https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-pope-francis-every-religion-is-a-way-to-arrive-at-god BREAKING: Pope Francis: ‘Every religion is a way to arrive at God’ LifeSiteFri Sep 13, 2024 - 6:13 am EDT SINGAPORE (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Francis today told young people of different faiths that “every religion is a way to arrive at God.” Addressing an inter-religious meeting of young people in Singapore just before departing for his return flight to Rome, Pope Francis turned to one of the central themes of his pontificate – inter-religious dialogue. “One of the things that struck me about all of you here is your ability to engage in inter-religious dialogue, and this is very important,” he told the crowd, assembled in Singapore’s Catholic Junior College. Notwithstanding any comments to the contrary, the Catholic Church has consistently and clearly taught that it is the only true Church, the Body of Christ (Eph 1:22), and it exercises the charge given by Christ to spread the Gospel to all nations and to bring souls into the Church (Mark 16). ‘Every religion’ reaches God Leaving aside his prepared speech and speaking without a script {transcript subsequently published here}, Francis instead spoke chiefly on dialogue between religions, having just taken questions from a Catholic, a Sikh, and a Hindu. NEW: #PopeFrancis on inter-religious dialogue: “Every religion is a way to arrive at God. There are different languages to arrive at God but God is God for all. But my God is more important than your god, is that true? There is only 1 God & each of has a language to arrive at… pic.twitter.com/TMHRDjEuJ9 — Michael Haynes (@MLJHaynes) September 13, 2024 The meeting’s widely varied mix of creeds represents Singapore’s status as one of the most diverse religious nations in the world. Focusing on this, Francis urged that no religion be given priority but that individuals instead focus on parity between beliefs: If we start to fight amongst ourselves and say “my religion is more important than yours, my religion is true, yours is not,” where will that lead us? Where? It’s okay to discuss [between religions]. Continuing, the Pope declared that each religion is a means to attain God, stating: Every religion is a way to arrive at God. There are different languages to arrive at God, but God is God for all. And how is God God for all? We are all sons and daughters of God. But my god is more important than your god, is that true? There is only one God and each of us has a language to arrive at God. Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, they are different paths. The Pope’s words were warmly welcomed by those present in the hall, which included leaders and representatives of Singapore’s many religious bodies and the large papal retinue. Courage to pursue religious harmony Francis also dedicated time warning of the dangers of “bullying” and urging young people to have “courage” to move forward in inter-religious dialogue. In order to have inter-religious dialogue between youth it takes courage, because youth is really the time when there is courage in our lives. But you can also have this courage and use it for things that really don’t help you, or you can use that courage to move forward and engage in dialogue. Engaging in a discussion with the selected young people on the stage about the evils of bullying, Francis urged that to “move past” differences “helps with inter-religious dialogue.” “You can build and move forward with inter-religious dialogue when you respect each other, and this is very important.”
READ: Bishop Schneider: There is no divine positive will or natural right to the diversity of religions He encouraged them to build a “safe space” where they could discuss their differences without fear of bullying. “Because dialogue is something that creates a path, a way,” Francis said. He closed the meeting by calling on all present to “pray for each other” in silence. The Pope did not give a formal blessing – echoing his actions in Indonesia – but instead vocally called for God’s blessings on those present: Let’s pray for each other … May God bless all of us. And as time passes and you become older, especially as you become grandparents, pass this on to the children and grandchildren. God bless you and pray for me, but pray in favor, not against [me]. Following the conclusion of Francis’ comments, the young people assembled made an inter-religious pledge, committing to promote religious dialogue and harmony: We the future generation pledge to be a beacon of unity and hope by promoting cooperation and friendships that nurture the harmonious co-existence between people of diverse beliefs. READ: Pope Francis skips Sign of the Cross to impart blessing ‘valid for all religions’ Speaking to a similar inter-religious gathering of youth in Indonesia only last week, Francis said “Here, you are from diverse religions, but we have only one God, He is only one.” Catholicism and salvation Pope Francis has made numerous inter-religious statements and collaborated in formal documents on the matter – notably the controversial 2019 Abu Dhabi document and the Istiqlal Declaration, signed just days ago in Indonesia. The Abu Dhabi text has been described as seeking to “overturn the doctrine of the Gospel” due to its promotion of equality of religions in a form of “fraternity.” However, the much-loved and widely respected approved catechism, the Baltimore Catechism, reminds readers simply that “The one true Church established by Christ is the Catholic Church.” {Q. 152} READ: EXCLUSIVE: Bishop Schneider says Vatican is betraying ‘Jesus Christ as the only Savior of mankind’ Catholic doctrine teaches that this fact is knowable since the Catholic Church alone has the four marks of being the true Church: one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic. As a result, the Church teaches that all souls must “belong” to the Church to be saved: “All are obliged to belong to the Catholic Church in order to be saved.” {Baltimore Catechism Q 166.} This teaching of “Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus” (no salvation outside the Church), has been increasingly rejected by modernizing activists in recent years, yet remains valid and unchanging in the Church’s teaching. Pope Leo XII pronounced it clearly in his 1824 encyclical letter Ubi Primum: It is impossible for the most true God, who is Truth Itself, the best, the wisest Provider, and the Rewarder of good men, to approve all sects who profess false teachings which are often inconsistent with one another and contradictory, and to confer eternal rewards on their members. For we have a surer word of the prophet, and in writing to you We speak wisdom among the perfect; not the wisdom of this world but the wisdom of God in a mystery. By it we are taught, and by divine faith we hold one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and that no other name under heaven is given to men except the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth in which we must be saved. This is why we profess that there is no salvation outside the Church. The Vatican’s 1949 decree from the Holy Office instructed bishops charged with promoting true ecumenism to draw souls to the Church, and that they must always teach the fullness of the Church’s priority: By no means is it permitted to pass over in silence or to veil in ambiguous terms the Catholic truth regarding the nature and way of justification, the constitution of the Church, the primacy of jurisdiction of the Roman Pontiff, and the only true union by the return of the dissidents to the one true Church of Christ. The Catholic Church notes that it is possible for those remaining outside the Church “through no grave fault of their own” and who are somehow unaware that the Church is the true Church, to still be saved “by making use of the graces which God gives them.” However, salvation in these cases of “invincible ignorance” is not found through other churches, but is through the Catholic Church as the channel of grace, as taught by St. Thomas Aquinas. Your support makes stories like this possible! LifeSiteNews is completely donor supported, allowing us to report on what truly is happening in the world, free of charge and uncensored. A donation to LifeSite will ensure millions around the world can continue to come to our site to find the truth people are so desperately searching for on life, faith, family and freedom. Sent from my iPhone
As an answer to this, I am giving a brilliant text in Croatian by the Franciscan Vinko Brković, since it is longer it has been translated with google translator.... He talks about the meeting of St. Francis and the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, which spread Islam and ruled a large part of Asia, Africa and Europe, including the Holy Land. If you have ever been a member of some part of the Franciscan family, you may have heard about the meeting of St. Francis and the Sultan, but you could also read it in some newspapers, actually quite a popular topic lately. What you may have come across is one version of the meeting of St. Francis and the Sultan in which they are best friends. They met after a few years, decided to spend a few days together and then go their separate ways. Why do I say one version? One version, because it's a very modern take on that encounter. If we open the Franciscan sources, we will see that it was not a meeting between two friends, at least that was not the goal of that meeting. Before I go into the issues of this text, just a few historical facts that are available to us. St. According to sources, Francis met Sultan Melek el Kamel in 1219 near Damietta. This was the period of the fifth crusade in which luck for both sides was variable, and at the time of Francis' campaign to the sultan, peace negotiations were held between the Saracens and the crusaders, which began sometime in early September and ended on September 26, 1219. In that period, St. Francis comes before the sultan. Reading Franciscan sources, primarily the biographies of Tom Čelanski and St. Bonaventure we can come across the testimony of Francis' desire for martyrdom. He tried several times to join the Saracens, but he only succeeded in 1219. As evidenced by St. Bonaventura in his biography, Francis was burning with the desire for martyrdom and with that intention he decided to come among the Saracens with the knowledge that God was asking him to do it. He was not greeted with flowers and praise but with beatings, but he managed to survive and come before the sultan. In front of the sultan, he boldly preached the Triune God and that the only savior is Jesus Christ. He was so daring, he wanted to enter the fire to prove which religion was right. The Sultan admired him, but did not want to accept Franja's offer for fear of a rebellion of the people, however he wanted to reward him with many gifts, which the saint resolutely refused and eventually returned to Italy. Because of this way of preaching and determination in not accepting gifts, the sultan greatly appreciated him. There is another biography called "Incidents of blessed Francis and his companions" in which this meeting is described to us, with the addition that Francis promised to send two brothers to baptize the sultan. We have no proof of this, but it gives us a different picture of this encounter than the one presented to us today. After this section, I can move on to the problem. Today we want to show St. Francis as a protector of ecology, a lover of animals and a man who went around preaching love and peace. It sounds idyllic, but very wrong. Francis loved animals and nature, but only because they were a gift from God and he knew how to use them, not serve them. Likewise, he went around the world preaching the peace that only Christ gives; he preached Love, not love from the TV screen, but God who is love. The same thing happened in the meeting with the sultan. He wanted to convert the sultan, he wanted to announce to him Christ who is the only savior. He didn't come to him to exchange cake recipes or to talk about climate change. This meeting was pure evangelization, the proclamation of Jesus Christ as the living God who alone can save man. It is strange how Franjo saved his head because we know how St. Nikola Tavelić when he tried the same thing. However, Francis survived, returned to Italy and lived another 7 years. His sermon certainly had an effect on the sultan, I want to believe that as much as I want to believe that he was baptized and saved. I also believe that St. Francis saved his head precisely because he was zealous, because he wanted to learn in the fire and thus prove that Christ is alive, that he is the true God. What does this meeting actually mean for us today? I believe that this meeting enables dialogue between Muslims and Christians, but not in such a way that we forget who and what we are. The task of the Church and every Christian is to proclaim Jesus Christ to other people, including Muslims. This does not mean that we are all ready to go and preach like Francis or Nicholas, but we must be witnesses in today's world as St. Paul VI. in Evangelia nuntiandi. No one will appreciate us if we don't learn to appreciate what we have, what our faith is. If day by day I forget whom I believed in, in whose name I was baptized, how can I expect someone else to respect my faith? Christ is clear in the Gospel on this point. A Christian is obliged to confess himself to others, but also to go and proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth. We have no other choice as the Church. Our announcement is not made with a sword, but first with our own testimony, and then with a word, just like St. Franjo did. Unfortunately, when I see some Catholic artists, journalists and others, showing today the meeting of St. Francis and the Sultan, it makes me sad. Such a presentation proves that they have no idea about St. Franji, and neither about this meeting. In the name of tolerance, ready to trample on their religion, and then there is no tolerance. True dialogue comes only when we are ready to accept the facts, when we are ready to accept the truth. Out of love for another person, I will enter into a dialogue with him in order to show him the wonderful works that God has done for me, not with the aim of humiliating him, but to show him a God who is love, who wants his salvation. When the other sees my desire and love for salvation towards him, he will appreciate me more than when I live up to him. The message of St. Francis is clear: uncompromising proclamation of the Gospel to all creation (Mk 16:15). That ardor of Francis comes from love for Christ and his word. He knew very well what God wanted from him and he did it until the last moment. He knew what God wanted because he loved him, he loved the Church that gave him the mission and he carried it out zealously, giving us the most excellent example of holiness and love for God. Out of love for God, he could love man and all creation. We have to follow that example because that's the only way we can reach a true dialogue that will bear some fruit, otherwise not much will change. We learn dialogue and life from St. Francis because the man survived the meeting with the sultan in 1219, many did not. Let's be ready to proclaim Christ at every moment, that's the only way we can show the way of salvation to another person. It is up to the person to accept it or not, but let's never give up on the message, that message comes directly from Christ. St. Francis gave us an example, it is up to the Catholics whether they want to follow him or not. If we do not follow Christ according to the example of St. Francis, then let's not even take St. Franju as an example of some twisted views and categories that lead us nowhere. This world needs true witnesses who will build it and lead people to salvation, everything else is secondary! St. Francis, pray for us!
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I’m usually supportive of Pope Francis, but this statement is purely heretical. Unless I’m somehow misinterpreting this…
During the early years of this contificate one could argue that his statement had been misinterpreted. But not now.
So many of our definitions of meaning are simply wrong nowadays. What is a friend? Someone with whom one can have high fives, a laugh and a few beers or someone who desires the best for another, which can only be their eternal salvation? There can only be One Truth. Truth Is and that Truth is a Person, the highest form of Being. That Person is Jesus Christ.
I was watching his face the last few days, he is very,very sick indeed. I pray for the poor guy everyday on my rosary several times. I must up my prayers for him he faces a terrible, terrible death bed scene and Eternal Fate unless he repents. May God have mercy on his poor soul. My heart goes out to him. I shudder at what is heading in his direction, poor, poor, poor man. Pray for his poor soul!
The quote he said, varies just slightly in each article I read. Which concerns me on many levels…. Every religion has some elements of truth, that can lead to the fullness of Truth in the Catholic Church. This is a true statement. Are we sure that is not what Pope Francis is saying?
If you get a chance you should watch Dr Gavin Ashendon in Catholic Unscripted on tube. He is unfailingly charitable, wise, learned and honest.
Our Lord Jesus saw and felt all of this during His Passion and Death on the Cross. And Our Lady of Sorrows, whom we remember today on September 15, was at the foot of His cross.
This is the only place I've seen the actual clip (it's probably available elsewhere - I'm not familiar with the guy who posted the video): The clip with Francis starts at around the three minute mark. It speaks for itself, imo.
Yes, Anthony Stine noted that the quotes were varying and that the Vatican media very conveniently translated it in a very orthodox way. But today Anthony reports that Vatican media has changed its tranlsation to the actual quote spoken by Pope Francis. To get to the words spoken by Pope Francis, Anthony Stine defers to a video by Kennedy Hall who is a fluent Spanish speaker. Kennedy plays the video clip of Pope Francis and his side by side translator. Kennedy confirms that the translators words do correspond to the actual words of Pope Francis. And those words are heretical as far as I can discern too. Yes Gavin lays it out very plainly. As to whether the Pope is the Pope (i.e., Catholic) or not and whether he has incurred automatic excommunication, I think Taylor Marshall makes a very important distinction - which I'm sure has been raised on the forum many times. That is, whether the heresy is 'material' or 'formal'. That is not for me to judge, but if Pope Francis is invincibly ignorant due to bad seminary formation for example, then he would be a 'material' heretic. If on the other hand he is aware that he is doing wrong then he is a 'formal' heretic which would incur automatic excommunication. Either way, I think we need to pray for our Holy Father, and pray too as Jesus says that we ourselves might not be put to the test (lest we might fail it).
