Modernism in the Catholic Church, key characteristics

Pope St. Pius Encyclical X Pascendi Dominici Gregis
Key characteristics

The Papal Encyclical Pascendi Dominici Gregis by the great Saint Pius X is a seminal document for the modern traditionalist movement. The document is a fantastic articulation of what we've seen in seminaries, universities and at the highest levels of the Church. It is prophetic.

Key characteristics on Modernism by Pius X in Pascendi Dominici Gregis (PDG)

  • Modernists are driven by pride, curiosity and ignorance. (PDG 40 - 41)
  • Modernist "dogmas" are driven by a denial of external revelation and denial of the intervention of God into human history. (6)
  • Therefore, their philosophy arises from the "self" and is mired by subjectivity and relativism. (30)
  • Modernists attribute a mystical quality to this interior "sentimentality" (vital immanence). (15)
  • Modernists believe that since religion is an outgrowth of interior need, all religions are equal because they all grew from this interior place of need in humans and not from an exterior intervention by God. (10)
  • Therefore Modernists believe Jesus was an exceptional man but not God. (35)
  • It therefore follows that the Catholic Church is just one more manifestation of this outgrowth and is therefore not set apart as the True Church and cannot claim Jesus as the only Saviour of mankind. (15)
  • Modernists deform human history to support their belief that God doesn't work miracles and is not actively intervening in human history. (9)
  • Modernists cannot as a result of this  false doctrine claim superiority of the Catholic Church and cannot identify "falsities" in other religions.  (14)
  • Modernist philosophy originates from a place of agnosticism and its logical destination is atheism. (6)
  • Modernists believe in the separation of faith from science but then in a bizarre way re-relate them to one another placing faith subordinate to science. (16)
  • Modernism presents itself as a disparate set of philosophies that are not unified but is really a coherent (and diabolical) system. It's purpose is to empty the Catholic Church of its moral and dogmatic authority, to reduce its prominence and compromise its Truth. All of its "parts are solidly joined so that it is not possible to admit one without admitting all". (39)
  • Modernists assert that the ecclesiastical magisterium must be subordinate to individual consciences, and should therefore take democratic forms rather than an authoritative form. (23-25)
  • Modernism is a "synthesis of all heresies".(39)
  • The Modernist system means the destruction not of the Catholic religion alone but of all religion. (10)

Pope Pius X laid out a number of mechanisms to fight Modernism in the Catholic Church (Sections 44- 57)

  • The study of scholastic philosophy
  • Careful vetting of priests bishop and cardinal candidates
  • Episcopal vigilance over publications
  • Censorship, prevent the printing of heretical books
  • Priests as editors because bishops (should) have control of priests
  • Forbid congresses
  • Diocesan watch committees

How should faithful lay contemporary Catholics respond to the heresy of Modernism

  • Identify modernism and name it for what it is, but make this determination based on Pius X's Pascendi Dominici Gregis, not on misrepresentations of the great Saint.
  • Do not misunderstand that there is a huge difference between adapting the timeless Truth of the gospel to the modern world and adopting the doctrines of modernism that St. Pius X lays out in  Pascendi Dominici Gregis. Don't be afraid of the word "modern" in Vatican II documents or in society. Keep our understanding tightly scoped to the doctrinces laid out in the PDG.
  • Don't be afraid of ANY magisterial documents, including encyclicals, and councils such as Vatican II.
  • By all means fight, argue, pray, reason and use the blogsphere during synods, councils, etc., where magisterial decisions will be made. But when a document has been written and approved by the Magisterium, it has the highest authority on this earth and is under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which no human can refute or deny. Accept it, you may have to clarify any ambiguities, but there are NO errors on faith or morals in magisterial documents.
  • Follow the characteristics of a faithful Catholic and get your own life and family in order.

The  Pascendi Dominici Gregis was prophetic and we see its application to current universities, seminaries, and certain parts of the Church, including in Cardinal Kasper's theology. Here's an article that answers the question "Is Vatican II is a manifestation of the heresy of Modernism".

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