The first thing that Pope Saint Pius X discusses after laying out the seven personalities of Modernists is to reiterate that Modernism is not a bunch of “scattered and unconnected theories”, but is a complete and integrated system. (§39) When you admit but one principle of Modernism, you cannot help but admit all of the Modernist principles.

It is in this section that Pius famously defines Modernism to be “the synthesis of all heresies.” He continues:

Undoubtedly, were anyone to attempt the task of collecting together all the errors that have been broached against the faith and to concentrate into one the sap and substance of them all, he could not succeed in doing so better than the Modernists have done.

Pius X also notes that Modernism does not just angle for the destruction of the Catholic religion, but the destruction of all religion. This means that, practically, Modernism is a great ally of rationalism.

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