The following are excerpts from Liberalism is a Sin:

Amongst Catholic Liberals many of them go to Mass, even make novenas, and yet when they come in contact with the world lead the lives of practical Liberals. They make it a rule “to live up to the times,” as they call it. The Church they believe to be somewhat out of date, an old fogy; that she is held back by a certain set of reactionaries, Ultramontane; but they have hopes that she will in the course of time catch up with the modern spirit of progress, of which they are the van. The barnacles of medievalism still encumber the bark of Peter, but time, they believe, will remedy this. The straw of medieval philosophy and theology they hope before long to thrash out by the introduction of the modern spirit into her schools. Then will a new theology be developed more in conformity with the needs of the times, more in harmony with the modern spirit which makes such large demands upon our “intellectual liberty.” So they believe (or imagine they believe) that all is well. Is their responsibility before God, therefore, lessened? Assuredly not. They sin directly in the light of faith. They are less excusable than those Liberals who have never been within the pale of the Church. In short they sin with their eyes open.

Liberalism, whether in the doctrinal or practical order, is a sin. In the doctrinal order, it is heresy, and consequently a mortal sin against faith. In the practical order it is a sin against the commandments of God and of the Church, for it virtually transgresses all commandments. To be more precise: in the doctrinal order Liberalism strikes at the very foundations of faith; it is heresy radical and universal, because (22) within it are comprehended all heresies. In the practical order it is a radical and universal infraction of the divine law, since it sanctions and authorizes all infractions of that law.

This book was written in 1886 by a Spanish priest, Father Don Felix Sarda Y Salvany. A liberal Spanish bishop of the time was so upset by this book that he enlisted one of his priests to write a rebuttal to it. Both books were then sent by the bishop to the Sacred Congregation of the Index in Rome. The bishop expected the Congregation to put Father Salvany’s book on the list of forbidden readings. Instead, the Congregation praised Father Salvany’s book and ordered the bishop to stop all further distribution of the rebuttal book.

Father Salvany’s book is an excellent and concise examination of Catholic liberalism. The fact that it was written over 100 years ago is quite remarkable, considering that liberalism was just beginning to make inroads into the Church at that time. Today’s Church, permeated with religious liberalism, is a glum testimony to his prescience.

The book may be read on line at http://www.liberalismisasin.com/index.htm or may be purchased at Amazon by following this link: http://www.amazon.com/Liberalism-Sin-Felix-Sarda-Salvany/dp/089555478X.