The crisis in the Church
If we take a critical look at the current situation in the Church, we can quickly focus on Germany, where a “different Church” is already manifesting itself in certain aspects. Those who follow more closely what is happening on the so-called “synodal way” can see that here a process of adaptation of the Church to the world is taking place. The Catholic identity is increasingly being renounced in order to adopt the moral standards of the world. If the course taken by the majority of the Church hierarchy and lay bodies in this country is based more on the mentality of the world than on Holy Scripture and Church teaching, then the anti-Christian influence is evident.
However, one should not be under the misapprehension that this is an aberration that only affects the church hierarchy in Germany. Unfortunately, it affects the entire Church, in which Satan wants to spread his smoke.
He has been at work for a long time, causing confusion in theology, in morals, in liturgy, in the missionary sending that the Lord entrusted to the Church; in ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, as well as in many other fields… The anti-Christian spirit seeks to mundanise the Church; it weakens its transcendent approach; it turns the Gospel into a merely earthly message of peace… The salt becomes bland (cf. Mt 5:13)!
What is tragic and particularly disturbing for us Catholics is that this “other spirit” has become increasingly influential in the hierarchy of the Church, and that it is now determining the direction at many crucial points.
In the context in which we are dealing with this topic, I will limit myself to highlighting certain points where the anti-Christian influence is perceptible, without examining them in detail and in all their complexity.
Amoris Laetitia
The turning point that revealed the direction this Pontificate would take was – not only for me – the Post-Synodal Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, with the famous footnote # 351 in the eighth chapter. Four cardinals sought dialogue with the Pope, to make him aware that certain formulations of that exhortation seemed to contradict the preceding path of the Church, and to ask for clarification. Unfortunately, they were not listened to, and so the consequences of this writing continued.
Today, the “pastoral openness” to give communion also to those who live in a second intimate union, without the invalidity of their marriage having been established, is spreading. Thus, a practice is emerging in the reception of communion which, under the pretense of “mercy”, offends the objective truth of God’s commandments.
The cult of Pachamama
In October 2019, an idolatrous worship of Pachamama took place at the headquarters of the Universal Church without there being a real outcry of indignation in the Church. The fact that it has been possible to reach this point can only be explained by the growing loss of the spirit of discernment, which would have identified this act as an aberration from the outset. Even if the intention was not idolatrous, on an objective level the act remains an offence against the first commandment, which to this day has unfortunately not been publicly atoned for.
The Abu-Dhabi Declaration
With the erroneous assertion that God willed the diversity of religions, just as He willed the diversity of races and the difference between men and women, other religions – which contain considerable errors – are being placed on the same level as the Catholic faith. Thus, the missionary mandate of the Lord is reversed in order to achieve an illusory peace. True peace, however, can only exist on the foundation of truth.
With the Abu Dhabi Declaration, the proclamation of the Gospel has been restricted, because if one were to adopt what is stated here, there would no longer be any reason to proclaim Jesus as the only Redeemer.
These examples – which are not the only ones that could be listed – show that the anti-Christian spirit is weakening the Church. And this is a dangerous situation, to which the faithful must be very vigilant and offer resistance. I will speak about this in the next and last meditation on the subject of the Antichrist.
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Meditation on the Gospel of the day: http://en.elijamission.net/2022/04/01/