Organizers of the “Catholic Identity” Conference, repent!

November 10, 2023

Sincere orthodox Catholics were shocked to learn that the Pittsburgh “Catholic Identity” Conference leaders removed Carlo Maria Viganò, former US nuncio, from the list of speakers. They cannot understand the reason why. Some ask: “Do the conference organizers perhaps think that this apostle of Christ is doing little to combat the current heresies that have taken over the Vatican and are leading the Church to a total loss of Catholic identity? Does he take little risk in fearlessly speaking out against secular and ecclesiastical elites to defend Christ and God’s commandments?” Many traditional Catholics lamented in disappointment: “This experience of deleting the former US nuncio from the roster fills us with concern that the conference organizers would just as well delete Archbishop Lefebvre or the Apostle Paul, who were not afraid to bear the reproach of Christ.” (cf. Heb 13:13) What is most painful about it is that the Conference did not allow this prophetic Viganò’s speech to be heard, even though it was timed just before the culmination of the October Synod. The Synod, in Cardinal Müller’s words, was focused on two basic things, namely the blessing of gay marriage and the ordination of women.

By rejecting Viganò’s speech, the Conference drowned out the clear message pointing to a way out of the crisis. And all because the conference organizers do not want to get into trouble for the sake of Christ and true Catholic identity, and just talk a good game about it. They feel comfortable with a false non-confrontational approach publicly demonstrated by Auxiliary Bishop Schneider. Already in 2019, he wrote a treatise entitled “On the question of a heretical pope” and has never repented of these erroneous views of his. It is based on the absurd assumption that a heretical pope can in no case be deprived of his office. This Schneider’s view is against Holy Scripture (Gal 1:8-9), against the Bull of Paul IV, and against the many authorities of the saints.

Schneider wrote: “The pope gets his authority directly from God and not from the Church; therefore, the Church cannot depose him, for any reason whatsoever.”

We respond: The heretical pseudo pope gets an anathema – excommunication from the Church – directly from God. Therefore, the Church obedient to God must depose him and cannot regard him as pope anymore. In this extraordinary situation, the Church must accept a new, orthodox pope who will defend the Church as it is done by C. M. Viganò, even at the risk of his own life.

Quote by Schneider: “The attempt to depose a heretical pope … reflects an unwillingness to bear the temporal cross of a heretical pope.”

Response: Schneider’s phrase “heretical pope” is nonsense. Either he is a pope who defends faith and morals, or he is a heretic and hence he is no pope and no one can obey him. This follows from the Holy Scriptures and from the dogmatic bull Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio, and is confirmed by the authority of many holy Doctors of the Church.

Quote by Schneider: “The extremely rare case of a heretical… pope must ultimately be endured and suffered…”

Response: The dogmatic bull of Paul IV nowhere states that a heretical pseudo pope must be endured and suffered. On the contrary, it states: “If ever at any time it shall appear that any Bishop, … or any Cardinal of the Roman Church, 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: 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.”

At the end of his Bull, Paul IV declares: “No one at all, therefore, may infringe this document of our approbation 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.” (February 15, 1559)

Pseudo Pope Francis has enthroned the Pachamama demon in the Vatican, provocatively dedicated himself to Satan in Canada, and now promotes the blessing of sodomite unions and the ordination of women through the synodal process. If “Catholic Identity” Conference organizers consider him to be a valid pope in order to maintain an image of being no schismatics, they place themselves under the same anathema that is upon Jorge Bergoglio. We hope that the conference organizers understand that once the October Synod is over, any priest who wants to bless sodomite unions has the door open. A bishop who would want to punish him will be subject to a Vatican visitation and subsequently removed from office.

The time has come when Jesus is looking for sincere souls who will stand up for Him and be willing even to sacrifice their lives as martyrs. Ceremonialism or simply stating the truth will not give the strength. Pilate spoke the truth, but in the end he washed his hands and betrayed it.

By removing C. M. Viganò from the list of speakers and by glorifying Schneider, the conference organizers proved by their deeds that they had lost their Catholic identity. Consider, then, what the point of these conferences is. Given the situation, is it not wiser to cancel them in the future?

+ Elijah

Patriarch of the Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate

+ Methodius OSBMr                 + Timothy OSBMr

Secretary Bishops

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