SHOCK CLAIM: Pope Francis is 'paving the way for the Anti-Christ'

Church has asked people to avoid the show.

A television personality in Colombia has been blasted by Catholic clergy and others following his claim that Pope Francis was paving the way for the Anti-Christ. Jose Galat is facing a fierce backlash for his comments delivered in a radio interview.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) -- Jose Galat is an influential, ultra-conservative Catholic commentator in Colombia. He ran for president and lost in 2010, and he is the director of the Great Colombia University and Teleamiga Television Network. He was recently interviewed by Blu Radio about Pope Francis' impending visit to Colombia when he commented that Pope Francis is a "false prophet... paving the way for the Anti-Christ."

He has also criticized Pope Francis on his own talk show, "A Coffee with Galat."

Galat now faces a backlash from Catholics in the country who are proud Pope Francis is coming to visit. The Catholic Church in Colombia has urged Catholics to avoid watching his show because of his hostile remarks.

The Church in Colombia said in a statement: "It hurts us that the aforementioned program seeks to sow ... doubt about the validity of the papal authority of Pope Francis among the faithful with superficial and harmful arguments."

Galat believes the "real" pope should be Benedict XVI. Pope Benedict XVI stepped down in 2013 citing health reasons. He now resides at a monastery in the Vatican with the title, Pope Emeritus Benedict.

Galat also claimed that Pope Francis "was elected by a mafia of cardinals."

His political position is naturally far to the right, and he favors a more fascist state with a powerful religious authority. He called for the formation of a totalitarian state during his 2010 election campaign.

Most Catholics would be happy to see the Church play a guiding role in their societies. The Church is the ultimate moral institution. However, we live in a pluralistic world where people have free will to follow their consistence. We cannot make the world Catholic by force or intimidation, this is not the Christian way to be. Evangelization, and loving witness should be our method.

Furthermore, undermining the Pope and the Church though sensational criticism does little serve people. It creates enemies and divisions where there ought to be none.

Gomez is not the first person to criticize Pope Francis, nor is he the first person to openly criticize a pope. The popes of the Church have been criticized since the foundation of the Church, and some have been martyred. The founder of the Church, Jesus Christ was crucified by people who assumed they were holier than Him.

To avoid pitfalls such as these, our job must be to love God, to love one another, and to respect the Church which God established out of His infinite wisdom and love for us. We can disagree on many things and still be good people to one another. But we fail at being good when we sow division within His Holy Church.