In this book, Roberto de Mattei (author of Apologia for Tradition) steers us perceptively through
centuries of Church history concerning both the wise, and the
disastrous, decisions of popes and councils: from the role of Pope
Liberius in the Arian crisis to the troubled Vatican compromises with
the French Third Republic; from the Ostpolitik and liturgical
rupture of Paul VI to the erosion of dogmatic truths and moral absolutes
under Pope Francis. In these and in many more examples de Mattei’s
judgment rings true: popes have been mistaken in their political,
pastoral, and even magisterial acts, and the resistance of the faithful
to such acts is a duty and a cause of benefit.
Along the way we are offered an illuminating catechism in
ecclesiology, the nature of the Magisterium, and the limits of papal
authority. Especially helpful are de Mattei’s discussion of the
hypothesis of a heretical pope, his clear explanation of the difference
between filial resistance and disobedience to the Successors of the
Apostles when they make heterodox pronouncements, and his ample
treatment of the significance and profound implications of recent public
remonstrations with the current pontificate on behalf of orthodoxy. The
author’s rich historical narratives, deftly intertwined with dogmatic,
moral, and canonical principles, make this work a potent resource for
grappling with the current crises of the Church.
Foreword by Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke
Praise for Love for the Papacy and Filial Resistance to the Pope in the History of the Church
“This
unified collection of essays and lectures by Roberto de Mattei provides
an invaluable service not only to the Catholic faithful but to the
world. In a time of extraordinary confusion in the Church of Christ, de
Mattei offers nothing less than a guide for the perplexed. His new book
is a masterly combination of scholarship and popular theological
exposition in limpid prose. I cannot recommend enough this indispensable
work.”
— FR. RICHARD MUNKELT, author of Ocean of Being: An Odyssey to the Isle of St. Anselm (forthcoming)
“As the publisher of a Catholic
newspaper, I can say without hesitation or exaggeration that I would
front-page each and every chapter of this book.
Professor de Mattei’s deep and abiding concern for Holy Mother Church is
palpable on every page. He encourages his readers not to despair but
rather to consult history itself in order to learn how to face an
increasingly uncertain future. This book is a lifeline for those
struggling to navigate the whitewater rapids of the pontificate of Pope
Francis.”
— MICHAEL J. MATT, Editor, The Remnant
“Historian Roberto de Mattei has put
together a wide-ranging, focused, and eminently useful book for
Catholics trying to remain oriented in a time of confusion. His
discussion covers the philosophical and historical background of current
secularizing trends as well as more specific topics such as papal
authority, past instances of papal error, what clergy, theologians, and
ordinary believers have done to limit the resulting damage, and the
present outlook. It is the most helpful book I have read on the current
situation.”
— JAMES KALB, author of Against Inclusiveness and The Tyranny of Liberalism