Mary Beth

NOSTRA AETATE, RELIGIOUS INDIFFERENTISM, AND FATIMA Today marked the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, Vatican II’s Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions (Oct. 28, 1965) — a deeply flawed document drafted in part by one Fr. Gregory Baum (1923-2017), who ended up leaving the priesthood and religious life, marrying a former nun, and admitting to having engaged in homosexual activity throughout his adult life (beginning in 1963, during the Council). ncronline.org/news/gregory-b… reporter.mcgill.ca/gregory-b… In honor of the occasion, the Vatican hosted an event called Walking Together in Hope which featured a speech by @Pontifex: youtube.com/live/tq1kEqIUmHw… “Sixty years ago, a seed of hope for interreligious dialogue was planted,” he said. “Today, your presence,” referring to the various religious leaders in attendance, “bears witness that this seed has grown into a mighty tree, its branches reaching far and wide, offering shelter and bearing the rich fruits of understanding, friendship, cooperation, and peace.” But has interreligious dialogue actually resulted in world peace? No, it hasn’t. Instead, it has resulted in widespread religious indifferentism among Catholics, clergy and laity alike, who have abandoned the truth and embraced the heretical claim found in the Document on Human Fraternity (DHF) signed by Pope Francis in 2019: “The pluralism and the diversity of religions … are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings.” vatican.va/content/francesco… As the presentation at the Vatican itself highlighted, there is a direct link between Nostra Aetate, post-conciliar interreligious dialogue, and DHF: youtube.com/live/tq1kEqIUmHw… DHF simply makes explicit that which is implied in Nostra Aetate and Dignitatis Humanae (Vatican II’s Declaration on Religious Freedom), namely, that (1) all religions are more or less good and that (2) all men have the right to practice and promote whichever religion they prefer. Once these propositions have been embraced — and then acted out on the world stage by popes and other Catholic prelates for decades since Vatican II — it only makes sense to conclude, as DHF does, that “[t]he pluralism and the diversity of religions … are willed by God in His wisdom,” and that His wisdom “is the source from which the right to freedom of belief and the freedom to be different derives.” As Pope Francis said, “The Document was crafted in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council,” and the Council “must be developed.” catholicfamilynews.com/blog/… At another related event earlier in the day, Pope Leo stated: “The world is thirsting for peace. We need a true and sound era of reconciliation that puts an end to the abuse of power, displays of force and indifference to the rule of law. Enough of war, with all the pain it causes through death, destruction and exile!” vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/e… If Pope Leo XIV is serious about ending wars and ushering in an era of peace, then he must heed Our Lady’s Fatima Message and act accordingly. “If my requests are heeded,” Our Lady said (July 13, 1917), “Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated.” vatican.va/roman_curia/congr… Roughly twelve years later (June 13, 1929), Our Lady returned as promised and announced to Lucia (the eldest Fatima seer): “The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father to make, and to order that in union with him and at the same time, all the bishops of the world make the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, promising to convert it because of this day of prayer and worldwide reparation.” catholicfamilynews.com/blog/… This is Heaven’s plan for peace, not interreligious dialogue.