THE END DAYS

Radical Reformers' Assault on the Catholic Church

I. Assault at the Parish Level.

The following is based on Fr. Richard Welch's recent newsletter.

It calls itself things like "We Are Church" and "Call to Action" -- but it's really a movement of heretics, apostates, feminists, militant homosexuals, pro-abortionists, and assorted left-wing dissidents who are trying to coerce the Roman Catholic Church (and especially our beloved Pope John Paul II) to "open up" to "new ideas" (their ideas, of course). They get support from groups like "Catholics" for a Free Choice, the Women's Ordination Conference and the pro-homosexual group Dignity. Their membership rolls are a "Who' s Who in the anti-Catholic Church Movement." They are super-well-organized, well-funded, and they're getting millions of dollars worth of publicity from their left-wing sympathizers in the news media!
Among their objectives are:
1. "Women should be ordained as deacons and priests!"
2. "Homosexuals should be allowed to marry in the Church, adopt babies, and children alongside yours!"
3. "Contraception should not be considered a sin but a virtue!"
4. "Abortion should be a private matter of conscience!"
5. "Bishops should be elected by the people!"
6. "Priests should be allowed to marry!"
7. "Vatican Council Three should be convened with "the people" voting on doctrine and theology!"
8. And more.
They're on a frantic, worldwide push to gather millions of millions of signatures to present to Pope John Paul II and the world's bishops in St. Peter's Square in October 1997! They've already gathered 2.3 million signatures in Austria and Germany, and they're rapidly expanding throughout Great Britain, Australia, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, and of course the United States. In the U.S., they're known by the incredibly audacious misnomer, "We Are Church." And they've been wreaking havoc in parish after parish wherever they set up shop. They hope to "show" the Church's leaders that it's time to "get in step" with the modern world...to "relax" the Church's "old-fashioned" teachings on sexual morality...and to let the people decide for themselves what doctrines they will and will not accept!!! This is a grass-root effort, beginning at the parish level.
The "reformers" kicked off their irreverent "petition drive" by invading schools and enlisting the help of Catholic schoolchildren to gather signatures and raise money for this nefarious scheme. They sent out a letter to all religion teachers in the U.S. Catholic school system. Here are some excerpts taken directly from that letter:
They even try to bribe the schools into cooperating by offering a fund raising scheme. The letter reads, "At the same time, you have the opportunity to raise funds for worthy programs in your school..." The scheme goes like this: For every signature the children get, they're supposed to ask the signer for a donation of one doll ar. Then they split the funds 60/40 with the rebels' "national task force". So if the kids collect 1,000 signatures -- $ 1,000 -- they keep $600! Now, thanks to these renegade movements, Catholic boys and girls can help overthrow the Church while raising money for their school projects.
There are at least two organizations which are gathering signatures to profess in the true Catholic faith and to counter the above two groups. These signatures will be sent to Pope John Paul II:
1. Fr. Richard Welch, C.Ss.R, Human Life International, P.O. Box 2024, Baltimore, MD 20298-9559. (Fr. Welch also needs financial assistance for his project.)
2. Seton School, 9314 Maple Street, Manassas, Virginia 20110.
  - Seton School circulates "The Real Catholic Petition" (which we concur wholeheartedly) in opposition to the group "We Are Church" as follows :
    - "We, the undersigned, do lovingly believe and defend every single teaching and doctrine of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, as defined, protected and taught by the Magisterium and the Holy Father, and we further acknowledge and proclaim our love, veneration, and affection for His Holiness the Pope, John Paul II, sole Vicar of Christ on earth, possessor of the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, and infallibly guided by the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. We declare our undying opposition to any and every organization which deliberately places itself in direct conflict with our Church by attacking and ridiculing any of these beliefs. We wish to make it forever known that we are dedicated to the defense, knowledge and love of the Truth, and consider it our mission on this planet to know, love and serve God, by being faithful to these ideals and following His Will, so as to be happy with Him forever in Heaven. In the Name of Jesus and Mary, and in the love of God, Amen."
    - On the petition there are spaces for name and signatures, address, and comments.

II. Assault at the Diocese Level.

Cardinal Roger Mahony of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles just issued a 54-page pastoral letter to the parishes in his archdiocese. This document is in its second draft after the first draft was announced in the Los Angeles Ligurtical Conference in November 1996. While the following biblical analysis is ours, the excerpts from the documents are taken on the article "Cardinal Mahony Wants Liturgy Purged of all 'European Elements'" by Teresa Cepeda in the Catholic paper The Wanderer on June 19, 1997.
According to Cepeda, Cardinal Mahony's pastoral letter calls for a complete de-Europeanization of the Mass and the institutionalization of a thoroughly Americanized liturgy. In the document, "Mahony complains incessantly about the poor quality of liturgies in Los Angeles, berates priests and people alike for failing to achieve the vision of the "liturgical renewal" of Vatican II, and provides a "vision" of his ideal liturgy which represents a dramatic break with Catholic tradition."
The following are some excerpts from the document:
- "In all honesty, we have hardly begun to give the basic shape of the eucharist the sounds and movements and gestures and arts of our many cultures."
- "Imagine Sunday liturgies where all acclaim in rhythms known from household and community."
- "The 'right' of the baptized Catholic was to have an ordained person there to 'offer' (or it was even customary to say, to 'read') the Mass. Vatican II freed us from this misunderstanding."
- For Cardinal Mahony, a celebrating priest is only a presider. "A good presider is thoroughly attentive to the liturgy ... This is an attitude, a way of being and conducting oneself. It can only happen when we have left behind all magical notions of liturgy and priesthood."
- "At Sunday eucharist, there is no reverence for the body of Christ when we have not sought bread that is bread to all the senses, when we have not the habit enough wine for the cup to be shared by every communicant ..."
- "The assembly is to be gathered round, if possible, right around the altar, for what occurs here involves not only the bread and wine, but those standing around. We too are consecrated, changed, shared."
The reform by Cardinal Mahony is scheduled to begin in Fall 1997 and be completed by the year 2000. Every parish in the Los Angeles Archdiocese must institute the following reforms:
- Members of the "assembly" will gather around the altar, led by "the presider" in the eucharistic prayer of "thanksgiving" (possibly one written by the mandatory parish liturgy director or committee). All must remain standing until Communion is finished, then sit for quiet reflection. Priests' functions will be limited to leading the opening prayer and the eucharistic prayer. The team of parish "homilists" will meet weekly to plan the following week's sermon and critique the previous week's. Instead of hosts, parishes must use "bread that is bread to all the senses," and Communion must always be distributed under both Species.
- "The practice of taking hosts consecrated at a previous Mass is nowhere allowed in the rubrics. Nor would it be allowed by a right understanding of the eucharistic prayer and the assembly. It should be done only when some rare lack of planning has led to too little consecrated bread from the present liturgy. I cannot imagine what would ever cause such poor planning."
- "Inclusive language" must be used in homilies and announcements. "Further, let us be at least as rich and broad as scripture when in homily or song we employ images for God. God is not male. But our exclusive use of male imagery risks a kind of idolatry."
- The purpose of liturgy is "community." The act of standing symbolizes "that this banquet is communal." He acknowledged that kneeling implies reverence toward God. However, that is not the goal at Mass. "Here [standing] there is true reverence, not simply token gestures, but the sense that these people are discovering what it means to live with reverence for each other and for all creation."
- As the Mass is for the community (not for God), the people don't praise or petition God, they think about each other. "They are turning to one another, becoming conscious of one another's presence as the church begins its liturgy." References to God, Jesus, and sin are thus absent. Also left out are references to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints. The physical layout of a church will reflect that idea. "... The renovation of churches put people on three sides of the area where the altar and the ambo are. So members of the assembly are nearly always seeing other members of the assembly."
In the following we present a brief analysis of Cardinal Mahony's pastoral letter based on the Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Canon Law of the Catholic Church.
- Everyone who is a true Catholic knows that the Mass is an unbloody sacrifice of Jesus Christ offered to the Eternal Father. It is Calvary renewed with all its sufferings and effects, except that we don't see blood with our human eyes. But with the eyes of faith we know that Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ are actually present in the Consecrated Bread and Wine. The Priest with his consecrated hands acts in the Person of Christ when he says: "This is My Body" and "This is My Blood." The Priest's power at the moment of consecration is so awesome that, after these statements and through the power of the Holy Ghost, the bread becomes Body of Christ and wine the Blood of Christ. The Priest only obeys Our Lord's command to repeat what He performed in His first Mass on the Holy Thursday.
  - 1 Corinthians 11:23-26: "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and giving thanks, broke and said: Take ye and eat: This is my body, which shall be delivered for you. This do for the commemoration of me. In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: This chalice is the new testament in my blood. This do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me. For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come."
  By obeying the Lord, the Priest was given the power to consecrate the bread and wine. There are no "magical notions" attached to the liturgy or the priesthood as alleged by Cardinal Mahony. Only those who don't understand the Mass might have magical notions about the Mass and the Priesthood.
- God created us for His glory:
  - Isaias 43:7. "And every one that calleth upon my name, I have created him for my glory. I have formed him, and made him."
  - 1 Corinthians 10: 31. "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God."
  Even the Sacrifice of Our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross and on the altar at the Mass are for the glory of the Eternal Father. That's why the apex of the Mass is where the Priest offers the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ to the Eternal Father saying: "Through Him, with Him, in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory are Yours, Almighty Father, forever and forever. Amen." All glory, honor, blessings, praises, and thanksgivings are due to God alone. Thus we live for the glory of God and we die for the glory of God.
  
  By giving glory (reverence) to men alone, or any creature alone, in a worship service without referring to God or redounding all credits to Him, one committs idolatry.
  - Isaias 42:8: "I the Lord, this is my name: I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven things."
  - 1 Corinthians 3:21: "Let no man therefore glory in men."
  By not giving glory to God in the proposed reformed liturgy, but giving glory to men, Cardinal Mahony is setting up a Church of men, a Church not founded by God, a Church in which men adore themselves and one another, in which men give glory to themselves and to one another. The ultimate aim would be to set up a Church for the Anti-Christ who seeks the glory from men and for his own glory.
  
  Our Lord Jesus Christ told the Jews: "I receive not glory from men. But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you. I am come in the name of my Father, and you receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive glory one from another: and the glory which is from God alone, you do not seek?" (John 5: 41-44).
- Our Lord said: "But the hour cometh and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh such to adore him." (John 4:23)
  Only at the Catholic Mass can we adore the Father in spirit and in truth. Why? Because only at the Catholic Mass can we have the true Sacrifice, The Only-Begotten Son (The Truth) truly offered himself as a sacrifice to the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit. When we go to Holy Communion we are really and truly united with Christ, that is Christ is in us and we in Christ (i.e. we adore God in truth). When Christ is in us, the Holy Ghost also dwells in us (the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, i.e. we adore God in spirit).
  Only those who possess Sanctifying Grace are worthy to glorify God and thus to worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Those who are wicked, or malicious, or are not in the state of grace, are not worthy of glorifying God.
  - 1 Corinthians 5: 6-8: "Your glorying is not good. Know you not that a little leaven corrupteth the whole lump? Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new paste, as you are unleavened. For Christ our pasch is sacrificed. Therefore, let us feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness: but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."
  That is why only the Catholics with the Sanctifying Grace are true adorers. Now by degrading the Mass to a communal meal in which we revere each other instead of adoring God, Cardinal Mahony seeks to turn Catholics into false adorers.
- Cardinal Mahony requires the faithful to stand even during the consecration, during the offering of the Holy Victim Jesus Christ to the Eternal father, and during the Holy Communion. This contradicts the Sacred Scripture.
  - Philippians 2: 10-11. "That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth: And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father."
  - Isaias 45:22-24. "Be converted to me, and you shall be saved, all ye ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by myself, the word of justice shall go out of my mouth, and shall not return: For every knee shall be bowed to me, and every tongue shall swear."
  - Romans 14:11: "For it is written: As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God."
  Only those who have no faith and have no sense of Divine Presence would stand during such awsome moments.
- By creating teams of homilists for each parish, Cardinal Mahony allows lay people to give sermons at Mass, among whom there will be women. But this is expressly forbidden by The Lord's commandments:
  - 1 Corinthians 14: 34-35. "Let women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted them to speak but to be subject, as also the law saith. But if they would learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church."
  - 1 Corinthians 14: 37-38. "If any seem to be a prophet or spiritual, let him know the things that I write to you, that they are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man know not, he shall not be known."
    - (Note: "he shall not be known" means he is cursed or damned as in Matthew 7:21-23. "Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity." Or again 1 Corinthians 8:3. "But if any man love God, the same is known by him.")
  - 1 Timothy 2:11-15: "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to use authority over the man: but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed; then Eve. And Adam was not seduced; but the woman, being seduced, was in the transgression. Yet she shall be saved through child bearing; if she continue in faith and love and sanctification with sobriety."
  It is clear from the above Biblical quotes that as a penance for Eve's sin, women should keep silence in Church, not to raise their voice even by reading the Words of God in the Mass, much less to give sermons. To allow women the right to deliver homilies at the liturgy is in direct contradiction to God's commands. But this is planned as a first step toward the ordination of women as priests. Pope John Paul II has repeatedly affirmed the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church which prohibits women priests forever.
- The use of ordinary leavened bread (bread to all the senses) will violate Canon 926: "In accord with the ancient tradition of the Latin Church, the priest is to use unleavened bread in the celebration of the Eucharist whenever he offers it." (The Code of the Canon Law, edited by J.A. Coriden, T.J. Green, and D.E. Heintschel, New York: Paulist Press, 1985, page 659).
- The prescription that inclusive language must be used in the homilies and the Cardinal's statement that God is not male are desperate attempts to change the Sacred Scripture. Our Lord Jesus Christ refers to God the Father as "Our Father" (not Our Mother) in His prayer, and He refers to The Holy Ghost as He.
  - John 16:7: "But I tell you the truth: it is expedient to you that I go. For if I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you: but if I go, I will send him to you."
  - John 16:13: "But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not speak of himself: but what things soever he shall hear, he shall speak. And the things that are to come, he shall shew you."
  - John 16:23: "And in that day you shall not ask me any thing. Amen, amen, I say to you: if you ask the Father any thing in my name, he will give it you."
  Thus, although God is pure spirit, God Who reveals Himself in the Sacred Scripture is male. Moreover, Our Lord and God Jesus Christ is definitely male in every human sense. Thus, it's better not to adulterate the words of God, otherwise God will call us liars.
  - Proverbs 30:6: "Add not any thing to his words, lest thou be reproved and found a liar."
  - 2 Corinthians 2:17: "For we are not as many, adulterating the word of God: but with sincerity: but as from God, before God, in Christ we speak."
  - 2 Corinthians 4:2: "But we renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness nor adulterating the word of God: but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience, in the sight of God."
It is quite clear that Cardinal Mahony is rejecting the very sources of Catholic Dogmas, namely the Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. He is also challenging the authority of the Catholic Church by openly violating the Canon Law. All things considered, it appears that if he goes through with the proposed pastoral letter, he is in open schism from the Roman Catholic Church. With this bold document being the first in the nation, he positions himself to be the de facto "Pope" of the schismatic American Catholic Church.

III. Prophecies in the Sacred Scripture and in various private revelations are being fulfilled.

The Sacred Scripture has prophesied that the great apostasy must come first.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10. "Let no man deceive you by any means: for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition Who opposeth and is lifted up above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God. Remember you not that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now you know what withholdeth, that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity already worketh: only that he who now holdeth do hold, until he be taken out of the way. And then that wicked one shall be revealed: whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: him Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all power and signs and lying wonders: And in all seduction of iniquity to them that perish: because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Therefore God shall send them the operation of error, to believe lying."
  (Note: A revolt... This revolt, or falling off from the true faith, is the great apostasy before the coming of the Anti-Christ.)
But the apostasy will not be completed until Pope John Paul II flees the Vatican and the Anti-Pope of the Anti-Christ is elected. The latter will abolish all dogmas of the Catholic Church except the one on the infallibility of the Pope. He will merge the false Catholic Church with other religions to form a single one-world religion of which the Anti-Christ will be the head. That is why the pressure for ecumenism among all religions, not just Christian denominations, is so strong now. The merging between religions and Christian denominations necessarily implies mixing the truth with errors because there is only one truth and one true faith.
- John 14:6: "Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me."
- Ephesians 4:5-6. "One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all."
- 2 Corinthians 6:14-16. "Bear not the yoke with unbelievers. For what participation hath justice with injustice? Or what fellowship hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath the faithful with the unbeliever? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God: as God saith: I will dwell in them and walk among them. And I will be their God: and they shall be my people."
The guardian of that true faith is the Roman Catholic Church "which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." (1 Timothy 3:15). Only this Church has the mind of Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 2:16. "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
For this Church is protected by the Holy Ghost from error till the end of the world.
- John 14:16-17. "And I will ask the Father: and he shall give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you for ever: The spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, nor knoweth him. But you shall know him; because he shall abide with you and shall be in you."
  (Note: For ever... Hence it is evident that the Paraclete, this Spirit of Truth, was not only promised to the persons of the apostles, but also to their successors through all generations.)
- John 16:13. "But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not speak of himself: but what things soever he shall hear, he shall speak. And the things that are to come, he shall shew you."
- Jude 1:3. "Dearly beloved, taking all care to write unto you concerning your common salvation, I was under a necessity to write unto you: to beseech you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints."
- 2 Timothy 1:13. "Hold the form of sound words which thou hast heard from me in faith and in the love which is in Christ Jesus. Keep the good deposited in trust to thee by the Holy Ghost, who dwelleth in us." (Note: Keep the good [doctrine] deposited, or committed in trust to thee. St. Paul speaks of the doctrine that the Holy Ghost has deposited in the hands of [Bishop] Timothy, after it was delivered to him by St. Paul and the other preachers of the Gospel: That is, he speaks of the care Timothy must take to preserve the same sound doctrine, and to teach it to others.)
- 1 Timothy 6:20-21. "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding the profane novelties of words, and oppositions of knowledge falsely so called, which some promising, have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen." (Note: Keep that which is committed to thy trust: Keep the deposit of faith which has been committed to thee. St. Paul beseeches Timothy in the most earnest manner, as a guardian of the faith, to preserve it without change. He thus condemns new words which change the doctrine, except the ones which are necessary such as trinity, incarnation, consubstantiality, transubstantiation, and so on. He also condemns all the sects, heresies, and changes in faith.)
How do we know that the true Catholic Church has the mind of Christ? One test is that its dogmas and doctrines do not change with time, or with customs of people to suit their whims, tastes, or weaknesses.
- Hebrews 13:7-8. "Remember your prelates who have spoken the word of God to you: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation, Jesus Christ, yesterday, and today: and the same for ever."
- Malachi 3:6. "For I am the Lord, and I change not."
Therefore, if anyone accepts the abolition or changes in any of the Roman Catholic Church's dogmas he does not have the mind of Christ and does not belong to the true faith.
Our Lady has prophesied through the messages given to Dr. M. J. Even that the American Catholic Church will break away from Rome and become a schismatic Church. This prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes.
You might wish to inform one or more of the following prelates of your reaction to Cardinal Mahony's proposed liturgical pastoral letter:
1. Roger Cardinal Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, 3424 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010 (fax: 213-637-6510).
2. Most Rev. Agostino Cacciavillan, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio, 3339 Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20008 (fax: 202-337-4036).
3. Antonio Maria Cardinal Javierre Ortas, Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship, Piazza Pio XII l0, 00193 Rome, Italy (fax: 01 1 -39-6-69-88-34-99).
4. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Piazza del S. Uffizio 11, 00193 Rome, Italy (fax: 011-39-6-69-88-34-09).
5. Bernardin Cardinal Gantin, Sacred Congregation for Bishops, Piazza Pio XII l0, 00193 Rome, Italy (fax: 011 -39-6-69-88-53-03).

The End Days

"Who is like unto God?"

Created July 16, 1996. Tenth Update July 16, 1997 Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

last updated: 8:31 AM 7/15/99