Perhaps it will be easier to read since the Monsignor's words are in red after each Bible quote.
Posted on 06/30/2015 7:48:42 AM PDT by Salvation
Perhaps it will be easier to read since the Monsignor's words are in red after each Bible quote.
While I agree with most all of the sentiments expressed here, it is nevertheless true that the Catholic Church has made the bed it is now trying to find a way to lie on.
The Church has turned a blind eye to public figures, particularly politicians, who brandish their Catholicism prominently for popular advantage, yet promote public policy in direct conflict with Catholic doctrine - without consequence. Nancy Pelosi, anyone?
By doing so, the Church has, at the least, greased the skids of the slide into the current situation. The Church has also harbored priests who have been openly sympathetic to this abominable ruling.
It is hard to take these proclamations of concern seriously following such a lax attitude leading up to, and even encouraging, the current situation.
Those politivians may not know it, but they have excommunicated themselves from the Catholic Church. In some cases their Bishops have taken formal steps too. I look for that to increase.
As to the Catholic Church making its own bed......
What Church has stood staunchly against
abortion,
euthanasia,
same-sex marriage,
embryonic stem cell research,
contraception,
in vitro fertilization?
The One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. And we will continue to stand staunchly against these sins and for the Sacrament of Matrimony between a man and a woman.
Aren’t we really on the same side?
Monsignor Pope Ping!
With good advice from Scripture too!
Well,first of all, don’t pretend that only the Catholic Church has stood against those things.
Allowing such politicians and public figures to promote EVERY SINGLE ONE of those items you list, and still take communion - often VERY publicly - is NOT standing “staunchly against” them. It was noise without action, bang without bullet.
They were NOT excommunicated, the Church continues to turn a blind eye, and pitifully few Bishops even pretend to take exception.
No, in its complacence about these supposed Catholics, the Church has encouraged the very result we see today.
Had the Church very publicly and very forcefully began excommunicating those who promoted abortion, euthanasia, etc. etc. when they first began making noises - many of those Catholic advocates would have shut up, and some brakes would have been applied to the movement.
Who said I was pretending?
Is that your only response? Take the least significant portion of my post and ignore the rest?
You are either pretending, or woefully ignorant - take your pick.
As always, thanks for posting Msgr. Pope’s words.
I have been very troubled by recent events, and his words are very helpful to me.
God ping.
And some good advice from Monsignor Pope, too.
And Catholics wonder why non-Catholics think that Catholics don’t take Scripture seriously.
And Scripture is treated as an after thought, that’s going to happen.
As far as the Church not supporting those things, when the Catholic church starts practicing what it preaches, it’ll have some credibility. As long as it sits back and does nothing, its actions are speaking louder than its words.
Excellent! Thanks for the ping.
I cannot see where affiliation with Catholicism would give anyone popular advantage. I doubt Jeb Bush would have a chance to be elected, not because of his surname, but because he's a convert to Catholicism. Pelosi, Kerry, The Kennedy's and their ilk are popular with liberals because of their rebellion. And while I agree that the Church should censure them, that censure will either be ineffectual, or earn them a false respect for their defiance.
If conservative, pro-life, pro-faith voters would unite on these issues, we could gain more influence in the elections. There is too much division over denominational issues, IMO, for us to be able to work together. The liberals have a focused agenda and don't quibble. How many liberals will not embrace this new law? They band together and support all the causes on their agenda, together as one cause and one group. Sadly, from my point of view, we who are more conservative are more focused on the candidate than the issues they support.
Exactly, We ought to be. But how many will not vote for Romney because he's Mormon, Bush because he's Catholic? Some will even eschew their right to vote, rather than set aside their prejudices. We are supposed to be on the same side-whoever will best support the Judeo-Christian principles, the unalienable rights upon which our country was founded- whatever faith they profess. If we united in our common zeal for the sanctity of life; traditional family; religious freedom and all we were once guaranteed, we would be a force to be reckoned with.
Perhaps is would be easier if the monsignor kept reading Paul's letter then commented AFTER he understood the argument.
Eph. 2:4ff
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, EVEN when we were dead in our transgressions, MADE us alive together with Christ (because it is by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by GRACE you have been saved through faith; and none of that of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God; NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS, so that no one can claim the useless works of Romanism and boast.
Small paraphrase at end of passage...but otherwise in contradistinction to Rome's works oriented, guilt-driven, self-promoting, homemade religion.
Oh yes, there is political/popular advantage. When Nancy Pelosi does ANYTHING publicly, you can bet she is doing it for just that kind of advantage.
She bragged about her audience with the Pope - and by so doing was able to polish her credentials with the faithful, while proving to her degenerate constituents that she could come through unbowed and unbloodied by the experience.
The Catholics make up a large democrat voting bloc, and the Church’s endorsement by silence of Kerry and Pelosi and the Kennedys give that bloc the comfort and assurance they need to continue voting D.
Censure is toothless - excommunication sends the proper message. In the above mentioned incident, the Pope should have been prepared to ask very pointed questions about Pelosi’s support for policy. Then immediately after the audience, made a public proclamation that she was excommunicated immediately for her heretical position on abortion and euthanasia etc.
There was a time when all denominations were less mice and more men. The gradual softening of positions of ultimate truth has brought us to this place.
When the Church does not emphatically admonish (and publicly admonish public sin), they relinquish their leadership role on moral matters. For this reason we have the mousy Church we have today - in all denominations, it seems.
A lot of people don’t seem to know what latae sententiae is.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latae_sententiae
Thanks for this insightful post.
God bless Msgr. Pope
“You are either pretending, or woefully ignorant - take your pick.”
Excuse me, but that last post was not only personal, but mind reading as well. That statement was uncalled-for.
You implied that you were proclaiming the Catholic Church to be the ONLY church standing for those moral positions - such a claim is utterly false. If you were not pretending, then you must be woefully ignorant of the other churches standing against these issues. I would not presume to call you a liar.
The post was not personal - although you took it personally. It was an accurate portrayal of the choices (again, leaving off the flat out lying option).
Ignorance in itself is not necessarily bad. Willful ignorance is. Are you willfully ignorant of the other churches doing battle, or are you simply ignorant without choosing to be?
My statement - after your “who says I was pretending?” comment was definitely called for.
Thank you for validating posts 11 and 12.
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