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RU 28+29/2006 - SWEDEN, CONVERSION


- SWEDEN - SPECIAL EDITION - CONVERSION

The Lutheran Rev. Fr. Sten SANDMARK, pastor of the parish of Oskarshamn in Sweden, converted on Sunday July 30th, 2006, to the Catholic Church at St Nicolas du Chardonnet in Paris, during the solemn mass of 10.30 A.M. He celebrated his last Lutheran office on Sunday July 16th in his parish, in order to finish his contract which bound him to the national Church of Sweden. Please find hereafter his last sermon which he addressed to his 300 practicing churchgoers, on a total of 12,000 faithful officially registered in the parish:

"The reason why I return to the Church of my ancestors from before 1517? There is only one God, who reveals himself as a Trinity, the Father, the Son begotten of the Father, and the Holy Ghost who proceeds from the Father and the Son. The Son of God, sent by the Father, became incarnate and was made man to free us from sin and death through his sacrifice on the Cross.

He has founded the only ONE Church and founded her on St. Peter (Mt 16: 16-19). She is his own institution for salvation, to continue de Lord's work after his Resurrection and Ascension, through the preaching of the Gospel, the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the administration of the seven sacraments and the given duty as shepherds of the flock. 'As my Father hath sent Me, even so I send you' (Jn 20:21).

As there is only ONE God, there is also only ONE Redeemer, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus there is also only ONE religion instituted by the Son of God himself, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, the Mystical Body of the Lord (1 Cor 12:27). Only St. Peter received the power to lead the flock (Jn 21:15-17). He founded the local church in Rome, where he was to be martyred. In the Roman pope we find the legitimate successor of St. Peter.

It is necessary to belong to this Church for salvation. 'He that heareth you, heareth Me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me, despiseth Him that sent Me' (Lc 10:16).

In 1517 Martin Luther separated himself from this Church, to his own detriment, both in doctrine, worship and discipline. Many countries were separated from the Church through this unfortunate action. As a consequence, innumerable sects have been founded, all of whom refer themselves to Christ. There is no continuous line of apostolic succession in unity with the successor of St. Peter and Christ himself to be found in these sects. Not even the Swedish church has any such apostolic succession.

In order to see how far this aforementioned church today has left the order of things as they were given to us by Christ, and the doctrines of the apostles, it suffices to mention the ordination of women and the blessing of homosexual couples.

After many years of struggle and prolonged prayer, I have decided to leave this community so as to return to the Church which was founded by Christ himself, the bride of the slaughtered Lamb.

The Church I return to, is presently herself afflicted by a severe crisis.

To her (and only to her) Christ has promised that ' the gates of hell shall not prevail against her' (Mt 16:18).

I promise to pray for all Christians, and I myself ask all of you to include me in your prayers. It is my hope, that all of us shall return to the safety of Christ's flock and that we shall in the end find eternal salvation.

This prayer full of hope, I address it in a special way to Our Lady, the Mother of the incarnate God, who, in her immaculate and virginal state, is the prototype for the Church. Saint Bridget, strong in the faith and united with the only Church of Rome, pray for your and my sative Swedish country.

'Veritas liberabit vos' - the truth shall make you free (Jn 8:32)." - End of the sermon. - (ru)



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