At last???!!!! Pope Francis to consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as requested by Our Lady of Fatima

To place what follows into context, and to emphasize why this story is so important, I ask you to read (if you haven't already done so) "Russia's war against Ukraine explained by Our Lady of Fatima", WWW 3/2/22.

We posted that the day after the Latin Rite Catholic bishops of Ukraine sent an urgent appeal to Pope Francis, asking him to consecrate Russia and Ukraine "as requested by the Blessed Virgin in Fatima", to bring an end to Russia's war against Ukraine and grant us the period of peace promised by Our Lady.

Here, as reported today by LifeSite News, is the text of the bishops' letter. 

Holy Father! In these hours of immeasurable pain and terrible ordeal for our people, we, the bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Ukraine, are spokesmen for the unceasing and heartfelt prayer, supported by our priests and consecrated persons, which comes to us from all Christian people that Your Holiness will consecrate our Motherland and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 

Responding to this prayer, we humbly ask Your Holiness to publicly perform the act of consecration to the Sacred Immaculate Heart of Mary of Ukraine and Russia, as requested by the Blessed Virgin in Fatima. May the Mother of God, Queen of Peace, accept our prayer: Regina pacis, ora pro nobis!

I confess to being one of those who have written and spoken ill of Pope Bergoglio, to the point of expressing doubt about whether he is really the pope, the Vicar of Christ. It was my guess that Francis, like all the post-Vatican II popes, would stop short of doing the Consecration of Russia in the manner Our Lady requested in 1917 and again in a private revelation to Sister Lucia in 1929.

Some Catholics have contended that the Consecration has taken place. They refer to an "entrustment consecration" of the world [sic] to the Immaculate Heart of Mary made by Pope John Paul II on 25 March 1984. Sadly, since the Vatican's "Ostpolitik" of those days said we must try to make peace with our Communist enemies, John Paul deliberately avoided mentioning Russia explicitly, "because the Vatican diplomats had urgently asked him not to mention this country because otherwise political conflicts might perhaps arise." 

The late Fr Gabriele Amorth, former chief exorcist of Rome, noted some time ago that the Consecration had not been performed as requested, saying "a specific consecration has not yet been made."

Now... perhaps... we hope and pray... Pope Francis is finally going to do it! In an announcement released today, Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office announced: On Friday 25 March, during the Celebration of Penance at which he will preside at 1700 in Saint Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The same act, on the same day, will be carried out in Fatima by His Eminence Cardinal Krajewski, Apostolic Almoner, as envoy of the Holy Father. 

No further details were provided. LifeSite News says "it remains to be seen if Pope Francis will make the consecration of Russia in union with the bishops of the world, as outlined by Our Lady in 1929."

In 1917, Our Lady of Fatima told three seers, "If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world."

Our Lady of Fatima repeated the request in 1929, when she appeared to Sister Lucia saying: "The moment has come for God to ask the Holy Father to make, in union with all the bishops of the world, the Consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart. By this means, He promises to save Russia."

Let us pray for... and with... Pope Francis, that he will at last do as Our Lady of Fatima asked, and in this way bring us peace to the world.

VIDEO: Crisis in the Church is not all Francis' fault, sez Michael Matt

It's been some time since we posted a talk from Michael Matt, editor of the traditional Catholic Remnant newspaper. In his latest video from the Underground, Mr Matt calls for a moratorium on digging up more sordid details of the clerical sex scandals. Enough, already! We've got the tee-shirt and the hat... even the tote bag. It's time, he argues, to get back to the root cause of the crisis. Pope Francis didn't start the fire, so let's find out who did.



How did the Church fall so low? Where did Francis come from? How does his "Church of Accompaniment" fit into the whole Vatican II revolution against the Mass, the priesthood and Catholic Tradition? What can we learn from Pope John Paul's inter-religious day of pagan and Christian prayer for peace at Assisi on 27 October 1986? Has everyone forgotten life before the latest Unholy Father? Mr Matt also comments on Michael Voris' latest attack on the Society of St Pius X.

A suggestion for Christmas giving: If you like Michael Matt's videos from the Underground, if you agree with what the voices of Catholic tradition are saying, may we suggest making a donation to The Remnant. American taxpayers will get a tax deduction.

AND, if you're Catholic and have not yet found your way to a chapel of the Society of St. Pius X, click here to find one near you -- a good place to hear Midnight Mass, in Latin according to the traditional rite, the way it should be. For those living in the Great No-longer-white North, here's a list of SSPX priories in Canada.

VIDEO: "Peter the Roman" ready to take over from Pope Francis

Sunday is my day to catch up on my reading on topics religious, especially the parlous state of Holy Mother Church. First on my list today was "Curia Stories: The Comeback of the Cardinal Secretary of State", by noted Vaticanista Sandro Magister, in his blog, Settimo Cielo, 14/1/18. [Kudos to Matthew Sherry, who does the English translation, for coming up with the excellent pun in the headline! Ed.]

The article is about Pietro Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, or, in political language, the No. 2 man in Rome, after Pope Francis. Of Cardinal Parolin, Sig. Magister writes, "He flies high. So high as to be now the only candidate for succeeding Francis with a serious chance of being elected pope."

If Pope Francis was validly elected -- a matter of considerable debate for many reasons -- he is the 111th pope to have headed the Roman Catholic Church. If he dies or purports to resign, and Cardinal Parolin is chosen to succeed him, he (Parolin) would be No. 112. "Pietro" is Italian for "Peter". And Cardinal Parolin is a Roman. Is he, then, "Peter the Roman"?

"Peter the Roman" is the last pope mentioned in the Prophecy of Saint Malachy (1094-1148), renowned as a great prophet. In 1139, while on his way to the Vatican to assume the post of papal legate for Ireland, he fell into a trance and saw a line of papal reigns stretching from the successor to Innocent II and extending through the centuries to the last of the line, identified as "Peter of Rome" or "Peter the Roman".

When he committed his vision to paper, Saint Malachy assigned short Latin descriptions to each pope. These mottoes usually refer to a family name, birthplace, coat-of-arms, or office held before election to the papacy. Some of the phrases are multiple prophecies, written with ingenious word play. According to his prophecy, John Paul II was No. 110. Benedict XVI is No. 111. The motto given for him is "Glory of the olive". To explain this, those who believe in the Prophecy draw a connection between Benedict and the Olivetan order. Benedict chose his papal name after Saint Benedict of Nursia, founder of the Benedictine Order, of which the Olivetans are one branch.

The next line in the Prophecy is "In persecutione extrema S.R.E. sedebit." which means "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church, there will sit." forms a separate sentence and paragraph of its own. While often read as part of the "Peter the Roman" prophecy, some interpreters view it as a separate, incomplete sentence explicitly referring to additional popes between "glory of the olive" and "Peter the Roman". Whether it refers to Benedict or Francis or Peter the Roman, there can be no doubt that Holy Mother Church is today being persecuted as never before. Every year of this century has seen hundreds, even thousands of Catholic Christians imprisoned, tortured and martyred for the Faith.

We come now to the last lines of the Prophecy of Saint Malachy. "Petrus Romanus, qui pascet oues in multis tribulationibus: quibus transactis ciuitas septicollis diruetur, & Iudex tremẽdus iudicabit populum suum. Finis."



Peter the Roman, [who] will pasture his sheep in many tribulations, and when these things are finished, the city of seven hills [Rome] will be destroyed, and the dreadful judge will judge his people. The End.

The final pope, Peter the Roman, will likely be the Antichrist whom students of prophecy have long foretold. Satan, taking the form of a man named Peter, will gain worldwide allegiance and adoration. Even the very elect -- the leaders of the Church and all but a small remnant of the faithful -- will be deceived. And then will come the destruction of Rome, something like the vision attributed to Sister Lucia in what the Vatican alleges is the Third Secret of Fatima. And then will come "the dreadful Judge" who will judge the people. Let us not say we were not warned.

"Amoris Laetitia" -- Pope Francis leads Catholics into error

Amoris Laetitia (Latin for "The Joy of Love") is an "apostolic exhortation" published over the signature of Pope Francis the Humble on 8 April 2016, following the second meeting (in 2015) of the controversial Synod on the Family. It pushes the Pope's agenda of "reform" of Catholic teachings on morals, sexuality, marriage and divorce, and (particularly) the position of divorced and remarried Catholics. It has been hailed by "progressives" (especially non-Catholics) and panned by traditional Catholics. The majority of Catholics, up to and including bishops and cardinals, are just plain confused.

And no wonder. The text was released initially in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. As of 14 May 2016, there was no Latin version which by Church law would have been authoritative. The English text runs to some 250 pages and 325 numbered paragraphs, with nearly 400 footnotes. There are quotations from the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas and earlier popes, and from the Second Vatican Council -- now regarded by many as invalid -- but also such dubious "authorities" as Martin Luther King, Jr, Jorge Luis Borges, Octavio Paz, Antonin Sertillanges, Gabriel Marcel, and Mario Benedetti. A very mixed bag indeed.

The confusion that Amoris Laetitia has spread among the faithful -- Are we still Catholic or not?! -- is such that, in September, Cardinals Walter Brandmüller, Raymond Leo Burke, Carlo Caffarra and Joachim Meisner submitted to Pope Francis their dubia (an expression of questioning or doubt) asking him to clarify five fundamental points of Catholic doctrine and sacramental discipline. Chapter 8 of Amoris Laetitia, they wrote, appears to conflict with Scripture and/or Tradition and the teaching of previous papal documents, notably Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Veritatis Splendor and his apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio.

On December 8th (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception), 23 Catholic academics expressed "profound gratitude and full support" of the dubia, saying clarification of Amoris Laetitia is urgent, as they believe the barque of Peter is "drifting perilously like a ship without a rudder" and shows signs of "incipient disintegration". Professor Joseph Shaw wrote, "The Holy Father alone has the power to resolve the current confusion, and must urgently do so for the good of souls."

Also this week, two leading Catholic scholars, John Finnis and Germain Grisez, addressed a letter to Pope Francis and "to all the bishops in communion with him, and to the rest of the Christian faithful", urging the Pontiff to stop the "misuse" of Amoris Laetitia. Dr Finnis, a retired Oxford philosophy professor, and Dr Grisez, a moral theologian who taught for years at Mount St. Mary's, are among the world's most respected Catholic thinkers. In their letter, they argue that popular misinterpretations of Amoris Laetitia are being used "to suppport errors against the Catholic faith." They call on the Pope to repudiate these errors, and ask "all bishops to join in this request and to issue their own condemnations of the erroneous positions we identify."

The errors they identify, which contradict Church teaching but have been advanced as consistent with Amoris Laetitia, are these:
- that priests can give absolution from sins even when penitents have no intention of amendment;
- that people may be too weak to obey God’s commandments;
- that there is no moral rule to which there can never be exceptions;
- that moral laws are ideals, and it is unrealistic to expect that they will be fulfilled;
- that in some circumstances it is best to violate a moral law;
- that sexual activity is only wrong if someone is exploited or hurt;
- that a valid marriage can dissolve; and
- that there is no one condemned to hell.

"An Open Letter to Pope Francis" was posted on the First Things website (of the Institute on Religion and Public Life) yesterday, December 9th. The article begins: "We invite readers’ attention to The Misuse of Amoris Laetitia To Support Errors against the Catholic Faith, a letter we have addressed 'to the Supreme Pontiff Francis, to all bishops in communion with him, and to the rest of the Christian faithful.' The letter was dispatched for delivery to Pope Francis on November 21." The underlined words -- "The letter" -- were supposed to link to the full text of the open letter. But the link is dead -- removed by command of the Vatican perhaps?

Under Pope Francis, Christianity matters less - key points from interview with Sandro Magister

From time to time Walt has referred to -- and sometimes quoted at length -- the noted Vaticanista, Sandro Magister. I am a follower of his Settimo Cielo blog in l'Espresso. His first article appeared in the Italian daily l'Espresso in 1974.

On the occasion of his 40th anniversary, Maestro Magister was interviewed at length by Goffredo Pistelli, who writes for Italia Oggi. The interview was published, in translation, on the Rorate Caeli website. Here are the key points. Quotes from Signore Magister are shown in purple. The emphasis is mine.

Pope Francis, Sig. Magister conceded, has been basking in worldwide success. But, he said, there are contradictions inherent in the Pope's character, which can be seen  by analyzing  his statements and actions since his elevation. "Throughout his life, he has been a person who has acted on different fronts at the same time. He does the same thing now as Pontiff; he leaves passages open, and on first reading, there are many contradictions."

For example, Francis "is a very talkative Pope. He has telephoned and approached all different kinds of people both near and far. But he has been silent about [the plight of] Asia Bibi", the Pakistani Christian woman who has been imprisoned for years, condemned to death for apostasy. See "Martyr in waiting needs your prayers", posted on WWW in March 2011.

So also, the Pope has said not a word about the kidnapped Nigerian girls and "that unbelievable act of a few days ago in Pakistan when a Christian married couple were burnt to death in a furnace."

Indeed, the Pontiff has been silent about Islam and the Muslim world in general. And his hand-picked Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin was very prudent when speaking at the United Nations recently. They seem determined not to upset the Muslims, in contrast with Benedict XVI’s lecture at Regensburg, which incited strong reactions and even deaths.

Sig. Magister calls the Vatican's political correctness "caution pushed to extremes.... I don’t see any advantage to it. It seems to me that it hasn’t resulted in any help, even minimal or partial, for the Christians in those regions. Caution is understandable, if it’s measured in proportion to the effect. It’s valid if it produces lesser damage."

The point, the analyst says, is that "We have a power like ISIS and we are too fast in saying that Islam has nothing to do with it; that they are instead nurtured by radical Islam, which doesn’t resolve the question of rationality and the relationship between faith and violence. That is exactly what Pope Ratzinger had addressed in Regensburg. In fact the only true dialogue between Christianity and Islam came about after that lecture...."

Pope Francis has said repeatedly that he doesn't want to make compromises with doctrine, that he respects the Tradition of the Church. But then he opened discussions on "modernizing" or "reforming" the Tradition, like the ones at the recent Bishops Synod on the Family, about Communion for the divorced and remarried, which effectively touch the very foundations of the Church.

Why, the interviewer asked, does he do so? Sig. Magister responded, "It was all inevitable considering the Pope’s decision to assign the opening of the discussions to Cardinal Walter Kasper. This basically was the start of the hostilities...."

What Cardinal Kasper is proposing are the same theses defeated in 1993 by Pope John Paul II and Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, the Prefect of the Holy Office who later became Benedict XVI. Sig. Magister's opinion is that "it is inevitable that Communion for the divorced and remarried will result in the acceptance of second marriages, and so to the dissolution of the sacramental bond of matrimony."

Is that what Francis wants? As Cardinals Burke and George have remarked recently, it's hard to know. The Pope works both sides of the street! According to Sig. Magister, "It’s another recurring practice of this Pontificate -- reprimands to one side and the other. However...the scoldings aimed at the traditionalists, the legalists and the rigid defenders of doctrine appear to be much more numerous. On the other hand, whenever he has something to say to the progressives you never understand who he is really referring to."

That confusion to the point of bewilderment is growing is undeniable, Sig. Magister says. "We have leaders in prominent positions...who are making this clear, even if they don’t express it in drastic and antagonistic terms.... There isn’t a prejudicially hostile tendency against the Pontiff [but] certainly there are evident manifestations of uneasiness.

"Take for example the Episcopate in the United States, that is, the bishops of one of the most numerous Catholic populations in the world. In recent years, that Episcopal Conference expressed a coherent and combative line in the public arena, even regarding certain decisions by Barack Obama on ethical issues. A line shared by many prominent prelates."

Now, he continues, the American cardinals and archbishops "like Timothy Dolan from New York, Patrick O'Malley from Boston, José Gomez from Los Angeles or Charles Chaput from Philadelphia, are all uneasy. This is the episcopate that [Cardinal] Burke himself comes from and is certainly not restricted to the marginal traditional circuits, but continues to be part of one of the most solid national Churches."

The interviewer next refers to a new book by Antonio Socci, Non è Francesco, ("It's Not Francis", Mondadori, 2014.) Sig. Socci's thesis (as Walt understands it) is that since the Pope cannot lead the Church into error, if Francis is leading the Church into error, he must not be truly the Pope. QED.

Sig. Socci adduces evidence -- a missing ballot -- to suggest that Pope Francis was not validly elected. But even if he's wrong on that, could his reconstruction of the Pope's contradictions be taken to prove his thesis? Sig. Magister was asked if he'd read the book. Here's what he said.

"Yes, I read it all in one evening. It’s a real page-turner.... And not for the theory of the invalid election: the result of the cancellation of a ballot in the conclave because there was an extra blank ballot-card. In my view it’s an inconsistent theory.

"[I found it interesting] because of what’s creating the book’s success, so much so that it has reached the top of the best-sellers list, exceeding the books of and about Bergoglio. That’s because it reconstructs, in incontestable facts and words, the contradictions we have been talking about."

One of the contradictions of this papacy, the interviewer pointed out, is that despite Francis' enormous personal popularity,  religious practice has not increased. On the contrary, the aversion to Catholicism is increasing. Sig. Magister contrasted the popularity of Pope Francis with that of his two predecessors.

"The popularity of his predecessors was very strong. John Paul II experienced world-wide success and not only during the years of his illness. Also Benedict XVI between 2007 and 2008, reached the highest levels in the polls, even if this has been forgotten. His trip to the United States was the peak, where he received a great welcome even from secular public opinion.

"[The difference is] that the predecessors were mostly popular inside the Church, even if they were harshly criticized from strongholds of non-Catholic public opinion. Whereas Francis' popularity is more conspicuous outside the Church, even if it isn’t eliciting waves of conversions. Actually, with him there seems to be a certain pleasure in outside culture...in seeing the Head of the Church shifting towards their positions, which he seems to understand and even accept.

"The Christianity from the mouth of Bergoglio is no longer provocative, does not create problems as in the past, it can be treated with courtesy, superiority and detachment. Christianity matters less." 

Further reading from Sandro Magister's blog Chiesa (24/11/14): The Lenses of the Cardinal, the Sociologist, the Journalists - "All focused on Francis. To understand who he is and where he wants to go. In the Church, at all levels, criticisms of the pope are no longer being silenced. They are voiced openly. Among the cardinals, the most explicit is Francis George."

Further reading on WWW:
"The 'liquid' message of Pope Francis; will he be the last supreme pontiff?"
"Is the Catholic Church about to disintegrate?"

What's wrong with the canonization of John Paul II: Michael Matt

I am really sorry that I didn't post this before the Big Event. It only came to my attention this weekend. Michael Matt, the editor of The Remnant, calls on his neo-Catholic brothers to drop the narrative and come to the aid of the Church as the secular press turns on the Vatican's decision to fast-track the canonization of Pope John Paul II.

He quotes some interesting statements by the Vatican's chief media spokesthingy, Father Federico Lombardi, who tells us that a person doesn't necessarily have to lead a saintly life or do saintly things to be declared a saint. Incredible!

Note from Ed.: I've had to "disimbed" the video because the video player associated with it caused the video to start running the minute you hit our home page, which interfered with other posts and videos. Click here to view the Michael Matt video. It's well worth watching!

At about the 10 minute mark (total running time 14:51), Mr. Matt comments on the disaster that is the "New Mass" -- the Novus Ordo mass foisted on us by the Protestants and Masons who were "advisors" to Vatican II. I was reminded of just how bad the New Mass can be -- aesthetically if not theologically -- when I chanced on a televised "Mass for Shut-ins" earlier today.

The "music" was provided by two size-XL ladies accompanied by their husbands -- I'm guessing -- on the inevitable guitars. Oh Lord -- this is a prayer -- spare me from ever again having to hear 60s-style folk music in a Catholic church! Anyway, I knew the mass was over when the fat ladies sang.

Hasty canonizations of John XXIII and JPII - Heaven can't be pleased!

Walt will not be among the million or more pilgrims expected to flock to the Eternal City this weekend for the "canonizations" of Popes John Paul II and John XXIII. I put "canonizations" in quotes because there is serious doubt about the propriety of declaring these popes saints.

In times past -- before Vatican II and even through the papacy of Paul VI -- it took a long time for the process of canonization to unfold. A case or "cause" had to be opened, and then promoted under the direction of a "postulator", whose mission was to make the case for the sainthood of the individual. But there was also a "devil's advocate" charged with arguing the case against the person in question. And, as proof of saintliness, two miracles -- not one but two -- had to be authenticated, and declared attributable to the intervention of the proposed saint. All this could take decades, even centuries.

But nowadays, under Francis the Party Pope -- now becoming known as "Pope of the Cold Calls" -- all those formalities are no longer required, especially for wannabe saints of the "new and improved" Roman Catholic Church of Vatican II. Francis has short-circuited the norms of Holy Mother Church so that JPII and John XXIII can be elevated to sainthood without the usual enquiries, arguments, and proofs of sanctity.

Why is this being done? Because to authenticate the saintliness of John XXIII, who convened Vatican II in spite of the warning given to him by Our Lady of Fatima, and John Paul II, who perpetuated and even worsened its errors, is to (in the minds of the faithful) authenticate the Council itself. So says Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General of the Society of St. Pius X, in his latest Letter to Friends and Benefactors (No. 82), titled "We vigorously protest these canonizations ".

Also worth reading is the Catholic Family News interview with Professor Roberto de Mattei on the proposed canonizations. Here's a quote: "If I had to admit that Pope Roncalli [John XXIII] exercised virtue in a heroic way while carrying out his role of Pontiff, I would undermine at the core, the rational presuppositions of my faith. When in doubt, I adhere to the dogma of faith established by the First Vatican Council, according to which there can be no contradiction between faith and reason..."

Meanwhile, in a village called Cevo, in northern Italy, a man was killed yesterday when a crucifix devoted to John Paul II collapsed on top of him. The gigantic cross -- nearly 100 feet high -- was erected to honour the late pontiff’s 1998 visit to the nearby city of Brescia.

Coincidentally, the 21-year-old victim lived with his parents in a town called Lovere, on Via Papa Giovanni XXIII. In English, that's "Pope John XXIII Street". More primitive people might take the event as an evil omen, but of course we Catholics aren't that primitive... are we...

Desperate Catholic Church now offering sainthood to anyone who attends Mass regularly

Earlier today (see preceding post) Walt mentioned the long and complex process involved in canonizing someone -- making them a saint of the One True Church. I was talking about Archbishop Fulton Sheen, who died in 1979 and has only now been credited with the first of two miracles necessary to canonization.

Too bad that Archbishop Sheen wasn't alive today, as the Church seems about to relax the rules a little. Agent 36 alerts us to this report from the Onion.

VATICAN CITY—Alerting faithful around the world to changes regarding its process of beatification and canonization, Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi announced today that the Roman Catholic Church will now bestow sainthood on any man or woman who attends weekly mass on a regular basis.

"After careful deliberation and prayer, the Church has elected to enter any believer into the Canon of Saints so long as he or she is pure of heart and shows up to mass once a week, or even three out of four times a month," Lombardi wrote in a statement distributed to all dioceses worldwide, noting that the Congregation for the Causes of Saints will promptly begin taking up the cases of any parishioner who arrives on time and stays for the whole thing.

"We are also waiving the requirement that individuals be dead before attaining sainthood. As long as you take Communion and stick around for a few minutes after the service, you're pretty much in. You can be patron saint of anything you want—good health, food, music, whatever—as long as you're sitting in that pew."

Lombardi said that in addition to revising canonization procedures, the Vatican would now allow anyone who attends mass to put on the priest's vestments at the end of the service and play the church's organ if they want.

It's satire, right?! But like all good satire, it's based on the truth. A new Pew Research Center survey has found that indeed, Holy Mother Church is having trouble putting posteriors in the pews -- this in spite of the rock star popularity of Francis the Party Pope.

According to the survey, 85% of American Catholics have a favourable view of the second of two living popes. That's up from 79% in September. The first of the two, Benedict XVI, was viewed favourably by 67% to 83% in the past. JPII got higher ratings than both of them, ranging from 91% to 93% in past surveys.

Dear Catholic readers, what lesson do we learn from this? Just about anyone who sits on the Throne of Peter is bound to be viewed in a positive light by the majority of Catholics, no matter who he is or what he does.

But will the same majority pay attention to his teachings? Errr, no. According to the same survey, 63% of Catholics who attend Mass at least weekly -- the candidates for sainthood mentioned above -- want the Church to change Her teaching on birth control. 72% want to allow priests to get married. 68% support women’s ordination to the priesthood. And 50% support same-sex "marriage".

The percentages are even higher among Catholics who attend Mass less than once a week. That whirring noise you hear underneath you would be the sound of real saints spinning in their graves.

Just how sick is Pope Francis?

Vatican watchers are starting to gossip about the health of Pope Francis. Is some kind of problem being covered up? The Vatican is, after all, quite expert in hiding the truth, not just about the Third Secret of Fatima, but about the medical problems of the Holy Father's two predecessors.

Pope John Paul II was visibly severely afflicted with Parkinson's Disease. His palsy was painfully obvious, yet the Vatican kept denying it until it was impossible to do so any longer. Even in his last days, when JPII was no longer in public view, we were told he was celebrating Holy Mass in his bedroom. But his doctor's official report, published later in Acta Apostolicae Sedis, indicated that he had a fever of 40 degrees Celsius and was rendered essentially unconscious by blood poisoning.

Then there was Pope Benedict XVI, elected at a rather advanced age but, according to the same Vatican sources, in remarkably good health for a man in his mid-80s. Such good health, we could see, that he was unable to walk down the aisle of St. Peter's but had to be transported on a wheeled platform. After his resignation, the "pope emeritus" explained that he had given up the office because of his poor health, flatly contradicting the official party line.

Which brings us to Francis. His audiences scheduled for November 15th were cancelled because -- according to the official Vatican network -- he had a cold. Other media raised the ante a bit, calling his problem "the flu", but that could be just a difference of terminology between North American usage and that of Europe. Whatever it was, it kept him home from work, so to speak.

Now comes news that the Holy Father cancelled a private audience which was to have been held on December 5th. (If you're going to follow the link, ignore the headline. The news about the cancelled meeting comes in the second sentence of the text.) A statement from Vatican spokesthingy Father Federico Lombardi claimed that Francis was "fatigued." How so? Well, it seems the Pope had attended meetings with cardinals that morning and the previous afternoon. You would think that schedule not abnormally onerous, but who knows?

What we do know is that the statement was given by the same Father Lombardi who was, errr, economical with the truth when he spoke of the health of John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Father Lombardi said there was "no cause for alarm". Forgive us, Father, but we've heard that before. Of this you can be sure: when the Vatican denies what would otherwise be a minor matter, they are almost certainly hiding something major!

Pope Francis to consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

On April 18th, not long after the inauguration (or instalment or whatever they're calling it now) of Pope Francis, Walt predicted that the Holy Father would do something... soon... to fulfill the request of Our Lady of Fatima.

The immediate cause for (perhaps premature) rejoicing was the Holy Father's request to the bishops of Portugal to reconsecrate that nation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. That was soon done, and further consecrations followed, notably in the Middle East where, sadly, nothing seems to have changed. In fact, things have arguably gotten worse. Len will explain why in a moment.

The explanation is necessary in light of today's announcement from the Vatican that Pope Francis will consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at a ceremony on October 13th, the 96th anniversary of the final appearance of the Blessed Virgin at Fatima.

For the occasion, the original statue of Our Lady of Fatima will be brought to the Vatican from the shrine in Portugal, for public veneration on October 12th, followed by the consecration ceremony the following day. Pope Francis will also speak on Marian devotion, preside at Eucharistic Adoration, and lead the Holy Rosary with audio links to Marian shrines around the world.

All well and good. By this act, we can see that the Holy Father believes in the Fatima Message, and acknowledges the correctness of what his predecessor said, that the Message of Fatima is still valid today. Seemingly he acknowledges that the Blessed Virgin holds Heaven's Key to Peace.

Sadly, his plan to consecrate the world stops short of doing what Our Lady of Fatima asked. Her request was not for the consecration of the world, but for the solemn and public Consecration of Russia, by name, by the Pope acting in unison (at the same time) with all the bishops of the world.

Sister Lucia, chosen by Heaven to receive Our Lady's Message, was quite clear about that. After Pope Pius XII had consecrated the world (in a radio braodcast, no less), Sister Lucia said that act was insufficient.

She did not speak out after another consecration by John Paul II -- she had been silenced by the Vatican by that time -- but the late pope acknowledged prayer that he knew Our Lady was still waiting. Here's what he said in his prayer for the consecration of the world in 1984.

"Mother of the Church! Enlighten especially the peoples of which You Yourself await our consecration and entrustment.”

He died without ever asking for the Consecration of Russia by name. Nor was Benedict XVI permitted by the Curial promoters of Ostpolitik to do as Our Lady asked. Will Pope Francis be able to break the chains that bind him? He has been known to speak his own mind. Perhaps on October 13th he will speak his heart too!

Don't put saints on your euros, Slovakia told

You don't have to be Slavic to know about Saints Cyril and Methodius, but it helps. Cyril and Methodius were brothers, born in Thessalonica (in modern-day Greece) in the 9th century A.D. They became missionaries bringing the Gospel of Christ to the peoples of eastern Europe, particularly Moravia and Pannonia. Through their work they influenced the cultural development of all Slavs, for which they received the title "Apostles to the Slavs".

The Carpathian Basin, in which Cyril and Methodius travelled and preached, includes modern-day Slovakia, where the saints are highly revered. That's why, when Slovakia became a separate country and joined the euro zone, its government decided to honour the saints on its coins.

Sadly, the Slovaks are being made aware of the doggedly secular humanist policies of the European Union. The European Commission -- the bureaucrats in Brussels -- has now ordered the National Bank of Slovakia not to mint new euros that would feature images of Sts. Cyril and Methodius.


Each member state within the European Union has the authority to mint its own versions of the euro, incorporating its own national designs. But the European Commission ruled that the Slovakian design, going back over 1100 years, violates the EU principle of "religious neutrality" -- freedom from religion.

The controversy over the Slovakian coins is the latest in a series of disputes over the role of Christianity in the European identity. See "A More Secular Europe, Divided by the Cross", from the New York Times.

Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI frequently observed that the shared Christian culture is the foundation of European identity, and without that common culture the European Union will be bound only by shifting economic interests. But is the European Commission listening? Errr, no.

"Peter the Roman": the last pope?

Saint Malachy (1094-1148) was known as great prophet. While in Rome in 1139 he received a vision showing him all the popes from his day to the end of time. According to these prophecies, there would be only two more popes after John Paul II.

While on his way to the Vatican to assume the post of papal legate for Ireland, he fell into a trance and saw a line of papal reigns stretching from the successor to Innocent II and extending through centuries to the last of the line.

When he committed his vision to paper, St. Malachy assigned short descriptions in Latin to each pope. These phrases or mottoes usually refer to a family name, birthplace, coat-of-arms, or office held before election to the papacy.

Some of the phrases are multiple prophecies, written with ingenious word play. They purport to describe each of the Roman Catholic popes (along with a few anti-popes), beginning with Pope Celestine II (elected in 1143) and concluding with a pope described in the prophecy as "Peter the Roman", whose pontificate will end in the destruction of the city of Rome.

Through the centuries, his prophecies have turned out to be amazingly accurate, even prophesying the date of his death. In all, 112 popes and their characteristics are listed from 1143 to the prophesied end of the world, or perhaps religion as we know it, when the Truth of human creation and destiny is finally revealed. And now the video.

Saint Malachy's prophecies - The Last 10 Popes

1. The Burning Fire. PIUS X. 1903-1914. This Pope showed a burning passion for spiritual renewal in the Church.

2. Religion Laid Waste. BENEDICT XV. 1914-1922. During this Pope's reign saw Communism move into Russia where religious life was laid waste, and World War I with the death of millions of Christians who were carnage in Flanders Field and elsewhere.

3. Unshaken Faith. PIUS XI. 1922-1939. This Pope faced tremendous pressure from fascist and sinister powers in Germany and Italy, but he was an outspoken critic of Communism and Fascism which enraged Hitler.

4. An Angelic Shepherd. PIUS XII. 1939-1958. This Pope had an affinity for the spiritual world and received visions which have not been made public. Peter Bander says Pius XII "has emerged as one of the great Popes of all time," and he "was in the truest sense of the word an Angelic Pastor to the flock..."

5. Pastor and Mariner. JOHN XXIII. 1958-1963. John was a pastor to the world, much beloved, and the Patriarch of Venice. The connection to "mariner" is thus remarkable.

6. Flower of Flowers. PAUL VI. 1963-1978. Paul's coat-of-arms depicts three fleurs-de-lis, corresponding to Malachay's prophecy. His coat of arms included three fleurs-de-lis (iris blossoms).

7. Of the Half Moon. JOHN PAUL I. 1978-1978. John Paul I was elected Pope on August 26, 1978, when there was a half moon. He reigned 33 days, that is, about one month, when he died, although many think he was murdered. He was the 109th Pope - is "De Medietate Lunae" (Of the Half Moon). The corresponding pope was John Paul I (1978-78), who was born in the diocese of Belluno (beautiful moon) and was baptized Albino Luciani (white light). He became pope on August 26, 1978, when the moon appeared exactly half full. It was in its waning phase. He died the following month, soon after an eclipse of the moon.

8. The Labour of the Son. JOHN PAUL II. 1978-2005. Pope John Paul II was the most travelled Pope in history. He circled the globe numerous times, preaching to huge audiences everywhere he went. He survived an assassination attempt. He has written a book which has enjoyed a large circulation. Like the sun which never ceases to labor and provides light daily, this Pope has been incessant. He was born on May 18, 1920. On that date in the morning there was a near total eclipse of the sun over Europe. Prophecy - The 110th Pope is "De Labore Solis" (Of the Solar Eclipse, or, From the Toil of the Sun). Like the sun he came out of the East (Poland).

9. The Glory of the Olive. The Order of St. BENEDICT has said this Pope will come from their order. It is interesting that Jesus gave his apocalyptic prophecy about the end of time from the Mount of Olives. This Pope will reign during the beginning of the tribulation Jesus spoke of. The 111th prophesy is "Gloria Olivae" (The Glory of the Olive). The Order of Saint Benedict has claimed that this pope will come from their ranks. Saint Benedict himself prophesied that before the end of the world his Order, known also as the Olivetans, will triumphantly lead the Catholic Church in its fight against evil.

10. Peter the Roman - This final Pope will likely be Satan, taking the form of a man named Peter who will gain a worldwide allegiance and adoration. He will be the final antichrist which prophecy students have long foretold. If it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived. The 112th prophecy states: "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Petrus Romanus, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations; after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End."

DISCLAIMER: The commentator in this video is an evangelical Protestant, not a spokesperson for the Church. However, like so many Protestants, he understands that to know God's plan for us, we must know the Bible and the traditions of the Church. What he says makes sense to me. Even if you don't believe in prophecies made after the last book of the Bible (the Apocalypse, or Revelation as the speaker refers to it), the signs of the last times are there, in the Bible itself. We have only to read and heed.  

Walt tells you who the next Pope won't be

Will the next Pope be Catholic? By that I mean, someone who holds to the Traditional Faith, given to us by Jesus Christ, while He was here on earth with us, and handed down to us by His apostles through Holy Mother Church.

If someone who keeps the Faith is to become Pope -- as Walt hopes and earnestly prays -- that would exclude the Great Pretender, the prelate who likes to think of himself as "Deputy Pope" and "prime minister of the Church". That would be Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, perhaps the most reviled man in the curia.

Speculation is rife as to the reasoning behind Pope Ratzinger's decision to resign. The Holy Father said that he no longer had the mental and physical strength which he believes the position requires. And it is reported this morning that he told a German journalist two years ago that he would resign if he no longer felt he could carry on.

In this, one can see the Holy Father's wish to avoid the sad and sorry spectacle of Pope John Paul II, who, in the last years of his pontificate, objectively appeared to have lost some of his faculties. If JPII had been your grandfather, you'd have put him in a home! It was painful to watch him die in office, but he was determined, it seems, to carry on to the end.

But his doing so had grave consequences for his papacy and for Holy Mother Church. Some of the things he said and did, in those last years, caused many believers -- not just traditionalists either -- to question whether the pope had taken leave of his senses. I refer to the travesty of the syncretic sacrilege at Assisi, and JPII's whimsical decision to add a fourth set of Mysteries to the Holy Rosary given to us by Our Lady.

The older and more "out of it" John Paul got, the worse things became. Questions were rightly asked about who was really running the Church! The answer is that even though the pope was Polish, the powers behind the throne were the Secretaries of State: Cardinals Casaroli, Sodano and Bertone -- every one an Italian, every one a modernist, and every one behaving as if he, not the pope, was the real Vicar of Christ.

That's why Bertone will not be elected at the conclave to be held next month. There is recognition -- at last -- that the decisions made and directions taken in the last two or three decades have been not just wrong but disastrously wrong.

When John Paul II was elevated to the papacy, there was a glimmer of hope that the suicidal errors of Vatican II might be undone, and the Church set back on Her true and traditional course. But any ideas JPII may have had along those lines were thwarted by his "prime ministers" and a Roman curia rotten with Freemasons, protestants, and -- yes -- apostates.

Walt predicts that, although the Italians will lobby strenuously to have one of their own "restored to power", prelates from the Third World will campaign successfully to have not just a non-Italian but a non-European pope, for the first time in history. Lifetime pct .987.

"I declare that I renounce the ministry of the Bishop of Rome". Click here to read the English translation of Pope Benedict's statement (read in Latin).
Further reading: Fr. Divo Barsotti's criticisms of Vatican Council II. If you want to understand why I call the direction of the modern Church "suicidal", don't fail to read this! I'm no theologian, but Father Barsotti certainly was.

How the Vatican sold out to Communism

In a just-released article in The Catholic World Report, journalist Edward Pentin examines why the Second Vatican Council failed to issue an explicit condemnation of Communism. Has lifted the veil of mystery over the omission, citing the findings of an impressive list of reputable Church historians: Father Norman Tanner, Roberto de Mattei, Christopher Gillibrand, Edmund Mazza and Jean Madiran.

This omission was not just allowed to happen, but actually approved by two of the Conciliar popes -- John XXIII and Paul VI -- who we now know had read the Third Secret of Fatima. Cardinal Woytyla, later to become Pope John Paul II, also had a hand in the sell-out to Moscow, although whether he had seen the Third Secret at this point is in not known.

Mr. Pentin refers to Jean Madiran's book, The Metz Agreement, which describes how the Vatican effectively sold out to Communism, at a secret meeting in 1962 between Cardinal Eugène Tisserant and the Russian Orthodox Metropolitan Nikodim, who was in fact an agent of the KGB.

The Vatican's policy of making nice with the Reds has become known as Ostpolitik, and has been denounced for decades -- literally -- by the devotees of Our Lady of Fatima, led by Father Nicholas Gruner, Christopher A. Ferrara, and John Vennari.

Ostpolik -- the bastard child of Cardinals Sodano, Casaroli and now Bertone -- explains such aberrations as the Vatican's tolerance of the schismatic and heretical Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, which actually persecutes and imprisons priests and bishops of the true "underground" Catholic church.

For their pains, the "Fatimists" have been labelled "conspiracy theorists" and worse. But Mr. Pentin quotes Sr De Mattei as asking, "Were those who denounced the brutal oppression of Communism in the Council, calling for its solemn condemnation, prophets? Or were those who believed, as the architects of Ostpolitik, that it was necessary to come to an agreement with Communism -- a compromise -- because Communism interpreted humanity's anxieties over justice and would have survived one or two centuries, improving the world?"

The author of Il Concilio Vaticano II -- Una storia mai scritta concludes, "If the Second Vatican Council would have condemned Communism, it would have helped accelerate its decline. The opposite occurred."

Our Lady of Fatima knew it. She told us that unless Her request for the consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart were granted, the errors of Communism would spread throughout the world! And so it has come to pass.

Mr. Fentin quotes Professor Mazza as calling "the loss of the transcendent" -- the secularization of our society -- the worst of the errors. "What  has happened over the last 50  years? The errors of atheism and socialism, a world without God, has 'Marxized' the world so that we're ready to embrace socialism if it's couched in the right terms." Precisely what the Communists wanted!

Good Catholics, you must read this article! It is of the utmost importance in understanding what's going on in the Catholic Church today. Through Ostpolitik, the Church got into bed with the Communists; now it can't get out!

Ed. has put Edward Pentin's excellent article into .pdf format. The file is about 2.9 MB. We'll be happy to e-mail it to you. Send your request to the usual e-address: walt.whiteman@yahoo.com.

Pope again endorses "Spirit of Assisi" heresy of relativism

Pope Benedict XVI has sent his greetings to this year's Inter-religious Gathering of Prayer for World Peace, held at Mount Hiel, in Japan. The Pontiff noted that the meeting evokes "the spirit of the 1986 historic meeting in Assisi" convened by Pope John Paul II.

The Pope expressed confidence that the meeting would produce positive results for "inter-religious amity", which is a Vatican code-phrase for the false ecumenism condemned by Archbishop Lefebvre and others who hold to the traditional Catholic Faith. Properly understood, the "spirit of Assisi" is an expression of relativism -- the heretical notion that one religion is as good as another, because all roads lead to God.

Relativism (or indifferentism) is a form or subset of the heresy of modernism, condemned in 1907 in the syllabus Lamentabili sane exitu, which distinguished sixty-five propositions as modernist heresies. In the same year Pope Saint Pius X promulgated the encyclical Pascendi Dominici gregis. This was followed in 1910 by the introduction of an anti-Modernist oath to be taken by all Catholic bishops, priests and academic teachers of religion. Presumably Pope Ratzinger took this oath, but perhaps he has forgotten it.

Writing in Catholic Family News, John Vennari comments:
The new ecumenical orientation, such as manifested in the "Spirit of Assisi" threatens the salvation of countless souls, as it effectively tells non-Catholics to remain in the darkness of their false religions. It also threatens to bring with it a great chastisement.

In the early 20th Century, the eminent European churchman Cardinal Mercier, citing the consistent teaching of the Popes, stated that the Great War was actually a punishment for the crime of nations placing the one True Religion on the same level as false creeds, as does the "Spirit of Assisi".

Cardinal Mercier said in his 1918 Pastoral titled "The Lesson of Events":
"In the name of the Gospel, and in the light of the Encyclicals of the last four Popes..., I do not hesitate to affirm that this indifference to religions which puts on the same level the religion of divine origin and the religions invented by men in order to include them in the same scepticism is the blasphemy which calls down chastisement on society far more than the sins of individuals and families."

The "Spirit of Assisi" also gives visual expression to the central error of our time: that any religion is good enough for salvation. [My emphasis. Walt.] The world sees the Pope of the Catholic Church, as well as Catholic bishops and clergy, placing the one true Church established by Christ on the same base level as counterfeit religions. This cannot help but foster the religious indifferentism vigorously condemned by the Popes prior to Vatican II. In the face of this affront to the true Faith, Catholics must not be complacent, but must publicly and ceaselessly resist.

Worth reading: "Relativism - A Central Heresy of our Culture", on the Christian Medical Fellowship website.

Cardinal non grata?

In the bad old daze of the Soviet Union, Kremlin-watchers used to keep careful track of who appeared at public meetings of the inner circles of the Communist Party. At events such as the annual May Day parade, who was on the reviewing platform and where they stood (literally) told you their position in the power structure. If someone who was once close (literally) to the top guy is suddenly notable by his absence, that told you something.

The Soviet Politburo was a model of transparency compared with the Roman Curia, the inner circle of cardinals who oversee the work of the Roman Catholic Church. You have to keep your eyes open to see who has the pope's ear, who's pulling the strings, and who's packing his bags.

There has been a lot of fast toing and froing since the breaking of the Vatileaks scandal in May. And a number of very important and very secret meetings too, including a number of special audiences with Pope Benedict XVI. A number of high-ranking officials have been called into the principal's office, so to speak, to do some `splainin'.

L'Osservatore Romano has just confirmed an unprecedented audience given by the Holy Father on Saturday last to Cardinals George Pell, Marc Ouellet (rumoured to be a top contender for the top spot), Jean-Louis Tauran, Camillo Ruini and Jozef Tomko.

Not among those invited to meet with the pope was Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, who is either the mastermind behind the conspiracy or the victim of the conspiracy, depending on whether you believe him or someone else. Bertone's non-attendance is being interpreted by Vaticanistas as a signal that his day as second-in-command to the pope are just about over. Traditional Catholics and devotees of Our Lady of Fatima would say Bertone's ouster is long overdue.

Beyond the question of whether and when Benedict XVI will decide to replace his closest collaborator, there's an increasingly cogent question of whether or not Bertone's successor could or should be a non-Italian. Except for the few months during which French Cardinal Jean Villot was Secretary of State, at the beginning of the pontificate of John Paul II, there has never been a time when the pope and the secretary of state were both non-Italian.

The idea of having a "foreign" secretary of state finds its justification in the desire to purify the Vatican of what Sandro Magister calls the "Italian intrigues" at the bottom of Vatileaks. Many think the Vatileaks question could have consequences for the future selection of a new pontiff. In fact, the idea that the leaking of documents is the result of Italian intrigues has led to the emergence of two scenarios.

On the one hand there are those who think that it would be better that a future pope not come from Italy. It is for this reason that the name of Cardinal Ouellet is being mentioned, since a North American would be good, but a born-in-the-USA American not so good. On the other hand, there are those who say that it would be better that the pope come from Italy, since only an Italian could understand, let alone unmask and eradicate the intrigues.

For the moment, such discussions remain purely academic. At the time of his elevation, it was thought that Benedict XVI was chosen to be a caretaker, for a short time, pending the emergence of a more worthy successor to John Paul II. Those who took that view evidently failed to remember Leo XIII, who was chosen, after the long pontificate of Pius IX, because he was rather elderly according to the criteria of the time. Leo lived to the age of 93.

More to the point, Leo was possessed of a keen intellect in spite of his "advancing years". In 1891 he issued his famous encyclical Rerum Novarum. This remarkable document -- which modernists in the Church seem to have forgotten about -- gave the Church's response to the class conflict which had risen in the wake of industrialization, and which led to the rise of socialism.

In Rerum Novarum, Leo taught that the role of the state is to promote social justice through the protection of rights, while the Church must speak out on social issues in order to teach correct social principles and ensure class harmony. He restated the Church's long-standing teaching regarding the crucial importance of private property rights, but recognized that the free operation of market forces must be tempered by moral considerations.

Rerum Novarum would be good reading for the leaders of today's world. But don't count on secular humanists like Hollande, Obama and the rest to take it to bed with them any time soon.

Footnote: Walt's updates on what's happening in the Vaticank and in the Church are posted for Father Bill and all others interested in the preservation of the traditional Catholic Faith. This post is based on an article by Sandro Magister, in Chiesa.

Follower of "the religion of peace" cuts an apostate's throat - VIDEO

WARNING: EXTREME VIOLENCE

What follows is a snuff video. Walt advises you to NOT watch it too soon before or after a meal. What you will see -- if you can stand it -- is a tight close-up of a Muslim cutting the throat of a young man who had the temerity to convert to Christianity. According to Sharia law, that's the crime of apostasy.



If you looked away, here's what you missed, as summarized by Raymond Ibrahim (a Muslim) on the Gatestone Institute's website.

A young man appears held down by masked men. His head is pulled back, with a knife to his throat. He does not struggle and appears resigned to his fate. Speaking in Arabic, the background speaker, or "narrator," chants a number of Muslim prayers and supplications, mostly condemning Christianity, which, because of the Trinity, is referred to as a polytheistic faith: "Let Allah be avenged on the polytheist apostate"; "Allah empower your religion, make it victorious against the polytheists"; "Allah, defeat the infidels at the hands of the Muslims," and "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger."

Then, to cries of "Allahu Akbar!"— Allah is greater!"—the masked man holding the knife to the apostate's throat begins to slice away, severing the head completely after approximately one minute of graphic knife-carving, as the victim drowns in blood. Finally, the severed head is held aloft to more Islamic slogans of victory.

Strong stuff, eh. But that's how "the religion of peace" treats those who renounce their faith. According to Ibrahim, a prominent Egyptian Salafi leader -- referring to the canonical hadiths, including Muhammad's command, "Whoever leaves his religion, kill him" -- recently stated that no Muslim has the right to leave Islam.

What's interesting is that the video, and the concept of death for apostasy, has received little negative comment in the Muslim world. Muslims seem to regard this barbarity as "normal" under Sharia law -- along with "honour killing", stoning of adulterers, hanging of homosexuals, lashings for "un-Islamic" conduct, and so on.

Yet leaders of of other world religions -- even the Pope, who should know better -- are very careful not to utter any politically incorrect thoughts about Islam. Is Islam primitive, barbaric and evil? Oh no, it's just another way of approaching God! Christians and Jews must respect Muslims and their heathen ways in the name of diversity!

The PC stance nowadays is all for false ecumenism and against any suggestion that one faith is superior to another. We must all learn to get along together. That's the "spirit of Assisi", for which Pope John Paul II and his successor have been very rightly criticized by traditional Christians.

In truth, the "spirit of Assisi" is the heresy of relativism. Catholics who've never heard about this are invited to e-mail Walt for more information.

However, knowing a good thing when he sees it, Walt is going to set up a registered charity to collect money for more "ecumenical outreach" programmes to welcome our Muslim brethren -- and their customs and their religion -- into our formerly Christian society. We could call it "Drawing All Faiths Together".

Society of St. Pius X condemns beatification of JPII

The following is adapted from a communiqué of the Society of Saint Pius X District of Germany on the beatification of Pope John Paul II, which is to take place in Rome on May 1st.

What are we to think of this rapid beatification? You often hear remarks such as, “He was a great devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” or even “He was very clear on questions concerning the protection of human life,” but are these sufficient to set up his work in its entirety as an example for the Church today?

His pontificate was marred by a pronounced ecumenism. John Paul will thus enter history as the pope of humanism and of fraternity among religions.

He preached a special path of salvation for the people of the Old Testament, kissed the Koran in public, and used expressions that scandalized committed Catholics to the depths of their souls, such as the wish, “May Saint John the Baptist protect Islam.”

His gathering in Assisi has become the symbol of the meeting of all religions and introduced in the minds of Christians the “values” of freethinkers, where they are now deeply rooted. One could call that “heresy by image”: All religions lead to God. This is diametrically opposed to the words of Sacred Scripture: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned” [St. Mark 16:16].

We must not forget the gigantic concelebrations, nor should we deny the liturgical abuses during pontifical Masses which, to a certain extent, have caused a liturgical collapse hitherto unknown and have propagated in all the local Churches abuses that cry out to Heaven!

Is that a pontificate that deserves a beatification?

To defend the Faith in all circumstances against error and thereby to unify and guide Christ’s flock—that is the Lord’s command to Saint Peter, which is still valid today.