"Pope" Leo XIV - Bp. Donald Sanborn 05-18-25

1. Main SummaryBp. Donald Sanborn addresses the reaction of Novus Ordo conservatives to statements made by “Leo XIV” (a name he uses satirically for the current claimant to the papacy). These conservatives celebrated when he said civil authorities should promote family life as a stable union between a man and a woman. Bp. Sanborn points out the absurdity that Catholics should rejoice merely because a supposed Roman Pontiff does not support sodomy, and stresses that he deliberately avoided the term “valid marriage,” leaving the definition open to include invalid unions.His Excellency warns that “Leo XIV” is more intelligent and cautious than Bergoglio (Francis), giving the impression of conservatism but being a “thoroughgoing modernist.” He critiques the Pope’s focus on worldly unity, peace, and “fraternity” without mention of conversion to the Catholic Faith. He rejects the idea that love without supernatural faith can unite people in Christ, denounces calling non-Catholic sects “sister churches,” and condemns placing the Church at the service of political and social agendas such as immigration policy, climate concerns, and vague human dignity.Sanborn stresses that the Church’s mission is supernatural — the salvation of souls — not humanitarianism, and that Vatican II embraced modernity instead of opposing it, leading to a “dogma-less humanitarianism” where truth is replaced by worldly peace and unity.2. Historical Context on ModernismHis Excellency traces modernism’s development:Renaissance: exaltation of man without original sin, rejection of the medieval Christian worldview.Protestant Reformation: subjective interpretation of Scripture, leading to doctrinal relativism (“faith” as a feeling or sentiment).Deism (17th–18th centuries): God as distant creator, indifferent to creation; moral law seen as optional.Enlightenment & French Revolution: dethronement of Christ, religious liberty, and secular states; promotion of freedom of press/speech without moral limits.Darwinism & Liberal Protestantism (19th century): rejection of objective revelation, focus on personal religious experience, denial of fixed dogma.Modernist Theology: religion as purely interior, dogma evolving with cultural changes, ecumenism as a natural outcome, and the Church seen as serving humanity’s temporal needs.His Excellency identifies Vatican II’s four great heresies:Separation between “Church of Christ” and the Catholic Church.Collegiality (democratizing Church governance).Ecumenism (false religions as means of salvation).Religious liberty (primacy of conscience over revealed truth).3. Key Quotes“Do we have to rejoice that someone who is supposedly a Roman Pontiff does not support sodomy? Is that where we are?”“A valid marriage is what is a family… a stable union can include concubinage or invalid marriage.”“He is a sugar-coated modernist.”“Charity without faith is a monstrous error.”“The Church is not here to make earth a paradise.”“Abortion is wrong not because of the dignity of man, but because it is against the law of God…”“This is perfect modernism… The Church at the service of worldly improvement.”“To work no longer for the Church, but for mankind… this is organized apostasy.”4. Key Points & TakeawaysSelective Language: “Leo XIV” carefully avoids traditional terms like “valid marriage,” leaving openings for modernist reinterpretation.False Conservatism: Apparent moral statements are not rooted in Catholic teaching but in naturalistic humanitarianism.Modernist Traits: Emphasis on worldly peace, unity, and “fraternity” without supernatural faith or conversion.Dogma-less Humanitarianism: Vatican II embraced modernity, abandoning the Church’s opposition to it.Heresies of Vatican II: Re-definition of the Church, collegiality, ecumenism, and religious liberty are incompatible with Catholic doctrine.Rejection of Proselytism: The Pope’s dismissal of “religious propaganda” and “proselytism” contradicts the Church’s missionary mandate.5. ConclusionBp. Sanborn’s central warning is that “Leo XIV” is not a break from Bergoglio but a more sophisticated, subtle modernist whose smooth rhetoric masks the same Vatican II errors. His focus on human dignity, peace, and unity replaces the supernatural mission of the Church with naturalistic goals. Catholics must not be deceived by his measured tone or occasional moral-sounding statements; his theology remains rooted in modernism and the rejection of the Church’s exclusive claim to be the sole Ark of Salvation.6. Sedevacantist Commentary (Pre–Vatican II Perspective)The sermon is an accurate diagnosis of the post–Vatican II counterfeit religion. The Church, prior to Vatican II, consistently condemned religious liberty, ecumenism, and the evolution of dogma (cf. Syllabus of Errors, Pascendi, Mortalium Animos). A true pope could never speak in ways that obscure the necessity of the Catholic Faith, nor could he place the Church in service to temporal goals over eternal salvation.Sanborn rightly notes that the current claimant’s rejection of proselytism directly contradicts Christ’s Great Commission (“teach all nations… baptizing them”). This is not merely a prudential misstep but a denial of the Church’s divine mission.By replacing supernatural charity — which flows from the infused virtue of faith — with a vague, naturalistic love, “Leo XIV” participates in the “organized apostasy” St. Pius X warned about. The sedevacantist conclusion is inescapable: such a man cannot be a true Roman Pontiff, for he openly propagates condemned errors, aligns with the heresies of Vatican II, and undermines the Church’s divinely established purpose.TrueCatholicFaith.com