Question 33 – How Should Lay People Combat The Growing Heresy In The Church?

Transcript:

First, we have to live the integrity of the faith ourselves by our life, and then also use the means we have at our disposal to promote and spread the beauty of our faith and the truth through several means. Thanks be to God, we have today good means, like the Internet and other tools, to spread the truth. Since we know the truth, we have to use at least the catechisms, several catechisms. Maybe we can take the more certain formulations from the old catechists or from the encyclicals and documents of the popes, where we find the clearest formulations. We have these means.

This is the first, or the second, means. Then, to combat heresy, of course, it is primarily the task of the magisterium to protect the flock from heresy, because heresy is a poison. Heresy is the wolf entering the flock, and so the pastors, the shepherds, have to protect the people. This is what Our Lord Jesus Christ said, and this is what the Apostles said in their letters. We have to protect souls from bad teaching and false doctrines. In this case, it is the first task of the hierarchy, and the first is the Pope. The Holy See has to watch over and protect the entire flock of Christ from heresy.

If a bishop is proclaiming or publicly supporting heresy, it is the first task of the Pope to admonish him. When the bishop does not improve, the Pope must declare him excommunicated. This must be done; otherwise, the poison will spread even more. This is the first task of the Holy See, of the successors of Peter. Then it is the task of the local bishop in his own diocese to admonish heretics to convert, and if they do not, to excommunicate them, for medicinal purposes, of course.

For the lay people, when they hear of heresy, they should advise the local bishop. “There are these cases of heresy; please protect us. You are our father; you have to protect us from the poison. You are our spiritual doctor, so be a good doctor, a good shepherd, and protect us from the wolves.” If the bishop is a heretic, then the lay people have to appeal to Rome. In this way, there are several possible actions on how to face and combat heresy.