While the Roman Catholic Church has much to be ashamed of since its beginning in the fifth century, (not the first century, as all honest historians know) much of these recent apologies are simply damage control. And Francis is the one who keeps doing the damage!

Furthermore, the pope recently told a group of poor people visiting the Vatican to “Pray for the rich, the wise and the hypocrites. Pray that the Lord may bring about a conversion in their hearts.” Francis, never missing an opportunity to spout error and banalities, assumed that the poor were Christians while the rich and wise were not! Someone at the Vatican needs to apologize for Francis!

The Roman Church has been in deep doo doo for many years. The major problem is the sex scandal; plus the declining number of priests worldwide, the loss of the religious elementary and secondary schools in the U.S., the hypocrisy in standing against abortion yet permitting major politicians to stay in good standing while they promote (and have) abortions, makes principled people gag. But then the Roman Catholic Church permitted Mussolini, Hitler, and assorted South American dictators to remain in the church until they did the world a favor and assumed room temperature after pointing their toes upward.

Columnist Burt Prelutsky referred to the Roman Church’s refusal to deal with politicians who advocate abortion asking why some famous people are not excommunicated from the Church. He opined that the Church “should start booting these high-profile backsliders out on their collective fannies. Otherwise, when it comes to their members as well as their leaders, we have to assume that the Elks, the Moose and the Rotarians all have higher standards than the Catholic Church.” Wow, not bad for the Jewish talk show host and columnist!

Francis wrote in his book, A Big Heart Open to God: “Tell me, when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?” I’m not sure Francis was expecting an answer from me but the fact is God always loves the homosexual (and fornicator, thief, glutton, liar, false prophet, Liberal, etc.) but condemns all our sins and offers forgiveness only through the work of Christ on the cross.

Recently, the pope told some journalists that the Catholic Church owed “gays” an apology “for the way the church has treated them in the past”; however, history proves that the Catholic Church has been very friendly to homosexuals. U.S. News and World Report revealed that “most priests are gay” (July 29, 2013) so the hierarchy has been very casual in their screening process. One Roman Catholic clergyman suggested that “30 percent [of priests] were gay, 30 percent were straight and 30 percent are in denial!” I don’t think I would joke about something like that, but maybe he was serious.

Trying to push all the right buttons Francis said, “I think the church must not only apologize … to a gay person it offended, but we must apologize to the poor, to women who have been exploited, to children forced into labor, apologize for having blessed so many weapons.” What an inane statement.

Francis declared that homosexuals “should not be discriminated against” but should be treated with respect and “accompanied pastorally.” Frankly, it is difficult to respect people who do unbelievably vile things to each other and are in rebellion against God’s plan for the human race.

As to “accompanied pastorally” I have no idea what that means. Maybe the pope should apologize for his ambiguity.

Francis could start by apologizing for and nullifying Pope Boniface’s asinine statement in his 1302 papal Bull Unam Sanctam: “We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman pontiff.” The Church professes not to believe that today but it was an “irreversible doctrine” and still stands! That means, according to Catholic doctrine, the pope and the Vatican Council II were wrong to say that non-Catholics can go to Heaven. The Roman Church has always taught salvation is found only in their church but that is bad public relations.

Does Francis blush when he reads that he and all popes are God according to the Fifth Lateran Council of 1512? “For thou art the shepherd, thou art the physician, thou art the director, thou art the husbandman; finally, thou art another God on Earth.” Surely, with blushing face, pounding heart, trembling hands, and knocking knees, Francis will repudiate that blasphemous statement.

Most people don’t know that no pope has ever apologized for the Council of Trent curses upon true believers. While it is five hundred years late, maybe Francis could in the spirit of the much-vaunted ecumenicity, lift the curses! Now, that would be a major move but don’t expect it because Trent was the beleaguered Church’s desperate, defiant, and divisive response to the Reformation.

The infamous Council of Trent declared, “We define that the Holy Apostolic See [Vatican] and the Roman Pontiff hold the primacy over the whole world.” Will Francis repudiate that teaching?

How about canon nine where all who believe that men are redeemed by faith in Christ alone are to be cursed? Will Francis repudiate that teaching?

Canon twenty-four curses those of us who believe that good works are good, but are not essential for eternal salvation. Will Francis lift that curse?

Obviously, Francis and the Roman Catholic Church have much for which to be ashamed. How about some genuine apologies followed by lifting the Trent curses!

No, Francis will not and cannot apologize for me.

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The papacy was not established by Jesus nor prophesied by Isaiah and saying otherwise does not make it so. For about 300 years after Christ, very ordinary village priests were called pope (papa). (By the way, what of the Bible prohibition in Matthew 23:9 of calling any man “father” other than your own physical father?) Moreover, Peter was not the first pope of the Roman Catholic Church as some shallow historians loudly proclaim. Obviously, the Christian church was built upon Peter’s confession of Christ, not upon Peter. Peter was not a Catholic!

The Christian Reformers were on the march in 1544 giving the Roman Catholic Church leaders a perpetual heartburn. The reformers were shining the light upon the religious corruption, priestly incompetence (and wickedness), and numerous unscriptural doctrines that the Roman Church espoused. The Roman Catholic leaders determined to act and did so by calling the Council of Trent (in Trento, Italy) that lasted from Dec. of 1545 to Dec. of 1563. The Catholic Counter Reformation was on the move. Trent is considered one of Rome’s most important councils. It was 400 years before another council was held.

Trent decided that the Scripture alone was not sufficient and that truth would be decided by Scripture, the pope (and his bishops), and tradition. They decided that salvation was attained by faith and works in opposition to Luther’s demand for justification by faith alone as taught in the Bible.

All Protestants and Baptists who disagreed with the council’s decision were cursed as the Roman leaders hurled 125 anathemas (curses) at all who disagreed with their decisions. That meant that such people were out of the church and destined for hell.

Those who laugh at the thought that the Pope (or any other human) can ever be without error are condemned to eternal Hell, according to First Vatican Council.

If one does not believe that Purgatory is a reality since it is never mentioned in Scripture, he is to be cursed to Hell (Session 6). Purgatory has been an embarrassing, unscriptural fund-raiser for the Roman Church. If a Catholic pays money to his church, then a relative’s sins are forgiven and eventually the doors of Purgatory open so he or she can enter Heaven. However, Purgatory, like Limbo does not exist.

Session 7 declared, “If anyone says that baptism is …not necessary for salvation,” he is cursed. Well, that means all Baptists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Lutherans, Interdenominationalists, independents, and others are candidates for Hell even though John 14:7 clearly teaches that Christ is the only way of salvation. Water baptism is simply an outward sign of what happened inwardly.

In Session 12, the church leaders decreed that those who don’t believe that the bread and wine at the Lord’s Table are the actual body and blood of Christ are doomed to Hell. Church leaders insist that they are actually eating the body of Christ and drinking His blood! If one analyzed the bread and wine as it hits the tongue would it prove to be flesh and blood? Only a superstitious fool or religious fanatic would think so. Only 45% of Catholics believe that teaching. Acts 15 forbids the drinking of blood. Catholics would have us believe that Christ was saying as He held the bread, “This is my body that we will now devour together!” What an absurdity! Moreover, Christ had not yet died, so how could the bread be His body that was in the room with them?

It is incredible and a mangling of English to call Trent an “Ecumenical Council.” The churchmen showed no interest in genuine discussion of the doctrinal differences with the Protestants. The Roman leaders were determined to reinforce their agenda with some housecleaning to satisfy the protesters. It is interesting that no Baptists were even close to the council. They wanted nothing to do with either side. Baptists are neither Catholics nor Protestants!

When Pope John XXIII opened the Second Vatican Council (1962), he made a Declaration of Faith. He said that he accepted everything declared by the Council of Trent. He specifically said that he anathematized everything that contradicted it, a position that was reaffirmed by Pope Paul VI. It was said that Paul “sought dialogue with the world, with other Christians, other religions, and atheists, excluding nobody.” But that is not true. With a wink and a nod, he spoke of inclusiveness while he reinstituted the vile curses of Trent. It is time for the Roman Catholic Church to apologize for Trent and lift all curses. Of course, the curses have no effect on non-Catholics but it is a matter of principle that the curses should be lifted if the Church leaders sincerely believe in ecumenicity. They are hypocrites if they don’t.

This evil attack upon all non-Catholics cannot be relegated to the Middle Ages; it is as current as it was at Trento. All curses are still in effect! Hardly a gracious and inclusive thought. It is way past time to lift the curses. Will the new Pope do so?

An Augustinian monk named Luther hammered to his church door in Wittenberg his objections to Roman Catholic doctrine and other abuses, accelerating the necessity of Trent. It is now time for Rome to admit that the simple monk was right and lift their curses on those who agree with him.