Dear John:

The Oath against Modernism was written by Pope Saint Pius X in order to counter the particular problem of modernism that was raging at the time.

That Oath was replaced by the current Oath of Fidelity that is required of people upon assuming an office in the name of the Church.

Canon 833, Nos. 5-8 obliges the following to make the profession of faith: vicars general, episcopal vicars and judicial vicars; "at the beginning of their term of office, pastors, the rector of a seminary and the professors of theology and philosophy in seminaries; those to be promoted to the diaconate"; "the rectors of an ecclesiastical or Catholic university at the beginning of the rector's term of office"; and, "at the beginning of their term of office, teachers in any universities whatsoever who teach disciplines which deal with faith or morals"; and "superiors in clerical religious institutes and societies of apostolic life in accord with the norm of the constitutions."

If one obeys the current oath then they, by definition, will be opposed to modernism since the Church teaches against modernism and the current oath requires fidelity and obedience to all that the Church teaches. Thus, technically, a specific oath that specializes on the subject of modernism is not needed.

I personally believe, however, that given our times, it is useful to mention modernism, feminism, and new age specifically in order to bring those issues to the forefront of our minds. That is why those who join our order, the Order of the Legion of St. Michael, take a more extensively worded Oath.

As for those priests or others who took the Pope Saint Pius X Oath against Modernism, they will take the current oath whenever they take office, which binds them against modernism anyway.

Although the current oath is the one canonically required of those who take office in the name of the Church, a person can certainly take a private oath against modernism as there is no conflict between the two Oaths.

As to when an Oath ceases, canon law states:

Can. 1202 ß1 The obligation of a promissory oath ceases:

1ƒ if it is remitted by the person in whose favor the oath was sworn;

2ƒ if what was sworn is substantially changed or, because of altered circumstances, becomes evil or completely irrelevant, or hinders a greater good;

3ƒ if the purpose or the condition ceases under which the oath may have been made;

4ƒ by dispensation or commutation in accordance with Can. 1203.

Can. 1203 Those who can suspend, dispense or commute a vow have, in the same measure, the same power over a promissory oath. But if dispensation from an oath would tend to harm others and they refuse to remit the obligation, only the Apostolic See can dispense the oath.

Can. 1204 An oath is subject to strict interpretation, in accordance with the law and with the intention of the person taking the oath or, if that person acts deceitfully, in accordance with the intention of the person in whose presence the oath is taken.

To answer your question about whether or not those who had taken the Pope Saint Pius X oath are still bound, I am not a canon lawyer, but I would say no, at least canonically. The Oath required has changed.

But, this does not preclude such a person maintaining a bond to the Oath by personal conviction and conscience. If the person considers himself still bound under conscience, then he is still bound.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary