Posted on 02/09/2011 1:53:29 PM PST by marshmallow
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Even in the midst of the upheaval of the Protestant Reformation in Germany, St. Peter Canisius knew how to defend Catholic doctrine without launching personal attacks on those who disagreed, Pope Benedict XVI said.
St. Peter, a 15th-century Jesuit sent on mission to Germany, knew how to "harmoniously combine fidelity to dogmatic principles with the respect due to each person," the pope said Feb. 9 at his weekly general audience.
The pope was beginning a series of audience talks about "doctors of the church," who are theologians and saints who made important contributions to Catholic understanding of theology.
In St. Peter Canisius' own time, more than 200 editions of his catechisms were published, the pope said, and they were so popular in Germany for so long that up until "my father's generation people called a catechism simply a 'Canisius.'"
The saint, who was born in Holland, insisted there was a difference between willfully turning away from the faith and "the loss of faith that was not a person's fault under the circumstances, and he declared to Rome that the majority of Germans who passed to Protestantism were without fault," Pope Benedict said.
"In a historical period marked by strong confessional tensions, he avoided -- and this is something extraordinary -- he avoided giving into disrespect and angry rhetoric. This was rare at that time of disputes between Christians," the pope said.
In fact, he said, St. Peter Canisius recognized that the Catholic Church needed to be renewed and revitalized, and that such a process had to be built on solid education in the faith and in understanding the Scriptures, which is why his catechisms relied so heavily on the Bible.
His theological achievements, which earned him the title "doctor of the church" in 1925, were effective because his study, preaching and writing all flowed from a personal friendship with Christ, long periods of prayer and unity with the church under the leadership of the pope, he said.
With "peace, love and perseverance" he accomplished his task of renewing the Catholic Church in Germany even as Protestantism grew, the pope said.
The saint's life teaches Catholics today that "the Christian life does not grow except with participation in the liturgy, particularly the holy Mass on Sundays, and with daily personal prayer," the pope said. "In the midst of the thousands of activities and multiple stimuli that surround us, it is necessary each day to find moments for reflection to listen to and speak to the Lord."
St. Peter Canisius is a reminder that preaching the Gospel is effective only if the preacher has a personal relationship with Christ, is united with the church and "lives a morally coherent life," the pope said.
Note to self: read more about St. Peter Canisius.
Note to self - learn more of God and His Ways through His Word. Keep focus on Jesus, The Word. More of Jesus, less of me.
Eventually, it's too late.
count-your-change, there’s a reason that you see red type, saying “Loose lips sink ships.” If you’re inferring something, perhaps you might want to check your facts beforehand. When the Holy Father talks about defending doctrine but avoiding disrespect and angry rhetoric, how was your comment appropriate? Were you meaning, by hyperbole, to personify that which we, as Catholics, are meant to avoid? So you were making a joke? No? Then exactly what did you mean?
May you ought to spend some time reading the works of St. Peter Canisius yourself.
I think there is a mistake in the article. There weren’t any Jesuits until the 16th century.
The Reformation didn't occur until the 16th century, either. I suspect the author confused the 15th century with the 1500s.
in the quite some time by Christians, in the name of their various perspectives of faith, although there remains quadrants of verbally expressed hostility on the part of some on both, uh, sides of the discussion(s), evident here at FR on numerous threads.
Those whom in today's world who seek to actually "torture" or kill Christians for chiefly religious differences, by and large are not Christians at war with one another, but instead are either Muslims, and to lesser extent, Hindu. There are others, but the numbers are less...
Then there are the various governments who oppress as much for reasons of political power, as they do their own animosity towards Christianity.
Although with all the neck choppers & land grabbers, along with the jailers and judges whom imprison Christians for the crime of being themselves, there does appear to be something of a mix of the personal and State/political.
Those whom would and DO kill Christians today, do not differentiate between denominations.
“appropriate”? Why, it was spot on! Given the role of torture and murder in the history of the Catholic Church against those it deemed “heretics” and Pope Innocent IV’s decree authorizing torture against same, I should ask whether both you and the Pope are joking.
Now what did you mean?
Have you forgotten the Catholics and Protestants fighting in Ireland?
Yes, yes, I know it was political as well as religious but religious animosity was a factor too, a very prominent one.
As for,
“I can’t think of there being any instances
“thumb screw, bonfire and sword”
in the quite some time by Christians”
I can’t think of an instance Christians EVER used such.
Yes I had.
I meant that your post was indeed inappropriate for the subject matter.
The Holy Father said: “St. Peter Canisius is a reminder that preaching the Gospel is effective only if the preacher has a personal relationship with Christ, is united with the church and “lives a morally coherent life,” the pope said.”
Why do you have a problem with “a personal relationship with Christ?” Or is it being united with the church and living a morally coherent life?
The article mentions Protestantism.
Doubt it qualifies for a "Caucus" tag.
My first thought, too.
My comments are quite appropriate to subject matter.
“The Holy Father said: “St. Peter Canisius is a reminder that preaching the Gospel is effective only if the preacher has a personal relationship with Christ, is united with the church and “lives a morally coherent life,” the pope said.”
A thousand plus years of doing just the opposite may have escaped your notice. So it strikes me as a bit more than ironic that you should ask,
“Why do you have a problem with “a personal relationship with Christ?” Or is it being united with the church and living a morally coherent life?”
Now that you’ve voiced your opinion, can you back it up with verifiable facts? I’ll take “a thousand years of doing just the opposite” of “preaching the Gospel is effective only if the preacher has a personal relationship with Christ, is united with the church and lives a morally coherent life,” thought how you’re going to prove to me that the Pope is a thousand years old is beyond me. I thought he was 83. Now, there, I am dissimulating. That’s irony. The act of having done so is ironic.
But in all sincerity, I think there is more value in the exchange that IrishCatholic and Alex Murphy have been having than you and I continuing. They were entertaining, where you and I have been tiresome. I do find it ironic that you were using a thread entitled “Defend Doctrine, but Don’t Attack Others” in the fashion you did. That was why I allowed the “out” in my original statement. It would have been a fine joke. Ah well. I think I’ll pass, just the same.
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