[This is a synopsis of a talk given by Fr. Paulo Ricardo on his blog. He speaks Portuguese. This is not a direct translation but a synopsis of his talk. -ed.]
Click here for original video in Portuguese

How is it possible that a person is condemned eternally. We need to look before at a person who is a good Catholic, he believes in God. He attends mass, receives the Eucharist and appears to be a good Catholic, but he is in decline, on a slope to  the land of impious … where there is eternal condemnation. We need to first understand the psychology of Satan. We need to understand the word psychology we want to say the soul. If we want to study the soul of human beings. Satan is quite good at this. He knows how he fell. He uses this method so that we may fall too. Satan fell due to his vanity, his pride. Lucifer angel of light did not want to serve God, but to be original. That he may be his own idea, his own freedom. This first step, the step that is real and definitive begins with presumption begins with vanity.

I know good Christians, good priests who begin the the road of piety. How does this begin, look. You are looking at the videos of Fr. Paulo. You are watching the homilies of Pope Benedict XVI. You are following the documents of the Pope. Documents of the Magisterium. Ah you attend mass … you stay at mass and you can repeat the Catechism of the Catholic Church. You attend mass everyday But,  you need to be original. Think with your own head child. You are repeating speaking this ancient language and medieval discourse. You need to let go. You need to stop this Fr. Paulo speaking in your head.

Good, I think there are people like this. The first thing. The first disgrace to be accounted.

We need to allow ourselves to be formed not just by the bible but by the bible as taught by the Catholic Church. We need to have our mind formed by the Fathers of the Church. This way we are not formed by Fr. Paulo but by the multitude of those Catholics who have gone before us.

I don’t want to be original. However, the attitude of Satan is the exact opposite. Be Original.

This is a vanity which is profoundly stupid. It is an attitude that says, I don’t want the Catholic Church in my head, I don’t want the Catechism in my head, I don’t want the fathers of the Church in my head. I don’t want Pope Benedict XVI in my head I want to be original. This is exactly what billions before them who have been caught up by modernism and have entered into a Satanic logic have embraced. (He also says that Satan blinds these persons so they cannot see this.)

They follow billions who are not Christians, who do not obey the Pope, who do not obey the Church.

This leads us to the second step.

In order to go to Hell you need to have a great sense of the need of approval of men.

We are called to please God, but You are a modern theologian. You are out front, you are a person who adapts. You are not medieval, you are part of a church that is updated. It is a new church.

You are not interested in pleasing God because in reality Hell does not exist. This is the an important step to hell. When people are in decline they stop believing and they stop believing in Hell. God is wonderful. He is not the almighty he is a completely tolerant grandfather. He is like Santa Claus “Ho Ho Ho” He gives presents “Ho Ho Ho”

You don’t need to please God. This wonderful Grandfather. You need to please men. You need to be out front. You are a catechist. A modern catechist. You are a priest, a priest out front. You need to be very modern. You have reached the second step. A tremendous need to please men.

You want to say that you are free, but the second step becomes that of the slave. Slave to public opinion.

If you want to be a good Catholic. You are in this world and it is a real world that is not one of fantasy. However, you are going to be like a fish out of water. Part of a small group of people that seek to save their souls. You are not going to be applauded, you are not going to applauded by any authority. You are not going to be applauded by the multitude nor are people going to raise palms to you saying Hosanna to the Son of David. The whole world is going to want you to get lost.

Don’t get into a battle with the modern world, the first battle must be with that which is within yourself. Help your family fight this battle.

You need also to assess the battle and to help your brothers and sisters in the fight. That is the first thing.

Granted you are a missionary to bring brothers and sisters to Christ, but you must never consider yourself saved, you are always in the battle. You are graced in the battle with the disgraced. (He adds that the devil has lost grace and so the word disgraced is correct he says.) but know that the you are in grace, however the battle is continuous.

Here are the steps again: 1. be filled with vanity and proud 2. seek the applause not of God, but of men.

Now the third step, you are going to begin deformation of the faith.

You are going to create a church that pleases men. It is one that is the dream of the modern world. It is a church

The Pope gives out gifts to all the world. It is a Church that is applauded. A church where priests celebrate gay marriage (casamento gay) A church where woman can be ordained priests, a church where parents don’t need to marry, or even if they marry they can just divorce.

My brothers a god that pleases the whole world is a god that is not crucified. Jesus does not please, he is crucified.

Those who have reached the third step have forgotten that the beginning of wisdom is fear of God.
Fear of disgusting God, fear of hurting God, fear of not being of Him.

Then comes a hardness of heart. This is the last part, hardness of heart.

The sin against the Holy Spirit is the final step.

Those who feel that this world is the paradise are those who end up committing this sin. We are all in the fight here (He says to his audience that like them he too is in the fight.)

Tte difference between the those on their way to Heaven and those on their way to Hell can be seen in the terms of the good and bad thieves on the cross. The good thief turned to Christ begging to be remembered when he entered into paradise, the bad thief had a hardened heart.

God bless you.

Fr.Paulo Ricardo