The existence of the devil as a personal reality, and not merely as a symbol of evil, is an article of faith (Ott, Fundamentals 126-131; CCC 395, 2851). Denial of an article of faith is an element of the canonical crime of heresy (1983 CIC 751), an act punishable by measures up to and including excommunication, dismissal from the clerical state, and/or loss of ecclesiastical office (1983 CIC 1364, 194).
Rev. Arturo Sosa, S.J., superior general of the Society of Jesus, denies the personal reality of the devil, describes him instead as a symbol of evil, and has expressed such views before (CNA article here, Catholic Herald article here). Protestations of Sosa’s orthodoxy by Jesuit spokesmen notwithstanding, Sosa speaks for himself, and clearly. I think his remarks warrant response, not just from bloggers and scholars, but from those placed in authority over such matters.
There are, I grant, some practical problems: the term “heresy” has been thrown around too loosely for some decades (perhaps for some centuries), the sanctions of excommunication and removal from office are themselves very weighty, and the latae sententiae (automatic) procedures by which such consequences are supposedly visited upon offenders are controversial in theory and practice, such that few in ecclesiastical leadership (including most orthodox members thereof!) wish to “pull the trigger” in such cases and, as a result, utterances such as Sosa’s provoke little, usually no, response from Church leaders with inevitable harm to the faithful….
– from Aug. 22 posting on Canon Law Blog , published by Ed Peters. Peters served for twelve years as canon lawyer for the San Diego diocese.
Lucifer, fallen angel, is now a devil.
Hmm? I wonder if he has had read “The Devil in the City of the Angels” by Jesse Romero? I think Romero and many others will disagree
I know one thing, I avoid the occult like the plague; it is very, very dangerous.
Ed Peters is certainly correct. But then, how can one be surprised by any apostacy offered by the Jesuits, home of Pope Francis? The second question then becomes, where are our protectors, our bishops and cardinals who are supposed to offer only the True Faith and suffer any kind of personal attacks to fulfill their duties. Feckless cowards (no not all).
The Jesuits are poison in the church.
The superior general denies the reality of Satan as a person, something that has been revealed to be true. James Martin promotes homosexual activity and normalization of homosexual relationships in the church. Thomas Reese writes he doesn’t accept the explanation of transubstantiation. The Jesuits can be counted on to say and do things against Catholic faith. Oh, we have a Jesuit pope too. That explains a lot.
Is Jesuit superior general committing heresy?
Yes !!
False prophets…”There is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiasticus 1:10
Good time to re-read 28 verses of Jude, particularly v. 4.
I am shocked to learn that a Jesuit might have spoken heresy! Next, I suppose someone will say that Jesuit-affiliated colleges are somewhat less than fully Catholic! If this continues, who knows, I might uncontrollably break out into liturgical dance at the next social justice all-inclusive sustainable gender-neutral liturgy that I attend!
At the turn of the 20th century, my Italian grandfather was educated at a Jesuit boarding school. He spoke three languages, later learned English, and could read Latin and Greek fluently. By age 14, he was beautifully educated! Today’s Jesuit “education” is a sick joke, by comparison! They all turned into a bunch of un-Christian, leftist hippie agnostic freaks, after Vatican II!! With no God– and no Devil, either! They should be disbanded!
I am wondering what official Church exorcists would say about this?? They have plenty of experience dealing with the Devil!!
He deserves a heretics fate