Letters

Catholic visionary? (letter)

Richard Congram

Contents - Jul 2003 - Buy a copy now Editorial: The pivotal roles of Saints Peter and Paul - Michael Gilchrist Archbishop Hart defends woman in euthanasia case - Peter Westmore News: The Church Around the World - AD2000 Books: AD2000 to distribute Ignatius Press titles in Australia from July - Peter Westmore Homily: Bicentenary Mass celebrated in Sydney - Archbishop George Pell Events: Seeking the face of Christ through the arts: Carnivale Christi goes national - Nicholas Rynne Orthodox Anglicans close ranks to preserve faith - Nigel Zimmermann Catholic Literature: Hilaire Belloc's 50th anniversary: is he 'yesterday's man'? - Br Christian Moe FSC Brisbane Synod ends: Archbishop Bathersby to announce pastoral programs - AD2000 REPORT The concentration camp prisoner who became a Queensland priest - Warren Losberg How to start a parish apologetics group - Mavis Power School sacramental programs: evangelise Catholic families first - Fr John Speekman TMC: Adelaide Thomas More Centre Autumn School a success - Emma Benz Letters: Apostolate (letter) - Fr Adrian Head Letters: Obstacles to confession (letter) - M.G.A. De Wolf Letters: Catholic heritage (letter) - Sue Russell Letters: Church design (letter) - Michael Baradinsky Letters: Lenten program (letter) - Robert Osmak Letters: Success in WA (letter) - Deidre Lyra Letters: New Mass (letter) - Peter D. Howard Letters: Misunderstood (letter) - Elsie Cunningham Letters: New religion (letter) - Br Jim Ward CFC Letters: Catholic visionary? (letter) - Richard Congram Letters: Pell biography feedback (letter) - Mary Lou Corboy Letters: Catholic books (letter) - F. Carleton Letters: Research help - Dolores Lightbody Letters: Conversions (letter) - Margaret Holgate Books: Marriage And Modernization, by Don Browning - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Books: The Prenatal Person: Ethics from Conception to Birth - Dr Ted Watt (reviewer) Books: Europe: The Exceptional Case: Parameters Of Faith In The Modern World - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: Great books at the best prices! - Anthony Cappello Reflection: The meaning of vocation for baptised Christians - Archbishop Philip Wilson

Unlike Stuart Blackwood (May AD2000), Grahame Fallon (June AD2000) clearly regards the late Fr Teilhard de Chardin as a most worthy, mystical Catholic visionary. The question is whether Mr Fallon's view is tenable or permissible for a Catholic in the light of historical fact. I suggest it is not.

In 1926 Teilhard's Jesuit Superiors forbade him to teach. Between 1927 and 1949 Rome refused him an imprimatur, ordered him out of his post in Paris, banned one of his works and prohibited publication of two more, forbade him to write or teach on philosophical subjects and refused him permission to take a teaching post in the College de France.

In 1955 his Superiors forbade his attendance at the International Congress of Paleontology. In 1957 the Holy Office decreed the removal of all his works from Catholic libraries, banned the sale of his works in Catholic bookshops and their translation into other languages.

In 1962 another decree of the Holy Office, under the authority of Pope John XXIII, warned that "it is obvious that in philosophical and theological matters the said works [Teilhard's] are replete with ambiguities, or rather with serious errors which offend Catholic doctrine. That is why ... the Rev Fathers of the Holy Office urge all Ordinaries, Superiors and Rectors ... to effectively protect, especially the minds of the young, against the dangers of the works of Fr Teilhard de Chardin and his followers." Again, in 1967, the Holy Office confirmed its earlier warning.

Yet in defiance of Popes Pius Xl, Pius XII, John XXIII and Paul VI, Teilhard's disciples have continued promoting his insidious doctrines which were and still are in clear conflict with the magisterium.

Sadly, even today, Teilhard is hailed by some as a latter-day Thomas Aquinas. Of course, he was nothing of the kind. He was a mutineer and, by his own admission, an apostate who deliberately remained within the Church to spread his errors more easily.

RICHARD CONGRAM
Holland Park, Qld

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 16 No 6 (July 2003), p. 16