Doctrinal Judgments

Father Enrico Zoffoli (1915-1996) was an Italian Passionist priest who was a notable opponent of the Neocatechumenal Way. This blog has quoted him on more than one occasion, chiefly in our expanded presentation of his letter questioning the Way's possible connections to Freemasonry.

Today we present a list of 20 doctrinal judgments against the Way, attributed to Zoffoli. While we cannot absolutely confirm the origin with Zoffoli (our Brazilian source makes no citations), we nonetheless remain confident in the sound content of these judgments, regardless of who initially postulated them.

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Declared against the theology of Kiko and Carmen:

It is false that man, even suffering the consequences of original sin, is no longer capable of resisting evil and doing good: his freedom and moral responsibility is indisputable, contrary to Lutheran pessimism.

It is false that the devil, however evil and insidious he may be, can dominate the human will to the point of constraining it to sin, so that the blame does not fall primarily on man.

It is false that man, with the help of grace, cannot and should not fight against his own passions, that is, strive to correct himself and tend positively to the sanctity of his state in life.

It is false that a true conversion involves only the acknowledgment and accusation of one's sins with the hope of God's forgiveness; and does not, therefore, also require contrition and a firm resolution not to sin anymore.

It is false that the recovery of grace does not imply "justification" which is at the same time atonement for sin, reconciliation with God, and real regeneration of the soul, which again enjoys God's friendship and deserves eternal life.

It is false that man, by sinning, does not truly offend God and is not therefore obligated to expiate his guilt, satisfying a grave duty of justice.

It is false that God, demanding such satisfaction through sacrifice, is "cruel." It is also false to say that He does not aim to recover something that man, by sinning, has taken from Him. It is false that man can only harm himself by refusing his only Good. It is false to say that the "satisfaction" to which man is obliged consists in reaffirming the absolute primacy of God and the radical dependence of the creature on Him. Only in this way does he give to God what is God's, and to himself what is his. The duty of justice coincides with that of respect due to the ontological truth of God and man.

It is false that "religiosity," founded on nature and reason, is not true and worthy worship due to God as Creator and Providence, and therefore is not the legitimate and obligatory stage to reach, necessary for man to reach to worship the "living God" of Judeo-Christian Revelation.

It is false that, in the Catholic Church, sacrifice is a residual of a pagan mentality. It would only be that if God, to whom sacrifice is offered, were an idol as He was conceived by classical mythology: jealous and vengeful... the Mosaic Law prescribed an "atonement sacrifice" in addition to others, for which God instituted the "priesthood." Why shouldn't the Church have it as the supreme act of worship?

It is false and blasphemous to assert that Jesus, the Incarnate Word, did not redeem sinful humanity, expiating its guilt with the Sacrifice of the Cross.

It is false and offensive to deny that he presented himself as the supreme and only model of life, and that salvation is possible only for those who strive to imitate his example.

It is false to teach that Jesus, in order to continue his salvific mediation on earth and apply to future generations the merits of his Sacrifice of atonement and redemption, did not establish the Church as a hierarchical society, that is, visible and juridically organized.

It is false to believe that the powers he conferred on the Church are not based solely on the sacrament of Holy Orders, that is, on the ministerial priesthood, essentially distinct from the common priesthood of all the baptized.

Above all, it is false to think that the most sublime and characteristic act of Catholic worship is not the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice as a bloodless renewal of the unique, perfect, and unrepeatable Sacrifice of the Cross. Only by dying did Christ redeem the world, not by rising again, as only by participating in his death can man merit life in his soul (that is, grace) today, and tomorrow the resurrection of the body.

It is false that the Mass is not the sacrifice par excellence, but that it is only a "fraternal banquet"; it is undeniable that this - that is, Eucharistic Communion - derives its meaning and sanctifying efficacy from the participation of the faithful in the Sacrifice of Christ, represented in the distinct consecration of the bread and wine, performed on the altar by the ministerial priest, not by the community, whose eventual absence does not render the Eucharistic celebration invalid.

It is false that the consecration of bread and wine merely gives these elements a new meaning, leaving them essentially unchanged; in fact, consecration makes those elements the Body and Blood of Christ by virtue of the absolutely unique miracle of transubstantiation.

It is false that, after consecration, there are only signs on the altar of the Body and Blood of Christ, and not both truly, really, and substantially present, that is, the same integral humanity assumed by the Word. We do not worship "the sign," but the Meaning; not the "symbol" of Christ, but his own divine Person.

It is false that Eucharistic Communion does not require sacramental Confession of mortal sins, or that even an act of perfect contrition is sufficient to receive it worthily. It is also false to assert that it is not the confessor, the priest, but the community that reconciles the sinner to God.

It is false that God forgives and saves everyone: he forgives only those who regret having offended him; and only those who, cooperating with his grace, die in peace with him are saved. Hell is very real for the obstinate sinner who dies in the state of final impenitence.

It is false that we should not imitate the virtues of Christ and strive for holiness, possible through the exercise of asceticism and the voluntary practice of the evangelical counsels. The inner purification that follows is indispensable to avoid purgatory.