The Masterminds of Vatican II Part II: Implementing the Master Plan
Fr. Francisco Radecki, CMRI
Our Lord promised His Church will last until the end of time, and it will. Psalm 116 says: “The truth of the Lord endures forever.” It is not something that changes from generation to generation. St. Cyprian wrote: “The bride of Christ cannot be falsified: she is chaste and incorrupt” (De Unitate Ecclesiae, 6: P.L., iv, 518ff.). St. Augustine sublimely said: “Let us love our Lord God, let us love His Church: Him as a Father, Her as a Mother…” (Expositions on the Psalms, No. 88, ML 37, 1140, NPNF VIII, 440).
Modernism — The Synthesis of All Heresies
It is important to realize that popes consistently attacked the heresies of the Modernists. Pope St. Pius X called Modernism a synthesis of heresies (Pascendi, September 8,1907) since it denies so many doctrines. Modernism differs from past heresies in that it uses subtie disguises to attack many beliefs simultaneously, including the Blessed Trinity, the Divinity of Christ, the Divine Maternity, the Deposit of Faith, Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition, the visibility of the Church, Papal Primacy, Papal Infallibility, the Seven Sacraments, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and Transubstantiation.
Modernists believe human reason is the ultimate guide that must be followed in distinguishing right from wrong. They want beliefs and morals to conform to current trends in society and they simply alter them as the need arises.
The Modernist Unmasked — Papal Condemnations
Pope St. Pius X recognized the multiformity of the Modernist movement, commenting that the ‘Modernist sustains and comprises within himself many personalities; he is a philosopher, a believer, a theologian, a historian, a critic, an apologist, a reformer.’ Modernists hold that ‘dogma is not only able, but ought to evolve and to be changed, for at the head of what the Modernists teach is their doctrine of evolution. To the laws of evolution everything is subject — dogma, church, worship, the books we receive as sacred, even faith itself’ (John O’Malley, What Happened at Vatican II, p. 69).
Msgr. Kelly explains the pope’s words:
“As philosophers, Modernists are agnostics. They confine reason entirely within the field of phenomena (the appearances of things) and so deny man’s natural capacity to know God from reason and revelation.
“As believers, Modernists come to faith in a strange way. They assert that man may not know God by reason, yet, religion is a universal human phenomenon. How does this come about? The explanation must be found within man himself. God originates in man’s need for the divine. As an external being, God is unknowable. Man just believes, the Modernists say, but the faith has no rational basis.
“As theologians, Modernists similarly find revelation in human experience. Revelation is man’s consciousness of God. They say that even the Church must submit to the test of collective consciousness of men, which evolves and continues to evolve through history.
“As historians, Modernists distinguish exegesis that is scientific from that which is theological or pastoral. As scientists…Pope St. Pius X wrote, they are wont to display a manifold contempt for Catholic doctrines, for the Holy Fathers, for the ecumenical councils, for the ecclesiastical magisterium…” (Msgr. George Kelly, The New Biblical Theorists, pp. 33-34).
Since Modernism is an attack against God’s revealed teachings, Pope Leo XIII in Providentissimus Deus (November 18, 1893) explains what composes the Deposit of Faith:
“…Supernatural Revelation, according to the belief of the universal Church, is contained both in unwritten tradition and in written books [Scripture], which are, therefore, called sacred and canonical because, being written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author, and as such have been delivered to the Church” (Cone. Vat. sess iii. cap. ii. de revel.).
This is confirmed by Pope Pius IX in Inter gravissimas (Acta, vol. I, p. 260, October 28, 1870) and by Pope Pius XII (Humani Generis, August 12, 1950, Paragraph 30).
This Deposit of Faith our Divine Redeemer has given for authentic interpretation not to each of the faithful, not even to theologians, but only to the Teaching Authority of the Church (Humani Generis, paragraph 34).
Pope Pius XI further teaches in Mortalium Animos that Modernism is a rejection of revealed truth and of the very doctrines that Christ taught.
Has this doctrine, then, disappeared, or at any time been obscured, in the Church of which God Himself is the ruler and guardian? Our Redeemer plainly said that His Gospel was intended not only for the Apostolic age but for all time.
Can the object of faith, then, have become over time so dim and uncertain that today we must tolerate contradictory opinions?
If this were so, then we should have to admit that the coming of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, the perpetual indwelling of the same Spirit in the Church, nay, the very preaching of Jesus Christ, have centuries ago lost their efficacy and value. To affirm this would be blasphemy.
Pope Pius XII details the heretical traits of Modernists:
“Thus they judge the doctrine of the Fathers of the Teaching Church by the norm of Holy Scripture, interpreted by purely human reason of exegetes, instead of explaining Holy Scripture according to the mind of the Church which Christ Our Lord has appointed guardian and interpreter of the whole deposit of divinely revealed truth” (Humani Generis, August 12, 1950).
The Catholic Church is visible. Pope Pius XII wrote in Mystici Corporis Christi on June 29, 1943: “They err in matter of divine truth who imagine the Church to be invisible, intangible, something purely spiritual.” Pope Pius IX describes the tragic results of heresy that are so clearly evident today: “As a result of this filthy medley of errors which creeps in from every side, and as a result of the unbridled license to think, speak and write, We see the following: morals deteriorated, Christ’s most holy religion despised, the majority of divine worship rejected, the power of this Apostolic See plundered, the authority of the Church attacked and reduced to base slavery, the rights of bishops trampled on, the sanctity of marriage infringed, the rule of every government violently shaken and many other losses for both the Christian and the civil commonwealth” (Qui Pluribus, Nov. 9, 1846).
Msgr. Kelly continues:
“The magisterium bases Catholic definitions in large measure on the actual meaning and intent of the Sacred Books. The historicity of these books is critical to revealed religion. While faith is a gift of God, its stirrings begin with a rational judgment about the credibility of the Bible and about the Church as the living voice of Christ interpreting its meaning” (Msgr. George Kelly, The New Biblical Theorists, p. 36).
The Master Plan
Lucifer helped Modernists develop an ingenious plan whose results are almost incomprehensible — the gradual development of a new, counterfeit church that masked itself beside the Catholic Church while stealing its name and buildings. People from varied nationalities, regions and tongues, from different social backgrounds and with diverse motives united their efforts to attempt to destroy the Catholic Church and replace it with a counterfeit.
The closer Vatican II is analyzed, the more connecting links are found. The same names keep appearing, the same seminaries and religious institutions. Most Modernists even speak like clones, parroting the same doctrinal nonsense.
There are many facets to their incredible plan. Think of them as pieces to a puzzle — all interconnected. Once all the pieces were in place, Modernists achieved their goal. In order to better view the whole picture, one piece will be studied at a time. In general, the following was their master plan:
1) Place influential people in key positions. Many were recruited before their entrance into the seminary, giving them years of indoctrination. They may have been promised great rewards or popularity. Professors, students and predecessors* were often in on the plot in order to insure success. It was a well-oiled machine.
2) Make Modernist movements appear beside legitimate ones. Beauduin (Belgium), Parsch and Botte (Austria), Herwegen, Guardini and Bouyer (Germany), and Michel, Diekmann and Hellriegel (United States) and others paralleled their Liturgical Movement with the legitimate one promoted by Pope St. Pius X. This allowed them to formulate new liturgies and engage in liturgical experimentation without negative consequences.
While Pope Pius XII encouraged biblical study, Modernists Bea, Alfrink and Fr. Marie-Joseph Lagrange** promoted Scriptural analysis (based on skepticism). Congar, Danielou and de Lubac used the study of the Church Fathers as a smokescreen to have the Church revert to earlier practices and make changes. Pope Pius XII condemned this antiquarianism.
3) Disguise Modernism to appear like something new and exciting. Talented Modernists wrote thousands of articles in theological and liturgical journals for a century. These indoctrinated seminarians worldwide by carefully mixing truth with error. The silent majority who attended Vatican II often saw nothing wrong with the proposed heretical concepts since they were familiar with them. Although many bishops didn’t actively promote Modernism, most also did nothing to oppose it. This facilitated the creation of the Modern Church.
4) Stress the need for updating. Modernists consistently attacked their traditional-minded rivals by claiming these prelates needed to be more open-minded. They were old fashioned and needed to get with the times. They tried to convince bishops to trust them since they were the “experts.” Changes in theology and in liturgical practices were necessary in order to make Catholicism more appealing to the masses. Progressives said archaic beliefs must be updated — replaced with fresh, new ideas relevant today. The Church had to accept and embrace the world, not oppose it.
5) Vague terminology was used that was purposely unclear so it could be taken both ways, thereby disguising essential changes in theology. Modernists believed most bishops wouldn’t pay attention if Catholic terms were thrown in with heretical ones. The documents of Vatican II were purposely wordy. If enough ingredients are added to a dish, it is often difficult to determine its components.
The Plan Takes Effect
Although the Catholic Church seemed serene during the early twentieth century, there was a flurry of silent activity just below the surface. Almost imperceptibly, Modernists quietly made their way to the top.
Communists violently attacked the Church in Russia and Portugal. French leaders exiled many clergy allowing Modernists to clandestinely work in Saulchoir, Belgium under the radar, protected by ecumenist Cardinal Mercier. Germany was emerging from Kulturkampf, but many young men had already infiltrated the seminaries and Tübingen exerted a tremendous influence on them and on new recruits.
Becoming a Catholic priest normally takes about six years. Religious seminarians have an additional year for their novitiate. During the formative years, beliefs, practices and principles are learned for later use by the new clergy.
Much was accomplished in the three centuries since Freemasonry declared war on the Catholic Church. Veiled under the secrecy of Freemasonic lodges worldwide, enemies of the Church accomplished what they could and bided their time. Eventually they would place one of their own on the Throne of Peter where he would direct activities and give apparent legitimacy to the changes proposed by him.
Seminarians become priests, priests become bishops and cardinals, and cardinals elect popes. Modernists had patrons in high places and so advanced from priest to bishop to cardinal in a matter of years. A few termites can’t take down a home, but a wooden structure is doomed once there is an infestation in key locations. This was especially evident during the Vatican II era. Wolves in sheep’s clothing hid behind the Roman collar, the bishop’s miter and the cardinal’s robe.
Great Disguises
In order to more easily deceive people, some Modernists became Benedictines and pushed for liturgical change. Since Benedictines were already deemed experts in this area, they were in the driver’s seat before, during and after Vatican II.
Dominicans were known as master theologians. What better disguise could a heretic put on than a religious habit? Who is going to question a “man of God?”
Jesuits were teachers par excellence. Think of how many people could be led astray by learned priests in cassocks. They must be right — they are priests.
Jesus could never have given a better description of these men than vicious wolves disguised as sheep. Although there were many good, zealous religious, there were also many infiltrators. The number of Modernist “theologians,” bishops and cardinals at Vatican II is staggering. During the Council they infiltrated nearly every committee and successfully influenced countless Council Fathers. Remember, at the beginning of the Council, most prelates were traditionally minded and Modernists were a minority.
The hypocrisy of these wolves was disgusting. They claimed to want to be more pastoral and care for the flock, while in reality they were leading the lambs to the slaughter. Their evil fruit remains even today — universal loss of faith.
Twentieth Century Modernists
These affable, cunning counterfeiters have deep roots and their biographies display numerous common traits:
• Chosen for their specific roles.
• Trained by Modernists, some since their teen years.
• Many lost parents at a very young age causing them to have no major ties to home. They dedicated all their energies to “the cause.”
• Protected from Nazis and Soviets during World War II (Konig, Rahner, Suenens and Wojytla) or shielded by the Holy Office (de Lubac).
• Advanced quickly to positions of power: professor of theology, seminary rector, bishop and cardinal.
How does one explain Wojytla camping, hiking, skiing and kayaking for a month at a time and traveling and teaching unmolested by the Secret Police while bishops, priests and laity were arrested, tortured and executed for their Catholic Faith in Communist Poland?
A group of highly intelligent, well-organized, ruthless heretics attempted to destroy the Church from within and created a counterfeit church that misleads millions. It is no surprise that they are commonly known as Chenu, Küng, Rahner, and Ratzinger instead of Fr. Chenu, Fr. Küng, Fr. Rahner and Cardinal Ratzinger. They want to appear as professional “theologians,” not Catholic clergy.
It is noteworthy that there are few pictures of these “theologians” offering Mass or praying the Divine Office or Rosary. How did they find time to write thousands of articles, give countless lectures and travel throughout the world without neglecting their obligations of Mass, Divine Office, Rosary and meditation?
Many revere John Paul II and Hélder Câmara for their feigned holiness, yet these same men knowingly deceived millions. They replaced Jesus’ Gospel with the social gospel and His teachings with their own.
Lucifer Hard at Work
Lucifer was the greatest angel ever created. His talents and gifts were extraordinary. Even if he fell through pride and ego, would not Lucifer also offer tremendous rewards in this life to those who do his bidding? What greater role could a devil desire a person to hold than to attack God and the Catholic Church and lead souls astray? Modernism is Satan’s special creation.
There is clear evidence of a supernatural, angelic (from fallen angels), infernal intelligence in the aftermath of Vatican II. How else can one explain the formation of a counterfeit church that utilizes Catholic buildings and framework worldwide, yet has heretical doctrines and man-centered worship?
Modernist Training Camps
Although Modernism was widespread, there were special seminaries, religious houses and universities where it was fostered and promulgated. European centers include the following:
College of St. Michael: Brussels, Belgium-Jesuit
Tübingen: Germany
Provincial House of Studies: Louvain, Belgium-Dominican
Chevetogne Abbey: Belgium-Benedictine
Fourvière: Lyons, France-Jesuit
Catholic University of Nijmegen: Holland
Saulchoir: Outside Paris-Dominican
Biblicum: Rome
Institut Catholique de Toulouse: France-Jesuit
University of Fribourg: Switzerland-Dominican
Six Abbeys were used for liturgical experimentation: Encalat, Le Saulchoir and Maredsous in France; Maria Laach in Germany; Montserrat in Spain; and St. John’s in Collegeville, Minnesota, in the United States.
Modernists at Work during Vatican II
Talented individuals from around the world pooled their talents in order to assist in the diabolical work of creating a counterfeit church. The next article will highlight major events from their lives and show how they are intimately connected. The incomplete list below will serve as a starting point.
Alfrink, Daniélou, Döpfner, Frings, Häring, Léger: proponents of Modernism (the new theology);
Baum, Bugnini, Diekmann, Lercaro, Montini: destroyed the Mass and sacraments through liturgical changes;
Bea, Meyer, Murray, Rahner, Ritter, Willebrands: promoted Ecumenism, universal salvation and religious liberty;
Chenu, Liénart, Maximos Saigh IV: questioned everything;
Congar: taught the universal priesthood of believers;
Cushing, de Smedt, Suenens: promoted indifferentism;
De Lubac: denied the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist;
Küng, Schillebeeckx: denied the Divinity of Christ;
Ratzinger, Wojytla: promoted collegiality, lessening papal authority;
Hélder Câmara, König, Wojytla: promoted Liberation Theology, applying Marxist ideas to the Church.
Although Modernists deny Divine Revelation, ironically, their word was to be obeyed as if it were the Gospel.
*Of those who later became bishops or cardinals.
**He seems to have played both sides —Traditionalist and Modernist. The Holy Office continued to oppose his writings on Old Testament Patriarchs even after his fifth submission.
