Thanks to Pope Francis I'm No Longer a 'Neo-Catholic'

The Remnant ^ | March 22, 2017 | Petra Perkov

[BlessedBeGod]

Three months is not such a long period of time, but it was more than enough for me to turn my life around. All I knew and all I was came tumbling down like a house of cards one late evening in the fall of 2016. And it started with Pope Francis.

I was born in the 80s, raised a Catholic in a 'modern, ecumenical' Catholic faith. However, it would be unfair for me to blame the post-Vatican II period for my sinful ways. I hold myself accountable, more than anyone or anything else, for not taking the Faith seriously.

I was a Catholic on the fence, Catholic in name only. In other words, I was a disgrace. Sure, I prayed to God (when I needed something), went to Confession (once a year), refrained from sin (when it wasn't too inconvenient) and believed (in a false version of God).

Clearly, I was living a lie.

Picking and choosing those bits of the Church's teaching that suited me, while completely ignoring the others, I was quickly becoming a disciple of Satan without even realizing it.

And so, as an ardent follower of Satan, I found myself watching some Protestant videos on YouTube. Then it happened. By the Grace of God, I stumbled upon a pretty interesting Protestant video on Pope Francis.

As a modern, semi-liberal Catholic (thank God, I have always been very much pro-life), I had thought that Pope Francis was pretty amazing. I never knew much about him, but I quickly bought into the whole 'mercy mission' of our Pope. Watching this Protestant video bashing Pope Francis, I felt my heart sink. For although I liked some Protestants, there was something deep inside me, buried beneath the layers of modernism, that was truly Catholic. I had always known that the Catholic Church was the only true church.

Still, these Protestants were right about everything regarding Pope Francis. The video in question analyzed the obviously outrageous prayer exchange between our Pope and the prosperity gospel fraud Kenneth Copeland.

My heart was racing like crazy. What is Pope Francis doing? What's going on?

And then, a question crossed my mind: Is the Catholic Church really the One True Church?

I needed to find out what was happening. Is it possible that Catholics support the actions of our Pope?

This was the beginning of the end. The end of the old me and the first step on my journey home. For, while I was searching for facts regarding Pope Francis and Catholicism, a whole new world opened up to me: the world of traditional Catholics (aka faithful Catholics).

I learned abouth the Church history, the errors of modernism, the rotten fruits of the Vatican II, the few remaining faithful bishops and cardinals, Amoris Laetitia, the Latin Mass and the false mercy. But, most importantly, I learned about hell.

I had never known about hell. Sure, there was a vague concept somewhere at the back of my mind of what hell might look like. You know, a place where some really nasty paedophiles and serial killers go. Mortal sin – what's that?

Metaphorically speaking, it was Pope Francis who led me to hell. His actions and words became so outrageously liberal and erroneous, that I could no longer ignore the whole 'let's-tolerate-everyone-and-everything-in-the-name-of-mercy“ attitude, let alone mistake it for the real Church teaching. I needed to know what the Church really is all about. I needed to know what hell is. Thanks to Pope Francis, I learned all this and so much more.

Had Pope Francis never been elected, would I have changed my ways? Only God knows.

The whole point of this story is, that even in the midst of the unprecedented crisis in Church history, the Holy Spirit still governs the Catholic Church. Sinners are being converted every day, some in spite of the crisis in the Church, others because of it.

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for always guiding us.

Forgive us, Our Lord Jesus, for we have sinned.

Have mercy on our poor souls, God the Father.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

[Salvation]

Are you aware of how much Scripture is in the Catholic Mass?

This book will help you.

[boatbums]

"He reminded them they were PARTICIPATING " Greek word is koinōnia, “fellowship" The Lord's Supper was a shared fellowship of believers a reflection of Christian unity in what united them as Christians. This is a crucial conclusion in light of the whole flow of Paul's discussion in this section. You leave out context. I'd post it, but I don't want to "work too hard." :-) There was no sacrifice occurring. It was doing as Christ commanded "in memory of Me."

I think we are seeing what happens when prideful men cut Scripture to ribbons, then paste snippets into their "history" to glorify their own agendas centuries after it was written. ;o)

[boatbums]

**What the Roman Catholic church celebrates today as the “Mass” was certainly not practiced in the first century!**

Yes, it was. Read Justin Martyr’s account of what the Mass was then.

Justin Martyr, who was not an Apostle, never refers to the Sunday assembly as the "Mass" and he doesn't mention quite a bit of what Catholics claim their Mass inspired the Revelation of John. Here is Justin Martyr's explanation of what the second century Christians did when they assembled together and it is not all that different from what NON-Catholic Christians practice:

From https://carm.org/justin-martyr-first-apology (remember that this was NOT originally written in English)

CHAP. LXV.--ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS.

But we, after we have thus washed him who has been convinced and has assented to our teaching, bring him to the place where those who are called brethren are assembled, in order that we may offer hearty prayers in common for ourselves and for the baptized [illuminated] person, and for all others in every place, that we may be counted worthy, now that we have learned the truth, by our works also to be found good citizens and keepers of the commandments, so that we may be saved with an everlasting salvation. Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss.(3) There is then brought to the president of the brethren(4) bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he taking them, gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and offers thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at His hands. And when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their assent by saying Amen. This word Amen answers in the Hebrew language to genoito [so be it]. And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are absent they carry away a portion.

CHAP. LXVI.--OF THE EUCHARIST.

And this food is called among us Eukaristia(5) [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.(6) For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, "This do ye in remembrance of Me,(7) this is My body;" and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, "This is My blood;" and gave it to them alone. Which the wicked devils have imitated in the mysteries of Mithras, commanding the same thing to be done. For, that bread and a cup of water are placed with certain incantations in the mystic rites of one who is being initiated, you either know or can learn.

CHAP. LXVII.--WEEKLY WORSHIP OF THE CHRISTIANS.

And we afterwards continually remind each other of these things. And the wealthy among us help the needy; and we always keep together; and for all things wherewith we are supplied, we bless the Maker of all through His Son Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Ghost. And on the day called Sunday,(1) all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability,(2) and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given,(3) and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need. But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration.

Justin Martyr was also a second century Christian (100 A.D. - 165 A. D.). There is no mention of priests, nothing about the bread and wine being "transubstantiated" into the literal body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ (a doctrine that only became "officially" a dogma in the thirteenth century), no mention of worshipping or bowing down to the altar or the eucharist, no mention of a lot of things. And like I said, the same order of worship occurs in most non-Catholic Christian churches. No doubt there are many of the same traditions.

Additionally, since you brought up Justin Martyr, lest you assert he definitely meant transubstantiation, wrote in Dialogue with Trypho, ch 70: "Now it is evident, that in this prophecy to the bread which our Christ gave us to eat, in remembrance of His being made flesh for the sake of His believers, for whom also He suffered; and to the cup which He gave us to drink, in remembrance of His own blood, with giving of thanks."

[MomwithHope]

Btt

[Elsie]

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

I sense that a few more 'videos' will be forthcoming towards you.

[Elsie]

For the papacy is protected by the Holy Spirit from teaching error.

Oh?

The pope 'teaches' in many ways...

[Elsie]

I love the anti- Catholic rants, and that’s exactly what they are because first you don’t even understand what Catholic means - look it up.

 

Darned good idea!

 

Add to that this; Matthew 16:17-19 -“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

 

 

look it up.

 

I think I'll see what the Early Church Fathers (Catholic) had to say about this....

---

---

 

As regards the oft-quoted Mt. 16:18, note the following bishops promise in the profession of faith of Vatican 1:

 • Basil of Seleucia, Oratio 25:

'You are Christ, Son of the living God.'...Now Christ called this confession a rock, and he named the one who confessed it 'Peter,' perceiving the appellation which was suitable to the author of this confession. For this is the solemn rock of religion, this the basis of salvation, this the wall of faith and the foundation of truth: 'For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.' To whom be glory and power forever. — Oratio XXV.4, M.P.G., Vol. 85, Col. 296-297.

• Bede, Matthaei Evangelium Expositio, 3:

You are Peter and on this rock from which you have taken your name, that is, on myself, I will build my Church, upon that perfection of faith which you confessed I will build my Church by whose society of confession should anyone deviate although in himself he seems to do great things he does not belong to the building of my Church...Metaphorically it is said to him on this rock, that is, the Saviour which you confessed, the Church is to be built, who granted participation to the faithful confessor of his name. — 80Homily 23, M.P.L., Vol. 94, Col. 260. Cited by Karlfried Froehlich, Formen, Footnote #204, p. 156 [unable to verify by me].

• Cassiodorus, Psalm 45.5:

'It will not be moved' is said about the Church to which alone that promise has been given: 'You are Peter and upon this rock I shall build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.' For the Church cannot be moved because it is known to have been founded on that most solid rock, namely, Christ the Lord. — Expositions in the Psalms, Volume 1; Volume 51, Psalm 45.5, p. 455

• Chrysostom (John) [who affirmed Peter was a rock, but here not the rock in Mt. 16:18]:

Therefore He added this, 'And I say unto thee, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; that is, on the faith of his confession. — Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Homily LIIl; Philip Schaff, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110.iii.LII.html)

• Cyril of Alexandria:

When [Peter] wisely and blamelessly confessed his faith to Jesus saying, 'You are Christ, Son of the living God,' Jesus said to divine Peter: 'You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church.' Now by the word 'rock', Jesus indicated, I think, the immoveable faith of the disciple.”. — Cyril Commentary on Isaiah 4.2.

• Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (Book XII):

“For a rock is every disciple of Christ of whom those drank who drank of the spiritual rock which followed them, 1 Corinthians 10:4 and upon every such rock is built every word of the church, and the polity in accordance with it; for in each of the perfect, who have the combination of words and deeds and thoughts which fill up the blessedness, is the church built by God.'

“For all bear the surname ‘rock’ who are the imitators of Christ, that is, of the spiritual rock which followed those who are being saved, that they may drink from it the spiritual draught. But these bear the surname of rock just as Christ does. But also as members of Christ deriving their surname from Him they are called Christians, and from the rock, Peters.” — Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (Book XII), sect. 10,11 ( http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/101612.htm)

• Hilary of Potier, On the Trinity (Book II):

Thus our one immovable foundation, our one blissful rock of faith, is the confession from Peter's mouth, Thou art the Son of the living God. On it we can base an answer to every objection with which perverted ingenuity or embittered treachery may assail the truth."-- (Hilary of Potier, On the Trinity (Book II), para 23; Philip Schaff, editor, The Nicene & Post Nicene Fathers Series 2, Vol 9.

[Elsie]

Has it ever occurred to you that Christ said build my Church - not 1500 different versions of my Church, wake up and stop slamming fellow Christians and begin a new day of gathering together all the disparate denominational variants in the Christian Church that must make be almost unrecognizable to the One that matters.

Seems like Rome made SEVEN different versions at a REAL early date - so early that an angel told John to write to them; pointing out their ERROR; in the first three chapters of Revelation.

[Elsie]

... pointing out their ERROR...Error?

How is this POSSIBLE???

Peter was the LEADER; right?

[Elsie]

...why did Jesus dictate letters to SEVEN Churches, all of them different... CATHOLIC.

[Elsie]

Instead of spending your time trying to belittle one denomination over another of your choosing, try putting your mouth to work asking Christians to look to what unites us versus what divides us.

Yeah! Belittle 1500 denominations at ONCE!

---

Do you ever listen to what you are saying.

[Elsie]

Climb down off your pedestal, and quit your lecturing...

[Elsie]

It’s really the only way the Church is truly the “Mystical Body of Christ”.

Where is this phrase you've quoted to be found?

[Elsie]

As long as the Mass is still celebrated faithfully, I will be there.

 

 

---

The 15 promises

(Given to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan de la Roche)

1	Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive powerful graces.
2.	I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
3.	The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies
4.	It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of people from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
5.	The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.
6.	Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying Himself to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise Him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.
7.	Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.
8.	Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plentitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the Saints in Paradise.
9.	I  shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10.	The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.
11.	You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
12.	All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
13.	I  have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death
14.	All who recite the Rosary are my children, and brothers and sisters of my only Son, Jesus Christ.
15.	Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

 

"The Most Holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem,

no matter how difficult it is, wheter temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families...that cannot be solved by the Rosary.

There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary."

Sister Lucia dos Santos

---

---

Never could be any other spiritual home for me but the original.

 

HMMMmmm...

 

 

[Elsie]

I think the seven letters were to His Church on the seven continents.

You THINK??

In 1853 Tsar Nicholas I of Russia described the Ottoman Empire as "the sick man of Europe".

[Elsie]

Those of us with the oil in our lamps have been faithfully waiting for Christ in the Catholic Church since Day One.

Not to worry.

The 'Mary' that Rome has created will give you solace until that day arises.

[Elsie]

Now, now!

You’re going to mess up a person’s thinking process.

[Elsie]

..is also interpreted to be about...

I find it amazing that very plain words can be 'interpreted' so many different ways!

[Elsie]

I was sent to the florist to get some big, showy flowers for our table centerpiece display.

They had none that day, so I purchased some very nice ferns instead.

As I was arranging them in the vase, my lovely wife came in, saw them and ranted, “That’s NOT what I told you to get!!”

In my defense; I replied; “But Honey..

...with fronds like these; who needs anemones?”

[Elsie]

Easier to follow and preach, but not the real fullness of the message Christ delivered.

I just LOVE fullness!

---

John 6:22-36

²² The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. ²³ Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. ²⁴ Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

 

²⁵ When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

²⁶ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷ Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

³⁰ So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? ³¹ Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’^[c]”

³² Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

³⁴ “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶ But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.

 

 

---

1 John 3:21-23

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.