Novus Ordo: New German Bishop: Truth is changeable, "Spirit of the Council" is consistent
On April 18, "Pope" Francis appointed Peter Kohlgraf as bishop of Mainz. He follows the liberal Cardinal Karl Lehmann.
In 2011 Kohlgraf summarized his views of the Second Vatican Council in the German journal Pastoraltheologische Informationen“. Kohlgraf interprets the council as rupture (but in a positive sense). The innovations concern the collegiality of bishops, the interpretation of other religions, God’s plan to save all men, Freedom of religion and the understanding of revelation.
The new bishop praises the so-called "spirit of the Council". This spirit is – according to Kohlgraf - consistent with the texts of the Council. He finds the spirit already in the writings of those theologians that prepared the way for the Council.
Kohlgraf rejects the Catholic teaching on Tradition and truth as laid down in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It explains in 85-87, that the deposit of faith is “what has been handed on”. The Church “listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication, and expounds it faithfully”.
Kohlgraf takes another stand “than the Catechism". He considers truth to be "historical" and changeable. For Kohlgraf the practice is a place where truth originates. “Pastoral” does not mean the application of dogmatics but a place where truth develops.
Read the Full German article: Wortlaut-Text von Kohlgraf
In 2011 Kohlgraf summarized his views of the Second Vatican Council in the German journal Pastoraltheologische Informationen“. Kohlgraf interprets the council as rupture (but in a positive sense). The innovations concern the collegiality of bishops, the interpretation of other religions, God’s plan to save all men, Freedom of religion and the understanding of revelation.
The new bishop praises the so-called "spirit of the Council". This spirit is – according to Kohlgraf - consistent with the texts of the Council. He finds the spirit already in the writings of those theologians that prepared the way for the Council.
Kohlgraf rejects the Catholic teaching on Tradition and truth as laid down in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It explains in 85-87, that the deposit of faith is “what has been handed on”. The Church “listens to this devotedly, guards it with dedication, and expounds it faithfully”.
Kohlgraf takes another stand “than the Catechism". He considers truth to be "historical" and changeable. For Kohlgraf the practice is a place where truth originates. “Pastoral” does not mean the application of dogmatics but a place where truth develops.
Read the Full German article: Wortlaut-Text von Kohlgraf
Archbishop Lefebvre said the Conciliar Church was already materially heretical and in material schism.
“And we have the precise conviction that this new rite of Mass
expresses a new faith, a faith which is not ours, a faith which is not
the Catholic Faith. This New Mass is a symbol, is an expression, is an
image of a new faith, of a Modernist faith. ….Now it is evident that
the new rite, if I may say so, supposes another conception of the
Catholic religion-another religion.” Apologia Pro Marcel Lefebvre, Part One, by Michael Davies p. 207-208 Sermon June 29,1976
“Well, we are not of this religion. We do not accept this new religion.
We are of the religion of all time; we are of the Catholic religion.
We are not of this 'universal religion' as they call it today-this is
not the Catholic religion any more. We are not of this Liberal,
Modernist religion which has its own worship, its own priests, its own
faith, its own catechisms, its own Bible, the 'ecumenical Bible'-these
things we do not accept. We do not accept the 'ecumenical Bible.'” Apologia Pro Marcel Lefebvre, Part One, by Michael Davies p. 211 Sermon June 29,1976
“It is because, in fact, we feel and are convinced that in the last
fifteen years something has happened in the Church, something has
happened in the Church which has introduced into the highest summits of
the Church, and into those who ought to defend our faith, a poison, a
virus, which makes them adore the golden calf of this age, adore, in
some sense, the errors of this age. To adopt the world, they wish to
adopt also the errors of the world; by opening on to the world, they
wish also to open themselves to the errors of the world, those errors
which say, for example, that all religions are of equal worth. We
cannot accept that, those errors which say that the social reign of Our
Lord Jesus Christ is now an impossibility and should no longer be
sought. We do not accept that.” Apologia Pro Marcel Lefebvre, Part One, by Michael Davies p. 221 4 July 1976 Sermon by Mgr. Lefebvre at Geneva
“Well then, we understand. We now know with whom we have to deal. We
know perfectly well that we are dealing with a “diabolical hand” which
is located at Rome, and which is demanding, by obedience, the
destruction of the Church! And this is why we heave the right and the
duty to refuse this obedience. …I believe that I have the right to ask
these gentlemen who present themselves in offices which were occupied
by Cardinals…..it seems to me that I would have the right to ask them,
“Are you with the Catholic Church?” “Are you the Catholic Church?”
“With whom am I dealing?” If I am dealing with someone who has a pact
with Masonry, have I the right to speak with such a person? Have I the
duty to listen to them and to obey them?” 1978 Ordination Sermon - p. 209 - Apologia Pro Marcel Lefebvre, Volume Two, by Michael Davies
“It is easy to think that whoever opposes the Council and its new
Gospel would be considered as excommunicated, as outside communion with
the Church. But one may well ask them, communion with what Church?
They would answer, no doubt, with the Conciliar Church.” p. xiii I Accuse the Council, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
But however it may be, we are convinced of this, it is they who
are wrong, who have changed course, who have broken with the Tradition
of the Church, who have rushed into novelties, we are convinced of
this. That is why we do not rejoin them and why we cannot work with
them; we cannot collaborate with the people who depart from the spirit
of the Church, from the Tradition of the Church. But that puts us in a
very critical situation of breaking with that mass of Church people who
are departing from the Tradition of the Church. That makes
thus for an unlikely situation, assuredly unbelievable, that is at
times for us a cause for sorrow, for a desire to see the Church
rediscover her way, that is to say, her Tradition - at least not the
Church, but the people of the Church - for a desire that the Church not
be torn anymore as it is right now, and finally that her passion in
some way end.
Archbishop Lefebvre gave this address to the priests of the French District on December 13, 1984 We
find ourselves right now in that situation. It is very clear in this
interview with Cardinal Ratzinger. I think that it is that outlook that
should guide us in our present situation. Let us not deceive
ourselves by believing that by these little braking actions that are
given on the right and on the left, in the excesses of the present
situation, that we are seeing a complete return to Tradition.
That is not true, that is not true. They remain always liberal minds.
It is always the liberals who rule Rome, and they remain liberal. But,
as the Cardinal says, they have gone a bit too far; they have to find a
little balance. ...With that I think that I have said what I
wanted to say to you, and given you a certain line of conduct in the
present events, which perhaps are going to go even faster. There will be possibly other manifestations of putting the brakes on by the Vatican;
and it is very, very dangerous for us to "rally" ourselves now. No
rallying, no rallying to the liberals; no rallying to the ecclesiastics
who are governing in the Church now and who are liberals; there is no
rallying to these people. From the moment when we rally ourselves, this
rallying will be the acceptance of the liberal principles. We cannot do
this, even if certain appeasements are given us on the Mass of St.
Pius V - certain satisfactions, certain recognitions, certain
incardinations, which could even be offered to you eventually. But
as long as one is dealing with people who have made this agreement
with the Devil, with liberal ideas, we cannot have any confidence. They
will string us along little by little; they will try to catch us in
their traps, as long as they have not let go of these false ideas.
So, from my point of view, it is not a question of doing whatever one
can. Those who would have a tendency to want to accept that will end up
being recycled. Conference of Archbishop Lefebvre to the priests of the District of France 13 December 1984 "The basic problem remains unchanged: Rome means to exterminate Tradition."
Fr. Hesse, "Exposing the Worst Statements of Vatican II"