A draft of New Year’s pastoral letter elaborated by

                                                                                                                                               + Samuel OSBMr

                                                                                                                                              + Markian OSBMr

                                                                                                                                              + Methodius OSBMr

                                                                                                                                              + Elias OSBMr

                                         New Year’s pastoral letter

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I am turning to You as the successor of Saint Peter, charged with responsibility for Christ’s flock. Today is the first day of the New Year entering the second decade of the third millennium. What is the spiritual balance and what is the vision in the near future? The balance is lamentable. Paedophilia scandals inside the Church and apostasy in the former Christian territories continue. In many European countries the Christian temples are being closed or changed into mosques. Islamization of Europe continues, but in Islamic countries Christians are persecuted and killed.

Church hierarchy significantly contributed to the creation of the current EU with the slogan that Christians would leaven Europe. In fact, the opposite has become true. The EU’s first priority is moral devastation of the family and society through legalization and propagation of homosexuality. It has turned into a totalitarian bloc. The Lisbon Treaty pursues destruction of Christianity. With various changes and modifications in legislation the process of destruction of all moral and spiritual values continues. An example is the PACE Resolution 1728 of 29 April 2010. It cunningly aims at legalization of homosexuality and transsexuality under the term ‘gender’. Similarly, Resolution 1763 of 7 October 2010 cunningly pursues legalization of euthanasia. This policy has nothing to do either with democracy or with morality.

By its resolution of 23 November 2010 the European Parliament enforced legalization of same-sex marriages upon all nations of the EU. This practically denied the national legislation and constitutions of 27 EU member states.

Elimination of moral values is integral to the policy of the UN, too, which is also enforced upon all member states. It concerns not only promotion of homosexuality but even of paedophilia through so-called sexuality education for children age 5 and older. A lack of sexual restraint coupled with propagation of perversions results in moral disintegration of the individual associated with spiritual schizophrenia. This leads to drug addiction, AIDS and suicides. If the UN and the EU promoted so purposefully moral education for responsible parenthood for children from their fifth year, it would be a positive contribution to humanity. Unfortunately the current UN policy, espousing an anti-Christian ideology, leads to self-destruction of the individual nations.

I hereby appeal to all UN members, especially those who still consider themselves Christians, to change their views and attitudes. Keep in mind Your responsibility for all humanity! It impacts not only on this life but also on the life after death. It is a question either of salvation of millions of souls or of their eternal perdition in hell.

Regarding numerous questions relating to the Freemasons, my authoritative answer is: The spirit of Christian doctrine diametrically contradicts the ideology of this half-secret global organization. According to God’s law, its members have excluded themselves from the Mystical Body of Christ. This applies to all Christians. The Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church officially stated this fact until 1983. God’s law, which is above the Catholic Code, cannot be cancelled. That means: he who has dedicated himself to antigod as a Mason and will not repent even in the hour of his death will be eternally condemned (cf. Gal 1:8-9). The Synod of Bishops of the Eastern Catholic Church has already clearly defined this question in some of its proclamations. This definition, which is consistent with God’s Word, could not and cannot be cancelled either by my predecessors or by me or my successors.

In the Christmas pastoral letter I stressed the basis of whole Christianity and that is a personal relationship with Christ through repentance and total commitment to Him. That is the realization of God’s Word – “losing one’s soul for the sake of Christ and the Gospel”. It is the condition for salvation (cf. Mk 8:35). Paper Christianity will not save anyone. Jesus says clearly: “Unless you repent, you will all perish.” (Lk 13:3) To repent means to return time and again into God’s presence and in the light of His presence to confess our sins and to give ourselves wholly, with all our problems, to our Saviour.

As regards the year 2010, the world witnessed a lot of disasters. Floods throughout Europe, an earthquake in Haiti, a volcanic eruption in Iceland, earthquakes, floods etc. in India, Pakistan... That all is God’s warning and call to repentance for all mankind. God has not yet sent down fire from heaven (Jude 7) for the contamination of numbers of nations by legalization of homosexuality. The Word of God calls homosexuality an abomination! It is the result of apostasy from God and idolatry (cf. Rom 1:18ff). Jesus wants to free and save even these people who are in demonic bondage. The condition is conversion and sincere repentance.

Vision for the future

What is the concrete means of promoting a true reform of the Church? “The Church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” (Eph 2:20) The Apostle Paul exhorts the early Christians to strive especially for the gift of prophecy. He explains what it is – edification and exhortation and comfort (1Cor 14:3).

The blame for the current state of the world – mass demoralization – falls mainly upon the silent Church hierarchy. Therefore, these hierarchs are now obliged to resign their offices and to give place to a new reform leadership in the Church.

The perversity of modern feminism and of so-called gender equality is a denial of the irreplaceable roles of man and woman in the family and society. This perverted stream promoting homosexuality leads to destruction not only of the family but also of the society as a whole. The society has to give priority to true restoration of the family and not its destruction. With the support of the Church it should radically oppose all demoralizing influences that destroy human nature and lead to self-destruction of the entire society.

The driving force in the restoration of the Church and society should be converted men. To fulfil their task of the renewal of moral and spiritual values they ought to undergo sound formation. The early Christians had 4 fundamental principles. These included fellowship and the apostles’ teaching (cf. Acts 2:42). Fellowship connected with the apostles’ teaching, the Eucharist and prayer creates the conditions for true prophetic ministry of men in the Church. May God raise up in these hard times a generation of true prophets, God’s warriors and apologists who will be the instruments of reevangelization of Europe and of the former Christian nations. These true prophets should promote God’s laws and genuine moral values in all spheres of society, including politics. In their zeal and determination they should surpass the antiprophets who are now spreading gay plague and death.

We enter the second decade of the third millennium. Resurrection of the Church presupposes not only restoration of the prophetic office but also due celebration of the seventh day. On the seventh day Christ rose from the dead. On this day the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, giving birth to the Church. This day is to be wholly dedicated to God. On this day Christians are to actualize the four biblical principles of the living Church, as mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (2:42).

The concrete vision for the new year 2011:

- restoration of the Church by appointing a new college of bishops,

- restoration of the apostolic and prophetic ministry,

- restoration of the celebration of Sunday, founded on the four biblical principles (Acts 2:42).

I bestow my apostolic blessing upon all the faithful for the beginning of this true reform of the Church in the year 2011.

Benedict XVI ................................

The Servant of the Servants of God

The Vatican City, 1 January 2011