Let's defend the Truth

A)  The text of the speech by J.M.Bergoglio:

“Proselytism is solemn nonsense, it makes no sense” (Dialogue between Bergoglio and La Repubblica’s founder, Eugenio Scalfari October 1, 2013)

“Does the renovation of the Church which you have been calling upon since you were elected, and precisely in Evangelii Gaudium, also target staryed sheep and stopping the faithful from dropping out?
– I don´t like the “dropping out” image because it is all to close to proselytism. I don´t like to use terms connected with proselytism because that´s not the truth. I like to use the image of the field hospital: some people are very much injured and are waiting for us to heal their wounds, they are injured for a thousand reasons. We must reach out to them and heal their wounds.
Is that, then, the strategy to recover those that have left?
– I don´t like the word “strategy”, I´d much rather speak about the Lord´s pastoral call, otherwise it sounds like an NGO… It´s the Lord´s call, what the Church is asking from us today, not as a strategy, because the Church isn´t into proselytism. The Church doesn´t want to engage in proselytism because the Church does not grow on proselytism, it grows on attraction, as Benedict said. The Church needs to be a field hospital and we need to set out to heal wounds, just as the good Samaritan did. Some people´s wounds result from neglect, others are wounded because they have been forsaken by the Church itself, some people are suffering terribly” (Interview with Bergoglio published in the Argentine newspaper “La Nación” December 7, 2014, whose Italian translation  has been published on the “Osservatore Romano” December 9, 2014)

B) References to Scriptures:

“And he said to them, ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mar 16:15-16)

“Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And look, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time” (Mat 28:19-20)

“After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the gospel from God saying” (Mar 1:14)

“Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness” (Mat 9:35)

C) Comment:

For Catholic Christians, proselytism is the action of those who strive to convert people to the true religion. Jesus, during His earthly life, has travelled through the cities and the villages to convert hearts to the true faith in the true God, who in Christ is manifested. And, in the same way, in history the true children of God have done, are doing and will do, giving their lives for this cause: they lose their own life to find it in Christ and thus allowing others to do the same.

Basically, Bergoglio states that what Jesus asked and said “is a solemn nonsense”.

But, Jesus says: “Go in all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mk 16). Otherwise, if it were not so, for who and for what would Christ’s sacrifice and the shedding of His blood be needed?

Bergoglio is sure in stating that proselytism “makes no sense”. In fact, in a second moment, Bergoglio instead of admitting his error, perseveres in it. Bergoglio says that “proselytism is not the truth”. To deny the truth of what Jesus said, means to deny Jesus Truth. After having made this error, Bergoglio perseveres in the error and denies the Truth of the Gospel, denies Christ.

If Bergoglio has made a mistake, he has done it in a diabolic way: to err is human, to persevere in error is diabolical. If Bergoglio has not made a mistake (and Bergoglio has never said that he is wrong) his behaviour and teaching is in clear opposition and contrary to the teaching of Jesus. So, even in this latter case, the idea of religion of Bergoglio is different from that preached by Jesus, and in sharp contrast. And who is opposed to Jesus, who is against the teachings of Jesus, does not have God as Father, “he is not from God” (1 Jn 3, 10).

The Catholic Christian religion is and is based on the authentic and immutable teachings of Jesus Christ. The religion that comes from the thought of Bergoglio is something else, it is based on an idea of ecumenism that is very different from the thought of Jesus Christ and close to the thought of others who, through their work, have placed themselves in total contrast to Christ, so to be against Christ, to be anti-Christ.

(For further reading on the subject, please consult the link: Bergoglio and the ecumenism of Sai Baba).