In the vast world of the internet, few things are as dangerous as websites promoting extremist views under the guise of authentic teachings. One such site is VaticanCatholic, run by the Diamond brothers. They claim to represent true Catholicism while rejecting key aspects of the Church’s teaching. This article aims to reveal the dangers of VaticanCatholic, its extremist ideology, and why obedience to the full teachings of the Catholic Church is essential for our salvation.
The Extremism of VaticanCatholic
VaticanCatholic is infamous for rejecting the Second Vatican Council. It also promotes sedevacantism, which is the belief that recent popes, including the current one, are illegitimate. Moreover, they spread conspiracy theories. The Diamond brothers position themselves as the sole bearers of the truth in Catholicism. In doing so, they condemn even the Magisterium and the Church’s official teachings.
This kind of extremism is both misleading and spiritually dangerous. By focusing on a hyper-legalistic view of Catholicism, VaticanCatholic encourages individuals to break away from the Church’s authority. It also fosters disobedience to the Magisterium and promotes prideful judgment. However, these actions are directly opposed to the Catholic doctrine and the Church’s long-standing tradition.
Faith and Legalism: A Warning from Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI warned against viewing faith in a strictly legalistic way. He emphasized that Christianity is not about rigidly following rules. Instead, it is about having a living relationship with Christ and His Church. In his book Jesus of Nazareth, Benedict XVI writes:
“Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”
The faith that VaticanCatholic promotes is narrow and legalistic. It reduces the richness of Catholic doctrine to a set of rigid rules without considering the Church’s teaching authority. This distorted view ignores the role of the Church in interpreting and transmitting doctrine throughout history. As Pope Benedict XVI reminds us, faith is not merely a legal matter. It is an encounter with Christ, who entrusted the Church to teach, sanctify, and guide the faithful.
The Role of the Magisterium and the Dangers of Rejection
The Magisterium, which is the teaching authority of the pope and bishops in communion with him, is central to the Catholic faith. According to the The Code of Canon Law, Canon 754, Catholics must give “internal and religious assent” not just to solemnly defined dogmas but also to the teachings of the Magisterium:
“All Christ’s faithful are obliged to observe the constitutions and decrees which lawful ecclesiastical authority issues for the purpose of proposing doctrine or of proscribing erroneous opinions; this is particularly the case of those published by the Roman Pontiff or by the College of Bishops”.
The Diamond brothers, however, ignore this essential principle. VaticanCatholic promotes the rejection of the Magisterium, which leads to schism. The Church has always regarded schism as a grave sin. By rejecting the Church’s teaching authority, they disregard Christ’s words to Peter: “You are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
VaticanCatholic endangers souls by leading them into disobedience and pride. This attitude stands in contrast to the teachings of St. Josemaria Escriva, who emphasized the importance of humility and obedience. He wrote:
“Obey. When you are told you have done something well, always think: ‘Could it not have been done better?’” (The Way, Point 619)
In contrast, VaticanCatholic encourages followers to rely on their personal interpretations. It promotes a mindset that disregards the Church’s authority, fostering spiritual pride and isolation.
Obedience: The Key to True Catholicism
The Catholic Church teaches that obedience to the Magisterium is vital for maintaining unity. As stated in Pascendi Dominici Gregis “On the Doctrines of the Modernists”, the encyclical letter promulgated by Pope Pius X on 8 September 1907
“The first and most important error of the Modernists consists in their confounding the distinction between faith and religious experience. They hold that the Magisterium of the Church has no authority… to lay down truths and doctrines which shall be absolutely binding on the consciences of all, but that these truths may be altered according to the fluctuations of religious feeling and the progress of human thought.” (Pascendi Dominici Gregis, 1907)
VaticanCatholic and the Diamond brothers, by rejecting this teaching, lead people away from the unity of the Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church further explains that Catholics must give religious submission of intellect and will to the Magisterium’s teachings (CCC 892). This includes teachings not defined as dogma.
Divine assistance is also given to the successors of the apostles, teaching in communion with the successor of Peter, and, in a particular way, to the bishop of Rome, pastor of the whole Church, when, without arriving at an infallible definition and without pronouncing in a “definitive manner,” they propose in the exercise of the ordinary Magisterium a teaching that leads to better understanding of Revelation in matters of faith and morals. To this ordinary teaching the faithful “are to adhere to it with religious assent”422 which, though distinct from the assent of faith, is nonetheless an extension of it. CCC 892
Spiritual Pride: The Root of Danger
VaticanCatholic promotes a path that encourages followers to place their judgment above the Church’s authority. This path leads to spiritual pride. St. Augustine warned against pride, saying:
“It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.”
By advocating private interpretations and rejecting the Magisterium, the Diamond brothers follow the path of pride. They sow seeds of doubt and division among the faithful. This can be tempting, especially for those who genuinely seek truth. Yet, we must remember that our understanding of faith is incomplete without the Church’s guidance.
The Danger of Following Extremist Ideology
Following extremist ideologies like those found on VaticanCatholic can lead individuals into heresy and schism. The Church Fathers, saints, and theologians have always warned against separating from the Church’s authority. St. Cyprian of Carthage said:
“He cannot have God for his Father who has not the Church for his mother.”
The Catechism also addresses this danger:
“Heresy is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith” (CCC 2089).
VaticanCatholic undermines Catholic truth by selectively accepting teachings and condemning others. It leads people into a mindset that opposes the unity and authority of the Church. This rebellion against the Church can put a person’s soul at risk.
Do Not Follow Your Ego
Following Christ calls us to humility and obedience. However, our ego often misleads us into thinking we know better than the Church. Yet, as St. Josemaria Escriva reminds us:
“Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues. In the soul in which this virtue does not exist, there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.” (The Way, Point 601)
VaticanCatholic embodies the opposite of humility. It claims an authority above that of the Church. To follow Christ means to reject our ego and submit to the Church’s teachings, even when it is difficult.
A Call to True Obedience
The dangers of VaticanCatholic and the Diamond brothers are clear. They promote a distorted view of Catholicism that leads to pride, disobedience, and spiritual peril. The Catholic faith calls us to unity with the Church and submission to the Magisterium. It does not call us to self-willed extremism.
Pope Benedict XVI’s warning against a legalistic view of faith is relevant here. True Catholicism is not about following our interpretations. Instead, it is about embracing the full faith taught by the Church. As Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma affirms, we must give internal assent not only to solemn dogmas but also to the teachings of the Magisterium. Failing to do so places our souls in great danger.
If you encounter VaticanCatholic or similar extremist ideologies, heed this warning: do not follow your ego. Embrace the humility of Christ, who submitted to the will of the Father. Adhere to the teachings of His Church. Your soul’s salvation depends on it.