VaticanNews portal reports on the remarks of Fr. Inocencio Moiche, a Claretian and archdiocesan coordinator for the visit of the antipope Leo XIV to Equatorial Guinea. Moiche reflects on the significance of this visit, noting the last papal visit was by John Paul II in 1982, and highlights the growth of the local “Church,” emphasizing an increase in vocations, the presence of more religious congregations, and the transition to local leadership. He also discusses the decline in female vocations, suggesting that religious orders need to adapt their approach to academic formation and “inculturation” to attract young women. This article is a thinly veiled advertisement for the post-conciliar neo-church’s ongoing project of self-perpetuation, couched in the language of hope and progress, yet devoid of any mention of true doctrine, the necessity of conversion to the One True Faith, or the spiritual dangers inherent in the very structures it celebrates.
The “Holy Father” and the Illusion of Pastoral Care
The article opens by framing the visit of Leo XIV as a moment of “hope and joy” for the “predominantly Catholic country” of Equatorial Guinea. Fr. Moiche describes the visit as a “great impulse,” a source of “renewal” for laity, religious, and priests alike, emphasizing that “He is our shepherd.” This language, while superficially echoing Catholic piety, is applied to a figure who sits upon the Chair of Peter as an usurper, a manifestation of the abomination of desolation prophesied by Our Lord (Mt 24:15). The true pastor bonus (good shepherd) lays down his life for his sheep (Jn 10:11), adhering strictly to the unchanging Deposit of Faith. The conciliar antipopes, however, have consistently undermined this faith, introducing errors and novelties that are anathematized by the pre-conciliar Magisterium. For instance, the Syllabus of Errors of Pope Pius IX condemns the notion that “The Roman Pontiff can, and ought to, reconcile himself, and come to terms with progress, liberalism and modern civilization” (Proposition 80), a proposition that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the very “renewal” Fr. Moiche celebrates. The “hope” offered by Leo XIV is not the hope of eternal salvation through the unadulterated Gospel, but the false hope of a worldly, evolving “Church” that seeks to be relevant to the times rather than the immutable Truth.
“Inculturation” and the Dilution of the Gospel
One of the most alarming aspects of Fr. Moiche’s remarks is his advocacy for “inculturation in Africa—of an inculturated message.” He states, “We cannot water down the Gospel or its demands, but we must adapt it to the context. That is why we speak of inculturation in Africa—of an inculturated message.” This is a direct echo of the modernist heresy condemned by Pope Pius X in Pascendi Dominici Gregis, which warns against those who “aim at such a development of dogmas as appears to be their corruption” (Lamentabili sane exitu, Propositions 2, 5, 64). The Gospel is not a human invention to be adapted or “inculturated” to local customs if those customs contradict divine revelation. It is the eternal, unchanging Word of God, meant to transform cultures, not be absorbed by them. Pope Pius XI, in Quas Primas, explicitly states that Christ’s kingdom “encompasses all men” and that “His reign, namely, extends not only to Catholic nations or to those who, by receiving baptism according to law, belong to the Church, even though their erroneous opinions have led them astray or discord has separated them from love, but His reign encompasses also all non-Christians, so that most truly the entire human race is subject to the authority of Jesus Christ.” The idea that the Gospel needs to be “adapted” to an “African context” implies a relativistic approach to truth, suggesting that the fullness of Catholic doctrine might not be suitable or understandable without modification, a notion fundamentally at odds with the universal and eternal nature of the Faith. This “inculturation” is merely a euphemism for the introduction of pagan elements and the weakening of doctrinal purity, leading to a superficial Christianity that is more African tribal religion than Catholic.
The Myth of “Maturity” and Local Leadership
Fr. Moiche proudly proclaims that “there are now many more religious congregations here… It is truly a more local Church… the fact that our dioceses now have Equatoguinean bishops is also a sign of the maturity of the Catholic Church in Equatorial Guinea. Its face has changed for the better.” This assertion of “maturity” based on local leadership is a hallmark of the post-conciliar ecclesiology, which often prioritizes worldly metrics of success over spiritual fidelity. The true measure of a Church’s health is not the number of local clergy or religious, but its adherence to the unchanging doctrines and sacramental life of the Catholic Church. The “bishops” and “priests” produced by the conciar structures are often formed in seminaries infected with modernism, liberation theology, and religious indifferentism. As Pope Pius IX condemned in the Syllabus of Errors, “National churches, withdrawn from the authority of the Roman pontiff and altogether separated, can be established” (Proposition 37). While not explicitly advocating for national churches, the emphasis on “local” leadership and “inculturation” subtly fosters a sense of autonomy that can easily devolve into such errors, distancing the faithful from the universal authority of the true Church. The “maturity” celebrated is merely the successful implantation of the neo-church’s errors and its ability to self-perpetuate, rather than a genuine deepening of Catholic faith and practice.
The Crisis of Vocations: A Fruit of Modernist Innovations
The article notes a “rise in vocations to the priesthood” for men, but a decline in female vocations, which Fr. Moiche attributes to a need for “better academic formation” for young women in religious congregations and “strengthening vocational ministry” by “communicating the same message in new ways—adapting language, understanding the present moment, and not remaining stuck in the past.” This admission of difficulty with female vocations is a direct consequence of the post-conciliar reforms that stripped religious life of its distinctiveness, its austere beauty, and its clear separation from the world. The modernist emphasis on “adapting language” and “understanding the present moment” has led to a loss of the supernatural charism that once attracted souls to the cloister. True vocations are a gift of the Holy Spirit, not the result of marketing strategies or lowering standards to meet worldly expectations. The call to “adapt” the message is a call to further dilute the radical demands of the Gospel, which are timeless and universal, not subject to the whims of changing social norms. As St. Pius X warned in Lamentabili sane exitu, “The pursuit of novelty in the investigation of the foundations of things leads in our times to deplorable consequences… often leads to the most grievous errors, which become particularly pernicious when they concern sacred sciences” (Introduction). The “novelty” of adapting religious life to modern academic ambitions is precisely what has driven many away from its true purpose.
The “Missionary Spirit” of the Conciliar Sect
Fr. Moiche attributes the growth of the “Church” in Equatorial Guinea to the “missionary spirit” of the Claretians and other religious congregations. He states, “This is also thanks to those who, through their missionary spirit, inspired us to embrace this way of life in Christ—both religious and diocesan clergy.” This “missionary spirit” is, in reality, the spirit of the conciliar revolution, which seeks to expand its influence and numbers, not by converting souls to the unchanging Catholic Faith, but by accommodating itself to local cultures and modern sensibilities. The true missionary spirit, as exemplified by the saints, is one of uncompromising fidelity to the Gospel, even unto death. The pre-conciliar Magisterium consistently taught that the purpose of the Church is to lead souls to eternal salvation through the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments, not to build a “local church” that reflects the values of the world. Pope Pius XI, in Quas Primas, reminds us that the Church “cannot depend on anyone’s will” and that its mission is “to teach, govern, and lead all to eternal happiness.” The “missionary spirit” described by Moiche is one of building the neo-church’s structures and perpetuating its errors, rather than truly evangelizing in the Catholic sense.
The Absence of True Doctrine and Spiritual Realities
Perhaps the most glaring omission in the entire article, and indeed in the remarks of Fr. Moiche, is any mention of true Catholic doctrine, the necessity of conversion, the reality of sin, the need for the sacraments for salvation, the dangers of heresy, or the ultimate goal of eternal salvation. There is no mention of the Social Reign of Christ the King, no call to repentance, no warning against the errors of modernism or the conciliar antipopes. The “hope” offered is purely naturalistic – hope for “unity,” “strengthening of faith” (undefined), and overcoming “family difficulties” and “armed conflicts.” This silence about supernatural matters is the gravest accusation against the neo-church. It reveals a purely naturalistic and humanistic approach to “pastoral care,” where the spiritual is reduced to the temporal, and the Church’s mission is redefined as social work and cultural adaptation. As Pope Pius IX declared in the Syllabus of Errors, “The teaching of the Catholic Church is hostile to the well-being and interests of society” (Proposition 40) – meaning, of course, that the worldly “well-being” sought by the neo-church is often at odds with the spiritual well-being demanded by the Gospel. The article is a testament to the complete triumph of modernism, where the “Church” is no longer the Ark of Salvation, but a humanitarian organization seeking relevance in a changing world.
Source:
Claretian priest reflects on the transformation of the Church in Equatorial Guinea (vaticannews.va)
Date: 21.04.2026