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By John Vennari On October 24-29, 1999, in a gesture that defies 2,000 years of Catholic Teaching, Pope John Paul II convoked a lavish pan-religious Assembly at the Vatican that was concluded at Assisi. The event was double-billed as a great preparation for the Jubilee 2,000, and a 13th anniversary celebration of the first pan-religious meeting at Assisi, 1986. About 20 religions were represented including Catholic, miscellaneous Protestant, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Native American Indians, Shinto, Bahais, etc. At the end of the meeting, each religion broke into groups and prayed separately. Hence, Vatican representatives, in a weak attempt to deflect criticism, could boast "we did not pray together, but came together to prayer"; which, as Edwin Faust noted, is a "distinction without a difference." Of this even, Zenit news ran the headline: "230 Religious Leaders Study How to Construct a Better World" – a theme in lock-step with Vatican II’s progressive Gaudium et Spes, "The Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World"; a lengthy document that breaths the "spirit of Vatican II" like none other. Michael Davies, the current president of Una Voce International, remarked the Gaudium et Spes is so un-Catholic in its ethos that it is difficult to understand how any self-respecting bishop could have signed it. 1 Davies explained that the novel spirit of this document conflicts with past Church Teaching, and is also utopian and unrealistic:
It must be noted that according to traditional Catholic teaching, the City of God" represents the Kingdom of God on earth, the Catholic Church. And the "City of Man" is synonymous with "the Kingdom of Satan" which comprises all others in the world, whether they be atheists, lukewarm worldlings, or members of false and heretical religions. 3 Yet the new Gaudium et Spes world-view envisions an illusory future where these two diverse cities join forces for the betterment of humanity. Many Catholics labor under the mistaken notion that the documents of Vatican II contain the highest doctrinal authority and are therefore beyond reproach. This, however, is not the case. During the Council, in 1964, Pope Paul VI himself stated, "given the Council’s pastoral character, it avoided pronouncing in an extraordinary manner dogmas endowed with the note of infallibility." Further, Archbishop Felici, the General Secretary of Vatican II stated that Catholics must "make reservations" on those declarations from the Council "which have a novel character." 4 As already noted, Gaudium et Spes with its new world view is swimming in novelty. Gaudium et Spes also breathes the spirit of the New Age pantheist Teilhard de Chardin, who called upon religions to join together in the "great forward March of Humanity:" in order to "build the earth". 5 Cardinal Ratzinger himself admitted, without apology, that "the impetus given by Teilhard de Chardin exerted a wide influence" at the Council, particularly, the Cardinal alludes, in the Council Document Gaudium et Spes. 6 Hence, the pan-religious "spirit of Assisi", which flows from the most radical teaching of the Council, is Teilhardian, utopian, unrealistic and un-Catholic. The October 1999 pan-religious meeting was the latest example of this "spirit of Assisi" enfleshed. A PAN-RELIGIOUS
"CIVILIZATION OF LOVE"?
Some of the pagan ceremonies at this Assembly included an American Indian pivoting in the center of St. Peter’s Square at sunset "blessing the four corners of the earth", and Muhammadans who spread out newspaper in the marble colonnade at the Vatican to kneel toward Mecca and pray. 7 Further, a ghastly inter-religious concert was held in the Vatican’s Paul VI auditorium on October 26th. It was a multi-cultural cacophony featuring such diverse performers as a Focolare music ensemble called "Gen Rosso", a Jewish choir, a Japanese tenor and a pianist performing pieces from the Tenryko religion, Muslim singers, and Indian melodies played on a zither. Pope John Paul II addressed the Assembly on October 28th with these words,
He called the many inter-religious assemblies that have been taking place worldwide over the past decade "a sign of hope". (#4) Sadly, the Pope’s presentation, from beginning to end, was a mixture of one-size-fits-all religious terms along with humanistic themes. Our Lord Jesus Christ was mentioned only in passing as One "whose Holy Spirit" helps us to "widen our horizons, to look beyond our own personal needs to the unity of the whole human family." (#4) The Pope also recalled with great relish the 1986 pan-religious meeting at Assisi. He recounted with joy that "Since that time, the ‘spirit of Assisi’ has been kept alive through various initiatives in different parts of the world." (#5) The fact that this new "spirit" has been "kept alive" in the Church is due to the encouragement of John Paul himself. In December 1986, two months after the first pan-religious Assisi meeting, Pope John Paul II delivered a Christmas address to Cardinals and the Roman Curia entitled "The World Situation Constitutes a Pressing Appeal for the Spirit of Assisi". 9 At that time, he declared that the Assisi interfaith gathering, which included African animists, American Indians, Bahais, Buddhists, "Christians", 10 Jains, Jews, Hindus, Moslems, Shintoists, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians, was not an aberration, nor a misinterpretation of the Council. He declared that the Assisi meeting was actually the fruit of the new theology of Vatican II. In this 1986 speech, the Pope Stated joyfully:
And further:
Toward the end of the speech, the Pope urged his Cardinals to continue in the same new path:
Hence, the "spirit of Assisi" is a bold manifestation of the Vatican’s new commitment to ecumenism, inter-religious dialogue, inter-denominational prayer, "respect for non-Christian religions," and a new brand of unity among religions that even John Paul II admits is "still somewhat novel". 14 It is a shop-window display of Vatican II’s new teaching that the Church must not seek conversions, but a "legitimate pluralism" among all religions for the "betterment" of the human family. This progressive theme was trumpeted at the October 1999 pan-religious meeting. Speaking to the various religious in attendance, the Pope closed the speech:
The pan-religious meeting concluded with a "Final Declaration of the Pan-Religious Assembly" which was not an official Vatican document, but was produced as a result of the Vatican’s pan-religious initiative. Before discussing this Declaration, it is necessary to further explain why the "spirit of Assisi" is a false and deceptive spirit. 1) This "spirit of Assisi" defies the First Commandment: "I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have strange gods before Me." The new "spirit of Assisi" encourages members of false religions to pray to their false gods in pan-religious assemblies for the undefined, Woodstock-sounding slogans of "harmony, justice and love". For Catholics to encourage or take part in these activities is contrary to the teachings of the one true religion from the beginning of time, since even the Old Testament Israelites were forbidden to join with members of false religions. Sacred Scripture teaches, "For all the gods of the nations are devils."(Ps. 45:5) Yet the Vatican now calls upon pagans whose "gods are devils" to come to Rome and invoke these false deities for the sake of "universal values of peace, justice, solidarity and brotherhood." 2) The spirit of Assisi is based on ecumenical collaboration with all religions. Yet ecumenism is strictly forbidden by Sacred Scripture. In this magnificent book The Sincere Christian, Bishop George Hay of Scotland taught, in perfect continuity with Catholic teaching since the time of Christ, that Sacred Scripture positively forbids any religions camaraderie with members of false religions. Bishop Hay explains that this condemnation is "grounded upon the light in which all false religions are considered in the Holy Scripture; for there we are assured that they arise from false teachers, who are called seducers of the people, ravenous wolves, false prophets, who speak perverse things: that they are anti-Christs, and enemies of the cross of Christ; that, departing from the true faith of Christ, they give heed to the spirits of error; that their doctrines are the doctrines of devils, speaking lies, that their ways are pernicious, their heresies damnable, and the like. In consequence of which, this general command of avoiding all communication with them in religion is given by the apostle: ‘Bear not the yoke together with unbelievers; for what participation hath justice with injustice? Or what fellowship hath light with darkness? And what concord what Christ with Belial? Or what part hath the faithful with the unbelievers? Or what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God’." (2 Cor. 6:14) "Now it is the true religion of Jesus Christ, the true doctrine of His gospel, which is justice and light," Bishop Hay explains, "all false doctrines are injustice and darkness. It is by our holy faith that we belong to Christ, and are temples of the living God; all false religions flow from the father of lies, and makes those who embrace them unbelievers; therefore all participation, all fellowship, all communication with false religions, is here expressly forbidden by the Word of God. We have seen above 16 that we are obliged to love the persons of those who are engaged in false religions, to wish them well, and to do them good; but here we are expressly forbidden all communication in their religion – that is, in their false tenets, and worship. Hence, the learned and pious English divines who published at Rheims their translation of the New Testament, in their note upon this passage, say: ‘Generally, here is forbidden conversation and dealing with unbelievers in prayers, or meetings at their schismatical service, or other divine office whatsoever; which the apostle here uttereth in more particular terms that Christian people may take the better head of’." 17 By contrast, the "spirit of Assisi" is immersed in these activities condemned solemnly by Sacred Scripture. 3) The spirit of Assisi is contrary to the consistent teaching of the Church. In perfect continuity with the immutable teaching of his predecessors, Venerable Pope Pius IX’s landmark Syllabus of Errors (1864) condemned the propositions that "anyone is free to embrace and profess that religion which, guided by the light of reason, he judges to be true." (#15) Likewise, Pius condemned the proposition "In the cult of any religion, men can find the road of eternal salvation and achieve the same eternal salvation." (#16) Yet these condemned propositions are part and parcel of the new beliefs and practices of the "spirit of Assisi." Likewise, Pope Pius XI condemned all inter-religious activity in his great 1928 encyclical Mortalium Animos. He stated:
Further, Pope Pius XI’s condemnations are consistent with Church Teaching throughout the centuries. Not only do we have ecumenical activity condemned in Sacred Scripture, but as far back as 298 A.D. the Council of Carthage taught:
Yet the "spirit of Assisi" not only encourages prayers and meetings with false religions, but is also content to leave people alone in the darkness of their false religions. It makes absolutely no attempt at converting them to the one true Church of Jesus Christ. It is a false system that places a distorted understanding of "human dignity" on a higher level than the truths of Jesus Christ necessary for salvation. 4) This spirit of Assisi is actually the spirit of Freemasonry. Yves Marsaudon, in his book Ecumenism as Seen by a Traditional Freemason, commented favorably on the ecumenism that was nurtured at Vatican II. He said:
Further, the same Freemason Marsaudon exlained:
Yet this ecumenism, which is "the legitimate son of Freemasonry" is the foundation on which the "spirit of Assisi" sits. Many more demonstrations could be provided of how the "spirit of Assisi" conflicts with Catholic truth, but we must move on to the "Final Declaration that emanated from this pan-religious Assembly. A PAN-RELIGIOUS MANIFESTO
The October 1999 pan-religious event closed with a "Final Declaration of the Inter-religious Assembly" that was produced by various afternoon work groups held throughout the week. We will quote only some of the points from this Final Declaration which read more like a United nations decree rather than the language of Catholic Truth. The declarations stressed the need:
Note, the majority of these "problems and challenges" reflect trendy and humanistic concerns. As mentioned earlier, this declaration reads like it emanated form the godless United Nations. The members of the pan-religious Assembly then pledge:
This "new spiritual consciousness" will be determined not by Catholic Truth, but rather "in accordance with the (various) religious traditions." It also endorses "freedom of religion and freedom of conscience" which, within this context, runs contrary to Catholic teaching. (See for example, Pope Gregory XVI’s encyclical Mirari Vos; Ven. Pope Pius IX’s Syllabus of Errors) What follows is one of the most absurd statements from the entire Declaratoin:
By implication, this statement posits that if a Hindu does not live as a good Hindu, then he will be "severely judged" by the god of the Hindus. If the Buddhist does not live as a good Buddhist, the will be "severely judged’ by the god of the Buddhists. If an animist does not live according the tenets of his religion, he will be "severely judged" by the Great Thumb. This is a blatant promotion of religious indifferentism, no matter how strenuously Vatican officials attempt to deny it. The Declaration spurs on yet more inter-religious co-operation:
Whatever that means! Again, more vagueness, imprecision and sentimental ooze. The Declaration continues,
Yet the vast majority of these religions reject the indissolubility of marriage and accept divorce and birth control. Some are even soft on abortion. How can Catholics work for the family with members of religious groups whose beliefs war against the stability of the family as taught by Jesus Christ and His Church? There is then the call for "cultivating a spiritual life (through prayer, meditation, and mindfulness according to the practice of each religious tradition.)" This is simply more religious indifferentism, since there is no mention of the duty to develop the spiritual life according to the true teachings of Jesus Christ and His one true Church, but rather according to whatever your religious tradition happens to be. Finally, the Declaration closes:
To state the obvious, this pan-religious document is ultimately a declaration of naturalism. There is not one word about salvation, the necessity of the life of sanctifying grace, and the necessity of accepting Jesus Christ, His One True Church and His Sacraments for salvation. Further, this declaration would warm the heart of the pantheist Teilhard de Chardin who, in his evolutionary vision, called on religions to join together in the "great forward march of humanity" and to "build the earth". Actually, in this interreligious program, we see Teilhard’s program promoted and followed, not that of Christ’s. A RECIPE FOR DISASTER
On one level, the interfaith "let’s all get along and build the earth" declaration would seem to turn the Catholic Church into a worldwide version of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. On another, however, this modernist inter-religious program will have disastrous consequences, because it is a revolutionary program that runs contrary to the true, papally presented Catholic ideal. The Catholic ideal is the Social Kingship of Jesus Christ, which consists in states, governments and social institutions being permeated with Catholic truth and Catholic morals. According to traditional papal teaching, governments and social institutions must base their laws of right and wrong on what the Gospel teaches is right and wrong and on what the Catholic Church teaches is right and wrong. The Popes of the 19th and early 20th Century insisted on this truth time and time again. They taught that it was a grievous offense against God for the State to be indifferent to the one true religion, and to treat the one True Church the same as false, man-made sects. In 1910, Pope St. Pius X reiterated this doctrine with great intensity when he condemned the Sillon – a movement in France which was one of the first attempts to build an ecumenical "civilization of love" without the Social Kingship of Christ. Pope Pius X thundered:
Along the same lines, Pope Leo XIII in his encyclical on Human Liberty teaches:
Yet all these teachings and warnings were unlawfully overturned at the time of the Second Vatican Council, especially through the Council’s commitment to ecumenism, religious liberty, and the new Gaudium et Spes world-view: Thus, our leaders have abandoned the Social Kingship of Christ, but, they say, the Church must still be a good influence in society. This is why since the time of Vatican II, and especially through the promotion of the "spirit of Assisi" we have been told that all religions should ecumenically cooperate together to promote positive "values", such as "peace, solidarity, justice, etc.", in order to halt the spread of evil and take a stand against the "culture of death." But, as we have mentioned in previous issues of Catholic Family News,24 this new pan-religious model can not work. All we have to do is take a look around. What has happened to the Church and the world since our Churchmen have abandoned the Social Kingship of Christ and adopted the ecumenical common-witness with false religions? Everything has gotten worse. We’ve had an acceleration of evil, just as the Popes of the past had predicted. Before the Catholic Churchmen abandoned the Social Kingship of Christ and adopted the ecumenical common-witness with false religions, there was no legalized abortion in the Western world, no pandemic promiscuity, no pandemic break-down of marriages. Before the Catholic Church abandoned the Social Kingship of Christ and adopted the ecumenical common-witness with false religions, there was no militant feminism, there was no widespread promotion and acceptance of homosexuality, there was at least the Legion of Decency that kept our entertainment media on a much higher moral level than now. Before the Catholic Churchmen abandoned the Social Kingship of Christ and adopted the ecumenical common-witness with false religions, there was not a raging worldwide eugenics movement with government-funded fetal experimentation on live aborted babies. The Second Vatican Council’s abandonment of the Social Kingship of Christ, its endorsement of the godless State, and its encouragement of ecumenical activity of Catholics with false religions is what has produced the "culture of death." The Popes of the past have warned over and over again that if the State is allowed to become Godless, and if we place the one True Religion on the same level as false religions, (as does the "spirit of Assisi") it will incur God’s wrath and evil with explode everywhere. Early in this century, the eminent European churchman Cardinal Mercier stated that the First World War was actually a punishment for the crime of placing the one True Religion on the same level as false creeds. Cardinal Mercier wrote:
To repeat, the Second Vatican Council’s abandonment of the Social Kingship of Christ, its endorsement of the godless State, and its encouragement of ecumenical activity between Catholics and false religions is what has produced the culture of death. And the solution to the culture of death cannot consist in the promotion of more of what has produced the culture of death in the first place. That is why the entire program of interfaith collaboration with false religions will only make things worse. "WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE
GOING"
Things will also get worse because even our Church leaders, who are committed to this ecumenical madness, seem to be in a fog as to where they are headed. Cardinal Ratzinger himself has admitted this. He said:
This is quite an admission. He is saying "we don’t know where we’re going." Back in 1910, however, Pope St. Pius X was not in a fog as to where the ecumenical movement was headed. He knew exactly what was being planned. When Pius X condemned the Sillon (the movement in France that held many of the errors held today – particularly in regard to inter-denominational collaboration) he said that this whole operation is part of:
Thus, Vatican II’s new pan-religious orientation already stands condemned by the consistent teaching of the Church, through the mouth of Pope St. Pius X. Lastly, this pan-religious "spirit of Assisi" is also contrary to the plan given by Our Lady of Fatima. At Fatima, Our Blessed Mother did not call for Catholics to pray with pagans for the cause of world peace, but announced that "God wants to establish in the world devotion to My Immaculate Heart", primary by fulfilling Her requests at Fatima: most notably, the daily Rosary and the Collegial Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Yet within today’s pan-religious meetings, the Holy Rosary – the specific prayer given by Our Lady as a condition for peace – is never prayed. Likewise, the Immaculate Heart of Mary is neither honored nor invoked. Hence the "spirit of Assisi" stands in bold contradiction to the Divine Plan given by Our Lord through Our Lady of Fatima. GOOD MEN ON THE WRONG SIDE? In a remarkable sermon preached at Pentecost, 1861, in the London Oratory, Father Frederick Faber said:
Since there is no way we can possibly judge a man’s interior motives, it is best to operate on the principle that Pope John Paul II, in his ecumenical endeavors, is a good man who is on the wrong side. Objectively, however, whatever his good intentions, the Pope’s ecumenical orientation is destroying the Church, making a mockery of traditional Catholic teaching, and leading countless souls into error. Catholics, therefore, may lawfully resist and oppose these ecumenical efforts. And this is not the opinion of Catholic Family News, but the doctrine of the great Doctor of the Church, Saint Robert Bellarmine who taught:
Finally, we must put into practice the plea of Jacinta at Fatima: "Pray... pray a great deal for the Holy Father." FOOTNOTES 1. "Comments on Vatican II", an audio cassette interview with Michale Davies, Keep the Faith, Inc. Fairfield, NJ. 2. Davies, Michael, Pope John’s Council, (Angelus Press, Kansas City) 1977, p. 184-185. 3. For a superb treatment on the traditional teaching regarding the "Two Cities", consult "The Meaning of the Word Church" by Msgr. Joseph Clifford Fenton, American Ecclesiastical Review, Oct. 1954. We hope to reprint this article in a future issue of Catholic Family News. 4. For the complete quotes of Pope Paul VI, Archbishop Felici, and Bishop Thomas Morrow concerning the non-infallible, non-dogmatic nature of Vatican II (and the right f the Catholic to make reservations on some of its novel teachings) consult the booklet The Permanent Instruction of the Alta Vendita by John Vennari (Tan, 1999), pp. 27-30. 5. for a fuller treatment of Teilhard’s false teaching and its impact on the modern Church, consult "Teilhard de Chardin: False Prophet", by John Vennari, Catholic Family News, Feb., 1999. (Reprint #353 available from CFN for $1.75) 6. Ratzinger, Principles of Catholic Theology (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, 1987) p. 334. 7. "Religious Leaders denounce Extremism", Associated Press, Oct. 29, 1999. 8. All quotes taken from speech of Pope John Paul II to the Interreligious Assembly, "Our task: promote culture of dialogue" L’Osservatore Romano, Nov. 3, 1999, p. 1 ff. 9. Pope’s Christmas address to the Roman Curia, L’Osservatore Romano, Jan. 5, 1987, pp. 6-7. A detailed commentary on this Christmas address by John Paul II is beyond the scope of this article. Suffice it to say that this Papal address stands in stark contradiction of the teaching and practice of all the pre-Vatican II Popes for 2,000 years combined. 10. Catholics, the Pope included, were simply folded in with schismatic and heretical Protestant sects under the umbrella name, "Christian". 11. Pope’s Christmas Address to Roman Curia, L’Osservatore Romano, Jan. 5, 1987, pp. 6-7. 12. Ibid. 13. Ibid. 14. Ibid, No. 8. During this speech, the Pope spoke of a new two-dimensional mystery of unity. The first is the unity already attained in Christ through faith and baptism. The second is "the unity which is expressed in the condition of being ‘oriented’ toward the People of God, and hence, is still is still to be attained perfectly." The Pope goes on to say that "it is within this second dimension – still somewhat novel – that the Day of Assisi offers us precious elements of our reflection, elements that are illuminated by an attentive reading of [Vatican II’s] Declaration on non-Christian religions. 15. "Our Task Promote culture of Dialogue," L’Osservatore Romano, Nov. 3, 1999, p. 2. 16. Refers to previous pages of The Sincere Christian. 17. Taken from The Sincere Christian by Bishop Hay, pp. 548, 549. This section of Bishop Hay’s bok was printed by Catholic Family News in May 1998 entitled, "Ecumenism Condemned by Sacred Scripture." The article is available in reprint form, order #292 for $1.75 post paid from CFN. 18. Ibid. page 555. Also available in the above mentioned reprint. 19. Lefebvre; Open Letter to Confused Catholics, Fowler Wright Books Ltd., Herefordshire, England, 1986, p. 106. 20. Yves Marsaudon, Oecumensisme vu par un Macon de Tradition (pp. 119-1120).English translation cited from Peter Lovest Thou Me? (Instauratio Press, 1988), p. 170. Except for the first line "One can say..." which was translated into English by Suzanne M. Rini. 21. All quotations taken from the "Final Declaration of the Interreligious Assembly" as published by Zenit news service, Oct. 29, 1999. 22. Pope St. Pius X, "Our Apostolic Mandate" against the Sillon, Section 11 (emphasis added). 23. Pope Leo XIII, Libertas, On Human Liberty, translation taken from The Kingship of Christ and Organized Naturalism by Father Denis Fahey, (Regina Publications, Dublin, 1943) p. 8. 24. The following points in the text were made in Part III of "Catholicism Dissolved, the ‘New Evangelization’" by John Vennari. Catholic Family News, Dec., 1998. 25. Quote taken from The Kingship of Christ and Organized Naturalism by Father Denis Fahey (Regina Publications, Dublin, June 1943), p. 36. Footnoted as taken from Cardinal Mercier’s Pastoral Letter, 1918, The Lesson of Events. 26. Cited from "Ecumenical Leprosy" Fr. Phillipe Marcille, The Angelus, March, 1994, p. 24. 27. Pope St. Pius X, "Our Apostolic Mandate", 1910 (Instauratio Press), p. 21. (Emphasis added) 28. Taken from The Mystical Body of Christ in the Modern World by Father Denis Fahey (Regina Publications, Dublin, first printed in 1935,) p. xi. 29. De Romano Pontifice, lib. II, chap. 29, in Opera omnia, Neapoli/Panormi/Paris: Pedone Lauriel, 1871, vol. I, p. 418. (Emphasis added)
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