What Is Heresy?
The Vatican Council teaches: "Further, by divine and Catholic faith, all those things must be believed which are contained in the written word of God and in tradition, and those which are proposed by the Church, either by solemn pronouncement or in her ordinary and universal teaching power, are to be believed as divinely revealed. (DZ 1792; Denzinger's Enchiridion Symbolorum, which is in English translation as The Source of Catholic Dogma)The faithful are bound to profess their faith publicly, whenever silence, subterfuge, or their manner of acting would otherwise entail an implicit denial of their faith, a contempt of religion, an insult to God, or scandal to their neighbor. Any baptized person who, while retaining the name of Christian, obstinately denies or doubts any of the truths proposed for belief by the divine and Catholic faith, is a heretic; if he abandons the Christian faith entirely, he is called an apostate; if, finally, he refuses to be subject to the Supreme Pontiff, or to have communication with the members of the church subject to the Pope, he is a schismatic." Canon 1325. (All quotes are from the 1917 Code of Canon Law, the Code of Canon Law in force at the time of the incidents in question.)Nor is it possible for one who has a false opinion of God, to know Him in any way at all, because the object of his opinion is not God. Therefore, it is clear that the sin of unbelief is greater than any sin that occurs in the perversion of morals. (Summa Theologica. II-II, Q-10, A-3.)It belongs to faith not only that the heart should believe, but also that external words and deeds should bear witness to the inward faith, for confession is an act of faith. Saint Thomas Aquinas, On the other hand, there are unbelievers, who at some time, have accepted the faith and professed it, such as heretics and all apostates. Wherefore, if any should presume to think in their hearts otherwise than as it has been defined by Us, which God avert, let them know and understand that they are condemned by their own judgment; that they have suffered shipwreck in regard to faith, and have revolted from the unity of the Church; and what is more, that by their own act they subject themselves to the penalties established by law, if, what they think in their heart, they should to signify by word or writing or any other external means. Ineffabilis Deus, December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX (DZ 1641)But, since, it is not sufficient to shun heretical iniquity unless these errors are also shunned which come more or less close to it, we remind all of the duty of observing also the constitutions and decrees by which base opinions of this sort, which are not enumerated explicitly here, have been proscribed and prohibited by this Holy See. States the Vatican Council. (DZ 1820 restated in the 1917 Code of Canon Law in Canon 1334)Canon 2315 provides: If a person suspected of heresy, does not amend within six months... he shall be considered as a heretic and be liable to the penalties for heresy.Canon 2316 provides: A person who of his own accord and knowingly helps in any manner to propagate heresy, or who communicates in sacred rites with heretics in violation of Canon 1258, incurs suspicion of heresy.Canon 1258 tells us: It is unlawful for the faithful to assist in any active manner, or to take part in the sacred services of non-Catholics. The Holy Office on June 22, 1859 declared: Communication with heretics can be either in a condemned doctrine, or in rites and other signs indicative of adherence to a false sect, with the accompanying scandal of the faithful, to whom the Church therefore forbids this communion, lest the faith be lost or endangered. Whence St. John the Evangelist strictly commands: "if anyone comes to you and does not bring this (i.e. the Catholic) doctrine, do not receive him into the house, or say to him, Welcome. For he who says to him, Welcome, is sharer in his evil works." II John 20. These words evidently imply that everything is forbidden that is expressed by a welcome, in so far as it constitutes liturgical actions instituted to signify ecclesiastical unity. Wherefore we read that a law was enacted by the Fathers of the Council of Carthage 'against praying or singing with heretics' as is cited by Benedict XIV. It is therefore illicit to invite heretics to a choir during sacred services, to sing alternately with them, to give them peace or sacred ashes and other such tokens of external worship, which are rightly and reasonably regarded as signs of interior bond and agreement. This is to be done neither in the active sense, namely by giving them such things, or in the passive sense, by accepting from them in their sacred services. Saint Thomas also says: On the other hand, the Church forbids the faithful to communicate with unbelievers who have forsaken the faith they once received, either by corrupting the faith as heretics, or by entirely renouncing the faith as apostates, because the Church pronounces excommunication on both.The evil will, spoken of in Canon 2199, means a deliberate will to violate a law, and presupposes on the part of the mind a knowledge of the law and on the part of the will freedom of action. Given the external violation of a law, the evil will is presumed in the external forum until the contrary is proved. Canon 2200. In other words, if a person appears to be a heretic, then we must presume he has become one willfully, as far as Canon Law is concerned. The proof of his innocence is his duty, canonically. The reason for this law is that we must make judgements in some cases. We are not judging the state of a person's soul, as this is God's duty, not ours!There are, indeed, other shepherds who say that they are Your companions and are not. They have flocks and their fields are filled with deadly weeds upon which they feed their flocks neither with You nor through You. Their pastures I have not entered, nor have I even approached near them. They are the very ones who say: "Lo, here is Christ: lo, He is here." (Mark 13:21)), promising richer pastures of wisdom and of knowledge. And many believe them and flock to them and that make them the children of hell twofold more than themselves. Why is this unless it be that with them there is no clear light of midday so that truth may be clearly recognized, and falsity is easily mistaken for it on account of its likeness to truth, and in dim light it is not easily distinguished from the real truth, especially since "stolen waters are sweeter, and hidden bread more pleasant." (Proverbs 9:17) And on this account I pray that You show me "where Thou feedest, where Thou liest in the midday." Saint Bernard, On the Love of God, speaking of heretics, on pages 127-8.Michael Fighting
"Michael…who standeth for…thy people," — Dan. 12:1-12
