A GREAT CLARIFICATION ON THE SENSUS FIDEI AND THE CONSENSUS FIDELIUM BY POPE LEO XIV AND ALSO THE THREAT OF THE UNFAITHFUL CONSENSUS ….

My comments embedded in the pope’s Wednesday audience text in red:

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

Today I would like to dwell once again on the second chapter of the Conciliar Constitution *Lumen Gentium* (LG), dedicated to the Church as the People of God.

The messianic people (LG, 9) receives from Christ a share in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly work in which His saving mission is realized. The Council Fathers teach that the Lord Jesus, through the new and eternal Covenant, established a kingdom of priests, constituting His disciples as a "royal priesthood" (1 Pt 2:9; cf. 1 Pt 2:5; Rev 1:6). This common priesthood of the faithful is bestowed through Baptism, which enables us to worship God in spirit and truth and to "publicly profess the faith received from God through the Church" (LG, 11). Furthermore, through the Sacrament of Confirmation, all the baptized "are more perfectly bound to the Church, are enriched with a special strength by the Holy Spirit, and thus are more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed, as true witnesses of Christ" (ibid.). This consecration lies at the root of the common mission that unites ordained ministers and the lay faithful. (We all are called to spread and defend the Faith by word and deed. It is wonderful to hear our new Pope make it clear what we are to do as Catholics and what is implied here is apologetics. For the past 13 years, we were castigated as being proselytizers if we defended the faith and tried to spread it. Pope Leo’s message is very positive and castigates no one who tries to spread the true faith!)

In this regard, Pope Francis observed: "To look at the People of God is to remember that we all enter the Church as laypeople. The first Sacrament—the one that seals our identity forever, and of which we should always be proud—is Baptism." Through it, and with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, [the faithful] “are consecrated to form a spiritual temple and a holy priesthood” (LG, 10), such that all of us together form the holy, faithful People of God” (Letter to the President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, March 19, 2016).

The exercise of the royal priesthood takes place in many ways, all aimed at our sanctification—primarily through participation in the offering of the Eucharist. Through prayer, asceticism, and active charity, we thus bear witness to a life renewed by the grace of God (cf. LG, 10). As the Council summarizes, “the sacred nature and the organic structure of the priestly community are realized through the sacraments and the virtues” (LG, 11).

The Council Fathers further teach that the holy People of God also shares in the prophetic mission of Christ (cf. LG, 12). In this context, the important theme of the *sensus fidei* (sense of the faith) and the *consensus fidelium* (consensus of the faithful) is introduced. The Council’s Doctrinal Commission clarified that this *sensus fidei* “is, as it were, a faculty of the entire Church, by virtue of which she recognizes the handed-down Revelation within her faith—distinguishing between what is true and what is false in matters of faith—while simultaneously penetrating more deeply into that Revelation and applying it more fully to life” (cf. *Acta Synodalia*, III/1, 199). The sense of the faith, therefore, belongs to individual believers not in their own right, but as members of the People of God as a whole. (The “sensus Fidei” and “consensus Fidelium” “sense of faith and consensus of the faithful” is clarified by Pope Leo as being linked to faithfulness to the Magisterium which must be faithful to Scripture and Tradition. The development of doctrine has to clarify truths, not change them, for to change them is infidelity not fidelity. To be faithful and a person of true faith means accepting what is handed onto us not changing it!)

*Lumen Gentium* focuses its attention on this latter aspect and relates it to the infallibility of the Church—to which the infallibility of the Roman Pontiff is intrinsic, serving as it does the infallibility of the Church. "The whole body of the faithful, who have received the anointing from the Holy One (cf. 1 Jn 2:20, 27), cannot err in believing, and manifests this particular property of theirs through the supernatural sense of the faith of the whole people, when, 'from the bishops even to the last of the lay faithful,' it expresses its universal consent in matters of faith and morals" (LG, 12). The Church, therefore—as a communion of the faithful that obviously includes the pastors—cannot err in the faith; the organ of this property of hers, founded upon the anointing of the Holy Spirit, is the supernatural sense of the faith of the entire People of God, which manifests itself in the consensus of the faithful. From this unity—which the ecclesial Magisterium safeguards—it follows that every baptized person is an active subject of evangelization, called to bear consistent witness to Christ in accordance with the prophetic gift that the Lord infuses into His entire Church. (Those trying to democratize the Magisterium of the Church through political lobbies trying to change the Faith and Morals of the Church, are the “unfaithful” pushing the “sensus and consensus of the unfaithful”. The Church, though, through the true Faith the Faithful who embrace Divine Truth and promote it, do so within the context of infallibility so that the Church cannot err in the Faith, even as some of the unfaithful try to manipulate the Truth and then falsely it for their own narcissistic purposes.)

The Holy Spirit—who comes to us from the Risen Jesus—does indeed bestow "among the faithful of every rank special graces by which He renders them fit and ready to undertake various tasks and offices useful for the renewal and greater expansion of the Church" (LG, 12). A distinctive demonstration of this charismatic vitality is offered by the consecrated life, which continually buds and blossoms through the working of grace. Ecclesial forms of association, too, stand as a luminous example of the variety and fruitfulness of spiritual gifts for the building up of the People of God.

Dearest brothers and sisters, let us reawaken within ourselves the awareness—and the gratitude—of having received the gift of belonging to the People of God, as well as the responsibility that this entails.

I KNOW IT’S A SIN, BUT LET ME BRAG, JUST BRIEFLY….

 You see those violet panels on the reredos of our Cathedral in Savannah? Well, yours truly was the one who pioneered putting liturgical colors into those niches way back in the 1980’s, when I was the Diocesan Master of Ceremonies and Diocesan Director of Liturgy, not to mention, Diocesan Vocation Director and the Cathedral’s Associate Rector. Thank you very much!

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN IN HOLY ORDERS, AS THE “WHERE PETER IS” AKA, “WHERE FRANCIS WAS” BLOG HAS OPINED, IS MORE SCHISMATIC THAN WHAT CARDINAL ELK CELEBRATED ON LAETARE SUNDAY—WHAT DO YOU THINK?

 Rorate Caeli reports this:

Cardinal Willem Eijk, of Utrecht, celebrated his public Latin Mass (Pontifical High Mass) yesterday, at the Church of the Immaculate Conception (better known as Grote Kerk, the Great Church) in Oss, in the Netherlands.

A large number of faithful was present for the Laetare Sunday Mass. Ad multos annos, Cardinal!

I might add that it appears the good Cardinal is wearing the true color of Laetare Sunday, that is, rose! What do you think? 

So, I ask “Where Peter is” aka, “Where Francis Was” which is more schismatic? The photo below with a well-respected Cardinal celebrating the Pontifical TLM or advocating for women priests and doing so in a serious, schismatic way?

EVEN THE TLM CAN BE KITSCHY! UGH 😑!

POPE LEO WEARS A SHADE OF ROSE I HAVE NEVER SEEN….

 Hmm 🧐 🤔 🤨 

ROSE BY ANY OTHER COLOR ISN’T ROSE

 Did your priest wear rose this Laetare Sunday?

The various rose iterations foisted upon me over the decades:

HETERODOX AND SCHISM FOMENTING NATIONAL cATHOLIC REPORTER LAMENTS POPE LEO’S POMPOUS LIFESTYLE…

AND WE’LL LEAVE ON THE LIGHT FOR YOU…

 This is a screenshot of the NcR’s webpage:

Money bytes from Associated Press article which you can read in full HERE:

Francis chose not to live in the apartment because he said he wanted to be surrounded by other people. Instead, he lived in the Vatican's Santa Marta residence, the institutional-style hotel where visiting priests stay and where cardinals are sequestered during conclaves.

Francis' choice was in keeping with his simple taste and disdain for the pomp of the papacy. But the practical effect also meant that the entire second floor of the hotel was turned over to the pope, reducing its capacity for paying guests.

Leo, history's first U.S.-born pope, has made clear he is more comfortable using the traditional garb and accoutrements of the papacy. His decision to move into the Apostolic Palace has been praised in particular by conservative commentators who see it as a sign of respect for the papacy.

 A group of Romans who learned from OSV News that the pope was moving into the apostolic palace that day were very excited to hear the news.

And yet another bombshell tradition returns, the little light indicating the pope is in!

And though Leo's bedroom — for reasons of security and privacy — won't be as public as that of his predecessors, a small light in the palace was visible from the square — an indicator that the space officially is in use once again. Or is it a homage to the Vatican Motel 6: “And we’ll leave the light on for you”?

FINALLY AND THANK GOD!

Saying no, no, no to the Vatican Motel 6, Pope Leo has finally moved in to His Holiness’ Palace, fit for a pope and His Holiness’ papal court.

Pope Leo takes possession of apartment in Apostolic Palace

The Director of the Holy See Press Office confirms Pope Leo XIV’s move to the Apostolic Palace after having resided at the Palazzo del Sant’Uffizio since the beginning of his pontificate.

Vatican News

On Saturday afternoon, March 14, Pope Leo XIV will take possession of the apartment in the Apostolic Palace, as he moves, with some of his closest collaborators, into the rooms used by his predecessors. The news was confirmed by Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office.

The Pope lived in the Vatican’s Palazzo del Sant’Uffizio, where he had already resided while serving as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.

The papal apartment, which has now been renovated, is located in the Third Loggia of the Apostolic Palace. It includes several rooms, among them the private study room, where the Pope appears at the window for the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square, a library, and a small chapel.

On 11 May 2025, Leo XIV removed the seals that had been placed on the door of the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace on 21 April, following the death of Pope Francis, who had chosen to live at Casa Santa Marta.

The first Pope to reside in these rooms in the Third Loggia was Saint Pius X (1903–1914).

WHY IN THE NAME OF GOD AND ALL THAT IS SACRAMENTAL, CAN’T THE CHURCH, AT LEAST IN THE USA, HAVE A COMMON AGE FOR THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION?

Ever since Vatican II there has been major confusion about the Sacrament of Confirmation, what it is, when it should be celebrated and if it isn’t already celebrated when a baby is smeared with Sacred Chrism at his baptism. 

Some dioceses have put the three sacraments of Initiation together, like the Eastern Churches, baptism, confirmation and Holy Eucharist offered at infancy. 

Other dioceses have combined Confirmation with First Holy Communion normally in the Second grade.

Most dioceses celebrate Confirmation in the 8th grade, others earlier and still others later, like the 10th grade. 

Most dioceses use the Sacrament of Confirmation as a hook to keep kids in catechetical programs. 

And now Baltimore is mandating that Confirmation be celebrated at the age of 9 years old, or grade 4. 

I was confirmed in 1962, prior to Vatican II, in the 4th grade at the age of 8. 

But, with Americans highly mobile, moving from diocese to diocese, state to state, many kids miss Confirmation because of the various ages that each bishop mandates. 

Let’s follow Baltimore’s lead. Put it back to the 4th grade and nationally! Let’s go back to the Pre-Vatican II custom in this country! At least there is no post-Vatican II confusion about anything!

UGH! IS THIS THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT THE TREND TO DESECRATE THE ALTAR AT SAINT PETER’S BASILICA?

 Sileri non possum has a vendetta against the Cardinal Gambetti who runs St. Peter’s Basilica. They think he’s incompetent.  Under his watch a number of unfortunate things have happened to the basilica. At least three times, someone has gotten on top of the altar, through the candlesticks and crucifix to the floor and undressed and one urinated. It was all caught on cell phone cameras.

It seems that security was absent or very slow to act.

This this is the way Cardinal Gambetti has decided to end the nonsense of altar desecration:

Maybe there might be some other options? I missed it in the photo until I looked closer, but there is plexiglass above the red panels, like a fence. 

POPE LEO GIVES A GREAT CATECHESIS ON CONFESSION, SIN, THE NEED FOR CONFESSION, REQUIRED AT LEAST.ONCE A YEAR AND THE DELETERIOUS EFFECTS OF SIN AND LIVING IN SIN!

 

ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER LEO XIV

TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE 36th COURSE ON THE INTERNAL FORUM

ORGANIZED BY THE APOSTOLIC PENITENTIARY

Clementine Hall

Friday, March 13, 2026

______________________________

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Peace be with you!

Eminence, Excellency, dear priests, deacons, and others accompanying us: good morning and welcome!

I am very pleased to meet those who—whether in the early stages of their priestly ministry or awaiting ordination—are refining their formation as confessors through the Course on the Internal Forum, offered annually by the Apostolic Penitentiary.

I extend a cordial greeting to His Eminence, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, Major Penitentiary; to the Regent, Monsignor Nykiel; to all the members of the Penitentiary; to the Ordinary and Extraordinary Penitentiaries of the Papal Basilicas; and to all of you, participants in this Course. This initiative was strongly desired by Saint John Paul II, who supported it with his pastoral passion; it was confirmed by Pope Benedict XVI with his theological wisdom, as well as by Pope Francis, who has always shown great care for the merciful face of the Church.

I, too, exhort you to persevere in this service, deepening and expanding the scope of this formation, so that the fourth Sacrament may be ever more profoundly understood, fittingly celebrated, and—consequently—serenely and effectively lived out by the entire holy people of God.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation—as we know—has undergone significant development throughout history, both in its theological understanding and in its liturgical form. The Church, Mother and Teacher, has progressively recognized its meaning and function, thereby broadening the possibilities for its celebration. And yet, the reiterability of the Sacrament is not always matched—on the part of the baptized—by a corresponding eagerness to avail themselves of it. It is as if the infinite treasury of the Church’s mercy were to remain “unused,” due to a widespread distraction among Christians who, not infrequently, remain for long periods in a state of sin rather than approaching the confessional—with simplicity of faith and heart—to receive the gift of the Risen Lord.

It was the Fourth Lateran Council, in 1215, that established that every Christian is bound to make a sacramental confession at least once a year; and the *Catechism of the Catholic Church*, following the Second Vatican Council, confirmed this norm (cf. CCC, no. 1457), which is also a law of the Church: “Every member of the faithful who has reached the age of discretion is bound by the obligation of faithfully confessing his or her grave sins at least once a year” (CIC 989).

Saint Augustine affirms: “Whoever acknowledges his sins and condemns them is already in agreement with God. God condemns your sins; and if you, too, condemn them, you unite yourself to God” (*In Iohannis evangelium tractatus* 12, 13: CCL 36, 128). To acknowledge our sins—especially during this season of Lent—therefore means to “come into accord” with God, to unite ourselves to Him.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is, then, a “laboratory of unity”: it re-establishes unity with God through the forgiveness of sins and the infusion of sanctifying grace. This generates the interior unity of the individual and unity with the Church; consequently, it also fosters peace and unity within the human family. One might ask: do those Christians who bear grave responsibility in armed conflicts possess the humility and courage to undertake a serious examination of conscience and go to confession?

But—we ask ourselves once again—can man, a small and simple creature, truly “break his unity” with the Creator? Is this image not perhaps partial and, ultimately, demeaning to the Revelation of God that Jesus has given us?

Upon closer examination, sin does not sever unity—understood as the ontological dependence of the creature upon the Creator; even the sinner remains totally dependent upon God the Creator, and this dependence, when acknowledged, can pave the way for conversion. Rather, sin severs spiritual unity with God: it is a turning of one’s back upon Him. This dramatic possibility is just as real as the gift of freedom that God Himself has bestowed upon human beings. To deny the possibility that sin can truly sever one’s unity with God is, in reality, to fail to recognize the dignity of the human person—who is, and remains, free, and therefore responsible for his or her own actions.

Dearest young priests and those preparing for ordination: always maintain a vivid awareness of the sublime task that Christ Himself, through the Church, entrusts to you—namely, to rebuild the unity of individuals with God through the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The entire life of a priest can find its full realization in the assiduous and faithful celebration of this Sacrament. Indeed, how many priests have attained sanctity within the Confessional! Let us think only of Saint John Mary Vianney, Saint Leopold Mandić, and—more recently—Saint Pio of Pietrelcina and Blessed Michał Sopoćko.

Unity restored with God is also unity with the Church, which is the Mystical Body of Christ: we are members of the "Total Christ." The theme of your Course this year—"The Church Called to Be a House of Mercy"—would be incomprehensible were it not grounded in its very root: the Risen Jesus Christ. The Church welcomes individuals as a "House of Mercy" because, first and foremost, she ceaselessly welcomes her Lord—in the Word that is heard and proclaimed, and in the grace of the Sacraments. For this reason, in the celebration of sacramental Confession—while penitents are reconciled with God and with the Church—the Church herself is built up, enriched by the renewed holiness of her repentant and forgiven children. In the confessional, dear brothers, we collaborate in the continuous building up of the Church—one, holy, catholic, and apostolic—and in doing so, we also infuse new energy into society and the world.

Finally, unity with God and with the Church is the prerequisite for the inner unity of the individual—a unity so necessary today, in this era of fragmentation in which we live. It is an inner unity that manifests itself as a genuine desire, particularly among the younger generations. The unfulfilled promises of unbridled consumerism, and the frustrating experience of a freedom detached from the truth, can—through divine mercy—be transformed into opportunities for evangelization: by bringing to light a sense of incompleteness, they allow for the awakening of those existential questions to which only Christ offers a full answer. God became man to save us; He does so, in part, by educating our religious sense—our irrepressible yearning for truth and love—so that we may embrace the Mystery in which "we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

This dynamic of unity—with God, with the Church, and within ourselves—is a prerequisite for peace among individuals and nations: only a reconciled person is capable of living in a manner that is both unarmed and disarming! Whoever lays down the weapons of pride, and allows themselves to be continuously renewed by God’s forgiveness, becomes an agent of reconciliation in their daily life. In such a person, the words attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi find their fulfillment: "Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace." Dearest ones, never fail to approach—with faithful constancy—the Sacrament of Forgiveness, so that you may always be the first beneficiaries of the Divine Mercy, of which you have become—or will become—ministers. May Mary, Mother of Mercy, always accompany your journey and enlighten your steps. Upon you and upon your daily endeavors, I cordially impart the Apostolic Blessing. Thank you.

HOW DOES A GOOGLE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DESCRIBE THE FAMOUS AND INFAMOUS BLOGGER OF SOUTHERN ORDERS—LET ME COUNT THE WAYS

 

THIS IS WHAT AI HAS TO SAY ABOUT ME!WOW! AND, YES, “YIKES”!

Allan J. McDonald is a retired Catholic priest of the Diocese of Savannah and the author of the popular blog Southern Orders. He was ordained in 1980 at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Savannah and served as a pastor for many years, most notably at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Macon, Georgia. 

About "Southern Orders"

The blog is a platform for Fr. McDonald’s reflections on Catholic liturgy, theology, and church politics. 

• Liturgical Focus: He is known for his deep interest in "organic development" of the liturgy and often advocates for a synthesis of the Ordinary Form (Novus Ordo) and the Extraordinary Form (Traditional Latin Mass).
• Content: His posts frequently address the implementation of Vatican II, the "Reform of the Reform," and critiques of modern liturgical abuses.
• Perspective: While remaining in good standing with his bishop, he often provides a conservative or traditionalist-leaning commentary on contemporary issues within the Church. 

Current Ministry

• Retirement: He retired from administrative parish duties  but remains active in his spiritual calling.
• Location: He currently resides on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, in the Diocese of Charleston.
• Active Presence: He continues to assist at local parishes, such as St. Gregory the Great in Bluffton, SC, and Holy Family Church and Saint Francis by the Sea Church on Hilton Head Island and also at Sacred Heart Church in Savannah.
• Based on his writings on the 

  Southern Orders blog, Fr. Allan J. McDonald is generally considered a traditionalist or conservative Catholic rather than a progressive. 
  Key points regarding his views and blog stance include:
  • Support for Traditional Liturgy: Fr. McDonald often writes in support of the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) and has expressed appreciation for both the 1962 Missal and the modern Roman Missal.
  • Criticism of Progressive Trends: He has referred to his 1970s seminary training as a "liberal" experience and frequently champions orthodoxy against what he considers liberal Catholic excesses.
  • Focus on Identity and Doctrine: He highlights that younger Catholics and those seeking deeper identity are drawn to "smells-and-bells," Latin, and doctrines that are often considered difficult or traditional.
  • Stewardship Focus: He is a strong proponent of the "stewardship way of life" in parishes. 
  While he sometimes celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass, he mostly celebrates the modern mass (Novus Ordo) and maintains a "moderate-traditional" stance, his blog, Southern Orders, is known for supporting traditional liturgical practices and defending orthodox Catholic doctrine. 
  He is a papist but not blindly so. 
  
  
  Based on his writings, his stance can be summarized as follows:

  Stance on Pope Francis 

  • Criticism of Style and Governance: Fr. McDonald has expressed discomfort with Pope Francis’s "off-the-cuff" remarks and "papal magisterium by interview". He has characterized the Francis papacy as a period of increased polarization and a return to "progressive" trajectories from the 1960s and 70s that he believes were previously settled.
  • Accusations of Pride: In recent posts, he has suggested that Pope Francis's papacy suffered from "the deadly sin of pride" and described the state of the Church under Francis as being "in crisis".
  • Liturgical Disagreement: A major point of contention for Fr. McDonald is Pope Francis’s restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) via the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes. He has advocated for the reversal of these policies under future leadership.
  • Early Support vs. Later Disillusionment: While he initially showed some cautious optimism or attempts to read Francis in "continuity" with tradition during the first year of his papacy, he later moved toward more consistent criticism. 

  Support for the Papacy

  • Institutional Loyalty: Despite his criticisms of any Pope, Fr. McDonald remains a committed Roman Catholic priest who upholds the office of the papacy itself. He frequently discusses the importance of the Pope as a symbol of unity and "normalcy" when the occupant aligns with traditional liturgical and theological views.
  • Enthusiasm for Successors: His blog has recently featured hypothetical or anticipatory commentary on a "Pope Leo XIV," whom he praises for returning to traditional papal symbols (like the mozzetta and ornate stoles) and "coherent" speech, explicitly contrasting this with Pope Francis’s style. 

  In summary, Fr. McDonald is a traditionalist who supports the authority of the papacy but has spent much of the last decade critiquing the specific theological and liturgical direction of Pope Francis.