Roman Catholicism & Its Many Basic Errors - St. Sophrony of Essex

St. Sophrony briefly discusses the errors of Roman Catholicism and what he views as “more essential and little referred to the apologists of the Church.” His words are instructive not just for Roman Catholics, but for Orthodox Christians as well, especially those interested in defending the faith. This reading comes from “Striving For Knowledge of God: Correspondence with David Balfour” by St. Sophrony of Essex, Letter 11 (Dec 3/16, 1932), p. 159-162https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/striving-for-knowledge-of-god?srsltid=AfmBOoqIsxvO5PGhhUrOgcZA-Pmr2039r1eSVJiCC4T1qVsccFvEGEDN🎧 Ecumenism: One of the Most Dangerous Heresies - St. Sophrony the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/7A0_Vw--4LU📖 The Orthodox Patristic Witness Concerning Catholicismhttps://uncutmountainpress.com/products/the-orthodox-patristic-witness-concerning-catholicism🎧 PLAYLIST: St. Silouan & St. Sophrony - Teachings and Prayershttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYiWHl-XYYh_Jqr5w539qw2s⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near youhttps://orthodox-world.org/______St. Sophrony writes:I hope that the Lord will grant you also to recognise that they have been 'secularised'. These ‘worldly’, or 'human' elements have penetrated the whole life of the Catholic Church.But in Roman Catholicism (as compared to Orthodoxy) there are many basic errors, both from the dogmatic point of view as well as from the point of view of the (spiritual) church life. The [Roman Catholic] point of view about repentance and the practice of Confession is not in accord with the spirit of Christ (as I understand it), and this is connected with an incorrect vision of the work of man's redemption. There is a certain 'worldly', 'juridical', approach to resolving these questions. Anomalies and even frankly crude delusions in the moral-ascetic life are accepted as grace-given, and taken as criteria of holiness (for example the phenomenon of the stigmata). And at the same time, the spiritual practices of the Orthodox ascetics are trampled on, ridiculed, and repudiated. Several of the holy Fathers who were more advanced in this noetic activity of inner prayer are treated as particularly inveterate heretics (for example, St Gregory Palamas).The Elder, Father Silouan, forbids us to occupy our mind with analysing the teachings of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches and the comparison between them. He says that what is more necessary and profitable for us is to pray with a pure mind. I have departed to a certain extent from his counsel, and this was wrong of me, but I will nonetheless add that you will perhaps have the chance to become acquainted with teaching about Uncreated Light. I said what came to my mind, what seems to me to be more essential and little referred to by the apologists of the Church.______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!