And the papal accusers are going to flip their lids. They are going to hit the roof. Steam will come out of their ears, like in the cartoons.

Human Fraternity: “In conclusion, our aspiration is that:

this Declaration may constitute an invitation to reconciliation and fraternity among all believers, indeed among believers and non-believers, and among all people of good will;

this Declaration may be an appeal to every upright conscience that rejects deplorable violence and blind extremism; an appeal to those who cherish the values of tolerance and fraternity that are promoted and encouraged by religions;

this Declaration may be a witness to the greatness of faith in God that unites divided hearts and elevates the human soul;

this Declaration may be a sign of the closeness between East and West, between North and South, and between all who believe that God has created us to understand one another, cooperate with one another and live as brothers and sisters who love one another.”

I’ve bolded certain phrases above. Pope Francis sees all believers and also non-believers to be united by their good will, by their upright consciences, by cherishing the same values — the values promoted by religions (even if those who cherish the values are not members of any religion), and this results in true faith in God. And when we truly love one another, showing that love by cooperating and living as brothers and sisters, we are united in God. Therefore, I believe that Pope Francis will teach, in the encyclical All Brothers, that all such believers and non-believers are in the state of grace and will have eternal life after they die.

Yes, I believe that the Pope will teach that Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, non-Christian believers, and also non-believers all may have eternal life by the love of neighbor, without converting to belief in Catholicism, or Christianity, and even without converting to belief in God.

And then the papal accusers will renew their accusation of formal heresy against Pope Francis. They will claim that he is not the valid Roman Pontiff. And they will thereby become sedevacantists. They cannot continue to hold both that Francis is the valid Pope, and that he teaches heresy on salvation.

Will Pope Francis criticize the far right in his encyclical? Yes, for if you read the rest of Matthew 23, there is a long diatribe from Jesus against the Pharisees. And they are the Pharisees of today.

Ronald L. Conte Jr.