The Witch Next Door

 

When people hear the word witch the image of Margaret Hamilton as the ugly and evil "Wicked Witch of the West" in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz comes to mind for many people. Witchcraft, in all its forms, is part of the occult and stands solemnly condemned by the Church. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. (See Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Emphasis mine.) 

According to theologian Jone: Divination and sorcery are in themselves very grave sins since they contain an implicit or explicit invocation of the devil. (See Moral Theology, (1961), pg. 98: Emphasis in original). Witchcraft is a form of sorcery, which is any attempt to control events, nature, or other people (through spells, potions, charms, etc.), regardless of whether the intent is malicious or benevolent. 

Throughout the centuries of Christianity, witches/witchcraft were rightfully looked upon as evil and something to be avoided. Frank Baum sought to change that with The Wizard of Oz. Baum (1856-1919) was a practicing adherent of the occult Theosophy religion of Madame Blavatsky.

(See theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/sp-1469793668). 

Baum was the first to introduce the idea of "good witches" in modern culture. One only need to remember that his novel and the movie (The Wizard of Oz) contains Glinda "the good witch" that helps protagonist Dorothy get home to Kansas.

A brief survey shows the metaphorical connection between Theosophy and The Wizard of Oz: Dorothy represents the human soul on the path to enlightenment; the Yellow Brick Road of Oz begins as an outwardly expanding spiral. In occult symbolism, this spiral represents the evolving self, the soul ascending from matter into the spirit world; the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion, represent the need to adjust your mind, emotions, and will in order to become "enlightened by secret knowledge;" and the Wizard (omnipotent and omniscient) is shown to be a fake--just like the Christian God according to Theosophy. The "good witch" Glinda tells Dorothy that the power to go home "lies within you"--that she is all-powerful; a recurring theme in the occult, that "god lies within you." 

However, witchcraft remained on the outskirts of society and was looked upon badly, or at best, as something done by eccentric weirdos. All that has changed.

Coming Out of the Broom Closet

Some may wonder why there is any need to take a look at witchcraft. After all, there is seemingly no end to which people will go in their eccentric beliefs or practices. The reason a topic such as this merits examination is precisely because witchcraft is becoming less eccentric and more mainstream. For example, in the summer of 2004 the Parliament of the World’s Religions convened in Barcelona, Spain. Representatives from many of the world’s religions were present to “seek peace, justice and sustainability and commit to work for a better world” as well as to “deepen spirituality and experience personal transformation.” (See cpwr.org/ 2004Parliament/welcome/index.htm).

Present at the 2004 conference (as well as the 1993 and 1999 conferences) were representatives of the Covenant of the Goddess, “the world’s largest religious organization for Neo-Pagan Witches,” as described by an elder of the organization. A common theme that comes up in the context of such conferences is the increasing emphasis on “interfaith.” According to one source:

The numbers of Americans who identify with Wicca (witches) or paganism has risen from 134,000 in 2001 to nearly 2 million today, according to Helen Berger, a resident scholar at Brandeis University's Women's Studies Research Center, who has conducted extensive research and authored four books about witches and pagans. The witch community in America has been growing steadily since the 1960s, she said, and "much of the recent growth is coming from young women."  (See https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/10/28/celtic-festival-samhain-2021-celebration-wicca-witches/6182226001/). 

Newsweek had this to say:

The number of witches and Americans practicing Wicca religious rituals increased dramatically since the 1990s, with several recent studies indicating there may be at least 1.5 million witches across the country. A Trinity College study conducted in 1990 estimated only about 8,000 Wiccans in the U.S., but the increase has been led by a rejection of mainstream Christianity among young Americans as well as a rise in occultism. (See newsweek.com/witchcraft-wiccans-mysticism-astrology-witches-millennials-pagans-religion-1221019; Emphasis mine). 

Even a "conservative" Vatican II sect source sees an alarming growth. EWTN reports last year that:

An estimated 1 to 1.5 million people say they practice Wicca or paganism, a rise from an estimated 8,000 Wiccans in 1990, and 340,000 in 2008.

In 2014, a Pew Research Center survey found about 0.4 percent of Americans identify themselves Pagan or Wiccan, a significant increase over prior years... the Pew data would suggest that there are more self-identified “witches” in the United States than members of some mainline Protestant denominations. For example, according to 2017 figures, there are 1.4 million practicing Presbyterians in the United States. (See ewtnnews.com/world/us/number-of-americans-who-say-they-are-witches-is-on-the-rise). 

A very scary development is that now there are at least 35 books for children meant to introduce them into modern witchcraft. Some titles include:

C is for Coven: A Witchcraft Alphabet Book by Andrea Stein

"C is for Coven is a reinterpretation of a classic alphabet book, matching each letter of the ABCs with a rhyming phrase that teaches kids about witchcraft."

Wee Witches by Beth Roth

"This ABC primer is a playful and richly symbolic introduction to the world of Wicca and the magic of Nature. Illustrated poems bring to light the Pagan Path, with each letter featuring a Wee Witch learning about the wheel of the year, tools of the Craft, rites of passage, faerie friends, and meaningful colors. This is a helpful and affirming tool for Pagan families, as well as an appealing collection of subtle, educational light verse for their budding Wee Witches, including A for Acorn, M for Maypole, and S for Spiderweb. Accurate symbols of Witches’ worldview are woven throughout the magical artwork, as well as hidden clues to a secret “Witch Name” revealed at the end of the book."

The Little Witch's Book of Spells by Ariel Kusby

The Little Witch's Book of Spells is an enchanting compendium of spells, potions, and activities for kids 8 to 12 years old. Young witches-in-training will discover spells to resolve problems, foster friendship, and engage with the natural world. This spellbinding book guides readers on how to craft a magic wand, befriend a fairy, and read tea leaves, as well as glossaries of magical terms and symbols."

What Witches Wear by Andrea Stein

"What Witches Wear is an engaging and colorful exploration of what it means to be a modern witch. Matching each color of the rainbow with a unique witch, What Witches Wear reminds us that witches are everywhere—as our teachers, healthcare workers, artists, librarians, and even next-door neighbors."

"Even next-door neighbors." 

(See flyingthehedge.com/2023/07/35-childrens-books-about-witchcraft.html; All titles can be examined on Amazon.com). 

Jesus’ command to have His One True Church preach the Gospel and make disciples of all nations invariably includes witches. In order to do so, it is necessary that we understand who they are and what they believe. Knowing what we are up against is a primary element in being prepared to carry out His Great Commission. Hence, the purpose of this post.

Witch Basics

Witchcraft: (Also known as wicca, the craft, or the craft of the wise.) An antidogmatic, antiauthoritarian, diverse, decentralized, eclectic, experience-based, nature-oriented religious movement whose followers are polytheists and/or pantheists and/or panentheists, and in some sense believe in or experience and/or invoke and/or worship the "Mother Goddess" and generally her consort the "Horned God" as well. It is a generic term covering numerous perspectives on the subject.

Witch: Individuals who practice or concur with the views or experiences of witchcraft. Most view divinity as immanent in nature, seeing all life as sacred, thus, denying any sacred/secular distinction. They are nature-oriented and also see no ultimate distinction between matter and spirit—the material and the spiritual. They may believe in or invoke a pantheon of gods and goddesses, but they primarily experience, and/or invoke, and/or worship the "Mother" or "Triple Goddess" and her male consort, the "Horned God." Witches generally practice multiple forms of divination, participate in trance and other altered states of consciousness, and perform magical spells and incantations. Most observe seasonal holidays and festivals (e.g., the summer and winter solstices). Most believe in some form of reincarnation. The widely believed notion that a female is a witch whereas a male practitioner is a warlock or wizard is a misnomer. The terms witch or wiccan apply to both genders.

Witchcraft is a Worldview.

A worldview is the sum total of one’s view of the nature of reality. Everyone has a worldview even if only a few reflect on their own. One’s worldview encompasses one’s views of how reality is composed, how it works, and how we as humans fit in or relate to our universe. It can entail one’s views about the purpose of life and the origin and destiny of us all.

The chief tenets of witchcraft are:

Naturalism. Starting at the broadest level and working down, it is fair to say that the worldview of witchcraft is naturalism. Naturalism is the view that there is no transcendent reality such as God that can intervene in the natural world. Naturalism maintains that all of reality is interrelated and operates according to “laws.” Other expressions of naturalism would include materialism, which sees all of reality as being made up of matter that operates according to material laws.

Witchcraft, though an expression of naturalism, is not materialism. Witches recognize that reality extends beyond the realm of the material. This is sometimes confusing. A worldview can be naturalistic even if it accepts the reality of an immaterial realm; indeed, even acknowledging the existence of gods and goddesses does not preclude a worldview from being naturalistic. What stands in stark contrast to naturalism is a worldview that says that the natural realm (whether material, immaterial, or both) is the creation of a transcendent God. This is supernaturalism. This is the Truth taught by the Church. 

Occultism. Sharpening the focus, not only can we say that witchcraft is a worldview of naturalism, it is also a worldview of occultism. As I've written many times, the term occult is from the Latin occultus meaning “hidden,” or “secret.” The category covers a wide range of beliefs and practices that are characterized by two main points that are often thought to be “hidden” from the average person. First, the occult maintains that there is force or energy into which one can tap or with which one can negotiate to do one’s own bidding. This comes from a pantheistic/panentheistic grounding of the occult. "All is God" so you cab harness that "energy." 

The familiar term spell is applied to the technique of harnessing and focusing this power. The late witchcraft practitioner Scott Cunningham explains, “The spell is…simply a ritual in which various tools are purposefully used, the goal is fully stated (in words, pictures or within the mind), and energy is moved to bring about the needed result.” (See The Truth about Witchcraft Today pg. 7). 

Exactly what is the nature of this force or energy ("god"), according to the occultist, and what is the best way to work with it is what makes some of the main differences between the major occult groups such as shamanism, witchcraft, Satanism, New Age, and others.

Second, the occult maintains that human beings are divine. Obviously, if God and the world are one, or God is "within" the world, this idea logically follows. The practice of the occult arts is thus an endeavor to actualize one’s own divinity. As witchcraft practitioner Margot Adler claims, “A spiritual path that is not stagnant ultimately leads one to the understanding of one’s own divine nature. Thou art Goddess. Thou are God. Divinity is imminent in all Nature. It is as much within you as without.” (See Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today, pg. ix)

Humanism. Witchcraft sees itself as a celebration of all life. This celebration involves the denial that there is anything wrong with the human race. Original Sin and the need of a Redeemer is thus denied. 

The Dangers of Witchcraft

1. Witchcraft is forbidden by God. The Bible makes it clear that witchcraft, sorcery, and divination are abominations to the Lord (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). In Galatians 5:19-21, witchcraft is listed among the works of the flesh that are contrary to the Spirit. The Church has likewise always condemned it, and the approved theologians condemn any use of witchcraft as mortal sin. 

2. Witchcraft involves communication with evil spirits. Those who practice witchcraft often seek to communicate with evil spirits, which is expressly forbidden in the Bible (Leviticus 19:31, Deuteronomy 18:11) and by the clear and constant teaching of the Church. Even those who do not believe in Satan may think it's "nature's secret's" they are tapping into, but it comes from the Father of Lies. 

3. Witchcraft can lead to demonic possession. The Bible records several instances of demonic possession resulting from witchcraft or sorcery (Acts 16:16-18).

4. Witchcraft can lead to spiritual deception. Satan is the father of lies, and those who practice witchcraft often fall under his deceptive influence. They may believe they are tapping into a higher power, when in reality they are being deceived (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

5. Witchcraft undermines Catholic morality. The practices associated with witchcraft most often involve immoral or unethical behavior, which can lead to more and more grievous sins. 

Witchcraft in Popular Culture

Movies

Hexed (2026): The movie, releasing in theaters November 25, tells the story of a young teenage girl named Billie, an outcast struggling to fit in. She soon discovers she has magical powers and enters a world called Hexe, where she learns more about witchcraft, spells, and how to channel her supernatural abilities. It shows "good witchcraft." 

The Craft: Legacy (2020): A reboot of the 1996 cult classic which increased curiosity about witchcraft, follows a new generation of four teenage witches. It explores contemporary themes of manifestation, sisterhood, and casting spells.

Social Media

WitchTok on TikTok: A massive subculture under the hashtag #WitchTok (with billions of views) where creators share tarot card readings, crystal healing guides, and small-scale spell tutorials. Prominent creators like Frankie Castanea (@ChaoticWitchAunt) document daily folk witchcraft practices and break down misconceptions.

Digital Sigils and Altars: Practitioners use design software like Canva to create personalized magical symbols (sigils). They embed these symbols into their Instagram or TikTok bios, email signatures, or use them as smartphone lock screens to "cast spells with every scroll."

Manifestation Trends: Content focused on the "law of attraction," positive thinking, and intention-setting frequently trends on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, functioning as a mainstream, accessible form of folk magic that leads to embracing witchcraft outright.

Witches of Instagram: Creators build aesthetic feeds featuring altars decorated with herbs, crystals, and tarot cards. Influencers blend makeup tutorials, cozy "cottagecore" lifestyle content, and modern pagan spirituality. 

How Did Witchcraft Get So Popular?

If you thought I would write "Vatican II," you're correct. More than any other factor the Occult Revival (as I have called it) has one major driving force: Vatican II and the man-made sect of Counterfeit Catholicism it created. Witchcraft is one major component of occult practices. 

Three major evils of Vatican II have caused the spike in witchcraft:

1. The Mass replaced with the Novus Bogus. The countless graces that come from the unbloody Sacrifice of the Cross and Holy Communion have been taken away for a Neo-Protestant bread and wine service. As the number of Masses decreases, the power of Satan increases. The Novus Bogus service is so vapid as to destroy any sense of the sacred. Even pagan sociologists note that by stripping-down or "rationalizing" the liturgy, the Church left a spiritual vacuum. Modern witchcraft and ceremonial magic grew rapidly during this era precisely because they offered a sense of something mysterious and reverent unlike "clown mass." 

2. The Denigrating of Marian devotion. 

The Blessed Mother is the model for all women to follow. Follow her and you get to her Divine Son. Women now seek false ideas of womanhood from feminism as exemplified in witchcraft with "Mother Goddess." 

3. Ecumenism. 

The heretical document Nostra Aetate of Vatican II taught that there are elements of the truth in false religions. It adopted the false ecclesiology of Lumen Gentium, that the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Christ are not one and the same. The Church of Christ "subsists" in the Catholic Church in its fullness, but it subsists in other religions too, more or less, according to how many "elements of truth" it has. To have all the elements is best, but just some elements are good too, and salvific. The new ecclesiology denies the dogma Outside the Church there is no salvation. 

Nostra Aetate stated, "The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions." "These religions" included Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. While witchcraft is never mentioned, the heretical principle applies: if ancient Eastern religions held valid spiritual truth, then perhaps older, pre-Christian European traditions (like paganism and earth-based witchcraft) were also worth exploring, and even joining--salvation is not exclusive to the Catholic Church according to Vatican II. 

Witchcraft's appeal to the young.

Why is witchcraft on the rise and why does it appeal particularly to young people? First, young people are drawn to Wicca/Witchcraft because it has no orthodoxy and has no concept of absolute good or absolute evil. This is greatly appealing to impressionable young people. There are some common practices, rituals, and sayings, but for the most part practitioners can add and subtract to it at will. It is a perfectly postmodern religion. 

Second, witchcraft appeals to young people because it promotes glorification of self. "You are god/goddess." There is also a very strong feminist component so the attraction for girls is even greater.

Third, many young people embrace witchcraft because they, like adult witchcraft devotees, are bound by a passionate love of nature. Witches love the earth and care deeply for the environment; however, they take it too far.

Combating Witchcraft

Reclaim Halloween. 

I wince when I see children dress up as the evil supernatural characters of witches, vampires, and demons. What can be done? Have children dress up as a saint, and have your child learn all he can about this saint. These are the role models children should aspire to be. Does your son like things medieval? Dress up as King St. Louis IX! Want to be a lawyer? St. Thomas More will fit the role. For girls, there is the martyr of purity, St. Maria Goretti, and the equally brave St. Joan of Arc. Parents should take their kids trick-or-treating so they can explain the costume with their children to others who inquire.

Consider "All Saints Day" parties at home instead of trick-or-treating; have a parade of saints and fun in the house!

Talking to a Witch.

To convert a witch, it is important not to misstate their beliefs. You should always have on a St. Benedict medal. They will most likely attack alleged "witch burnings" and "Church persecutions." Don't let it go there. Ask what proof they have of "Mother Goddess" and their pantheistic worldview. Most are not well versed on it. Then, show the proofs of Christ's resurrection and also show the falsity of pantheism. Use my post on pantheism to help you: introiboadaltaredei2.blogspot.com/2018/07/east-meets-and-defeats-west.html. 

It is also important to point out gently where Wicca/Witchcraft is inconsistent. Without a God who is perfectly good, there are no absolutes, no standards by which to measure what is just or unjust. Witches borrow from Christian values of right and wrong. Witches might get upset at how women have been treated, but on what do they base their anger—that treating women poorly goes against their personal taste? Traditionalist Catholics believe mistreating women is wrong because God said so. We also believe that all life has dignity because we are made in God’s image. Witches don’t believe this, but without this belief they have only shaky ground on which to condemn injustice.

Conclusion

Witchcraft was once a rare thing. Now, it is becoming commonplace. As the number of those in witchcraft rises, it is important to understand it and combat it. We need to convert them, and not just in faraway lands. Thanks to Vatican II, you may need to convert your neighbor; the witch next door. 

Cultum Regi Regum: A Vindication Of Pope Pius XII

 

I have written before that Pope Pius XII is one of the most unfairly attacked pontiffs, especially among those purporting to be "Traditionalists." His Holiness has been attacked as "soft on Modernism," and his papacy allegedly "led to Vatican II." The charges are unfounded. He was one of the greatest popes in history, as I have always maintained. Years ago, my spiritual father, Fr. Gommar DePauw, JCD, told me that Pope Pius XII was planning a full-scale attack on Modernism. Father said that Pope Pius went to Judgement before it could be carried out. I took his word for it, as he was a truthful priest, but I only had his ipse dixit. Until recently.

The Pacelli archives (Eugene Pacelli being Pius XII's name) were opened in 2020. The German historian Matthias Daufratshofer found drafts of what would have been the most monumental encyclical of modern times. Researchers Sr. Sabine Schratz and Daniele Premoli published the reconstruction of the unpublished text of the encyclical, to be entitled Cultum Regi Regum---"Worship to the King of Kings."

The encyclical was to be a follow-up to the great Humani Generis, promulgated by Pope Pius XII in 1950, and which condemned "... some false opinions threatening to undermine the foundations of Catholic Doctrine." It was drafted by the great Dominican theologian Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange. 

Its salient points include:

• Encyclicals usually speak to matters already expounded upon in doctrine; however, should the Pope pass supreme judgment on a disputed matter, it should be considered closed for discussion.

• Divine revelation was given by God as guidance for the Church to exercise Her living teaching authority, not for private deterministic interpretation.

• Some dispute the divine authorship of Scripture in part or in whole and interpret it on the basis of exegesis, looking for hidden meanings, instead of on the Church’s teachings.

• They claim that a new exegesis of the Old Testament would replace literal difficulties with symbolic/spiritual truth.

• Their claims oppose the norms of interpretation explained in previous encyclicals.

• Doubt regarding revealed truths is a result of this way of thinking. (e.g. Creation out of love, God’s eternal foreknowledge of men’s free choices, etc.)

• Angels, essence, the supernatural order, original sin, sin in general, the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice, and the Real Presence are all debated.

• The necessity and value of the Church and the faith itself is questioned.

• These errors are being pointed out herein because some Catholic theologians are committing them and are hereby censured.

• The Church relies on reason to understand the faith, God’s law, the mysteries, and even the existence of God. Reason comes with training and leads to truth.

• Teaching Authority only covers matters of faith and morals. "New" truth cannot overturn established truth, but it can correct errors.

• Priests must learn philosophy and Aquinas’ method is tried and true.

• Opponents claim that the traditional philosophy used by the Church is adequate for basic instruction but not for practical application, and that all other philosophies, albeit evolving, are ultimately compatible with Catholicism.

• They claim that the Church’s philosophy appeals to intellect and ignores the will and emotions; however, this is clearly and historically false, for the Church teaches that the will can see truth beyond what the intellect can deduce on its own.

• Theodicy and ethics (philosophical sciences) are threatened by these new opinions. Not only are they themselves debased, but so is the protection provided by the Church’s Teaching Authority.

• Discussion of theories not yet proven scientifically but merely hypothesized must follow. Theories can only be considered if they do not oppose Church teaching.

• Human evolution (origin of man from pre-existent and living matter) is up for discussion, but cannot contradict that God is the immediate creator of souls.

• Polygenism (origin from two or more distinct ancestors) is irreconcilable with the doctrine of original sin.

• The first eleven chapters of Genesis may not fit the modern concept of history, but any inclusion of folklore was done under divine inspiration.

• Thus, these are not imaginative myths but expressions of truth. Ancient sacred authors were clearly superior to secular ("profane") authors of the same period.

Hence, while condemning the modern errors, Pope Pius was careful to allow discussion on evolution of the body of humans, and a non-literal interpretation of Genesis in certain instances (which idea was advanced by Pope St. Pius X). 

Most importantly, Cultum Regi Regum, was to be promulgated in 1957, to mark the 50th anniversary of Pope St. Pius X's monumental condemnation of Modernism, Pascendi Dominici Gregis. It was to be called "the Pascendi of modern times." (N.B. This post is based on what I was able to gather from what the researchers [and commenters on that research] have written. Ergo, the information is not complete, and is subject to revision. It is not definitive as of this writing.---Introibo). 

What is Known: The Theologians Who Drafted It

On December 29, 1956, a commission of theologians was set up by Pope Pius XII to draft the encyclical. The commission was under the guidance of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, headed by the erudite and saintly Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani. At least five theologians are known:

1. Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange (1877-1964). A professor at the Angelicum, he championed a rigid scholasticism based on the philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas. He correctly held that the Church’s theological definitions were immutable and expressed in timeless, objective, metaphysical categories. 

Garrigou-Lagrange was a fierce opponent of the so-called Nouvelle Theologie (New Theology), which was a roll call of the most radical Modernist theologians, such as Henri de Lubac, Jean Danielou, and M. D. Chenu. These theologians held that truth is dynamic; its expression can evolve historically "without changing its essence."

 In 1946, things came to a fever pitch when Garrigou-Lagrange published a highly controversial article in the journal Angelicum entitled Where is the New Theology Leading Us? His answer was to the point: "It leads straight to Modernism." Garrigou-Lagrange used his significant influence as a consultor to the Holy Office to urge the pope to act. His efforts culminated in August 1950, when Pope Pius XII promulgated the encyclical Humani Generis, the document having Garrigou-Lagrange as its principal author.

As a result, several New Theology professors (including Henri de Lubac and Yves Congar) were censured and removed from their teaching positions. Some of their publications were censured as well. Garrigou-Lagrange was on the verge of total victory when Roncalli usurped the papal throne and rehabilitated all the censured Modernist theologians, welcoming them to the Robber Council. 

2. Abp. Paul Phillippe (1905-1984). A staunch Anti-Modernist, Phillippe was against the Modernists at Vatican II. After the Robber Council, he tried to stop as much damage as he could as Secretary of the Holy Office, now called "The Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith." 

3. Fr. Sebastian Tromp (1889-1975). Tromp was a brilliant professor of dogmatic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome from 1929 to 1964. His sharp mind and absolute loyalty to traditional scholasticism earned him the trust of Pope Pius XII. Tromp was the principal draftsman behind Mystici Corporis Christi in 1943; the landmark encyclical which reaffirmed and made manifest the traditional ecclesiology on the nature of the Church as the "Mystical Body of Christ." In it, Tromp strictly equated the Mystical Body of Christ only with the visible Roman Catholic Church; "IS" not "subsists." Tromp is wrongly criticized for allegedly pushing "subsists" in Lumen Gentium at Vatican II, when he was actually trying to prevent an even more heretical wording. 

Tromp became the Holy Office's premier orthodox defender of the Faith under Cardinal Ottaviani. He was deeply involved in vetting publications, investigating suspected Modernist tendencies, and enforcing strict Catholic standards across the global Church. Fr. Tromp was the principal author behind several of the original, orthodox schemas presented to the Council Fathers in late 1962. These drafts were written in a scholastic Latin style designed to condemn modern errors and reaffirm existing dogmas. 

4. Fr. Marie-Rosaire Gagnebet (1904–1983). Gagnebet was a major French Dominican theologian, historical researcher, and Roman curial advisor. He was Anti-Modernist yet was criticized for some methods used by Modernists. Gagnebet used it, however, not to move past Aquinas, but to restore Thomism to its original 13th-century purity and make it more rigorous. 

He helped craft the heretical Lumen Gentium. He thought that by actively helping to write the document, he could ensure that it did not contain actual theological errors or heresy. He was (obviously) wrong and became compromised. 

5. Fr. Augustin Bea (1881–1968). A snake-in-the grass if there ever was one. Bea served as a professor and later Rector of the prestigious Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome from 1930 to 1949. He was a master of biblical archaeology and ancient languages. From 1945 until 1958, Bea served as the personal spiritual director and confessor to Pope Pius XII. since he held an intimate position of trust, Bea was able to convince Pope Pius XII that certain clergymen were orthodox (or had been rehabilitated) and were worthy of promotion to the cardinalate or episcopacy. (The pope is not protected by the Holy Ghost in making ecclesiastical appointments). Bea was, by all outward indications, an Anti-Modernist. 

Even Fr. DePauw thought so. 

As soon as Roncalli came into power as the false "Pope" John XXIII, Bea showed his true colors as an ultra-Modernist. Roncalli wasted no time in making Bea a "Cardinal," and in 1960, Roncalli created the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity with Bea as its head. The purpose of the Secretariat was to promote radical ecumenism as it operated independently of the Holy Office and, therefore, Cardinal Ottavianni could not stop what they did.  

Bea raged against the anti-Modernist preparatory schemas. In 1962, Bea stood up on the Council floor and fiercely attacked them, arguing that the texts "lacked charity," a "pastoral spirit," and any understanding of modern biblical research. Bea's forceful opposition helped convince the Council Fathers to reject the curial drafts entirely and pave the way to the Great Apostasy. 

During Vatican II, he was a major drafter of the Modernist documents, specifically:

• Unitatis Redintegratio which officially committed the Catholic Church to heretical ecumenism

• Nostra Aetate which lauded paganism, Islam, and denied that the Jews are justly called the Deicide Race

• Dignitatis Humanae which declared all humans have a "right" to religious freedom, a complete repudiation of Church teaching on religious tolerance and the axiom that "error has no rights." 

Therefore, of the five theologians we know were on the commission, four were solidly Anti-Modernist at the time (I would argue Garrigou-Lagrange was never compromised as he died in 1964), and only one was a closet Modernist. The encyclical would be a theological masterpiece considering the authors. We must wait for the researchers to publish the exact Latin verbiage. 

What We Know of the Encyclical

The draft was dated on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in 1958. It was sent to be considered by the full commission on September 27, and Pope Pius XII died twelve days later, on October 9, never having signed it. It went through many revisions so the intended release in 1957 never came to pass.  Cultum Regi Regum was to consist of six chapters. Here is the breakdown:

Chapter One: The Nature of Religion

Highlights:

• It forcefully rejects Modernism and "vital immanence" ---the idea that religion does not start with intellectual beliefs or external doctrines. Instead, it begins as a blind, subconscious feeling; often described by Modernists as a "religious sense" or a sentiment of the heart. The encyclical says religion is a virtue, not a feeling or identity

• Religion consists in the adoration owed to God alone ("consistit in cultu latriae")

• Strong condemnation of the failure by individuals and society in not keeping Sunday holy  

Chapter Two: Liturgical Worship and Private Devotion

Highlights:

• As if seeing the future, the Novus Bogus type service is firmly rejected. The teaching of Mediator Dei is expanded upon

• Antiquarianism is condemned as is concelebration of Mass except in special or rare circumstances; "One Mass at which one hundred priests assist is not equal in value to one hundred Masses offered separately"

•  The priest is not the leader of an assembly the efficacy of whose actions depend upon collective participation of the people

• Private devotions are to be kept and encouraged, especially the Rosary 

Chapter Three: Moral Theology

Highlights: 

• Natural Law is to be emphasized and subjectivist moral theories rejected

• Condemnation of those who deny or call into doubt that the primary end of marriage is for the procreation and education of children, thereby making the mutual support of the spouses (the secondary end) equal to the primary end

• Consecrated virginity is the highest state and superior to marriage (reaffirming Trent)

• The dangers of materialism are condemned

Chapter Four: The Profession of Faith

Highlights:

• Catholics must boldly profess the One True Faith whole and entire, not partially, and never to compromise even on one point of doctrine 

• In regard to false religions, cooperation for the common good is permitted but doctrinal differences may never be set aside for a false notion of "brotherhood" ---"a healthy doctor may work beside a physician with a contagious disease, but closer work requires more vigilance against infection"

• True ecumenism consists in bringing those in false religions into the One True Church, and not in downplaying or failing to mention Catholic truths that offend them

Chapter Five: Authority and Freedom in the Church

Highlights:

• Our religion is "via auctoritatis et obedientiae," a way of authority and obedience

• Theologians have a vital role, however only when united and approved by the Magisterium

• Renewed and more expanded condemnations of the "New Theology" and Modernism

Chapter Six: The Religious Order and The Secular Order

Highlights:

• Quas Primas is reaffirmed; the Social Kingship of Jesus Christ

• Every State must strive to be a Catholic State because every State owes public recognition to the One True Church. A religiously neutral State is against the Will of God and all must strive to make it Catholic

• The views of John Courtney Murray are condemned

• The Social Kingship of Christ is a conclusion about human nature and not nostalgia for old times. Communities cannot organize themselves as if God is irrelevant

(Reference: Journal of Modern and Contemporary Christianity: “L’Enciclica Pascendi dei tempi moderni. Il progetto per l’ultima enciclica di Pio XII (1956-58).” Vol. 3, No. 1 (April 2024). 

A Greatly Misunderstood Pontiff

It is apparent that Pope Pius XII was no "Modernist." Much of the charges come from a misunderstanding of Catholic principles. Pius was trying to make Catholicism "combat-ready" against the attacks of the 20th century. As countries became more secularized, it was harder to get time off to attend the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Evening Mass was introduced, and with it the mitigated three hour Eucharistic Fast so all could receive Holy Communion.

The Holy Week reforms are often unjustly criticized as "reductions in prayers." If brevity means "less holy," then what are we to think of Pope St. Pius V? In his reform of the Roman Missal, he removed late medieval "farcings" (interpolated, localized tropes or poetic insertions added into standard chants like the Kyrie and Gloria) and doubtful accretions, while the number of liturgical sequences were reduced down to just four. St. Pius V also removed some localized sanctoral feast days and duplicate saints' celebrations to clear up a crowded calendar. In some dioceses, a Mass could take a very long time. Is the Missal of 1570 somehow "less traditional" or "less holy" since certain prayers and feasts were removed?     

Conclusion: A Vindication of a Great Pope

To those who have attacked Pope Pius XII as "soft on Modernism," on being "liberal," on "introducing novelties" in the liturgy, this encyclical that could have been shows a great Pontiff who loved the Catholic Faith and defended the One True Church. 

Far from being an "innovator," Pope Pius XII used Catholic principles to meet modern needs while simultaneously defending the One True Church from Her enemies. I can't help but wonder what would have happened (or not happened) had Cultum Regi Regum been promulgated. Could Vatican II have thus been prevented? Only God knows. One thing is now clear: Pope Pius XII was a true pope and therefore he was no Modernist. He had no sympathy for Modernism and was in complete possession of his faculties until the end. Let his critics be silenced. Should the papacy ever be restored, we may see the canonization of Eugene Pacelli as Pope St. Pius XII.

Contending For The Faith---Part 55

 

In St. Jude 1:3, we read, "Dearly beloved, taking all care to write unto you concerning your common salvation, I was under a necessity to write unto you: to beseech you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints." [Emphasis mine]. Contending For The Faith is a series of posts dedicated to apologetics (i.e.,  the intellectual defense of the truth of the Traditional Catholic Faith) to be published the first Monday of each month.  This is the next installment.

Sadly, in this time of Great Apostasy, the faith is under attack like never before, and many Traditionalists don't know their faith well enough to defend it. Remember the words of our first pope, "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." (1Peter 3:16). There are five (5) categories of attacks that will be dealt with in these posts. Attacks against:

• The existence and attributes of God
• The truth of the One True Church established by Christ for the salvation of all 
• The truth of a particular dogma or doctrine of the Church
• The truth of Catholic moral teaching
• The truth of the sedevacantist position as the only Catholic solution to what has happened since Vatican II 

In addition, controversial topics touching on the Faith will sometimes be featured, so that the problem and possible solutions may be better understood. If anyone had suggestions for topics that would fall into any of these categories, you may post them in the comments. I cannot guarantee a post on each one, but each will be carefully considered.

Proofs Of The Resurrection

There are numerous attempts by the enemies of Christ to deny His physical resurrection from the dead.

There are four (4) basic arguments to explain away Christ's resurrection: (1) it was a hallucination of the Apostles; (2) the Apostles created a myth-- they did not mean what they taught to be literal; (3) the Apostles conspired to deceive the world; and (4) Christ didn't really die, he "swooned" and later fully recovered. 

In this post, I will refute the so-called "Swoon Theory." (N.B. The information contained in this post comes from myriad sources, both in print and online. I take no credit other than condensing the material into a terse and readable post---Introibo). 

What is The Swoon Theory?

In 1965 Hugh Schonfield published a 287-page volume titled The Passover Plot. In this runaway bestseller, Schonfield contends that Jesus “deliberately plotted” His crucifixion and subsequent resurrection. According to The Passover Plot:

Jesus contrived to be arrested the night before the Passover, fully aware that he would be nailed to the cross the following day, but taken down before the onset of the Sabbath in accordance with Jewish law. He would survive the agony of but three hours on the cross.

To ensure his safe removal, he arranged to be given, while on the cross, not the traditional vinegar but a drug that would render him unconscious and make him appear dead. He would then be cut down from the cross in a deathlike trance, removed by accomplices to the tomb where he would be nursed back to health and then “resurrected.” (See The Passover Plot, inside front and back cover flaps). 

This new interpretation of the life and death of Jesus captured the imagination of the world. Magazines and ministers immediately lauded it as perhaps the most important book published in a decade. Time magazine contended, “Schonfield does not discredit Christ. Instead, he argues that Christ was indeed the Messiah — the Son of Man, as he thought of himself (sic), but not the Son of God — who had been foretold by Jewish prophets of old, and that this is glory enough.” (As cited in The Passover Plot, back cover). Protestant Bible scholar William Barclay called The Passover Plot “a book of enormous learning and erudition, meticulously documented.” (Ibid). 

While the critics of historic Christianity have passionately proclaimed the virtues of Schonfield and his scholarship, The Passover Plot is little more than a new regurgitation of swoon theories that were popular in the first half of the nineteenth century. 

Swoon theorists dismiss the Resurrection by contending that Jesus Christ never really died on the cross. Instead, He merely fainted and was later revived. A never-ending stream of imaginative stories has flowed from this basic thesis.

The Problems with The Swoon Theory: A Brief Summary

First, here are eight (8) problems that make the Swoon Theory untenable. After this summary, some will be fleshed out in more detail.

• Jesus could not have survived crucifixion. Roman procedures were very careful to eliminate that possibility. Roman law even laid the death penalty on any soldier who let a capital prisoner escape in any way, including bungling a crucifixion. It was never done. 

• The fact that the Roman soldier did not break Jesus’ legs, as he did to the other two crucified criminals (St. John 19:31-33), means that the soldier was sure Jesus was dead. Breaking the legs hastened the death so that the corpse could be taken down before the sabbath (verse 31). 

• St. John, an eyewitness, certified that he saw blood and water come from Jesus’ pierced heart (St.John 19:34-35). This shows that Jesus’ lungs had collapsed and he had died of asphyxiation. Any medical expert can vouch for this. 

• The body was totally encased in winding sheets and entombed (St. John 19:38-42). 

• The post-resurrection appearances convinced the disciples, even “doubting Thomas,” that Jesus was gloriously alive (St. John 20:19-29). It is psychologically impossible for the disciples to have been so transformed and confident if Jesus had merely struggled out of a swoon, badly in need of a doctor. A half-dead, staggering sick man who has just had a narrow escape is not worshiped fearlessly as divine lord and conqueror of death. 

• How were the Roman guards at the tomb overpowered by a swooning corpse? Or by unarmed disciples? 

• How could a swooning half-dead man have moved the great stone at the door of the tomb? Who moved the stone if not an angel? No one has ever answered that question. Neither the Jews nor the Romans would move it, for it was in both their interests to keep the tomb sealed; the Jews had the stone put there in the first place, and the Roman guards would be killed if they let the body “escape.” The story the Jewish authorities spread, that the guards fell asleep and the disciples stole the body (Mt 28:11-15), is unbelievable. Roman guards would not fall asleep on a job like that; if they did, they would lose their lives. And even if they did fall asleep, the crowd and the effort and the noise it would have taken to move an enormous boulder would have wakened them.

• If Jesus awoke from a swoon, where did he go? Think this through: you have a living body to deal with now, not a dead one. Why did it disappear? There is absolutely no data, not even any false, fantastic, imagined data, about Jesus’ life after his crucifixion, in any sources, friend or foe, at any time, early or late. A Man like that, with a past like that, would have left traces.

The Swoon Theory Problems: A Closer Examination

The Romans were expert executioners

From St. John 19:31-34:

Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.

The Jews wanted to hurry this execution along because the next day was the Sabbath and they wanted to have everything wrapped up before then. Remember, when you were crucified, you died of asphyxiation. Your body became too exhausted to keep pushing up on your nailed feet when you wanted to take a breath. Eventually, you would no longer be able to push yourself up, you would suffocate and then die. If you were taking too long to die, the Romans would break your legs so you could no longer push up at all. But, when the soldiers came to Jesus, they didn’t break his legs. Why? They examined him and determined that He was already dead.

Appearance of death wasn’t enough to declare Jesus dead, though. If the Roman soldiers made a mistake, and pulled a live body off of the cross, it was they who would be next in line for execution. So, they stuck a spear in His side to be sure. When they did this “at once there came out blood and water”. 

This “water” is actually fluid that builds up around the heart and/or lungs when the body goes into shock. This condition is called pleural effusion when the fluid buildup is around the lungs and pericardial effusion when the fluid is surrounding the heart. Jesus had been beaten nearly to death before he was hung on the cross, He had suffered much blood loss, and He had hung there laboring to breathe. The water that St. John records is a sign of the amount of shock Jesus’ body had gone through, and a sign of His death. (See A Doctor At Calvary by French Catholic surgeon Pierre Barbet, [1953]). 

Joseph of Arimethea and Nicodemus Knew if Someone was Dead

After Jesus was declared dead, Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish high council, and Nicodemus, a Pharisee, took Jesus’ body down from the cross and made it ready for burial. They wrapped it in linen cloth and prepared the body with spices. Once this was done, they placed it in a tomb owned by Joseph that had never been used before. This process would have taken a few hours to complete.

As soon as someone dies, their body begins changing. Immediately after the heart stops pumping blood throughout the body, it immediately starts to experience temperature loss. This process is known as algor mortis. When you touch a dead body, it no longer has that warmth you are familiar with when you shake someone's hand. They are cold to the touch.

Also at this time, the body begins to stiffen and lose its flexibility, until it finally becomes locked into position a few hours later (rigor mortis). Since the heart is no longer pumping blood around the body, the blood goes where gravity pulls it. So, if a body is found lying on its back, there will be discoloration on the back from the pooling of blood. All of these things are signs that are easily recognizable indicators to someone that a body has no life in it. You don’t need instruments, tests, or a medical degree to see them.

In modern society, we usually have an ambulance pick up the deceased, a coroner determine cause of death, a mortician prepare the body for burial and a funeral home to place the body in the casket and prepare it for viewing. Details vary based on culture, but it usually isn’t the family who does any of that anymore.

In first century Jewish society, it was family and friends who prepared a body for burial. They handled all aspects. So, they knew the signs of death. They knew what a dead body felt like and how it looked. Dead bodies look and feel differently than live ones do.

Based on these details, it’s safe to say that Joseph and Nicodemus would have known if Jesus was still alive or not when they were preparing the body for burial.

How could a near-dead Man get out of a sealed tomb?

Let’s imagine, ad arguendo, that Jesus was still alive when He was placed in the tomb. Somehow, He was able to regain consciousness. Let’s remember the condition He would have been in; severely beaten, holes all the way through His wrists and feet, and a large wound in his side where the spear had pierced Him, likely damaging some major organs on the way through.

In this condition, His first obstacle would have been the stone covering the tomb’s entrance. The stone would have weighed over a ton. Tomb entrances were typically 2-3 feet wide, and the stones that covered them were a one foot thick. For a single healthy man to move this stone would have been almost impossible, let alone for a Man beaten and crucified to near death.

The Witness of the Apostles 

The Apostles saw Jesus after the Crucifixion. Think of all Jesus had just been through. He would have shown up looking near dead. However, the first thing that the apostles would have said wouldn’t have been “He is risen!"---it would have been “get Him a doctor!” He would have looked like He had survived all the things He had just been through. He wouldn’t have looked like he brushed them all off and returned triumphantly from the dead.

Conclusion

Always be prepared to defend the Resurrection of Our Lord. Unlike all others, Mohammed, Buddha, Joseph Smith, etc., Jesus Christ's bones are not on this Earth. He rose by His own Divine power from the dead proving He is God. His enemies know this and come up with various theories to try and prove the Resurrection to be false. It is Christ's rising from the dead that gives our lives meaning. “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a Man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22). 

The Role Of Women

 

The muddle-headed R&R Bishop Richard Williamson (1940-2025) was one of the four priests Archbishop Lefebvre consecrated as a bishop on June 30, 1988. I met Williamson when he was a priest in 1985. I found him to be a pompous boor whose high opinion of himself was eclipsed only by his strange and sophomoric views. Each Saturday for years after his expulsion from the SSPX, the baffled bishop would send out his "Eleison Comments" to his followers via e-mail, ostensibly to convince everyone that only his organization has the post-Vatican II situation properly figured out, and to warn people to stay away from sedevacantism. He began almost every issue of his "Comments" with some kindergarten-like rhyme. Here is a small sample:

• The sacrificial Mass once thrown away, How could poor Catholics not go astray?

• Truth which is true excludes all contradiction. "Truth" which admits of error, is truth-fiction.

• While Menzingen is by Rome’s sirens charmed, To keep the Faith, let forewarned be forearmed

He was something of an Ecclesiastical Eminem minus the large record sales. The evil rapper with an eighth grade education could be excused for illogical rants, but not Williamson, who was educated and a cleric. To give one example, Bp. Williamson gave rise to what the late Fr. Cekada called "mentevacantism"--"the mind is vacant."

Williamson came up with a novel idea to escape the iron clad logic of the sedevacantist position: the Conciliar "popes" are not guilty of heresy because of "mind rot" which prevents them from realizing they're heretics. As illogical and goofy as his ideas were, his worst opinions were about women.

According to Fr. John Rizzo, a student of Williamson back in 1983, when the SSPX seminary was in Ridgefield, Connecticut, then-Fr. Williamson made the following remark:

 "He was always insisting that women should not wear pants, because that would be an occasion of sin, that women when married should be subjected to their husbands to such a degree — I'll never forget this — that if the wife misbehaves the husband should be willing to beat her," he said. 

(See npr.org/2009/02/25/101139679/former-student-bishop-often-attacked-judaism#:~:text=%22He%20was%20always%20insisting%20that,tendencies%2C'%20%22%20he%20said; Emphasis mine). 

I absolutely believe Fr. Rizzo to be telling the truth. Williamson made denigrating remarks about women all the time. A few examples:

• He strongly opposed women pursuing higher education, such as attending college or university

• He thought women were benighted and once stated that a female can "do a good imitation of handling ideas, but then she will not be thinking properly as a woman"

• He stated that women can't be professionals because they're vain and that's what they are ostensibly good at doing---"Did this lawyeress check her hairdo before coming into court? If she did, she is a distracted lawyer. If she did not, she is one distorted woman."

(See theguardian.com/world/2009/feb/25/catholic-bishop-richard-williamson#:~:text=Last%20year%20he%20described%20as,she%20is%20one%20distorted%20woman.%22)

Why am I bringing up the ideas of a R&R bishop who went to Judgment last year? In the last few years, and getting more vocal all the time, there are some Traditionalist men (and women) who think Williamson's warped view on women is the teaching of the Church. It is not. The purpose of this post is to demonstrate the role of women in society. No Traditionalist can deny that women are excluded by Divine Positive Law from the clergy. There can never be a valid female deacon, priest, bishop, cardinal, or pope. This post will focus exclusively on a woman's role in the home and in society today.

The solitary dispositive question to be answered has two parts: (a) Can a woman work outside the home? If yes, (b) Are any jobs off limits to a woman, especially those jobs where she exercises authority over men? Below, I attempt to answer the question. In a time without a pope, I submit my opinion to the Judgement of Holy Mother Church, should a true pope reign once more, and will abide by the Magisterial decision as a true Catholic. 

Women and the Natural Law

Here is a simple and straightforward definition from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia:

According to St. Thomas, the natural law is "nothing else than the rational creature's participation in the eternal law" (I-II.91.2). The eternal law is God's wisdom, inasmuch as it is the directive norm of all movement and action. When God willed to give existence to creatures, He willed to ordain and direct them to an end. In the case of inanimate things, this Divine direction is provided for in the nature which God has given to each; in them determinism reigns. Like all the rest of creation, man [herein "man" means "human beings of either sex"] is destined by God to an end, and receives from Him a direction towards this end. This ordination is of a character in harmony with his free intelligent nature. In virtue of his intelligence and free will, man is master of his conduct. Unlike the things of the mere material world he can vary his action, act, or abstain from action, as he pleases. Yet he is not a lawless being in an ordered universe. In the very constitution of his nature, he too has a law laid down for him, reflecting that ordination and direction of all things, which is the eternal law. The rule, then, which God has prescribed for our conduct, is found in our nature itself. Those actions which conform with its tendencies, lead to our destined end, and are thereby constituted right and morally good; those at variance with our nature are wrong and immoral.

There are Traditionalists who argue women working outside the home and/or in positions of authority are contrary to the Natural Law. They claim that women can only work outside the home when absolutely necessary to survive, and they must never have an occupation wherein they would have male subordinates. Some not only say it's wrong for women to be in elected office, but that they should not be allowed to vote. As the "clincher" they cite papal utterances where the pontiff expressed disapproval of women voting. 

The best means of determining if women working outside the home (outside of the need for survival) and being in positions of power is against the Natural Law would be to see what was taught by the last true pope, His Holiness Pope Pius XII (r. 1939-1958). 

 The Use of Allocutions by Pope Pius XII

Pope Pius XII, the last true pope of the Catholic Church before the Great Apostasy, used allocutions the most, as different mediums of communication were coming out. During his reign, he made (excluding canonizations) two ex cathedra pronouncements, one of which was Munificentissimus Deus, defining the dogma of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, body and soul, into Heaven. Most theologians consider Sacramentum Ordinis of 1947 to have been infallible, as it settled what constituted the exact matter and form for all three grades of Holy Orders, and had the definitive language of binding Catholics forever on the subject. 

What is the doctrinal value of non-infallible decrees, when the Ordinary Magisterium makes a pronouncement? Here is an important citation from the encyclical Humani Generis (1950):

Nor must it be thought that what is expounded in Encyclical Letters does not of itself demand consent, since in writing such Letters the Popes do not exercise the supreme power of their Teaching Authority. For these matters are taught with the ordinary teaching authority, of which it is true to say: "He who heareth you, heareth me;" and generally what is expounded and inculcated in Encyclical Letters already for other reasons appertains to Catholic doctrine. But if the Supreme Pontiffs in their official documents purposely pass judgment on a matter up to that time under dispute, it is obvious that that matter, according to the mind and will of the Pontiffs, cannot be any longer considered a question open to discussion among theologians. (para. #20; Emphasis mine). 

In his treatise "Authentic Teaching of the Magisterium," theologian Cotter teaches:

The Pope [Pius XII] has no doubt that those Catholic theologians whom he has in mind throughout the encyclical [Humani Generis] are willing to abide by the definitive decisions of the Magisterium, those handed down, solemni iudicio. They are neither heretics nor schismatics. But he complains that they ignore papal pronouncements that come to them with less authority, such as encyclicals. If reputable theologians have disagreed in the past, that assumes that nothing less than a solemn definition can settle the matter; and as long as none such is forthcoming, everyone is presumed free to construe papal documents according to his own interpretation of Tradition.

In reply, the Pope reminds them that encyclicals, besides often containing matters of dogma, may intend to settle points hitherto disputed, and that such decisions demand of themselves a positive assent on the part of the faithful, theologians included. In issuing them the popes exercise what is technically known as the Ordinary or Authentic Magisterium, of which it is true to say: "He that heareth you, heareth Me."

(As cited in Contemporary Moral Theology, [1962], 1:24-26). 

Theologian Cotter notes, though the papal statement refers primarily to encyclicals, it is not restricted to these. Rather, it covers the whole range of what is called the "Ordinary Magisterium" of the Holy Father. Everything that has been said, therefore, could apply to the papal radio messages and allocutions; yet, since these have played such a prominent part in papal teaching (especially under Pope Pius XII), they merit special attention. Pope Pius XII himself, made it strikingly clear that his discourses, even when given to small groups, can contain authoritative teaching for the whole Church. 

In his radio message on the education of the Christian conscience, Pope Pius XII said:

Mindful, however, of the right and duty of the Apostolic See to intervene authoritatively, when the need arises, in moral questions, in the address of 29th October last we set out to enlighten men's consciences on the problems of married life. With the self-same authority we declare today to educators and to young people also that the divine commandment of purity of soul and body still holds without any lesser obligation for the youth of today. 

According to theologian Hurth (consultor to the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office and a staunch anti-Modernist) papal radio addresses and allocutions have the same doctrinal value as encyclicals: they are an integral part of the ordinary teaching of the pope; and, as such, though not infallible, they require both internal and external acceptance. (Ibid, pg. 26). 

The Teaching of Pope Pius XII

Two allocutions show forth the teaching of the Church on the role of women in society: An Address of His Holiness Pope Pius XII to the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations, April 24, 1952, and An Address To Members of Various Catholic Women's Associations, October 21, 1945.

Here are the pertinent points of Pope Pius XII's teachings:

In his 1945 Address, the pontiff made it clear that his intent was to teach about the duties of women in social and political life. (All emphasis in the text of the Addresses is mine---Introibo)

Your presence in such great numbers before Us, beloved daughters, derives a particular significance from the conditions existing today. For besides the joy which it always gives Us to welcome you, to bless you, and to give you Our fatherly counsel, there is also today the need which We feel, in answer to your own urgent requests, to address you on a subject which is of the very first relevance and importance to our times: We mean the duties of women in social and political life. We had Ourself been looking forward to such an opportunity as this, because the feverish unrest of a troubled present and still more the anxieties about an uncertain future have given woman's position a central interest for the friends, no less than for the enemies, of Christ and His Church.

Men and women are of equal dignity and have different yet complimentary qualities.

As children of God, man and woman have a dignity in which they are absolutely equal; and they are equal, too, in regard to the supreme end of human life, which is everlasting union with God in the happiness of Heaven...But man and woman cannot maintain or perfect this equal dignity of theirs unless they respect and make use of the distinctive qualities which nature has bestowed on each sex: physical and spiritual qualities which are indestructible, and so co-ordinated that their mutual relation cannot be upset without nature itself intervening to re-establish it.

The pope praises woman in the religious life and also women who remain in the single state:

And yet, for nearly twenty centuries, we have seen thousands upon thousands of men and women, and among the best of them, freely renouncing a family of their own and foregoing the holy duties and sacred rights of married life in order to follow the counsel of Christ. And is the common welfare of nations and the good of the Church jeopardized in consequence? On the contrary-----These generous souls recognize the association of the sexes in wedlock as a great good. If they step aside from the ordinary path, if they leave the beaten track, it is not to desert the service of humanity but rather to devote themselves to it with complete detachment and self-denial, and an activity which is incomparably more extended, indeed, all-embracing and universal...

But there is also the Catholic girl who remains unmarried in spite of herself; and she too, if she believes firmly in the Providence of her Heavenly Father, recognizes the voice of the Master in the life that has fallen to her lot. 'The Master is here and calleth for thee.' [John 11: 28] And she answers the call; she abandons the fair dream of her adolescence and young womanhood, surrenders her hope of having a faithful companion to share her life, of making a home and family of her own. In the impossibility of marriage she discerns her own vocation and, sad at heart though resigned, she too devotes herself entirely to the highest and most varied forms of beneficence.

A woman's natural function is to be a mother either physically or spiritually/morally.

Be she married or single, woman's function is seen clearly defined in the lineaments of her sex, in its propensities and special powers. She works side by side with man, but she works in her own way and according to her natural bent. Now a woman's function, a woman's way, a woman's natural bent, is motherhood. Every woman is called to be a mother, mother in the physical sense, or mother m a sense more spiritual and more exalted, yet real none the less.

The pope deplores conditions unfavorable to the family and the dignity of woman. Both Communism and capitalism have had detrimental effects on the woman such that she cannot raise her children properly,

That public life has now for some time been developing in a manner unfavorable to the true welfare of the family and the true welfare of woman, is beyond dispute...Restore woman as soon as possible to her place of honor in the home as housewife and mother! This is the universal cry today. It is as though the world had suddenly awakened in alarm and horror to see the results of a material and technical progress of which it had hitherto been so proud.

The pope condemns the results of a life of a woman who has left her duties as wife and mother for employment. The woman's daughter will be ill suited for the life of a wife and mother.

And this is not all. Her [the daughter of the working woman] mother with the passing of the years has become old before her time; she is worn out and broken by sorrows, anxieties, and work that has overtaxed her strength. When she sees her daughter return home very late at night, far from finding in her a prop and a support, she must herself arise and discharge all the duties of a domestic servant for one who is unaccustomed and unequal to the work of a woman and housewife. The father will be no better off when advancing years, illness, infirmity, unemployment have forced him to depend for his meager support on the good or ill will of his children. How is the august and sacred authority of father and mother dethroned from the seat of its majesty!

Yet, given the current circumstances [1945], women must work to survive in many cases. This is the modern situation. Should women eschew working to improve society? No! They have a positive duty to engage with modern society and make it better with the distinctive characteristics of the female sex.

Are we therefore to conclude, Catholic women and Catholic girls, that you must resist the current which, whether you like it or not, is drawing you into the stream of social and political life? Certainly not...The fact is that woman is kept away from the home, not only by her declared emancipation, but often also by vital necessity, by the need to earn her daily bread. It is therefore useless to preach her return to the home so long as conditions continue which in many cases force her to remain absent from it. And here is the first aspect of the mission in social and political life which now presents itself to you. Into this public life you have entered all of a sudden, forced into it by the social changes we have witnessed. No matter-----you are called upon to take part in it. Would you leave to other women, to those who are actively engineering the ruin of the home or at least conniving at it, the monopoly of organizing the social structure, in which the family forms the principal element of its economic, juridical, spiritual, and moral unity? The fortunes of the family, the fortunes of human society, are at stake; and they are in your hands: 'Tua res agitur!'

   Therefore every woman without exception is under an obligation-----a strict obligation of conscience, mind you!-----not to remain aloof; every woman must go into action, each in her own way, and join in stemming the tides which threaten to engulf the home, in fighting the doctrines which undermine its foundations, in preparing, organizing, and completing its restoration.

Women are called upon to work alongside men for the betterment of society.

This is one motive, calling the Catholic woman to enter on the new path now opening to her activity. But there is another: her dignity as a woman. It is for her to work with man for the welfare of the civitas in which she enjoys a dignity equal with his, and here each sex has its part to play according to its nature, its distinctive qualities, its physical. intellectual. and moral capabilities. Both sexes have the right and the duty to work together for the good of society, for the good of the nation. But it is clear that while man is by temperament more suited to deal with external affairs and public business, generally speaking the woman has a deeper insight for understanding the delicate problems of domestic and family life, and a surer touch in solving them-----which, of course, is not to deny that some women can show great ability in every sphere of public life.

   It is not so much that each sex is called to a different task; the difference is rather in their manner of judging and arriving at concrete and practical applications. Take the case of civil rights, for example; at the present time they are equal for both sexes. But just think how much more intelligently and effectively these rights will be used if men and women pool their resources in using them. The sensibility and delicacy which are characteristic of the woman may perhaps bias her judgment in the direction of her impressions, and so tend to the prejudice of wide and clear vision, cool decision, or far-sighted prudence; but on the other hand they are most valuable aids in discerning the needs, aspirations, and dangers proper to the sphere of domestic life, public assistance, and religion.

A wide field of action is open to women in the public. Here the pope alludes to single women. It can also apply to women who must work, or who have grown children.

 It has been seen that a woman's work is concerned primarily with those tasks and occupations of domestic life which contribute so powerfully, and more powerfully than is generally appreciated, to the true interests of the social community. But the furtherance of those interests calls for a great number of women who will have more leisure at their disposal, and so be able to devote themselves to the task more directly and more completely.

  And where should we find these women if not especially [We do not, of course, say exclusively] among those to whom We have been alluding: those upon whom the force of circumstances has imposed a mysterious vocation; those whom events have destined to a life of solitude which was not in their thoughts or aspirations, and which threatened to be nothing more than a selfishly useless and purposeless existence? And now, behold, their mission at the present day is revealed: a mission many-sided, militant, and calling for all their energies; a mission such as they can more readily undertake than many of their sisters, occupied as they are with family cares and the education of their children, or else subject to the yoke of a religious rule.

  Of these women some have hitherto devoted themselves with a zeal often quite admirable, to parochial activities; others, gifted with wider vision still, have been engaged in more extended work of moral and social improvement. The war, with its calamitous results, has led to a great increase in the number of such women. Many brave men have lost their lives in this terrible conflict, others have come back disabled or sick; many a young woman will therefore await in vain the return of a husband. will vainly hope for the coming of new young lives to cheer a solitary home. And just at this moment new needs, created by the entry of women into civil and political life, have arisen to claim their assistance. Is this nothing more than a strange coincidence? Or are we to see in it a disposition of Divine Providence?

Thus a wide field is opened to woman's activity, an activity primarily intellectual or primarily practical. according to the capabilities and qualities of each individual. To study and explain the place and function of woman in society, her rights and obligations; to be the guide and teacher of her sisters; to correct ideas, dispel prejudices, clear up confusions; to expound and spread the teaching of the Church, as the surest means of defeating error, illusion, and falsehood, and as the most effective method of countering the tactics employed by the enemies of Catholic faith and morals-----here is an immense and urgently important task, without which the active apostolate, however zealous, will give only precarious results.

 But direct action is also necessary, otherwise sound doctrine and solid convictions will remain barren, or at best yield little fruit. This direct action, this effective co-operation in social and political life, in no way alters the distinctive character of woman's activity. Associated with the work of man in the sphere of civil institutions, she will apply herself especially to matters calling for tact, delicacy, the maternal instinct, rather than administrative rigidity. In such questions as those of woman's dignity, a girl's honor and integrity, the protection and education of the child, who better than a woman can understand what is needed? ...  In your actual participation in social and political life much depends upon State legislation and municipal administration. Consequently the vote is for the Catholic woman an important means of fulfilling her strict obligations of conscience, especially at the present time.

The other Address of 1952, Pope Pius XII reiterates that women are in society, not just the home, and can bring peace to the world.

 There is also an external activity because if in other ages the influence of women was restricted to their home and the surrounding s of the home, in our days it extends (whether we like it or not) to even wider fields: to public and social life, to parliaments, to tribunals, to journalism, to the professions and to the trades. May women carry their work of peace into each of these spheres. If indeed all women were to pass from that innate feeling which makes them abhor war, to concrete action to impede war, it would be impossible that the total of such imposing efforts, which bring into play those forces best calculated to move the will, that is piety and love, it would be impossible, We say, that it should fail to attain its end.

Basic Principles Taught by Pope Pius XII:

• Men and women are of equal dignity and worth
• Men and women have complimentary talents
• These talents must be used for the betterment of society
• Women have a maternal calling, physical or spiritual
• Given current circumstances women must work
• Women have a positive duty to work alongside men in making the world Catholic
• Women have a wide field of opportunities for work
• The ideal of wife and mother must be upheld and never denigrated
• Women can and should vote

To those who object that the Addresses are not infallible, and need not be believed OR WORSE, that Pope Pius XII taught something that is immoral, evil, and contrary to Natural Law, you have insurmountable problems.

Christ said to the Apostles: “He that heareth you, heareth Me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me, despiseth Him that sent Me.” (St. Luke 10:16). This means that every Catholic can, and must, listen to the Church teaching as the teaching of Christ Himself. What if a pope is not teaching infallibly? Such teachings are nevertheless protected by the Holy Ghost from teaching any pernicious doctrine. This means the Church cannot teach anything which is contrary to Catholic doctrine or morals, and which would be a sin to embrace. The Church also cannot impose evil disciplines, and thereby prescribe something evil to the faithful, making it sinful to observe; nor can the Church give anything which would constitute an incentive to impiety. 

This completely rules out any possibility of the pope teaching heresy, for the protection of the Holy Ghost precludes it. Theologian Fenton teaches:

To the Holy Father’s responsibility of caring for the sheep of Christ’s fold, there corresponds, on the part of the Church’s membership, the basic obligation of following his directions, in doctrinal as well as disciplinary matters. In this field, God has given the Holy Father a kind of infallibility distinct from the charism of doctrinal infallibility in the strict sense. He has so constructed and ordered the Church that those who follow the directives given to the entire kingdom of God on earth will never be brought into the position of ruining themselves spiritually through this obedience. Our Lord dwells within His Church in such a way that those who obey disciplinary and doctrinal directives of this society can never find themselves displeasing God through their adherence to the teachings and the commands given to the universal Church militant. Hence there can be no valid reason to discountenance even the non-infallible teaching authority of Christ’s vicar on earth.

(See "The American Ecclesiastical Review;" [August 1949], “The Doctrinal Authority of Papal Encyclicals, Part I”, pgs. 144-145). 

Hence, the protection of the Holy Ghost precludes the pope from teaching heresy to the Church. Only in his capacity as a private theologian could he teach heresy. If the false claim is made that these Addresses are not truly the pope teaching but just him speaking as a private person, and he taught something contrary to Natural Law or the Faith, be prepared to become a vacancy-pusher. 

Eugene Pacelli would not be the pope.  As St. Alphonsus Liguori teaches: "If ever a pope, as a private person, should fall into heresy, he would at once fall from the pontificate.”(See Oeuvres Completes. 9:232; Emphasis mine). 

Conclusion: While women should ideally be mothers at home or nuns, nothing precludes them from working outside the home when necessary, or when it would not constitute a detriment to her family. Moreover, single women have a wide range of fields open to them when working. All Catholic women are called to be engaged in society with men to make the world better and more Catholic. Women can and should vote. 

Can women hold positions of authority over men? That will be discussed in the next section of this post.

Women in Authority

Note that in his Addresses Pope Pius XII did not state that women could not hold positions of authority over men. However, the absence of a condemnation is not the same as giving approval. From the history of the Church, we see women have held authoritative positions over men as is witnessed by Catholic queens, and the example of St. Joan of Arc, among others. 

Catholic Queens

1. Queen Blanche of France RULED the Kingdom as Queen Regent in the name of her saintly son (King St. Louis IX) from 1226-1235, and is considered one of the most cunning and intelligent rulers by historians. Her shrewd diplomacy gave her son a stronger kingdom than ever when he took the throne at age 21. While she was doing “the job of a man” she raised her son to be a canonized saint (King St. Louis IX specifically credits his mother as the reason he was so devout in his practice of the Faith) and her daughter became Blessed Isabella of France. She had a total of 12 children.

2. Queen Margaret of France RULED the Kingdom when King St. Louis was fighting in the Crusades. She is also seen as an excellent ruler in addition to being the mother of 11 children. Her saintly husband’s motto was “All for God, all for France, all for Margaret”—putting his wife above all but God and country.

3. St. Helena was Roman Empress who utilized her influence to spread Christianity and build churches. She was also the mother of Constantine the Great

I could multiply these examples, but it suffices to show that women having authority is permitted by the Church and cannot therefore be against the Natural Law or sinful. 

Catholic Women Who Led Men in Battle

1. Saint Joan of Arc (1412–1431): Known as the "Maid of Orleans," she claimed divine guidance from Heaven and heard voices telling her to lead the French troops against the English. She was a military commander. She did more than merely advise. Here are three historians who have written on St. Joan's role as an actual military commander, and who led men into battle:

(a) Dr. Kelly Robert DeVries (b. 1956) received his doctorate from the University of Toronto and is an expert in warfare of the Middle Ages. See his 1999 book entitled Joan of Arc: A Military Leader.

(b) Dr. Regine Pernoud (1909-1998) received her doctorate from the Sorbonne in 1935. Read her book Joan of Arc: Her Story published in 1986.

(c) Jonathan Sumption (b. 1948) Was a Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, from 1971 to 1975, teaching and writing, before becoming a barrister. Historian Credentials: Despite lacking a PhD in history (doctorate in law) he is a renowned, award-winning historian (Wolfson History Prize winner) known for his five-volume history of the Hundred Years' War. He covers her extensively in The Hundred Years War, Volume 5: Triumph and Illusion published in (2023).

God chose a woman to lead the army. He could have chosen a man, but didn't. Women leading men is therefore not contrary to Natural Law or sinful. If it were, God would not have allowed it, indeed, could not have allowed it even once. 

2. Matilda of Tuscany, Imperial Vicar and Vice-Queen of Italy, (1046-1115). A powerful medieval noblewoman and key supporter of the papacy, Matilda frequently commanded her armies in person to defend Church interests, earning a reputation as a warrior countess.

3. Joanna of Flanders (1295–1374): Countess of Montfort, she led forces during the War of the Breton Succession. She is famously depicted wearing armor and riding at the head of 300 men to attack an enemy camp, acting as a direct combat leader.

4. Queen Isabella of Castile was Queen of Castile and Leon from 1474 until her death in 1504. Known as "Isabella the Catholic," she was heavily involved in commanding military operations during the Reconquista in Spain, often directing troop strategy and visiting the battlefront to inspire her men.

Conclusion

Therefore, women can be in positions of authority over men. If a woman can be a Head of State or lead an army, she can certainly lead in less important roles. 

Why it is Good for Women to be Educated and Career-Ready

Holy Mother Church, ever solicitous for the well-being of Her children, will allow them to adopt to the world in a non-sinful manner when the circumstances dictate such. As Pope Pius XII taught in his 1952 Address:

There is also an external activity because if in other ages the influence of women was restricted to their home and the surrounding s of the home, in our days it extends (whether we like it or not) to even wider fields: to public and social life, to parliaments, to tribunals, to journalism, to the professions and to the trades.

Since the fall of Catholic countries after Vatican II, it has become exceedingly difficult for a man to raise a family on a single income. Moreover, the divorce rate is through the roof. Divorce and separation are not unknown, even among Traditionalists.

Here are the possibilities:

The Religious Life. There are not many Traditionalist orders. However, it is possible to join one and have a vocation as a nun. What a wonderful life! Fr. DePauw's eldest sister was a medical missionary nun in what was then called The Belgian Congo. She dedicated 50 years of her life making converts in Africa. She was put through school and was a medical doctor. She was able to help people soul and body! Imagine a Traditionalist college where educated nuns could form the development of young women.

Married Life. It is very difficult to find a suitable spouse. Traditionalists are a small group. Most Traditionalist who marry will have to have a spouse of the Vatican II sect, Protestant sect, etc. who is willing to sign the promises under Canon Law and have a mixed marriage. This is tolerated by the Church, and more necessary now than ever imagined pre-Vatican II when Catholics were plentiful.

Also making marriage more difficult is the number of divorced people, as well as Vatican II sect members with phony "annulments." According to several sources the divorce rate in the U.S. for first time marriages is 40-42%. That statistic is something Pope Pius XII could not even have imagined the year he died (1958). (See, e.g., pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/10/16/8-facts-about-divorce-in-the-united-states). 

College educated people are less likely to get divorced--especially where both spouses are educated. There are still good colleges with good people, like St. Mary's College in Kansas run by the SSPX. Both my wife and I are highly educated and we were not corrupted by the institutions we attended. Having a strong faith is the key. Women can also meet a good man in her career, and then stay home after marriage and children. When the children are grown, she can return to her career and help the world as stated by Pope Pius XII. 

Moreover, what if the woman is abandoned by her spouse? She marries right out of college at 22, has four children by 29, and he leaves her. He could also be a deadbeat dad. Now what? How can this women support her family? Not everyone has wealthy parents. If she has a degree she can get a decent job so as not to wind up in section 8 housing and living on public assistance (a true nightmare, esp. for the children). 

The Single Life. There are some women who do not have a religious vocation and never find a decent man to marry. These women especially can use their unique talents to make the world better and more Catholic, having the most time to give.

This is not "feminism," this is reality. If a man makes a large salary and can afford a stay-at-home wife/mother with several children, God bless them abundantly. This is not the case for most. 

Finally, let me say that there are women who are a disgrace to their gender. The money chasing career women who scorn God, hate children, like abortion, and are convinced misandrists, unfortunately exist. I know many of them; I work and live surrounded by them. Yet, there are those like my wife, Ivy League educated, professional, Christian above all else, and making a difference in the world. 

Objections Considered and Answered

Objection: Do you want women in battle? Who will be the future mothers? 

Answer: No, I'm not advocating for female soldiers. Women should not fight unless necessary, but it is not beyond them to be such. The point is women can lead in battle, not that it is prudent that they should or must do so. God did not have to call St. Joan of Arc to do battle, but He did. He could have selected a man. So even leadership positions of the most difficult kind can be handled by women.

Objection: Biology dictates that women cannot do the same things that men can do.

Answer: I agree. Jobs like construction work, being an oil rig worker, etc. require bodily strength that women will never have like men. These jobs should be handled by men unless an absolute necessity requires a woman to do so. In sports, women have no place competing with men in football, boxing, etc. They would be seriously injured or killed. (However, a woman could compete, in my opinion, in sports like bowling, billiards, and other non-contact sports).

Objection: According to theologians McHugh and Callan “Women should not be compelled to take up an occupation unsuited to their sex.”

Answer: Yes, women should not be compelled to do anything. Occupations requiring physical strength should be left to men.

Objection: Queens ruling over men is an historical exception.

Answer: An exception that proves the rule that women can lead. If it were contrary to Natural Law or Divine Positive Law, popes would have condemned such. Instead, Catholic Queens were esteemed by the Church.

Objection: Pope St. Pius X said in 1906, to an Austrian feminist, “Women electors, women deputies? Oh, no!…Women in Parliaments! That is all we need! The men have already caused enough confusion there! Imagine what would happen if there were women there!” (Hause & Kenny, The Development of the Catholic Women’s Suffrage Movement, pgs. 11-30). Also, In 1909, Pope St. Pius X told French Politicians, “Women can never be man’s equal,” said the Pope [St. Pius X], “and cannot therefore enjoy equal rights. Few women would ever desire to legislate, and those who did would only be classed as eccentrics.” (NYT April 22, 1909). 

How can Pope St. Pius X and Pope Pius XII both be right? 

Answer: Context is the key. In 1909, Pope St. Pius X was trying to preserve traditional gender roles and many Catholic countries existed. In 1945, Pope Pius XII was facing the reality of a world that had become more secularized, and in which women were drawn into the workforce after World War I and especially after World War II.  Both popes believed in gender differentiation, but Pius XII extended that difference to mean women were necessary in public life to protect the social fabric--and they were, both then, and even more so now. Pope Pius XII could be called prescient in retrospect. Just 17 years after his 1947 Address, the Vatican II sect would be born and undo all things Catholic. 

Objection: The man is the head of the family, and St. Paul tells us women cannot even speak in Church. How can a woman rule over men? What if she were the boss of her husband at a company where they both worked? It is disordered.

Answer: I distinguish, that the man is the head of the family, conceded; that he cannot be subject to his wife outside the home in a directive applicable to the job only, denied. I don't think husband and wife working together is ideal--one can work away from the other. Men and women have complementary roles. A woman gives birth and nurtures humans in the physical order. Men give spiritual life and comfort souls as priests in the Church. Men have dominion in Church and, if married, in the home. It doesn't extend in an absolute manner outside the home and in the secular state. 

Conclusion

Men and women have complementary differences. They must use their talents and work side by side to make the world more Catholic. While the woman is subject to the husband, it does not mean he can bully his wife and give her a "Williamson-approved beating." What Williamson said is both illegal in the United States and grossly immoral everywhere. Women can never be clergy, but they are not precluded from many other occupations. 

Let us pray as Saint Therese of Lisieux, “Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what You want me to be – and becoming that person.”