We Had Been Warned by the True Popes about the Plot

Pope Pius VII

Pope Pius VII (14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823), born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 March 1800 to his death in 1823. Chiaramonti was also a monk of the Order of Saint Benedict in addition to being a well-known theologian and bishop throughout his life.

“Therefore, omit no watchfulness, diligence, care, and effort, in order to ‘guard the deposit’ of Christ’s teaching whose destruction has been planned, as you know, by a great conspiracy.” (Encyclical Diu Satis, n. 11, 1800)

Pope Leo XII

Pope Leo XII (2 August 1760 – 10 February 1829), born Annibale Francesco Clemente Melchiorre Girolamo Nicola della Genga, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 28 September 1823 to his death in 1829.

“The princes know what conspiracies have everywhere arisen to weaken both the sacred and civil law in this holy matter.” (Encyclical Quod Hoc Ineunte, n. 12, 1824)

“…We forbid forever under the same penalties which are contained in the Letters of Our Predecessors already reported in this Our Constitution, … all secret societies, those which now are and those which perhaps will afterwards sprout out, and which propose to themselves against the Church and against the highest civil powers those things which We have mentioned above, by whatever name they may finally be called.” (Encyclical Quo Graviora, n. 7, 1826)

Pope Pius VIII

Pope Pius VIII (20 November 1761 – 30 November 1830), born Francesco Saverio Maria Felice Castiglioni, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 31 March 1829 to his death in 1830.

“When this corruption has been abolished, then eradicate those secret societies of factious men who, completely opposed to God and to princes, are wholly dedicated to bringing about the fall of the Church, the destruction of kingdoms, and disorder in the whole world. Having cast off the restraints of true religion, they prepare the way for shameful crimes.” (Encyclical Traditi Humilitati, n. 6, 1829)

Pope Gregory XVI

Pope Gregory XVI (Latin: Gregorius XVI; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari; 18 September 1765 – 1 June 1846) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1831 to his death in 1846.

“If the right hand of God had not given Us strength, We would have drowned as the result of the terrible conspiracy of impious men.” (Encyclical Mirari Vos, n. 1, 1832)

“In this you must labor and diligently take care that the faith may be preserved amidst this great conspiracy of impious men who attempt to tear it down and destroy it.” (Encyclical Mirari Vos, n. 8, 1832)

“Now, however, We want you to rally to combat the abominable conspiracy against clerical celibacy. This conspiracy spreads daily and is promoted by profligate philosophers, some even from the clerical order.” (Encyclical Mirari Vos, n. 11, 1832)

“In the individual rural chapters, they spread the same ideas and aroused a wicked conspiracy. Moreover, now and again, they produced a pamphlet with many additions and dared to print it under the bold title: ‘Are reforms necessary in the Catholic Church?’” (Encyclical Quo Graviora, n. 3, 1833)

“Finally, it [our encyclical letter Mirari Vos] concerned that freedom of conscience which should be thoroughly condemned and the repulsive conspiracy of societies enkindling destruction of sacred and state affairs, even from the followers of false religions, as We have made clear by the authority handed down to Us.” (Encyclical Singulari Nos, n. 3, 1834)

Pope Pius IX

Pope Pius IX (Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti: 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 16 June 1846 to his death on 7 February 1878. He was the longest-reigning elected pope, serving for over 31 years.

“The sacred celibacy of clerics has also been the victim of conspiracy.” (Encyclical Qui Pluribus, n. 16, 1846)

“But if the faithful scorn both the fatherly warnings of their pastors and the commandments of the Christian Law recalled here, and if they let themselves be deceived by the present-day promoters of plots, deciding to work with them in their perverted theories of Socialism and Communism, let them know and earnestly consider what they are laying up for themselves. The Divine Judge will seek vengeance on the day of wrath. Until then no temporal benefit for the people will result from their conspiracy, but rather new increases of misery and disaster. For man is not empowered to establish new societies and unions which are opposed to the nature of mankind. If these conspiracies spread throughout Italy there can only be one result: if the present political arrangement is shaken violently and totally ruined by reciprocal attacks of citizens against citizens by their wrongful appropriations and slaughter, in the end some few, enriched by the plunder of many, will seize supreme control to the ruin of all.” (Encyclical Nostis Et Nobiscum, n. 25, 1849)

“Therefore we must deplore all the following: the blindness covering the minds of many; the fierce war against everything Catholic and this Apostolic See; the hideous hatred of virtue and rectitude; the profligate vice dignified with the deceitful label of virtue; the unbridled liberty of thinking, living, and daring everything at will; the unrestrained intolerance of all rule, power, and authority; the mockery and contempt for sacred things, for holy laws, for even the finest institutions; the lamentable corruption of improvident youth; the annoying aggregate of bad books, pamphlets, and posters flying about everywhere and teaching sin; the deadly virus of Indifferentism and incredulity; the tendency to impious conspiracies, and the fact that both human and divine rights are despised and ridiculed.” (Encyclical Exultavit Cor Nostrum, n. 2, 1851)

“But if always, venerable brethren, now most of all amidst such great calamities both of the Church and of civil society, amidst so great a conspiracy against Catholic interests and this Apostolic See, and so great a mass of errors, it is altogether necessary to approach with confidence the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace in timely aid.” (Encyclical Quanta Cura, n. 9, 1864)

“They [these laws] would also introduce the perversion of Catholic discipline, encourage defection from the Church, and strengthen the coalition and conspiracy of the sects against the true faith of Christ.” (Encyclical Vix Dum A Nobis, n. 11, 1874)

“We are very confident in the Lord, beloved sons, pastors, and clerics, that you, who have been ordained not only for your own sanctification and salvation but also for that of others, in face of this huge conspiracy of the unholy and of so many dangerous allurements will prove yourselves a strong comfort and help to your bishops because of your demonstrated piety and zeal.” (Encyclical Graves Ac Diuturnae, n. 6, 1875)

Pope Leo XIII

Pope Leo XIII (Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci: 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death until the age of 93.

“But the supreme pastors of the Church, on whom the duty falls of guarding the Lord’s flock from the snares of the enemy, have striven in time to ward off the danger and provide for the safety of the faithful. For, as soon as the secret societies began to be formed, in whose bosom the seeds of the errors which we have already mentioned were even then being nourished, the Roman Pontiffs Clement XII and Benedict XIV did not fail to unmask the evil counsels of the sects, and to warn the faithful of the whole globe against the ruin which would be wrought.” (Encyclical Quod Apostolici Muneris, n. 3, 1878)

“Let the people be frequently urged by your authority and teaching to fly from the forbidden sects, to abhor all conspiracy  to have nothing to do with sedition, and let them understand that they who for God’s sake obey their rulers render a reasonable service and a generous obedience.” (Encyclical Diuturnum, n. 27, 1881)

“The Roman Pontiffs Our predecessors, in their incessant watchfulness over the safety of the Christian people, were prompt in detecting the presence and the purpose of this capital enemy immediately it sprang into the light instead of hiding as a dark conspiracy; and, moreover, they took occasion with true foresight to give, as it were on their guard, and not allow themselves to be caught by the devices and snares laid out to deceive them.” (Encyclical Humanum Genus, n. 4, 1884)

“…We wish it to be your rule first of all to tear away the mask from Freemasonry, and to let it be seen as it really is; and by sermons and pastoral letters to instruct the people as to the artifices used by societies of this kind in seducing men and enticing them into their ranks, and as to the depravity of their opinions and the wickedness of their acts.” (Encyclical Humanum Genus, n. 31, 1884)

“It is enough to recall rationalism and naturalism, those deadly sources of evil whose teachings are everywhere freely distributed. We must then add the many allurements to corruption: the opposition to or open defection from the Church by public officials, the bold obstinacy of secret societies, here and there a curriculum for the education of youth without regard for God.” (Encyclical Quod Multum, n. 3, 1886)

“Again, at present, when contemplating the depths of the vast conspiracy that certain men have formed for the annihilation of Christianity in France and the animosity with which they pursue the realization of their design, trampling under foot the most elementary notions of liberty and justice for the sentiment of the greater part of the nation, and of respect for the inalienable rights of the Catholic Church, how can We but be stricken with deepest grief?” (Encyclical Au Milieu Des Sollicitudes, n. 2, 1892)

“Indeed, fearing nothing and yielding to no one, the Masonic sect proceeds with greater boldness day by day: with its poisonous infection it pervades entire communities and strives to entangle itself in all the institutions of our country in its conspiracy to forcefully deprive the Italian people of their Catholic faith, the origin and source of their greatest blessings.” (Encyclical Inimica Vis, n. 3, 1892)

“For a long time now it has bored its way under the deceitful guise of a philanthropic society and redeemer of the Italian people. By way of conspiracies, corruptions, and violences, it has finally come to dominate Italy and even Rome. To what troubles, to what calamities has it opened the way in a little more than thirty years?” (Encyclical Custodi Di Quella Fede, n. 3, 1892)

Pope Pius XI

Pope Pius XI (Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti: 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929.

“It is the respect which has had its expression in vastly extended and hateful police-measures, prepared in the deep silence of a conspiracy, and executed with lightning-like suddenness, on the very vigil of Our birthday, which was the occasion of many acts of kindness and of courtesy towards Us on the part of the Catholic world, and of the non-Catholic world also.” (Encyclical Non Abbiamo Bisogno, n. 66, 1931)

“Moreover, the Secret Societies, which by their nature are ever ready to help the enemies of God and of the Church — be these who they may — are seeking to add fresh fires to this poisonous hatred, from which there comes no peace or happiness of the civil order, but the certain ruin of states.” (Encyclical Caritate Christi Compulsi, n. 7, 1932)

“A third powerful factor in the diffusion of Communism is the conspiracy of silence on the part of a large section of the non-Catholic press of the world. We say conspiracy, because it is impossible otherwise to explain how a press usually so eager to exploit even the little daily incidents of life has been able to remain silent for so long about the horrors perpetrated in Russia, in Mexico and even in a great part of Spain; and that it should have relatively so little to say concerning a world organization as vast as Russian Communism.” (Encyclical Divini Redemptoris, n. 18, 1937)

Virgo Sacrata

VIRGÓ SACRÁTA is a Christian mission-driven online resource and shop inspired from the beauty of Catholic faith, tradition, and arts. Our mission is to “Restore All Things to Christ!”, in continuing the legacy of Pope St. Pius X under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array?” O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.