Yesterday, 09:05 AM
VI. HOW IT HAPPENS THAT THERE ARE PROTESTANTS REALLY GOOD AND STRONGLY RELIGIOUS.
— We have Catholics, who bring shame upon their religion, who belong to the body of the Church, yet do not breathe her spirit. Thus, also, there are outside the pale of Catholicity separated brethren, Protestants, who yet do lead a Christian life, and follow the precepts of the Gospel. They belong, to a certain degree, to the spirit of the Church, and whatever faith and virtue their fine souls possess, it is all the property of Catholicity. They are Catholics at heart, and the Church looks upon them with tenderness. They are good Christians, as the word goes, not because they are Protestants, but in spite of their being Protestants.
Protestantism is only a negation, and can give them nothing. Its influence is limited to depriving them of that portion of religious resources which they would have, had they received their birth in the bosom of the Catholic Church.
An absolute certainty in matters of faith, a perfect and vivifying worship, the sanctifying consolations of the sacraments of Penance and Eucharist, and devotion to our Blessed Lady, and so many other resources supplied by the Catholic Church, would render these correct and virtuous Protestants immensely better. With the aid of these powerful means they would become saints. Deprived, as they are, of these aids, they have no lofty aspirations, and their piety, however real it may appear, never rises above a common level.
Our saints are, after all, only good Catholics. But what a difference there exists between such as a Saint Vincent of Paul, a Saint Francis of Sales, a Saint Francis Xavier, a Saint Teresa, and those honest and honorable men, whose life is often quoted for a proof of the truth of Protestantism!
Lavater, a Protestant minister, in his Letter to the Count of Stolberg, remarks: "The Catholics have saints, I cannot deny it, and we have none; at least none that are like the Catholic."
— We have Catholics, who bring shame upon their religion, who belong to the body of the Church, yet do not breathe her spirit. Thus, also, there are outside the pale of Catholicity separated brethren, Protestants, who yet do lead a Christian life, and follow the precepts of the Gospel. They belong, to a certain degree, to the spirit of the Church, and whatever faith and virtue their fine souls possess, it is all the property of Catholicity. They are Catholics at heart, and the Church looks upon them with tenderness. They are good Christians, as the word goes, not because they are Protestants, but in spite of their being Protestants.
Protestantism is only a negation, and can give them nothing. Its influence is limited to depriving them of that portion of religious resources which they would have, had they received their birth in the bosom of the Catholic Church.
An absolute certainty in matters of faith, a perfect and vivifying worship, the sanctifying consolations of the sacraments of Penance and Eucharist, and devotion to our Blessed Lady, and so many other resources supplied by the Catholic Church, would render these correct and virtuous Protestants immensely better. With the aid of these powerful means they would become saints. Deprived, as they are, of these aids, they have no lofty aspirations, and their piety, however real it may appear, never rises above a common level.
Our saints are, after all, only good Catholics. But what a difference there exists between such as a Saint Vincent of Paul, a Saint Francis of Sales, a Saint Francis Xavier, a Saint Teresa, and those honest and honorable men, whose life is often quoted for a proof of the truth of Protestantism!
Lavater, a Protestant minister, in his Letter to the Count of Stolberg, remarks: "The Catholics have saints, I cannot deny it, and we have none; at least none that are like the Catholic."
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre