Has the Roman Catholic Church of the Papacy changed for the “good”? Such claims can be heard primarily from the camps of the (formerly) Protestant churches. The Vatican’s own writings are very informative on this point. Only the clothes were swapped, the contents are still the snake’s poison.
Inhalt / Content
A changed Roman church?
The Roman Catholic Church has changed for the better, according to a claim made primarily by the once Protestant churches active in ecumenism (Info).Even conservative Catholics complain that their church has become “too Protestant” since the Second Vatican Council. They immediately ingratiated themselves. But is that actually the case? Did the Church of Rome modify its dogmas to allow opposing denominations to unite? After all, one can see how concerned Pope Francis is about the well-being of people.
In fact, the Church of Rome has changed something. Their strategy, but not their dogmas. Changing dogmas, especially those that were unleashed on the world at councils, especially the Council of Trent, is not possible at all. They were announced “ex cathedra”. That is, in a state of incapacity for error. Changing such teachings would refute the claim of one’s own infallibility itself. Therefore there was only a change of the label, but not the content.
This also applies to the persecution and eradication of heretics by the Roman Church. This defines a heretic as someone who does not accept the teachings of the church or spreads teachings that deviate from them. The bottom line is that even spreading the exclusive and unadulterated gospel is heresy in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church. The persecution of heretics was already canonized in the Middle Ages.
Current to the present
“Yesterday’s old hat”? No. Because Franz Xaver Wernz, General Superior of the Jesuit Order (1906-1915), stated according to “Jus Decretalium”, Vol. 1, page 13:
“As regards the relations of the Catholic Church with other religious associations, there is no doubt that all religious associations of infidels and all Christian sects are considered by the Catholic Church as totally illegitimate and without any right to exist. […] such as, for example, the Anglicans, the Lutherans, the Orthodox Catholics.“
Wernz also does this in the Loyola style:
“The Church can condemn to death heretics who base any rights they have on our indulgence, and obviously these rights are not real.“
The church comrade and “Prince of the Church” Cardinal Lépicier explained in “De stabilitate et progressu dogmatis”, part 1, Art.VI 9 I (“Typographia editrix romana, Romæ, 1908”):
“If someone publicly declares to be a heretic or tries to corrupt others by his speech or example, he can not only be excommunicated but also rightly eliminated.“
Pope and today’s Inquisition
The “International Theological Commission”, founded by Pope Paul VI in 1969, also has a clear stance on the issue of “deviants from the Catholic faith”. This commission reflects the teachings of the Pope and the Dicastery for Doctrine of the Faith (Inquisition). On April 26, 2019, this church association published that religious freedom is only permitted within the framework of the common good.
The self-declared infallibility in the proclamation of doctrines is based on the influence of the Holy Spirit. Pope Leo XIII invoked the Holy Spirit:
“Damned is the view that the Holy Spirit does not want us to exterminate the heretic.”
(Frédéric Hoffet: “L’IMPÉRIALISME PROTESTANT”, 1948, page 172)
The letter makes it clear in pleasant words where the journey is going. Religious freedom, yes, but only within the defined framework of the “common good”. Who defines this “common good,” let alone the moral basis behind it?
Other, unchanged dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church concern the actual “divinity” of man. A few excerpts from the papal commission’s letter are very revealing.
“The salient points of Dignitatis Humanae“
§18:
„This intrinsic vocation of the human being is in accord with the original divine design whereby men and women, open to the transcendent, are created as capax Dei.“
(„capax Dei“ – God-ability of man)
“Christianity and the Dignity of the State”
§60:
“The coordinates of the problem of religious freedom and of the relations between the Church and the political authorities appear to have changed. A new page in the history of religious freedom and the relationship between Church and State begins with the laws of the Emperor Theodosius (cir. 380-390). This novel construction of the “Christian State”, that lacks any official religious pluralism, introduces a new reality for reflection on religious freedom.“
“Religious freedom for the good of all”
§66:
“Now we turn to the concrete exercise of religious freedom and the practical themes concerning the mediation between social life and the juridical institutions that regulate its concrete exercise.“
“Conviviality has the quality of a good”
§68:
“Only where there is the will to live together can a good future be built for everyone: otherwise there will be no good future for anyone. […] Religious communities, put in a position to promote the transcendent reasons and humanistic values of conviviality, are a principle of vitality of mutual love to unite the entire human family. The good of conviviality becomes a treasure for everyone, when all share in its protection.“
“The right discernment of religious freedom”
§70:
“Every form of religious experience (individual and collective, historical or current) does not necessarily possess the same value. It is necessary therefore to explore the diverse forms of religiosity and assess their attitude to protecting the universal significance and the common good of conviviality. […] Political authority has the duty to protect the public order and defend its citizens (especially the weakest) against the sectarian drifts of certain religious claims (psychological and emotional manipulation, economic and political exploitation, isolationism…)“
“Conclusion”
§86:
“There is no reasonable argument for the State to exclude religious freedom from participating in the reflections of the public sphere in the contribution of reasons for the common good.“
Just beautiful tones
It all sounds so good. Yet it is a collection of utter hypocrisy. In §87 the inquisitors write, completely oblivious to history:
“Christianity rejects the delusion of every worldly messianic omnipotence (worldly or religious) that leads to the servitude of peoples and the destruction of the common home.“
The magic word of today is no longer “heresy” but rather “danger to the common good.”
Just as Pope Innocent III, who exhibited the same paranoia as Nero and Diocletian, automated state power to exterminate heretics, secular government will continue to protect church interests.
The Church of Rome, in its constant attitude of innocence, refers as usual to Romans 13:1-2 (obedience to authorities).
Papacy – The Unchanging Beast
Obvious contradictions and the appearance of real character change. But appearances are very deceiving.
The Irish author Leo H. Lehmann (1895-1950), as a contemporary witness to one of the most terrible chapters in human history, summed it up in his book “Behind the Dictators” (1942), pages 28-29:
“Apart from that, there is nothing sincere about the intransigent Catholic leadership. The leading forces of modern Catholicism are as convinced as their predecessors that nothing good can come from liberal political and social regimes. Liberalism in religion is anathema to them and to their greatest enemy.“
The usual propaganda
Lehmann points out in his book that the Church of Rome follows a certain strategy.
- Opposing views of Jesuit authors on actual questions concerning politics, economics, and even religious matters;
- The adoption of national peculiarities in all countries, even in pagan lands;
- The combatting of socialism with one hand and ottering it friendship with the other;
- The favoring of chauvinist and nationalist views as well as of international pacific tendencies;
- The making of eloquent declarations in favor of democracy, and at the same time seizing upon every possible means to undermine and wreck it;
- The creation of situations apparently contradictory of one another.
Anyone who believes today that the Church of Rome has changed for the “good” has obviously fallen for this propaganda (Info).
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Hosea 4:6
Bible verses from King James Version (1611)
