If you wondering why Pope Francis considers the work of actively seeking converts (otherwise known as proselytism) nonsense, today’s General Audience should clear things up.
Dear Brothers and Sisters: In the Creed, we profess that the Church is “catholic”; in other words, she is universal. We can understand this catholicity in three ways. First, the Church is catholic because she proclaims the apostolic faith in its entirety; she is the place where we meet Christ in his sacraments and receive the spiritual gifts needed to grow in holiness together with our brothers and sisters. The Church is also catholic because her communion embraces the whole human race, and she is sent to bring to the entire world the joy of salvation and the truth of the Gospel. Finally, the Church is catholic because she reconciles the wonderful diversity of God’s gifts to build up his People in unity and harmony…
Let’s review.
That the Catholic Church is, by God’s will, uniquely she from whom the authentic Faith, the sacraments and all spiritual gifts are received is absolutely true. (Yes, I know, I embellished the pope’s words just a bit, but let’s just assume for the sake of conversation that this is what he intended. This is, after all, a Catholic understanding of what the Church is.)
In any event, from here the ecclesiology of Pope Francis immediately devolves into a form of universalism when he states, “The Church is also catholic because her communion embraces the whole human race.”
Thanks to the new genre of papal speech that isn’t particularly concerned with precision in matters of faith, one is simply left to wonder exactly what it means to say that the Church’s “communion embraces the whole human race.”
Does the pope really believe that the entire human race enjoys, in some form or fashion, communion with the Church?
Well, yes, apparently so, which explains why he has so much difficulty accepting the Church’s mission as the Lord plainly gave it.
In other words, if communion with the Church already exists among the entire human race, to what end does it make sense to call others to conversion? As the pope said to Eugenio Scalfari, “It makes no sense!”
What then is the mission of the Church? I mean, she must have a mission, right?
Indeed, and Francis tells us that it is “to bring to the entire world the joy of salvation and the truth of the Gospel.”
It’s all starting to make sense now, isn’t it?
As Pope Francis sees things, since the whole human race is already “embraced by the Church’s communion,” we need only let them know the joyful news that salvation is presently theirs!
Lastly, it only makes sense, therefore, that the final part of the mission of this “catholic” Church is to invite the peoples of the world to realize and behave as if they are in communion, regardless of who they are or what they may believe.
That is why the “Church of Francis” feels called to “reconcile the wonderful diversity of God’s gifts to build up his People in unity and harmony,” and make no mistake about it, among “God’s gifts” as this pope understands them is religious diversity and the multiplicity of false religions and false gods that pollute the human landscape.
Surprised? You shouldn’t be, and I can say with a degree of certainty that at least some of the cardinals who elected him expected nothing less from this papacy.
Recall that Jorge Bergoglio made it very plain in the Consistory of Cardinals prior to the conclave that the mission of the Church, as he chooses to understand it, has precious little to do with the Great Commission.
“Thinking of the next Pope: He must be a man who, from the contemplation and adoration of Jesus Christ, helps the Church to go out to the existential peripheries, that helps her to be the fruitful mother, who gains life from ‘the sweet and comforting joy of evangelizing.’” – Jorge Bergoglio speaking to the very cardinals who would soon make him pope.
With this bit of perspective established, the picture is undoubtedly coming into sharper focus for those who have eyes to see.
You see, the confused ecclesiology of Jorge Bergoglio is such that the “evangelizing” mission of the Church is not that by which she gives life to those who are trapped in spiritual death for lack of communion; rather, since her communion presently embraces the whole human race, the mission is therefore understood as that by which “the Church gains life” as she taps into all of the wonderful gifts of the heathens and heretics and atheists who occupy the “existential peripheries.”
With an ecclesiology like this, no wonder the pope thinks proselytism is solemn nonsense.
Read Pope John Paul II: Doubts about a Beatification. Such was the vision of John Paul II: that every person is already united with God and never able to be separate himself from God. The Gospel, therefore, is the announcement of this union as the basis for the building of a “civilisation of love” (with the help of the United Nations, it seems).
End of July I realized with shudder that it seems Pope Francis doesn´t know Who made St. Peter Pope. At the Press conference during the return flight from Rio he said:
“Many times I think of Saint Peter. He committed one of the worst sins, that is he denied Christ, and even with this sin they made him Pope.”
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/speeches/2013/july/documents/papa-francesco_20130728_gmg-conferenza-stampa_en.html
The German translation means the same. So he really said this.
“Er hat eine der schlimmsten Sünden begangen, nämlich Christus zu verleugnen, und mit dieser Sünde haben sie ihn zum Papst gemacht.”
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/speeches/2013/july/documents/papa-francesco_20130728_gmg-conferenza-stampa_ge.html
End of July I realized with shudder that it seems Pope Francis doesn´t know Who made St. Peter Pope. At the Press conference during the return flight from Rio he said:
“Many times I think of Saint Peter. He committed one of the worst sins, that is he denied Christ, and even with this sin they made him Pope.”
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/speeches/2013/july/documents/papa-francesco_20130728_gmg-conferenza-stampa_en.html
The German translation on the Vatican website means the same. So he really said this.
“Er hat eine der schlimmsten Sünden begangen, nämlich Christus zu verleugnen, und mit dieser Sünde haben sie ihn zum Papst gemacht.”
I enjoy and share most of your comments on Pope Francis, but I think there is a need of a correction: the papal speech at the audience is not correctly summarized by the Vatican news agency as I didn´t find the criticized remark in the Pope´s address.
Pope Francis has said a few things that make me wonder if he believes that God is unknowable to human reason (i.e. not just “unknowable completely”, but “completely unknowable”). What is knowable, however, is the expression of faith. We know it because we hear it spoken and see it acted out.
If this reading of Francis is correct, it may explain the desire for perpetual dialogue. That is, if history shows us another expression of faith that resonates just as strongly with other people (e.g. Mohammedans), then perhaps together with them we can arrive at a deeper understanding of the “Unknowable”. Proselytism, however, would impede this.
http://chiesaepostconcilio.blogspot.it/2013/10/svnt-nomina-rervm-cose-concrete-quelle.html
its clear that Bergoglio has not only a different ecclesiology, but a different cristology and theology…in the link above a theologian at Rome shows this…
the man is clearly a manifest heretic…Call your cardinal and demand his reproof…
About Faith: the Pope says that “ours is not a ‘lab faith,’ but a ‘journey faith,’ a historical faith. God has revealed himself as history, not as a compendium of abstract truths.[1]” “If a person says that he met God with total certainty and is not touched by a margin of uncertainty, then this is not good.” “Uncertainty, the Pope continues, is in every true discernment that is open to finding confirmation in spiritual consolation.[1]”
We need some clarification, as Francis seems to confuse the certitude of Faith and Hope for grace. St. Thomas on the contrary is enlightening: “Yet man does not know for certain thereby that he has grace; but he does know that the faith, which he has received, is true.” (III q.30, art. 1)
About Charity: On May 22, Francis apparently preached that ‘Atheists can do good.’ “The disciples were a little intolerant,” closed off by the idea of possessing the truth, convinced that “those who do not have the truth cannot do good.”
These mixed-up expressions require, at the least, some distinction between supernatural good and natural good. In its Canon 5, the Council of Carthage declares indeed that “without the grace of God we can do no good thing.”
About liturgy: Francis rejoices in the liturgical changes of Vatican II with its “dynamic of reading the Gospel, actualizing its message for today.”[1]
Nevertheless, liturgy is first of all a rite, following the Tradition of the Church and giving with certitude the sacramental life promised in the Gospel and the fruits of the Sacrifice of our Lord. However, without some respect for rites, there is no more liturgy, but mere Protestantism. Unfortunately, it is a fact that the new liturgy doesn’t always assure validity of the sacraments.
About asceticism: Pelagius was a naturalist ascetic, but all the idealized figures that the Pope loves must be mystical only. “I love the mystics,”[3] declares Francis.
Would it be possible to understand the mystical Ignatius without an ascetic impulse first? A removal of the ascetic life from the Church would certainly be a catastrophe. What about the calls of our times for Penance? What about our Lady at La Salette, Lourdes and Fatima? Would it be possible to find any mysticism without some ascetic experience? All Catholics are called to the mystical life, the life of the seven Gifts of the Spirit, leading to the Beatitudes, but this requires that they depart from sin and amend their lives through the Blood of the Redeemer.
About transcendence: Pope Francis says that “the conscience is autonomous and everyone must obey his conscience.”[4] “Each of us has a vision of good and of evil. We have to encourage people to move towards what they think is good.”[4]
How is it possible to reconcile a promotion of this ‘autonomy’ and the necessity to guide our conscience with the Gospel and the grace of Our Lord? We have here a manifest discontinuity with traditional teaching. The Pope has indeed a very peculiar way of using the Discernment of Spirits of St. Ignatius. He speaks constantly about it, but his ‘discernment’ does not appear as really being guided by any transcendence or objective Faith, but more by a personal faith or an immanent movement, without any assurance of being supernatural. Accordingly, the pope considers “Proselytism is solemn nonsense, it makes no sense… Our goal is not to proselytize but to listen to needs, desires and disappointments, despair, hope.”[4]
About rejecting error: The Holy Father, moved by the example of John XXIII, wants a Church preferring “the balm of mercy to the arm of severity.” “She believes that present needs are best served by explaining more fully the purport of her doctrines, rather than by publishing condemnations.” (Opening Address to the Council, October 11, 1962).
But the children of God need the protection of the Church, as a mother. A true mother educates her children in showing the Truth and the Good and encouraging them in this way, but also in condemning lies and evil and punishing them, according to the necessary letter of the law.
The conciliar ditty is back, in a ‘mature Church’: no more children, but adults only…
Let us first thank the Pope for prodding us to make a deep and humble examination of conscience.
But what appears with the latest Papal declarations is that the Spirit of Vatican II is back, the hippie mindset is back with its ‘peace and love’ and pseudo-mysticism. Is it this kind of ‘has-been spirit’ that St. Paul glorifies?
“For the letter kills, but the spirit vivifies.”
Could this scriptural quote (from II Cor. 3:6) be Pope Francis’ true motto?
“talking with Pope Francis is a kind of volcanic flow of ideas that are bound up with each other.”
…..excellent observations from the SSPX “A criticism of Pope Francis’
interviews………..”
Viva Cristo Rey!
In the past popes have written encyclicals. And they go on and on for 10 or 20 or 30 paragraphs on a single point, which seems like an obvious point to begin with. Now I fully understand why. It is so they would not be misunderstood or misinterpreted. Bergoglio does none of this. He leaves everything open for interpretation. He jumps from one point to another. Surely he knows what he means, but the rest of us are left guessing. And I believe this is fully intentional. He can say what he means without ever fully explaining exactly how it should be understood by others. He never (or very rarely) issues clarifications. And if some interviewer were to ask for a clarification, the explanation is sometimes even more open to interpretation than the original statement. This baffling way of speaking is an identifying characteristic of modernism. How he can live knowing that he is spreading such confusion is beyond my ability to understand or to sympathize with. We must look to the Blessed Virgin, our Mother, to defend us and if need be to call on Her Son to strike a swift blow with his terrible right arm when the time is right.
The one good that is derived from this is that I find myself taking my prayers and my worship at Mass more seriously. I know that I have a personal responsibility now more than ever to maintain the Catholic faith and to worship God as He calls on us to worship Him. It is abundantly clear that we cannot depend on the bishops for this — not even the bishop of Rome. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Martina, that quote on the plane went right by me.
“Many times I think of Saint Peter. He committed one of the worst sins, that is he denied Christ, and even with this sin they made him Pope.”
THEY made him pope! Wow.
Michael, your heart is good. This is all a diabolical orientation, as Sister Lucy warned us about.
Trust Jesus, love Mary……..her most beloved Son, has overcome the world!
Know your faith, know yourself………He will not say…….I Know you not!
Our Lady of Fatima, ora pro nobis!’
Keep the Faith!
Well, I don’t know about anyone else but between reading The Rite of Sodomy & The Roman Catholic Church and listening to The Bishop of Rome; I’m about ready to start throwing tomatoes and eggs at these so called “Princes of the Church”. Prayer is the fuel for action not an end in itself and I’m ready to act in a manner similar to St. Nicholas.
@ Rubyroad
Yes, „They“. I fear he really believes this.
@ Nell
In case others don´t know what “The rite of sodomy — Homosexuality and the Roman Catholic Church” is: here´s a link:
http://www.newengelpublishing.com/pages/CFN-Interview-on-Rite-of-Sodomy.html
The author Randy Engel discussed her book some time ago with Michael Voris in an episode of Mic´d Up!.
Bergoglian Theology explained…
http://chiesaepostconcilio.blogspot.it/2013/10/sunt-nomina-rerum-there-are-names-for.html
what Kevin said – good point. such an approach sounds quite neatly freemasonic; for whom the Way, the Truth and the Life is an imepdiment to one’s own godhood.
If you’re praying the Rosary every day, there’s a good chance you’ll make it, in spite of Pope Francis. If you’re not praying the Rosary every day, it doesn’t matter who the Pope is.
This is the Sacramental Gospel of Karl Rahner applied to Ecclesiology.
As I understand him, Rahner thought that Grace was not so much as that which is given to us through the Sacramental System but, rather that Divine Communion/communication already existed in the world and these actions we call sacraments are just a special actualisation of that already existing divine communication present in creation.
Our friend in Rome, I guess, thinks of those who are not actually Catholics (they are Catholic who are Baptised and who maintain the Bonds of Unity in Worship, Doctrine, and Authority) are really already Catholic and ought to miantain their traditions and not convert to this roman thingy. I guess.
You know, I never thought a Pope would have me speaking like a Valley Girl. I read what he says and I think, whatever…
I don’t care for the tone and content of a lot of what he has said. It may even be harmful; time will tell. As far as being one of the select who have eyes to see, I guess I’m not one of them. In fact, the more I learn, the less (I think) I know. I offer a suggestion of caution to all the faithful : be careful of thinking you have all of this figuired out. Rushintuit, you are correct. Pray the rosary, do not worry. Christ has proclaimed His kingdom. He does not rule with mite, he rules with mercy. He has suffered for us, so we now with Him, for Him.
Thank you, Mr. Verrecchio for your series of articles of late on Pope Francis.
I can not adequately express how deeply saddened and troubled I have been of late over all Pope Francis has done and said. I seem to be fighting back tears constantly.
I am very grateful for you and the small handful of others that have stood up for Truth in the face of all this.
I am going to start keeping you in my regular intentions. It’s the least I do. Hopefully, if many of us, your readers, do the same your good deeds will go unpunished.
Kathleen,
Thank you for letting me know I am not alone in tearfulness. Not that I want this for you, of course not.
Mr. V.,
In a way I am better equipped for battle because of your courage. That’s the way it should be with Catholics, encouraging one another, admonishing one another when needed. I am grateful for all of you. May the kind of peace that only Our Lord can give be to you.l
I’m reminded of JP II’s fundamental message as he traveled traveled traveled the world. Boiled down to its essence, it was this: “You’re already saved. I’m just here to let you know it.”
This is the new dogma known as “salvation by birth.”
These have been a few of the most troubling quotes of the Pope, which this blog post helps to explain WHY he would say such things:
“And I believe in God, not in a Catholic God, there is no Catholic God, there is God and I believe in Jesus Christ, his incarnation. Jesus is my teacher and my pastor, but God, the Father, Abba, is the light and the Creator. God is not Catholic.” Sounds like he separates Jesus & God, here…
“Everyone has his own idea of good and evil and must choose to follow the good and fight evil as he conceives them.” So, what’s the point of evangelizing, then? I cannot help but feel so utterly defeated, disheartened by this Pope… but, then, I talk with others who are awe- inspired by him???