I was surprised to read, in the recent letter of archbishop Vigano to President Trump, assertions by Vigano that the majority of persons in the world today are children of light.
“The children of light constitute the most conspicuous part of humanity, while the children of darkness represent an absolute minority.”
“On the other hand, there are those who serve themselves, who do not hold any moral principles, who want to demolish the family and the nation… [who] will one day – if they do not repent – yield to the terrible fate that awaits them, far from God, in eternal damnation.”
“However, it is important that the good – who are the majority – wake up from their sluggishness and do not accept being deceived by a minority of dishonest people with unavowable purposes…. What more effective way is there to do this, Mr. President, than by prayer, asking the Lord to protect you, the United States, and all of humanity from this enormous attack of the Enemy?” [LifeSiteNews]
Does Vigano believe that, within all of humanity, the children of light are a majority, and the children of darkness, who are on the path to Hell, are “an absolute minority”? It seems that he does, from the above assertions. But this implies certain theological conclusions, which are not compatible with the common opinions of the far right in Catholicism.
As of 2020, Christians are an estimated 29% of humanity. Muslims are 24%. Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist are 14%, and the Hindu represent another 14%. Judaism is less than 0.2% of the human race. Then other non-monotheistic religions take up the rest of humanity.
If the children of light are a majority of humanity, and I think they might well be, this implies that many persons are in a state of grace who are non-Catholic, non-Christian, and who do not hold a monotheistic belief system. In my view, believers of various religions and even atheists can be in the state of grace by an implicit baptism of desire and by implicit perfect contrition. They can go to Heaven by following their consciences. But is that what Vigano believes? How can the children of light be an absolute majority of humanity, unless the term children of light includes Muslims and other non-Christian believers? And clearly Vigano does not believe that all Christians are children of light, so how does he make a majority out of the disparate sets of beliefs of so many different groups?
Vigano also speaks as if only the children of darkness, “an absolute minority”, are on the path to Hell. This would imply that most human persons go to Heaven, something I believe, and that a minority only go to Hell. Yet Vigano’s supporters are mainly on the far right in Catholicism, and many of them believe otherwise. They believe that a majority of persons go to Hell, that it is mainly only Christians or mainly only Catholics who go to Heaven. And they certainly reject my belief, that Muslims, Jews, and other non-Christian believers as well as non-believers can and often do go to Heaven. So Vigano seems to be asserting a rather liberal doctrine of salvation theology, one contrary to the ideas held by his fan base.
Do conservative Catholics reject this letter written by Vigano, at least in its soteriology? Or do they have some type of convoluted justification that will reconcile his words with their dogmatically held opinions on salvation?
Ronald L. Conte Jr.
the reproach of Christ 
+JMJ+ Dear Ron,Did you mean to say in the 2nd sentence of the last paragraph, “an absolute minority”?God Bless!Todd
fixed
Vigano writes a political letter envisioning not the Muslims and Buddhist in the world rather the percentage of conservative Catholics/Christians Trump supporters in the US. In that way he makes a strong political case out of the conservativism of his followers, that apparently he claims are a majority and children of light, while comparing the liberal Catholics to those on their way to hell. That is two fold hit, because he wants to derive dividend in the Church claiming the children of light are those who…support the conservative spectrum, and are majority.
As pope Francis warned all and particularly the American Catholics, they are not supposed to project the political division within the Church (what were his exact words). Not because he is anti American, as the conservatives were quick to conclude. But because Jesus didn’t establish a political organisation when He gave the power to the apostles.
Apparently Vigano prepares the battleground for the next conclave, something like political rally. Well, let he clearly know that his “party” will lose there! As of whether his followers are children of light and his opponents children of darkness, let the real judge Jesus judges! Vigano is Not in a position to judge, not even to give advice and assessments. His previous open letters with accusations against pope Francis would derive excommunication in past centuries. But now the Church is more liberal and open for criticism something that he explores to maximum.
Matthew 7: 13 – 14
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Take away law enforcement and military and see how many “children of light” there are.
I don’t know follow Arch Bishop Vigano and his teachings/statements on our Beloved Pope and the Church. However, I was very pleased to see one shedding light on the darkness that we are now living in! I was so happy to see someone taking a stand against the negative statement the Arch Bishop of Baltimore or DC made towards our beloved President Trump and wife Recently as they were taking a visit to the John Paul ll shrine. That statement wasn’t of God. Our God is all loving, all merciful and compassionate not dividing and not unwelcoming. I don’t align my love for God and His love for ALL with those coments that only seem to infiltrate more division and not love, mercy, forgiveness. It resonated With an absence of Gods Truth and who He is. And this I will not let my grown children at home think it was okay to say!! I will stand up for truth and Gods love for ALL people! As a few of my family members thinking are starting to align with the enemy thanks to social media. And their own not spending personal time with God. When the yuckie riots were happening and the sadness of our country was melting right befor our eyes there was a spiritual battle going on in our home for truth and right Godly thinking. We daily pray the rosary in our homes for years and have gone through many battle wounds as a family and there was felt by me in such a strong way the need to pray, fast ferverently for the young and impressionable children and adults. If one is not having a personal daily relationship with our Lord the enemy will find a way into our hearts and install lies and half truths! We are all sinners and from day to day No one knows ones heart as God does. Only God knows our Hearts and intentions. Only He knows our battle wounds and scars. We must leave all judgment to God who loves every soul and wants to save EVERY soul. For the evil one is raging havec in our country. It wants division and confusion and definitely doesn’t want Truth, love and mercy to reign! It’s evil reign is almost over hence why we are seeing so much unrest and division in our country and in our poor beloved church. Even well devoted Christians/Catholics are falling for these half truths we are constantly dealing with over the news media and its infiltrating many. We are in the mist of a Spiritual battle! One where many souls are at stake!! I had in my family one fighting for truth but with force and one falling into the lies. I asked both if they are praying to God and asking Him for the Truth. Are we loving one another even though we may disagree. Are we feeding God or the enemy, becausethe enemy comes only to divide and destroy. But not on my time it won’t! I’m fighting back in the war with love and all the spiritual weapons s our lady has taught us! If we are so concerned about those who are falling astray why aren’t we praying for them fervently! We need to point out the truth, hopefully live the truth and then get to work and pray. Your prayers are needed for my children. I’m tired of all the talk of who’s right and who’s wrong and all the arguments that go with them. All this talk on who’s right and who’s wrong is wasting time. It comes down to one thing and that is love. Souls are at stake. Now is the time for prayer warriors. We need prayer warriors. And one who will stand up for truth and then love! I’m willing to go to battle for our Lord and for souls! Are you? Please, say yes and let’s raise up our prayers in one heartful prayer cry to out to our Lord! Its clear to me that God is drawing a dividing line and its between the children who want to follow the light and those who follow the dark. The dark are those who don’t ask God for the Truth, they want to blame and not love. They have forgotten to know how to forgive those who have hurt them. They don’t seek God earnestly for fear they could be wrong and have to change. They fear man more than God and I use to be one of them. They want division not unity. They want to be in control of their lives Without God. During this Pause button from God…..He has shown me the importance of daily staying in relationship with Him through the Sacrements and also daily personal time with Him tending to His Heart and Will for our lives where we spend time in silence, praise, repentance and supplication. All around us people are saying this, people are saying that; we are becoming divided. Who is asking….. What does God think? Is that of God?. Is that of Love? What would God do, what would He say?? Do not turn to man and unfortunately to many of our priests and Bishops for the answers. One can find the answer by seeking God and His way of living; for man has gone astray and are acting as if they are God. In His daily presence and surrender will we find Truth and the answeres to our many questions and strength for the battle ahead. If we truly seek Him, He will reveal His heart to us. We have to ask ourselves……is that Love, is that mercy? If not then stay away and beware of the traps that the evil one sets before us. It’s not half truths and half false, it is all love and all Love, and spending time with Him is the only way one will get through the darkness that will be coming more in the days ahead. As our Lady says, pray, pray, pray and change what needs to be changed in Love, with love because He is Love:). Please forgive me if this sounds overly passionate but it very close to my heart and in my own home and those souls who are not close to God because they think there is always more time are at stake.❤️ We have to fight for them with His love and complete Trust.
In His Love and Fiat,
Debbie
with all respect to your sincere convictions, Debbie, I cannot agree that a private conclusion of a bishop’s wrongdoing can be derived in a direct prayer to God. Without commenting on Archbishop Gregory of Washington statement about president Trump’s visit to the shrine, the least that could be said of archbishop Vigano’s statement is, it is out of touch with the Catholic reality today. Archbishop Vigano represents no one except for himself, he is no more papal nuncio to USA, he is not a “Vatican archbishop” as wrongly called by some websites pretending to be Catholic and even dedicated to apparitions. Vigano is rather someone who walks at the edge of excommunication.
I don’t know about the motivation of president Trump to visit the shrine, neither can I judge archbishop’s George reaction to it. It is what it is. However, the politicizing of Vigano is a wrong deed in a wrong time. At the day of George Floyd’s funeral, it is rather he to be the focus of our prayers. Instead, Vigano twists the events in absurd light. People in the whole world manifest against racism, and yet from Vigano’s words one can get the feeling that those demonstrators are the minority “children of darkness” who break the public order while walking towards hell. Look at the pictures from the world capitals, and see there are all colors and all ages of people who demonstrate because they want a better civil order! You can read signs as “I am not black but…” You can see teens. Indeed George Floyd’s tragic death has changed the world, after the green demonstrations in 2019 and the Covid lockdown 2020. The current world system simply doesn’t work, not for one single issue but for many. Not because someone must be either liberal or conservative, if we borrow the US political division. That division is not working anymore.
Not everyone on the same political team has to share the same theological opinions, Ron.