The Parallel Pope #1: Fifth Centenary of the Protestant Revolt

Pope Gregory XVII on 500 years of Protestantism!

Martin Luther: Heresiarch and Father of the Protestant Religion.

Preface: Back in 2016, in the old Blog, I began a series entitled The Parallel Prelate Series, in which I wrote commentary under the guise of myself as a Pope called Gregory XVII. I wish to restart that series on the new Blog, but under the title The Parallel Pope. The idea I had at the time was that Gregory was a parallel Pontiff to Pope Francis, i.e. Gregory succeeded Benedict XVI (who, in my alternate version of events didn't abdicate, but died as sole Pontiff). This series was borne from the fact that I felt some desire to make some commentary about how I would respond to various issues that have touched the Pontificate of Francis. This is, most likely, how I would respond; or rather, how Gregory XVII would respond. I hope you enjoy reading these commentaries, and remember: Gregory XVII is a fictional Pope! I stress that before anyone gets any notion that he's real! 

​Mark

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[31 Oct. 2016] David Martin at The Remnant has written an article on the Pope's visit to Sweden to "commemorate" the Protestant revolt, an event which began 500 years ago today in which the heretic, Martin Luther, a former Augustinian priest and friar, began his gradual and violent assault against the Church.

If one were to read some of Luther's quotes, they would run far from him, and disassociate themselves from him. An honest man would even disband from his Lutheran sect, and join the only Church founded by Christ for the salvation of souls - the Catholic Church.

In reply to the sad event that the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, is going to celebrate a man whose devilish heresies wrecked Europe, threw the Church into chaos, and sent innocent people to damnation, I posted excerpts of what I would have said if I were the Pope. They are reposted below.

[24/3/18: I have made some slight corrections to the text, but the sense remains the same]

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"As the Protestant religion prepares to celebrate its 500th anniversary in which it must also, whether occultly and unknowingly, celebrate the innocent blood shed to secure the pretended Reformation, the abundance of sin and abomination, and the hellish heresies of Martin Luther, We must, as the Supreme Teacher, turn to the children of Christ, and instruct them in the most pious Faith of the Church and guard Her from this same Luther."

"Since Luther veined to call himself a doctor, therefore We give him the title of Doctor of Heretics, the Arch-heretic, the Prince of heretics. For verily, his heresies are far more pernicious to Holy Mother Church than any other."

"It must be understood by this Holy Church, to whom alone it was given to secure the salvation of the children of Adam, that the pretended reformers were bound to the yoke of Satan, and like a bull dragged by the nose, so did that most wicked Prince drag those heretics with him, pouring into them the spirit of Antichrist, the wine of the whore."

"All whatsoever they believe in common with the True Church came first from and by the Catholic Church, for She alone expounded, taught, preached, defined and exalted those teachings. Even the heretics must admit they cannot, per sola scriptura, find the expounded dogmas regarding the Holy and Divine Trinity, the Hypostatic Union of Our Saviour, the Person of the Holy Ghost and all that pertains to Them. They must, in the end, rest upon the truth of the Catholic and Apostolic Church, and must, even grudgingly, salute Her for these timeless Dogmas. For it was She alone who fought against such a heretic as Arius, and who was present in Her bishops at Nicea when the bishops, convened lawfully under the Holy Ghost and by the happy patronage of Constantine, the God-fearing Emperor of the Romans, denounced Arius a vile enemy of Christ, and excommunicated him from this Society of the Orthodox. And thus their teachings were set down in that venerable Creed which the Holy Roman Church makes use of in the Holy Sacrifice, and which was defended to the last by all the orthodox in the Church."

"The other teachings which were drawn up by Luther and his pretended reformers are the result of the pride of men in thinking they know what Holy Writ conveys. And, as we have seen, such idiocy has resulted in diverse schisms, most laughably, amongst the reformers themselves. If they read from the same Bible, and invoke the same Holy Ghost, how can they all have diverse teachings on the same text? Clearly, this is a pure sign that the Holy Ghost is not with them, for how can He be since He is with the Roman Church and Her diverse Rites who submit to Our Apostolic Authority? He cannot be divided, nor confused, nor subsist in the True Church and in the False Church. He cannot communicate with Christ and with Belial. He must love the one, and detest the other. And since We govern that very Church which by diverse signs is the Church which He loves, We can only understand that the pretended reformers and their successors are the False Church."

"A man who condemns the Holy Decalogue, accusing them of the most pernicious evil, and commands his disciples to abandon them, is very much held in contempt in this Church. A man who blasphemes Christ, abhors God Himself, insults the Blessed Mother and the Saints, defames the Vicar of Christ, protests against the Sacraments, and leads the children of the Church to ruin and damnation, such a man is consigned to be the Devil's bond-servant and his disciple. Such a man was Luther, whom We hold in the highest contempt, and command to be held in contempt for his stream of filth."
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"Alas, however, We do not despair. For although his heresy is multiplied, and caused grave hurt to the Church by tearing the seamless Tunic of the Lord, yet, We remember that not so long afterward when Christendom was pulled asunder, yet the Spouse of the Church worked amongst the heathens of the Americas. For, in the Year of Our Lord 1531, He sent the best of His emissaries, even the Most August Mother of God, to go to Mexico and to convey His Message to St. John Diego. And through this humble peasant, He commanded a miracle to be made by the Pure, Virginal and Immaculate Hands of His Mother. Thus, millions of those poor children were grafted into the Church, and took the same Holy Mother as their Protectress and their Queen. So, even as the Devil attacked the Church in Europe, the Adorable Saviour prevailed in the New World. This is surely the Work of the Lord, and it is most marvellous in Our eyes!"

"Therefore, let all the Saints declare holy war on the Gates of Hell. Wherever the Prince of Hell shall prevail, let the Church prevail elsewhere. If the Church in Europe be assaulted, let the Church in Africa, in the Orient and elsewhere be most abundant. For if Luther and his false reform could not drown this Barque of Peter, then nothing will. For how could it, since we have the very Lord of the Universe with us, and His Armies prevail on our side."

"See, O children of God, how Luther cursed Israel, and he fell from grace. His schism still curse Israel, and are subject to much tribulation. Yet, although We must bring those poor sheep back into the Fold, yet at the same time We must rejoice that Luther received the reward for his heresies, for We are without doubt he went to his proper place."

"To strengthen you, Venerable Brethren, and all Catholics in the Faith, and to raise the faint to good health, We, though unworthy of the Supreme Pontificate, look paternally upon you all, and We most lovingly impart to you Our Apostolic Benediction, and urge you all to pray for Us, that We may not fail in Our solemn duty to teach, rule, guide and protect the Catholic Church. And may it please S. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, to intercede for you all, and especially for Us, his lowly Successor."