The Four Marks of the Church
and The Dimond Brothers' MHFM
The Four Marks of the Church are four distinct adjectives adopted by the Church Fathers at the First Council of Constantinople (AD 381) defining traditional Christian ecclesiology and were included as a profession of faith called the Nicene Creed:
"[I believe] in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church."
It is through this “profession of faith” that “true” Catholics solemnly / voluntarily pledge allegiance, loyalty and obedience to the Church while striving in their daily lives to act in such a capacity so as to be counted within the ranks of the “faithful”.
Now, I ask you … are the Dimond Brothers to be found within the ranks of those who are actually a part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church?
If we but look at the "final judgement" handed down by the New York District Court on March 21, 2014 concerning the infamous Eric Hoyle vs the MHFM lawsuit, the answer to that question becomes perfectly clear that they are NOT.
"The defendants [the Dimond Brothers] consider themselves an independent Benedictine community operating outside the governance of the Benedictine Confederation and the Catholic Church."
Sedevacantists, like the Dimond Brothers, cannot justifiably make the claim that their “new age, schismatic, catholo-protestant” sects possess the Four Marks of the Church. For collectively these “businesses of religion”:
Differ on a multitude of fundamental dogmatic issues; with each independent sect accusing the other of heresy,
They have NO unity in purpose except in their schism and open rebellion against the Holy See,
They have NO authoritative guide to lead and direct them (i.e. a Pope; someone ordained / appointed / authorized / commissioned through proven apostolic succession,
They have NO magisterium; NO authoritative body to define what IS and what is NOT the authentic teachings of the Church.
They do NOT and CANNOT provide legitimate pastoral care (the Sacraments),
In short … their vainglorious licentious protestation, against the Holy See, places them firmly outside the unity and sanctity of the Church.
Don’t be deceived or taken in by the Dimond Brothers. Nowhere is it scripturally indicated, or prophesied, that during the time of the Great Apostasy God would establish a remnant church sustained through an American YouTube channel, nor did He indicate that during the Great Tribulation his “Truth” would survive through cleverly written conspiratorial articles, newsletters, pamphlets by a couple of disgruntled unprofessed / un-ordained laymen hiding out in an isolated Benedictine monastery somewhere in the obscure rural backwoods of Fillmore, New York.
No, what has been written about the church is what was explicitly promised by Christ to Peter and His Apostles:
“And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.“ - St Matthew 16:18 (Douay-Rheims)
“… I am with you all days even unto the consummation of the world." - St Matthew 18:20 (Douay-Rheims)
Is it not Heresy, as well as absolute theological lunacy, to deny the truthfulness of those words found in the scriptures just quoted?
Is it not ludicrous to believe that those scriptures can be interpreted in such a way so as to imply that God lost control of his church (i.e. the gates of hell were close to prevailing) and therefore He had no other recourse left except to:
excommunicate the Pope,
excommunicate His 38,000+ Bishops,
excommunicate His 400,000+ Priests,
sack the magisterium, and
turn over full teaching authority and control of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church to the Dimond Brothers to safeguard until Christ’s Second Coming?
Yet, what has the Church actually done, up until now, to thwart the spread of these schismatic sects and their depraved and debased heresy across the vast expanse of cyber space (the internet)?
Unfortunately, the Church (or should I say the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith who is responsible for these matters) has, for 25+ years, failed to grasp the urgency of identifying and forming a strategy for dealing formally and effectively with these heretical cyber ministries (schismatic sects) that are flourishing unopposed within the jurisdiction of numerous Archdioceses worldwide. That negligence, though unintentional, has inadvertently led to 10s of thousands of Christ’s “scattered flock” being led astray; threatening their eternal salvation.
It must be accepted and cannot be justifiably denied that the Bishops of the Church are the ones to hold responsible / accountable for this continued tragedy and it is our responsibility as members of the Church to petition them to “wake up” and take immediate / appropriate action to save those ”lost sheep” who risk falling prey to these internet based False Prophets, False Teachers … these “ravenous wolves” in monks’ habits (i.e. the Dimond Brothers).
The Church's Bishops must NOT be allowed to continue shirking their duty as Shepherds of Christ’s flock. For they will pay dearly for such slothfulness as St Chrysostom is attributed to having indicated:
"The road to Hell is paved with the bones of priests and monks, and the skulls of bishops are the lamp posts that light the path."
Yet, the errors associated with their unintended negligence can be corrected and current trends reversed if they will but only hold true to the faith and responsibility they were entrusted with; with determination and a firm conviction to uphold and enforce canon law.
I, for one, choose to believe that the Church is at long last recognizing this problem and is now listening to the heart-filled pleas coming from numerous and anxious mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who have lost loved ones to these miscreants; who are beseeching / demanding that the “Bishops” come to their aid to confront and confound these laymen turned “religious carpetbaggers” (no matter where they‘re hiding) and mete out the appropriate canonical justice.
It is out of charity that I warn the Dimond Brothers that a day of reckoning is approaching and remind them that up until that day arrives … it is still not too late to repent.
"For NOT the hearers of the law are just before God: but the doers of the law shall be justified." - Romans 2:13
- Pax Tecum