10 Comments
User's avatar
Jeff Brewster's avatar

Excellent research. Inclusion of any post-V2 pope on traditional Church teaching is always risky business. Too frequently, their words did not match their actions. E.g. the JP2 quote "The faithful have a duty to remain steadfast in the truth and resist any attempts to undermine the integrity of the faith." Nice words, but ask Abp Lefebvre how that worked out for him! The Paul VI and JP2 regimes tried to crush Lefebvre's reputation underfoot for daring to (prudently and obediently) defend Catholic tradition after the liturgical revolution of the 1960s.

Expand full comment
Aaron's avatar

And those two certainly didn't "remain steadfast in the truth". LG, UR, DH and Assisi are not true, Ns undermine the integrity of the faith.

Expand full comment
Aaron's avatar

When St. Ignatius of Loyala presented his Rule for the Society of Jesus, he includes "absolute obedience" as a requirement. This was a major sticking point with the popes considering approving the Jesuits. Absolute obedience is not within the Christian tradition, and has some serious consequences (like following false popes).

Expand full comment
S.D. Wright's avatar

Interesting stuff. Might I suggest you take a look at this too. Sedes are accused of misunderstanding some of the true points you make here about true and false obedience; while this accusation if misunderstanding may be true in some instances, this distinction can obscure another more fundamental distinction, and cannot be used as the hermeneutical key for understanding the crisis in the Church.

https://www.wmreview.org/p/true-and-false-obedience

Expand full comment
Robert Lazu Kmita's avatar

Congratulations for this brilliant article!

Expand full comment
bea's avatar

Excellent article. Thank you

Expand full comment
Our Blood and Soil's avatar

Excellent. I needed this. This substack has become like a medicine to me, a much needed one. Thank you and may God bless you 🙏

Expand full comment
Stephen Pohl's avatar

Obedience is better than sacrifice because it is the sacrifice that God desire most; the sacrifice of our will to his. " Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done."

Expand full comment
Fr. Scott Bailey, C.Ss.R.'s avatar

Another great article! Thank you. You have cleared up some confusion I had. I do have a question that I can’t seem to find an answer for. Perhaps you could shed some light? Is honoring the request of someone who is not a superior an act of obedience? Examples that come to mind are the requests of a friend or a child. Honoring such requests can be a sacrifice of the will though not necessarily always. Would this be obedience or charity or both?

Thank you.

Expand full comment
Robert Walker's avatar

Well said!

Expand full comment