The document of Mater Populis Fidelis has arrived as the first bucket of cold water in the pontificate of Leo XIV; however, the note, inherited from Francis and signed by the current Pope, represents a doctrinal line that comes from «Fiducia Supplicans».
Without subtracting responsibility from the Pope in office at the time of publication of the documents, it is already evident that there is a «mastermind» behind the conception and elaboration of these documents: the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. We already exposed it in the note: From Francis to Leo XIV: Fernández and the continuity of the doctrinal agenda.
Now, a petition addressed to Pope Leo XIV has begun to circulate, requesting that Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández be replaced as prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, considering that his permanence in the position “causes confusion and division in the Church”. The text questions the cardinal's doctrinal suitability and calls for a change to protect fidelity to the Gospel.
A letter that expresses the discomfort of many Catholics
The letter begins like this:
“Dear Holy Father: With the respect I owe you as a son of the Church, I believe I must express my deep concern about the continuity of Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández at the head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.”
The document directly quotes the recent Note Mater Populi fidelis, in which the Dicastery discourages the use of the title of Co-Redemptrix to refer to the Most Holy Virgin Mary.
The author—representing the feelings of many faithful—denounces that this text “has caused bewilderment and division”, and poses a question that has resonated in the Catholic world:
“With the argument that Mary should not be divinized, the title of co-redeemer is proposed to be withdrawn. But who is divinizing Mary?”
Even a first communicant child understands that the Virgin is not on the level of God, and underscores the absurdity of the fears that inspire the Note:
“From the moment they learn to pray, they ask the Virgin: 'pray for us,' and call her 'our advocate' (not judge). Why is it now advisable not to call her co-redeemer?”
A fundamental danger: the denial of Mary's role in the Redemption
The document warns of a deeper theological problem: the tendency—characteristic of Protestant theology—to deny the active participation of the faithful in Christ's redemptive work.
It precisely quotes the text of Saint Paul to the Colossians (1:24-26):
“I complete in my flesh what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ, for the sake of his Body, which is the Church.”
And it recalls the teaching of Pope Benedict XV in 1918, who affirmed that Mary “redeemed the human race together with Christ” (Letter Inter sodalicia).
The contrast with the current Dicastery's approach is, according to the letter, flagrant:
“Whom do we pay more attention to?”, it asks, alluding to the break between the magisterial tradition and the new interpretations.
A prefect marked by doctrinal confusion
The petition also recalls other episodes of confusion attributable to Cardinal Fernández, including his participation in the drafting of Amoris laetitia and Fiducia supplicans, documents that have opened the door to ambiguous interpretations regarding conjugal morality and the blessing of irregular unions.
The text also mentions his book Heal Me with Your Mouth – The Art of Kissing, considered inappropriate due to its tone and content, and his relationship with the intellectual circle of Father Marko I. Rupnik, whose work has been associated with an unsettling “erotic mysticism”.
“Keeping Cardinal Fernández in such a crucial position not only puts the trust of the faithful at risk, but also causes ambiguity in the doctrinal orientation of the magisterium”, warns the author of the letter.
The risk of a disfigured faith
The petition to Pope Leo XIV concludes with an invocation to the Holy Spirit and a plea to the Most Holy Virgin “true Mother and Co-Redemptrix of the human race”.
Beyond its pious tone, the text reflects a deep clamor within the Catholic people: the concern for a Church that, under the pretext of “updating” doctrinal language, loses the sense of mystery and of the revealed Truth.
It is not a rebellion against the Pope, but a call to responsibility: a defense of the Magisterium against those who, from within, relativize it.
And that call points directly to Rome: if Leo XIV's new pontificate wishes to restore unity and clarity, it will have to start with the head of the body responsible for safeguarding the faith.