Cardinal Dolan: White House Lectured My USCCB Staff On How to Interpret Catholic Teaching

Catholic Vote ^ | March 6, 2012 | Thomas Peters

[Natural Law]

"They don't want to stay members if it keeps changing in a left leaning manner and yet they can't bring themselves to actually leave as they know nothing but the Catholic Church."

Encourage them to get involved in their local parish or in a near by parish that better represents their beliefs and to work for the changes they desire. The laity, through their works, voices and prayers are the workmen of Christ and the instruments of change. Some within the Church have deviated because we allowed them to.

For me it begins with Catechesis. Every lapsed and former Catholic I know is the product of poor catechesis. Each of us has far more long term impact than we realize. Every wayward priest, bishop or Church official began their journey with the Catechism and at the feet of a volunteer. So did the saints and the pillars of our faith.

In his Catholicism series Fr. Barron recounts an exchange between Hans Kung and Henri de Lubac during Vatican II. As the two theologians were walking to a council session, Kung shared his frustrations with the institutional church. They approached the steps of St. Peter’s, de Lubac turned to Kung and said, “But she is still our mother.” Barron concludes: “We can’t treat her as ‘take it or leave it’…. No, the church is the place where we find the fullness of life, and that always has to be emphasized.”

[Mrs. Don-o]

That's my one big fear: that the USCCB will somehow manage to get a custom-made loophole constructed for Catholic institutions tout court. The most serious danger to all of us would be the bishops managing to finesse this thing for church-related healthcare only, while leaving the rest of us stuck with this hellacious perversion of a government-corrupted system.

It's not just a problem with "the HHS mandate." It's certainly not just a matter of "Church institutions." And it's double-dog definitely just about "contraception." The larger filthy tyranny --- Obamacare itself --- has to be taken down completely.

We live in interesting times.

[advertising guy]

you may well be the finest mind on FRepublic. You are always this good.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Sounds like a plan. Have you communicated this to Card. Dolan? Seriously.

[philman_36]

Brother, these were hard core Catholics for years. They've been through all of that stuff.
They don't miss crossing themselves at any church or edifice even while driving and I've been with family when they actually drive around the block to drive back in front of one they didn't see in time! Oh their feeling of remorse. They couldn't stop talking about it.
Too wild! Imagine my confusion at nothing more than..."I've got to go back. I've just got to go back."
Most were heavily involved until about ten years ago or so. I don't know what happened back then, but that's about the time it started for them.

I'll still pass on your recommendations.

[PghBaldy]

This stuff infuriates me to no end, and I am not a practicing Catholic- far from it. I do wonder though, what the US Bishops were thinking when they supported Obamacare in the first place.

[oneolcop]

I find it ironic that the Catholic Church as an institution has supported so much of what Obama stands for. Now they are experiencing the same lying cheating, stealing, corrupt behavior the rest of us forsaw before Obama started squatting in the Whitehouse.

[Natural Law]

Give them my encouragement and thanks. If they feel that they are going it alone then it can be very intimidating. Once they can find kindred spirits who share their values and goals, and they will find many once they begin looking, it will become a work of joy. I have seen that a few bad apples with sharp elbows can seem to intimidate and dominate parishes and eventually ruin parishes.

If your relatives have the energy and dedication I would encourage them to pursue the diaconate. Being ordained and working in service to the diocese and the bishop and not the specific parish or priest, they can resist a lot of nonsense and facilitate a lot of good.

Peace be to you.

[philman_36]

If your relatives have the energy and dedication I would encourage them to pursue the diaconate.
Well, many of them are now a little too 'long in the tooth' for that IMO. You never know though and I'll tell them about your suggestion.
The kids and grand kids (my cousins) are a bit too...influenced shall we say...by the world around them if you know what I mean. They've only held on this long because of their elders. They see it as something they must endure for their sake.

I have seen that a few bad apples with sharp elbows can seem to intimidate and dominate parishes and eventually ruin parishes.
Good point. I'll ask them about that. They know I'm Protestant so they don't get into particulars.

Peace be to you.
And to you and yours also.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-----They don't want to stay members if it keeps changing in a left leaning manner and yet they can't bring themselves to actually leave as they know nothing but the Catholic Church. They simply don't go any longer except for the special holiday Mass. -----

That's a shame, because they're playing into the Marxists' --and the devil's-- hands.

The Sacraments are a certain source of grace, regardless of the priest's sinfulness. Orthodox people are needed in the Church. Otherwise, the situation becomes more difficult for those that remain.

[Biggirl]

It will have NO CHOICE but to accept the different views!

[AnAmericanMother]

[AnAmericanMother]

Notice you're in Texas - don't know if your relatives are - but there are some VERY orthodox Anglican-Use parishes around Texas. It will remind them of pre-VCII.

Another thing that your relatives could do is get a recommendation for a parish from somebody that's straight-up orthodox, like say Father Zuhlsdorf ("Fr. Z") who runs the What Does the Prayer Really Say? blog. He does answer his Emails, and he knows people everywhere.

Our parish priest, who is as orthodox as they come, gave my daughter a reccy for a parish where she went to college. He was 100% on the money, too. Very conservative, old-fashioned parish within 10 miles of the craziest buncha Jesuit loons you'd ever want NOT to meet.

Even if it's some distance, at least they could get to Confession on a regular basis.

[philman_36]

...don't know if your relatives are...
Nope, like many others in this corner of Texas they're mostly still in Louisiana.

Thanks for the suggestions and insights.

[Huber]

BTTT!