Putting things in perspective: There Are Holy Priests, Too (They just don't make headlines)

National Review ^ | 09/17/2018 | Kathryn Jean Lopez

[MeganC]

The good priests are invariably tarnished by their silence when they’ve seen the bad priests and bad leaders cover up crimes committed by child molesters in robes.

The Roman Catholic Church will not stand if it continues to arrogantly expect people to kiss the rings of pedophiles and pederasts.

What’s called for here is humility, atonement, penance, and piety.

None of those things are coming from Rome and Rome’s lack of these virtues will soon lead governments around the world to place the safety of their children ahead of the RCC.

[kenmcg]

The good priests are victims too. They bear the burden of the foul balls, but until they get together and purge the ranks of the predators and the enablers the church will continue to suffer.

[2nd Amendment]

Please correct me if I am wrong. I am a baptist who believes you must trust Jesus to be saved. But I run into trouble with other believers who say a Catholic cannot be saved because they worship Mary and have idols like prayer beads. But I believe there are humble village priests that have given their all to serve Jesus and the poor around them. How can anyone say that Mother Theresa or John Paul II did not truly love Jesus? I know I’m wading into deep waters here that have not been solved in 2 millenia of history. Are there not charismatic Catholics that rejoice in the love of Jesus Christ?

[Wonder Warthog]

"But I run into trouble with other believers who say a Catholic cannot be saved because they worship Mary and have idols like prayer beads."

1) Catholics don't "worship" Mary, they deeply respect her. The Church's constant teaching since 400AD (and probably earlier) is that one respects the saints, respects Mary above the saints, and worships ONLY the Triune God. The Latin terms used are "dulia", "hyperdulia", and "latria". Note that the last term is the only one that means "worship".

2) "Prayer Beads" are not idols. They are a mnemonic to keep track of prayers said.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Thank you for your gracious words. I'm Catholic and have the pleasure and privilege of knowing a lot of good non-Catholic Christians, since all of my husband's side of the family are Baptists or some other kindred kind. Plus, here in Upper East Tennessee less than 2% of the population are Catholics, so naturally other kinds of Christians predominate in the things I'm interested in, like pro-life, better green tomato recipes, religious liberty, lose weight now without diet or exercise, and shape-note singing.

I find the other-Christians I know "in real life" are some of the best people in the world, and we have no trouble understanding each other. There's high trust, no spite and lots of mutual God Bless.

It is unfortunate that the same can't be said for (some of) the interfaith relations here at FR, because there is almost always a

HUGE SQUEAKIN' SQUEALIN' FREEPIN' FRACAS

going on somewhere in the Religion Forum. If I had to judge people by that alone, I would say the WHOLE PASSEL of us (variety-pack Christians) are about as winsome as pushing your lawn mower through a nest of yellow jackets.

But I'll gladly take all that back because, fortunately, all that fracas, seen in real-life perspective, is de minimis.

Long way 'round of saying that I think the closer we are to Christ, the closer we are to love, and that works every time.

NOTE: DO keep in mind that we don't worship rosaries and statues. We now worship felt banners ;oD

[Buckeye McFrog]

What’s called for here is humility, atonement, penance, and piety.

What we are getting is lawyering, spin, lies, and accusations leveled at the accusers. Apparently all the years of homilies on humility were only meant for those of us out in the pews.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Catholics don't "worship" Mary, they deeply respect her.

I know many (primarily older) Catholics who, in practice, do cross that line.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: Catholics don’t “worship” Mary, they deeply respect her.

Is it not true that Catholics today pray to Mary who would pray to Christ who would intercede with the Father?

I heard a priest’s homily where he said Mary is the Queen of Heaven and so, we should pray to her, who will put in a good word with Jesus for us. She is the MEDIATOR to God.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I never knew any, but I heard a joke about one.

Old Mrs. O'Brien was kneeling in her pew one sunny Tuesday afternoon in her nearly-empty church, saying her rosary. There were some window-glaziers way up above her on scaffolding repairing the stained glass. Tim says to Mike, "Hey, I know that old lady, she's my neighbor. Think I'll have some fun with her."

Tim (in a deep solemn voice): "Mrs. O'Brien! Mrs. O'Brien!"."

(No response.)

Tim (deeper): "Mrs. O'Brien, I've come from Heaven, listen to me!"

(No response.)

Tim (more solemn than solemn): "Mrs. O'Brien, pay attention! This is Jesus!"

Mrs. O'Brien: "Hush now, laddie, I'm a-talkin' t' yer Mam."

`

[Mrs. Don-o]

Here's the thing: we're all members of the Body of Christ. Wherever we are,our connection is in Christ. We intercede for each other all the time. If my guess is right,I bet you do too.

[heterosupremacist]

RE: Catholics don’t “worship” Mary, they deeply respect her. Is it not true that Catholics today pray to Mary who would pray to Christ who would intercede with the Father? Mary is considered Co-Redemptrix, why? The Word {hypostatically} could not be truly Divine, and truly Human, unless he was born of a Human. Theotokos, Our Mother Mary was before time selected as the only one who would have the purity and sanctity required to shelter the Incarnate Word in her womb ( Ave Maria, Gratia plena ) She was "full of Grace" When Gabriel greeted her. Only the purest vessel could hold Purity Enfleshed, and it was prophesied the messiah would be born of a virgin'. We have a Father, and a Son, so why would God refuse us a Heavenly Mother? Mary's only message in the gospel accounts is, "Listen to my Son". Also in the times when Jesus roamed the earth, it was a commonly understood custom that the Kings would never refuse their Mother's requests (Kings mothers were designated Queens in ancient times, ergo, the Queen had more influence on the King than the entire King's Court combined. We do not worship Mary, worship and adoration belong only to the Most Holy Trinity but isn't their something lovely and sacred about a Mother's love? To be continued...

[NorthMountain]

We now worship felt banners

I would use them for a burnt offering ... but they stink.

[Mrs. Don-o]

To make it clearer, it’s in the sense “pray for each other” that you could use the term “mediate” or “intercede” or “make supplications”.

[heterosupremacist]

4give my poor formatting?

RE: Catholics don’t “worship” Mary, they deeply respect her. Is it not true that Catholics today pray to Mary who would pray to Christ who would intercede with the Father?

Mary is considered Co-Redemptrix, why? The Word {hypostatically} could not be truly Divine, and truly Human, unless he was born of a Human.

Theotokos, Our Mother Mary was before time selected as the only one who would have the purity and sanctity required to shelter the Incarnate Word in her womb ( Ave Maria, Gratia plena ) She was “full of Grace” When Gabriel greeted her.

Only the purest vessel could hold Purity Enfleshed, and it was prophesied the messiah would be born of a virgin’. We have a Father, and a Son, so why would God refuse us a Heavenly Mother? Mary’s only message in the gospel accounts is, “Listen to my Son”.

Also in the times when Jesus roamed the earth, it was a commonly understood custom that the Kings would never refuse their Mother’s requests (Kings mothers were designated Queens in ancient times, ergo, the Queen had more influence on the King than the entire King’s Court combined.

We do not worship Mary, worship and adoration belong only to the Most Holy Trinity but isn’t their something lovely and sacred about a Mother’s love? To be continued...

[Mrs. Don-o]

Ha! Ha!

All my burnt offerings are made in the kitchen.

(Opening the oven) "Oh, Lorrrddd..."

[heterosupremacist]

See below for proper formatting.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I know many (primarily older) Catholics who, in practice, do cross that line."

Gee....a mind reader, no less. Because that is what it would take to know such a thing.

[Wonder Warthog]

"She is the MEDIATOR to God."

No, she is A mediator to Jesus. Saints can also be mediators.

[NorthMountain]

Less disastrous than certain burnt offerings I have seen in an electronics lab ...