Well-said! I have been admiring Ultima's defense of truth, tradition, and piety for some time now.
It is also true that in our church we do not give our loyalty to men but to God and the church itself. All men are susceptible to lust for power and greed. And so Ultima's concerns make perfect sense to me.
But then you are the original schismatics, so you should be well-aquainted with this idea. You papists are the ones who broke away from the rest of the church in order to allow one man to be more powerful.
Your constant criticizing and lambasting of Catholicism with a frequency is unbefitting of true followers of Jesus, and at times resemblles the negative campaigning of democrat politicians.
Why is Catholicism radically different Church than the Orthodox Church? Perhaps it is the the fact that the Orthodox church resmebles a circus that embraces every heretical movement that blows past them. I am not surprised by your utter hatred for the papacy because you are too busy following in the footsteps of previous orthodox into schism.
The Catholic church is the Bride of Christ, whom you have been commanded to obey by Christ Himself. Disobedience to its lawful commands is not a good thing. Our leaders will be judged by God for how well they led, but you and I will be judged for how well we followed.
I’m sure you have all sorts of reasons why the Church has failed. So do the Protestants. I imagine the only difference between you and them is that you would point to old encyclicals and other Church documents like ultima and HDMZ, where the protestants would point to Scripture. Either way, I’m not impressed. My faith is in Jesus Christ, and I believe Him when He says the Church will not fail. I believe that it has been, and continues to be, the pillar and foundation of the truth, which is something I couldn't believe if I thought its sacraments were a fraud.
And so marmema, There is only one Church, and yours isn’t it. Hear the words of St. Augustine:
"Since we are inquiring where the Church of Christ is to be found, let us listen to the words of Christ Himself, who redeemed it with His own blood: “Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and even in the whole earth.” You see then who it is with whom a man refuses to communicate who will not communicate with this Church, which is spread throughout all the world, if at least you hear whose words these are. For what is a greater proof of madness than to hold communion with the sacraments of the Lord, and to refuse to hold communion with the words of the Lord? Such men at any rate are likely to say, “In Thy name have we eaten and drunken,” and to hear the words, “I never knew you,” seeing that they eat His body and drink His blood in the sacrament, and do not recognize in the gospel His members which are spread abroad throughout the earth, and therefore are not themselves counted among them in the judgment."
A Chart of Heretical Eastern Patriarchs
Patriarchal See, Patriarch , Years, Heresy
Antioch Paul of Samosata 260-269 Modalist
Antioch Eulalius c.322 Arian
Antioch Euphronius c.327-c.329 Arian
Constantinople Eusebius c.341-42 Arian
Constantinople Macedonius c.342-60 Semi-Arian
Antioch Leontius 344-58 Arian
Alexandria George 357-61 Arian
Antioch Eudoxius 358-60 Arian
Constantinople Eudoxius 360 Arian
Antioch Euzoius 361-78 Arian
Constantinople Nestorius 428-31 Nestorian!
Alexandria Dioscorus 448-51 Monophysite
Alexandria Timothy Aelurus 457-60, 475-77 Monophysite
Antioch Peter the Fuller 470,475-7, 482-88 Monophysite
Constantinople Acacius 471-89 Monophysite
Antioch John Codonatus 477,488 Monophysite
Alexandria Peter Mongo 477-90 Monophysite
Antioch Palladius 488-98 Monophysite
Constantinople Phravitas 489-90 Monophysite
Constantinople Euphemius 490-96 Monophysite
Alexandria Athanasius II 490-96 Monophysite
Alexandria John II 496-505 Monophysite
Alexandria John III 505-518 Monophysite
Constantinople Timothy I 511-17 Monophysite
Antioch Severus 512-18 Monophysite
Alexandria Timothy III 518-35 Monophysite
Constantinople Anthimus 535-36 Monophysite
Alexandria Theodosius 535-38 Monophysite
Antioch Sergius c.542-c.557 Monophysite
Antioch Paul "the Black" c.557-578 Monophysite
Alexandria Damianus 570-c.605 Monophysite
Antioch Peter Callinicum 578-91 Monophysite
Constantinople Sergius 610-38 Monothelite
Antioch Anthanasius c.621-629 Monothelite
Alexandria Cyrus c.630-642 Monothelite
Constantinople Pyrrhus 638-41 Monothelite
Antioch Macedonius 640-c.655 Monothelite
Constantinople Paul II 641-52 Monothelite
Constantinople Peter 652-64 Monothelite
Antioch Macarius c.655-681 Monothelite
Constantinople John VI 711-15 Monothelite