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PASTOR'S REPOR�
PUBLISHED BY THE WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
VOL 2 NO 30
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
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SIGNIFICANCE OF POPE'S DEATH --
a statement by Herbert W. Armstrong
AUGUST 7, 1978
The death of Pope Paul may have tremendous significance to God's
Church and to God's Work!
Some twenty years ago when Pope John was elected, I wondered if
he would be the Pope who would offer his good offices to the nations
of Europe to bring about the political and military, as well as economic,
union so many European nations have desired.
In other words, to "resurrect" the "Holy Roman Empire," which
ruled Europe under the Popes from 554 to 1814. But immediately we
could see Pope John was not the man to do this. He sought to strengthen
the Roman Catholic Church by launching the Ecumenical Movement -- hoping
to bring back to the "Mother Church" her daughters that had gone out
of her in PROTEST -- calling themselves Protestant.
Fifteen years ago I felt that surely Pope Paul would
Pope that would bring about this "United States of Europe"
sternly ruling all Europe with police and military FORCE!
But he, too, was a more kindly, gentle type of man.
be the stern
(Rev. 17) ,
(Rev. 13.)
During the decade and a half of Pope Paul's rule, the Catholic
Church faced its period of greatest trial and test in many decades.
Pope Paul continued the efforts of the Ecumenical Movement, but it
brought no real results. But his greatest stress was within the church
itself. Many priests became of the more liberal persuasion -- many
married, many nuns married. Probably 90% to 98% of the church laity
neglected completely to follow the church edict that sexual union must be
used solely for purposes of reproduction -- and that any other use of
sex, even in marriage, was a sin, even though only venial.
At the same time Pope Paul had to contend with another power
group among the priesthood, who stood sternly for the traditional
conservatism. This Pope walked a tightrope, and did manage to hold
the church together -- though in a time of great and mounting stress.
It had seemed that the resurrection of the Catholic-ruled Europe
was considerably past due. But in Revelation 7, when the time had
come for the trumpet plagues to be poured out, you will read how God
held !!E. events, until the sealing of the 144,000 and other great
Inriumerable multitude. So, it has seemed God has deliberately HELD
UP the resurrection of the "Holy Roman Empire" UNTIL God's GREAT
COMMISSION is completed.
©1971 0,-CIIURlllofGoel