Homilies – Antipope John XXIII

John XXIII delivering a Latin homily during the canonization of Martin de Porres in the Vatican Basilica on 6 May 1962.

LA IN SOLLEMNI CANONIZATIONE BEATI MARTINI DE PORRES (1962.05.06)

amdg / 2025-11-12

On 6 May 1962, in the Vatican Basilica, John XXIII delivered a Latin homily at the solemn act by which he and his conciliar apparatus enrolled Martin de Porres among the “saints.” He links this canonization directly to his expectations for the upcoming Second Vatican Council, presenting Martin’s humility, charity, social concern, and devotion as emblematic fruits of the new orientation he expects from the Council and as a providential sign for contemporary “social institutions” and peoples, especially Peru. The entire discourse functions as a preparatory hymn for Vatican II, using Martin de Porres as a proto-symbol of conciliar humanism and interracial-social integration. Already in nuce, this homily reveals the theological inversion at work: the true doctrine of sanctity and the reign of Christ is instrumentalized to legitimize the conciliar revolution.

A reverent portrait of John XXIII delivering a homily during the canonization of John of Ribera in 1960, highlighting the tension between traditional Catholic doctrine and the impending conciliar revolution.

Homilies

La in Sollemni Canonizatione Beati Ioannis de Ribera (1960.06.12)

amdg / 2025-11-12

The homily attributed to John XXIII on the occasion of the canonization of John of Ribera (12 June 1960) presents itself as a pious exhortation: it recalls the dogma of the Most Holy Trinity, extols sanctity as a “work” of the Trinity, sketches the life of John of Ribera as a model bishop zealous for doctrine, discipline, catechesis, seminaries, synods, the Holy Eucharist, and steadfast faith amidst the perils of heresy and persecution. It concludes by turning to contemporary Catholics suffering under open enemies of the Church and by placing everything under the invocation of the dogma of the Trinity and the official liturgical prayer.

Yet precisely here lies the decisive problem: this carefully traditional façade functions as an ideological camouflage for the man who already stood as progenitor of the conciliar revolution; the homily’s selective emphases and strategic silences betray the program of the coming apostasy.

A traditional Catholic scene of the canonization of Blessed Charles of Sezze and Joaquina de Vedruna, featuring a solemn liturgical setting with a pontiff in papal regalia presiding over the ceremony.

Homilies

La in sollemni canonizatione beati Caroli a Setia… (1959.04.12)

amdg / 2025-11-12

John XXIII’s sermon for the canonization of Charles of Sezze and Joaquina de Vedruna is a carefully composed panegyric: it recounts the humble rural piety and Eucharistic devotion of Charles, the noble origins, marriage, widowhood, and charitable foundation of Joaquina, and proposes both as models accessible “in every state of life,” crowned by a final plea that their intercession sustain his already-announced conciliar program and the quest for worldly peace and unity under “one fold and one shepherd.”

Coronation of John XXIII in a traditional Catholic basilica with cardinals and clergy.

Homilies

Homilia Ioannis XXIII in die coronationis habita (1958.11.04)

amdg / 2025-11-12

In this coronation homily of 4 November 1958, Angelo Roncalli (John XXIII) addresses the cardinals, bishops, clergy, and faithful, presenting his self-understanding as Roman Pontiff through the image of the Good Shepherd; he distances himself from worldly expectations of a “political” or merely diplomatic pope, insists on pastoral meekness and humility as defining traits, evokes universal missionary concern and unity under one shepherd, and links his ministry to the model of St Charles Borromeo as bishop-reformer. Behind a pious biblical and traditional vocabulary, this discourse inaugurates a conception of the papal office in which sentimental “pastorality” and horizontal human considerations are quietly exalted over the full, juridical, doctrinal, and kingly authority of Christ and His Vicar, thereby opening the door to the conciliar subversion that will soon devastate the visible structures of the Church.

A reverent scene in St. Peter's Basilica during the canonization of Blessed John of Ribera by John XXIII, highlighting traditional Catholic piety and doctrinal firmness.

Homilies

LA IN SOLLEMNI CANONIZATIONE BEATI IOANNIS DE RIBERA (1960.06.12)

amdg / 2025-11-10

The text is a Latin homily delivered in St. Peter’s Basilica on Trinity Sunday by John XXIII during the solemn canonization of John of Ribera. It opens with a doctrinally sound praise of the Most Holy Trinity, presents Ribera as a model bishop of deep Eucharistic piety, pastoral zeal, and doctrinal firmness against Protestant errors, exhorts the faithful (especially those under persecution) to perseverance in the Catholic faith, and concludes with a prayer from the Mass of the Holy Trinity.

Solemn moment in St. Peter's Basilica during the pseudo-canonization of Carlo a Sezze and Joaquina de Vedruna by John XXIII.

Homilies

A A A LA IN SOLLEMNI CANONIZATIONE BEATI CAROLI A SETIA (1959.04.12)

amdg / 2025-11-10

In this Latin homily, John XXIII commemorates the “canonization” of Carlo a Sezze and Joaquina de Vedruna as models of universal attainable holiness: Carlo as a humble Franciscan religious absorbed in Eucharistic devotion and penance, Joaquina as noblewoman, wife, mother, widow, and foundress engaged in charitable and educational works. He extols their virtues, proposes them as exemplars for all states of life, and concludes by asking their intercession so that his pontifical initiatives and plans, already announced to the “universal Catholic world,” may bear fruit in unity and temporal peace among nations.

Vatican Basilica during 1959 canonization of Carlo da Sezze and Joaquina de Vedruna by John XXIII, highlighting the subversion of Catholic doctrine.

Homilies

A A A LA IN SOLLEMNI CANONIZATIONE… (1959.04.12)

amdg / 2025-11-08

In this homily of 12 April 1959, delivered in the Vatican Basilica at the canonization of Carlo da Sezze and Joaquina de Vedruna, John XXIII exalts their lives as proof that sanctity is accessible in every state. He sketches Carlo’s humble Franciscan piety and austerities, his Eucharistic devotion, and Joaquina’s transition from noble married life and motherhood to founding a congregation dedicated to girls’ education and care of the sick, proposing both as models for religious, families, and widows, while concluding with a petition that their intercession aid his pontificate, foster universal unity under “one fold and one shepherd,” and advance temporal prosperity ordered to eternal happiness.

Angelo Roncalli's coronation as 'John XXIII' on 4 November 1958 in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.

Homilies

LA HOMILIA IOANNIS PP. XXIII IN DIE CORONATIONI HABITA (1958.11.04)

amdg / 2025-11-08

The homily delivered by Angelo Roncalli at his coronation on 4 November 1958 presents his self-understanding as “John XXIII” at the outset of his rule: he addresses the hierarchy and the world, evokes Peter and John, sketches expectations people allegedly have of a “pope,” rejects some of these expectations in favour of the image of the “Good Shepherd,” strongly identifies the Roman Pontiff as the unique door of the sheepfold and Vicar of Christ, insists on evangelical meekness and humility as the governing program, and concludes by binding his pontifical identity to St Charles Borromeo as model of pastoral reform. Behind a pious biblical veneer, this discourse inaugurates the programmatic sentimentalism, anthropocentrism, and deliberate doctrinal deflection that will open the way to the conciliar revolution.