8.167. Paul VI said: “I am truly happy to be a pilgrim on the way to a world of tomorrow.” Isn’t that just hopeful and inspiring?
On February 20, 1977, during a homily, Paul VI declared:
“I am truly happy to be a pilgrim on the way to a world of tomorrow.”
To the modern ear, this might sound like a poetic expression of hope for peace or progress. But to a Catholic grounded in the faith of the ages, this statement is deeply troubling. It reflects the post-Vatican II Church’s abandonment of the supernatural mission of Christ’s kingdom in favor of a humanist vision of global progress.
Paul VI was not speaking of Heaven, of the reign of Christ the King, or of the triumph of the Church over error. He was speaking of a future world order—shaped by dialogue, pluralism, ecumenism, and peace without conversion. In other words, he was voicing the same worldly optimism condemned by earlier popes.
Why is it scandalous? Because this idea of a “world of tomorrow” comes straight from the ideologies of the French Revolution, Freemasonry, and Modernism—all condemned repeatedly by popes like Pius IX, Leo XIII, and Pius XI. These utopias envision a brotherhood of man without the Fatherhood of God. They propose peace without repentance, progress without grace, and unity without truth.
As Pope Pius XI warned:
“The goal of these advocates of a world society is to bring about peace and harmony among nations apart from Christ and His Church. But such peace is illusory and doomed to fail.”
Paul VI’s statement reveals that the Vatican II religion is no longer directed toward the Heavenly Jerusalem, but toward a global utopia built by human effort—a false kingdom without the Cross.
| Category | Traditional Catholic Teaching | Vatican II / Paul VI Vision | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| End Goal | Heaven, eternal life, the supernatural Kingdom of God | A humanistic “world of tomorrow” built through solidarity | Misplaces hope in human progress instead of divine grace |
| Source of Peace | Peace comes from Christ alone through conversion and truth | Peace through dialogue, tolerance, and shared values | Ignores the necessity of the Church and the Cross |
| Christ the King | Christ must reign over individuals and nations | Christ’s kingship de-emphasized in favor of pluralistic coexistence | Denies the Church’s social doctrine and mission to convert nations |
| View of Modernity | Modern errors must be opposed and corrected | Modern world is embraced and celebrated as progress | Contradicts Syllabus of Errors (Pius IX) and Quas Primas (Pius XI) |
| Fruits | Martyrs, saints, missionary zeal, rejection of the world | Conformity to the world, loss of faith, secularization | “By their fruits you shall know them.” (Matt. 7:16) |
Summary:
Paul VI’s statement that he is “happy to be a pilgrim on the way to a world of tomorrow” reveals not Catholic hope, but modernist delusion. The Church is not called to help build a better Babel. She is called to preach repentance, administer the sacraments, and prepare souls for Heaven.
The “world of tomorrow” promoted by Paul VI is not the Kingdom of God—it is the kingdom of man, and it is under the prince of this world, not Christ. This false vision, born of Vatican II, is why so many Catholics today are materialistic, politically progressive, and spiritually indifferent. They are seeking a worldly peace without the Cross, and a global brotherhood without Christ.
As Our Lord warned:
“My kingdom is not of this world.”
“What doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul?”