Benedict XVI says the “Orthodox” have saints and martyrs, and looks forward to 2017 and the opportunity to celebrate a common ecumenical commemoration for the 500th anniversary of the posting of Martin Luther’s theses

By Bro. Michael Dimond, O.S.B.
Read more of Benedict XVI’s Recent Heresies

Benedict XVI’s January 28, 2011 Discourse to the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches:

“It is with great joy that I welcome you, the members of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.  Through you I gladly extend fraternal greetings to my venerable Brothers, the Heads of the Oriental Orthodox Churches… May the intercession and example of the many Martyrs and Saints, who have given courageous witness to Christ in all our Churches, sustain and strengthen you and your Christian communities.” [1]

The term “venerable brothers” is a traditional term that Catholic popes would use to refer to bishops of the Catholic Church.  As we can see here, Benedict XVI calls the schismatic bishops of the “Orthodox” church “venerable brothers.”  Benedict XVI then states that the schismatic “Orthodox” Churches have “many Martyrs and Saints.”  This is the same outrageous heresy proclaimed by Antipope John Paul II in his heretical encyclical Ut Unum Sint.

Benedict XVI’s January 24, 2011 Address to Lutheran “Pastor and Bishop” Friedrich and his Delegation from the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany:

“Dear Bishop Friedrich, Dear Friends from Germany, I extend a cordial welcome to all of you, who represent the leaders of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany, to the Apostolic Palace, and I am delighted that you have come to Rome as a Delegation at the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  Thereby you also show that our deep longing for unity can only bear fruit if it is rooted in common prayer.  I would like to thank you, dear Bishop, in particular, for your words, that with great sincerity, express the common effort for deeper unity among all Christians… Hence the Catholic Church’s commitment to ecumenism, as my Venerable Predecessor Pope John Paul II said in his Encyclical Ut Unum Sint, is not a mere strategy of communication in a changing world, but a fundamental commitment of the Church, starting with her own mission… Today ecumenical dialogue can no longer be separated from the reality and the faith life of our Churches without harming them.  Thus, let us turn our gaze together to the year 2017, which recalls the posting of Martin Luther’s theses on Indulgences 500 years ago.  On that occasion, Lutherans and Catholics will have the opportunity to celebrate throughout the world a common ecumenical commemoration, to strive for fundamental questions at the global level, not – as you yourself have just said – in the form of a triumphant celebration, but as a common profession of our faith in the Triune God, in common obedience to Our Lord and to his Word.  We must give an important place to common prayer and to interior prayer addressed to our Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of mutual wrongs and for culpability of mutual wrongs and for culpability relative to the divisions.  Part of this purification of conscience is the mutual exchange appraising the 1,500 years that preceded the Reformation, and which we therefore have in common.” [2]

Benedict XVI calls the Lutheran layman a “Bishop.”  Then Benedict XVI says: “Thus, let us turn our gaze together to the year 2017, which recalls the posting of Martin Luther’s theses on Indulgences 500 years ago.  On that occasion, Lutherans and Catholics will have the opportunity to celebrate throughout the world a common ecumenical commemoration…”  Benedict XVI says he looks forward to the year 2017 and the 500th anniversary of the posting of Martin Luther’s theses!  That action by Martin Luther is widely considered as the beginning of the Protestant revolution.  He states that this anniversary of what many believe to be the beginning of Protestantism will be an “opportunity to celebrate throughout the world a common ecumenical commemoration.”  This is incredible blasphemy against God and a heresy against the one, holy, Catholic Church.

Benedict XVI’s January 10, 2011 Address to the Members of the Diplomatic Corps:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, your presence on this solemn occasion is an invitation to survey the countries which you represent and the entire world.  In this panorama do we not find numerous situations in which, sadly, the right to religious freedom is violated or denied?  It is indeed the first of human rights, not only because it was historically the first to be recognized but also because it touches the constitutive dimension of man, his relation with his Creator…Yet is this fundamental human right not all too often called into question or violated?... Finally, I would like to state once again that the right to religious freedom is not fully respected when only freedom of worship is guaranteed, and that with restrictions.  Furthermore, I encourage the accompaniment of the full safeguarding of religious freedom and other human rights by programs which, beginning in primary school and within the context of religious instruction, will educate everyone to respect their brothers and sisters in humanity… Turning our gaze from East to West, we find ourselves faced with other kinds of threats to the full exercise of religious freedom.  I think in the first place of countries which accord great importance to pluralism and tolerance, but where religion is increasingly being marginalized.  There is a tendency to consider religion, all religion, as something insignificant, alien or destabilizing to modern society, and to attempt by different means to prevent it from having any influence on the life of society… Acknowledging religious freedom also means ensuring that religious communities can operate freely in society through initiatives in the social, charitable or educational sectors… Ladies and Gentlemen, on this solemn occasion, allow me to state clearly several principles which inspire the Holy See, together with the whole Catholic Church, in its activity within the intergovernmental International Organizations for the promotion of full respect for the religious freedom of all.  First, the conviction that one cannot create a sort of scale of degrees of religious intolerance.  Unfortunately, such an attitude is frequently found, and it is precisely acts of discrimination against Christians which are considered less grave and less worthy of attention on the part of governments and public opinion.  At the same time, there is a need to reject the dangerous notion of a conflict between the right to religious freedom and other human rights, thus disregarding or denying the central role of respect for religious freedom in the defense and protection of fundamental human dignity… The activity of the Papal Representatives accredited to States and international organizations is likewise at the service of religious freedom… Before this distinguished assembly, I would like once more to state forcefully that religion does not represent a problem for society, that it is not a source of discord or conflict.  I would repeat that the Church seeks no privileges, nor does she seek to intervene in areas unrelated to her mission, but simply to exercise the latter with freedom.  I invite everyone to acknowledge the great lesson of history: ‘How can anyone deny the contribution of the world’s great religions to the development of civilization?  The sincere search for God has led to greater respect for human dignity… I exhort everyone, political and religious leaders and persons of every walk of life, to set out with determination on the path leading to authentic and lasting peace, a path which passes through respect for the right to religious freedom in all its fullness. [3]

Benedict XVI calls for programs to be taught in primary school that will indoctrinate people to respect others in their practice of different false religions.  He then says that it’s a terrible thing that people are trying to prevent different religions from having influence on society.  Benedict XVI then declares that false religions don’t represent a problem for society.  He caps off his latest tome promoting religious liberty by blasphemously stating: “How can anyone deny the contribution of the world’s great religions to the development of civilization?”  According to him, the various false religions (which were created by the Devil) help society properly develop.  He is an apostate.

“Cardinal” Berone’s Telegram sent on behalf of Benedict XVI in respect for a recently deceased leader of Italian Jews, Tulllia Zevi:

“Having learned of the death of Ms Tullia Zevi the Supreme Pontiff shares in spirit in the bereavement of her relatives and of the Jewish Communities in Italy (UCEI), assuring them of his prayers and recalling her high moral profile and authoritative contribution to the development in Italian society of the values of democracy, peace, freedom and sincere and fruitful dialogue between Jews and Christians.  I join my personal testimony of profound sorrow.”[4]

Benedict XVI sends a telegram in respect for a leader of the Jewish community who rejected Jesus Christ and the Catholic faith to her dying breath.

Benedict XVI’s January 25, 2011 Homily at the end of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity”:

“We must be grateful  because in recent decades the ecumenical movement, ‘fostered by the grace of the Holy Spirit’, has taken significant steps forward, which have made it possible to reach an encouraging convergence on various points, developing relations of esteem and reciprocal respect between the Churches and the ecclesial Communities… I would like to offer a special greeting to the representatives of the United Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Germany who have come to Rome led by the Evangelical-Lutheran Bishop of Bavaria.” [5]

Benedict XVI says that he wants to develop esteem for the different heretical “Christian” churches.  He again calls the Lutheran layman a “Bishop.”

Benedict XVI’s December 17, 2010 Address to the new Ambassador of Italy:

“… the Agreement on the modification of the Concordat aims fundamentally to guarantee the full exercise of religious freedom, that is, of the right which is historically and objectively the first of those fundamental rights of the human person.  It is therefore of great importance to observe and, at the same time, to develop the letter and the spirit of those Agreements and of those that have derived from them, recalling that they have guaranteed and can still guarantee a serene coexistence to Italian society… On the contrary, these Agreements are founded on the just desire on the part of the State to guarantee individuals and the Church the full exercise of religious freedom, a right that has not only a personal dimension because ‘his own social nature requires that man give external expression to these internal acts of religion, that he communicate with others on religious matters, and profess his religion in community’.  As well as being a right of the individual, religious freedom is therefore also a right of the family, of religious groups and of the Church, and the State is called to protect not only the rights of believers to freedom of conscience and religion, but also to the legitimate role of religion and of religious communities in the public sphere… For this reason it is unthinkable to pursue authentic social progress by taking the way of marginalization or even of the explicit rejection of the religious factor, as in our times there is a tendency to do in various ways.” [6]

This is just another one of Benedict XVI’s endless addresses promoting the condemned heresy of religious liberty.  He even emphasizes that the State has a duty to protect the religious “freedom” of non-believers.  This is condemned heresy. 

Benedict XVI’s Recent Heresies

The Heresies of Benedict XVI file

Endnotes: