April Fools - meeting between Pope Francis and Bishop Fellay.  Nothing really news worthy as this is a natural progression as Rome appears to be considering fulfilling Archbishop Lefebvre's wish to 'accept us as we are'. Second we have the April 8th publication of what will be a verbose exhortation of the Synod of the Family. I'm willing to bet that the Pope will give with one hand (unilateral regularization of SSPX) and take with the other (ambiguous document that opens the flood gates of sin further). Much to pray for. P^3

A Look Back: A short history of the SSPX

 + JMJ  I started a timeline a while back but never finished it.  Fortunately, here's one that brings us up to 1994!!! P^3 http://archives.sspx.org/SSPX_FAQs/a_short_history_of_the_sspx-part-1.htm   A short history of the SSPX A presentation given by Fr. Ramon Angles in Kansas City, MO, on the 25th Anniversary of the founding of the SSPX and reprinted from the January 1996 issue of The Angelus . Part 1 The history of the Society of St. Pius X begins, of course, in the mind of God. But do not believe that its temporal origin is to be found solely at the time of the post-conciliar crisis. The Society of St. Pius X was made possible ...