The Meaning of Catholic

By Timothy S. Flanders

A very important motto for Catholics in our age is the phrase in essentiis, unitas; in dubiis, libertas; in omnibus, caritas (“In essentials, unity; in doubtful matters, freedom; in all things, charity”).[1] It is crucial that Catholics seize upon this and practice it during this crisis. The distinction between “essentials” and “doubtful matters,” however, is by degrees. The Church distinguishes these degrees by the Theological Notes of doctrine. The highest degree Note represents the highest degree of certainty and thus the greatest obligation for assent, while the lowest is the least certain and the least obligatory for belief:[2]

1. De Fide – of the faith – explicit in Scripture, Tradition, may also be explicitly defined by highest Church authority
   1. Example: all who die in mortal sin will suffer hell for eternity[3]
   2. Denial of any of these truths is the mortal sin of heresy.
2. De Fide Ecclesiastica – ecclesiastical faith – explicitly defined by Church authority, implicit in Scripture and Tradition.
   1. Example: the Assumption of Mary
   2. Denial of any of these truths is the mortal sin of heresy.
3. Sententia Fidei Proxima – proximate to the faith – teaching is generally understood by the Theologians[4] as explicit in Scripture and Tradition but not explicitly defined by the Church
   1. Example: The Blessed Trinity can only be known through revelation[5]
   2. Denial of any of these truths is the mortal sin of error proximate to heresy
4. Sententia Certa – theologically certain – implicit in Scripture and Tradition, not explicitly defined by the Church
   1. Example: the primary purpose of Matrimony is the generation of children. The secondary purpose is mutual help and regulation of lust.[6]
   2. Denial of any of these truths is the mortal sin of error against the faith
5. Sententia Communis – common teaching – this teaching is implicit in Tradition and is generally accepted by the Theologians, but is technically a free opinion.
   1. Example: willful sins against the sixth commandment are always mortal sins[7]
   2. It is licit to object to these teachings if and only if there is grave cause. To object to any without grave cause is the mortal sin of temerity
6. Sententia Probabilis – probable teaching – a teaching that is well founded on good authority yet is open to question. Pious beliefs and tolerated opinions also fall under this note and have the lowest degree of certainty.
   1. Example: Judas received Holy Communion at the last supper
   2. Denial of any of these teachings is licit provided piety is given to legitimate authority[8]

Thus we may see that in actual fact, Notes 1-4 are essentials to the faith, while 5 is technically “doubtful” (in the sense mentioned above) but only with grave cause, whereas 6 is entirely doubtful matter, provided piety is observed. Thus no man can call himself Catholic and deny anything above Communis, and can only question Communis with grave cause. A Sententia Probabilis alone is completely open for discussion.

Let us apply this further to current controversies. So, for example, Lumen Gentium explicitly states that the documents of Vatican II are not binding unless explicitly stated, indicating that unless they are quoting prior teachings, the documents must be held to be Sententia Probabilis or Communis.[9] Whereas Ordinatio Sacerdotalis spoke of the male-only sacramental ordination as binding on all Catholics “This Sententia must be held definitively by all the faithful of the Church.”[10] The former teachings have some room for discussion, whereas the latter is completely closed (including any notion of a female, sacramental deaconate).[11]

But in all things, a grave piety must be observed regarding the Magisterium: “The willingness to submit loyally to the teaching of the Magisterium on matters per se not irreformable must be the rule.”[12] Even if a man sees an issue with Vatican II, he is not permitted, through piety, to dismiss the council as a whole.[13] Nevertheless, if the matter is not closed, reasonable and pious inquiry can be made. As Ott explains: “By way of exception, the obligation of inner agreement [to magisterial documents] may cease if a competent expert, after a renewed scientific investigation of all grounds, arrives at the positive conviction that the decision [of the magisterium] rests on an error.”[14] At its best, the traditionalist movement represents such a scientific investigation. At its worst, the traditionalists are sinning against charity and piety while causing scandal and schism in the Church.