Fr. Rutler: “What Happens When a Government Tries to Chain the Conscience?”

Cardinal Newman Society ^ | January 26, 2012 | Fr. George Rutler

[Biggirl]

I am single and past childbearing, but witnessing for the faith is just as good also.

[bboop]

The Muslim doesn’t seem to remember that our rights come from God.

[netmilsmom]

>>Why is he still a Pastor if he manipulates? <<

Because he is human. We manipulate people to our way of thinking all the time. His is wrong, and my Pastor is correct. But both use the information they have to get people to their way of thinking.

I’m blessed to be where I am.

[smvoice]

But our way of thinking must be based on TRUTH. Otherwise, the deceivers can and do deceive. "...but both use the information they have to get people to their way of thinking."

Don't they both get the same information from official Church doctrines and teachings? This is very confusing. How can two men who are qualified by Rome to pastor and be a priest to the faithful come to such different beliefs, when Rome states clearly what the official beliefs are? And where do the faithful go in order to find out which one is telling the truth and which one is manipulating?

[netmilsmom]

>>I am single and past childbearing, but witnessing for the faith is just as good also.<<

Amen Sister! We all have a calling. For single people, being open to life is caring for those cannot speak for themselves. Be it in the pro-life movement, volunteering at your church or visiting nursing homes, your calling speaks volumes about your faith.

Married couples have a different calling but neither is more important than the other. God puts us where He needs us when we listen to Him.

Me? I did 34 years sitting where you are. I volunteered where I could, at bingo and at the food bank, became Godmother to three and confirmation sponsor to them as well. I guided those who were not from my womb. Now I’m a mom of two, but I don’t feel that I am any more important now than I was before my kids. He knows where He wants me.

[netmilsmom]

>>And where do the faithful go in order to find out which one is telling the truth and which one is manipulating? <<

Thinking people know where to find it. That is why The Church is concentrating on orthodox teachings of our young people. Every church is made of men who are sinners. One cannot expect a Priest to be perfect. (although ours is close!)

[NYer]

This pastoral letter needs to be spread throughout the Protestant community as well.

BTW - Fr. Rutler is a former Episcopal priest and was received into the Catholic Church in 1979. Father Rutler graduated from Dartmouth, where he was a Rufus Choate Scholar, and took advanced degrees at the Johns Hopkins University and the General Theological Seminary. He holds several degrees from the Gregorian and Angelicum Universities in Rome, including the Pontifical Doctorate in Sacred Theology, and studied at the Institut Catholique in Paris. In England, in 1988, the University of Oxford awarded him the degree Master of Studies.

[NYer]

I brought my daughter back to college (her dorm is in Brooklyn Heights) 2 Sundays ago and we made a detour off the FDR highway into Manhattan to go to his 59 Park Avenue church. It was stunning!! The Christ the High Priest icon was to die for. Father’s homily was outstanding.

Glad you made the visit! That church is a veritable oasis amidst the hubbub of Manhattan.

With your daughter attending college in Brooklyn Heights, you may want to consider attending a Maronite Divine Liturgy, on your next visit.

Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral is on Remsen Street, in Brooklyn. You can learn more about the cathedral here. Should you decide to go, please freepmail me ahead of time and I will give you a brief rundown on how the liturgy is celebrated. What a golden opportunity for you and your daughter to celebrate a liturgy where the consecration is chanted in Aramaic, the language of Jesus, the Blessed Mother and the Apostles.

[Iscool]

Glad to hear it...

[Cicero]

I think the final paragraph raises issues we need to deal with.

This desertion will begin in a professed indifference to any particular form of Christianity

This pretty well describes America at the time of the Founders, and for a century or two after. Indifference to the particular form of Christianity (although pretty widespread prejudice against Catholics). And most Americans recognized that Jews deserved respect, but that Muslim were our enemies--pirates who preyed on shipping and took slaves.

That changed further, as ALL religions were presumed to be covered by the First Amendment. But that is where I think we now are in desperate need to stop and think again.

Where do we draw the line? Is Satanism OK? Apparently so, as long as they refrain from murdering anyone. Is Wicca or Witchcraft OK? Well, actually, it's higher up the ladder than Christianity in many people's estimation. Is voodoo OK? And so forth.

We tend to say, well, anything goes. But do we really want to encourage Satanists, witches, and voodoo magicians? Or, for that matter, special rights for Muslims who want to kill and enslave us?

Freedom of religion is very basic. But where do you draw the line? Not an easy question. But I think we have reached the point where it needs to be confronted.

[vladimir998]

Amen!

It is NOT about Obama really. We as a society have allowed this filth so what Obama is doing is just the next logical step.

[zot]

This pastoral letter needs to be spread throughout the Protestant community as well.

True, but the liberal Protestant churches are on the government side of this issue.

[stonehouse01]

That is a beautiful church!! My daughter actually goes to Pace in lower Manhattan; she lives in Brooklyn Heights - one subway stop to Henry Street under the East river. She absolutely loves Brooklyn Heights - so many adorable babies. She is sometimes sad that they are most often with a nanny - that’s another topic though.

[jafojeffsurf]

Facebook, This is a Great one, Amen Fr Rutler keep speaking about the evil around us!

Thanks NYer

[Not gonna take it anymore]

Yes it is!

Like prophecy in our times.

[Running On Empty]

Bookmarking

[mdmathis6]

What’s really amazing is a Catholic priest citing a Protestant Bishop’s prophetic prescience and insight into the coming “great apostacy” , which I believe is upon us now!

Strange bed fellows, Ny’er, strange bed fellows...Christ first, we can watch each other’s backs and argue about religious practise later...though I suspect Christ will supply the final answers!

[NYer]

What’s really amazing is a Catholic priest citing a Protestant Bishop’s prophetic prescience and insight into the coming “great apostacy”

Fr. Rutler is a convert. See my post #27.

[mdmathis6]

Yes...Father Cutler the converted Catholic priest was still quoting a Protestant, Bishop Samuel Horsely. I still find that amazing! (that the editors at the Cardinal Newman Society let him get away with that.)

[SumProVita]

“The blame lies DIRECTLY with our very own culture which elected the fool and tolerates murder of our own MOST innocent Americans.”

I very much agree with this. Let us pray and fast that our people will experience authentic HEART CONVERSION!