The National Catholic Register (NCR), in collaboration with EWTN News and ACI Prensa, reports on the release of a free book, “Legado de Francisco a la Iglesia y a la Vida Religiosa” (Legacy of Francis to the Church and to Religious Life). This compilation of essays by 21 Latin American authors, spearheaded by the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Men and Women Religious (CLAR), aims to perpetuate the teachings of the deceased Argentine antipope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Francis). The book, released around the first anniversary of his death, celebrates his “pastoral, political, spiritual, and ecological imprint,” promoting a vision of the Church centered on “New Humanism,” “pastoral conversion,” “interreligious dialogue,” and “commitment to the poor and marginalized.” The initiative, endorsed by Jesuit Cardinal Ángel Rossi, seeks to inspire a “Samaritan, missionary” Church present in “existential peripheries,” embodying “transparency, co-responsibility, and a culture of encounter.” This book is not a mere academic exercise; it is a systematic distillation of the very errors that have led the conciliar sect into its current state of profound apostasy, serving as a blueprint for the continued dismantling of Catholic truth in favor of a secularized, humanitarian husk.
The “Legacy” of Apostasy: A Blueprint for the Neo-Church
The very title, “Legacy of Francis,” is a testament to the depth of the crisis. In the true Catholic Church, the “legacy” of a Pope is measured by his fidelity to the immutable deposit of faith, his defense of the rights of Christ the King, and his unwavering commitment to the salvation of souls through the sacraments and the preaching of the Gospel. Bergoglio’s “legacy,” as presented in this book, is precisely the antithesis of this. It is a “legacy” of doctrinal ambiguity, liturgical abuse, and the systematic undermining of Catholic identity in favor of a vague, humanitarian “New Humanism.” The book’s stated aim to keep his “pastoral, political, spiritual, and ecological imprint” alive is a clear signal that the architects of the conciliar revolution intend to perpetuate the very errors that have brought the Church to its knees before the world.
The initiative, spearheaded by CLAR, a confederation of religious orders, highlights the complicity of these once-sacred institutions in the modernist takeover. Religious orders, bound by vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to the Church, were historically bastions of orthodoxy and sanctity. Under the conciliar regime, they have become hotbeds of dissent, often embracing secular ideologies and dissenting from Catholic doctrine. The fact that 21 authors from diverse “ecclesial and academic backgrounds,” including “laypeople, women religious, and priests from congregations and institutes such as the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, the Society of Jesus, and the Order of Preachers,” collaborated on this work, demonstrates the pervasive infiltration of modernist thought even within orders that once produced saints and doctors of the Church. The Society of Jesus, in particular, has been at the forefront of this revolution, with its historical commitment to papal obedience often twisted into obedience to the latest modernist whim.
“New Humanism” and the Denial of the Supernatural
The book’s division into sections like “Spirituality and New Humanism” and “Francis’ Challenges to Religious Life” reveals its core ideological thrust. “New Humanism” is a modernist buzzword, a direct descendant of the errors condemned by St. Pius X in *Pascendi Dominici Gregis*. It is a philosophy that places man, rather than God, at the center of existence, emphasizing human dignity, social justice, and ecological concerns while systematically downplaying or denying the supernatural order, the reality of sin, the necessity of grace, and the ultimate end of man: eternal union with God.
Pope Pius XI, in his encyclical *Quas Primas*, unequivocally stated that “the hope of lasting peace will not yet shine upon nations as long as individuals and states renounce and do not wish to recognize the reign of our Savior.” He further lamented that “this kind of outpouring of evil has afflicted the whole world because very many have removed Jesus Christ and His most holy law from their customs, from private, family, and public life.” The “New Humanism” promoted by Bergoglio and celebrated in this book is precisely this removal of Christ from His rightful place, replacing His divine law with a purely humanistic agenda. It is a “humanism” that, as St. Pius X warned, “regards the knowledge of merely natural things, and only, or at least primarily, the ends of earthly social life,” thereby leading to the “corruption of the morals and minds of the people, and to the propagation of the pest of indifferentism” (The Syllabus of Errors, Proposition 79).
“Pastoral Conversion” as Doctrinal Betrayal
The introduction by Father Israel Arévalo Muñoz, CLAR’s deputy secretary, speaks of Bergoglio’s “profound ecclesial reform, grounded in transparency, co-responsibility, and pastoral conversion.” This phrase, “pastoral conversion,” is a hallmark of modernist jargon, signifying a shift from the Church’s primary mission of saving souls through the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments, to a purely horizontal, social gospel. It implies that the Church must “convert” its methods and structures to align with worldly values, rather than converting the world to Christ.
The true mission of the Church, as defined by Our Lord Jesus Christ, is to “teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19-20). This mission is supernatural, aimed at the salvation of souls for eternity. The “pastoral conversion” championed by Bergoglio and celebrated in this book is a betrayal of this divine mandate. It reduces the Church to a humanitarian NGO, concerned primarily with social justice, environmentalism, and “interreligious dialogue,” rather than the unique ark of salvation. As Pope Leo XIII stated in his encyclical *Annum Sanctum*, “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 Church’s “pastoral” efforts must always be directed towards bringing all men to the knowledge of this truth and to submission to Christ the King, not towards a vague “encounter” with the world on its own terms.
The “Culture of Encounter” and Religious Indifferentism
The book’s stated hope to motivate Catholics to work toward “a culture of encounter, interreligious dialogue, respect for diversity, and the pursuit of unity amid differences” is a direct echo of the modernist errors condemned by Pope Pius IX in *The Syllabus of Errors*. Proposition 15 states: “Every man is free to embrace and profess that religion which, guided by the light of reason, he shall consider true.” Proposition 17 asserts: “Good hope at least is to be entertained of the eternal salvation of all those who are not at all in the true Church of Christ.” These propositions are explicitly condemned as errors.
The “culture of encounter” and “interreligious dialogue” promoted by Bergoglio and celebrated in this book are practical applications of these condemned errors. They imply that all religions are equally valid paths to God, or at least that they contain sufficient truth to warrant a “respect” and “dialogue” that undermines the Catholic Church’s exclusive claim to be the one true Church founded by Christ. This is the very essence of religious indifferentism, a pestilence that the true Church has always combated. The Church’s mission is not to “encounter” other religions as equals, but to convert all men to the Catholic faith, for “there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). To promote a “unity amid differences” that does not require submission to the Catholic faith is to betray the unity Christ prayed for, a unity of faith and truth.
The “Existential Peripheries” and the Negation of Sin
The book highlights Bergoglio’s commitment to a Church present in the “geographical, social, and existential peripheries.” While the Church has always had a preferential love for the poor and marginalized, Bergoglio’s emphasis on “existential peripheries” often serves to normalize sin and moral deviation. It suggests that the Church’s primary role is to accompany individuals in their “existential” struggles, even if those struggles involve living in states of mortal sin, without calling them to repentance and conversion.
This approach directly contradicts the Church’s constant teaching on the reality of sin and the necessity of repentance. Our Lord Himself began His public ministry with the call: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). The Church’s mission is not to affirm individuals in their sinful states, but to lead them out of darkness and into the marvelous light of Christ. To be present in the “existential peripheries” without preaching the necessity of conversion and the reality of sin is to offer a false compassion that ultimately condemns souls to perdition.
The Jesuit Influence and the Spirit of Dissent
The involvement of Jesuit Cardinal Ángel Rossi, described as a “spiritual son” of Francis, and the Society of Jesus in this project, is particularly poignant. The Jesuits, founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola, were once the vanguard of the Counter-Reformation, renowned for their intellectual rigor and unwavering loyalty to the papacy. Under the conciliar regime, however, the Society of Jesus has become a primary vehicle for modernist dissent, often prioritizing social justice and “discernment” over doctrinal orthodoxy and obedience.
The image of Bergoglio praying near the tomb of Jesuit Father Pedro Arrupe, as mentioned in the article, is emblematic. Arrupe, who served as superior general of the Society of Jesus from 1965 to 1981, was a pivotal figure in the post-conciliar transformation of the Jesuits, steering them towards a more “progressive” and “socially engaged” direction, often at the expense of their original charism and fidelity to the Magisterium. His “legacy” within the Society has been one of dissent and the embrace of secular ideologies, making him a fitting spiritual ancestor for Bergoglio’s vision. The fact that his “spiritual son” endorses this book further underscores the deep roots of modernism within the contemporary Jesuit order.
The “Ecological Imprint” and the Distraction from Eternal Truths
The book’s focus on the “ecological imprint” of Bergoglio reflects the conciliar sect’s increasing preoccupation with temporal concerns at the expense of eternal truths. While stewardship of creation is a legitimate Catholic concern, the elevation of “ecology” to a central tenet of the Church’s mission, as seen in Bergoglio’s encyclical *Laudato Si’*, often serves to distract from the primary spiritual crisis facing humanity: the problem of sin and the need for redemption.
The Church’s mission is not to save the planet from environmental degradation, but to save souls from hell. To prioritize “ecological” concerns over the preaching of the Gospel, the administration of the sacraments, and the defense of moral law, is to reverse the order of priorities established by Christ. It is to become, as Pope Pius IX warned, an enemy of the “well-being and interests of society” by failing to address its most fundamental spiritual needs (The Syllabus of Errors, Proposition 40).
The “Samaritan Church” and the Loss of Catholic Identity
The aspiration for a “Samaritan, missionary” Church, while sounding noble, is often used to justify a watering down of Catholic identity. The Good Samaritan parable is about showing mercy, but it is not a model for the Church’s doctrinal or liturgical life. The Church is not merely a charitable organization; it is the Mystical Body of Christ, the pillar and ground of truth (1 Timothy 3:15). Its “missionary” activity must always be aimed at bringing souls to the Catholic faith, not merely to alleviate temporal suffering.
To be “Samaritan” in the modernist sense often means to abandon the demands of the Gospel in favor of a universal, non-judgmental love that fails to distinguish between truth and error, virtue and vice. This is a false charity that ultimately harms souls by failing to lead them to the only source of true salvation. The Church’s mission is to be a “light to the nations” (Isaiah 49:6), not to blend into the darkness of the world.
Conclusion: The Enduring Poison of the Conciliar Revolution
The publication of “Legado de Francisco a la Iglesia y a la Vida Religiosa” is not a cause for celebration, but a further symptom of the profound spiritual illness afflicting the conciliar sect. It is a deliberate attempt to codify and perpetuate the errors of the Bergoglian era, ensuring that the “spirit” of apostasy continues to guide the neo-church long after its principal architect has departed. The book’s emphasis on “New Humanism,” “pastoral conversion,” “interreligious dialogue,” and “ecological imprint” reveals a vision of the Church that is entirely at odds with the unchanging Catholic faith.
This “legacy” is not one of truth, but of error; not of sanctity, but of worldliness; not of salvation, but of perdition. It is a “legacy” that the faithful must reject outright, clinging instead to the immutable teachings of the true Church, the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints who remained faithful to Christ and His Church until the end. The conciliar sect, in its relentless pursuit of relevance to the world, has only succeeded in losing its soul. The “Legacy of Francis” is a testament to this tragic loss, a monument to the triumph of modernism over the eternal truth of Jesus Christ.
Source:
Free Book Reflects on Pope Francis’ Teachings on Religious Life (ncregister.com)
Date: 29.04.2026