Catholic Apologetics Online

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God

Man

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The Religion of the Bible

The Christian Faith

A Definite Christian Faith

The Protestant Reformation

The Truth of Catholicism

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The Church and Her Moral Teachings

The Church in Her Worship

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Comparative Study of Non-Catholic Denominations

To and From Rome

Father Tyrrell, the modernist

1402. Will you insist that there was something wrongwith Father George Tyrrell, the ex-Jesuit, rather than with theCatholic Church he left?

Yes. No man who has ever had the Catholic Faith can ever leavethe Catholic Church save through an abuse of grace for which hehimself is responsible.

1403. Tyrrell not only embraced Catholicism, butjoined the Jesuits.

It is true that Tyrrell was a convert from Protestantism to theCatholic Church, and subsequently became a Jesuit.

1404. Surely if Catholicism were true, he would notwant to leave it.

In the introduction to his book, "Hard Sayings,"Tyrrell wrote: "It is to the Church that we must look for ourguidance. The minds of her children will ever press on towards afuller intelligence of the mysteries of faith, turning back attimes to receive her approval, or to receive her rebuke, or tolisten to her counsel. To whom shall we go but to her who has thewords of eternal life, who for two thousand years has kept allthese sayings and pondered them in her heart?" Tyrrellpublished that statement of his convictions in 1898. Yet a fewyears later he was expelled from the Catholic Church fordeliberately refusing to obey those convictions. When the Churchwithdrew her approval from his modernist teachings, rebuked them,and offered her counsels, he obstinately maintained that he knewbetter than the Church. Pride gripped his soul. He never returnedto Protestantism. He still vehemently claimed to be a Catholic. Buthe wanted Catholicism to be what he thought it ought to be, notwhat it is. And he refused to submit his judgment to that Churchwhich St. Paul declares to be the "pillar and the ground oftruth." And in doing so, he resisted God's grace.

1405. No man prayed harder than Tyrrell for theguidance of God.

Tyrrell was a profoundly religious man. And pride is a subtleforce which adapts itself to men as they are, not eliminatinginborn tendencies, but warping them, and diverting them from theirproper direction. And pride also has a peculiarly blinding effectupon the soul, urging it never to admit its error. Tyrrell went onwith his prayers as an expression of his religious feelings; but ifby those prayers he was trying to secure guidance from God, hewanted a guidance in accordance with his own desires, andinterpreted all his inner experiences to suit his own theories.

1406. He did his best, and kept on praying, despiteecclesiastical persecution.

There was no ecclesiastical persecution. The Catholicauthorities merely said to him, "You cannot go on teaching amodernism quite opposed to Catholic teaching, and continue tofunction as a priest of the Catholic Church." The Churchmerely asked him to put into practice his own principles, andsubmit to her counsels. He refused to do so, and was expelled fromcommunion with, the Catholic Church. No one could call thatpersecution. The Catholic Church has as much right to say, "Ifyou want to enjoy my privileges, you must undertake also theobligations of a Catholic" as the State has to say, "Ifyou want my privileges you must obey my laws." The troublewith Tyrrell was that he wanted the privileges of a Catholicwithout the obligations. And he protested against his exclusionfrom the Catholic Church which he would not obey. Writing on Nov.25th, 1908, Cardinal Mercier of Belgium said to Bishop Hedley,"I do not know whether or not I should reply to that poorTyrrell. Is it not better to ignore his insolent tone, thetheatrical affectation with which he complains of being accused ofmodernism, and of openly denying the Papal infallibility and thedecision of the Vatican Council! If I reply, he will answer again.Where shall we end? If there remain some hope of seeing him returnto the Church, is it not better to leave him to reflect insilence?"

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MORE FROM VOLUME 2

• About the Author
• Introduction
  - Rev. Charles Mortimer Carty
• Preface
  - John Gregory Murray
  Archbishop of Saint Paul
• Forward
  - Dr Leslie Rumble, MSC

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