"And I beheld, and heard the voice of one eagle flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice: Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth.... [Apocalypse (Revelation) 8:13]
In his introduction to Fr Hesse’s conference, Fr Trinchard says: “Be
open to hearing a radical and shocking exposure of the Catholic Faith
where our generation hasn’t the foggiest notion of what a Catholic is.”
Fr Hesse briefly discusses the SV position and rules it out. Fr Hesse
says that SVs like to rely on the Apostolic Bull of Pope Paul IV Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio
which says that a heretic cannot become Pope. He explains that the
election of the Supreme Pontiff is a canonical election, which is an act
of administration and is therefore not infallible. Papal election is an
act of administration, not a sacrament. It is not a theological
procedure, therefore there cannot be an infallible pronouncement on it.
He states that the Bull is infallible as far as doctrinal statements are
concerned, but it cannot be infallible as far as administrative rules
are concerned. These rules have been changed by subsequent Popes a
couple of dozen times in Church History.
Throughout these conferences, Father stresses the importance of
distinctions, this time between Positive Human Law, Church Law and
Divine Law.
Father gives an overview of the history of ABL and why he started the
SSPX. Father would be scandalized to see today’s SSPX maintain that the
NOM has been properly promulgated. He always maintained that the NOM is
against Divine Law (which means is illicit and therefore is offensive to
God).
At the 30 minute mark, Father notes that Rome offered ABL a special
organization of Pontifical Right wherein he could continue forming
seminarians in the old Rite. The organization would have been headed by a
commission of seven members: five chosen by the Vatican, one Bishop
chosen by Rome and one member chosen by the SSPX. Father explains that
Rome had no right to give special permission; instead Rome should have
done away with the New Rite.
From the 34 minute mark on, Fr Hesse warns why the SSPX of his day were
right not to want to place themselves under the administrative authority
of Rome. He explains that the sole reason for the creation of the FSSP
was to take people and priests away from the SSPX. He explains why the
FSSP are formally in heresy. He re-iterates: “The new Rite is against
Divine Law.”
Fr Hesse quotes Pope Innocent III on whether or not to receive doubtful
Sacraments, saying that you always must adopt the safer course – which
is Church Doctrine. You are not allowed to take chances with the
Sacraments. If you take chances with the Sacraments, you are in sin.
History has a tragic way of repeating itself. Fr Hesse conducted this
conference in 1997 and was happy that ABL turned down a possible
agreement with Conciliar Rome and chose to remain Roman Catholic.
Compare the wisdom of ABL to the folly of Bishop Fellay who today has
still not learned from his predecessors and is seeking an agreement with
Conciliar Rome. Perhaps Bishop Fellay et al should listen to the
conferences of Canon Hesse. His sanity is at stake!
