On the Internet sites and in books circulating among the propagators of the “hidden pope” heresy, one can find strange statements.
For example:"God the Father will cease having the Real Presence on the altars of the world, as the unbloody Sacrifice."
Also:"We know now that the Priests could only be removed once the Papacy itself was put aside, into Exile."
It seems that by the first statement someone says that God the Father “will cease” or stop Christ from being the Priest and the victim of the unbloody Sacrifice.
By the second statement, someone declares the Priesthood, instituted by Christ Himself, as removed, when the Papacy was put into Exile.
Both of these statements are controversial, because they contradict Holy Scripture and the Holy Tradition of the Catholic Church.
What are Catholics obliged to know about the perpetual renewal of the Sacrifice of the Cross?
The Real Presence on the altars as the unbloody Sacrifice and the Priesthood of Christ will be continued until the last day of this world's existence.
First we must know the teaching of the New Testament and of the Catholic Catechism, which is the following:
“Mass will be celebrated until the Day of Judgment (1 Cor, XI, 26). Not any or all of the adversaries of the Church, not Antichrist himself, will be able to suspend the offering of the holy sacrifice. The last Mass said will be on the last day of this world's existence. This is what Our Lord meant when He said: “I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world” (Matt. xxviii, 20)". (1)
"He promises to be with them (not for three or four hundred years only) but all days even to the consummation of the world. How then could the Catholic Church ever go astray; having always with her pastors, as is here promised, Christ himself, who is the way, the truth, and the life. St. John, xiv." (2)
"For as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come." (1 Cor, XI, 26). (2)
So, we see that the Word of God and the Catholic Catechism univocally and unequivocally state that "Mass will be celebrated until the Day of Judgment”, and the “Antichrist himself, will not be able to suspend the offering of the holy sacrifice”, and therefore the Blessed Sacrament of the altar and the Priesthood are Sacraments, which were instituted by God Himself, for His Church, “even to the consummation of the world”.
The teaching of THE COUNCIL OF TRENT:
“On the Institution of the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Forasmuch as, under the former Testament, according to the testimony of the Apostle Paul, there was no perfection, because of the weakness of the Levitical priesthood; there was need, God, the Father of mercies, so or daining, that another priest should rise, according to the order of Melchisedech, our Lord Jesus Christ, who might consummate and lead to what is perfect as many as were to be sanctified.
He, therefore, our God and Lord, though He was about to offer Himself once on the altar of the Cross unto God the Father, by means of His death, there to operate an eternal redemption; nevertheless, because that His priesthood was not to be extinguished by His death, in the Last Supper, on the night in which He was betrayed - that He might leave, to His own beloved Spouse the Church, a visible sacrifice (can. i), such as the nature of man requires, whereby that bloody sacrifice, once to be accomplished on the Cross, might be represented, and the memory thereof remain even unto the end of the world, and its salutary virtue be applied to the remission of those sins which we daily commit, - declaring Himself constituted a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedech, He offered up to God the Father His own Body and Blood under the species of bread and wine; and, under the symbols of those same things, He delivered (His own body and blood) to be received by His Apostles, whom He then constituted priests of the New Testament; and by those words, “Do this in commemoration of me” He commanded them and their successors in the priesthood to offer (them); even as the Catholic Church has always understood and taught (can. ii) (vii. 11, 18, 3 Heb. x. 14, 2Ibid- Heb. ix. 13 ff). For, having celebrated the ancient Passover, which the multitude of the children of Israel immolated in memory of their going out of Egypt, He instituted the new Passover (to wit), Himself to be immolated, under visible signs, by the Church through (the ministry of) priests, in memory of His own passage from this world unto the Father, when by the effusion of His own Blood He redeemed us, and delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into His kingdom. (1 Cor. xi. 24, Ps. cix. 4, I Cor. xi. 24, Ex. xii, xiii, Col. i. 13).” (3)
Perhaps you also heard statements like the following: “Masses wherein the priest alone communicates sacramentally are unlawful, and are therefore to be abrogated.” Such statements as this are heretical too.
456 years ago, the same COUNCIL OF TRENT infallibly pronounced:
“Canon VIII. If anyone saith that Masses wherein the priest alone communicates sacramentally are unlawful, and are therefore to be abrogated; let him be anathema”. (4)
Let us look at the teaching of the Baltimore Catechism.
“Was all sacrifice to cease with the death of Christ?
No; there was to be in the New Law of Grace a perpetual sacrifice, in order to renew continually that which was once accomplished on the Cross, and to apply the fruits of the sacrifice of the Cross to our souls.
Although the sacrifice of the Cross once accomplished was sufficient for all time, yet not the remembrance of a remote sacrifice only was to remain with men, but the sacrifice was to be ever present with them, and that which had been acquired for all men upon the Cross was, by a perpetual renewal of this sacrifice, to be applied also to each one.
Was such a sacrifice promised to us by God?
Yes; even in the Old Law it was prefigured by the sacrifice of Melchisedech, and was foretold by the Prophet Malachias: “I have no pleasure in you (Jews), saith the Lord of Hosts, and I will not receive a gift of your hand; for from the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation” (Mal. i, 10, 11). In this prophecy it is clearly expressed that:
1. The Jewish sacrifice was to be abolished by God.
2. In its place a new sacrifice was to be offered, which should be a clean sacrifice, and, as the Hebrew expression indicates, an oblation. This sacrifice was to be offered up to God perpetually among all nations, and in all places.”
This prophecy certainly does not apply to the bloody sacrifice of the Cross, which is not offered at all times and in all places, but was only offered once, upon Golgotha. This prophecy applies, however, perfectly to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The sacrifice of Melchisedech was a figure of the Sacrifice of the Mass. Melchisedech was King of Salem, prince and priest, and as such he was a type of Jesus Christ. Melchisedech offered up bread and wine. His sacrifice was an offering of food.
Jesus Christ was to institute a more exalted sacrifice.
Which is the perpetual sacrifice foretold by Malachias?
It is the Sacrifice of the Mass.
By whom was the Sacrifice of the Mass instituted?
It was instituted by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper.
At the Last Supper Christ Himself celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the first time, and gave also to His Apostles the power and command to continue to celebrate it. Christ at the Last Supper offered up Himself to His heavenly Father under the appearances of bread and wine. He said: "This is my body, which shall be offered up for you. This is the chalice of my blood, which shall be shed for you." By the separated species Jesus here evidently represents His death, which certainly was a sacrifice. He celebrates it beforehand, gives even now His Body and His Blood for us. He offers Himself for us to His heavenly Father, to whom He looks up, whom He thanks, to whom also He offers Himself upon the Cross. We find here at the Last Supper the same parts which form the chief parts of the Mass, as: Offertory, Consecration, Communion. Without sacrifice the figure of the Holy Eucharist, the Paschal Lamb, would not be exactly fulfilled.
Jesus instituted the Supper of the New Law as sacrifice and Sacrament for all time, by saying to His Apostles: "Do this in commemoration of me."
For this reason the Council of Trent declares: "Whoever supposes by the words: “Do this in commemoration of me,” Christ did not ordain the Apostles as priests, or did not intend that they and other priests should offer up His Body and Blood, let him be anathema (excommunicated)." (5)
Thus, we can conclude: God cannot contradict Himself.
According to God’s Revelation, God will not cease having the Real Presence on the altars of the world, as the unbloody Sacrifice until the consummation of the world, and Christ’s Priesthood was not removed once the Papacy itself was put aside, into "Exile".
The Church of Christ, i.e. the Catholic Church, being God’s Institute, also cannot contradict Her Founder and Head.
Catholics are obliged to believe only in the truths revealed by God Himself and His Church. Consequently, every teaching, that contradicts God’s Revelation and the Infallible Church’s teaching, must be absolutely rejected by Catholics.
Fr. Valerii
Sources:
(1) The Catechism Explained
From the original of Rev. Francis Spirago, Professor of Theology,
Edited by Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J.
Nihil Obstat: Thos. L. Kinkead, Censor Librorum,
Imprimatur: + MICHAEL AUGUSTINE, Archbishop of New York.
New York, August 8, 1899.
New York, Cincinnati, Chicago
p. 536.
(2) HOLY BIBLE
Douay Version of the Old Testament of 1609,
and with the Rhemish Version of the New Testament of 1582,
Published by JAMES DUFFY, 7, Wellington-quay, Dublin,
MDCCCLVII.
PUBLISHED WITH THE APPROBATION OF
THE CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOPS & BISHOPS OF IRELAND
APPROBATION Given at Dublin, this 4th day of May, 1857.
+ PAUL CULLEN, Archbishop of Dublin, Primate of Ireland,
Delegate Apostolic, &c., &c.
+ JOSEPH DIXON, Archbp. of Annagh, Primate of all Ireland,&c.
+ JOHN, Archbishop of Tuam.
+ PATRICK M‘GETTIGAN, Bishop of Raphoe.
+ JOHN RYAN, Bishop of Limerick.
+ JAMES BROWNE, Bishop of Kilmore.
+ JOHN CANTWELL, Bishop of Meath.
+ THOMAS FEENY, Bishop of Killala.
+ CHARLES MAC NALLY, Bishop of Clogher.
+ EDWARD WALSHE, Bishop of Ossory.
+ WILLIAM DELANEY, Bishop of Cork.
+ JOHN DERBY, Bishop of Clonfert.
+ FRANCIS KELLY, Coadjutor Bishop of Derry.
+ DANIEL VAUGHAN, Bishop of Killaloe.
+ WILLIAM KEANE, Bishop of Cloyne and Ross.
+ PATRICK DURCAN, Bishop of Achonry.
+ PATRICK FALLON, Bishop of Kilfenora and Kilmacduagh.
+ JOHN KILDUFF, Bishop of Ardagh.
+ DAVID MORIARTY, Bishop of Kerry.
+ JOHN P. LEAHY, Coadjutor Bishop of Dromore.
+ D. O'BRIEN, Bishop of Waterford.
+ JAMES WALSHE, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin.
+ DANIEL M‘GETTIGAN, Coadjutor Bishop of Raphoe.
+ L. GlLLOOLY, Coadjutor Bishop of Elphin.
+ JAMES MAC EVILLY, Bishop of Galway.
+ THOMAS FURLONG, Bishop of Ferns.
1 Cor, XI, 26 and Annotations on St. Mathew 28:18-20.
(3) (4) DOGMATIC CANONS AND DECREES
AUTHORIZED TRANSLATIONS OF THE DOGMATIC DECREES OF
THE COUNCIL OF TRENT, THE DECREE ON THE IMMACULATE
CONCEPTION, THE SYLLABUS OF POPE PIUS IX, AND
THE DECREES OF THE VATICAN COUNCIL
Nihil Obstat REMIGIUS LAFORT, D.D., Censor
Imprimatur +JOHN CARDINAL FARLEY, Archbishop of New York
June 22, 1912
SESSION XXII
September 17, 1562
DOCTRINE ON THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS
DOGMATIC CANONS AND DECREES
CHAPTER I On the Institution of the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass p.132-134.
CHAPTER IX Preliminary Remark on the Following Canons
ON THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS, p.143
(5) Sunday School Teacher’s
EXPLANATION Of the Baltimore Catechism
BY THE REV. A. URBAN
Nihil Obstat REMIGIUS LAFORT, S. T. L. Censor Librorum
Imprimatur +JOHN M FARLEY, D. D. Archbishop of New York
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 14, 1908
Lesson Twenty-fourth, On the Sacrifice of the Mass, p.290, 291.
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