Conservative clergy and scholars accuse Pope Francis of 'propagating heresy'

A group of clergy and lay scholars have issued a formal "filial correction" of Pope Francis, accusing him of supporting heretical positions on several issues, including marriage, the moral life, and the reception of the sacraments.

The Filial Correction, signed by 62 Catholic academics researchers and scholars in various fields from 20 countries, was delivered to the Pope at his Santa Marta residence on Aug. 11.

In the 25-page letter, the signatories accused the pontiff of upholding heretical positions concerning "marriage, the moral life, and the reception of the sacraments," which they claim has "caused these heretical opinions to spread in the Catholic Church."

The document was made public on Monday, six weeks after the signatories received no response from the pope.

"With profound grief, but moved by fidelity to our Lord Jesus Christ, by love for the Church and for the papacy, and by filial devotion toward yourself, we are compelled to address a correction to Your Holiness on account of the propagation of heresies effected by the apostolic exhortation Amoris laetitia and by other words, deeds and omissions of Your Holiness," the letter reads, according to Life Site News.

"As subjects, we do not have the right to issue to Your Holiness that form of correction by which a superior coerces those subject to him with the threat or administration of punishment," it continued.

The signers explained that they have the right and duty as believing and practicing Catholics to issue the correction to the pope because of natural law, which allows a subject to correct a superior, and by canon law, which permits adherents to inform their pastors about their views.

The document identifies several passages from "Amoris Laetitia" that the signers say "serve to propagate seven heretical propositions."

The list includes the "smoking" footnote 351 where the pope reportedly noted that those living in an objective situation of sin can receive the "help of the sacraments." Some have interpreted the footnote to mean that those who have divorced and remarried can receive the Eucharist even though they have not made a commitment to avoid sexual relations.

The letter also cites a passage that pertains to a passage suggesting that God might permit or even ask someone to have sexual relations outside a valid marriage.

In another part of the document, the signers point out that some of Pope's ideas on marriage, divorce, forgiveness, and divine law correspond to those of the German Reformation monk Martin Luther, who is considered by the Catholic Church to be a founder of a heretical sect.

Among the signatories of the correction were German intellectual Martin Mosebach; former president of the Vatican Bank Ettore Gotti Tedeschi; and the superior general of the Society of St. Pius X Bishop Bernard Fellay, according to the NC Register.

The signatories stressed that they are not accusing the pope of committing heresy, but they maintained that the publication of Amoris Laetitia and the pontiff's subsequent words and actions have led to the spread of "heresies and other errors."