May 21, 2020. [ABOVE PHOTO CREDIT: Public Domain, Courtesy Ronald Reagan Library. From Wikimedia.]
Monday was the 100th anniversary of Pope John Paul’s birth. Even while still alive, he was hailed as “the Great.” And although the appellation seems to be falling out of favor these days, I maintain it is more appropriate today than ever before.
Consider that, in the midst of the greatest doctrinal crisis in the history of the Church in which the current pope denies the authority of the Bible and the Ten Commandments, John Paul’s writings stand as the greatest defense against the current errors.
The Pope’s Legacy Under Fire
But today, John Paul’s legacy is threatened from many quarters. Because he was such an incisive critic of sexual liberation theology, his essential text Veritatis Splendor was ignored in Amoris Laetitia. There is not so much as a single mention of the text anywhere in AL. Of course, Francis had to ignore it, for, as the dubia Cardinals demonstrated, Veritatis refuted Amoris Laetitia. Thus, although Francis makes a show of respect to the late pope— by his actions, Francis reveals himself to be John Paul’s enemy. It is no exaggeration to suggest that the very purpose of Amoris was to reverse the doctrinal legacy of Veritatis Splendor. When Francis told the Jesuits that he wanted Bernard Häring’s ideas taught in every seminary, he was effectively defenestrating John Paul, and along with the great pope, all the Doctors, Fathers, and Apostles of the Church. Francis has dismantled John Paul’s institute for marriage and the family, and he and fellow Jesuit James Martin have set their sights on the Catechism as well. Under Jesuit rule, no teachings are safe.
Call it payback for the late pope’s actions against the Jesuit order when John Paul suspended the Jesuit constitution and took direct control of the order.
John Paul Made Enemies
John Paul made enemies, to be sure. He fired heretical theologians. He condemned heretical theology texts. He excommunicated disobedient bishops. He was not wishy-washy. Read my book if you’re fuzzy on the subject. He was an unapologetic defender of divine revelation, Church doctrine, and papal authority. And for that, his enemies from all the various camps and spectrums and –isms have attacked his legacy. Nowadays on social media, it seems that the loudest voices are from his many critics. Here’s an example:
It’s a “fact” that the sexual abuse scandal is 80% John Paul’s fault, is it? My book tells a far different story. Unlike the fact-free tweet above, Confronting the Pope of Suspicion is loaded with facts which show that John Paul fought against the true sources of the scandal. He went after the Jesuits, the theologians, and the heretical theologies that turned our priests into sex zombies.
Defending John Paul II at New Walden
It is the official editorial position of NewWalden that the only proper defense of the Church is the one that defends John Paul II. And because John Paul was a Vatican II pope, a defense of John Paul implies, as well, a defense of Vatican II. So expect the occasional posting that tackles traditionalist critiques of Vatican II and John Paul II. Which brings me to a piece of related news.
Manna From Heaven
In an amazing turn of events, a new writing of the late pope has been discovered. I’ve just started reading it, and I can tell you that it speaks to our times more authoritatively than anyone alive in the Church today. And the issue that John Paul is addressing is one that he gets criticized for by the “trads”: evangelization, or the lack of it, as they see it. I will be reviewing this book soon, so stay tuned. (Book image links to Amazon.)
The President Honors Pope John Paul II
On a lighter note, it was heartening to see that President Trump remembered John Paul’s birthday. It’s important to appreciate these lighter moments while we still have them. Take nothing for granted:
MyronM
I see that you greatly value Pope John Paul II. I send you my own text, which indirectly indicates the importance of his life mission.
First read this:
“If you keep the word of God in this way, it will also keep you. The Son with the Father will come to you. The great Prophet who will build the new Jerusalem will come, the one who makes all things new. This coming will fulfill what is written: As we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, we shall also bear the likeness of the heavenly man. Just as Adam’s sin spread through all mankind and took hold of all, so Christ, who created and redeemed all, will glorify all, once he takes possession of all”.
[This famous excerpt on the three (3) comings of the Lord Jesus Christ is taken from a sermon by St. Bernard of Clairvaux (Sermo 5, In Adventu Domini, 1-3: Opera Omnia, Edit. Cisterc. 4 {1966}, 188-190. It is used in the Roman Office of Readings for Wednesday of the First Week of Advent. The accompanying biblical reading is taken from Isaiah 5:1-7.]
And now read my text (below) to understand that we are on the threshold of a new era – the era of God the Holy Spirit and the God’s Kingdom on earth.
The Another Galicia and the Another Comforter
Although the 3rd Secret of Fatima (https://www.traditioninaction.org/Questions/B352_Secret.html) is very laconic, it contains a powerful message. Let’s take a closer look at this sentence (basically an order): “In the kingdom of John Paul II the cornerstone of Peter’s grave must be removed and transferred to Fatima.”
The kingdom of John Paul II? Seemingly it looks like a factual mistake, because in reference to the modern pope one speaks of a pontificate, not of a reign or kingdom. It only makes sense when you consider that John Paul II’s home country, Poland, is still a kingdom. Another mystery, if you don’t take into account that the Blessed Virgin proclaimed herself the Queen of Poland on August 14, 1608 in the revelation given to Father Giulio Mancinelli, an Italian Jesuit at the Gesu Nuovo convent in Naples, the Kingdom of Sicily. She appeared in the company of Saint Stanislaus Kostka the Novice and said: “Why don’t you call Me the Queen of Poland? I loved this kingdom very much and I intend to do great things for it, because its sons are burning with peculiar love for Me.”
Father Giulio personally knew Saint Stanislaus Kostka and after his death (Aug. 15, 1568) he had a devotion to him. Less than 2 years after this apparition Father Mancinelli arrived in Cracow, then the capital of the Polish Crown, where he was received by King Sigismund III Vasa. On May 8, 1610, he celebrated mass in the confessio of Saint Stanislaus the Bishop in the Wawel Cathedral and during the memento of the living the Holy Virgin appeared again to Father Giulio and said: “I am the Queen of Poland. I am the Mother of this Nation, which is very dear to Me, so plead to Me for him and for the prosperity of this land, beg Me constantly and I will always be merciful to you.” For the third time, the Blessed Virgin confirmed her choice on August 15, 1617, again appearing to Father Mancinelli in Naples: “Giulio! For the honor that you have for Me, taken to heaven, you will see Me next year in the glory of heaven. Meanwhile, call Me here on earth, THE QUEEN OF POLAND. I loved this kingdom and destined it for great things, because especially my sons adore Me.” And her eyes full of sweetness and love rested on the young man [i.e. Saint Stanislaus Kostka] who was with Her. Once again She turned to Fr. Mancinelli, saying: – You owe him the grace of today!”
Many Christian rulers entrusted their realms to the Most Holy Virgin, for example: King Richard II of England on June 13, 1381 (as a dowry), King Louis XIII of France on February 10, 1638, King John IV of Portugal on March 25, 1646. It was their own initiative, but unlike these kingdoms, the Holy Virgin chose Poland herself – it was not the Poles who chose Her, but She chose them! She made it known for the first time in Italy in 1608, but it was only 47 years later that King John II Casimir Vasa offered the Polish Crown to the Mother of God on April 1, 1656 in Lwów* (Leopolis) in Galicia (then part of Poland). It was a strictly state act, which is why Poland is still the chosen kingdom of the Holy Virgin, despite the fact that its citizens, secular and church authorities do not remember it – the Queen of Heaven, Earth and… Poland remembers!
Now look at the date of the 3rd Secret of Fatima: April 1, 1944 – it’s getting interesting. Lucy wrote down this secret in Tuy, a town in Galicia, Spain. It gets even more interesting! This is not an April Fool joke, it is a reference to the vow of King John II Casimir of 1656 made in Lwów (Leopolis), the capital town of Galicia(!), Poland. I do not think that sr. Lucy dos Santos has such knowledge of Polish history, but the Blessed Virgin has it.
Let’s return to the Queen’s order: “In the kingdom of John Paul II the cornerstone of Peter’s grave must be removed and transferred to Fatima.” On Peter, the Rock, Jesus Christ built his Church. But the tomb of Peter also means the death of the Mystical Body of the Lord Jesus on earth. The Roman Catholic Church is dying right before our eyes. Peter the Apostle was a living stone, so taking a stone out of his grave in the kingdom of John Paul II means taking from his kingdom, i.e. Poland, a living man and transferring him to Fatima. For what? At the time of the apparitions at Fatima in 1917, Portugal had its King Manuel II, but he was in exile in England after the overthrow of the monarchy by the Freemasons on October 5, 1910. During the Great War, subsequent monarchies fell into the hands of the Masons, including the Austro-Hungarian and German empires. The anti-church led by Satan began to dominate the political life of then Christian Europe. In the face of the progressive spiritual degradation of Christian societies, the Holy Virgin prepares her king who will deal with Her against the eternal enemy of the Church on earth, Satan. What does King Manuel II of Portugal have to do with this? Because the name ‘Manuel II’ also means ‘second Emmanuel’. Who is the first Emmanuel? Jesus Christ the King. Who is the second Emmanuel? Promised Paraclete, the great monarch of the end times! [Matt 10:34]: The Lord Jesus really brought the sword** upon earth! Why does the rock on which the Church will be rebuilt in the form of God’s kingdom come from Poland? Because this is the beloved kingdom of the Most Holy Virgin, the Apocalyptic Woman, kingdom chosen by Her personally! Interesting, isn’t it?
Nov. 10, 2019, Feast of Maria Santissima del Monte Carmelo, Bagheria (Palermo, Sicily) and commemoration of Pope Saint Leo the Great
*Father Giulio Mancinelli during his trip to Poland in 1610A.D. also visited the famous city Lwów (Lviv).
**The original sword of Saint Peter the Apostle is in the Archcathedral of Poznan, Poland. Pope John XIII gave this relic-weapon to Prince Mieszko I in 968A.D., two years after the baptism of Poland as a state.