EWTN News reports that the antipope, Leo XIV, conducted a video call with approximately 10 priests in war-torn southern Lebanon, offering “encouragement,” prayers, and his blessing. The article highlights the testimony of Father Toni Elias, who described the call as “a breath of hope and trust,” while also noting the March 9 killing of Father Pierre al-Rahi by Israeli shelling. This entire spectacle, however, is not a genuine act of Catholic charity or spiritual leadership but a carefully staged performance by the conciliar sect, designed to project an image of pastoral concern while utterly failing to address the root causes of the conflict or provide true spiritual sustenance. It is a modernist charade, substituting naturalistic gestures of “solidarity” for the supernatural mission of the Church, and revealing the profound theological and spiritual bankruptcy of the post-conciliar usurpers.
The Illusion of Pastoral Care: A Naturalistic Substitution for True Spiritual Authority
The core of this report revolves around the antipope’s “encouragement” and “blessing” dispensed via video call. In the true Catholic understanding, a Pope’s primary duty is to teach, govern, and sanctify the faithful, safeguarding and promulgating the immutable deposit of faith, and leading souls to eternal salvation through the sacraments and the preaching of the Gospel. His authority is not merely symbolic or emotional; it is a divine mandate to bind and loose, to feed My sheep (John 21:17). What does Leo XIV offer? “Encouragement” and “hope for peace.” This is not the language of a Vicar of Christ, but of a secular humanitarian worker or a UN diplomat. It is a reduction of the papal office to a mere cheerleader for temporal well-being, completely devoid of any supernatural dimension.
The article quotes Father Elias: “The pope encouraged us; he told us that he prays for us and supports us, and he gave us his blessing with the hope that peace would soon be achieved.” This statement, while perhaps comforting on a human level, is theologically vacuous. The true Church has always taught that peace is only possible in the kingdom of Christ (Pius XI, encyclical Quas Primas). Without the recognition of Christ the King’s public reign over all nations, without the conversion of sinners to the Catholic faith, and without the proper ordering of society according to divine law, any “hope for peace” is a mirage. Leo XIV, by offering “hope” without demanding conversion or proclaiming the social reign of Christ, betrays his modernist agenda. He offers a false peace, a peace not of this world (John 14:27) but a worldly, naturalistic peace that ignores the primary purpose of human existence: the salvation of souls and the glory of God.
The Omission of Sin, Conversion, and the True Cause of War
A critical analysis of this article, viewed through the lens of integral Catholic faith, immediately exposes its profound omissions. There is no mention of sin as the ultimate cause of war and suffering. There is no call for repentance, for the conversion of Israel, or for the establishment of Christ’s Kingdom as the only true foundation for lasting peace. The article focuses solely on the temporal hardships faced by the Lebanese people and the “acts of solidarity” of the priests and the apostolic nuncio. This is a purely naturalistic and humanitarian approach, utterly divorced from the supernatural mission of the Church.
The true Church has always understood that temporal calamities, including wars, are often divine chastisements for the sins of nations and individuals. The prophets of the Old Testament, Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and the saints throughout history have consistently called for repentance and conversion as the path to true peace. Yet, Leo XIV, like his modernist predecessors, remains silent on these fundamental truths. His “encouragement” is a palliative, a band-aid on a gangrenous wound, ignoring the spiritual rot that festers beneath the surface. He offers “hope” without the Gospel, “solidarity” without the sacraments, and “blessing” without the demand for doctrinal purity.
The “Blessing” of an Antipope: An Act of Spiritual Mischief
The article states that Leo XIV “imparted his blessing.” From a sedevacantist perspective, this is not a valid or efficacious act. An antipope, a usurper of the Chair of Peter, lacks the authority and grace to impart true blessings. His “blessing” is an empty gesture, a simulation of a sacred act, much like the “sacraments” of the conciliar sect are empty simulations of the true sacraments. It is a spiritual mischief, designed to deceive the faithful into believing that the structures occupying the Vatican still possess divine authority.
The true Church teaches that the efficacy of the sacraments and sacramentals depends on the proper intention and authority of the minister. Since Leo XIV is not the true Pope, his “blessing” carries no supernatural weight. It is a human act, perhaps well-intentioned on a natural level, but spiritually barren. The faithful who receive such a “blessing” are not receiving grace; they are participating in a modernist ritual that reinforces their attachment to a false authority.
The Martyrdom of Father Pierre al-Rahi: A Tragedy Exploited for Propaganda
The article mentions the death of Father Pierre al-Rahi, killed by Israeli shelling. While his death is undoubtedly a tragedy, the conciliar sect exploits such events for its own propaganda purposes. The article uses his death to highlight the “suffering” of the Lebanese people and to further legitimize Leo XIV’s “concern.” However, it fails to address the crucial question: did Father al-Rahi die in odium fidei, out of hatred for the faith? Was he killed specifically for his Catholic beliefs, or was he a casualty of a broader conflict?
The true Church has always distinguished between those who die as martyrs for the faith and those who die in other circumstances. Maximilian Kolbe, for instance, died, but not for the faith, but for a fellow prisoner – therefore, he could not be a martyr because death must be suffered due to persecution for the faith, and furthermore, an antipope “canonized” him. Similarly, the Ulma family did not die for the faith, and furthermore, the unborn child could not be considered a saint because it was not baptized. Without clear evidence that Father al-Rahi was targeted specifically for his Catholic faith, his death cannot be elevated to martyrdom. The conciliar sect, however, uses such deaths to garner sympathy and to present itself as a victim of persecution, thereby deflecting attention from its own internal apostasy and doctrinal corruption.
The Role of the “Apostolic Nuncio”: A Diplomat, Not a Shepherd
The article highlights the work of Archbishop Paolo Borgia, the apostolic nuncio, who “has been working in the border region with Israel for several months delivering food, basic necessities, and the pope’s encouragement.” This description paints a picture of a humanitarian aid worker, not a shepherd of souls. While charity is a fundamental Christian virtue, the primary mission of a bishop or a nuncio is to teach, govern, and sanctify, not to distribute food and basic necessities. This is the role of lay organizations and secular charities.
The conciliar sect has consistently reduced the role of bishops and priests to that of social workers and community organizers. This is a direct consequence of its modernist theology, which emphasizes the “human” and “social” aspects of the Church’s mission while downplaying or outright denying the supernatural. The true Church has always engaged in charitable works, but always as an extension of its primary mission: the salvation of souls. The conciliar sect, however, has inverted this order, making charity an end in itself and reducing the Church to a mere NGO.
The Language of “Hope” and “Trust”: A Modernist Lexicon
The language used throughout this article is revealing. Words like “hope,” “trust,” “encouragement,” and “solidarity” are the hallmarks of modernist discourse. They are vague, emotionally appealing, and devoid of specific doctrinal content. They are designed to create a sense of unity and purpose without demanding any intellectual or spiritual commitment. This is the language of the “Spirit of Vatican II,” a spirit of compromise, dialogue, and accommodation with the world.
The true Church, in contrast, speaks the language of truth, justice, and charity. It demands conversion, repentance, and adherence to the immutable deposit of faith. It does not offer vague “hope” but the sure hope of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ and His Church. It does not offer “trust” in human institutions but trust in God and His promises. The modernist lexicon of Leo XIV and his conciliar sect is a betrayal of the Church’s prophetic mission, a mission to proclaim the truth, even when it is unpopular or inconvenient.
The Silence on Israel: A Cowardly Avoidance of Truth
Perhaps the most glaring omission in this article is any direct condemnation of Israel’s actions. While the article mentions “Israeli shelling” and the “war-torn” nature of southern Lebanon, it avoids any explicit criticism of the Israeli state or its policies. This is consistent with the conciliar sect’s long-standing policy of appeasement towards Israel, rooted in its modernist theology of religious liberty and false ecumenism.
The true Church has always upheld the principle of justice and the right of nations to defend themselves against aggression. It has also consistently condemned injustice, regardless of the perpetrator. The conciliar sect, however, has adopted a policy of moral equivalence, refusing to condemn Israel’s actions while simultaneously offering “hope” and “solidarity” to the victims. This is a cowardly avoidance of truth, a betrayal of the Church’s prophetic mission to speak out against injustice and to defend the oppressed.
The “Breath of Hope”: A Suffocating Embrace of Modernism
Father Elias describes the video call as “a breath of hope and trust that was much needed.” From a sedevacantist perspective, this “breath of hope” is not a lifeline but a suffocating embrace of modernism. It is a false hope, a hope that is not grounded in the truth of the Gospel but in the empty promises of a conciliar sect that has abandoned its divine mission.
The true hope of the Catholic faith is not found in video calls or humanitarian aid, but in the sacraments, in prayer, in the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints, and in the unwavering adherence to the immutable deposit of faith. The conciliar sect, by offering a naturalistic “hope,” is leading the faithful astray, away from the true source of hope and salvation. It is a spiritual deception, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, masquerading as the Church of Christ while promoting a gospel of humanism and worldly peace.
Conclusion: A Call to Reject the Charade and Return to Tradition
This article, while seemingly innocuous, is a microcosm of the conciliar sect’s entire modus operandi. It offers naturalistic gestures of “solidarity” and “hope” while utterly failing to address the spiritual roots of the conflict or to provide true spiritual sustenance. It is a charade, a performance designed to project an image of pastoral concern while masking the profound theological and spiritual bankruptcy of the post-conciliar usurpers.
The faithful must reject this charade and return to the immutable Tradition of the Church. They must seek out true priests and bishops who uphold the integral Catholic faith, who offer the true sacraments, and who preach the Gospel in its entirety, without compromise or accommodation with the world. Only in the true Church, the Church of all ages, can they find the true hope and peace that their souls crave. The “breath of hope” offered by Leo XIV is a suffocating embrace of modernism; the true breath of hope is found in the unchanging truth of Jesus Christ and His Holy Catholic Church.
Source:
‘A breath of hope’: Pope Leo XIV encourages Lebanese priests through video call (ewtnnews.com)
Date: 07.05.2026