Leo XIV Continues Francis’ Course, but with a Different Tone - Francis' Biographer
From Pope Francis, the idea of synodality remains - that is, the notion that the Church is a process of listening, consultation and struggle, Austrian Jesuit Andreas Batlogg told Kirche-und-Leben.de on 17 April. He has written several books about Francis, including an early biography.
Regarding the 2019 Amazon Synod, Father Batlogg said that Francis had come close to abolishing celibacy: "Then there was massive backlash. And he slowed down."
Something similar happened with the Synod on Synodality, which concluded without a final document.
The internal division within the Church under Francis has become "very deep": "There was open resistance, not just behind the scenes."
With Leo XIV, however, there has been "more of a shift in tone than a break in substance", according to Fr Batlogg.
Leo XIV presents himself as calmer and more controlled, with a greater focus on clarity and a more traditional demeanour: "However, these are initially matters of style."
Und: "In terms of content, I see many policies being continued, such as synodality, social issues and the global perspective.
Fr Batlogg puts it this way: "Francis pushed open the doors, and now Leo is beginning to organise the rooms behind them."
18.04.2026 The SSPX maintains the separation of Church and State, a leftist concept. Since they use the New Theology created with the False Premise they have collegiality, with the liberals. With the New Theology they are liberals on Ecumenism and Inter-Religious Dialogue, like the pope and the cardinals and bishops. Cushingism is liberalism and schism. They cite Tradition but in Tradition there were no separation between state and Church. Presently Pope Leo is aligned with the leftist state. They interpret Vatican Council II as does Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium. EG mentions hypothetical cases as if they are visible and personally known people, in the present times saved outside the Catholic Church. Ad Gentes 7 is not mentioned and it is assumed that Vatican Council II has explicit exceptions for AG 7 and the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus. This is the common irrational interpretation of Vatican Council II. APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION EVANGELII GAUDIUM OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS Ecumenical dialogue 244. Commitment to ecumenism responds to the prayer of the Lord Jesus that “they may all be one” (Jn 17:21). The credibility of the Christian message would be much greater if Christians could overcome their divisions and the Church could realize “the fullness of catholicity proper to her in those of her children who, though joined to her by baptism, are yet separated from full communion with her”.[192] We must never forget that we are pilgrims journeying alongside one another. This means that we must have sincere trust in our fellow pilgrims, putting aside all suspicion or mistrust, and turn our gaze to what we are all seeking: the radiant peace of God’s face. Trusting others is an art and peace is an art. Jesus told us: “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Mt 5:9). In taking up this task, also among ourselves, we fulfil the ancient prophecy: “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares” (Is 2:4). Vatican Council II is ecclesiocentric and traditional with Ad Gentes 7 ( all need faith and baptism for salvation) while hypothetical and invisible cases of LG 8, 14, 16, UR 3, NA2 ,GS 22 etc are not explicit exceptions for AG 7 or the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus. So there can only be an ecumenism of return to the Catholic Church. Relations with Judaism 247. We hold the Jewish people in special regard because their covenant with God has never been revoked, for “the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable” (Rom 11:29). The Church, which shares with Jews an important part of the sacred Scriptures, looks upon the people of the covenant and their faith as one of the sacred roots of her own Christian identity (cf. Rom 11:16-18). As Christians, we cannot consider Judaism as a foreign religion; nor do we include the Jews among those called to turn from idols and to serve the true God (cf. 1 Thes 1:9). With them, we believe in the one God who acts in history, and with them we accept his revealed word. 249. God continues to work among the people of the Old Covenant and to bring forth treasures of wisdom which flow from their encounter with his word. For this reason, the Church also is enriched when she receives the values of Judaism. While it is true that certain Christian beliefs are unacceptable to Judaism, and that the Church cannot refrain from proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Messiah, there exists as well a rich complementarity which allows us to read the texts of the Hebrew Scriptures together and to help one another to mine the riches of God’s word. We can also share many ethical convictions and a common concern for justice and the development of peoples. Since Vatican Council II is ecclesiocentric with Ad Gentes 7 the Church still teaches that Judaism is not a path to salvation from Hell ( AG 7, CCC 846).This is the Conciliar Church. Interreligious dialogue 250. An attitude of openness in truth and in love must characterize the dialogue with the followers of non-Christian religions, in spite of various obstacles and difficulties, especially forms of fundamentalism on both sides. Interreligious dialogue is a necessary condition for peace in the world, and so it is a duty for Christians as well as other religious communities. This dialogue is in first place a conversation about human existence or simply, as the bishops of India have put it, a matter of “being open to them, sharing their joys and sorrows”.[194] In this way we learn to accept others and their different ways of living, thinking and speaking. We can then join one another in taking up the duty of serving justice and peace, which should become a basic principle of all our exchanges. A dialogue which seeks social peace and justice is in itself, beyond all merely practical considerations, an ethical commitment which brings about a new social situation. Efforts made in dealing with a specific theme can become a process in which, by mutual listening, both parts can be purified and enriched. These efforts, therefore, can also express love for truth. 251. In this dialogue, ever friendly and sincere, attention must always be paid to the essential bond between dialogue and proclamation, which leads the Church to maintain and intensify her relationship with non-Christians.[195] A facile syncretism would ultimately be a totalitarian gesture on the part of those who would ignore greater values of which they are not the masters. True openness involves remaining steadfast in one’s deepest convictions, clear and joyful in one’s own identity, while at the same time being “open to understanding those of the other party” and “knowing that dialogue can enrich each side”.[196] What is not helpful is a diplomatic openness which says “yes” to everything in order to avoid problems, for this would be a way of deceiving others and denying them the good which we have been given to share generously with others. Evangelization and interreligious dialogue, far from being opposed, mutually support and nourish one another.[197] Evangelization and inter-faith dialogue are part of traditional ecclesiocentric mission. Mission is not only Christocentric but also Ecclesiocentric. It is necessary to be a member of the Catholic Church for salvation, faith and baptism are needed by all (AG 7, CCC 845,846) 252. Our relationship with the followers of Islam has taken on great importance, since they are now significantly present in many traditionally Christian countries, where they can freely worship and become fully a part of society. We must never forget that they “profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, who will judge humanity on the last day”.[198] The sacred writings of Islam have retained some Christian teachings; Jesus and Mary receive profound veneration and it is admirable to see how Muslims both young and old, men and women, make time for daily prayer and faithfully take part in religious services. Many of them also have a deep conviction that their life, in its entirety, is from God and for God. They also acknowledge the need to respond to God with an ethical commitment and with mercy towards those most in need 253. In order to sustain dialogue with Islam, suitable training is essential for all involved, not only so that they can be solidly and joyfully grounded in their own identity, but so that they can also acknowledge the values of others, appreciate the concerns underlying their demands and shed light on shared beliefs. We Christians should embrace with affection and respect Muslim immigrants to our countries in the same way that we hope and ask to be received and respected in countries of Islamic tradition. I ask and I humbly entreat those countries to grant Christians freedom to worship and to practice their faith, in light of the freedom which followers of Islam enjoy in Western countries! Faced with disconcerting episodes of violent fundamentalism, our respect for true followers of Islam should lead us to avoid hateful generalisations, for authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Koran are opposed to every form of violence. . At the same time we must acknowledge that Vatican Council II II (AG 7) tells us that the followers of other religions need Catholic faith and the baptism of water for salvation from Hell. 254. Non-Christians, by God’s gracious initiative, when they are faithful to their own consciences, can live “justified by the grace of God”,[199] and thus be “associated to the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ”.[200] But due to the sacramental dimension of sanctifying grace, God’s working in them tends to produce signs and rites, sacred expressions which in turn bring others to a communitarian experience of journeying towards God.[201] While these lack the meaning and efficacy of the sacraments instituted by Christ, they can be channels which the Holy Spirit raises up in order to liberate non-Christians from atheistic immanentism or from purely individual religious experiences. The same Spirit everywhere brings forth various forms of practical wisdom which help people to bear suffering and to live in greater peace and harmony. As Christians, we can also benefit from these treasures built up over many centuries, which can help us better to live our own beliefs. Non Christians are outside the Catholic Church (AG 7) Jesus’ Mystical Body, outside of which there is no salvation ( AG 7, CCC 845,846).Non Christians need to convert into the Catholic Church before death, to avoid the fires of Hell. This is the Conciliar teaching with Vatican Council II interpreted rationally i.e. Ad Gentes 7 is the norm for salvation while LG 8, 254. 16 are not explicit exceptions. Social dialogue in a context of religious freedom 255. The Synod Fathers spoke of the importance of respect for religious freedom, viewed as a fundamental human right.[202] This includes “the freedom to choose the religion which one judges to be true and to manifest one’s beliefs in public”.[203] A healthy pluralism, one which genuinely respects differences and values them as such, does not entail privatizing religions in an attempt to reduce them to the quiet obscurity of the individual’s conscience or to relegate them to the enclosed precincts of churches, synagogues or mosques. This would represent, in effect, a new form of discrimination and authoritarianism. The respect due to the agnostic or non-believing minority should not be arbitrarily imposed in a way that silences the convictions of the believing majority or ignores the wealth of religious traditions. In the long run, this would feed resentment rather than tolerance and peace. Since outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation ( Ad Gentes 7, Vatican Council II, CCC 846), to save souls from Hell, the Government must be Catholic as at the times of the Papal States in Europe, when non Catholics were given freedom to follow their religion. - APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION EVANGELII GAUDIUM OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY, CONSECRATED PERSONS AND THE LAY FAITHFUL ON THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL IN TODAY’S WORLD "Evangelii Gaudium": Apostolic Exhortation on … Lionel Leslie Andrades WHO AM I TO WRITE ALL THIS? : A BREAKTHROUGH ON VATICAN COUNCIL II. UNPRECEDENTED WHO AM I TO WRITE ALL THIS? : A BREAKTHROUGH ON …