A Holy Alliance between Rome and Moscow Is Born

Chiesa Espresso ^ | ROME, May 24, 2010 | Sandro Magister

[GonzoII]

[GonzoII]

"Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk (in the photo), said exactly this to the pope: that the Catholic Church will not be alone in the new evangelization of dechristianized Europe, because it will have at its side the Russian Orthodox Church, "no longer a competitor, but an ally."

Strong words! Who can deny it?

[Gen. Burkhalter]

I have long felt the Catholic Church should move closer to the Orthodox Church. Would like to see this continue along with the possibility of a re-unification some day.

[vladimir998]

What a change from the Alexi II days just a couple of years ago!

[GonzoII]

Ping.

[marshmallow]

Was it Kolbe who said that Communist Russia would one day send out missionaries who would reevangelize the newly pagan west?

Can't remember who said it.........some holy soul in recent memory...........

[Adams]

Smart move by the metropolitan. The Catholics (and protestant evangelicals have been “converting” Orthodox Christians in Russia since the fall of the USSR. This move gets the Orthodox Churches back in the game of spreading the Gospel.

[Catholic Canadian]

Me too. My family is mixed Catholic, it works.

[Leoni]

An unholy alliance of Anti-Christ, if the Russian Orthodox do not convert to the true Faith.

All the beards, ancient clerical vestments, stunning churches, and liturgy aside, the Russian Orthodox Church has always been just another national, heretical and schismatic church, and since the time of Stalin is controlled by the KGB.

The Vatican today tries to maintain political relations (dialogue) with every country in the world, no matter how evil (Cuba, China, Vietnam etc.) The Russian Orthodox are just one more to dialogue with. "Dialogueing" with them does not legitimize their heresy and schism one bit.

The dogma can never be changed by this pope, the heretical and schismatic, "unless they are joined to the Church before the end of their lives, cannot share in eternal life, and will go into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels", even if they shed their blood for Christ:

Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, “Cantate Domino,” 1441, ex cathedra:

“The Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that all those who are outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans but also Jews or heretics and schismatics, cannot share in eternal life and will go into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless they are joined to the Church before the end of their lives; that the unity of this ecclesiastical body is of such importance that only those who abide in it do the Church’s sacraments contribute to salvation and do fasts, almsgiving and other works of piety and practices of the Christian militia productive of eternal rewards; and that nobody can be saved, no matter how much he has given away in alms and even if he has shed blood in the name of Christ,, unless he has persevered in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church.”

Now, yes, the Catholic Church has always recognized the validity of all the heretical and schismatic clergy with proper apostolic succession, the so-called Eastern Orthodox being a later heresy, also has valid clergy and sacraments, however, ALL of their sacraments are of no efficacy to someone who is outside the Catholic Church because of heresy and schism. The sacraments are real, but the recipient is in a state of sin, in his heresy and schism, (and other sins, like adulterous 3rd marriage, permitted by the Orthodox), therefore, in a manner of speaking, one could say that the very next second, the state of sin returns. This is why Cantate Domino says "only those who abide in it do the Church’s sacraments contribute to salvation and do fasts, almsgiving and other works of piety and practices of the Christian militia productive of eternal rewards".

Anyone who receives the Sacrament of Baptism, whether in the Catholic Church or in a heretical or schismatic church, receives the whole Sacrament; however, he will not have salvation if he has that Sacrament outside the Catholic Church. Eternal life can never in any way be obtained by anyone who, with the Sacrament of Baptism, remains a stranger to the Catholic Church. Hold most firmly and never doubt in the least that no person baptized outside the Catholic Church can become a partaker of eternal life if, before the end of this earthly life, he has not returned, and been incorporated into the Catholic Church. (St. Fulgentius)

Some men can receive Baptism outside the Church, but no one can either receive or possess salvation outside the Church. For the water of the Church is salutary and holy for those who use it well, but outside the Church no one can use it well. (St. Augustine)

There are many heresies which utilize the words of Baptism, but not in a proper sense, nor with sound faith; and, in consequence, the water which they pour is unprofitable, so that he who is sprinkled by them is polluted rather than redeemed. (St. Athanasius)

Although among heretics and schismatics there is the same Baptism, nevertheless, remission of sins is not operative among them because of the rottenness of discord and wickedness of dissension. (St. Augustine)

Baptism does not profit a man outside unity with the Church, for many heretics also possess this Sacrament, but not the fruits of salvation. Children baptized in other communions cease to be members of the Church when, after reaching the age of reason,they make formal profession of heresy, as, for example, by receiving communion in a non Catholic church. (St. Augustine)

[GonzoII]

"(St. Augustine)"

You may want to do some study:

"unanimous consent of the Fathers"

[GonzoII]

And also you may want to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church

[Leoni]

What exactly are you doubting about what I posted? I posted a dogmatic decree, and quotes by saints that are confirmed by dogmatic decrres from popes. The CCC can’t change dogma, go back and read your CCC in light of dogma. By the way, the CCC is not infallible. The dogmas that I will post to confirm your questions (whatever they are?)are infallible.

Catholics don’t follow the opinion of one pope, they follow ALL the popes, dogma. Shall I remind you that Pope Honorius I was excommunicated 40+ years after his death for not opposing heresy?

[Leoni]

I read the CCC when I had just come back to the Church at the age of 40. It went in one ear and out the other, it made no sense. I figured I didn't know enough to understand it, so, I put it away, and studied the faith using like $5000 worth of pre-Vatican II books. Three years later I picked up the CCC again and read it through. I concluded that I was right from the beginning, it is a FORKED TONGUE book that covers the hard truths of our Faith in an ambiguous language which can be interpreted to actually mean the complete opposite of what was ALWAYS taught by the Church. I now only use the CCC to show people the technique.

I don't recommend the CCC to anyone, it's a peace of junk and a lie.

[Leoni]

The progressivists use the strategy of "a hidden meaning...playing "gotcha" faith. ....It's sneaky and deceiving,". Don't read anything past like 1950's, you have 1950 years to read which are CLEAR and don't employ the forked tongue language. The art of progressivism IS DECEPTIVE LANGUAGE TO MASK HERESY, catching them in a heresy is like catching a greased pig.

In the writings of the first 1950 years A.D., if you didn't understand something, it was because the writer was not good at communicating. Today, if you don't understand something, the writer meant that to be. That is the case with the New Catechism of the Catholic Church for example (again a post 1950's book)

Those who seek truth with no biases find it. Seek and you shall find. The problem today is the the "seekers" are seeking what they like (ecumenism,all religions are good, annulments, contraceptives, dressing in immoral seductive attire, no confessions, even homosexuality), so they look no further than a priest/bishop that gives it to them or turns a blind eye to their doings.

[markomalley]

Protestantism essentially presents itself as a liberal interpretation of Christianity.

Ouch.

[redgolum]

Which begs the question. Are the popes after VII legitimate according to that view? Or are they merely talking out of the sides of their mouth?

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Interesting viewpoint ping.

[xone]

ph

[Cvengr]

Those would make Great hockey uniforms. 0<;^)

[annalex]

The problem is that today there are no defenses capable of protecting the spiritual health of the people, their historical-religious uniqueness, from the expansion of foreign and destructive socio-cultural factors, from a new way of life that has emerged outside of any tradition and has been formed under the influence of the postindustrial reality.

At the foundation of this model of life are the ideas of neoliberalism, which combine pagan anthropocentrism, established in European culture at the time of the Renaissance, with features of Protestant theology and elements of philosophical thought of Jewish origin. These ideas were definitively formed at the end of the age of Enlightenment. The French Revolution is the conclusive act of this philosophical and spiritual revolution, which is the basis for the rejection of the normative significance of tradition.

It is by no means a coincidence that this revolution began with the Protestant Reformation, because it was precisely the Reformation that rejected the normative principle of tradition in the realm of Christian doctrine. Tradition, in Protestantism, ceased being a criterion of truth. It was replaced by the application of reason to the Sacred Scriptures, and by personal religious experience. From this point of view, Protestantism essentially presents itself as a liberal interpretation of Christianity.