Catholicism Unveiled

What Hides Behind the Public Image?

Mary Ann Collins, A Former Catholic Nun

Chapter 20

There is an old saying that when the Catholic Church is in the minority, then it is as meek as a lamb. When it has equality, then it is as sly as a fox. When it is in the majority (and therefore in a position of power), then it is as fierce as a tiger.

If you want to know what something really is, then look at how it behaves when it is in a position of power, and it is therefore able to do what it really wants to do.

When the Catholic Church was at the height of its power, popes behaved like Roman Emperors, living in luxury, and exercising great political power. (Pope Innocent III was called the ruler of the world.) Can you imagine Jesus or the Apostles allowing themselves to be dressed in ornate clothing, and carried on a portable throne, on the shoulders of uniformed men? Would they wear jeweled crowns and dress like Roman nobility? Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. Popes required kings and emperors to kiss their feet.

For centuries, the Catholic Church kept the Bible in Latin, even though some scholars wanted to translate it into the language of the common people. As a result, most people were not able to understand the Bible. Men who translated the Bible into English were burned as “heretics.” People who read, or owned, even a small portion of an English Bible were burned at the stake. As a result, most people were not able to compare Catholic doctrines with Scripture. This helped maintain the power of the Catholic Church.

According to the Bible, Christians are supposed to use Scripture to test the teachings of authority figures. The Catholic Church reversed this. It requires Catholics to interpret Scripture according to the direction of Catholic authority figures.

Christians who disagreed with Catholic doctrine were often imprisoned, tortured, or killed. There were massacres and persecutions. The Inquisition was established. It killed “heretics” for over 600 years. This was “fierce tiger” catholicism at its height.

The Inquisition’s last execution was in 1826. The Office of the Inquisition still exists, but it changed its name in 1965. According to modern Canon Law (1983), the Catholic Church still claims the right to “coerce” people who fail to comply with it.[1]

The Catholic Church claims the primary allegiance of its members. In 1867, Pope Pius IX declared that Austria’s new Constitution was null and void. He ordered Austrian Catholics to try to undermine their constitution. (It allowed freedom of religion and weakened the power of the Catholic Church.) He ordered Catholic clergy in Austria to be willing to go to prison in order to increase the power of the Catholic Church.[2]

The same attitude can be seen in American bishops and cardinals. They violated American law in order to protect the public image of the Catholic Church. They knew that some priests were sexually molesting boys. Instead of reporting the priests to civil authorities, they covered up the crimes and moved the priests to new locations. Cardinals are citizens of the Vatican in addition to being citizens of their homeland. Their primary allegiance is to the Vatican.[3]

The Catholic Church presently engages in ecumenical dialog with Protestants, calling them “separated brethren.” But at the same time, it confirms the decrees of the Council of Trent, which condemned all Protestants.

Ecumenism was officially promoted by the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). According to official documents from that Council, the purpose of ecumenism is to get Protestants to become Catholics. This is “sly fox” Catholicism.

It’s working. Since 1993, over 480 Protestant pastors have converted to Catholicism. Hundreds more are seriously considering it. The rate of conversions per year is increasing.[4]

An entire Protestant church converted to Catholicism.[5] In addition, an Evangelical church seems to be heading in that direction. Their last retreat was led by a Catholic priest, and their pastor is going to that priest for “spiritual direction.”[6]

What’s the bottom line for the Catholic Church?

Rome wants to reverse the Protestant Reformation.