20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 22, 2012
(Summary of sermon) Tuesday is the feast of Pope St. Pius X, who fought modernism. Pope Pius was hated by “collaboratists” in the Church more than perhaps any other pope since.
It used to be that all priests had to take an oath against modernism. When we talk about modernism, we are not talking about scientific progress. Pius X called it the compendium, or synthesis of all heresies. It’s the thinking, “if it’s good for me, it’s OK.”
When it comes to Catholic teaching, such as the Resurrection, the Assumption, and even moral teaching, modernism doubts it. It makes the supernatural very natural. Modernism says that the Resurrection of Christ really didn’t happen. He’s really dead, but just alive in our hearts. It says that if you don’t want to believe in the Virgin Birth, mortal sin, or hell, you don’t have to believe in it. In modernism, we create our own universe.
Wreaks havoc beyond the Church
This heresy continues to wreak havoc in our Church, and in the world. All the tragedy and tears will rush in to fill the void that modernism brings.
(At this point Father described how a state politician who claimed to be a good Catholic asked for his approval. Listen in the MP3 about the candidate’s one fatal flaw, and what Fr. Brankin said to him.)
We must believe that the Revelation of the Catholic Church is true and speaks for God. That is Catholicism. By prayer and things like this Mass, modernism won’t be able to touch us.