Faithful Sons and Daughters of the Church
Author: Marco Casanova and Andrew Comiskey
January 29, 2024
Is it “disloyal” or “schismatic” to respectfully disagree
with the pope? We’ve been wrestling with this question since the release of
Fiducia
Supplicans (FS). What could’ve been a merciful invitation to
accompany sexual sinners into chastity became confusion for us.
How do we work out our conflict with its papal author?
Nothing matters more to us than unwavering fidelity to Jesus and Church. Can we
be faithful to the Church while disagreeing with its leader?
We’ve received kickback from orthodox friends. They
dislike our public disagreement with
FS. Of course, we can always
express ourselves better. But even owning ‘tonal’ problems doesn’t appease
those who view logical dissatisfaction with
FS as something like gossipy
dishonor of a near-perfect father.
We contend that such ‘papal positivity’ may be more the
problem than honest disagreement with the pope. Here we draw upon the ‘sense of
the faithful’, the conscientious convictions of members of Christ. We at once
hold the tension of respecting the papacy and the truth we carry as faithful
members of Jesus and Church.
The Faith of Christ as handed down by the Apostles is
sustained through the centuries by a
believing
people. This body of believers is the Church. Each of the baptized,
ordained and lay, play distinguished roles in “handing on” the faith of the
Church. Jesus consecrates some of us to tend “domestic” churches while others
govern with priestly authority. All of us have an important role to play. When
something is “off,” the faithful must trust the truth of that unchanging faith
and seek to preserve its clarity.
The Catechism says, “The whole body of the faithful…cannot
err in matters of belief. This characteristic is shown in the supernatural
appreciation of faith (sensus fidei or ‘sense of the faithful’) on the part of
the whole people, when, ‘from the bishops to the last of the faithful,’ they
manifest a universal consent in matters of faith and morals” (
CCC 92).
Disagreement is not revolt. All reactions should be
tempered by charity. This includes a duty of earnest intercession for the pope.
No matter our circle of influence—be it a household, a parish, a diocese, or
the global Church—each has a piece of the Kingdom to govern and safeguard in
the truth.
Cardinal Mueller recently wrote, “The Catholic Church is
not the Pope’s Church and Catholics are therefore not papists but Christians.
Christ is the head of the Church and from Him all divine grace and truth passes
to the members of His body, which is the Church.”
Disagreement need not mean disloyalty. Foregoing ‘papal
positivity’, we can love the pope while mirroring back his confusion. Needless
complaining isn’t the answer. Our activation lies in appealing to the truth
that’s been handed down to us, and the very personal ways that we’ve probed and
lived that truth. This is how we remain faithful amid confusion.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) wrote
of papal authority, “The Successor of Peter is the rock which guarantees a
rigorous fidelity to the Word of God against arbitrariness and conformism.”
We need clear teaching from Peter the rock.
FS leaves unnecessary room for confusion. That document draws from confusing
LGBTQ+ ministers who surround the pope, including Father James Martin, activist
Juan Carlos Cruz, and Sr. Jeannine Gramick (New Ways Ministries). These voices
neglect Jesus’ clear call to repent from sexual sin to new life.
FS supports this quietly.
Faithful sons and daughters, find your voice, bless the
pope, and pray that he might repent of confusing blessings.
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