The Roman Catholic system says of one who chooses their faith and enters the Catholic church:
"ONCE HE DOES SO, HE HAS NO FURTHER USE FOR HIS REASON. HE ENTERS THE CHURCH, AN EDIFICE ILLUMINED BY THE SUPERIOR LIGHT OF REVELATION AND FAITH. HE CAN LEAVE REASON, LIKE A LANTERN AT THE DOOR"(Explanation of Catholic Morals, 76).
On page 35 of the same manual, we read that:
“...Her [the Catholic Church] only REASONABLE attitude makes her FORBID her children to READ or LISTEN to heretical controversy, or to endeavor to discover religious truth by examining both sides of the question.”
How different from what Paul wrote in 2 Tim 2:15:
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Even the Lord Himself said, "come, let us reason together." (Isa 1:18)
The Catholic Church teaches very unequivocally that:
“...For the valid conferring of the sacraments, the priest must have the intention of doing at least what the church does. This is laid down with great emphasis by the council of Trent” (Sess. VII).
"The opinion once defended by such theologians as Catharinus and Salmeron that there need only be the intention to preform deliberately the external rite proper each sacrament, and that as long as this was true, the interior dessent of the priest from the mind of the church would not invalidate the sacrament, no longer finds adherents” (Catholic Encyclopedia, VIII, 69).
The Council of Trent also pronounced this anathema:
"IF ANYONE SHALL SAY THAT INTENTION, AT LEAST OF DOING WHAT THE CHURCH DOES, IS NOT REQUIRED IN PRIESTS WHILE PERFORMING AND ADMINISTERING THE SACRAMENTS, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA" (Sess. VII, Can. 11).
So, we see, in the administration of the mass, baptism, marriage, etc., if the right intention is lacking on the part of the priest, due to physical or mental stress, spite for a superior, lack of preparedness, ill health or ill feelings toward the person before him the sacrament is null and void.
This means then, no Roman Catholic can ever be sure that he's been properly baptized, confirmed, absolved, in confession, married, or has a proper communion. How can he, unless he knows the priest's heart?
"IF THERE IS A DEFECT IN ANY OF THESE: NAMELY, THE DUE MATTER, THE FORM WITH INTENTION, OR THE SACERDOTAL ORDER OF THE CELEBRANT, IT NULLIFIES, THE SACRAMENT."
In Cardinal Ballarmin's Works, Vol I, pg. 488 he wrote:
"No one can be certain with the certainty of faith, that he has received a true sacrament, since no sacrament is performed without the intention of the priests, and no one can see the intention of another.”
Yet, if we turn to Jer. 17:9-10, we find:
"The heart is deceitful about all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
John 1:1 states:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God."
So it fits together well when we read in Heb.4:12 that the word of God is a “discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
In Rev 2:23 Jesus says:
"...all he churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts; and i will give unto every one of you according to your works."
For my sins to be forgiven, I have to confess to God, who sees my heart, not to a man who cannot possibly do so.
The Council of Trent said:
"Even those priests who are living in mortal sin exercise the same function of forgiving sins as ministers of Christ."
I cannot help but think of Matthew 7:5:
"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote of thy brother’s eye.”
Yet Bishop Fulton J Sheen says:
"The Church asks that a priest who absolves penitents be in the state of grace...." (Peace of Soul, Pg 136; 19 49)
So, how is it that a priest living in mortal sin can at the same time be in a state of grace and confer valid sacraments?
In Liguroi's Spouse of Christ, pg. 161, he admonishes Catholics,
“If then, you receive a command of one who holds the place of God, you should observe it with the same diligence as if it came from God Himself...though a confessor should by chance make a mistake, the penitent in obeying him is secure and does not err.”
In Explanation of Catholic Morals, pg. 24 it reads:
“...If you should err in following him, God will hold him, and not you responsible.”
The Bible says:
"Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind and if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." (Matt 15:14)
And Isaiah 9:16 warns:
"For the leaders of this people cause them to err: and they that are led of them are destroyed."
It's sad to see these prophecies coming to pass before our eyes:
"Therefore, my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure:” (Isa.5:13-14)
And again:
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing that thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget they children."(Hos 4:6)
I only ask that you trust God and not men. “Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read....”(Isa.34:16)
“All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth and right to them that find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.” (Prov 8:8-11)
By Debbie Rucker