Bishop Schneider - Eclipse of Church

[King Wenceslas]

Bishop Athanasius Schneider, the Auxiliary Bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan, has stated that Pope Francis has a "strict duty, as given to him by God" to uphold the "apostolic inheritance of priestly celibacy" at the upcoming Amazon Synod and to pass on this inheritance "to his own successor and to the next generation."

"He may not support in the slightest way – by silence or by an ambiguous conduct – the obviously Gnostic and naturalistic contents of parts of the Instrumentum laboris (working document), as well as the abolishment of the apostolic duty of priestly celibacy (which first would be regional, and then naturally, and step by step, then becomes universal)," said Bishop Schneider in an 8-page document that criticized the synod's working document along with statements by Bishop Erwin Kräutler, a key organizer of the upcoming Synod and one of the main authors of the working document. Schneider's comments were first published in German in Austrian website Kath.net and appear here in English on LifeSiteNews (read full document below).

"Even if the Pope would do this at the upcoming Amazon Synod," continued Schneider, "then he would gravely violate his duty as the Successor of Peter and the Representative of Christ, and he would then cause an intermittent spiritual eclipse in the Church. But Christ, the invincible Sun of Truth, will re-illuminate this brief eclipse by again sending His Church holy, courageous, and faithful popes, because the gates of hell are not able to overcome the rock of Peter (see Matthew16:18). The prayer of Christ for Peter and his successors is infallible. That is to say, that, after their conversion, they will again strengthen their brothers in the Faith (see Luke 22:32)."

I am confused? How can a successor of Peter allow a spiritual eclipse to occur in the Church.

If this is so, has not (at least in the eyes of the laity) this forever damaged the Papacy? Who would totally trust the Papacy ever again? Wouldn't this over throw the very premise of Vatican I and Pastor Aeternus which states:

For the Holy Spirit was not promised to the successors of Peter that by His revelation they might make known new doctrine, but that by His assistance they might inviolably keep and faithfully expound the Revelation, the Deposit of Faith, delivered through the Apostles.

And indeed, all the venerable Fathers have embraced, and the holy orthodox Doctors have venerated and followed, their Apostolic doctrine; knowing most fully that this See of holy Peter remains ever free from all blemish of error, according to the Divine promise that the Lord our Savior made to the Prince of His disciples: "But I have prayed for you, so that your faith may not fail, and so that you, once converted, may confirm your brothers." (Lk 22:32).

This gift, then, of truth and never-failing faith was conferred by heaven upon Peter and his successors in this Chair, that they might perform their high office for the salvation of all; that the whole flock of Christ, kept away from the poisonous food of error by them...

"he would gravely violate his duty as the Successor of Peter" That seems to be impossible according to the above (Petrine) promise of Our Lord.

Schneider's statement seems to be bordering on direct contradiction of Pastor Aeternus. The idea that a Pope can teach error or allow error to be taught is impossible according to Pastor Aeternus. "Never-falling faith" as understood in 1870 is the "total" faith of the ordinary and universal magisterium of 2000 years.

[Michael Wilson]

Bishop Sneider is correct (as far as that goes); but how many times does Francis have to "Gravely violate his duty.." to uphold and defend the faith, before Bishop Sneider finally admits that this guy simply isn't who he claims to be.

[Maximilian]

Schneider's statement The facts of reality seems to be bordering on direct contradiction of Pastor Aeternus. The idea that a Pope can teach error or allow error to be taught is impossible according to Pastor Aeternus.

I think we are in agreement on this, but just to clarify, the problem is not with Bishop Schneider's statement per se, but rather with the reality which he is describing.

Yes, Bishop Schneider's statement seems impossible to reconcile with Pastor Aeternus. But so do countless hundreds of other statements made during the past 6 decades.

[spasiisochrani]

As a bishop in a country where the vast majority of Christians are Russian Orthodox, you'd think he'd know better than to talk nonsense about the "apostolic inheritance of priestly celibacy".

[Kreuzritter]

As a bishop in a country where the vast majority of Christians are Russian Orthodox, you'd think he'd know better than to talk nonsense about the "apostolic inheritance of priestly celibacy".

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apostolic-Origins-Priestly-Celibacy/dp/0898709512/

[spasiisochrani]

As a bishop in a country where the vast majority of Christians are Russian Orthodox, you'd think he'd know better than to talk nonsense about the "apostolic inheritance of priestly celibacy".

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apostolic-Origins-Priestly-Celibacy/dp/0898709512/

That book is utter nonsense, full of selective "history" and special pleading.

https://east2west.org/articles/mandatory_clerical_celibacy/