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The Pope Condemns
Existentialism
An Open Letter to Anyone Concerned:
by † J. M. J.
Ideas of Existentialism Have Been Condemned by the Catholic Church

July 26, 2001, Feast Day of Saint Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary
† J. M. J. An Open Letter to Anyone Concerned:

Dear concerned soul:

The Word of God warns us in the Holy Bible from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians 2:8:

“Beware lest any man cheat you by philosophy and vain deceit: according to the tradition of men according to the elements of the world and not according to Christ.”

Pope Pius XII in his encyclical Humani Generis of August 12, 1950 against modern errors condemns existentialism as a fictitious philosophic theory:

“For truth and its philosophic expression cannot change from day-to-day. ... Let no Christian therefore, whether philosopher or theologian, embrace eagerly and lightly whatever novelty happens to be thought up from day-to-day... “If one considers all this well, he will easily see why the Church demands that future priests be instructed in philosophy 'according to the method, doctrine, and principles of the Angelic Doctor (St. Thomas Aquinas)… “How deplorable it is then, that this philosophy, received and honored by the Church, is scorned by some, who shamelessly call it outmoded in form and rationalistic, as they say, in its method of thought... They allege, finally, that our perennial philosophy is only a philosophy of immutable essences, while the contemporary mind must look to the existence of things and to life, which is ever in flux... they seem to imply that any kind of philosophy or theory, with a few additions and corrections if need be, can be reconciled with Catholic dogma. No Catholic can doubt how false this is, especially where there is a question of those fictitious theories they call immanentism, or idealism, or materialism, whether historic or dialectic, or even existentialism, whether atheistic or simply the type that denies the validity of the reason in the field of metaphysics.”

Pope Leo XIII on August 4, 1879 in his encyclical Aeterni Patris, On the Restoration of Christian Philosophy, said:

“Under the impulse of the 'Reformers' of the 16th century, man began to philosophize without any regard for the (Catholic) Faith and each one granted the other full liberty to allow the mind to wander as it liked and according to its natural bent. The result of course, was that philosophical systems multiplied. Those multiple systems resting simply on the authority and judgment of each particular thinker have but a shifting basis... and can only produce a shaky philosophy without consistence. Our predecessors have honored the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas with remarkable praise and the most glorious approbation... We judge it a temerity not to have continued at all times and in all places to render him the honor which he merits.”


The following excerpt from a college textbook gives an excellent example of how man has been philosophizing without the Catholic Faith:

“Existentialism does not lend itself to a single definition, since its principal theorists did not adhere to a common body of doctrines. For example, some existentialists were atheists, like Jean Paul Sartre, or omitted God from their thought, like Martin Heidegger; others, like Karl Jaspers, believed in God but not in Christian doctrines; and Martin Buber was a believing Jew. Perhaps the following principles contain the essence of existentialism, although not all existentialists would subscribe to each point or agree with a way it is expressed.

“1. Reality defies ultimate comprehension; there are no timeless truths that exist independently of and prior to the individual human being. Our existence precedes and takes precedence over any presumed absolute values. The moral and spiritual values that society tries to impose cannot define the individual person's existence.

“2. Reason alone is an inadequate guide to living, for people are more than thinking subjects who approach the world through critical analysis. They are also feeling and willing beings, who must participate fully in life and experience existence directly, actively, and passionately. Only in this way does one live wholly and authentically.

“3. Thought must not merely be abstract speculation but must have a bearing on life; it must be translated into deeds.

“4. Human nature is problematic and paradoxical, not fixed or constant; each person is like no other. Self-realization comes when one affirms one's own uniqueness. One becomes less than human when one permits one's life to be determined by a mental outlook -- a set of rules and values -- imposed by others.

“5. We are alone. The universe is indifferent to our expectations and needs, and death is ever stalking us. Awareness of this elementary fact of existence evokes a sense of overwhelming anxiety and depression.

“6. Existence is essentially absurd. There is no purpose to our presence in the universe. We simply find ourselves here; we do not know and will never find out why. Compared with the eternity of time that preceded our birth and will follow our death, the short duration of our existence seems trivial and inexplicable. And death, which irrevocably terminates our existence, testifies to the ultimate absurdity of life.

“7. We are free. We must face squarely the fact that existence is purposeless and absurd. In doing so, we can give our life meaning. It is in the act of choosing freely from among different possibilities that the individual shapes an authentic existence. There is a dynamic quality to human existence; the individual has the potential to become more than he or she is.” [1]

In the Holy Bible, St. Paul foretold: “Now the Spirit manifestly saith that in the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error and doctrines of devils…” (1 Timothy 4:1)

In order to avoid falling into the pitfalls of the above seven philosophic beliefs of existentialism, one should know what the true Catholic Church (before John XXIII in 1958) teaches as in the following twelve questions and answers taken from the Catholic Penny Catechism, which is also known as:

A CATECHISM OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE

FAITH

Chapter One

1. Who made you? God made me.

2. Why did God make you? God made me to know Him, love Him and serve Him in this world, and be happy with Him forever in the next.

3. To whose image and likeness did God make you? God made me to his own image and likeness.

4. Is this likeness to God in your body, or in your soul? This likeness to God is chiefly in my soul.

5. How is your soul like to God? My soul is like to God because it is a spirit, and is immortal.

6. What do you mean when you say that your soul is immortal? When I say my soul is immortal, I mean that my soul can never die.

7. Of which must you take most care, of your body or of your soul? I must take most care of my soul; for Christ has said, 'What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul?' St. Matthew 16:26

8. What must you do to save your soul? To save my soul I must worship God by Faith, Hope and Charity; that is, I must believe in him, I must hope in him, and I must love him with my whole heart.

Chapter Two

9. What is faith? Faith is a supernatural gift of God, which enables us to believe without doubting whatever God has revealed.

10. Why must you believe whatever God has revealed? I must believe whatever God has revealed because God is the very truth, and can neither deceive nor be deceived.

11. How are you to know what God has revealed? I am to know what God has revealed by the testimony, teaching, and authority of the Catholic Church.

12. Who gave the Catholic Church divine authority to teach? Jesus Christ gave the Catholic Church divine authority to teach, when he said, 'Go ye and teach all nations.' St. Matthew 28:19

As long as people, nations and leaders fail to profess the true Catholic Faith, which was given to us by our Divine Lord Jesus Christ for our only hope of eternal salvation, they will continue to be lost in their false ideas, philosophies and religions on the broad way to eternal damnation, unless they first convert. Jesus Christ warned: “And if the blind lead the blind, both fall into the pit.” (Matt. 15:14) The following three excerpts from the well documented book Peter, Lovest Thou Me? are about one of the most prominent and influential world leaders today, John Paul II, who was formerly known as Karol Wojtyla before his claim to be pope since October 16, 1978:

“... in 1969, Karol Wojtyla, had his main work published, "Person and Act", which is a formulation of his philosophy. The book was discussed on October 16-17, 1970 at the Catholic University of Lublin by the professional staff. The most orthodox thomistic professors, headed by Kapriec, expressed in their criticism against his disrespectful mix of thomism and phenomenology.” [2] “In summarizing the three important works by Bishop Wojtyla: Amour et responsabilite (1962), Persone et Acte (1969) and Aux sources du renouveau (1972), his friend [Father] Malinski writes: 'One can discern in his way of thinking the ideas of Gabriel Marcel, especially “Being and Having” those of Heidegger in “Being and Mission” of Jaspers, Sartre, and obviously Max Sheler, Husserl and Ingarden. All this shored up by the great philosophy of being in the interpretation of St. Thomas. Let us add however that the philosophy of man, created by Karol Wojtyla is not eclectic (i. e. on a selective basis) but constitutes a personal undertaking.'” [3] “Stanislaw Kowalczyk, professor of the Catholic University of Lublin where Karol Wojtyla, perfectly illustrates this point regarding the book Persone et Acte. He explains that in this work: “Wojtyla recalls the classic adage: agere sequitur esse i. e. one acts according to one's nature, but he interprets it differently from thomism. The latter explains the acting of a man by what he is. Persone et Acte proposes the inverse explanation, that the being of a man is explained by his actions. This is the road traced by Descartes, borrowed in our days by phenomenology and existentialism.” [4]

Is it be possible for man to be the Roman Pontiff, the Vicar of Christ, if his way of thinking and writing reveals the ideas of renowned existentialist philosophers? No, it is not possible because common sense tells us, and Pope Paul IV told us in his papal bull, Cum Ex Apostolatus Officio, February 15, 1559, with the following infallible teaching:

“if... even a Roman Pontiff, before his promotion or assumption as cardinal or as Roman Pontiff had deviated from the Catholic faith or fallen into some heresy, before his promotion or assumption as Cardinal or as Roman Pontiff, that promotion or assumption concerning him, even if made in concord and from the unanimous assent of all the cardinals, is null, void and worthless; not by the reception of consecration, not by the ensuing possession of the office and administration, or as if, either the enthronement or homage of the Roman Pontiff, or the obedience given to him by all, and the length of whatever time in the future, can be said to have recovered power or to be able to recover power, nor can (the assumption or promotion) be considered as legitimate in any part of it, … without any further declaration to be made…and to avoid…as warlocks, heathens...”

John Paul II (Wojtyla) is a great actor and one of the greatest deceivers of all-time. He is making the world believe that he is the Vicar of Christ; when in reality, he is neither Catholic nor pope. One of many other further proofs of his having deviated from the Catholic Faith before his alleged promotion to Roman Pontiff in 1978 was on October 28,
1965, when Wojtyla signed the “Vatican II” document Nostra Aetate, which states: “in Hinduism, men contemplate the divine mystery and express it through an inexhaustible abundance of myths and through searching philosophical inquiry.” This is a denial of the Faith and the Most Holy Trinity the Divine Mystery the only true God, which the Hindus do not contemplate. The Hindus contemplate their false gods, and according to their beliefs: “The three principal gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva…are joined as the Trimurti, or three powers…” [5] “This is Antichrist, who denieth the Father, and the Son.” (1 John 2:22) Therefore, if one does not want to deny Jesus Christ also, one must now conclude that John Paul II is an Antichrist antipope and a false prophet. The Blessed Virgin Mary warned us at La Salette, France in 1846: “Rome will lose the faith and become the seat of the Antichrist.”

Jesus Christ, True God and True Man, said: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned. (Mark 16:16)…I am the way, and the truth, and the life. If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch and shall wither: and they shall gather him up and cast him into the fire: and he burneth. (John 14:6,15:6) And many false prophets shall rise and shall seduce many. But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved. (Matt. 24: 11,13) Yet the Son of man, when he cometh, shall he find, think you, faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8)

Prayerfully in Jesus Christ the King through the Blessed Virgin Mary our Queen, Michael Raul Rios, Their most unworthy slave of love +

[1] Western Civilization: A Brief History, by Perry, Marvin, p. 586-588 [2] Peter, Lovest Thou Me? , Le Roux, Abbe Daniel, Instauratio Press, 1989, p. 77 [3] Peter, Lovest Thou Me? , Le Roux, Abbe Daniel, Instauratio Press, 1989, p. 77 [4] Peter, Lovest Thou Me? , Le Roux, Abbe Daniel, Instauratio Press, 1989, p. 78 [5] “God,” Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 99. © 1993-1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

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