The Marks of a Cult – Apr 24 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN on Apr 24, 2021, and outlines the marks of a cult based on an article from Fr. Longnecker on National Catholic Register https://www.ncregister.com/blog/4-danger-signs-of-cult-like-behavior-and-4-antidotes

Here are some notes:

Looks good, more dynamic, filled with the Spirit

Too good to be true, looking for perfect Church thus fall for a mirage, Perfection is to come at the second coming won't find it till then

Us vs them - mentality with a persecution complex. True but becomes us, the "true church",  vs the not so true church, can fall into:

Gnostics - Secret knowledge saves

Donatism - Perfectionists

Montanism - New Revelations

Superiority coupled with hypercriticism, Again some truth, heresy, scandals, but

Many new communities can fall into this

1 spirit of criticism is not the Holy Spirit

2 He who is greatest is the one who is the least,  not a particular liturgy but humility

Focus on Sensationalism or external things, like Pharisees and scribes, dead men's bones. Partial truth  but real holiness is humility and obedience, by which many souls are made righteous

Freedom of Conscience misinterpreted to follow their conscience. But freedom is about religious freedom in the public sphere not in the ecclesiastical sphere

The founder is seen as infallible

Lack of freedom especially to self-criticism, licit things are not allowed to be done or talked about

Big on recruiting others so long as seeing things as the group sees it. If you leave then total rejection. Just praising themselves.

Woh to you Pharisees and scribes

High standard of obedience but superiors don't practice it themselves.

The ends justify the means. SSPX, ends, want to preserve the Old Mass but the means disobedience.

Stress one truth but ignore more important mercy and fidelity stain gnat

Virtue is in the middle

The error of subjectiveness, both extremes end up in the same subjective place

The remedy is to stay close to the Church

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen - Feast
Readings: Saturday 3rd Week of Easter - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/042421.cfm
1st: act 9:31-42
Resp: psa 116:12-13, 14-15, 16-17 0
Gsp: joh 6:60-69

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=632&r=1707

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