Posted on 12/12/2012 8:33:23 AM PST by marshmallow
Vatican City, Dec 11, 2012 / 12:03 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- An official for the Vatican's Latin America commission has warned against a “gray pragmatism and mediocrity” that he believes has infiltrated Christianity in America.
Professor Guzman Carriquiry, secretary for the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, made his remarks on Dec. 8, the first day of the International Congress Ecclesial in America taking place at the Vatican's Synod Hall.
During his speech, Carriquiry noted a growing tendency among Americans to live the faith with a lack of enthusiasm, lukewarmness and ignorance.
“How many Christians today have buried their baptism under a cloak of consumerism and indifference,” he said.
“How many devotions are practiced without an authentic encounter with Christ in the sacraments,” he said, lamenting “the abandonment of confession” among local Catholics and “superficiality in participation at Mass.”
Despite this, however, Blessed John Paul II's document “Ecclesia in America” has pointed to “the example of numerous saints, heroes, champions of charity and martyrs,” he added, “in order to remind us of the path we Christians of America today must walk in the Third Millennium.”
Carriquiry underscored that encountering Christ requires a radical renewal of catechesis, “which needs to be presented in all of its grandeur, because there is grave ignorance of our faith, especially in the new generations.”
“We are experiencing this crisis of authentic Catholic formation which can be seen in all Christians but especially in those who have the greatest influence in our society.”
“For this reason,” he said, “we need to completely re-think the Christian formation of the faithful, whether for initiation or re-initiation, in order to achieve a growing and solid formation of mature persons in the faith.”
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicnewsagency.com ...
"THE WORLD IS TOO MUCH WITH US; LATE AND SOON"
"THE world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers: Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon! The Sea that bares her bosom to the moon; The winds that will be howling at all hours, And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers; For this, for everything, we are out of tune; It moves us not.--Great God! I'd rather be A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn; So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn." - 1806
Surely he is addressing Catholics that voted for abortion and denial of his name 3 times in a televised open convention.
He is mistaking lack of enthusiasm for war-torn Christians that are berated and beaten on a daily basis by liberals. We carry our crosses with us.
He is mistaking lack of enthusiasm for war-torn Christians that are berated and beaten down on a daily basis by liberals. We carry our crosses with us.
Speak for yourself, Professor Guzman Carriquiry.
the best place to start is always closest to home
as in: Most Catholic Colleges No Longer Require Catholic Theology
As long as there are non-Catholic "Christian" institutions that not only tolerate, but enthusiastically endorse abortion, divorce, homosexuality and gay marriage the professor is spot on.
Peace be with you.
Sorry to disagree with you, but the enthusiasm of other Christians is also lack in America right now.
The attendance numbers at MOST Christian and Catholic churches is declining.
Not true in some though, like my own parish, where we have to build a new church because the Masses are packed.
Attendance at other functions is up too, and it’s difficult to get a meeting time and place at my church. Is that ture elsewhere?
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