Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Whither Catholics’ Beliefs?
Catholic World Report ^ | May 30, 2015 | Skip O'Neel

Posted on 05/31/2015 3:00:30 PM PDT by NYer

(Photo: us.fotolia.com | enterlinedesign)

In the late 1990s, I read a former Anglican’s conversion story. He said his journey to Catholicism began when he realized the person standing next to him during services, who he knew well, meant the exact opposite of what he did when they recited the Nicene Creed together. Yet both could be Anglicans in good standing.

For instance, his neighbor believed we say “the Father almighty” and not “the Mother almighty” because the Church is sexist and patriarchal.

But he understood God Himself had revealed Himself as Father, and knew we couldn’t dismiss the theological and philosophical reasons behind this as easily as his neighbor assumed.

I’m increasingly seeing this phenomenon in Catholicism.

For instance, last month I spent time with several diocesan communications directors.

From them I learned a scandal is brewing with a prominent Catholic agency. The agency does great work, so its proponents say ignore the fact that a prominent executive is openly flouting and publicly opposing Church teaching.

Others disagree, saying if we’re going to call teachers minister and hold them accountable to what is in the Catechism, why shouldn’t we do so with those whose ministerial role is much more explicit? One person called ignoring the situation a slap in Christ’s face.

Later over drinks with the aforementioned directors, one mentioned Congress had passed a bill outlawing abortion after 20 weeks. Since medical experts are considering lowering the official age at which a preemie can live outside the womb from 24 to 22 weeks, it seems like the natural progression.

Another colleague, however, was aghast. “Where will it end?!” she exclaimed, horrified lawmakers could do such a thing. In my mind, I thought, “Uh, hopefully with a more robust Culture of Life?”

Even the first woman indicated she didn’t necessarily favor this law and almost apologetically mentioned how she was the most moderate Republican possible. “I even voted for Obama!” she exclaimed.

As someone for whom reading Evangelium Vitae by John Paul II was a consciousness altering event, their comments really made me sad. Here are people who work for the Church, but in their personal lives they do not witness to the most fundamental right of all: life. After all if you don’t have that, the right—putative or otherwise—to education, clean water/air, health care, housing, etc., becomes absolutely moot, doesn’t it?

A Jesuit priest recently interviewed people about San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s new teachers contract. He said an opponent of the new contract, a man, spoke of “mercy.” A supporter of the archbishop’s efforts, a woman, spoke of “mercy.” Both of them understood the concept in completely different ways.

This May, Germany’s hierarchy said it had jettisoned all moral restrictions on its employees. The German bishops are now effectively saying the Fathers at next October’s Ordinary Synod on the Family should follow their lead.

As George Weigel recently wrote, though, Their Graces have essentially made a “confession of catechetical disaster and pastoral failure on a nationwide scale, to which [they have] no response save to urge others down the path that has led Catholicism in Germany into profound incoherence.”

Or as I would put it, the German episcopate has effectively said, “Our situation is hopeless, so we’ve given up on authentically proclaiming Tradition, Scripture, and Church teaching. You should, too.” It reminds me of those who say Marxism wasn’t bad, it was simply implemented by bad people. That is, they have missed the point and won’t admit where the real problems—or answers—lie.

Read the Second Vatican Council documents. Nowhere do they encourage giving into the spirit of the age. Rather they encourage the Church to engage the world but not be consumed by it. And the purpose of being in the world? To transform it in the image of the Church, the Bride of Christ, of Christ Himself.

Almost 50 years after Vatican II’s closing, we still don’t know what Catholics will choose: the Spirit of the Lord Who is Truth, or the spirit of the age. The Spirit of the Lord leads to faith and life. That of the world leads to catechetical chaos and death of faith. History makes this so evident. And yet as evidenced by a recent Pew survey, fewer and fewer people are choosing faith and life.

This puts Christ’s question in Luke 18:8 in an interesting light, doesn’t it? “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”


TOPICS: Catholic; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: catholic; catholicworldreport; skiponeel
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 last
To: Cicero; MHGinTN
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. —Matt 16.18 (

Actually Jesus had given Simon this nickname when he first became an apostle.. it was not "changed" at this incident.

John 1 .41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah " (which translated means Christ). 42He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas " (which is translated Peter).

41 posted on 06/01/2015 7:18:29 AM PDT by RnMomof7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: NYer; narses

Ya think you can coax narses out of hiding?


42 posted on 06/01/2015 7:19:21 AM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Cicero
I converted to Catholicism in college, not because it was “better” than Anglicanism, but because I gradually came to the conclusion that if there is only ONE true Church, it must be the Catholic Church.

But first; didn't you have to be 'convinced' that there IS only one true one?

43 posted on 06/01/2015 7:20:36 AM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Cicero
Christ founded the Church and promised that the Gates of Hell would not prevail against it.

That worked well!

HELL seems to have had a MIGHTY tight grip on those CATHOLIC churches John mentioned in Revelation.

44 posted on 06/01/2015 7:21:43 AM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Salvation
Catholics profess only Christ. Are you familiar with the Creed?

Not ALL 'catholics' seem to have gotten the memo.


 
 
 
Bernadine: …all gifts, all virtues, and all graces are dispensed by the hands of Mary to whomsoever, when, and as she pleases. O Lady, since thou art the dispenser of all graces, and since the grace of salvation can ONLY come through thy hands, OUR SALVATION DEPENDS ON THEE.

Bonaventure: …the gates of heaven will open to all who confide in the protection of Mary. Blessed are they who know thee, O Mother of God, for the knowledge of THEE is the high road to everlasting life, and the publication of thy virtues is the way of ETERNAL SALVATION . Give ear, O ye nations; and all you who desire heaven , serve, honor Mary, and certainly you will find ETERNAL LIFE.

Ephem: …devotion to the divine Mother…is the unlocking of the heavenly Jerusalem.

Blosius: To the, O Lady, are committed the KEYS and the treasures of the kingdom of Heaven.

Ambrose: …constantly pray ‘Open to us, O Mary, the gates of paradise, since thou hast its KEYS.

Fulgetius: …by Mary God descended from Heaven into the world, that by HER man might ascend from earth to Heaven.

Athanasius: …And, thou, O Lady, wast filled with grace, that thou mightiest be the way of our SALVATION and the means of ascent to the heavenly Kingdom.

Richard of Laurence: Mary, in fine, is the mistress of heaven; for there she commands as she wills, and ADMITS whom she wills.

Guerric: …he who serves Mary and for whom she intercedes, is as CERTAIN of heaven as if he were already there…and those who DO NOT serve Mary will NOT BE SAVED.

Anselm: It suffices, O Lady, that thou willest it, and our SALVATION is certain.

Antoninus: …souls protected by Mary, and on which she casts her eyes, are NECESSARILY JUSTIFIED AND SAVED.

45 posted on 06/01/2015 7:23:01 AM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: metmom
Except those who trust Mary.

Where would the world be without her?

My Prayer to Our Mother Mary

Hail and praise be unto thee, Mary, whom God Almighty has exalted above all of his other servants!!
God has entrusted us unto your care and graciously grants any request that you make of Him on our behalf, if it is in accordance with His Divine Will.
Our hearts burn with zeal as we honor you, Our Mother.
We love you as a child loves a mother and you love us as mother loves her children.
Please guide us, your little ones, to our Eternal and Almighty Father God through our prayers and through your love for us.
Many in this world may slander and degrade you while still claiming to exalt God, please forgive them and pray for them for they may dishearten your devoted children.
May we be made worthy of the promises of Christ through your prayers.
You love us so freely and we are so unworthy of it.
You love us because God and Christ loved us first.
Mary, Mother, I love you.

Amen.

 

 

- Foundation Marypages - 

Our foundation has the objective to develop, expand and maintain the Marypages website to promote the Roman Catholic belief and especially the Devotion of Our Blessed Mother, Mary.
With your financial support you will make this possible.
Marypages can only survive with your help!
You can become a donator of our foundation by donating at least 20 Euro per year. We will then offer you:

  • Our Newsletter (1 time a year)

  • A Miraculous Medal with explanation of its design

If your donation is 50 Euro or higher, then you will also receive a beautiful light blue rosary from Lourdes. In the rosary is a little holy water from the source in Lourdes.

Any extra income generated will be donated to compassionate projects with a Catholic basis. We are registered at the Chamber of Commerce Flevoland under number 39100629.

To make a donation, please click the button below.
God bless you.

ONLINE DONATION

 

 

 


46 posted on 06/01/2015 7:24:10 AM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Elsie

Cherry picking again?


47 posted on 06/01/2015 7:24:31 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Cicero
As regards the oft-quoted Mt. 16:18, note the following bishops promise in the profession of faith of Vatican 1:

 Basil of Seleucia, Oratio 25:

'You are Christ, Son of the living God.'...Now Christ called this confession a rock, and he named the one who confessed it 'Peter,' perceiving the appellation which was suitable to the author of this confession. For this is the solemn rock of religion, this the basis of salvation, this the wall of faith and the foundation of truth: 'For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.' To whom be glory and power forever. — Oratio XXV.4, M.P.G., Vol. 85, Col. 296-297.

Bede, Matthaei Evangelium Expositio, 3:

You are Peter and on this rock from which you have taken your name, that is, on myself, I will build my Church, upon that perfection of faith which you confessed I will build my Church by whose society of confession should anyone deviate although in himself he seems to do great things he does not belong to the building of my Church...Metaphorically it is said to him on this rock, that is, the Saviour which you confessed, the Church is to be built, who granted participation to the faithful confessor of his name. — 80Homily 23, M.P.L., Vol. 94, Col. 260. Cited by Karlfried Froehlich, Formen, Footnote #204, p. 156 [unable to verify by me].

• Cassiodorus, Psalm 45.5:

'It will not be moved' is said about the Church to which alone that promise has been given: 'You are Peter and upon this rock I shall build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.' For the Church cannot be moved because it is known to have been founded on that most solid rock, namely, Christ the Lord. — Expositions in the Psalms, Volume 1; Volume 51, Psalm 45.5, p. 455

Chrysostom (John) [who affirmed Peter was a rock, but here not the rock in Mt. 16:18]:

Therefore He added this, 'And I say unto thee, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; that is, on the faith of his confession. — Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Homily LIIl; Philip Schaff, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110.iii.LII.html)

Cyril of Alexandria:

When [Peter] wisely and blamelessly confessed his faith to Jesus saying, 'You are Christ, Son of the living God,' Jesus said to divine Peter: 'You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church.' Now by the word 'rock', Jesus indicated, I think, the immoveable faith of the disciple.”. — Cyril Commentary on Isaiah 4.2.

Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (Book XII):

“For a rock is every disciple of Christ of whom those drank who drank of the spiritual rock which followed them, 1 Corinthians 10:4 and upon every such rock is built every word of the church, and the polity in accordance with it; for in each of the perfect, who have the combination of words and deeds and thoughts which fill up the blessedness, is the church built by God.'

“For all bear the surname ‘rock’ who are the imitators of Christ, that is, of the spiritual rock which followed those who are being saved, that they may drink from it the spiritual draught. But these bear the surname of rock just as Christ does. But also as members of Christ deriving their surname from Him they are called Christians, and from the rock, Peters.” — Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (Book XII), sect. 10,11 ( http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/101612.htm)

Hilary of Potier, On the Trinity (Book II): Thus our one immovable foundation, our one blissful rock of faith, is the confession from Peter's mouth, Thou art the Son of the living God. On it we can base an answer to every objection with which perverted ingenuity or embittered treachery may assail the truth."-- (Hilary of Potier, On the Trinity (Book II), para 23; Philip Schaff, editor, The Nicene & Post Nicene Fathers Series 2, Vol 9.

48 posted on 06/01/2015 7:25:01 AM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Cicero
I should add that Peter’s name originally was Simon. But when He chose him, Jesus changed it to Peter (Petrus), which is the Latin for rock. But that should be familiar enough.

Jesus CHANGED nothing.

Familiar stories are not necessarily TRUE ones.



NIV Matthew 4:18-19
 18.  As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
 19.  "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
 
NIV Matthew 8:14
  When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.
 
NIV Matthew 10:1-2
 1.  He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil  spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
 2.  These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
 
NIV Matthew 14:28-31
 28.  "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
 29.  "Come," he said.   Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
 30.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
 31.  Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
 
NIV Matthew 15:13-16
 13.  He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.
 14.  Leave them; they are blind guides.  If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
 15.  Peter said, "Explain the parable to us."
 16.  "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them.
 

As you can see, Simon was already known as 'Peter'
BEFORE the following verses came along.....


NIV Matthew 16:13-18
 13.  When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
 14.  They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
 15.  "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
 16.  Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,  the Son of the living God."
 17.  Jesus replied, "
Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
 18.  And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades  will not overcome it.
 19.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be  bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

49 posted on 06/01/2015 7:27:08 AM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN
To all on this Catholic caucus thread I would ...

It IS???

50 posted on 06/01/2015 7:28:33 AM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: RnMomof7

If Catholics want to push the oft-told fable; then THIS verse is where they should say Jesus ‘changed’ his name!


51 posted on 06/01/2015 7:30:00 AM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Salvation; verga

Nope.

Proving you wrong again.

(Thanks, verga, for this apologetic technique!)


52 posted on 06/01/2015 7:31:44 AM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: af_vet_1981
Thanks for bolding the text. That really helped! Lately Baptist. Southern Baptist. Does that help? BTW, I do keep the Two Commandments Jesus gave when a Pharisaic questioner of His day demanded to hear of His understanding of the Commandments, which is the greatest.

But when I fail to love my neighbor as I should, I have an advocate, Jesus Christ The Righteous, who is faithful and just to forgives me and clean up my messy soul. I'll give you a for-instance of that which happened just the other day at the nursing home where my cousin is staying now.

During my visits with him, we usually wheel his chair down to a conference room and I play a video on some topic such as consciousness or the Rapture for him to enjoy. [He is a PhD in Biophysics] We close the door but he needs the sound up, so it is audible at his hearing level. As we were watching a video on my Tablet a little knock persisted at the door. It was distracting my cousin's attention and this irritated me so I opened the door to see a sad, frightened little lady in a wheelchair who sheepishly inquired if her brother or husband (she named them) was 'in there'. I responded too quickly and with probably zero compassion on this dear soul suffering dementia. It caused a pricking in my heart as the minutes passed. That night during my prayers, God pointed out my cold shoulder toward one of His own. I am looking forward to seeing that dear soul again tomorrow and taking the opportunity to show her the love God has put within me which I did not allow to the surface immediately when her knocking irritated me. THAT is how He works in us daily, to keep His two great commandments.

53 posted on 06/01/2015 7:36:46 AM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: MHGinTN
Thanks for bolding the text. That really helped! Lately Baptist. Southern Baptist. Does that help? BTW, I do keep the Two Commandments Jesus gave when a Pharisaic questioner of His day demanded to hear of His understanding of the Commandments, which is the greatest.

Yes, that helps, you have settled on the Southern Baptist Convention. It seems to me, from your own words, that we agree we must keep the Messiah's commandments, and that confession is required when we sin.

54 posted on 06/01/2015 7:45:10 AM PDT by af_vet_1981 (The bus came by and I got on, That's when it all began.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: af_vet_1981
No, I've have settled upon His Ekklesia, which I find exhibited presently at the particular fellowship. I could feel just as comfy in any denominational fellowship so long as they have God's Grace in Christ for salvation and His indwelling Holy Spirit for sanctification as their foundational premises. I cannot attend a Catholic Mass and find such a Truth system there, as evidenced by these Catholic threads.

God saves by His sovereignty, seals the believer's soul by His Spirit seal, and then sanctifies the believer to the extent that that believer allows His spirit to transform them.

1 Corinthians 3

1 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ... 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.


55 posted on 06/01/2015 8:07:47 AM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: af_vet_1981
With this I must make clarification, otherwise I greet you as Brother or Sister:

"It seems to me, from your own words, that we agree we must keep the Messiah's commandments, and that confession is required when we sin."

Confession of sin is the daily means by which we keep a closer walk with His indwelling Spirit, and to sin is not to lose Salvation for a believer's sin cannot pass the Great Seal of His Holy Spirit upon the human soul. It is sin which can stumble a believer in their walk with Him, and frustrate His plans for their transformation. If we could be Born from above then defeat that birth into His family, then His power to Save to the uttermost would be subject to the extent to which satan can trick and lure. God forbid we would believe satan can defeat God in any thing which God Promises.

56 posted on 06/01/2015 8:15:07 AM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson