Pope: Half-hearted Catholics aren't really Catholics at all

cns ^ | June 5, 2014 | Cindy Wooden

[NYer]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Those who insist others pray and believe exactly like they do, those who have alternatives to every church teaching and benefactors who use the church as a cover for business connections may call themselves Catholics, but they have one foot out the door, Pope Francis said.

"Many people say they belong to the church," but in reality have "only one foot inside," the pope said June 5 at the morning Mass in the chapel of his residence.

(CNS/Paul Haring)

"For these people, the church is not home," but is a place they use as a rental property, he said, according to Vatican Radio.

Pope Francis reflected on the day's Gospel reading, John 17:20-26, and Jesus' prayer that there would be unity, not divisions and conflict, among his disciples. There are three groups of people who call themselves Catholic, but are not really, the pope said. Apologizing for making up words, he labeled the three groups: "uniformists," "alternativists" and "businessists."

The first group, he said, believe that everyone in the church should be just like them. "They are rigid! They do not have that freedom the Holy Spirit gives," and they confuse what Jesus preached with their "own doctrine of uniformity."

"Jesus never wanted the church to be so rigid," Pope Francis said. Such people "call themselves Catholics, but their rigid attitude distances them from the church."

The second group, those with alternative teachings and doctrines, "has a partial belonging to the church. These, too, have one foot outside the church," he said. "They rent the church," not recognizing that its teaching is based on the preaching of Jesus and the apostolic tradition.

Members of the third group "call themselves Christians but don't enter into the heart of the church," they use the church "for personal profit," the pope said. "We have all seen them in parish or diocesan communities and religious congregations; they are some of the benefactors of the church."

"They strut around proud of being benefactors, but in the end, under the table, make their deals," he said.

Pope Francis said the church is made up of people with a variety of differences and gifts, and if one wants to belong to it, he or she must be motivated by love and enter with "your whole heart."

Being open to the Spirit, who fosters harmony in diversity, he said, brings "docility," which is "the virtue that saves us" from entering the church half-heartedly.

[Trapped Behind Enemy Lines]

Popes are human, and therefore sinners and subject to error just like the rest of us mere mortals.

The Church has the right to make up its own rules, rituals, dogmas, and traditions.

But NO Church has the right to rewrite history or to rewrite the Bible IMHO.

[mlizzy]

My b-i-l, a priest, always recommends to those who are disdainful regarding the Catholic Church to stop in [even if only briefly] to an Adoration Chapel. Have you ever thought to do that? You don't have to recite aves, or any other type of prayer; just sit with Him, tell Him your doubts, or whatever you'd like to say (or not as the case may be). He takes care of a lot of "me" problems there, too, because you can dialogue with Him one-on-one. And if nothing else, it's a quiet prayerful place to pray/think. Good on your kids, made me smile; ours have bowed out of [any] Church attendance, and that's one reason I love to go to Adoration. To pray for their return.

http://www.therealpresence.org/chap_fr.htm

[ebb tide]

The Church has the right to make up its own rules, rituals, dogmas, and traditions.

Yet, you seem to reserve the right to deny the above mentioned dogmas.

[reegs]

Unless you’re Luther and then you can toss out 7 books of the Old Testament and add words to scripture (“only” in Romans 3:20; Romans 4:15, “alone” in Romans 3:28). Also, the early Protestants, including Luther believed in the perpetual virginity of Mary. “Christ . . . was the only Son of Mary, and the Virgin Mary bore no children besides Him . . . I am inclined to agree with those who declare that ‘brothers’ really mean ‘cousins’ here, for Holy Writ and the Jews always call cousins brothers.”

[Dick Vomer]

thank you for your comments. You’ve thrown out some good seeds on this rocky soil. You never know, maybe that’s my way back. God bless you.

[Alex Murphy]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Those who insist others pray and believe exactly like they do, those who have alternatives to every church teaching and benefactors who use the church as a cover for business connections may call themselves Catholics, but they have one foot out the door, Pope Francis said.

"Many people say they belong to the church," but in reality have "only one foot inside," the pope said June 5 at the morning Mass in the chapel of his residence.

"For these people, the church is not home," but is a place they use as a rental property, he said, according to Vatican Radio.

And boy howdy let me tell you, if there's anything that Catholics know how to do well, it's how to live somewhere rent-free.

[ConservingFreedom]

Thanks! Unfortunately not a lot of help there in identifying who today is excessively rigid - we don't now get "many who demand that pagans become Hebrews before they can join the Church."

[ansel12]

When will protestants start telling pro-homo “marriage” and baby killer Obummer to quit calling himself a protestant?

I don't know that anyone here belongs to his church, or if he still does, but he isn't meeting with his Pope and taking Communion at the Vatican like famous pro-abortion leaders, a denomination that you probably are a member of.

[reegs]

Dick, I’ve sat through some really awful “Church of Nice” celebrations so I know where you’re coming from. Homilies that focus on “social justice” and rock-and-roll guitar masses that make me cringe. However, in instances like these, I try to remember why I am there: to praise and glorify God, ask for forgiveness and the grace to sin no more, to thank him for the incredible gifts I have received, and, most importantly, to receive our Lord and Savior in the Holy Eucharist.

I think the other Freeper’s advice is very good. Go and spend time with our Lord in Eucharistic Adoration. I believe that is when my faith and love for the church and all its treasures began to deepen. I haven’t been in a while and I know I miss it. God bless. I will pray for you and your reconversion.

[dangus]

“If you decide those who don’t match your beliefs personally are outside the Catholic church, you’re outside the Catholic church.”

OK, he’s the Pope, so it’s a little different when he says something like that. After all, he’s the one who is supposed to establish doctrine. But it’s still a little problematic given he’s not establishing doctrine, but teaching about attitudes.

[reegs]

See, this is where I have problems with Pope Francis. His pronouncements always seem to need to be clarified or explained. What if my beliefs are completely aligned with the magisterium? There’s little wiggle room for interpretation there.

[NKP_Vet]

Obummer got more protestant votes than Catholic. More protestants are in this country than Catholic. He identifies as a protestant. I have never heard of any protestant church leader saying Bummer should quit calling himself a protestant.

[Dick Vomer]

thank you for your kind words and prayers. Like I said, it’s a “me” problem. I appreciate your advice and use pride to be lazy and not just grind through and stay at mass. You’ve met me before.... I’m the guy that always has an excuse and hopes time doen’t run out before he decides to be a ‘good” Christian. I’m self aware at least and try not to lie to myself. Once again, thank you for your prayers brother.

[piusv]

Rigid huh? So I guess most pre-Vatican II popes would not be Catholic then.

Hmmm.....

Now this is ironic.

[maxwellsmart_agent]

No truer words have ever been spoken! In the bible we are told ‘if you are neither hot nor cold, I spit you from my mouth.’

[ansel12]

It isn’t about raw numbers of the population that is silly, it is about how different denominations vote percentage wise, as we know the Catholic denomination is a majority liberal, democrat party voting denomination.

As a conservative, why would you want to say, sure my church members vote democrat, but the people outside of my church outnumber us?

[Gumdrop]

“And I also know some Catholics who also think that Mary herself was conceived of an immaculate conception....”

what does ‘conceived of an Immaculate Conception’ mean?

Are you referring to the Catholic belief that Mary did not ever have original sin on her soul when she was conceived in her mother, Anna’s, womb? Immaculate Conception refers to the status of her soul being free from sin - as a special creation of God in preparation of her role as the Mother of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

IC in no way refers to the biological circumstances of Mary’s conception. She had early parents just like you and I. Tradition names them as Joachim and Anna.

[Gumdrop]

“When will protestants start telling pro-homo “marriage” and baby killer Obummer to quit calling himself a protestant?”

OK, as a Catholic I think this was a bit of a low blow. I do not think it is/was fair to insinuate that Obama’s/Jeremiah Wright’s church is in any way a “Christian Church”, and is therefore a Protestant church.

I hereby absolve all Protestants of any guilt in the association of the Chicago church of Obama, Michelle and Jeremiah with mainstream Protestantism. (Ha!)

[BlatherNaut]

Nearly all we know about Mary comes from the New Testament. I’ll stick with that if it’s OK with you.

According to Francis' newest list of straw men, that would make you an "alternativist".

-----------------------------

"The second group or kind of Christian the Holy Father identified is made up of those who always have their own ideas about things – people who do not want to conform their minds to the mind of the Church. The Pope called these, “alternativists”

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-at-thursday-morning-mass-in-santa-mar

[Ransomed]

“I have heard over the years from some fellow Catholics stuff like...that Mary was ALWAYS a virgin”

I have never heard of a Catholic who didn’t believe Mary was ever virgin. How do they say the part in the Confiteor about ‘Mary ever virgin?’ Just mumble through or skip that line or what?

Freegards