brother priest of mine in New England recently reminded his flock that to be “orthodox” means “not being conservative or liberal, but being in union of ‘mind and heart,’ as we say in the Eucharistic prayer, with the Pope, our Bishop, and the Faith of the Church — the whole Faith, not just those parts we find palatable or acceptable.” He adds:

Now let us be very clear: You can be heterodox and be a fine, loving, caring person — perhaps more loving, caring and all-round cuddly than many an orthodox person — that is not the point. The point is, as held true for centuries in the Church, do you accept unequivocally what the Church holds and teaches as dogma and doctrine? Do you give assent of mind and heart to what Holy Mother the Church states must be believed? If you do, you are neither liberal nor conservative, you are orthodox; if you do not, you are heterodox. The concept of ‘dissent’ from Church teaching and even dialogue with dissent would have been unheard of in the life of the early Church. The reason people today rush to the use of aggressive political labels to describe a person’s practice or defense of the Faith is because personal opinion is now regarded as the litmus test of truth.

The Holy Father encourages all of us to “dedicate ourselves to intellectual work, free of the temptation of pride, and boast always and only in the Lord.”