Pentecost VII: Fruits, Good and Bad - Fr. Philip Eldracher 07-27-25

SummaryFr. Philip Eldracher preaches on Our Lord’s teaching in the Gospel: “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit. By their fruits you shall know them.” He applies this principle first to the holiness of the Catholic Church, one of the four marks by which she is known. The Church has always been conspicuous for producing saints in every age, place, and circumstance, because her divine Founder, Jesus Christ, is holy, and her teachings are holy. The Church’s very purpose is the sanctification of souls, and she cannot produce anything but good fruits.Fr. Eldracher then contrasts this with the evil fruits of Vatican II. The Council promoted religious liberty (claiming a God-given right to reject the true religion) and ecumenism (claiming all religions are means of salvation). Both are heresies condemned by pre-Vatican II popes. These have resulted in massive defections from the Faith:Collapse in Mass attendanceAbandonment of religious life and priesthoodWidespread disbelief in the Real Presence (70–80% of Novus Ordo attendees)Acceptance of grave moral evils like contraception, cohabitation, divorce/remarriage, and unnatural vice.Such fruits prove, by Our Lord’s own words, that Vatican II is an evil tree—and therefore not the work of the true Church of Christ. As He warns, every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire.The sermon then turns to personal application. If we are members of the true Church, we too must produce good fruit—saints in our own lives and in our families. Parents must strive for personal sanctity to form their children into saints. Marriage must be entered with the aim of producing saints, choosing a spouse who inspires holiness. The same principle applies to schools, friends, and entertainments—these must be “good trees” producing “good fruit.”Finally, Fr. Eldracher warns that it is not enough to profess the Faith without living it. Only those who do the will of the Father will enter heaven.Key Quotes“The Church has produced countless saints… the Church must be holy because her divine Founder is holy.”“Religious liberty declares that every man has a God-given right to reject the religion revealed by God.”“Ecumenism says that all religions are means of salvation… Both ecumenism and religious liberty are heresies.”“A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit.”“It is not enough for us to have the Catholic faith if we do not also live our Catholic faith.”Key Points and Takeaways1. The Mark of HolinessHoliness is an essential mark of the Church.Her divine Founder is holy; her teachings are holy; her purpose is sanctification.Throughout history, she has produced saints in every state of life.2. Evil Fruits of Vatican IIHeresies: religious liberty & ecumenism—both condemned by pre-Vatican II popes.Results:Decline in Mass attendanceLoss of vocationsDisbelief in the Real PresenceAcceptance of grave moral evils3. Judging the Tree by Its FruitsVatican II has produced evil fruits → therefore it is not from the true Church.Our Lord’s warning: every bad tree will be cut down and cast into the fire.4. Personal ApplicationMembers of the true Church must strive for sanctity.Parents must lead by example to make their children saints.Marriage must be chosen for the purpose of sanctification.Surround yourself with influences that produce good fruit: schools, friends, media.5. Faith and Works TogetherProfession of faith is insufficient without doing the will of God.Sanctity requires both belief and practice.ConclusionFr. Eldracher’s homily uses Our Lord’s words to expose Vatican II as a false council producing evil fruits, incompatible with the holiness of the Catholic Church. It calls Catholics to reject its errors and remain faithful to the true Church, which alone bears the good fruit of sanctity. He reminds the faithful that the same divine standard applies to each soul: we must bear good fruit by living holy lives, or we too will face the judgment Our Lord warns of.Sedevacantist, Pre-Vatican II CommentaryThis homily draws a straight doctrinal line:The true Church cannot be the source of heresy or spiritual ruin.Vatican II’s heresies (religious liberty, ecumenism) and their disastrous consequences prove it is not the Catholic Church but a counterfeit.Our Lord’s test—“By their fruits you shall know them”—is an infallible criterion.The holiness of the Church is not merely about individual saints but about the source being pure. If the tree (the hierarchy, doctrines, liturgy) is corrupt, the fruit will be corrupt. This explains why, under the Vatican II sect, saints are absent, vocations are dying, and faith is lost.The personal application strengthens the point: holiness must be visible in individuals, families, marriages, and communities. Anything—whether Vatican II’s religion or personal habits—that produces evil fruit must be rejected.TrueCatholicFaith.com