St. Robert Bellarmine’s Notes of the Church - Fr. Michael DeSaye 02-15-25

SummaryFr. Michael DeSaye applies St. Robert Bellarmine’s 15 marks of the true Church to the Novus Ordo religion and shows that it fails every single one. While not formally a separate sect, the Novus Ordo has all the characteristics of one—its own founders, new doctrines, internal divisions, moral corruption, false miracles, and ultimate collapse.He contrasts the permanence, unity, and sanctity of the Catholic Church with the fleeting, fractured, and morally bankrupt Novus Ordo institution, which he describes as a counterfeit religion born from Vatican II and sustained by deceit. True Catholics must reject it entirely, cling to the faith and sacraments handed down from the Apostles, and persevere until the crisis is resolved.Key Quotes“The Novus Ordo has everything in common with a heretical cult and bears absolutely no resemblance to the Church which Christ founded.”“Without Roncalli and Montini, Vatican II and the Novus Ordo would not exist.”“Universal disagreement is a certain symptom of a false sect.”“Bergoglio cannot have apostolic succession formally… he has a valid election but not the power of the papacy.”“From the pulpits of the Novus Ordo comes empty babble, meaningless drivel.”“The only reason their numbers increased was because they were able to deceive and trick the Catholic faithful by lying to them.”15 Marks Applied to the Novus OrdoName “Catholic” – Avoidance of the term “Catholic Church”; use of vague or novel titles betrays uncertainty about identity.Antiquity – Founded by John XXIII and Paul VI in the 1960s, with new doctrines and a clear historical beginning.Long Duration – Once hailed as a “springtime,” it is now collapsing in vocations, attendance, and credibility within a single generation.Diverse Unity – Global spread but no unity in faith or morals; doctrinal chaos at every level.Apostolic Succession – Material succession without papal authority; Bergoglio’s formal claim rejected as incompatible with Catholic teaching.Agreement with Ancient Church – Vatican II contradicts Apostolic and Magisterial teaching; preaching is devoid of Catholic doctrine.Union with the Head – Internal revolution; open opposition to the claimed pope by clergy and laity.Holy Doctrine – Promotes errors and immorality from the highest offices.Efficacy of Doctrine – Does not convert but corrupts; schools and universities produce irreligious graduates.Holiness of Founders – Modernist architects (Rahner, Congar, Bugnini) were hostile to Catholicism. 11–12. Miracles & Prophecies – False or fabricated miracles and dubious prophecies used to justify leaders.Confession of Adversaries – Occasionally, Novus Ordo members praise traditional Catholicism, but never vice versa.Unhappy End of Opponents – Leaders such as John XXIII died worldly deaths without Catholic signs of holiness.Temporal Happiness of Defenders – Traditional Catholic communities flourish spiritually and materially despite persecution; the Novus Ordo decays despite no persecution.Key TakeawaysCounterfeit Religion – The Novus Ordo matches St. Robert Bellarmine’s description of a false sect, not the Church of Christ.Historical Break – Its founders, doctrines, and worship stem from the rupture of Vatican II.Loss of Unity & Faith – Internal factions, contradictory teaching, and moral collapse indicate it is not the Mystical Body of Christ.Invalid Claims to Papacy – Bergoglio lacks formal apostolic succession; the See of Peter is materially occupied but without papal authority.Call to Separation – Faithful must reject Vatican II entirely, avoid its sacraments, and remain with the unbroken Catholic Faith.ConclusionBy every one of St. Robert Bellarmine’s marks, the Novus Ordo fails the test of being the Catholic Church. It is the largest and most dangerous counterfeit in history, masquerading as the Church while undermining it from within. The true Church remains in the faithful preservation of Apostolic doctrine, the traditional Mass, and the lawful succession of the papacy—awaiting the day when a true pope restores the visible unity of the Mystical Body of Christ.TrueCatholicFaith.com