Commenting on the fight of St. Cyril of Alexandria against the Nestorian heresy in the early Church, Dom Proper Guéranger makes it clear that the faithful have the duty to resist unorthodox doctrine. They should frontally oppose those "teachers of the doctrines of Hell," even if they are high Prelates of the Church.

When the shepherd becomes a wolf, the first duty of the flock is to defend itself. It is usual and regular, no doubt, for doctrine to descend from the Bishops to the faithful, and those who are subject in the Faith are not to judge their superiors. But, in the treasure of Revelation there are essential doctrines which all Catholics, by the very fact of their title as such, are bound to know and defend. The principle is the same whether it be a question of belief or conduct, dogma or morals.

Treachery like that of Nestorius is rare in the Church, but it may happen that some pastors keep silence for one reason or another in circumstances when Religion itself is at stake. The true children of Holy Church at such times are those who walk by the light of their Baptism, not the cowardly souls who, under the specious pretext of submission to the powers that be, delay their opposition to the enemy in the hope of receiving instructions which are neither necessary nor desirable.

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Extract from The Liturgical Year. St. Cyril of Alexandria, February 9
Posted on October 23, 2021

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