Catholicism Unveiled

What Hides Behind the Public Image?

Mary Ann Collins, A Former Catholic Nun

Chapter 7

The Council of Trent anathematized every Christian who disagrees with any detail of Catholic doctrine. These anathemas have never been revoked.

An anathema means that the Catholic Church has placed someone under a solemn, ecclesiastical curse. There is a solemn ritual for doing this. It is done by the Pope, assisted by 12 priests. According to the words of the ritual (which you can read in “The Catholic Encyclopedia”) the “criminal” is consigned to hell. However, if he repents and submits to the Catholic Church, then the Pope can remove the anathema.[1]

The anathemas of the Council of Trent go into effect automatically if people believe things contrary to Catholic doctrine, as defined by the Council. They do not require a ritual.

The Council of Trent (1545-1564) was the Roman Catholic Church’s response to the Protestant Reformation. It denounced every single doctrine that was proposed by the Protestant Reformers. It declared that any person who believes even one of these doctrines is “anathema” (anathematized by the Catholic Church).

It also defined Catholic doctrines, detail by detail, and declared that anybody who denies even one of these details is anathema. These doctrines include: the authority of the Pope, the practice of indulgences, veneration of Mary and the saints, the use of statues and other “sacred images,” and the belief that Jesus Christ is literally and fully present (body, blood, soul, and divinity) in every crumb of consecrated bread and every drop of consecrated wine. So the Council of Trent anathematized all Protestants.

There are 125 anathemas. These are doctrinal declarations of the Council of Trent that are sandwiched between two statements. The opening statement is: “If any man...” The closing statement is: “...let him be anathema.” The doctrinal statements and the anathemas are so interwoven that they cannot be separated.

I don’t have permission to use quotations from the Council of Trent, so I will use a statement about a well-known children’s book as an example. Applying the language of the Council of Trent to “Mother Goose Rhymes,” you could say: “If any man does not believe that the cow jumped over the moon, let him be anathema.”

You can read the declarations of the Council of Trent for yourself. They were published as a book. It can be ordered through regular bookstores. You can also read it online. (The Notes give Internet addresses.)[2]

OFFICIAL MODERN ENDORSEMENT
OF THE COUNCIL OF TRENT

The declarations and anathemas of the Council of Trent have never been revoked. On the contrary, the decrees of the Council of Trent are confirmed by both the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and the official “Catechism of the Catholic Church” (1992).

The documents of the Second Vatican Council cite the Council of Trent as an authority for doctrinal statements, both in the text and in the notes. The “Dogmatic Constitution on the Church” states that the Second Vatican Council “proposes again the decrees of” three previous councils, one of which is the Council of Trent.[3] The “Decree on the Training of Priests” says that the Second Vatican Council continued the work of the Council of Trent.[4]

When the Second Vatican Council began, Pope John XXIII said that he accepted what the Council of Trent declares about justification. (It declares that any person who believes that we are saved by faith alone is anathema.) He also confirmed all past anathemas against “false doctrine”--in other words, the Protestant doctrines that were condemned by the Council of Trent. Every Catholic clergyman who participated in the Council signed a document affirming the declarations of the Council of Trent.[5]

The “Catechism of the Catholic Church” was written for the purpose of summarizing the essential and basic teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. It was approved by Pope John Paul II in 1992. It has been published in many languages. The English translation was released in 1994. The “Catechism” has numbered paragraphs. Therefore, statements can be located in any language, and in any edition of the book.

The Council of Trent is mentioned in 75 paragraphs of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church.” It is always mentioned in a positive, authoritative way. Some paragraphs mention it two or three times. Paragraph 9 says that the Council of Trent was the origin of Catholic catechisms. The other 74 paragraphs that mention the Council of Trent cite it as an authoritative source that supports their doctrinal statements. (You can verify this online. The Note tells how.)[6]

THE ANATHEMAS OF THE COUNCIL
OF TRENT CANNOT BE REVOKED

According to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church,” the Catholic doctrine of infallibility applies not only to the Pope, but also to Catholic Church Councils. This includes the Council of Trent.[7]

As a result, the official statements of the Council of Trent are considered to be infallible. This means that they cannot be changed. Therefore, the anathemas of the Council of Trent cannot be revoked.

The Catholic Church may find it expedient not to call people’s attention to these anathemas, but it cannot revoke them.

Both the Second Vatican Council and the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” confirm the decrees of the Council of Trent. These decrees contain the anathemas. So the anathemas are part of the doctrinal package, whether or not the Catholic Church chooses to talk about them.