Antipope Francis’ Notable Heresies and Schism with the “Orthodox” from February 2016

Brother Michael Dimond
Francis’ Recent Heresies

The “Orthodox” churches reject the Papacy, the last 13 councils of the Catholic Church, and allow divorce and “remarriage”, and many of them reject the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The Eastern schismatics (i.e., the so-called “Orthodox”) also reject the Catholic dogma that the Holy Ghost proceeds from both the Father and the Son.  They only believe that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father; they don’t believe that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son (Filioque).  With these facts in mind, consider the following collection of outrageous heresies Francis uttered about the heretical and schismatic “Orthodox” from one month alone – February 2016.

Francis’ February 29, 2016 address to Abuna Matthias I – ‘Patriarch’ of the Ethiopian ‘Orthodox’ Tewahedo ‘Church’:

“Your Holiness,

Dear Brothers in Christ,

It is a joy and a moment of grace to be able to welcome all of you here present. I greet with affection Your Holiness and the distinguished members of the Delegation. I thank you for your words of friendship and spiritual closeness. Through you, I send cordial greetings to the bishops, clergy and the entire family of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church throughout the world… Your Holiness’ visit strengthens the fraternal bonds already uniting our Churches… From 2004 on, the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches have worked together to deepen their communion through the theological dialogue advanced by the Joint International Commission. We are happy to note the increasing participation of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in this dialogue. Over the years, the Commission has examined the fundamental concept of the Church as communion… we have come to see that we have almost everything in common… We are united by virtue of our Baptism, which has made us members of the one Body of Christ… We are brothers and sisters in Christ… Just as in the early Church the shedding of the blood of martyrs became the seed of new Christians, so today the blood of the many martyrs of all the Churches has become the seed of Christian unity. The martyrs and saints of all the ecclesial traditions are already one in Christ. Their names are inscribed in the one martyrologium of the Church of God. The ecumenism of the martyrs is a summons to us, here and now, to advance on the path to ever greater unity. From the beginning, yours has been a Church of martyrs…  I am certain of the readiness of the Catholic Church in Ethiopia to work together with the Orthodox Tewahedo Church over which Your Holiness presides…  Let us pray for one another, invoking the protection of the martyrs and saints upon all the faithful entrusted to our pastoral care. May the Holy Spirit continue to enlighten us and guide our steps towards harmony and peace…  Your Holiness, may Almighty God abundantly bless your ministry in the service of the beloved people of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.”[1]

What kind of heretic calls the leader of a heretical and schismatic sect “Holiness” over and over again?  Answer: the non-Catholic antipope of the Vatican II sect.  The Catholic Church has no communion with non-Catholic “churches”, but Francis says his “Church” does.  Francis says non-Catholics have entered the Catholic Church by their baptism, and that they are “members of the one Body of Christ”.  This is completely heretical.  Throughout history true popes have taught that it is by having the true faith and baptism that one enters the true Church and that baptized heretics and schismatics (such as Protestants and the “Orthodox”) are severed from the Body of Christ.  Francis once again proclaims one of his favorite heresies: that non-Catholic sects have martyrs and saints.  He even says that the “Orthodox” sect “has been a Church of martyrs”.  Of course, the Catholic Church has infallibly taught the opposite.  It teaches that there are zero non-Catholic martyrs and saints.  Francis then asks for the prayers of the schismatic leader.  He says that “the faithful” have been entrusted by God to the schismatic leader.  Francis ends by asking God to “abundantly bless” the “ministry” of the schismatic non-Catholic church.  What a heretic!

Francis’ February 12, 2016 Joint Declaration with ‘Orthodox Patriarch’ Kiril of Moscow:

“3. By meeting far from the longstanding disputes of the ‘Old World’, we experience with a particular sense of urgency the need for the shared labor of Catholics and Orthodox, who are called, with gentleness and respect, to give an explanation to the world of the hope in us (cf. 1 Pet 3:15).”

“7. In our determination to undertake all that is necessary to overcome the historical divergences we have inherited, we wish to combine our efforts to give witness to the Gospel of Christ and to the shared heritage of the Church of the first millennium, responding together to the challenges of the contemporary world. Orthodox and Catholics must learn to give unanimously witness in those spheres in which this is possible and necessary. Human civilization has entered into a period of epochal change. Our Christian conscience and our pastoral responsibility compel us not to remain passive in the face of challenges requiring a shared response.”

Comment: Here Francis teaches that Catholics and the “Orthodox” share labor in spreading the gospel.  This is another indication that Francis believes that both Catholics and the “Orthodox” are part of the one true Church. 

“12. We bow before the martyrdom of those who, at the cost of their own lives, have given witness to the truth of the Gospel, preferring death to the denial of Christ. We believe that these martyrs of our times, who belong to various Churches but who are united by their shared suffering, are a pledge of the unity of Christians…”

Comment: In #12 Francis promotes the heretical idea that there are “Orthodox” saints and martyrs.

“13. Interreligious dialogue is indispensable in our disturbing times. Differences in the understanding of religious truths must not impede people of different faiths to live in peace and harmony. In our current context, religious leaders have the particular responsibility to educate their faithful in a spirit which is respectful of the convictions of those belonging to other religious traditions…”

Comment: In #13 Francis declares that leaders of different religions have a “particular responsibility” to educate their followers to be respectful of the false religious beliefs of others.  This is apostasy.

“14… Orthodox and Catholics often work side by side. Giving witness to the values of the Gospel they attest to the existence of the shared spiritual foundations of human co–existence.”

“19. The family is the natural center of human life and society. We are concerned about the crisis in the family in many countries. Orthodox and Catholics share the same conception of the family, and are called to witness that it is a path of holiness, testifying to the faithfulness of the spouses in their mutual interaction…”

Comment: In #19 he says that “Catholics” and the “Orthodox” have the same views about the family.  But the “Orthodox” allow divorce and “remarriage”.

“24. Orthodox and Catholics are united not only by the shared Tradition of the Church of the first millennium, but also by the mission to preach the Gospel of Christ in the world today. This mission entails mutual respect for members of the Christian communities and excludes any form of proselytism.  We are not competitors but brothers, and this concept must guide all our mutual actions as well as those directed to the outside world…”

Comment: In #24 Francis promotes the heretical idea that the schismatic “Orthodox” have a “mission to preach the Gospel of Christ in the world today”.  Only Catholics have a mission to preach to the world; those in a false church have no mission.  Francis then (once again) condemns “any form of proselytism”.  That means that he excludes any kind of effort to attempt to convert non-Catholics to the Catholic faith.

“25. It is our hope that our meeting may also contribute to reconciliation wherever tensions exist between Greek Catholics and Orthodox. It is today clear that the past method of ‘uniatism’, understood as the union of one community to the other, separating it from its Church, is not the way to re–establish unity…”

Comment: In #25 Francis the heretic then teaches the opposite of what popes have taught throughout Catholic history.  Francis teaches that for the “Orthodox” to leave their schismatic and heretical sect and convert to the Catholic Church (uniatism) is not the way to establish unity.  Unity already (and only) exists inside the Catholic Church.  One of the four marks of the Catholic Church (one, holy, catholic, and apostolic) is its oneness or unity.  However, since Francis’ sect is not the true Church, it lacks unity.  It seeks a unity with heretics who reject dogmas of the faith.

Pope Pius XI, Mortalium Animos (#10), Jan. 6, 1928: “… the union of Christians can only be promoted by promoting the return to the one true Church of Christ of those who are separated from it…”

“27. It is our hope that the schism between the Orthodox faithful in Ukraine may be overcome through existing canonical norms, that all the Orthodox Christians of Ukraine may live in peace and harmony, and that the Catholic communities in the country may contribute to this, in such a way that our Christian brotherhood may become increasingly evident.”

Comment: In #27 Francis calls for the schismatic “Churches” to remain united in their schism and heresy.

“28. In the contemporary world, which is both multiform yet united by a shared destiny, Catholics and Orthodox are called to work together fraternally in proclaiming the Good News of salvation, to testify together to the moral dignity and authentic freedom of the person, ‘so that the world may believe’ (Jn 17:21)…  Much of the future of humanity will depend on our capacity to give shared witness to the Spirit of truth in these difficult times.”

Comment: In #28 Francis calls for “Catholics” and the “Orthodox” to “work together” in “proclaiming the Good News of salvation” and a “shared witness to the Spirit of truth”.  Francis is clearly teaching that both “Catholicism” and “Orthodoxy” lead people to eternal salvation.  This is a clear denial of the Catholic dogma that there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church. 

“29. May our bold witness to God’s truth and to the Good News of salvation be sustained…

BISHOP OF ROME

POPE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW

AND ALL RUSSIA

12 February 2016, Havana, Cuba”[2]

In #29 Francis identifies the heretical and schismatic “Orthodox” as bold witnesses to God’s Truth.  This is completely heretical.

Francis’ February 12, 2016 words to journalists after his meeting and signing of Joint Declaration with ‘Patriarch’ Kiril:

“Secondly, with Patriarch Kirill. It was a conversation between brothers. We discussed clear points that concerned us both, in all honesty. I felt like I was standing before a brother, and he said the same to me. We were two bishops speaking about the state of their Churches… I tell you, truly, I felt an inner joy that was really of the Lord. He spoke freely and I spoke freely. You could feel the joy… Then we signed the Declaration that you have in your hands… It is not a political or a sociological Declaration, it is a pastoral Declaration… It is pastoral; of two bishops who met together with pastoral concerns. And I am very happy.”[3]

Francis clearly believes that the schismatic leader Kirill is a bishop and leader of the true Church.  Francis clearly believes that the schismatic leader is on the road to Heaven.  Francis calls his outrageous Joint Declaration with the schismatic a “pastoral declaration”.

Francis’ February 17, 2016 answers to questions from journalists during his return flight to Rome from his trip to Mexico:

“Jean-Louis de la Vaissière of ‘France Presse’ spoke about the Pope’s meeting with Russian Patriarch Kirill, about the Joint Declaration and the fact that Greek Catholics in Ukraine feel betrayed. The journalist then asked the Pope whether the Patriarch had invited him to go to Moscow or if he might consider going to Crete for the Pan-Orthodox Council.”

Francis: “I’ll start with the last. I will be present in spirit and through a message. I would like to go to greet them in the Pan-Orthodox Council: they are brothers, but I must be respectful. I know that they would like to invite Catholic observers, and this is a beautiful bridge. I will be there, behind the Catholic observers, praying with my deepest hopes that the Orthodox may go forward, forward, because they are brothers and their bishops are bishops like us. Then, Kirill. My brother. We kissed and embraced each other… For two hours we spoke like brothers…”[4]

Comment: Francis says that he would like to go to the schismatic “Orthodox” Council, but that he “must be respectful” of the heretics and schismatics.  Francis hopes that the schismatics and their schismatic council “go forward, forward”.  Francis says that schismatic bishops “are bishops like us”.  The clear meaning of this statement is that they are bishops of the same Church.  This is more heresy and schism from Antipope Francis.

Notes:

[1] L’ Osservatore Romano, March 4, 2016, p. 4.

[2] L’ Osservatore Romano, February 19, 2016, pp. 12-14.

[3] L’ Osservatore Romano, February 19, 2016, p. 3.

[4] L’ Osservatore Romano, February 26, 2016, p. 8.