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The Fundamental Error of Ecumenism

Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira
Question: “How should we act in the face of the danger posed by the interpretation of the ecumenism preached by some Hierarchs of the Holy Church, since we understand that they are trying to unite truth and error at all costs”?

Answer: It is indeed a great danger. What should we do? We must not give our consent.

Militant CHurch, Glorious Church

The Militant Church, Penitent Church & Triumphant Church
by Andrea di Bonaiuto

For this reason, we must understand the fundamental error of Ecumenism: It denies the idea which we were taught, that is, that the Holy Catholic Church is militant. Indeed, the Catholic Church is divided into the Church Triumphant, constituted by the glorious souls who have been saved and are in Heaven; the Penitent Church or Church Suffering, which counts all the souls that are in Purgatory; and the Church Militant, which is the Church that fights on earth.

On this earth the Catholic Church fights, she defends herself and will fight until the end of time because she is militant by definition. She would cease to be herself the moment she would stop fighting. But no one fights alone – only the Don Quixote type fights windmills. One who is militant will always have to fight against someone or something.

So, more or less continuously, the Church has to fight against those who attempt to establish wrong doctrines. She has to fight continuously against sin, against the evil that tries to seduce men and against man’s bad tendencies that prevent him from practicing the virtues. This is because she is militant.

One who imagines that the false religions that deny the Catholic Church are not enemies, but nothing more than healthy offshoots of the Catholic Church, collaborators of some sort rather than enemies,, in fact denies the militant character of the Church. Against this I assume a militant attitude, because I am a son of the Church Militant!

"What means do we have to fight against the infiltration of ecumenism in the Church?"

First, it is to repeat what I am saying here and the good doctrine that you read in counter-revolutionary magazines and journals that provide articles on this subject.

Second, there is a very important point to be noted: Ecumenism is not just about stating this error explicitly. There is a way of being ecumenist, a way of presenting oneself, and even a way of pronouncing words that is ecumenist. These behaviors should be avoided and combated.

If we are children of the Church Militant, we know that this life is a struggle that the Devil stalks us at every moment and, therefore, we know that we have to fight, then, we generally take an affirmative tone when we speak. We should follow the language of Our Lord, obeying His precept: "Let your speech be yea-yea, no-no." (Mt 5:37) Therefore, even our pitch of our voice should be one that habitually says "yes" charged with affirmation and "no" charged with negation.

Knights of Malta

Let your speech be yea-yea, no-no

In times past this way of being characterized the man who truly had the nobility and strength of character of his manhood. Likewise, it characterized the lady of faith, who resembled "the strong woman of the Gospel," (Proverbs 31:25) whose price must be sought to the ends of the earth because her value is colossal.

Nowadays this affirmative way of saying things is disappearing. You see how people say, "Yeah ... maybe ... who knows ... it's quite possible, isn't it?" People used to call to one another in a normal tone, "John, could you come here." Today, the way to call the other is a sweet "Hellooooo, Joooohnn.” Behind this way of talking is ecumenism.

I agree that we must be very kind to others. Some have this gift of amiability in a large degree, others less so. Many Saints were delightful company. But in such a way that it attracted the good to the good and even some of the bad to the good as well. Yet, those bad persons who were not attracted to good attacked the Saints. This is why most of the Saints were persecuted.

Whoever has a life goal of having no enemies in order not to be bothered is a man tarnished with ecumenism in his temperament and way of being. He does not follow Our Lord Jesus Christ, the God-Man who was rejected when the people had to choose between Him and Barabbas the bandit!

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Conference for Supporters, June 22, 1984
Posted on December 19, 2019