Catholic Church Backing Off on "Papal Preacher" Remarks

The 'Catholic News Service' is now trying to back off from its April 1 story, "Papal Preacher Says Other Religions Have Role in God's Salvation Plan." The story reported on the Vatican March 29 Good Friday service, where the pope's personal preacher, 'Father' Raniero Cantalamessa, with the pope in attendance, said other religions, "are not merely tolerated by God but positively willed by Him as expressions of the inexhaustible richness of His grace and His will for everyone to be saved."

The 'Catholic News Service,' the official news organ of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, is now trying to muddy the waters on this all religions are okay story, by now making available an article titled, "Who Speaks for the Vatican? Officials' Opinions not Always United."

This article says, "The Vatican does not always speak with a single voice, ranging from the Middle East to the salvation of souls."

So........There is more than one voice at the Vatican as "to the salvation of souls." I wonder which voice a Catholic is to believe if, "officials' opinions are not always united?"

This article is attempting to show that there are different voices at the Vatican - from conflicting statements on Middle Eastern policy by Vatican agencies such as the Secretariat of State and the newspaper, 'L'Osservatore Romano,' to simple issues as to whether or not flowers should be allowed on an altar at Mass.

Placing eternal life on the same level as Mid-East policy and the floral arrangements in Catholic churches, the article points out that the Vatican also has differences on which religion is the correct one - from Cantalamessa's other religions are "positively willed" by God, to Cardinal Ratzinger's document, 'Dominus Iesus,' which says the Roman Catholic Church is the only "instrument for the salvation of all humanity."

For Catholics who are tired of this "cafeteria" style of teaching, may they come to the solid truth of the BIBLE. Psalm 119:89 says, "FOR EVER, O LORD, THY WORD IS SETTLED IN HEAVEN." The Roman Chuch can't say this! May many Catholics repent, confess Catholicism as sin, and receive Christ by faith ALONE.

Papal Preacher Says Other Religions Have Role in God's Salvation Plan

This was the title of an article in the April 1 'Catholic News Service.' This is what 'Father' Raniero Cantalamessa, the pope's personal preacher, preached at the Vatican Good Friday services, with the pope in attendance. Cantalamessa said other religions, "are not merely tolerated by God but positively willed by Him as expressions of the inexhaustible riches of His grace and His will for everyone to be saved."

Well, let's take a look at another religion and see what it teaches, Islam's koran, for example:

Surah 3:61 denies the divinity of Jesus Christ by saying, "Jesus being a slave of Allah, and having no share in divinity."

Surah 4:157 teaches that someone other than Jesus died on the cross. "But they killed him (Jesus) not, nor crucified him, but it appeared so to them - the resemblance of Jesus was put over ANOTHER man and they killed THAT man." (Emphasis mine).

Surah 5:73 denies the Trinity. "Disbelievers are those who said, 'Allah is the third of the three in a Trinity.'"

It looks like the pope approves of the idea that God "positively willed" an Islam that denies the divinity of Christ, denies His atoning death on the cross for our sins, and denies the Trinity. Such belief is blasphemy. I think I'll stay away from the pope's Christ-denying religion.

The Roman Catholic Church again proves that it is NOT the church established by Jesus Christ, but is instead the church of antichrist. I pray God's Spirit grants many Catholics the grace to confess Catholicism as sin, forsake Rome forever, and receive Christ by faith ALONE.