CARDINAL SARAH: THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE POPE ARE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH! (SCHISMATIC AND OR PROTESTANT)!

Let's be clear, when a Catholic or a group of Catholics break with the pope and say to the Supreme Pontiff, you are no longer the head of the Church, this is what is called schism. The biggest group to declare this to a pope was the Eastern Church. When they became schismatic, they called themselves Eastern Orthodox and became very national. But there were other schisms some big and some small.

Not all schismatic groups lose apostolic succession or the Sacraments of the Church, i.e the Orthodox and the Polish National Catholic Church.

But some do lose these things, like the Protestant Reformation sects and the Old Catholics after Vatican I who today ordain women and are quite liberal.

So what Robert Cardinal Sarah has to write about this is extremely important for those tempted to throw in the towel and think things have never been this bad with the Church in general and this papacy in particular. Yes, things have been worse and faithful Catholics stuck with the Church.

The danger that "traditionalists" have brought to the table and they should not have been the ones doing it as it undermines otherwise good intentions, is all the horrible things they say about "Pope Bergolio" which in this country is an insult to the person of the Pope. How in the name of God and all that is holy could anyone call themselves a traditional Catholic and insult the person of the pope? Pre-Vatican II Catholics would be mortified.

Cardinal Sarah: Those who oppose the pope are outside the Church

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

10.9.2019 9:20 AM ET 

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, said the people who portray him as an opponent of Pope Francis are being used by the devil to help divide the church.

"The truth is that the church is represented on earth by the vicar of Christ, that is by the pope. And whoever is against the pope is, ipso facto, outside the church," the cardinal said in an interview published Oct. 7 in Corriere della Sera, an Italian daily.

The 74-year-old cardinal, who Pope Francis appointed in 2014 as head of the office overseeing liturgical matters, often is portrayed as a critic of Pope Francis, especially because of the cardinal's cautious attitude toward welcoming Muslim migrants to Europe, his concern about the church acting more like a social-service agency than a missionary church and his traditional approach to the liturgy.

The Corriere piece was published to coincide with the release of a new book-length interview with Cardinal Sarah, "The Day is Now Far Spent." The English edition was released Sept. 22 by Ignatius Press in the United States.

The cardinal's book dedication reads: "For Benedict XVI, peerless architect of the rebuilding of the church. For Francis, faithful and devoted son of St. Ignatius. For the priests throughout the world in thanksgiving on the occasion of my golden jubilee of priesthood," which was July 20.

In the Corriere interview, the cardinal was asked what the "truth" was about his relationship with Pope Francis.

"The truth is that many people write not to give witness to the truth, but to place people against one another, to damage human relationships," he said. "The truth doesn't matter to them."

"Those who place me in opposition to the Holy Father cannot present a single word of mine, a single phrase or a single attitude of mine to support their absurd -- and I would say, diabolical -- affirmations," Cardinal Sarah said. "The devil divides, sets people against each other."

Cardinal Sarah said it is normal for the church to experience difficulties and divisions, but every Christian is called "to seek unity in Christ."

"I would add that every pope is right for his time," the cardinal said. "Providence looks after us very well, you know."

However, Cardinal Sarah's new book is filled with warnings about how a lack of faith, trust in God and adherence to tradition is threatening the Catholic Church, particularly in Europe and the wealthy West. But he especially focuses on clerical sexual abuse and how that has meant "the mystery of betrayal oozes from the walls of the church."

Still, in the chapter, "The Crisis of the Church," the book includes the cardinal saying, "I would like to remind everyone about Jesus' words to St. Peter, 'You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church' (Mt 16:18). We have the assurance that this saying of Jesus is realized in what we call the infallibility of the church. The spouse of Christ, headed by the successor of Peter, can live through crises and storms."

Noting that some Catholics "are quick to hurl anathemas at those who do not follow their line of thought," the cardinal said that it is time "to rediscover a bit of peace and benevolence. Only faith, confidence in the magisterium and its continuity down through the centuries can give us unity."

Catholics today must ask themselves if they truly believe the faith the church always has taught, the faith of their ancestors, is still valid today, Cardinal Sarah told Corriere. "We are called to rediscover the truth of these (teachings) both with the incomparable analysis of Benedict's thought and with great and sunny industriousness of Francis."

Although the two popes have obvious differences, Cardinal Sarah said, "there is a great harmony and great continuity between them as everyone has been able to see these last few years."

"The history of the church is beautiful," he said, and reducing it to a political battle "typical of a television talk show is a marketing ploy, not a search for truth."

My comments:

Those traditionalists who have completely undermined orthodox traditionalism, have also politicized the clergy, deacons, priests, bishops and the pope. They act as if they are a political party and are on CNN's side or Fox's side and they can win adherents in the most crass political way as we see what is happening with those who oppose or support President Trump. 

The pope is not elected by the people and His Holiness only answers to God. That's why His Holiness is called the Supreme Pontiff.