December 10, 2017
The history of Catholic Europe is two-thousand years old. There have been an unknown number of saints that lived in Europe. The continent has been converted or reconverted a number of times. Great cathedrals, basilicas and churches in general have been built for the honor and glory of God. The intended transformation of civilization two-thousand years ago through the Catholic Church resulted in what is called Christian or Western Civilization. This effort, a combination of civilizing barbaric tribes and converting them to the Catholic Faith transformed Europe and later the Western Hemisphere. One could rightly conclude because of Catholic missionary activity through previous centuries it changed many parts of the world. The effects of Catholic Europe had as great of an effect on the world over a long period of time than any other movement or cause.
In the first centuries, the pagan Romans attempted to wipe out the first Christians by killing them. The blood of these martyrs provided the supernatural grace through the Church grew. Godless men do not understand the works of Almighty God and the grace which comes forth. The decisions of the caesars and the military might of the Roman Empire could in no way overcome the new Christian Faith. In fact, over the first few centuries the once-pagan empire became the center of the Christian Faith with St. Peter establishing Rome as the residence of the Catholic Popes.
The period after the fall of the empire saw much of Europe fall back into barbarism. Through the efforts of the Catholic monks from Ireland and the East, Europe was reconverted. Notice the link between the conversions and the elimination of barbaric tribes. This is a sad development in the present time.
Over the next several centuries preceding the Middle Ages the work of the Church continued to develop. Gregorian Chant was promoted and taught; the teaching of the Faith continued at different levels; Scholastic philosophy was being developed.
The Golden Age of the Church is generally considered to be the Middle Ages. The reasons for this are numerous. A few of them include the increased development of Scholastic philosophy and the doctrine of the Church; the willingness to express the faith of the Catholic by helping to build large monasteries, cathedrals, etc. which were unparalled in their beauty, art, architecture and engineering; the founding of the university systems; the cooperation of Church and State to further develop the Catholic society; the founding of numerous religious orders and the construction of the monasteries, convents and religious houses associated with them.
One began to see the concrete development of the Kingship of Christ within Catholic Europe and locations beyond in the 12th and 13th centuries. There were many spiritual fruits coming forth from this period because of the many good works of the Church. This period was an example of the desired goal of the Church, i.e., the salvation of souls by being the spiritual guide for all of society and elevate the influence of the Church beyond any worldly concerns.
Unfortunately, Satan has many ways in which to undermine the Church. Beginning in in the 14th century, humanism began to affect the Divine Mission of the Church. A century later the Church suffered another blow with the heresies of the Protestant Revolution. Christendom had been fractured, never to recover from these attacks. Catholic Europe had to fight against an enemy that it had not seen before-multiple Catholic clergymen who promoted different heresies. Arianism denied the divinity of Christ, but Protestantism denied several doctrines of the Church (the Real Presence, Transubstantiation, no salvation outside the Church, religious indifference, the Catholic priesthood, five of the Sacraments, infant Baptism, etc.).
These errors brought about an erroneous manner of thinking among those who were once Catholic and opened the door to worse errors to come. Protestantism, with its heresies ushered in Freemasonry two centuries later. Never before had the Church faced an enemy so formidable. One of the stated goals of this Satanic religion was to destroy the Holy Roman Church. Several popes understood the dangers and condemned Freemasonry through official papal documents of various types, culminating in Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Humanum Genus.
Through the French Revolution, Freemasonry was able to root itself in a national government (France) from which it has never fully been expelled. In fact, Masonry spread throughout Europe and beyond, leaving in its wake a path of destruction that further undermined the Catholic Church and the Kingship of Christ.
This Satanic revolution produced errors from which society today continues to suffer today. Communism, socialism, liberalism and Modernism are the principal errors of the Masonic Revolution of France in 1789. These errors further eroded the influence of the Catholic Church. Truth had now become relative instead of eternal. It was obvious to the educated and informed that the Church’s enemies were working to drive a stake through the heart of the Church.
Sadly, a growing number of Catholics, and especially the clergy were seduced by the errors of these evil men. When clergy fall, a greater number of Catholic laity fall, also. The Catholic monarchies of Europe were attacked and mostly overcome in a short period of time. By the dawn of the 20th century, Catholic monarchies in Europe were already in the minority. Their influence was waning among the masses as the errors of the Protestants and Masons continued to spread.
Already in the middle of the 19th century did Pope Pius IX state that religious indifference was the predominant spiritual poison of the time. That poison has spread into the very veins of society and openly promoted among the Modernistic heretics of the present time.
As the Catholic monarchies fell and the hierarchies succumbed to Modernism and Freemasonry, the life of Catholic Europe continued to quickly disappear. The two World Wars of the 20th centuries quickened the destruction of the Church in Europe, once the heart of the Church.
Beyond the typical history books in schools everywhere, you will find an opinion which states the first purpose of World War I was to destroy the remains of the Holy Roman Empire. This opinion is quite plausible when one considers the goals and efforts of the Freemasons.
By the end of the Second World War, the Church and its members were seriously wounded. The effects of fighting for the Faith against the Protestants and Freemasons and two wars brought about a Catholic populace that was weakened to its knees. But how many understood this?
There was but one more blow needed. This time it would come from within the Church in what then II. An anti-Council with enough influence from Modernist heretics, Freemasons, Jews and the Mass, Sacraments and Its doctrines for the greatest of “purposes”, i.e., a need to update the Church and please our Protestant brethren. Two heresies were the cornerstone through which the enemies of the Church within the Church would deal a death blow to what is left of the Church.
It apparently did not take much time before the churches of Europe began to empty. Catholics in the United States have watched hundreds of churches close over the past 50 years and tens of millions of Catholics leave the Church. The fact is that the destruction of the Church in Europe is worse and ahead of the Church in the U. S.
This year (2017) marks 300 years since the organization of Freemasonry in godless England. This Satanic sect nearly destroyed Europe without the help of the Modernists. Today Masonry rules in every once-Catholic country of Europe. Although all things are possible with God it would seem as though an act of God is necessary to overcome these godless, evil men bent on destroying every last sign and symbol of Christianity.
Tourists are attracted to many different things when they travel. Some prefer the mountains while others prefer the water and sun. In Europe you will find an attraction to relics of the past, i.e., the cathedrals and churches of this continent which seem to be for the most part no longer used. Whether it is the religious community which still owns the structures or the state, they have turned these beautiful churches into museums. It was observed that it didn’t make any difference whether the church still being used they would charge a fee to tour the church. I suppose they can have a clear conscience because in the churches which were seen that are still being used, they have a sign posted “No tours during the Divine Liturgy.”
This was particularly noted in St. Vita Cathedral in Prague, Czech Republic. The cathedral is a beautiful church and is a testament to the faith of Czech Catholics which began construction of the present church in 1344 and was not completed until 1929 when it was consecrated.
As a side note, twenty years (1948) after the completion the Communists took over the country. Twenty years later (1968-70), the Modernists would ensure the cathedral will one day become another relic of the past.
The church officials charge a fee to tour the entire cathedral. One of my hosts told me they collect 100 million Czech Krowns a year which converts to about $4.5 million U. S. dollars. The native Catholics have apparently complained aloud, wondering where the money is being used. Tourism is alive and well in Europe and the Modernists have made it all possible when it comes to seeing the beautiful relics of the past.
The churches of Europe today are nearly all empty. It is indeed a clear sign the Faith has been lost by most Catholics of Europe. A more serious situation now exists. Where do those few True Catholics go to find a priest who says only the True Mass and rejects Modernism and all of tentacles? From the outside looking in one would think these Catholics would be able to find at least a few priests to administer to the faithful, after all, this is Europe where the Catholic Faith has mostly thrived for two-thousand years. It seems as though there have been a few until recent years. The Europeans deal with same pretenders that exist in the United States, from the Lefebvrites to the heretics and schismatics who call themselves traditionalists.
This truly is a sign of the Great Apostasy, when True Catholics in Europe find it necessary to contact Catholic clergy in the New World. Five-hundred years ago the Church sent many missionaries to the Western Hemisphere to convert the native Indians. Today, the New World is being sent a spiritual SOS by the few Catholics who wish to remain wholly Catholic.
Europe is being torn apart by the Freemasons who want a socialist super-state known as the European Union. Small numbers of people are fighting back against the enemies of Divine and Natural Law. The Moslems whom the Catholics defeated several times on land and sea are now being allowed to enter through “the front door” of different countries (Germany, England, France, Italy, Sweden and others) and are proceeding to change the face of the European culture. Fortunately, at least a small number of countries and people refuse to allow the Moslems, enemies of the Christian State, to enter. One wonders aloud if the invasion of the infidels is God’s way of punishing this once-Catholic continent.
This present situation goes beyond any natural disaster or terrorist attack. This is the destruction of souls on a scale never before seen. The enemies of the Church, from within and outside it, have not left a stone unturned, having destroyed every aspect of the Faith. Herein lies the real and true tragedy of Europe. They have spiritually gutted the Faith from a land that was the shining but imperfect example to the world. The large, beautiful churches were built in a time when the Faith was expressed through art and architecture. Now, they are little more than museums and relics of the past.
The True Church and the few faithful clergy and laity are called upon to make great sacrifices. All must work for the salvation of souls in general and at the same time be willing to perform acts of supernatural charity for the sake of our fellow True Catholics.
One must look to our dear bishops to guide us through these treacherous spiritual waters, knowing the need to always be faithful to Holy Mother Church. Pray for each other, whether you live in the United States, Mexico or Europe.
Fr. Joseph Noonan, OFM