Michael: Welcome to Reason and Theology, everyone. I’m your host, Michael Lofton, joined by co-hosts Eric Ybarra and William Albrecht. We are pleased to announce our esteemed guest, His Excellency Athanasius Schneider. Bishop Athanasius Schneider, how are you, Your Excellency? It’s great to have you on.
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: Thank you. I greet you all.
Michael: We have really been encouraged by your ministry. As we were speaking off the air, many of us have experienced difficult times during this church crisis, and you have been a light and a beacon of hope. We truly appreciate your ministry and what you’ve done. Let me go ahead and formally introduce His Excellency.
His Excellency, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, was consecrated Bishop at the Altar of the Chair of Saint Peter in the Vatican in June 2006. He was then assigned as Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Astana, Kazakhstan. He is also the author of two books, Dominus Est (“It Is the Lord”) and Christus Vincit, a book about Christ’s triumph over the darkness of the age. Both are available on Amazon.com, so everyone, please go there and support His Excellency.
Your Excellency, may I begin by asking this? As we mentioned earlier, there is a significant crisis in the Church. Many people are discouraged, and some are thinking about leaving Catholicism altogether, perhaps going to the Orthodox, Protestantism, or even atheism. What words of encouragement would you offer to help them remain Catholic during this time of crisis?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: You cannot abandon the Church, because the Catholic Church is the only Church that Christ founded. There is no other, and this is His mystical body. The Catholic Church is the one true Church, and we must stress that identity. We cannot abandon this Church because she is our mother.
The error of many people is that they identify the Pope with the entire Church, or they identify a specific bishop or parish with the Church. This is impossible. The Church is greater than the Pope. The Church is Christ, the living Christ, and the Pope is only His vicar and instrument, like a bishop or priest.
I understand these people because when they observe bad behavior among the clergy, especially in our time, bad teaching, errors, ambiguities, even from the Vatican, they become discouraged. But this is only a temporary situation. Throughout history, most popes faithfully preserved and transmitted God’s revelation for 2,000 years. The current crisis is only a short time, and God will intervene again, as He always has.
There have been popes who made mistakes or errors in teaching the faith, but these were rare. For example, during the Arian crisis in the fourth century, Pope Liberius excommunicated St. Athanasius and compromised with Arian bishops, but this was brief, and his successors restored the faith. Another example is Pope Honorius I in the seventh century, who, in letters to the Patriarch of Constantinople, helped spread the Monothelite heresy. His successor, St. Martin I, later defended the faith with clarity, and later councils condemned Pope Honorius for his failure.
Such cases were rare, and no one left the Church because of them, even during the Renaissance and the Dark Ages, when there were morally corrupt popes. We must not identify these individuals with the Church. The Church lives through all the popes, saints, and doctors. This is our Church.
Catholics must not abandon the Church. We have the good catechisms, the clear teachings, and the beautiful liturgy. Thanks be to God, Pope Benedict restored the traditional liturgy, and it is increasingly available. Even if you must travel to attend it, it is worthwhile, for it is a treasure of the Church.
During persecution, even in recent times, I myself lived for periods without Mass because there were no priests, but we kept our faith through prayer in the family. When a priest came, it was a great feast. I advise Catholics to strengthen their faith and never abandon the Church. It is impossible, for we are baptized members of the one Catholic Church. There is no other, and we cannot leave her.
Michael: Your Excellency, I really appreciate your comment because you noted something that resonated with me and many others. It is important to distinguish between bad people in the Church and the Church itself, and not to confuse the two. That is often difficult, and your words are very helpful.
You also spoke about the liturgy and the need for us to strengthen our Catholic faith. Could you speak to those who do not have access to a good liturgy and cannot relocate? How can they experience the divine life of God and continue to grow in their relationship with Christ in that situation?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: First, I would say these people must establish and develop a kind of domestic Church. This was my experience during the Soviet era in the underground Church, when we had no access for a long time to Holy Mass or the sacraments. We kept the Catholic faith in the family. We prayed together every day, and on Sundays, we did a kind of family worship with prayers, the Rosary, litanies, and spiritual communion.
My mother taught us catechism at home, and we sometimes gathered with others for prayer. When a priest came, we celebrated Mass and confessed. We survived through this domestic Church.
Faithful Catholics today can do the same. Seek places where the liturgy is celebrated worthily, and even if you must travel, it is worth it. If there is no worthy Mass nearby, it is better not to attend one where the Lord is offended through liturgical abuses or where the Mass is celebrated like a Protestant service. Such worship does not strengthen our faith. It is better to make the sacrifice to find a good place where Mass is celebrated reverently.
Michael: Yes, Your Excellency, I appreciate that. From my own experience and from what others have shared, attending liturgies that are spiritually unhealthy can be very damaging. I appreciate you noting that, and canon law supports what you’re saying. It allows for a dispensation when it is physically or morally impossible to receive the sacraments from a Catholic minister. That is very helpful.
There’s another question I have for you about the Great Commission. Christ tells us we must go out and share the faith with everyone, bringing them the good news and teaching them God’s commands. It is difficult today, especially when one feels embarrassed to invite someone to the local liturgy or to meet the local priest. How can a person bring the Gospel of Christ to others in such a challenging and scandalous context?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: First, we must live the Catholic faith deeply and sincerely. When we live in union with God, that itself becomes a kind of mission, because through our lives, the Lord can touch others. We must also be ready to answer, as St. Peter says, to anyone who asks about our faith.
We must confess Christ and not be ashamed of Him. We should always speak the truth with love, as St. Paul teaches, and offer people the truth of the Catholic faith. We should not impose but offer. Share good Catholic books, invite others to a reverent liturgy, a conference, or a retreat.
We must also pray for those around us and ask their guardian angels to open their hearts. We are instruments, but God, through the Holy Spirit, is the main agent. We must have the courage to witness and speak clearly about Christ and His truth.
In recent decades, Catholics in the West have lost the courage to speak openly about their faith, while members of other religions or sects do not hesitate to do so. We Catholics have the fullness of truth; why should we be afraid to speak of the beauty of our faith?
Sharing the truth is an act of love for our neighbor. If we do not share it, we fail in charity. I encourage Catholics to recover an apostolic spirit, as St. Paul said, “The love of Christ compels us.” Caritas Christi urget nos, the love of Christ moves us to speak about Him, His love, and His truth.
Michael: Thank you for that. I really appreciate those words of conviction and clarity. It’s something we don’t often hear today, so I really admire that, Your Excellency. Let me ask one follow-up question, then I’ll pass it over to my brothers. When it comes to sharing material, which you briefly mentioned in evangelization, of course, we want to give people a copy of the Scriptures. Would you recommend that people who want to help others understand more about the Church give them a copy of the Catechism, or perhaps the older Roman Catechism? I know it was designed for priests, so that might be more difficult. What would you recommend they give in addition to a copy of the Scriptures?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: I would give them a simple, good, traditional catechism. For English-speaking people, the Baltimore Catechism is clear and simple. It’s not a difficult theological book, so it’s easy to use.
Recently, there has been a project in the United States called Tradivox. They are publishing many traditional catechisms from history in English. These are small catechisms now available in one or more volumes. This could help people know the Catholic faith better.
Another book that is not too difficult theologically is Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma by Ludwig Ott, published recently by Baronius Press. I recommend this because it is understandable and offers a synthesis of the entire Catholic faith and dogma. It shows the foundations in Scripture, the Fathers of the Church, and the Magisterium. These would be excellent resources for those learning the faith.
Michael: I appreciate that, Your Excellency. Let me pass it over to our brother Eric here. He has some questions for you. I think you’re muted there, Mike.
Eric: I apologize for that. Thank you, Michael. Your Excellency, it is an honor to be here with you. I thank God for your witness and for the writings you have made public that have edified me, my family, and many of my friends and acquaintances. We thank God for you.
I have a number of important questions that I have thought deeply about because they affect many Catholics. The first question is this. In the United States, we see an underground exodus from Catholicism into Eastern Orthodoxy. This is happening because, from all appearances, the Orthodox seem to have maintained everything in tradition that Catholicism has lost, such as liturgy, fasting, Eucharistic discipline, reverence in worship, and ceremony.
What would you tell a Catholic who, when looking at both sides, sees the current situation in the Catholic Church and the beauty of Eastern Orthodoxy, and feels drawn to make that move? We see this growing in the U.S., though I’m not sure how it is in other countries. What would you tell a Catholic who feels that inclination?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: I would say that what attracts them to Orthodoxy, the things the Orthodox have, are actually Catholic. These elements, liturgy, fasting, reverence, and beauty, belong to the Catholic Church. The Church preserved these things, and they are not unique to the Orthodox.
Before the Council, these elements were widespread in the Catholic Church, and in some places, they still are. Thanks be to God, the dignity of the liturgy and fasting are kept in traditional communities such as the Fraternity of St. Peter, the Institute of Christ the King, and the Society of Pius X. They preserve the traditional liturgy, the laws of penance, and especially the integrity of the Catholic faith and dogma.
Although not widespread, these still exist within the Catholic Church. We must seek them out, perhaps in traditional monasteries, which are fewer but still present. To go to Orthodoxy is, I believe, a temptation and an illusion, because there are also defects in Orthodoxy. The main one is doctrinal; they do not have the fullness of the Catholic faith, particularly regarding one revealed truth: the primacy of Peter.
This truth is found clearly in Scripture and the entire tradition of the Fathers. It is part of divine revelation. The primacy of Peter is not something optional or open to personal choice. It is part of the divine constitution of the Church, not something established by man. Therefore, it is a serious matter to join a community that rejects this essential part of revelation.
It may seem easier to go to a beautiful Orthodox church and feel a sense of security, but this is an illusion, because one would lack an important element of divine truth. It is more difficult to remain in the fullness of the Catholic faith, but we must seek Catholic communities where these traditions are preserved.
I have many Orthodox friends, both priests and lay people, and we have good relationships. But, for example, they have no universal Magisterium. We can see the divisions between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Constantinople Patriarchate over the issue of Ukraine. The Orthodox are divided.
A few years ago, there was a so-called Pan-Orthodox Council of all Orthodox churches, but several patriarchates did not attend, so it was not truly pan-Orthodox. This shows that without the Pope, whom God established, not man, the Church cannot function universally. Their universal Magisterium ended in the eighth century, with the last council recognized by all, the Second Council of Nicaea.
Since then, they have had no universally binding Magisterium. For example, on moral issues like contraception, the Catholic Church teaches clearly through Humanae Vitae and St. John Paul II. The Orthodox Church, however, has no clear or binding teaching. Their bishops and priests differ in their judgments, leaving moral vagueness.
So I would say we must keep the integrity of doctrine, liturgy, and spiritual life, which is only possible in the fullness of the Catholic Church. For those drawn to the East, I would encourage them to consider the Eastern Catholic Churches. In the United States, there are several Eastern Rite Catholic churches with the same liturgy and fasting practices, but united with the fullness of the Catholic Church. Amen.
Eric: Amen. Thank you so much for that, Your Excellency.
My next question, without implying that this is the case, concerns the possibility of papal failure, the idea of a pope failing in his role as the successor of Peter. This topic has recently come up among theologians and canonists. For a long time, it was rarely discussed, but now the question of a heretical pope is being seriously considered.
Some people we might call ultra-papalists or hyper-papalists argue that if a pope were to make a theological error or even become a formal heretic, it would be contradictory to attend a Mass where his name is commemorated, because doing so would imply identification with his error.
Some Catholics, and even some Orthodox, say it is impossible to attend a Mass where the pope’s name is mentioned if he is teaching false doctrine. What could you say to that? Is there anything in history that helps us understand or reconcile how this can be?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: I think we have to distinguish some points. First, there is the dogma of faith on the infallibility of the Magisterium of the Pope. This dogma is often misunderstood. We must be very careful and read the text of the First Vatican Council, which is very precise. It says that the Pope has the assistance of God, not inspiration, but the negative assistance of God. This means that when the Pope confirms divine revelation and teaches what the Church has always taught definitively, called ex cathedra, that act of confirming the faith is infallible, because at that moment God prevents him from teaching error by virtue of his office as teacher.
However, it is very specific. He must clearly declare that he is speaking to the entire Church, and the matter must concern faith or morals. He must say that this teaching belongs to the divine deposit of revelation and oblige the entire Church to accept it. When any one of these elements is lacking, there is no infallibility. Therefore, theoretically, all other statements of a pope outside these precise conditions can be fallible and may contain error, although this has been rare. Divine Providence has seldom allowed such cases, but it has happened.
As I mentioned earlier, during the Arian crisis, Pope Liberius made errors, as did Pope Honorius I, and later Pope John XXII in the fourteenth century. These were relatively short-lived mistakes, and they were not imposed on the entire Church. This is an important distinction.
So, the notion of infallibility means that the Pope cannot commit heresy when speaking ex cathedra. This is a dogma of faith. When he teaches definitively, he is protected from error. Therefore, even if a pope commits an error or heresy outside ex cathedra teaching, it is a temporary situation. We must look to the entire teaching of the Church, which we know from the Catechism and the Councils, and hold to what has always been taught by the popes throughout history.
If a current pope commits an error, such as when Pope Francis promoted religious relativism in the Abu Dhabi document, affirming the plurality of religions as willed by God, we recognize that this contradicts divine revelation and the consistent teaching of the popes from St. Peter onward. In such cases, we cannot follow him. We must, however, advise and admonish him respectfully, as I have done. Eventually, the next pope or a future council will clarify the matter.
We must remain faithful to the entire Church, even if the current pope errs in specific areas. We must pray for him, admonish him respectfully, and remain firm in the Catholic faith, proclaiming what the Church has always taught.
Regarding the other point, it is not true that if a pope commits an error and I commemorate him in the Mass, I am thereby accepting all his errors. The commemoration of the pope in the Canon of the Mass expresses that I am in canonical communion with him. We are not a sect. We are part of the universal Catholic Church. The commemoration signifies that I recognize there is one visible head of the Church, the Vicar of Christ.
I commemorate him as pope because the Church must have a head, even if, for a time, that head is spiritually ill or teaching incorrectly. Commemoration does not mean agreement with every teaching of the pope. It simply means acknowledging that he is the supreme pastor established by God in His Church, along with the local bishop. This has always been the practice of the Church.
Eric: Yes, amen. Thank you, Your Excellency. I guess the easiest solution sometimes is to do what Tertullian did: when you get tired of the institution, you go off alone and rely on the Holy Spirit in an uncanonical situation. It’s easy, and the temptations are always strong. But as Saint Augustine taught the Donatists, maintaining the unity of the Church is more important.
The last question I have for you is this. Throughout your time as a Catholic, or more importantly, during this time of crisis, have any spiritual, theological, or historical books greatly influenced you, that have made a deep impression on you, and that you could recommend to us, maybe one or two, or whichever you prefer?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: It depends on the theme. I would say the most important thing is dogma, the teaching, because I have to know what I believe. This is the foundation of my life. For me, it has always been very helpful to study the collection of Magisterial texts called Denzinger. It is one volume that collects all the pronouncements of the Magisterium from Saint Peter through the popes and councils. There, you can see the clarity and constant teaching of the Church. It gives strength and security.
Denzinger is useful not only for priests but also for laypeople. In Church history, there are also certain texts of the Magisterium that have exceptional meaning because of their clarity. I would mention, for example, the beautiful and clear text of the Council of Trent on justification, which is easy to understand, and also the Council of Trent on the Holy Mass and the Holy Eucharist. These three texts are admirable expositions of the Catholic faith on those topics.
More recently, the encyclical of John Paul II, Veritatis Splendor, on moral law and morality, is very clear and helpful. I would also mention the encyclical of Pope Pius X, Pascendi Dominici Gregis, on the phenomenon of modernism. In it, the Pope presents with great clarity the dangers and illusions of the modernist movement and its intellectual errors, which are spreading more and more today. These texts remain timely and meaningful for us.
For spiritual life, the most important book for me is The Imitation of Christ. It has been my greatest help in spiritual life. I would also recommend The Soul of the Apostolate by the French monk Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard. It is very good and very precise in explaining the interior life.
On liturgy and the Eucharist, we have to look at the lex credendi, how we believe, and the lex orandi, how we pray. On prayer and the Eucharist, I would recommend the works of Prosper Guéranger, founder of Solesmes Abbey in France in the nineteenth century. His work, The Liturgical Year, is an admirable book that transmits the constant tradition of the Church and explains the meaning of the liturgy and the feasts in a profound way.
For the Eucharist, I would recommend Saint Peter Julian Eymard, a French saint of the nineteenth century. Especially his little books, The Real Presence and Holy Communion. They are treasures about the Eucharist, because the Eucharist is the heart of the Church and of our life, and we must nourish that life.
I would also recommend a good traditional Latin hand missal so that people can pray with the Church and reflect on the texts of the liturgy. For English speakers, I recommend the Father Lasance Missal. It is still available, even though the last edition was published in 1945. Thanks be to God, it still preserves the full Holy Week texts and liturgy, which are again available today.
It is also important to know the history of the Church and its events in the light of faith. I recommend the book Revolution and Counter-Revolution by the Brazilian professor Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira. It is a precise demonstration of how history has been influenced by forces opposed to Christ and the Church, even to our own time.
More specifically about the Second Vatican Council and our times, I recommend the book by Professor Roberto de Mattei, The Second Vatican Council: An Unwritten Story. It presents the facts clearly, helping us not to live in illusion but to see what really occurred. It is a very good resource, available also in English.
Finally, I would also recommend the last book of Cardinal Robert Sarah, The Day Is Now Far Spent, which reflects on our current situation and offers a profound spiritual perspective, much like the disciples of Emmaus. I highly recommend it.
Eric: Wow, Your Excellency. Thank you so much. That is a very unique and powerful list of recommendations. I’m going to pass it now to our brother William, but thank you again.
William: Your Excellency, you have been incredible. I greatly appreciate you coming on and dialoguing with us and sharing such an inspiring message of hope. I know you have a deep devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. How can we integrate the message of Our Lady’s intercession into the modern world we live in? Is this a time when we should particularly cling to Our Lady as our refuge so as not to be carried away by the winds of heterodoxy?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: Our Lady is our Mother. When there is danger, children instinctively go to their mother to seek refuge, and she is our powerful Mother given by God. In tradition, she is even called “the interceding omnipotence.” She intercedes for us as our Mother, and God sends her to advise, warn, and guide us in various ways, especially through shrines where people pray and receive strength and consolation.
In particular, through the approved apparitions of Fatima, Our Lady speaks clearly and gives us concrete guidance on how to live in the Church and in the world. We must receive her admonitions, such as the importance of the Rosary, which is the most powerful spiritual weapon in these times. We must form a worldwide chain of Rosaries to fight against the new anti-Christian forces.
She also spoke about devotion to her Immaculate Heart, given by God for our time, with many promised graces. We must spread and practice this devotion through personal consecration. This can be done according to the method of Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, with total dedication to her as described in his book True Devotion to Mary, or through other forms of consecration to her Heart.
We must also promote the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart, so that Russia may be converted. I interpret this as the Orthodox Church returning to unity with the See of Peter, leading to renewal in the Church and a time of peace for humanity. Our Lady gives us this hope. She is our Mother, and she will not abandon us. This is a great consolation for us.
William: Bishop Schneider, that was an incredible response. Earlier, you spoke about how only in Catholicism do we find the fullness of truth, and I agree. Within Catholicism, we have the fullness of truth about our Immaculate Mother, Mary. I also agree that we must cling to her during this difficult time. When Christ was on the Cross, He gave His Mother to Saint John. We also see Mary as our Mother in the Book of Revelation. What an incredible message. If we truly clung to the message of our Immaculate Mother, do you think our churches would be fuller?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: Yes, we have to accept the admonitions of Our Lady, because she leads us back to Christ. The shrines of Our Lady are like spiritual capitals of the world. There she reminds us to do what Jesus told us, to live the Gospel in all its purity, in the fullness of divine truth and Catholic faith, in the beauty of the liturgy, in moral integrity, and with missionary zeal.
This is her message to us. We must also be a penitent, humble, and contrite people, for God gives His grace to the humble, as expressed in the Magnificat. Even in these times, when those who strive to keep the integrity of the Catholic faith in dogma, liturgy, and morality seem to be a minority and are sometimes marginalized by those in power, in the eyes of God, they are the ones renewing the Church.
God loves to use the little ones, not the powerful. This gives us hope. Even if some clergy despise you for your fidelity to the faith, believe that God is with you and wants to use your humility to renew the Church where you live.
Our Lady renews the Church through two powerful means: the Eucharist and devotion to her. Without the Eucharist, there can be no renewal of the Church. We must renew our faith, love, and reverence for our Eucharistic Lord, especially during Holy Communion. The practice of Communion in the hand must end. We cannot continue to treat our Lord in such a minimal way.
The liturgy must also be restored with dignity, sacredness, and orientation toward the Lord. The Eucharist and Our Lady—these are the two pillars that will renew the Church. Saint John Bosco saw this in his vision of the two columns in the sea during the battle against the Church: one was the Eucharist, the other Our Lady. This is our path. God will renew the Church through the renewal of Eucharistic life and Marian devotion.
William: Amen, incredible words, Your Excellency. As somebody with German roots, like yourself, and someone aware of the downfall of the faith in Europe and the growing trend of Islam across the continent, what can be done to revitalize the Church in Europe? In your book, The Catholic Mass: Steps to Restore the Centrality of God in the Liturgy, you note, and I agree, that Islam is succeeding in taking over Europe. I visit often, many times every year. What, in your opinion, can be done to revitalize the faith in Europe?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: As I mentioned in my book, we should not fear a powerful Islam, but rather a weak Catholicism. We must strengthen ourselves as Catholics with conviction, zeal, and a renewed spiritual life, ready even for martyrdom, as were the first Christians. This is the most powerful means against Islamization, a Catholicism lived with conviction.
We should also study the Quran to understand what Islam truly is, not only what is said today about peace, which is not the full truth. In the Quran, we find a completely different image of God, Christ, and Our Lady. For them, she is not the Mother of God but only the mother of Jesus, whom they consider merely a prophet, while we believe He is true God and true man. Their understanding of redemption is contrary to Christian revelation, and they deny the redemptive sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. For them, that is unthinkable. We are therefore completely different in the most important matters of religion.
Of course, we must live in peace with our Muslim brothers in a human way. Many ordinary Muslims do not truly know the Quran. With them, we can cooperate to defend common human dignity and natural law given by God, especially in fighting against abortion, the homosexual agenda, euthanasia, and similar evils. In these areas, we can work together. In fact, the Holy See has, at times, collaborated with Islamic governments against certain United Nations agendas hostile to life and marriage.
However, Islam, by its nature, as written in the Quran, is a totalitarian religion. Its goal is to establish Sharia law in all societies. When they gain power, they seek to implement Sharia, which discriminates against all who are not Muslims. We must understand this reality and therefore spread the Catholic faith among our Muslim brothers, offering them the greatest happiness on earth, to know and believe in Jesus Christ, true God and true man, the only Savior.
William: Amen, incredible words, Your Excellency. My final question for you, just to wrap up, I greatly appreciate you addressing everything we’ve had in mind, and every answer has been on point. Would you agree that sharing the core doctrines of the Trinity, which are central to Catholicism, and the correct Marian dogmas, is essential? As you know, in Islam, they respect and venerate Mary but do not call her the Mother of God because they deny the divinity of Christ. Do you think a fiery, knowledgeable, loving, and charitable Catholicism would help if we went out and evangelized Muslims? Do we need to evangelize Muslims and bring them to the faith? Some people say we worship similarly and don’t need to, but I think we must evangelize to bring them to the fullness of faith. Could you touch on that, please? Then I’ll pass it back to Michael.
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: Yes, of course. We have the duty to evangelize Muslims and all non-Christians, Jews, Buddhists, everyone. This is a divine commandment. Jesus said, “Go and teach all nations,” without exception. If we did not evangelize, we would commit a sin of omission, a sin against the love of neighbor, because we would deprive them of the greatest happiness that exists on earth.
What attracts Muslims is clarity, sacredness, and reverence in worship. When we restore the beauty and sacredness of the liturgy and the clarity and integrity of the Catholic faith, this will attract Muslims as well. What they lack, and what only Christianity offers, is love. Every human being is created out of God’s love and for love, to love and to be loved. This deepest desire is written into our nature. Unfortunately, in Islam, this is suppressed because their understanding of God is distant and unapproachable.
In Christianity, when you love someone, you want to be close to them. Through the Eucharist, Jesus truly lives in us; this is love. Then comes love for our neighbor, even for our enemies. This love transforms the heart, and that is what is lacking in Islam. If we present this truth of supernatural love, many sincere Muslims will be attracted to it.
William: Thank you very much for those comments. I’ll pass it back over to my brother Michael, but like you, Your Excellency, I have a great devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. Thank you very much for your time. God bless you.
Michael: Your Excellency, I really appreciate your words and your clear testimony to the unity of Christ, that there is salvation in no one but Jesus. I want to get to a few chat questions, if you have a moment. The first is from my friend Luke Hinton. He asks: What is your advice for a spouse wanting to convert to Catholicism while the other does not want to accept the Church?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: I would say you must follow your conscience, because this is your personal decision. When you appear before God in judgment, you will appear alone, not with your husband or wife. If you recognize the Catholic Church as true, you must follow your conscience, even if your spouse is against it.
In a good marriage, there must be mutual tolerance. Pray continuously for the conversion of your husband or wife, and God may one day grant them the fullness of faith. Above all, live your faith by example more than by words. Your faithful example will convince more than your speech.
Michael: Another question, from Murray, for the good bishop: Do you have any hope that the SSPX will be granted official canonical status? If not, what needs to be done?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: I very much hope that the Society of Saint Pius X will receive canonical status. They already have a partial status, as the Pope has given them general faculties for confessions and to witness marriages. Archbishop Lefebvre made a great contribution during the crisis of the Church by pointing out serious problems and by preserving the traditional Mass, which we now have available again. Without his perseverance, it might have been lost.
When you read his Open Letter to Confused Catholics from 1986, it remains remarkably timely. In it, he did not reject Vatican II but urged prudence in judging it. He only highlighted certain difficulties. I believe that, in time, the Church will recognize his historical merit, even if, like all people, he had human limitations.
Michael: This next question is from an Irish viewer: How much of the lack of clarity in preaching the Gospel is due to infiltration in the Church, as described in Taylor Marshall’s book? What should Catholics do about it?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: This is a confirmation of facts. We see infiltration from many sides, and now it is reaching its peak. The main infiltration was modernism, which arose over a century ago. Modernist theologians introduced a new, anthropocentric, and naturalistic way of thinking that slowly penetrated the Church. The Second Vatican Council became a catalyst for spreading this influence.
We must also acknowledge the influence of Freemasonry, which promotes relativism, anthropocentrism, and naturalism. We now see the fruits of these errors. However, we must respond with a positive “counter-infiltration” by living and spreading the true Catholic faith, traditional values, the renewal of Christian life, and authentic liturgy. We need new saints, holy priests, and strong Catholic families to rebuild the Church.
Michael: Dominic Bower asks: How should we revive a culture of life in our parishes, especially amid the cultural attacks on marriage and family?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: This is an important question because the future of both society and the Church depends on the family, especially large Catholic families. We must teach young people preparing for marriage the beauty and responsibility of being fathers and mothers, of founding a domestic church, and of giving life to new citizens of heaven and of the Church. Encourage young people to be generous in welcoming the children God sends them. Yes, it involves sacrifice, but without sacrifice, there is no love, and without love, there is no renewal of society. Love and sacrifice are inseparable.
Michael: One of our Eastern Catholic contributors, Elijah Yassi, asks: Is there any relationship between papal infallibility and collegiality?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: Papal infallibility is a personal prerogative given to Saint Peter and his successors in specific, clearly defined cases to strengthen the faith of their brothers, as Jesus commanded Peter. His “brothers” are, first of all, the bishops. The Pope is their head but also their brother, united with them in one episcopate.
There is only one episcopal college in the Church, one organic body of bishops with the Pope as its head. They must act together. At times, the Pope may invite the bishops to join him in an act of infallible teaching, as in Ecumenical Councils, or he may approve their decisions, giving them infallible authority.
The Pope must work with the bishops and also be humble enough to accept good counsel or even correction, as Saint Peter accepted correction from Saint Paul at Antioch. The Pope is not above the Church but within it, as its servant. Jesus said, “The greatest among you must be the servant of all.” Therefore, primacy, infallibility, and collegiality belong together for the protection and promotion of the faith.
Michael: Your Excellency, I want to be mindful of your time, so I’ll ask one last question. Jim H. asks: Are there any bishops or cardinals who share your views? Is there a lobby in the Vatican for them?
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: I don’t know if such a lobby exists, but it would be good if there were one promoting truth, the honor of God, and the salvation of souls. That would be a worthy cause. There are bishops and cardinals who still preserve the integrity of the faith, love tradition and liturgy, and seek true renewal of the Church. Some are known publicly, while others remain silent, perhaps out of fear or prudence, waiting for a future pope more clearly devoted to tradition. Every bishop must do what he can in his own situation to promote the true renewal of the Church.
Michael: Your Excellency, thank you so much for your time and for coming on the show. This has been a true blessing. I want to encourage everyone to pray the Rosary for His Excellency.
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: Thank you very much. I want to encourage you and thank you for your dedication to this apostolate of faith. You are, for me, an example. Continue this beautiful work. You are men, gentlemen, and perhaps fathers of families. You are true soldiers of Christ. Thank you. I will now give you my blessing and to all who are with us.
Dominus vobiscum. Et cum, spiritu tuo Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus, Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus. Amen.
Michael: Thank you once again, Your Excellency. You’re welcome on the show anytime. We will pray the Rosary for you and your ministry. Everyone, thank you for watching. Please comment, like, subscribe, and share this on your social media. Until next time, God bless you all. Thank you.