VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Cardinal Gerhard Müller has endorsed Cardinal George Pell’s recent call upon the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) to “reprimand” the German bishops for their “rejection of the Catholic Church’s teaching on sexual ethics.” “Cardinal Pell,” the German cardinal wrote, “is fully justified in reminding the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of its responsibility to safeguard the truth of the faith and the unity of the Church of Christ in the authority of the Successor of Peter against the open heresy of German Synodalism.”
Cardinal Müller gave LifeSiteNews a statement (full text below) that he had previously shared with the German newspaper Die Tagespost. While Cardinal Pell included Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich in his statement, Cardinal Müller concentrated on the heresies of the German bishops.
As LifeSiteNews reported, on March 15 Cardinal Pell issued a statement in which he asked the CDF to “intervene and pronounce judgement” on Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich and Bishop Georg Bätzing for their “wholesale and explicit rejection of the Catholic Church’s teaching on sexual ethics.”
Hollerich recently claimed that the Church’s teaching on homosexuality is “false” and in need of revision. Bishop Georg Bätzing, the head of the German bishops’ conference, made a similar statement when he expounded that that Catholic teaching needs to change vis-a-vis sexuality and pre-marital sex. “We have to partially change the catechism here,” he stated, adding that “sexuality is a gift from God. And not a sin.” The German prelate added that Jens Spahn, a German politician who lives in a same-sex partnership, “is a good Catholic.”
Please read the latest from LifeSiteNews about the text of the Act of Consecration which was just released by the Vatican: 'BREAKING: Text of Pope Francis’ consecration of ‘humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine’ released'
PETITION UPDATE (3/23/22):
The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, on the feast of the Annunciation, March 25.
On March 15, the Holy See Press Office wrote:
On Friday 25 March, during the Celebration of Penance at which he will preside at 17.00 in Saint Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The same act, on the same day, will be carried out in Fatima by His Eminence Cardinal Krajewski, Apostolic Almoner, as envoy of the Holy Father.
This unexpected and monumental announcement comes after the Catholic bishops of Ukraine issued an urgent and heartfelt plea to the Holy Father on Ash Wednesday, asking that he make the consecration as Our Lady of Fatima had requested. The bishops wrote:
Responding to this prayer, we humbly ask Your Holiness to publicly perform the act of consecration to the Sacred Immaculate Heart of Mary of Ukraine and Russia, as requested by the Blessed Virgin in Fatima.
May the Mother of God, Queen of Peace, accept our prayer: Regina pacis, ora pro nobis! In July 1917, Our Lady of Fatima gave the three visionaries this message, asking for the explicit consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart:
To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.
Our Lady of Fatima then repeated the request in 1929, when she appeared to Sr. Lucia saying:
"The moment has come in which God asks the Holy Father to make, and to order that in union with him and at the same time, all the bishops of the world make the consecration of Russia to My Immaculate Heart, promising to convert it because of this day of prayer and worldwide reparation."
While Pope John Paul II made an “entrustment-consecration” of the world, including Russia, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25, 1984, he deliberately avoided making the explicit mention of Russia as Our Lady had requested.
Following the announcement that Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine, LifeSiteNews is now asking the Pope to ensure that the consecration is performed precisely as Our Lady of Fatima requested. In order to fulfil the request Our Lady made, the Pope must "order" the "bishops of the world" to make the consecration of Russia "in union with him and at the same time."
Along with this, the day of consecration must be a "day of prayer and worldwide reparation."
The importance of the specifications made by Our Lady was noted by Sr. Lucia. Having seen a copy of Pope John Paul II’s consecration text prior to the 1984 “entrustment-consecration,” she said “That consecration cannot have a decisive character.”
Then in 1985, following Pope John Paul II’s "entrustment-consecration," Sr. Lucia observed that:
"There was no participation of all the bishops, and there was no mention of Russia." She was then asked, "So the consecration was not done as requested by Our Lady?" to which she replied: "No. Many bishops attached no importance to this act."
With Pope Francis’ proposed consecration only days away, LifeSiteNews is urging him to fulfil the request of Fatima, to "order" the bishops to join him in making the consecration and to make the day one of “prayer and worldwide reparation.”
Bishop Athanasius Schneider has also composed a prayer to be said for the consecration of Russia, in the manner Our Lady asked for:
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, you are the holy Mother of God and our tender Mother. Look upon the distress in which the Church and the whole of humanity are living because of the spread of materialism and the persecution of the Church. In Fatima, you warned against these errors, as you spoke about the errors of Russia. You are the Mediatrix of all graces. Implore your Divine Son to grant this special grace for the Pope: that he might consecrate Russia to your Immaculate Heart, so that Russia will be converted, a period of peace will be granted to the whole world, and your Immaculate Heart will triumph, through an authentic renewal of the Church in the splendor of the purity of the Catholic faith, of the sacredness of Divine worship and of the holiness of Christian life. O Queen of the Holy Rosary and our dear Mother, turn your merciful eyes to us and graciously hear this our trusting prayer.
Amen.
+Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana
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PETITION UPDATE (3/2/22) -
The Ukrainian Catholic bishops have specifically asked Pope Francis to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, according to the request of Our Lady of Fatima.
Here is a link to their Ash Wednesday letter: http://kmc.media/2022/03/02/yepyskopy-ukrayiny-prosyat-papu-prysvyatyty-ukrayinu-ta-rosiyu-sercyu-mariyi.html
Please WATCH the new John-Henry Westen show about this momentous event: https://www.lifesitenews.com/episodes/ukraines-catholic-bishops-ask-pope-francis-to-consecrate-russia-to-the-immaculate-heart-of-mary
Then, please read LifeSiteNews latest story on this amazing development: 'Ukraine’s Catholic bishops ask Pope Francis to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary'
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The great drama now is the Russian invasion of Ukraine. How far will it go, how will the West and especially the U.S. respond, and will China now be tempted to attack Taiwan? These questions are on everyone’s mind, including fear that it might lead to a far greater war.
It is hard to know exactly what to say other than Russia’s invasion must be condemned. And, that the world must now pray for peace.
Keeping those things in mind, LifeSite now proposes to resurrect this petition - now, more urgent than before - asking Pope Francis to reconsecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Please SIGN and SHARE this important petition to Pope Francis, imploring him to reconsecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in the same way that Our Lady of Fatima asked in 1917.
We humbly ask Pope Francis to use the following wording:
“In accordance with Our Lady’s request at Fatima, I, Pope Francis, consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in union with all the bishops of the world.”
And then:
“I also consecrate Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in union with all the bishops of the world.”
The bishops’ wording should be:
“In accordance with Our Lady’s request at Fatima, I, _______________, consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, at the same time as, and in union with, Pope Francis.”
Speaking in Rome only 5 years ago, Cardinal Raymond Burke called on the Catholic faithful to “work for the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary” in fidelity to the request by Our Lady of Fatima.
The Cardinal explained:
"Certainly, Pope Saint John Paul II consecrated the world, including Russia, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25, 1984. But, today, once again, we hear the call of Our Lady of Fatima to consecrate Russia to her Immaculate Heart, in accord with her explicit instruction."
This call, whether in 1917, or 1984, or in 2017, is EVEN MORE relevant today!
Pope Saint John Paul II himself wanted to name Russia explicitly in his Consecration, but in the end yielded to pressure not to from advisors. Cardinal Josef Cordes, former president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, confirmed this fact on May 13, 2017, based on his own conversation with the sainted pope.
However, after several years of confusion, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published "The Message of Fatima," on June 26, 2000, in which we learn that Sr. Lucia confirmed that the Pope's consecration was, in fact, done according to Our Lady's wishes (emphasis added):
Sister Lucia personally confirmed that this solemn and universal act of consecration corresponded to what Our Lady wished ("Sim, està feita, tal como Nossa Senhora a pediu, desde o dia 25 de Março de 1984": "Yes it has been done just as Our Lady asked, on 25 March 1984": Letter of 8 November 1989). Hence any further discussion or request is without basis.
But, Cardinal Burke explained why a consecration including Russia is so important: "[It] is at once a recognition of the importance which Russia continues to have in God’s plan for peace and a sign of profound love for our brothers and sisters in Russia."
For those who may object to calling for the reconsecration of Russia, on the basis that it has already been done, Cardinal Burke recalled the words of Pope St. John Paul II who, in 1982, during his consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart noted: “Mary’s appeal is not for just once. Her appeal must be taken up by generation after generation, in accordance with the ever new ‘signs of the times’. It must be unceasingly returned to. It must ever be taken up anew.”
Burke, former prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, gave his address in the month of the centenary of Our Lady of Fatima’s first apparition to the three shepherd children.
Thank you for SIGNING and SHARING this urgent petition to Pope Francis, urging him to reconsecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and imploring God to quell the hostilities.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
'Russia’s invasion is an opportunity to recall the message of Our Lady of Fatima' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/russias-invasion-is-an-opportunity-to-recall-the-message-of-our-lady-of-fatima
'Russia attacks Ukraine: explosions in multiple cities as troops move across borders' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/russia-launches-attack-on-ukraine-explosions-in-multiple-cities-as-troops-move-across-the-border/
The German bishops, together with a group of laymen, cast some preliminary votes in February during their Synodal Path meeting, after which they stated “that practiced homosexuality is recognized as morally permissible,”among many other things.
It is to these statements that Cardinal Pell responded by calling upon the doctrinal office of the Church to correct such prelates who are defying the Church’s moral teaching.
The Nordic Bishops’ Conference, as well as the head of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, have recently made similar public rebukes of the German bishops. Cardinal Walter Brandmüller, too, criticized the German prelates for “openly contradicting the truths of faith” of the Catholic Church.
Cardinal Müller sees his colleague’s call as “fully justified.” In the statement he sent to LifeSite, the cardinal speaks of “open heresy” and insists that “heretical bishops must not be obeyed, and every Catholic is called upon to bear witness to the truth against them, even if they enforce their power with brute force, just as the Arian and Donatist bishops once persecuted true Catholics.”
Cardinal Müller was himself the Prefect of the CDF from 2012 – 2017.
Please see here Cardinal Müller’s full statement:
Cardinal Pell is fully justified in reminding the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of its responsibility to safeguard the truth of the faith and the unity of the Church of Christ in the authority of the Successor of Peter against the open heresy of German Synodalism (cf. Vatican II, Lumen Gentium 18). Whoever wants to prescribe to the faithful other sources of revelation besides the Holy Scriptures and the Apostolic Tradition, has fallen away from the Catholic faith (cf. Vatican II, Dei verbum 9f). Heretical bishops must not be obeyed, and every Catholic is called upon to bear witness to the truth against them, even if they enforce their power with brute force, just as the Arian and Donatist bishops once persecuted true Catholics. One can see it in the uncharitable treatment of Cardinal Woelki, what these self-empowered “lords of faith” (2 Cor 1, 24) are capable of. They are not perceived by Christians as “servants of their joy” in Jesus Christ, who alone is way, truth and life.
As for their closeness to Pope Francis, by whom they feel constantly “encouraged,” it is only necessary to recall the arrogance with which they have pushed aside his request for the primacy of the new evangelization.
