Catholic Family News Articles

Respect for Other Religions?  by Edward D. Waller, Ph.D.
(from August 1997 issue)

 Since the Second Vatican Council, there has been great emphasis on
ecumenism or unity among all religions. We are now hearing from all 
levels within the Roman Catholic Church that we must RESPECT all reli-
gions. We are told that we must refrain from forcing our beliefs onto
others. We are told that all religions hold some truth that may lead 
to salvation of souls. What we have not been told is that this notion
is UTTER NONSENSE and contrary to the traditional faith.
 In the encyclical, Humani Generis, Pope Pius XII warns the faithful
about false "irenics" (ecumenism). He states, "Another danger is per-
ceived which is all the more dangerous because it is more concealed 
beneath the mask of virtue. There are many who, deploring the disag-
reement among men and intellectual confusion, through an imprudent 
zeal for souls, are urged by a great and ardent desire to do away with
the barrier that divides good and honest men; these advocate an 'iren-
ism' according to which, by setting aside the questions which divide
men, they aim not only at joining forces to repel the attack of athe-
ism, but also at reconciling things opposed to one another in the 
field of dogma..But some through enthusiasm for an imprudent 'irenism'
seem to consider as an obstacle to the restoration of fraternal union
things founded on the laws and principles given by Christ and likewise
on institutions founded by Him, or which are the defense and support
of the integrity of the faith, and the removal of which would bring 
about the union of all, but only to their destuction. In theology some
want to reduce to a minimum the meaning of dogmas; and to free dogma
itself from terminology long established in the Church and from philo-
sophical concepts held by Catholic teachers...They cherish the hope
that when dogma is stripped of the elements which they hold to be ex-
trinsic to divine revelation, it will compare advantageously with the
dogmatic opinions of those who are seperated from the unity of the 
Church and that in this way they will gradually arrive at a mutual
assimilation of Catholic dogma with the tenets of the dissidents.
Moreover they assert that when Catholic doctrine has been reduced to 
this condition, a way will be found to satisfy modern needs, that will
permit dogma being expressed also by the concepts of modern philosophy
...Some more audaciously affirm that this can and must be done, bec-
ause they hold that the mysteries of faith are never expressed by 
truly adequate concepts but only by approximate and ever changeable
notions, in which the truth is to some extent expressed, but is nec-
essarily distorted."
 Pope Pius XII must have had keen insight and awareness that modern-
ists were infiltrating the Church. His warnings against false ecumen-
ism, however, have been brushed by the wayside. the bishops and clergy
have not heeded his warnings. Since the Second Vatican Council, the
philosophies of modernists are attempting to strangle out the tradit-
ional beliefs and dogmas of our deposit of faith.
 Let me begin by first examining the definitions of the verb form of
the word, "respect". Webster's dictionary provides two definitions of
this word. The first definition of respect is, "to consider worhty of 
high regard: esteem". The second definition of respect is "to refrain
from interfering with".

To Consider Worthy of High Regard: Esteem

 Is it possible to consider worthy of high regard or esteem other reli-
gious beliefs that are contradictions to the Truth found within the 
Roman Catholic Church? Should we respect religions which allow polygamy,
deny the Divinity of Jesus Christ, deny original sin and the Immaculate
Conception? Should we respect beliefs of others that allow divorce,
abortion and permit homosexuality as a lifestyle?
 How can TRUE Catholics hold these beliefs in high regard or esteem and
call themselves followers of Christ? As a Catholic I should respect my 
fellow brothers and sisters. I can hold human beings in high regard and
esteem because each one of us has been created in the image and likeness
of God. Jesus gave us the commandment to love God with all our heart, 
mind and soul and to love our neighbors as ourselves. He did not tell us 
to love sin or beliefs that contradict His teachings. Thus, I will not 
elevate with high regard or esteem any religion or belief that contra-
dicts the teachingsof Jesus Christ.
 Pope Pius XII states in the same encyclical, "..God has given to His 
Church a living Teaching Authority to elucidate and explain what is 
contained in the deposit of faith only obscurely and implicitly. This 
deposit of faith our Divine Redeemer has given authentic interpretation 
not to each of the faithful, not even to theologians, but only to the 
Teaching Authority of the Church." He further states that Christ app-
ointed the Church as "guardian and interpreter of the WHOLE deposit of
divinely revealed truth". 
 God did not send His only begotten Son into the world to establish a 
multiple of religions equally meriting salvation. If this were the case,
there would have been no need for Christ to die on the cross, for all 
religions would have been equally pleasing to God. Christ came to estab-
lish His Church which contains the WHOLE deposit of divinely revealed 
truth which is the ONLY means to salvation. The present post-concilliar 
Church has silenced the doctrine of "No Salvation Outside the Catholic 
Church" as a means of promoting false ecumenism which attempts to estab-
lish respect for all religions.
 I can not understand how Catholics could fall for such nonsense. Are 
they aware that a doctrine can never be revoked? A doctrine is a revealed
truth through God that can NEVER change. God is pure Truth and can never 
deceive us. Only man and the serpent are capable of deceptive ploys.
 Pope Pius XII reiterates this doctrine very clearly and precisely. 
"Some say they are not bound by the doctrine which teaches tha the Myst-
ical Body of Christ and the Roman Catholic Church are one and the same 
thing. Some reduce to a meaningless formula the necessity of belonging 
to the true Church in order to gain eternal salvation. Others finally 
belittle the reasonable character of the credibility of the Christian 
faith. These and like ERRORS, it is clear, have crept in among certain 
of Our sons who are deceived by imprudent zeal for souls and by false
science."
 One must realize that the Roman Catholic Church cannot teach that 
truth and error lead equally well to the salvation of souls. Many 
people assume that the Church makes claims as to who is saved. This is 
a misconception on the part of others. The Church can only state what 
is necessary for salvation. The doctrine of "No Salvation Outside the 
Church" is not a doctrine of intolerance to the individual, but of 
intolerance to error. Hence, every person is bound to become a member 
of the Catholic Church. 
 The present emphasis on respecting other religions has contributed to
indifferentism spreading like wildfire among the Catholic faithful. 
Indifferentism involves believing that one faith is as good as another 
and that all faiths merit salvation. "As we said before, so now I say 
again: If anyone preach to you a gospel, besides that which you have 
received, let him be anathema." (Gal. 1:8). "If any man come to you, 
and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into the house nor say to 
him, God speed you." (2 John 1:10). Christ gave One Faith, One Truth to 
His apostles to be passed on to all people through the One True and Only
Church founded by Christ, The Roman Catholic Church. Any other profession
of faith is a false religion.
 Thus, the false ecumenism which sometimes encourages Catholics to parti-
cipate in other religious services, is contrary to Christ's teachings. 
Catholicism is the only religion that brings forth Christ's doctrine as
noted in John 1:10. 
 Malachi B. Martin in a recent article "The Judas Complex" defines this
complex as "the compromise of one's basic principles in order to fit in 
with the modes of thought and behavior that the world regards as nec-
essary for its vital interests." Judas had a different aganda from Christ.
Judas wanted things done his way because he thought he knew better than 
Christ. Betrayal of Christ does not only occur with thirty pieces of 
silver. Betrayal of Christ occurs when we hold false religions and false 
beliefs in high esteem. We too become traitors to Christ. To uphold false 
beliefs, as other religions do, is to mock Christ's revealed Truth and to
follow in Judas' footsteps.
 The only sound conclusion for all Roman Catholics is to respect only one
religion, the True religion founded by Christ Himself: the Roman Catholic
Church. To give esteem or regard to other false religions is to betray our
Savior as Judas betrayed Him with thirty pieces of silver.

To Refrain from Interfering With

 If respecting other religions means to refrain from interfering with 
other people's beliefs, then how do we reconcile Christ's words to His 
apostles before ascending into Heaven? "And Jesus coming spoke to them,
saying: All power is given to me in Heaven and on earth. Going therefore,
teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of 
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things what-
soever I have commanded you; and behold I am with you all days, even to
the consummation of the world." (Matt.28:18-20) 
 Christ's instructions were very clearly given to His apostles. They were
commanded to teach ALL (not some) nations ALL things (not some things) 
whatsoever Christ had commanded them to teach. That is, Christ gave them
the revealed truth and all His doctrines. The apostles were not told to
respect those nations or beliefs that held different beliefs from Christ's
teachings. Even Christ professed Truth to the elite Rabbis who rejected 
not only His teachings, but Christ as Son of God. Christ was crucified on
the cross because he did not compromise His teachings.
 The Post-Conciliar Church continues to focus on the similarities among
religions. Implicitly, the Church conveys a hush-hush about differences
among other religions. Thus, this second meaning of the word "respect" has
also gained wide support by the Catholic faithful. I find it most unchar-
itable to ignore those key differences that seperate some of our brothers
and sisters from complete union with the Catholic Church. While maintain-
ing this modern notion found throughout the Catholic Church, souls are 
being lost.
 Many of the early apostles, disciples and saints were martyred because
they did not respect other people's false religions and beliefs. They 
proclaimed the teachings and doctrines as Christ instructed them because
of their sincere and devout love for Christ.
 Let us recall how we sin against faith. "A person sins against faith, 
first, by not trying to know what God has taught; second, by refusing to
believe all that God has taught; third, by neglecting to profess his belief
in what God has taught" (Baltimore Catechism No. 4, p. 265). False worship
is against the First Commandment. " And now that we have the real sacrifice
it would be sinful to use only figures, (as in other religions) and it 
would be a false worship displesing to God...So, too, all tose who leave 
the Church to practice a religion of their own have a false worship, for
they worship God not as He wants, but as they wish" (Baltimore Catechism 
No. 4, p. 261).
 If more Catholics took the Oath against Modernism from the Motu Proprio
of St. Pius X, Sacrorum Antistitum (1910), our present state of affairs on
the respect for other religions would be a moot point. Our Holy Church has
been forewarned by Our Lady of Fatima. The Blessed Mother's Third Secret
has been kept hidden from the faithful for over thirty years. We can only
pray diligently for the Holy Father to consecrate RUSSIA to Holy Mary's
Immaculate Heart in union with all the Bishops of the world. After this
consecration takes place, the world will no longer doubt that the Catholic 
Church is the One True Church founded by Jesus Christ some two thousand
years ago.

Taken from:
 Catholic Family News
 M.P.O. Box 743
 Niagara Falls, N.Y. 14302
 Catholic Family News is published monthly - 12 issues per year. 
 Subscription price, $26.00 per year. Sample copy available upon
 request.

The articles below also were taken from Catholic Family News.




The Ecumenical Church of the Third Millenium

"We are still only in the early stages of Vatican II's ecumenical 
revolution. There are many more radical changes to come"

by John Vennari

Note: This is an edited transcript of a portion of the speech delivered
at the 3rd Annual Catholic Family News Conference.


 Our Lord Jesus Christ established one true Church, outside of which
there is no salvation. This has been taught from the very beginning.
Our Lord Himself decreed "He who believes and is baptized shall be
saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned." (Mark 16:
16)  Our Lord equates salvation with belief, that is, with accepting
the truths that He has revealed to us. We must be part of the Church
that Christ established in order to save our soul.
 There are countless Saints who have taught this doctrine without
ambiguity and without apology. If we wish to stand with the Saints,
we must stand with this doctrine.
 Just a few examples:
 ST. AUGUSTINE (d. 430) said "No man can find salvation except
in the Catholic Church. Outside the Catholic Church one can have
everything except salvation. One can have honor, one can have the
sacraments, one can sing alleluia, one can answer amen, one can
have faith in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Ghost and preach it too, but never can one find salvation except IN
the Catholic Church."  1
 ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT (d. 1716) said that "There is no salva-
tion outside the Catholic Church. Anyone who resists this truth peri-
shes."  2
 ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI (d. 1787) taught that "The Holy, 
Roman, Catholic, and Apostolic Church is the only true Church,
outside the pale of which no one can be saved."  3
 St. FRANCIS OF ASSISI taught this as well. Evev though St. Fran-
cis is the saint whom everyone loves, nevertheless this humble saint
was no ecumenical push-over, and was no liberal Catholic. He sol-
emnly stated: "All who have not believed that Jesus Christ was rea-
lly the Son of God are doomed. Also all who see the Sacrament of 
the Body of Christ and do not believe it is really the most holy Body
and Blood of the Lord...these also are doomed.!  4
 There are three ex cathedra papal pronouncements that outside
the Church there is no salvation. The most forceful and explicit of the 
three is from Pope Eugene IV (1431-1447) who infallibly taught at
the Council of Florence: "The Most Holy Roman Church firmly believes
professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Cath-
olic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews, heretics, and schism-
atics can ever be partakers of eternal life, but that they are to go
into the eternal fire "which was prepared for the devil and his ang-
els," (Mt. 25:41) unless before death they are joined with her; and 
that so important is the unity of this Ecclesiastical Body, that only
those remaining within this unity can profit from the sacraments of
the Church unto salvation, and that they alone can receive an eternal
recompense for their fasts, almsdeeds, and other works of Christian
piety and duties of a Christian soldier. No one, let his almsgiving
be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the
Name of Christ, can be saved unless they abide within the bosom and
unity of the Catholic Church." This has been the consistent teaching
of the Popes throughout the centuries. 5
  Why is this teaching so explicit? Because of the oft forgotten fact
that those who reject a portion of God's revealed truth are in a state
of heresy. And in the objective order, heresy is a sin. It is a sin 
against Faith.
  In fact, not only is heresy a sin, but tradition tells us that her-
esy is the greatest of all sins.
  The 1910 Catholic Encyclpedia contains a fascinating and lengthy 
entry about heresy. It quotes St. Thomas Aquinas' definition of heresy
as: "...a species of infidelity in men who, having professed the faith
of Christ, corrupt its dogmas." 6
  Regarding the gravity of the sin of heresy, the Encyclopedia 
teaches: "Heresy is a sin because of its nature, it is destructive of
the virtue of Christian faith. Its malice is to be measured therefore
by the excellence of the good gift of which it deprives the soul. Now
faith is the most precious possession of man, the root of his super-
natural life, the pledge of eternal salvation. Privation of faith is
therefore the greatest evil and deliberate rejection of faith  is the 
greatest sin." 7

"The Worst Enemies of the Church"

  In the 19th Century, there arose what came to be called "liberal-
Catholicism." It is the belief among Catholics that it is possible to
find salvation in any religion simply because one is sincere. Vener-
able Pope Pius IX called liberal Catholics "the worst enemies of the
Church." 8  Nevertheless, this sentimental religion spread like wild-
fire. 
  The Popes of the 19th and first half of the 20th Century combatted
this libeeralism with great vigor, but not enough Catholics paid heed.
In the 20th Century, the problem only grew worse. To make a very long
story short, at the Second Vatican Council, we witnessed the triumph
of liberal catholicism in the Church. The tenets of liberal Catholic-
ism became the guiding principles of the Vatican II revolution.
  One progressive theologian, who has the reputation of being a con-
servative, stated approvingly that at Vatican II, the Church redefined
its nature. 9 This redefinition of the Church was accomplished through
the calculated use of ambiguous language. 10 One of the most striking
examples is contained in the Council document, Lumen Gentium.
  Pope Pius XII, along with the consistent teaching of the Popes,
taught the Church of Christ IS the Catholic Church. 11 But at Vatican
II, the document Lumen Gentium teaches that the Church of Christ SUB-
SISTS in the Catholic Church. 12 The new, "accepted" understanding
that has emerged from using the word "SUBSIST," is that the Church of
Christ is not exclusively the Catholic Church, but the Church of 
Christ is actually bigger than the Catholic Church and includes the 
Catholic Church and other "Christian" denominations as well. 13
  Those who propogate this new definition attempt to justify the 
false idea that the Church of Christ comprises all denominations, inc-
luding Catholics and non-Catholics, by saying that we now have a DEEP-
ER UNDERSTANDING of what the Catholic Church is.
  In making this claim, they run contrary to the teaching of the 
First Vatican Council, which was dogmatic, infallible, and of a much
higher authority than the non-infallible PASTORAL Second Vatican Coun-
cil.
  Vatican I clearly taught that we may not disregard defined dogma in
the name of deeper understanding:
  "The meaning of Sacred Dogmas, which must always be preserved is 
that which our Holy Mother the Church has determined. Never is it per-
missible to depart from this in the name of a deeper understanding."14
  Yet this precisely what has been done in the so-called redefinition
of the Church that took place after Vatican II. They have departed
from defined dogma by appealing to a 'deeper understanding' of what
constitutes the Church of Christ. 
  Once they unlawfully redefine the Church and claim all denomina-
tions are in some way part of the Church of Christ, then all these
denominations should not be at war with each other, but must learn to
ecumenically cooperate with each other. Ecumenism is a necessary con-
sequence of this new (and false) definition of the Church.
  We all know what havoc has been wrought in the Catholic Church in
the name of ecumenism.
  The New Mass was formed in the spirit of ecumenism. It was written
with the help of six Protestant ministers.
  The New Code of Canon Law is sprinkled with ecumenical flavoring.
  The New Catechism of the Catholic Church is drenched in ecumenism.15
  Yet despite all the destruction that ecumenism has caused over the 
past 30 years--WE ARE STILL ONLY IN THE EARLY STAGES OF VATICAN II'S
ECUMENICAL REVOLUTION.

"A Long Way to Go"

 In April of 1997, there was a scandalous ecumenical fiasco at St.
Mary's Cathedral in Witchita, Kansas. The catholic Cathedral was all-
owed to be used by the Episcopal and Lutheran Churches to celebrate
their inter-communion in a religious service. catholic writer, Mary Jo
Heiland complained to the Canon Law Society of America about it. A 
priest from the Canon Law Society, Father Patrick Cogan, responded to
her letter and said that he completely disagreed with Mary Jo Heil-
and's outrage at the ecumenical event. After boasting that he was 
firmly committed to ecumenism, Cogan lamented:
 "I regret that so many of the teachings of Vatican II have yet to be
received or "filtered down" to the Christian faithful. 16
 At the 1985 Extraordinary Synod in Rome, Cardinal Basil Hume of Eng-
land had this to say:
 "There is still a long way to go before the teaching of the Council
enters fully into our Catholic bloodstream." 17
 Hence, we are only in the early stages of the Vatican II revolution. 
There are many more radical changes to come.
 In the name of ecumenism, the highest authorities in our Church want
to restructure the Papacy along ecumenical lines. 18 In the name of
ecumenism, there is talk of a "common martyrology" that includes 
"saints" from Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant denominations. 19
 In the name of ecumenism we have "The Balamand Declaration," which is
a joint statement between the Catholic Church and the Schismatic Orth-
odox that claims that Catholic and the Schismatic Orthodox are now
"Sister Churches" that should not proselytize each other. 20
 But the focus of this presentation is a Vatican document that was re-
leased about four years ago.

A New Ecumenical Directory

 In 1993, a document was issued from the Pontifical Council for Pro-
moting Christian Unity in Rome. It is called THE DIRECTORY FOR THE
APPLICATIONS OF THE PRINCIPLES AND NORMS OF ECUMENISM. It claims to
have the force of law, binding Catholics. But as we know, Catholics 
are only bound to obey laws that SERVE the Faith. We are never bound 
to obey laws that WORK AGAINST the Faith, because any law that works
against the Faith is not a true law.
 As will be demonstrated, this document is not going to promote or de-
fend Catholicism. It is a document for the propogation of ecumenism
at the EXPENSE of Catholicism. It will inuagurate another tidal wave
of ecumenical destruction. Itis a blueprint for futher dismantling of
the Catholic Church.
 This document calls for the application of ecumenism to be imposed
everywhere. By this document, there will be no place in the Church for
any one, or any organization, or any religious institutes, or any dio-
cesan office, or any seminary, or any lay organization that is not 
firmly commited to believing or practicing interfaith ecumenism. Not 
even grade-school children are exempt.
 It is this document that is the framework for the ecumenical Church
of the Third Millenium.

A New Doctrine
 
 Ecumenism, as practiced today, flies in the face of traditional Cath-
olic doctrine and practice. It places the one true religion establish-
ed by our Lord on the same base level with false, man-made religions--
something that the Popes throughout the centuries absolutely forbade
Catholics to do. (For example Pope Pius XI's Mortalium Animos which
condemned Ecumenism.)
 Ecumenism is a new doctrine. It runs contrary to Sacred Scripture,
contrary to 2000 years of Sacred tradition, contrary to defined dogma,
contrary to the teaching of all the Popes up until the time of the
Second Vatican Council.
 One of the greatest proofs that ecumenism is a new doctrine is found
right in the ecumenical Directory we will be quoting from. In the
Directory for the Application of the Principles and Norms of Ecumenism
there are 198 footnotes. Only nine of these are dated before the Sec-
ond Vatican Council. This is because there is nothing in Vatican II
teaching that supports ecumenism. Of the nine footnotes that date 
before Vatican II, one of them is a quote from St. Ambrose that has
nothing to do with ecumenism. The remaining eight footnotes are Bibl-
ical quotations, usually using Scripture in a way that the Catholic 
Church has never used it before. 21
 It is the dogmatic teaching of the Catholic Church that the duty of 
the Pope is not to promote a new doctrine (like ecumenism) but to 
faithfully preserve the traditional teaching. This is DE FIDE. When 
Vatican I defined Papal Infallibility, it taught: "The Holy Spirit was
not promised to the successor of Peter that by the revalation of the
Holy Spirit they might disclose new doctrine, but that by His help 
they might guard sacredly the revelation transmitted thriugh the Apos-
tles and the deposit of faith, and might faithfully set it forth. 22
 Today, however, we have new doctrines being taught that we must be on
guard against.
 A theologian named Father Joseph de Sainte-Marie, who died in 1985, 
was a loyal son of the reigning Pope. He collaborated with John Paul 
II on a number of occasions. But even he warned about the present 
state of confusion within the highest offices of the Church.
He said: "In our day,and it is one of the most obvious signs of the 
extraordinarily abnormal character of the current state of the Church,
it is very often the case that the acts of the Holy See demand of us
prudence and discernment. 23
 What Father de Sainte-Marie has told us, in a gentle, dignified and
elevated manner is that we have to be extremely careful these days
even from documents emanating from Rome.
 And if there is one document that demands our prudence and discern-
ment--and even our firm resistance--it is this ecumenical directory
which commands Catholics to think and act in a manner that the Church
has forbidden for two thousand years.
 An entire book could be written outlining all the problems in this
1993 Ecumenical Directory. For our purpose, we will only spotlight
some of the most troubling and alarming points.

The "Mandate"

 Early in this document, we are given what could be called the "man-
date" for ecumenism. Paragraph 22 states: "Those who are baptized in
the name of Christ are, by that very fact, called to commit themsel-
ves to the search for unity."
 One point must be made clear from the very beginning: CATHOLICS DO 
NOT SEARCH FOR UNITY. As Catholics, we possess the truth-- the div-
ine truth communicated by Christ through His Church. We can grow in
knowledge and understanding of that truth, but we don't search for 
it. the same thing applies to unity. Christ established His church 
as ONE. Since we have unity already, there is no need for Catholics
to join with others in a search for unity. There IS a need for Cat-
holics to work and pray for the conversion on non-Catholics into 
the one true Church. But that is not searching for unity--we are 
inviting others into that unity divinely established by Christ.
 Back in 1919, when the ecumenical movement was first getting star-
ted, among non-Catholics, the Protestant ecumenists wanted Pope 
Benedict XV to get the Catholic Church involved. Benedict XV polit-
ely declined. This clear-thinking Pope explained that although it 
was his earnest desire for one fold and one shepherd, it would be
impossible for the Catholic Church to join with others in search of
unity. As for the Church of Christ, he explained, it was already one,
and could not give the appearance of searching for itself or for its
own unity. 24
 So, Catholics do not search for unity -- we already have it. Yet
over and over again in this document we read that we have to SEARCH
for unity.
 The Directory says: "Where ecumenical work is not being done effect-
ively, Catholics will seek to promote it." {#23}
 Again, this is incorrect. Catholics are not bound to work for ecum-
enical unity. A Catholic's duty is to grow in holiness, fulfill his
duties of state, defend the truth and combat error, especially the 
error that is contained in false religions, and to work and pray for
the conversion of non-believers into the one true Church.
 The document then calls for a "...change of heart and holiness of 
life, along with public and private prayer for the unity of Christians
...this is what Vatican II regards as 'the soul of the ecumenical 
movement." [#25]
 We see this scattered throughout the entire document -- a call for a
"change of heart", or "renewal of attitudes." In other words, we are
expected to cast aside the defined truths of the faith regarding the
one true Church of Christ in the name of ecumenism. That is really 
what is being said. A call for a "change of heart" and "renewal of 
attitudes" amounts to a call for a new mind-set.
 It should also be noted that throughout this entire document, the 
drafters have inserted a number of what appears to be "safeguards".
There are little guardrails here and there that give the IMPRESSION
that ecumenism does not threaten the integrity of the faith. The doc-
ument contains warnings against "indifferentism" and cautions against
playing down or diminishing Catholic truth. These are actually useless
warnings calculated to neutralize the unthinking from objecting to 
this document. THE ENTIRE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT PROMOTES INDIFFERENTISM
AND PLAYS DOWN AND DIMINISHES CATHOLIC TRUTH. So these apparent "safe-
guards" really mean nothing. 
 We especially know this because the documents of the Second Vatican
Council had these little safeguards too. But when the revolution gets
rolling, all those guardrails are ploughed under. Vatican II's Consti-
tution on the Liturgy clearly states that Gregorian Chantis to be 
given "pride of place", 25 "the use of the Latin language is to be 
preserved in Latin rites." 26 etc. All that is cast aside when the 
cruel tyranny of aggiornamento takes over.
 Likewise, the "safeguards" in this document will mean very little 
oncethe principles of this Directory become more and more implemented.

Ecumenism in Every Diocesan Structure

 There is a section entitled "The Organization in the Catholic Church
of the Service of Christian Unity". It is dedicated to working ecu-
menism into the structure of the Church.
 On the diocesan level, the Directory states that each diocese is to 
have a diocesan ecumenical officer that will preside over a diocesan
ecumenical commission. It is also noted that a number of dioceses may
pool togetherand have one ecumenical commission that encompasses a 
group of dioceses. [#'s 44-49]
 The purpose of the ecumenical officer and commission is to oversee
and promote ecumenism and ecumenical dialogue within every diocese.
This is a means of firmly embedding ecumenism into every diocesan
structure. 
 The document then calls for ecumenism to be firmly imbedded in relig-
ious life: convents, monasteries, religious houses. Now, religious are
men and women who have left the world to consecrate their lives to 
Christ through the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obed-
ience. These poor consecrated souls will have their Catholic peace 
shattered by being forced to engage in ecumenism.
 The directory commands that religiuos (monks,nuns,brothers,sisters)
should get involved with the ecumenical movement by organizing meet-
ings among "Christians" of various churches for liturgical prayer
(praying in common), spiritual exercises [#50c]. They are encouraged 
to maintain relations with monasteries or religious communities of
schismatic or Protestant denominations [#50d].
 They are also told to "conduct their varied educational institutions
with a view to ecumenical activity" [#50e]. This means that teaching-
orders will be spouting ecumenism to their students. Implicit in all
this is that it may be nearly impossible for a faithful religious to
teach students that there is only one true Church outside of which
there is no salvation.
 The religious are called upon to collaborate with other denominations
in areas of common work for social justice, economic development, pro-
gress in health and education, the safeguarding of creation (in other
words, environmentalism) and peace and reconciliation among nations 
and communities {#50f}. Often times this document sounds like some-
thing that came right out of the United Nations.
 Religious houses must also now provide an "ecumenical formation" for
their members[#51]. Young people going into religious life will have 
to be taught a new concept of the Church and will be formed in ecum-
enism. 
 Our Lord taught that "narrow is the way" that leads to salvation.
Ecumenism teaches that WIDE ARE THE WAYS that lead to salvation. Yet
this is how the religious of the Third Millenium shall be formed. They
will be formed in the principles of liberalism.

A New Clergy

 There is a section on the formation of priests. This is very serious
because, as Scripture says, if the salt loses its flavor, it is good
for nothing. Likewise, if the Catholic priesthood becomes ecumenical,
then in most places in the world, Catholicism will evaporate-because
the Faith is taught to us through the priests. But if the priests are
trained in liberal doctrines, they will not know true doctrine, they
will have no defense against the poison of error, and by their false
teaching and bad example, they will lead the faithful out of Catholic-
ism into a new ecumenical "common-Christianity". 
 Before Vatican II, all the Popes were of one accord in commanding 
that bishops must ensure that their seminarians, their future priests,
were thoroughly trained to adhere to the purity of Catholic doctrine.
Purity of doctrine was always paramount. And purity of doctrine neces-
sitates not only adhering to the truth, but also uncompromising refut-
ation of error. That's all gone. This Directory commands that priests
become thoroughly ecumenical.
 It says that priests are to be formed in the ecumenical spirit. They
are to be formed with "a capacity for dialogue so as to acquire an au-
thentically ecumenical disposition" [#70]. Once again, we see the 
REMOVAL of the Catholic mind-set and the adoption of the ecumenical
mind-set.
 The Directory says that Episcopal conferences (bishops) must ensure
that plans of study for seminarians give an ecumenical dimension to 
each subject, and provides especially for the study of ecumenism[#72].
 Paragraph 76 states that "ecumenical openness is a constitutive dime-
nsion of the formation of future priests and deacons." In other words,
ecumenism is an essential ingredient in the make-up of the future
priest. If you're not ecumenical, you're not going to get ordained.
 The directory calls for "Specific courses in ecumenism"-and says that
these courses "should be compulsory" [#79].
 We then move from ecumenical study to ecumenical practice in the sem-
inaries.
 The Directory encourages seminaries to INVITE NON-CATHOLICS TO LECT-
URE AT THE SEMINARY [#81] and also encourages meetings with seminar-
ians and theology students of false religions [#83].
 It is not hard to imagine how warped these men will turn out after 
spending six years in this type of environment. This is also a means
of weeding out seminarians who are opposed to ecumenism-they will 
leave the seminary rather than compromise themselves. Hence, only the
ecumenical will be ordained.
 Now, what about after their ordination?
 Paragraph #91 calls for "CONTINUOUS AGGIORNAMENTO OF ORDAINED MINIST-
ERS AND PASTORAL WORKERS IN VIEW OF THE CONTINUAL EVOLUTION WITHIN THE
ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT." The key words here are "continual evolution."
the whole movement will keep evolving-not towards Catholicism. It will
become more radical with Catholicism becoming increasingly marginal-
ized. This Directory unlawfully commands that priests must be involved
with this continual updating.
 The Directory tells priests that it is good to invite ministers of
other religions to discuss pastoral problems that are common to all
[#91a]. It also encourages interconfessional meetings aimed at impro-
ving relations and trying to resolve pastoral problems together[91b].
The Directory further states that there should be interconfessional
sharing of elements of spirituality held in common[91e]. This is plac-
ing the one true religion of Jesus Christ on the same level as false,
man-made religions.

Ecumenical Formation for ALL the Faithful Including Children

 The Directory calls for "Ecumenical Formation of All the Faithful" in
the Catholic Church. It says: "All the faithful are called upon to 
make a personal commitment toward promoting and increasing communion
with other Christians [#55]." We have already covered why this notion
is wrong. The Catholic is called upon to sanctify his soul and to work
for the conversion of non-Catholics. But conversion is not the goal
here. Again and again, this document discourages Catholics from any
sort of proselytizing. 28
 As for the laity, the Directory says that "the objective of ecumen-
ical formation is that all Christians be animated by the ecumenical
spirit" [58]. The goal of this document is for everybody to be ecume-
nical, including children. 
 Paragraph #61 states that catechesis should have an ecumenical dimen-
sion - that children and young people must receive an ecumenical form-
ation in catechesis.
 It teaches that "schools of every kind and grade should give an 
ecumenical dimension to their religious teaching" [68], and that 
schools should contain "education for dialogue, peace and personal
relationships" [68]. Again it sounds more like training for the Uni-
ted Nations.
 Further on, the document teaches that "groups, associations and eccl-
esial movements should be imbued with a solid ecumenical spirit" [69].
This will have direct implications on such groups as the Third Order
of St. Francis, Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus, etc.

Ecumenism and the Parish Church

 The Parish Church has also received a new mandate.
 The document states that "the great task of the parish is to educate
its members in the ecumenical spirit" [67]. It urges the parish to 
plan ecumenical activity and to collaborate with non-Catholics in var-
ious areas. All sorts of previously condemned activities will now be 
encouraged and permitted to take place in the parish.
 The Directory recommends "SHARING SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES"
[102-103] in which Catholics are encouraged to join in prayer with 
non-Catholics [108]. They are encouraged to have common prayer servi-
ces and shared liturgical worship in each other's Churches [112]. In 
these joint activities, ministers of various religious are encouraged
to wear their own religious garb [113]. This is an in-your-face expr-
ession of "unity in diversity."
 Spiritual sharing is recommended, that is, commondays of recollection
and "common spiritual exercises" with false religions [114].
 Also, the bishop may now permit a member of another religion to take
on the task of reading in Catholic Churches [133]. Any one who attends
the parish church may now see a Baptist, etc. in the sanctuary reading
the epistle. Not only is this a further development not only of ecum-
enism, but also of "lay ministries." The lay ministries of lay Cathol-
ics is now expanding to lay ministries for NON-CATHOLICS within the 
Catholic Church. Likewise, the document gives a green light for Cath-
olics to serve as readers in non-Catholic services [118].
 Paragraph #137 permits Catholics, with the approval of the bishop, TO
LEND OUT THEIR PARISH CHURCHES TO NON-CATHOLICS. So don't be surprised
if you find out that your bishop has allowed your parish Church to be
used by a group of Methodists, Baptists, etc. for their prayer servi-
ces.
 But this is not the worst of it.
 In Paragraph #138, a revolutionary precedent is set. It reads: "THE
SHARED OWNERSHIP OR USE OF A CHURCH PREMISES OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD
OF TIME MAY BE A MATTER OF PRACTICAL INTEREST.
 There you have it. THIS DOCUMENT CALLS FOR A SINGLE CHURCH TO BE OWN-
ED AND USED BY BOTH CATHOLICS AND NON-CATHOLICS.
 And what about the Blessed Sacrament in these churches? The Directory
counsels that in these shared churches, in deference to the sensibil-
ities of non-Catholics, the Blessed Sacrament should be placed in a 
seperate chapel or a seperate room. [139]. In other words, Catholic 
leaders are calling upon Catholics to get the Blessed Sacrament out of
this common church because it irritates infidels.
 This is catering to disbelief. It is the cuddling and pampering of
sins against the one true Faith. It is the promotion of a brand new
religion.

A Quick Run Through The Sacraments

 The section on the sacraments will be covered quickly.
 The Directory allows Protestants who have not converted to receive 
the Eucharist in certain limited circumstances [131] and to go to con-
fession in certain limited circumstances [129].
 There is also a section on mixed marriages that is simply atrocious.
In this Directory, as well as the New Code of Canon Law, the non-Cath-
olic spouse no longer has to promise to raise the children Catholic.
The document states its preference that the children be raised Cath-
olic, but the non-Catholic no longer has to promise to do so. [150].
 It must be remembered that the primary purpose of marriage is the be-
getting and education of children. According to the consistent teach-
ing of the Popes throughout the ages, these children must be educated
as members of Christ-that is as Catholics.30 Also in a mixed marriage,
the Catholic spouse is bound to work and pray for the conversion of 
the non-Catholic into the one true Catholic Church.31 This Ecumenical
Directory is unfaithful to the tradiritional Catholic teaching regard-
ing mixed-marriages.
 The directory states that, if there is a mixed marriage, a Catholic
priest or deacon may take part in the marriage ceremony that is cele-
brated in a non-Catholic Church [157]. Likewise, at a mixed marriage,
the priest may invite the non-Catholic minister to be present at the
Catholic wedding. The non-Catholic clergy person (I say this because
these days, it may be a woman-it may be a Methodist ministerette) may
conduct a reading, may give a brief exhortation, and give a "blessing"
to the bride and groom [158].
 In the section on Baptism, the document states that a non-Catholic 
minister may not participate in the actual baptizing, but he may join 
in the ceremony by conducting a reading or offering a prayer [97]. A
non-Catholic cannot be a godparent for a Catholic yet, but he can be a
witness and vice-versa [98a].
 The Directory concludes by encouraging:
 *Catholics to become involved with Councils of Churches and Christian
Councils.
 *Ecumenical Dialogue
 *Common Bible Work-where Catholics and non-Catholics should produce
joint publications of the Bible [185]. It also encourages Catholics 
to take part in Bible Study with non-Catholics [186]. In other words,
it is encouraging Catholics to recklessly endanger their faith.
 St. John Damascene always used to pray before he studies the writings
of the heretics because he knew that he too could fall into heretical
ideas and imperil his soul. Contrary to the example of the saints,
this Directory promotes Catholics and non-Catholics to study Scripture
together, without giving Catholics any warning to the dangers of being
infected with heresy.
 The Directory further calls for:
 *Ecumenical Cooperation in Catechesis.
 *Pastoral Cooperation in certain areas.
 *Cooperation in Mission Activity.
 *Ecumenical Cooperation in Social and Cultural Life.
 Under the heading "Cooperation in Missionary Activity," there is a 
statement about the supposed NON-NECESSITY of the conversion of non-
Catholic: "Catholics would want all who are called to Christian faith
to join with them in that fulness of communion they believe to exist
in the Catholic Church, yet they recognize that in the Providence of 
God some will live out their Christian lives in Churches and ecclesial
Communities that do not provide such full communion. They should be
careful to respect the lively faith of other Churchres and ecclesial
Communities which preach the Gospel, and rejoice in the grace of God
that is at work in them [206].
 Rejoice in the grace of God that is at work in them?
 In his 1864 Syllabus of error, Venerable Pope Pius IX taught that it
is AN ERROR to entertain good hope for the salvation of those who live
and die outside the catholic Church [Proposition 18]. It is consistent
papal teaching that in the objective order, we can't even entertain 
GOOD HOPE for the salvation of those who live and die ouside the 
Church.
 Further, when Pope Pius X condemned the Sillon in 1910, he taught:
"Catholic doctrine tells us that the primary duty of charity does not
lie in the toleration of false ideaas, however sincere they may be, 
nor in theoretical or practical indifference towards errors and vices
in which we see our brethren plunged, but in zeal for the intellectual
and moral improvement as wellas for their material well-being." 32
 Yet this Directory tells us  that if non-Catholics refuse to convert,
we should rejoice anyway. It is implicitly teaching the false doctrine
that it really doesn't matter whether they convert or not.
 Such then is a brief overview of this 1993 Ecumenical Directory.

"We Don't Know Where We're Going"

 One of the most disturbing factors about today's ecumenical movement
is that even our Church leaders seem to be in a fog as to where they
are headed. 
 Cardinal Ratzinger himself admitted this when he remarked: "...the 
end of all ecumenical effort is to attain the true unity of the Church
...for the momemt, I wouldn't dare venture to suggest any concrete
realization, possible or imaginable, of this future Church...We are at
an intermediate stage of unity in diversity. 33
 This is a horrifying statement. In essence, he is saying, "We don't 
know where we're going."
 Notice too, whenever you read any of these ecumenical documents, inc-
luding this 1993 Directory, we are never clearly told the final con-
struct that they are working towards. We are told that we have to be 
involved with ecumenism, but we are never told what this future ecum-
enical church is going to look like. We're kept completely in the 
dark.
 Back in 1910, however, Pope St. Pius X was certainly not in the dark.
He knew exactly what wasbeing planned. When Pius X condemned the Sil-
lon, which was a catholic movement in France that held many of the
errors similar to today-particularly in regard to intr-denominational
unity-Pius X warnedthat this whole operation is part of: "...a great
movement of apostasy being organized in every country for the estab-
lishment of a One World church which shall have neither dogmas, nor
hierarchy, nor discipline of the mind, nor curb for the passions, and
which, under the pretext of freedom and human dignity, would bring 
back to the world the reign of legalized cunning and force, the oppr-
ession of the weak, and of those who toil and suffer. 34
 St. Pius X, a TRULY prophetic Pope, foresaw this in 1910.
 And what do we have now? We have forces openly working for the estab-
lishment of this One World church of apostasy. And one of the great
apostles of this One World church (that mingles all religions) is the
so-called "Catholic theologian" Hans Kung who was one of the principal
architects of the great ecumenical updating that took place at Vatican
II.35 The One World church of apostasy is the logical conclusion of
interfaith ecumenism.

Remain Faithful to Tradition

 In closing, we must remember that ecumenism is a new doctrine contr-
ary to 2,000 years of Catholic teaching that is working continual des-
truction on the Catholic Church. In the face of this, Catholics have a
duty to firmly resist ecumenism in all its varied and evolving forms.
No authority in the Church, no matter how well-meaning, no matter how
highly-placed, may lawfully command a Catholic to take part in any 
movement that wars against defined dogma and the purity of the Faith.
 Our duty is to remain faithful to the unchanging teaching and tradit-
ion of the Holy Catholic Church. On this point, St. Vincent of Lerins
has given us firm direction: "What shall a Catholic do if some port-
ion of the Church detaches itself from communion of the universal 
Faith? What other choice can he make if some new contagion attempts to
poison, no longer a small part of the Church, but the whole Church at
once, then his great concern will be to attach himself to antiquity
which can no longer be led astray by any lying novelty" 36

Footnotes:

1) Sermo ad Caesarienis Ecclesia plebem.
2) Cited from Hail Mary, Full of Grace, Still River, MA 1957, p.107
3) Instructions on Commandments and Sacraments.
4) Jorgensen, Johannes, St. Francis of Assissi, (London, Longman Green
Co., 1906).
5) Anyone wishing a list of 33 quotations from the Popes throughout 
the ages reaffirming this doctrine, please send a self-addressed 
stamped business envelope to Catholic Family News.
6) Summa, II-II Q. Xi a. 1 -cite from Catholic Encyclopedia, (Robert
Appleton Co., New York, 1910) Vol. VII, p.256.
7) Ibid, p.257
8) Lefebvre, They Have Uncrowned Him, (Angelus Press, Kansas City, 
1988), p. 222.
9) Wojtyla, Sign of Contradiction, original Italian edition, p. 26.
10) For thorough examination of the deliberate ambiguities in Vatican
II, see In the Murky Waters of Vatican II, by Atila Sinke Guimaraes,
especially Chapters III and IV, available from catholic Family News,
see ad on page 11.
11) See Pope John's Council, Michael Davies, (Angelus Press, Kansas
City,) pp.60-61.
12) Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, 8.
13) The progressive Father Avery Dulles,S.J. expounds on this novelty.
"The Church of Jesus Christ is not exclusively identical with the 
Romanb Catholic Church. It does indeed subsist within Roman Catholic-
ism, but it is also present in varying modes and degrees in other
Christian communities to the extent that they too are faithful to what
God initiated in Jesus and are obedient to the inspirations of 
Christ's Spirit. As a result of their common sharing in the reality of
the one Church, the several Christian communities already have a real
but imperfect communion." -taken from Toward Vatican III, The Work
That Needs to Be Done-edited by: David Tracy with Hans Kung and Johann
B. Metz, (Concilium, Seabury Press, NY, 1978) p. 91
14) Vatican I, session III, Chap. IV, Faith and Reason.
15) Consult Is the 'New Catechism' a Source of Hope? by John Vennari.
Audio cassette available for $7.50 postpaid from Oltyn Library Serv-
ices, 2316 Delaware Ave, Suite 325, Buffalo, NY 14216.
16) Correspondence from Fr. Cogan (Canon Law Association) to Mary Jo
Heiland, June 26, 1997.
17) Origins (NC Documentary News Service,Washington,D.C.)Dec.19,1985
18) Ut Unum Sint, #95.
19) Ibid., #84
20) For a brief overview of this unprecedented Declaration, see Chap-
ter IX of Fatima Priest by Francis Alban, available from Good Counsel
Publications, P.O. Box 203, Pound Ridge, NY 10578, $9.97+$3.25 postage
21) For a fuller explanation, consult the lecture The Ecumenical 
Church of The Third Millenium by John Vennari.
22) Vatican I, Session IV, Chapter IV.
23) Cited from Apropos,Isle of Skye,Scotland,Issue No.16,1994,p.5.
24) Catholic Ecyclopedia for School and Home, McGraw Hill, New York,
1965, Vol. 3, p.670.
25) Vatican II, Sacrosanctum concilium, #36.
26) Ibid., #116
27) Consult E Supremi by St. Pius X.
28) The Directory for the Applications of the Principle and Norms of
Ecumenism, #23,79,81,125.
30) See the Kingship of Christ and Organized Naturalism, by Father 
Dennis Fahey for Papal quotes that stress this imperative. (Regina
Publications, Dublin, 1943), pp. 18-21.
31) The Handbook of Moral Theology by Father Dominic Prummer, O.P.
teaches "The non-Catholic party must promise to remove all danger of
perversions of the Catholic party, and both parties proomise that all
their children shall be baptized and brought up as Catholics: such
promises are normally made in writing." -and- "The Catholic party (in
a mixed marriage) must prudently endeavor to convert the non-Catholic
partner (c. 1602), e.g., by prayer, by the good example of a Christian
life, by exhortation, etc." (P.J. Kennedy & Sons,New York,1955)p.430.
32) Cited from Against the Heresies, (Angelus Press, 1997) p.263.
33) Cited from "Ecumenical Leprosy", Fr. Phillipe Marcille, The Angel-
us, March, 1994, p.24.
34) Pope St. Pius X, "Our Apostolic Mandate", (Instauratio Press)p.21.
Available from Catholic Family News.
35) See the articles on the One World Church and Global Ethic by
Corneilia Ferreira in Catholic Family News issues: October, 1996; June
1997; July, 1997; November, 1997.
36) St. Vincent of Lerins + ca.445, a.d., op. cit. A Theological 
Vindication of Roman Catholic Traditionalism (1st edition), Father 
Paul Kramer, (Manilla, 1995) p. 79.

(Footnotes did not list a no. 29.)

The Rosary: A School of Contemplation
  by Father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. (August, 1998 issue)


   From among the many customary devotions to Our Lady, such as the 
Angelus, the Office of the Blessed Virgin, The Rosary, we shall speak 
especially of the last in so far as it prepares us for and leads us 
up to contemplation of the great mysteries of salvation. After Holy 
Mass, it is one of the most beautiful and efficacious forms of prayer,
on condition of understanding it and living it. 
   It sometimes happens that its recitation--reduced to that of five 
mysteries--becomes a matter of routine. The mind, not being really 
gripped by the things of God, finds itself prey to distractions. Some-
times the prayer is said hurriedly and soullessly. Sometimes it is 
said for the purpose of obtaining temporal favors, desired out of all
relation to spiritual gain. When a person says the Rosary in such a way,
he may well ask himself in what way his prayer is like that of which
Pope Leo XIII spoke in his encyclicals on the Rosary, and about which
Pope Pius XI wrote one of his last apostolic letters. 
 It is true that to pray well it is sufficient to think in a general
way of God and of the graces for which one asks. But to make the most
out of our five mysteries, we should remember that they constitute but
a third of the whole Rosary, and that they should be accompanied by
meditation-which can be very simple-on the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glor-
ious Mysteries, which recall the whole life of Jesus and Mary and their
glory in Heaven. 
 The fifteen mysteries of the Rosary thus divided into three groups are
but different aspects of the three great mysteries of our salvation:
The Incarnation, The Redemption, Eternal Life.
 The Mystery of the Incarnation is recalled by the joys of the Annunci-
ation, the Visitation, the Birth of the Savior, the Presentation in the
Temple, and His finding among the doctors. The mystery of the Redemp-
tion is recalled by the different stages of the Passion: the Agony in 
the garden, the Scourging, the Crowning with thorns, the Carrying of 
the Cross, the Crucifixion. The mystery of eternal life is recalled by
the Resurrection, the Ascension, Pentecost, the Assumption of Our Lady
and her crowning as Queen of Heaven.
 Thus, the Rosary is a Credo: not an abstract one, but one concretized
in the life of Jesus Who came down to us from the Father and Who ascen-
ded to bring us back with Himself to the Father. It is the whole of 
Christian dogma in all its splendor and elevation, brought to us that 
we may fillour minds with it, that we may relish it and nourish our 
souls with it.
 This makes the Rosary a true school of contemplation. It raises us
gradually above vocal prayer and even above reasoned out or discursive
meditation. Early theologians have compared the movement of the soul 
in contemplation to the spiral in which certain birds-the swallow, for
example-move when they wish to attain a great height. 1 The Joyful Mys-
teries lead to the Passion, and the Passion to the door of Heaven. The
Rosary well understood is, therefore, a very elevated form of prayer
which makes the whole of dogma accessible to all.
 The Rosary is also a very practical form of prayer for it recalls all
Christian morality and spirituality by presenting them from the sublime
point of view of their realization in Jesus and Mary. The mysteries of
the Rosary should be reproduced in our lives. Each of them is a lesson 
in some virtue-particularly in the virtues of humility, trust, patience
and charity.
 There are three stages in our progress towards God. The first is to 
have knowledge of the final end, whence comes the desire of salvation
and the joy to which that desire gives rise. This stage is symbolized
in the Joyful Mysteries which contain the good news of the Incarnation
of the Son of God Who opens to us the way of salvation. The next stage
is to adopt the means-often painful to nature-to be delivered from sin 
and to merit Heaven. This is the stage of the Sorrowful Mysteries. The 
final stage is that of rest in the possession of eternal life. It is 
the stage of Heaven, of which the Glorious Mysteries allow us some an-
ticipated glimpse.
 The Rosary is therefore most practical. It takes us from the midst of
our too human interests and joys and makes us think of those which cen-
ter on the the coming of the Savior. It takes us from our meaningless 
fears, from the sufferings we bear so badly, and reminds us of how much
Jesus has suffered for love of us and teaches us to follow Him by bear-
ing the cross which Divine Providence has sent us to purify us. It 
takes us finally from our earthly hopes and ambitions and makes us 
think of the true object of Christian hope-eternal life and the graces
necessary to arrive there.
 The Rosary is more than a prayer of petition. It is a prayer of ador-
ation inspired by the thought of the Incarnate God, a prayer of repar-
ation in memory of the Passion of our Savior, a prayer of thanksgiving
that the Glorious Mysteries continue to reproduce themselves in the un-
interrupted entry of the elect into glory.

The Rosary and Contemplative Prayer

 A more simple and still more elevated way of reciting the Rosary is,
while saying it, to keep the eyes of Faith fixed on the living Jesus
Who is always making intercession for us and Who is acting upon us in
accordance with the mysteries of His childhood, or His Passion, or His
glory. He comes to us to make us like Himself. Let us fix our gaze on
Jesus Who is looking at us. His look is more than kind and understand-
ing: it is the look of God, a look which purifies, which sanctifies,
which gives peace. It is the look of our Judge and still more the look
of our Savior, our Friend, the Spouse of our souls. A Rosary said in 
this way, in solitude and silence, is a most fruitful exchange with
Jesus. It is a conversation with Mary too, which leads to intimacy with
Her Son.
 We sometimes read in the lives of the saints that Our Blessed Lord
reproduced in them first His childhood, then His hidden life, then His
apostolic life, and finally His Passion, before allowing them to share
in His glory. He comes to us in a similar way in the Rosary and, well
said, it is a prayer which gradually takes the form of an intimate con-
versation with Jesus and Mary. It is easy to see how saintly souls have
found in it a school of contemplation.
 It has sometimes been objected that one cannot reflect on the words 
and the mysteries at the same time. An answer that is often given is 
that it is not necessary to reflect on the words if one is meditating
on or looking spiritually at one of the mysteries. The words are a kind
of melody which soothes the ear and isolates us from the noise of the 
world around us, the fingers being occupied meanwhile in allowing one
bead after another to slip through. Thus, the imagination is kept tran-
quil and the mind and the will are set free to be united to God.
 It has also been objected that the monotony of the many repetitions in
the Rosary leads necessarily to routine. This objection is valid only
if the Rosary is said badly. If well said, it familiarizes us with the
different mysteries of salvation and recalls what these mysteries 
should produce in our joys, our sorrows, and our hopes. Any prayer can
become a matter of routine-even the Ordinary of the Mass. The reason is
not that the prayers are imperfect, but that we do not say them as we 
should-with faith, confidence and love.

The Spirit of the Rosary as St. Dominic Conceived It

 To understand the Rosary better it is well to recall how St. Dominic
conceived it under the inspiration of Our Lady at a time when southern
Francewas ravaged by the Albigensian heresy-a heresy which denied the 
infinite goodness and omnipotence of God by admitting a principle of
evil which was often victorious. Not only did Albigensianism attack
Christian morality, but it was opposed to dogma as well-to the great
mysteries of creation, the redemptive incarnation, the descent of the
Holy Ghost, the eternal life to which we are called.
 It was at that moment that Our Blessed Lady made known to St. Dominic
a kind of preaching till then unknown, which She said would be one of
the most powerful weapons against future errors and in future diffic-
ulties. Under Her inspiration, St. Dominic went into the village of 
the heretics, gathered the people, and preached to them the mysteries
of salvation-the Incarnation, the Redemption, Eternal Life. As Mary 
had taught him to do, he distinguished the different kinds of myster-
ies, and after each short instruction he had ten Hail Marys recited-
somewhat as might happen even today at a Holy Hour. And what the word
of the preacher was unable to do, the sweet prayer of the Hail Mary
did for hearts. As Mary had promised, it proved to be a most fruitful
form of preaching. 2
 If we live by the prayer of which St. Dominic's preaching is the ex-
ample, our joys, our sorrows, and our hopes will be purified, elevated,
and spiritualized. We shall see that Jesus, Our Savior and Our Model,
wishes to make us like Himself, first communicating to us something of
His infant and hidden life, then something of His sorrows, and finally
making us partakers of His glorious life for all eternity.

Taken from The Mother of the Savior and Our Interior Life, Tan Books;
available from Catholic Family News.

Footnotes:

1. Cf. IIa IIae, q. 180, a 6. The spiral movement lifts itself up to 
God progressively by the consideration of the different mysteries of
salvation, all of which lead to Him.
2. The first fruit of the Rosary was the victory of Simon of Montfort
over the Albigensians, obtained while St. Dominic implored Mary's help
in prayer.
 
 

This is taken from the 'Letters to the Editor' section of the Catholic
Family News November 1999 issue.

Diocese of Rockville Centre to "Permit" Communion for Non-Catholics

Dear Editor,
 I have heard that a diocese in Eastern New York is going to "permit"
non-Catholics to receive Communion "under certain circumstances." Can
you tell me anything about this?

J. Reid
Youngstown, OH

Dear Mr. Reid,
 The October 6th Long Island Catholic, the diocesan newspaper for the
Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York, announced that "new guidelines"
concerning Communion for non-Catholics "will become effective in Adv-
ent of this year".
 The newspaper reported "Bishop McGann has announced new norms for 
non-Catholic Christians to be permitted under special circumstances to
receive the Holy Eucharist from Catholic priests, deacons or special
ministers."
 The "special circumstances" under which non-Catholics would be able
to receive Communion include a non-Catholic "Christian" being married
at a Catholic Mass, people confined to a hospital, nursing home or 
prison, and close family members at a Catholic funeral.
 The norms "underwent several revisions after much consultation with
Bishop McGann, coadjutor Bishop James McHugh" (formerly from the Cam-
den diocese) and others in McGann's chancery.
 One diocesan official attempted to deflect any criticism of the new
guidelines stating "this is simply a local application under limited
circumstances set by Catholic Church law, specifically the 1983 Rev-
ised Code of Canon Law and the 1993 Directory for the Application of
the Principles and Norms of Ecumenism."
 In previous issues of Catholic Family News, we have reported exten-
sively on this new Directory. It is a revolutionary document that will
eventually transform the Catholic Church into an entirely new ecumen-
ical construct since it "mandates ecumenism into every aspect of Cath-
olic life. The Directory, the latest milestone in the ecumenical rev-
olution, proposes practices that defy 2,000 years of Catholic teach-
ing.
 This 1993 Vatican Directory contains the revolutionary ruling that 
unrepentant non-Catholics may receive the Eucharist "in certain circ-
umstances." It even states that it can sometimes be "commendable" for
non-Catholics to receive Communion. [#129]
 In the Directory's section on "Sharing in Sacramental Life, Especial-
ly the Eucharist", the Vatican Directory "permits" non-Catholics to
receive the Eucharist in danger of death. [#130] Then, it FURTHER
RECOMMENDS (it doesn't command) that the Bishop set up norms for other
instances where non-Catholics may receive Communion. [#131] The four
conditions laid down by the Vatican are that the non-Catholic:
 1) be unable to have recourse to a minister of his or her own church
or ecclesial Community for the Sacrament desired;
 2) ask for the Sacrament of his or her own initiative;
 3) manifest Catholic faith in this Sacrament;
 4) be properly disposed.
 YET, NONE OF THESE PROGRESIVE CONDITIONS SATISFY THE DEMANDS OF CATH-
OLIC TEACHING REGARDING WORTHY RECEPTION OF THE EUCHARIST:
 FIRSTLY, the inability of non-Catholics to receive "sacraments" from
their own heretical ministers does not suddenly transform a non-
Catholic into the state of grace fit to receive Communion.
 SECONDLY, traditional Church teaching, manifested in the old Code of
Cannon Law, strictly forbade the administration of Sacraments to here-
tics and schismatics who ask for them, even if they err in good faith.
The Old Code taught: "IT IS FORBIDDEN TO GIVE SACRAMENTS TO HERETICS
OR SCHISMATICS WHO ASK FOR THEM, EVEN IF THEY ERR IN GOOD FAITH, UN-
LESS THEY FIRST REJECT THEIR ERRORS AND ARE RECONCILED TO THE CHURCH"
(Canon 731,2). This teaching is unalterable because it rests not on
changeable legislation, but on immutable Catholic doctrine.
 THIRDLY, manifesting Catholic faith in the Sacrament is not enough
for a worthy Communion. A soul in mortal sin may hold and express 
Catholic belief in the Sacraments, but he still may not receive. The 
Council of Trent teaches infallibly, "If anyone says that Faith alone
is a sufficient preparation for receiving the Sacrament of the most
holy Eucharist: let him be ANATHEMA."
 FOURTHLY, in the objective order, it is impossible for a non-Catholic 
to be "properly disposed" to receive the Eucharist since he is not a
member of the One True Church. Yet these new rulings clearly indicate
that Communion can be given to non-Catholics WHO HAVE NO INTENTION of
joining the one true Catholic Church.
 Intercommunion is yet another outrage thanks to the modernist doct-
rine of ecumenism. It is no wonder that when Pius XI condemned all
interfaith activity in his 1926 encyclical, MORTALIUM ANIMOS, he war-
ned that "these fair and alluring words (of ecumenism) conceal a most
deadly error, subversive to the Catholic Faith". Tragically, since 
1958 we are no longer blessed with Church leaders who manfully hurl 
cold buckets of rebuke into ecumenism's fatuous grin. Worst still, we
find that our own Churchmen have now adopted ecumenism's shallow smile
and poisonous touch. 
 Since Vatican II, in the name of ecumenism, countless Catholic cler-
gymen have been straining at the leash to practice intercommunion with
members of false religions. For example, at the 1974 Synod on Evangel-
ization in Rome, many bishops from various countries were calling for 
the Church to introduce intercommunion as the next logical step in 
ecumenical practice.
 In June of 1976, Cardinal Suenens of Belgium, the darling of the
charismatics, was gleefully administering Communion to Protestants of
various denominations at a charismatic prayer meeting in his home dio-
cese of Malines.
 On another occasion, Suenens abstained from practicing intercomm-
union, not because he saw anything wrong with it, but because it may
have gotten him into trouble. In his autobiography, Suenens wrote that
when he hosted the ecumenical Faith and Order World Conference in
Louvain, it seemed likely that non-Catholics attending the Sunday Mass
would attempt to receive the Eucharist. He declined from administering
Communion that day because "the Vatican might use it against me". 
Suenens further recounted without remorse that at least ten non-
Catholics received Communion at this gathering.
 The loud clamor for intercommunion continues. In Modern Catholicism,
a 1991 book conspicuously present on many library shelves in Catholic
seminaries and universities, the progressive F.J. Laishley calls for
intercommunion as a natural follow-through of the new ecumenical tea-
chings of Vatican II.
 Though unfettered intercommunion has yet to be permitted, the Vatican
continues to move in a direction that warms the hearts of the most ar-
dent ecumenists and gives fervent zest to their hopes. The 1993 Vati-
can Directory for the Application of the Principles and Norms of Ecum-
enism encourages numerous unprecedented interfaith practices that have
always been condemned by the Church as grave sins against Faith.
 The Directory:
 * allows Protestants to conduct the readings (except the Gospel) in a
Catholic Church [#133]
 * encourages common "spiritual exercises" and "retreat" between Cath-
olics and Protestants [#114] 
 * allows non-Catholics to lecture in seminaries [#81]
 * commands that young children be taught ecumenism in the schools[68]
 * Mandates ecumenism for priests and religious in their years of for-
mation [#'s 51,70]
 * commands priests to take part in the "continuous aggiornamento" of
ecumenical teaching and practice [#91]
 * encourages diocesan bishops to lend their parish churches to non-
Catholics for their prayer services [#137]
 * promotes interdenominational prayer-services among Catholics and
Protestants in each other's churches [#112]
 * encourages the joint publication of an interdenominational Bible
betwwen Catholics and Protestants [#185]
 * discourages Catholics from attempting to convert non-Catholics [#'s
23,79,81,125]
 * encourages catholics to "rejoice in the grace of God"[sic] in Prot-
estants. [#206]
 * recommends the construction of a single church to be owned and used 
by both Catholics and non-Catholis [#138]
 * further recommends that in these joint churches, the Blessed Sacra-
ment be placed in a seperate chapel or room so as not to offend non-
believers. [#139]
 This is where the 1993 Directory is headed. And the "new guidelines"
by the Diocese of Rockville Centre have brought the Catholics in that
region into the latest phase of this ONGOING revolutionary program. 
Catholics must not become complacent as mitred radicals continue to 
destroy their traditional Faith and Catholic heritage. Their duty is
to resist. PERSONALLY, I NEVER GIVE THESE PARISHES OR DIOCESES ANY FI-
NANCIAL SUPPORT WHATSOEVER. I only contribute to those places where the
traditional Catholic Faith is preserved and loved. Catholics must also
educate themselves and others about the dangers of these new ecumenical
practices. Lastly, we must offer many prayers of reparation for the 
sacrileges that will multiply drastically now that unrepentant heretics
will increasingly receive the Eucharist.
 This is truly a time for outrage, for prayers, and for uncompromising
resistance.

John Vennari,
Editor

Taken from Catholic Family News November 1999 issue.
Catholic Family News
M.P.O. Box 743
Niagara Falls, N.Y. 14302

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