Bp. Sanborn: Popes Against the Modern Errors - Introduction
Summary
The introductory episode of The Popes Against the Modern Errors features Bishop Donald Sanborn of Most Holy Trinity Seminary, interviewed by Steven Heiner. The series examines pre-Vatican II papal encyclicals from Gregory XVI (1832) to Pius XII (1958), highlighting how they condemned modern errors.
In this episode, they discuss:
The Purpose and Role of Encyclicals
Encyclicals are pastoral letters written by popes, primarily to bishops, to explain and defend doctrine while refuting errors.
Unlike papal bulls, which have a legal and binding character, encyclicals serve an educational and doctrinal role.
Levels of Magisterium and Papal Authority in Encyclicals
Not all encyclicals hold equal authority; their weight depends on how the pope expresses the teaching:
Solemn (Extraordinary) Magisterium – Infallible, e.g., Ineffabilis Deus (1854) defining the Immaculate Conception.
Universal Ordinary Magisterium – The consistent teaching of the Church on faith and morals, which is also infallible.
Authentic Magisterium – Doctrinal instructions requiring religious assent but not necessarily infallible.
The Post-Vatican II Distortion of Encyclicals
Traditional encyclicals were addressed only to bishops, reinforcing the Church's hierarchical structure.
Vatican II introduced “anti-encyclicals”, such as John XXIII’s Pacem in Terris, which addressed “all men of goodwill”, shifting the focus from Catholic truth to humanist universalism.
This diluted papal authority, opening the door for ecumenism and religious indifferentism.
Critical Pre-Vatican II Encyclicals for Study
Bishop Sanborn emphasizes that pre-Vatican II encyclicals directly oppose the errors of Vatican II. Key documents include:
Mirari Vos (Gregory XVI, 1832) – Condemns religious indifferentism and liberalism.
Quanta Cura & Syllabus of Errors (Pius IX, 1864) – Condemns modern freedoms, separation of Church and State.
Mortalium Animos (Pius XI, 1928) – Condemns ecumenism as heretical.
Humani Generis (Pius XII, 1950) – Condemns theological modernism and evolutionism.
Mystici Corporis (Pius XII, 1943) – Refutes Vatican II's false ecclesiology.
The Importance of Studying, Not Just Reading, Encyclicals
Catholics should study these encyclicals systematically, analyzing their doctrinal significance and how they expose Vatican II errors.
Post-1958 encyclicals should be studied only to refute modernist deviations, not as sources of Catholic doctrine.
The episode closes with a recommendation to use The Popes Against the Modern Errors book as a reference.
Key Quotes and Their Significance
1. On the Nature of Encyclicals
"An encyclical is essentially a pastoral letter written to the bishops... It is as if we are listening to the pope as he’s giving a talk, or as if he’s in front of a classroom instructing us."
🔹 Encyclicals are meant to instruct the bishops, reaffirming the Church’s hierarchical nature. Vatican II’s deviation from this model contributed to its undermining of Catholic authority.
2. On Magisterial Authority in Encyclicals
"The authority of an encyclical depends on the authority with which the pope speaks, not the format of the document."
🔹 Many falsely believe that an encyclical is authoritative in its entirety. Instead, its weight depends on the pope’s intent and wording.
3. On Vatican II’s False Church
"The Vatican II revolutionaries inserted themselves into the Catholic hierarchy and have poisoned the whole pot."
🔹 The modernist clergy used the legitimacy of the pre-Vatican II Church to impose a false religion within the Church structure.
4. On John XXIII and Humanism
"John XXIII was very close to the Freemasons and saw men of goodwill as agents of the betterment of humanity, which is completely contrary to Catholic teaching."
🔹 This marks the shift from the Catholic concept of salvation to a humanist vision, which is at odds with traditional Catholic doctrine.
5. On the Dangers of Vatican II Encyclicals
"The poison is what kills you, not the very nice vehicle of the poison."
🔹 Post-Vatican II encyclicals contain enough truth to appear Catholic, but they introduce modernist errors that destroy the faith.
Analysis
Vatican II Created a False Church
The Novus Ordo Church is not Catholic but an infiltrated institution that misuses papal authority to spread modernism.
Vatican II’s encyclicals were propaganda tools, replacing Catholic teaching with ecumenism, religious liberty, and humanism.
Traditional Encyclicals Condemn Vatican II
The pre-Vatican II popes foresaw and condemned Vatican II’s errors, proving its teachings are incompatible with true Catholicism.
The Syllabus of Errors (1864) and Mortalium Animos (1928) directly contradict Vatican II’s Dignitatis Humanae (Religious Liberty) and Unitatis Redintegratio (Ecumenism).
Papal Authority Was Exploited
Pius XII’s strong papacy gave Vatican II leaders a platform to impose modernism under the guise of continuity.
The post-1958 "popes" (John XXIII onward) abused the credibility of the true Church to introduce revolutionary changes.
The Need for Doctrinal Study
Catholics must study pre-Vatican II encyclicals to counter Vatican II's errors.
Post-Vatican II documents should be examined only to expose and refute modernism, not as guides for faith.
Key Takeaways
Pre-Vatican II Encyclicals Are the Foundation of Catholic Doctrine
They serve as an antidote to modernism, which Vatican II embraced.
Vatican II Represents a Break, Not a Development
The post-Vatican II Church is a counterfeit, spreading heretical ideas under the guise of Catholicism.
The True Church Rejects Religious Liberty, Ecumenism, and Modernism
Vatican II’s teachings contradict previous infallible doctrine and must be rejected entirely.
Catholics Must Arm Themselves with Doctrinal Knowledge
Only through studying pre-Vatican II teachings can one recognize and combat Vatican II's errors.
The Papal Chair Remains Vacant
Since Vatican II's popes have abandoned true Catholic teaching, they cannot be true popes.
Final Thoughts
This episode lays the foundation for a systematic refutation of Vatican II’s heresies using pre-Vatican II papal encyclicals. Bishop Sanborn’s analysis aligns with the sedevacantist position, emphasizing that the post-1958 hierarchy is illegitimate and has led millions into error and apostasy.
The series will continue by analyzing key encyclicals, showing how true Catholic doctrine stands in direct opposition to the errors of Vatican II.
