My Interview in Finnish
- Fr. Vili Lehtoranta
- Mar 17
- 3 min read
On March 15, I was interviewed by Emil Anton for his podcast on his YouTube channel. The interview is in Finnish, and this was the first time I spoke about the Catholic Faith in my own language.
Mr. Anton is Doctor of Theology (University of Helsinki), who made his dissertation about Ratzinger and interreligious dialogue. He is also a former Finnish-language editor of Vatican News.
The main topic of the interview was the First Epistle of the Blessed Apostle Paul to Timothy, chapter 4:
We are expressly told by inspiration that, in later days, there will be some who abandon the faith, listening to false inspirations, and doctrines taught by the devils. They will be deceived by the pretensions of impostors, whose conscience is hardened as if by a searing-iron. Such teachers bid them abstain from marriage, and from certain kinds of food, although God has made these for the grateful enjoyment of those whom faith has enabled to recognize the truth. All is good that God has made, nothing is to be rejected; only we must be thankful to Him when we partake of it, then it is hallowed for our use by God’s blessing and the prayer which brings it. Lay down these rules for the brethren, and thou wilt shew thyself a true servant of Jesus Christ, thriving on the principles of that faith whose wholesome doctrine thou hast followed. Leave foolish nursery tales alone, and train thyself, instead, to grow up in holiness. Training of the body avails but little; holiness is all-availing, since it promises well both for this life and for the next; how true is that saying, and what a welcome it deserves! It is for this that we endure toil and reproach, our hope in a living God, Who is the Saviour of mankind, and above all of those who believe in Him. Such is the charge, such is the doctrine thou art to deliver. Do not let anyone think the less of thee for thy youthfulness; make thyself a model of speech and behaviour for the faithful, all love, all faith, all purity. Reading, preaching, instruction, let these be thy constant care while I am absent. A special grace has been entrusted to thee; prophecy awarded it, and the imposition of the presbyters’ hands went with it; do not let it suffer from neglect. Let this be thy study, these thy employments, so that all may see how well thou doest. Two things claim thy attention, thyself and the teaching of the faith; spend thy care on them; so wilt thou and those who listen to thee achieve salvation. (Knox Bible)
I like this chapter very much, because it is filled with great charity what Saint Paul has to his devoted disciple, Saint Timothy. The elderly bishop counsels the younger bishop, and tells him to stay far away from heresies, to remain faithful in the true doctrine, and to treat his flock like a loving pastor.
In the podcast we also touched the topic of sedevacantism, and I mentioned that the church of Bergoglio is a sect in the same way as the Lutheran church is. The reason is that all sects are founded by men, and only the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ. In a 30-minute show, one cannot, of course, go through all the main arguments for sedevacantism, but they are well summarized by Father Anthony Cekada here:
The short history of St. Gertrude the Great Roman Catholic Church, founded by Bishop Daniel Dolan, can be read here:
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