During the reign of Pope Pius XI there was a movement to unite all Christians under “one big tent”. The Pope did not allow Catholics to attend such movements. Considering Pope Pius XI response to different Christian denominations gathering together, I wonder if he would have ever approved the prayer meeting at Assisi in 1986 and 2002 with different Christian and pagan denominations ?.
*ON RELIGIOUS UNITY *
ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XI JANUARY 6, 1928
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“ Certainly such attempts can nowise be approved by Catholics, founded as they are on that false opinion which considers all religions to be more or less good and praiseworthy, since they all in different ways manifest and signify that sense which is inborn in us all, and by which we are led to God and to the obedient acknowledgment of His rule. Not only are those who hold this opinion in error and deceived, but also in distorting the idea of true religion they reject it, and little by little turn aside to naturalism and atheism, as it is called; from which it clearly follows that one who supports those who hold these theories and attempt to realize them, is altogether abandoning the divinely revealed religion.”
8. This being so, it is clear that the Apostolic See cannot on any terms take part in their assemblies, nor is it anyway lawful for Catholics either to support or to work for such enterprises; for if they do so they will be giving countenance to a false Christianity, quite alien to the one Church of Christ. Shall We suffer, what would indeed be iniquitous, the truth, and a truth divinely revealed, to be made a subject for compromise? For here there is question of defending revealed truth."
Obviously Pope John Paul did not abandon the divinely revealed religion but isn’t it accurate to say that the Hindus, Buddhists, Moslems, and African voodoo religions perceived him to be doing so? Wasn’t this, in their eyes, an affirmation by the Pope that their religion is valid and that it was worthy and holy to pray to their gods for peace?