‘Sentimental Theology’ and ‘Faith is a Gift’

06 Saturday Apr 2013

Posted by Brother André Marie, M.I.C.M. in Ecclesiology, Fr. Leonard Feeney, St. Benedict Center, and Friends

In this video, Michael Voris presents some good thoughts on the subject of sentimental theology. There are two points here where he appears to have borrowed from Saint Benedict Center’s founders. (Note that I do not say he borrowed, but “appears to have” done so.) First is the name itself, which was the title of an article by Dr. Fakhri Maluf (later Brother Francis, M.I.C.M.) published in the September 1947 issue of From the Housetops. That article may be read here: Sentimental Theology. There is another article that explains the history surrounding its publication: Sentimental Theology Revisited.

Second is Mr. Voris’ correct series of observations about the much abused statement, “Faith is a gift.” That, too is the title of an article by one of our Founders, Father Feeney himself, who also points out the need for a gift to be not merely offered, but also accepted. Father Feeney’s article, Faith is a Gift, is on our web site, too.

Monologue with a Madman

08 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by Brother André Marie, M.I.C.M. in Ecclesiology

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Some months back, I received a telephone call from a sedevacantist madman who challenged me to a debate on whether Pope Benedict XVI is the pope. This individual should know that debates are not the way we do our apostolate. I have nothing against debating, but we engage in other apostolates that take up our time, I believe, more profitably: publishing, street evangelism, our school, night classes here at the Center, putting on conferences, various youth apostolates, public outreach to spread the traditional Mass, and giving talks on a Catholic America.

Besides, I am of the opinion that debating the undebatable is not a prudent thing. Debating whether the pope is the pope is like debating the wetness of water, the heat of the sun, or the fourness of two plus two.

Scripture admonishes us to “Talk not much with a fool, and go not with him that hath no sense” (Ecclus. 22:14). This man fits the description. Continue reading →

They Fought the Good Fight, by Brother Thomas Mary Sennott

05 Monday Apr 2010

Posted by Brother André Marie, M.I.C.M. in Ecclesiology, Fr. Leonard Feeney, St. Benedict Center, and Friends, Theology

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An excellent book is now back in print. Brother Thomas Mary Sennott, who was one of Father Feeney’s original followers, wrote a defense of Father’s doctrinal position in his book, They Fought the Good Fight, which was originally published in 1987. Besides Brother Thomas Mary’s narrative and annotations, the book has long excerpts from Father Feeney’s and Orestes Brownson’s most pointed writings on “no salvation outside the Church.” Significantly, the book bears the Imprimi potest of Bishop Timothy J. Harrington, the Bishop of Worcester. (His Excellency granted this on January 15, 1987, thus indicating that the volume is free of doctrinal or moral error.)

Brother Thomas Mary, who is now deceased, had a web site that a friend of his now keeps on line. Continue reading →

The Church of Salvation, by Brother Leonard Mary

08 Monday Feb 2010

Posted by Brother André Marie, M.I.C.M. in Ecclesiology, Fr. Leonard Feeney, St. Benedict Center, and Friends, Theology

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Among all the issues facing the Church in these times of epic confusion, the issue of salvation — where it is to be found, and how achieved — is the most pressing. If you have not yet read Brian Kelly’s review of Brother Leonard Mary’s book, The Church of Salvation, I strongly recommend you do so.

Father Paul Wattson of Graymoor, Apostle of TRUE Church Unity

19 Tuesday Jan 2010

Posted by Brother André Marie, M.I.C.M. in Catholic America, Ecclesiology, Lives of the Saints

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During this Chair of Unity Octave, let’s pray for REAL Christian unity — Catholic unity under the Supreme Pontiff — not amorphous irenicism! To appreciate this exhortation, it would behove us to study the life of the very author of the Church Unity Octave, Father Paul Wattson, founder of the Society of the Atonement.

Dishonestly promoted now as the precursor to modern false ecumenism, Father Paul was an apostolic soul who knew that the only real Christian unity is Catholic unity under the Sovereign Pontiff.

The Church, The Mystical Body

04 Monday May 2009

Posted by Brother André Marie, M.I.C.M. in Christology, Ecclesiology

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(from a talk I gave at the 1997 St. Benedict Center Conference)

I will begin this talk with a basic question, but a question I’m afraid most of us don’t think enough about: What was the purpose of the Incarnation? Strange question, is it not, since what we are talking about is not only the focal point of all human history, but the central mystery of our Faith? Let a Father and Doctor of the Church answer it: St. Athanasius tells us that God became man so that we might become deified, that is, made gods. Continue reading →

Lex Orandi Lex Credendi

24 Friday Apr 2009

Posted by Brother André Marie, M.I.C.M. in Ecclesiology, Liturgy, Sacred Scripture and Tradition: Sources of Revelation

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This ancient Latin axiom is quoted so often, I thought a little explanation of it on our web site would be helpful. A paraphrase of a longer patristic expression, the phrase means, “the law of praying is the law of believing.”

The Father of the Church who gave us the axiom is St. Prosper of Aquitaine. He coined it in his controversy with the semi-Pelagians, who held that God’s grace was necessary neither for one’s first movement towards conversion nor for final perseverance. Continue reading →