I have a question about this, similar to the old classic ‘if a tree falls in the forest with no one there to hear it does it still make a noise?’.
Anyway here it is...
If a priest, 100% doctrinally ‘pure’ as you say, walks into a lay community and fully submits to the above statement, in doing so renounces his authority as shepherd over his sheep (regardless of the flocks opinion of themselves) in doing so abandons the structures of the past 2000 years of the holy Roman Catholic Church outside of which their is no salvation... Does the priest remain doctrinally pure?
But if he rejects the above statement and says “No I am a man of god who has the power to baptise kids, forgive sins, say mass regardless of your opinions etc” than under this statement he is not ‘allowed’ to enter this lay community, yet keeps his 100% record it tact?
This seems to be the crux of the issue here. I guess I am making Nick’s question mine as well. Which seems to be - does a priest ceases to be doctrinally pure if he submits to a lay board (Protestants have these)?
From Pope Pius X’s encyclical 1905 Il Fermo Proposition :
22.
We must touch, Venerable Brethren, on another point of extreme importance, namely, the relation of all the works of Catholic Action to ecclesiastical authority. If the teachings unfolded in the first part of this letter are thoughtfully considered it will be readily seen that all those works which directly come to the aid of the spiritual and pastoral ministry of the Church and which labor religiously for the good of souls must in every least thing be subordinated to the authority of the Church and also to the authority of the Bishops placed by the Holy Spirit to rule the Church of God in the dioceses assigned to them. Moreover, the other works which, as We have said, are primarily designed for the restoration and promotion of true Christian civilization and which, as explained above, constitute Catholic Action, by no means may be considered as independent of the counsel and direction of ecclesiastical authority, especially since they must all conform to the principles of Christian faith and morality. At the same time it is impossible to imagine them as in opposition, more or less openly, to that same authority. Such works, however, by their very nature, should be directed with a reasonable degree of freedom, since responsible action is especially theirs in the temporal and economic affairs as well as in those matters of public administration and political life. These affairs are alien to the purely spiritual ministry. Since Catholics, on the other hand, are to raise always the banner of Christ, by that very fact they also raise the banner of the Church. Thus it is no more than right that they receive it from the hands of the Church, that the Church guard its immaculate honor, and that Catholics submit as docile, loving children to this maternal vigilance.
23.
For these reasons it is evident how terribly wrong those few were who in Italy, and under Our very eyes, wanted to undertake a mission which they received neither from Us nor from any of Our Brethren in the episcopate. They promoted it not only without due homage to authority but even openly against the will of that authority, seeking to rationalize their disobedience by foolish distinctions. They said that they were undertaking their cause in the name of Christ; but such a cause could not be Christ's since it was not built on the doctrine of the Divine Redeemer. How truly these words apply: "
He who hears you, hears me; and he who rejects you, rejects me."[7] "
He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scatters."[8] This is a doctrine of humility, submission, filial respect. With extreme regret We had to condemn this tendency and halt by Our authority this pernicious movement which was rapidly gaining momentum. Our sorrow was increased when We saw many young people of excellent character and fervent zeal and capable of performing much good if properly directed, and who are also very dear to Us, carelessly attracted to such an erroneous program.
