On March 23, Pope Francis addressed the diplomatic corps accredited to “the Holy See.” Robert Moynihan, founder and editor in chief of Inside the Vatican magazine, summed up the address.

According to Moynihan, the new pope declared, “But there is another form of poverty! It is the spiritual poverty of our time, which afflicts the so-called richer countries particularly seriously. It is what my much-loved predecessor, the dear and venerated Benedict xvi, called the ‘dictatorship of relativism’” (March 22).

Moynihan points out that Francis’s reference to the “dictatorship of relativism” is a page straight out of Pope Benedict’s book, a reference to a declaration mouthed by the previous pope eight years ago on the eve of the previous conclave.

“Pope Francis has done it,” Moynihan wrote. “He has taken his stand. And his stand is with … Pope Benedict, his predecessor …. The importance of Francis’s words today cannot be overestimated. Francis today took his stand with the essential spiritual vision of Pope Benedict.“

This being the case, it should put to bed the theories that the press and mass media have put forward as to whether Pope Francis is of the left or the right. It appears from the time of his first papal act of requesting prayers for Pope Benedict on the balcony of St. Peter’s immediately following his election, to the time of his sharing the same kneeling pad with Benedict in prayer when the two met later at Castel Gandolfo, that Francis’s every action has been consciously orchestrated to convey a message of deferment to his predecessor.

Now, most recently, his public statement to the foreign representatives of the countries that have diplomatic representation to the Vatican strongly indicates that he is in business to essentially promote the papal vision of Pope Emeritus Benedict xvi.

“(And note: In this talk, unlike in several previous talks, Pope Francis adhered strictly to his prepared text; he made no ‘off the cuff’ remarks. So, this was thought-out in advance and intentional.) If one were to summarize in a phrase, one might say that Francis today said: ‘I stand with Pope Benedict’” (ibid).

That is an observation by a veteran Vatican watcher that should not be ignored. It probably bespeaks the answer as to which pope holds the major spiritual influence at the Vatican. In all probability, once he’d decided to remain ensconced within the Vatican walls and to retain the papal title, Joseph Ratzinger would always be the senior member of this papal partnership.

As Moynihan observed of the programmed statement given by Pope Francis to the gathering of foreign diplomats, “Today’s talk to the diplomatic corps is an important, ‘course-setting’ talk for the new helmsman of the ‘barque of Peter.’”

As this papal duo continue their discourse, it is bound to have a profound effect on two major regions of the world: Europe and Latin America.

Stay in tune with the Key of David television series and the Trumpet magazine to understand where this is all leading—to an amalgam of the Catholic continent of Latin America with the European Union, enabling the resulting union to become the most powerful trading bloc in the world. The glue that cements it together will be the religion of Rome. Bible prophecy indicates that its results are going to be earth-shattering.

But that’s all just a lead-up to the greatest headline news in all of history, announcing the soon-coming return of the Savior of mankind to bring to the whole world the true spiritual vision of the Father of lights, under the pure religion of the Father and the Word!

Read our booklet The Wonderful World Tomorrow for insight into the grand future that lies ahead of the current world disorder. It’s a breathtaking vision that will carry you through every test and trial with full confidence of the inheritance of a magnificent, unprecedented and eternal outcome ahead!