Ecumenical MEHR Conference: Spiritual Deception Masquerading as Christian Unity
CNA Deutsch reports on the MEHR conference in Augsburg, Germany (Jan. 3–6, 2026), where over 11,000 attendees—Catholics, Lutherans, and evangelicals—gathered for an interdenominational event emphasizing prayer, worship, and “making room for God.” Organized by Catholic theologian Johannes Hartl and the Augsburg Gebetshaus, the conference featured ecumenical liturgies, evangelical worship bands, and addresses by figures like American author John Eldredge. Auxiliary Bishop Florian Wörner and Augsburg Bishop Bertram Meier celebrated Catholic Masses, while Lutheran Bishop Tobias Pilz led Protestant services. The theme, “The Sound of Joy,” promoted emotional spirituality across denominational lines, with Hartl defending the event as a “large-scale festival” akin to biblical gatherings.
Ecumenism: A Violation of Divine Law
The MEHR conference epitomizes the heresy of indifferentism (condemned by Pope Pius IX in Syllabus of Errors, Proposition 16), which falsely claims that all Christian sects equally offer salvation. By uniting Catholics with Lutherans and evangelicals in worship, Hartl’s initiative defies the dogmatic teaching: “Outside the Church there is no salvation” (Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus; Council of Florence, Session 8). Pius XI’s encyclical Mortalium Animos (1928) explicitly forbade such gatherings:
“The Catholic Church… has never allowed their members to join in assemblies of non-Catholics.”
The participation of “Bishop” Bertram Meier (a conciliar sect prelate) in this sacrilege only confirms the apostasy of post-1958 structures.
Naturalism Disguised as Spirituality
Hartl’s emphasis on emotion—“his presence, his joy, his peace”—reduces faith to subjective experience, echoing Modernist errors condemned by St. Pius X in Lamentabili Sane (Proposition 25: “Faith is based on probabilities”). The event’s “theological track” is a veneer for replacing doctrine with feelings, as evidenced by attendee Katharina Achammer’s testimony: “When young people pray together, that simply radiates joy.” True Catholic worship requires latria (adoration due to God alone), not emotional spectacles.
The Charismatic Facade and Its Dangers
Evangelical worship bands and the O’Bros concert expose MEHR’s alignment with the Charismatic Movement—a Trojan horse for Protestant theology. The “sound of joy” theme prioritizes sensory euphoria over the sacrifice of Calvary, reducing the Mass to entertainment. This violates the Council of Trent’s decree that the Mass is “a true and proper sacrifice… instituted to appease God’s wrath” (Session 22). By allowing Lutheran services in the same venue as Catholic liturgies, organizers commit communicatio in sacris (canon 1258, 1917 Code), a grave sin.
Secular Endorsement and Apostate Betrayal
Hartl’s dismissal of secular media criticism—“if you come here… you can decide for yourself”—reveals a relativistic mindset. Contrast this with Pope Pius X’s warning: “The Modernist… embraces all errors” (Pascendi Dominici Gregis, 39). The event’s popularity (11,000 attendees) reflects not revival but the conciliar sect’s surrender to Protestantism and worldliness. The MEHRkids program, with trampolines and “age-appropriate catechesis,” mocks the Church’s duty to teach children immutable truth (Matt. 19:14).
Conclusion: A Festival of Apostasy
MEHR exemplifies the conciliar sect’s abandonment of Catholic identity. Its ecumenism, emotionalism, and disregard for dogma fulfill Pius IX’s prophecy: “They will abandon the faith, refusing to listen to the spirit of lying” (Syllabus, Proposition 17). True Catholics must reject such gatherings, remembering St. Paul’s command: “Bear not the yoke with unbelievers… What fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14-15). The only sound pleasing to God is the unbloody Sacrifice offered in fidelity to Tradition—not the cacophony of heresy in Augsburg.
Source:
‘Making room for God’: MEHR conference draws over 11,000 in Germany (catholicnewsagency.com)
Date: 08.01.2026