The Astounding Heresies in Benedict XVI’s 2002 Book Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith

By Bro. Peter Dimond, O.S.B.

 

*This is from my continuing study of Benedict XVI’s books.  For those who don’t know, Benedict XVI is Joseph Ratzinger.

 

Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith by “Cardinal” Joseph Ratzinger, 2002 (Ignatius Press, 2005)

 

Since there are so many heresies from Benedict XVI, I have limited myself to including only those heresies that are truly noteworthy.

 

HERESIES IN PILGRIM FELLOWSHIP OF FAITH:

-BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT THE PROTESTANTS’ INVALID “EUCHARIST” IS A SAVING EUCHARIST!

-BENEDICT XVI TELLS US THAT THE SCHISMATIC “ORTHODOX” CHURCH BELONGS TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH!

-BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT PROTESTANTISM (EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANITY) SAVES

-BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT INTERCOMMUNION WITH THE SCHISMATICS IS ALLOWABLE, EVEN WHEN THERE ARE NO WORDS OF CONSECRATION!

-BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT THE BIBLICAL BASIS FOR THE DOGMA OF THE PRIMACY NEEDS TO BE DEBATED FURTHER

-BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT ECUMENISM IS UNITY WITHOUT CONVERSION

-BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY HAVE THE SAME GOD

-BENEDICT XVI TELLS US THAT THE SCHISMATICS’ DIVISION FROM THE CHURCH IS MORE A QUESTION OF OLD HURTS THAN DOCTRINE

-BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT JEWS MAINTAIN THEIR FAITH IN GOD AND BEAR WITNESS TO HIM TO THOSE IN DARKNESS

-BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT WE MUST OVERCOME ALL ANTI-JEWISHNESS

- BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT THE MAJOR HERETICS DIDN’T CAUSE THEIR DIVISION FROM THE CHURCH; IT WAS THE CHURCH’S FAULT AS WELL

 

BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT THE PROTESTANTS’ INVALID “EUCHARIST” IS A SAVING EUCHARIST!

 

“Cardinal” Joseph Ratzinger, Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith, 2002, p. 248: “Besides, I reckon as one of the important results of ecumenical conversations particularly the realization that the question of the Eucharist cannot be restricted to the problem of ‘validity.’  Even a theology along the lines of the concept of [apostolic] succession, as is in force in the Catholic and in the Orthodox Church, should in no way deny the saving presence of the Lord in the Evangelical Lord’s Supper.”

 

Benedict XVI says that even if one accepts the Catholic dogma of apostolic succession – and therefore that the Evangelical Protestants don’t have the Eucharistic presence of the Lord since they don’t have valid priests – one should in NO WAY DENY THE SAVING PRESENCE OF THE LORD IN THE EVANGELICAL PROTESTANT “LORD’S SUPPER.”  This is total heresy!  This means that it doesn’t matter if one receives the Lord truly or not; you are saved either way.  The Protestant “Eucharist” is a saving Eucharist!  The actual Real Presence of the Lord in Catholicism is meaningless, according to Benedict XVI. 

 

John 6:54- “Amen, amen I say to you: except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you.” 

 

BENEDICT XVI TELLS US THAT THE SCHISMATIC “ORTHODOX” CHURCH BELONGS TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH!

 

“Cardinal” Joseph Ratzinger, Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith, 2002, p. 229, Letter to the Schismatic Metropolitan: “I have become still more clearly aware that the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church belong to one another and that none of the doctrinal questions that appear to divide us is insoluble.”

 

This is bold heresy.  He says that a schismatic, non-Catholic sect belongs to the Catholic Church! 

 

Pope Leo XIII, Satis Cognitum (#15), June 29, 1896 – Bishops Separated from Peter and his Successors Lose All Jurisdiction: “From this it must be clearly understood that Bishops are deprived of the right and power of ruling, if they deliberately secede from Peter and his successors; because, by this secession, they are separated from the foundation on which the whole edifice must rest.  They are therefore outside the edifice itself; and for this very reason they are separated from the fold, whose leader is the Chief Pastor; they are exiled from that Kingdom, the keys of which were given by Christ to Peter alone… No one, therefore, unless in communion with Peter can share in his authority, since it is absurd to imagine that he who is outside can command in the Church.”

 

He also says that the doctrinal questions that “appear” to divide us are not insoluble!  The simple truth that the schismatics must abandon their rejection of Catholic dogma and convert to the Catholic Faith has been completely abandoned.

 

BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT PROTESTANTISM (EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANITY) SAVES

 

“Cardinal” Joseph Ratzinger, Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith, 2002, p. 251: “The fact that the burdensome question of [apostolic] succession does not detract from the spiritual dignity of Evangelical Christianity, or from the saving power of the Lord at work within it, has been very nicely elucidated in the Decree on Ecumenism, especially in number 23, so it seems to me.”

 

This is a bold rejection of the dogma Outside the Church There is No Salvation.  (Notice also that Ratzinger confirms that this is the teaching of Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism).

 

Pope Gregory XVI, Summo Iugiter Studio (# 2), May 27, 1832:

“Finally some of these misguided people attempt to persuade themselves and others that men are not saved only in the Catholic religion, but that even heretics may attain eternal life.”

 

BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT INTERCOMMUNION WITH THE SCHISMATICS IS ALLOWABLE, EVEN WHEN THERE ARE NO WORDS OF CONSECRATION!

 

“Cardinal” Joseph Ratzinger, Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith, 2002, p. 232, Letter to the Schismatic Metropolitan: “The two codes of canon law of the Catholic Church and her Ecumenical directory show that under certain conditions admission to Communion between East and West is permissible or even positively recommended.  And agreement is about to be concluded between the ‘Assyrian’ and the ‘Chaldean’ Churches about mutual admission to Communion in wide areas of the diaspora, where very often only one of the two has a priest available.  This case needed special studies to be made, because the Anaphora of Addai and Mari most commonly in use by the Assyrians does not include an institution narrative.  But these difficulties were able to be overcome, and thus in general, despite many problems, there are now and again little bits of encouragement that give us hope.”

 

First, Benedict XVI reiterates the heretical teaching of Vatican II, the New Code of Canon Law and the Ecumenical directory that non-Catholic schismatics may have intercommunion with Catholics.  This is directly contrary to infallible, unchangeable Catholic teaching on whether heretics and schismatics may lawfully receive Holy Communion.

 

Pope Pius VIII, Traditi Humilitati (# 4), May 24, 1829:

“Jerome used to say it this way: he who eats the Lamb outside this house will perish as did those during the flood who were not with Noah in the ark.”

 

Pope Gregory XVI, Commissum divinitus (# 11), May 17, 1835:

“… whoever dares to depart from the unity of Peter might understand that he no longer shares in the divine mystery…‘Whoever eats the Lamb outside of this house is unholy.’”

 

Pope Pius IX, Amantissimus (# 3), April 8, 1862:

“… whoever eats of the Lamb and is not a member of the Church, has profaned.”

Not only does Benedict XVI teach that the schismatics may receive Holy Communion with Catholics and vice versa, he mentions that this can even occur in the case of the Assyrian schismatics and the Chaldean “Catholics.”  Why is this especially significant?  It is especially significant because the Assyrian schismatic liturgy doesn’t have any words of consecration – the “institution narrative.”  Benedict XVI mentions this in the passage quoted above.  Without the “institution narrative” (the form of consecration) in a liturgy there cannot possibly be a valid sacrament.  Nevertheless, Benedict XVI says that Catholics can go and receive this invalid host and therefore commit idolatry and sacrilege.  It is no problem for him: “these difficulties [i.e. no words of consecration] were able to be overcome…”   This agreement between the Assyrian schismatics (with no words of consecration) and the Chaldean “Catholics” was reached and approved by John Paul II and Ratzinger on July 20, 2001.  You can read about it in the The Most Revealing and Major Heresies of the Week of John Paul II and the Vatican II Sect; scroll to week of 12/26/03.

 

It should also be noted that I recently read a statement from a defender of the Vatican II sect who was claiming that the Assyrian liturgy (for which Ratzinger and John Paul II approved attendance and reception of “Communion”) does have the words of institution.  This person was claiming that this idea that John Paul II and Ratzinger approved attendance at a Mass without words of consecration is just a myth.  Well, we can clearly see that this is not true from the above passage in Ratzinger’s book, in which he bluntly admits that there is no “institution narrative” in this “liturgy.”  So again we see that the defense of the Vatican II apostasy is built upon lies.

 

The fact that Ratzinger approved such a “liturgy” should not really surprise us, considering that Ratzinger has admitted that words aren’t even necessary for validity!

“Cardinal” Ratzinger, Principles of Catholic Theology (1982), p. 377: “…we are witnesses today of a new integralism [read: traditionalism] that may seem to support what is strictly Catholic but in reality corrupts it to the core.  It produces a passion of suspicions, the animosity of which is far from the spirit of the gospel.  There is an obsession with the letter that regards the liturgy of the Church as invalid and thus puts itself outside the Church.  It is forgotten here that the validity of the liturgy depends primarily, not on specific words, but on the community of the Church; under the pretext of Catholicism, the very principle of Catholicism is denied, and, to a large extent, custom is substituted for truth.”

This devastates Catholic sacramental teaching and proves that he is not even remotely Catholic.

 

Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, Session 8, Nov. 22, 1439, "Exultate Deo":
"All these sacraments are made up of three elements: namely, things as the matter, words as the form, and the person of the minister who confers the sacrament with the intention of doing what the Church does. If any of these is lacking, the sacrament is not effected." (Denz. 695)

 

BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT THE BIBLICAL BASIS FOR THE DOGMA OF THE PRIMACY NEEDS TO BE DEBATED FURTHER

 

“Cardinal” Joseph Ratzinger, Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith, 2002, p. 250: “The question about the biblical basis of the doctrine of the primacy of the two Vatican Councils is a classical point of controversy that has been a matter of debate for a long time and certainly needs to be debated further.”

 

This means that Vatican I’s definition that Our Lord conferred the primacy upon St. Peter and his successors (based on Mt. 16:18-20; John 21:15-17; etc.) needs to be debated further.  This is just astounding heresy.

 

Pope Pius IX, Vatican Council I, Sess. 4, Chap. 2, ex cathedra: “Surely no one has doubt, rather all ages have known that the holy and most blessed Peter, chief and head of the apostles and pillar of faith and foundation of the Catholic Church, received the keys of the kingdom from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the human race...” (Denz. 1824)

 

Pope Pius IX, Vatican Council I, 1870, Session 4, Chap. 4, ex cathedra:

“…the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks ex cathedra [from the Chair of Peter], that is, when carrying out the duty of the pastor and teacher of all Christians in accord with his supreme apostolic authority he explains a doctrine of faith or morals to be held by the universal Church... operates with that infallibility with which the divine Redeemer wished that His Church be instructed in defining doctrine on faith and morals; and so such definitions of the Roman Pontiff from himself, but not from the consensus of the Church, are unalterable.”

 

BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT ECUMENISM IS UNITY WITHOUT CONVERSION

 

“Cardinal” Joseph Ratzinger, Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith, 2002, p. 258: “…I tried to outline a model of ecumenism of which the acceptance of division, and drawing close to one another even while separated, was an essential element.  In that sense I could accept slogans like ‘unity through diversity’, ‘unity in diversity’, and a ‘reconciled diversity.’”

 

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…”

 

BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY HAVE THE SAME GOD

 

“Cardinal” Joseph Ratzinger, Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith, 2002, p. 273: “It is true that Islam, too, regards itself as a son of Abraham and has inherited from Israel and the Christians the same God, yet it walks by another path, which requires different standards for dialogue.”

 

Islam rejects the Trinity and the Divinity of Christ.  Christians worship the Trinity and the Divinity of Christ.  They do not have the same God.

 

BENEDICT XVI TELLS US THAT THE SCHISMATICS’ DIVISION FROM THE CHURCH IS MORE A QUESTION OF OLD HURTS THAN DOCTRINE

 

“Cardinal” Joseph Ratzinger, Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith, 2002, p. 232, Letter to the Schismatic Metropolitan: “I have always thought, and now even more so, that what stands between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches is far less questions of doctrine than the memory of old hurts that alienate us from each other: the power of the confused tangles of history seems to be stronger than the light of faith that ought to be transforming them into forgiveness.”

 

This again is bold heresy.  The thing separating the Eastern Schismatics from the Catholic Church is their rejection of Catholic teaching and submission to the Papacy.

 

Pope Benedict XIV, Allatae Sunt (#19), July 26, 1755:

“First, the missionary who is attempting with God’s help to bring back Greek and eastern schismatics to unity should devote all his effort to the single-objective of delivering them from doctrines at variance with the Catholic faith.”

 

Pope Benedict XIV, Allatae Sunt (#19), July 26, 1755:

“For the only work entrusted to the missionary is that of recalling the Oriental to the Catholic faith…”

 

BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT JEWS MAINTAIN THEIR FAITH IN GOD AND BEAR WITNESS TO HIM TO THOSE IN DARKNESS

“Cardinal” Ratzinger, Principles of Catholic Theology (1982), p. 271: “We therefore have to thank our Jewish brothers, who despite all the difficulties of their history have maintained to this day their faith in this God and bear witness to him before other peoples, who without knowledge of the one God ‘sit in darkness and in the shadow of death’ (Lk. 1:79).”

He not only says that Jews have maintained their Faith in God, which is heretical and false, but that they bear witness to Him before other peoples.  By their rejection of Jesus Christ Jews are a symbol and a witness – in fact, the biggest symbol and witness in the world – to rejection of Faith in the true God.  Moreover, Benedict XVI says that Jews bear witness to the other peoples who sit in “darkness,” as if the Jews are not in darkness – but have the light – even though they reject Jesus Christ.  This is just pure apostasy!

 

Ephesians 5:8 “For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord.  Walk then as children of the light.”

    

Colossians 1:12-13:  “Giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.”

 

2 Corinthians 4:3-4:  “And if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, In whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of unbelievers, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine unto them.” 

 

2 Timothy 1:10: “But is now made manifest by the illumination of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath destroyed death, and hath brought to light life and incorruption by the Gospel.”

 

Pope Pius IX, Vatican I (+1870): “… no one can ‘assent to the preaching of the Gospel,’ as he must to attain salvation, without the illumination and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who gives to all a sweetness in consenting to and believing the truth.”

 

BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT WE MUST OVERCOME ALL ANTI-JEWISHNESS

 

“Cardinal” Joseph Ratzinger, Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith, 2002, p. 272: “Precisely on account of the dramatic nature of this final tragedy, perhaps, a new vision of the relationship between the Church and Israel has arisen, a sincere intention of overcoming every kind of anti-Jewish attitude and of beginning a constructive dialogue in pursuit of knowledge of one another and of reconciliation.’”

 

This would entail overcoming Catholic dogma; specifically, the dogmatic definition of the Council of Florence, which is so “anti-Jewish” that it declares that anyone who observes Judaism sins mortally and will not have salvation.

Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, Cantate Domino, 1441, ex cathedra: "The Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and teaches that the matter pertaining to the law of the Old Testament, of the Mosaic Law, which are divided into ceremonies, sacred rites, sacrifices, and sacraments, because they were established to signify something in the future, although they were suited to divine worship at that time, after our Lord's coming had been signified by them, ceased, and the sacraments of the New Testament began; and that whoever, even after the passion, placed hope in these matters of the law and submitted himself to them as necessary for salvation, as if faith in Christ could not save without them, sinned mortally.  Yet it does not deny that after the passion of Christ up to the promulgation of the Gospel they could have been observed until they were believed to be in no way necessary for salvation; but after the promulgation of the Gospel it asserts that they cannot be observed without the loss of eternal salvation.  All, therefore, who after that time (the promulgation of the Gospel) observe circumcision and the Sabbath and the other requirements of the law, it declares alien to the Christian faith and not in the least fit to participate in eternal salvation, unless someday they recover from these errors."

BENEDICT XVI TEACHES THAT THE MAJOR HERETICS DIDN’T CAUSE THEIR DIVISION FROM THE CHURCH; IT WAS THE CHURCH’S FAULT AS WELL

 

“Cardinal” Joseph Ratzinger, Pilgrim Fellowship of Faith, 2002, p. 203: “We will of course be unable to avoid seeing all the series of movements that failed or that led to lasting division: Montanists, Cathars, Waldensians, Hussites, the Reformation movement of the sixteenth century.  And we will probably have to talk about there being faults on both sides that left division here in the end.”

 

So the Protestants, the Montanists, Cathars, Waldensians, Hussites weren’t the cause of their own division from the Church; it was a division that was caused by both sides, according to Benedict XVI.  This is rank heresy from a complete apostate!  In fact, Benedict XVI specifically says that both sides “left division here in the end.” Notice how Pope Gregory XVI teaches exactly the opposite by affirming that heretics, including the Waldensians, received a richly deserved anathema!

 

Pope Gregory XVI, Mirari Vos (# 19), Aug. 15, 1832:

“Here surely belong the infamous and wild plans of the Waldensians, the Beghards, the Wycliffites, and other such sons of Belial, who were the sores and disgrace of the human race; they often received a richly deserved anathema from the Holy See.”

 

A HERETIC CANNOT BE A VALID POPE

                   

It is a proven fact that Ratzinger (now Benedict XVI) is a non-Catholic heretic.  The Catholic Church teaches that a heretic cannot be validly elected Pope, since a heretic is not a member of the Catholic Church.  Ratzinger, who is now Benedict XVI, is a non-Catholic Antipope whose election was utterly null and void.

 

Pope Paul IV, Bull Cum ex Apostolatus Officio, Feb. 15, 1559: “6. In addition, [by this Our Constitution, which is to remain valid in perpetuity We enact, determine, decree and define:-] that if ever at any time it shall appear that any Bishop, even if he be acting as an Archbishop, Patriarch or Primate; or any Cardinal of the aforesaid Roman Church, or, as has already been mentioned, any legate, or even the Roman Pontiff, prior to his promotion or his elevation as Cardinal or Roman Pontiff, has deviated from the Catholic Faith or fallen into some heresy:

(i) the promotion or elevation, even if it shall have been uncontested and by the unanimous assent of all the Cardinals, shall be null, void and worthless;
(ii) it shall not be possible for it to acquire validity (nor for it to be said that it has thus acquired validity) through the acceptance of the office, of consecration, of subsequent authority, nor through possession of administration, nor through the putative enthronement of a Roman Pontiff, or Veneration, or obedience accorded to such by all, nor through the lapse of any period of time in the foregoing situation;
(iii) it shall not be held as partially legitimate in any way…

 (vi) those thus promoted or elevated shall be deprived automatically, and without need for any further declaration, of all dignity, position, honour, title, authority, office and power….

10. No one at all, therefore, may infringe this document of our approbation, re-introduction, sanction, statute and derogation of wills and decrees, or by rash presumption contradict it. If anyone, however, should presume to attempt this, let him know that he is destined to incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the blessed Apostles, Peter and Paul.

Given in Rome at Saint Peter's in the year of the Incarnation of the Lord 1559, 15th February, in the fourth year of our Pontificate.

+ I, Paul, Bishop of the Catholic Church…”

 

St. Robert Bellarmine: “A pope who is a manifest heretic automatically (per se) ceases to be pope and head, just as he ceases automatically to be a Christian and a member of the Church.  Wherefore, he can be judged and punished by the Church.  This is the teaching of all the ancient Fathers who teach that manifest heretics immediately lose all jurisdiction.” (De Romano Pontifice, II, 30)

 

The Catholic Encyclopedia, “Papal Elections,” 1914, Vol. 11, p. 456: "Of course, the election of a heretic, schismatic, or female [as Pope] would be null and void."

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