;-)
Posted on 05/15/2004 6:32:27 AM PDT by Desdemona
Pope calls US Church to repentance and renewal
Vatican, May. 14 (CWNews.com) - Pope John Paul II (bio - news) called the American Catholic Church to "purification and profound renewal" as he spoke to a group of visiting US bishops on May 14.
Addressing a group of bishops from the western US, who were making their ad limina visits, the Holy Father emphasized that bishops must pursue their own personal sanctity. He warned that the "crisis of the loss of a sense of sin" threatens the spiritual health of the Church in America, and underlined the importance of Confession.
As the American bishops continue their ad limina visits-- which will extend through the next several months-- the Pope continued with his series of reflections on the ministry of diocesan bishops. Having professed his confidence in the American hierarchy, and their ability to bring the Church through a serious crisis caused by sex-abuse scandals, the Pope has also emphasized the need for spiritual renewal, beginning with a call to repentance and conversion.
The Pope now reminded his American visitors that they must seek holiness themselves in order to sanctify their people. The bishops, he continued, must adopt "a pattern of life that unequivocally rejects any temptation to ostentation, careerism, or the recourse to secular models of leadership and instead requires you to bear witness to the ‘kenosis’ of Christ, in pastoral charity, humility and simplicity of life.” The credibility of the Church, the Pope observed, depends on her members' efforts to seek genuine holiness. That must begin, he said, with a recognition of sin. Unfortunately, the Pope observed, that sense of sin is frequently lacking in the modern world. He remarked:
While the effects of sin abound-- greed, dishonesty and corruption, broken relationships and exploitation of persons, pornography and violence-- the recognition of individual sinfulness has waned. In its place a disturbing culture of blame and litigiousness has arisen which speaks more of revenge than justice and fails to acknowledge that in every man and woman there is a wound which, in the light of faith, we call original sin. Pope John Paul told the bishops that if Church leaders are bold and honest in recognizing the reality of sin, they can then follow with the good news of the Gospel. "Let us boldly boldly announce that indeed we are not the sum total of our weaknesses and failures," he said; "We are the sum of the Father’s love for us, and capable of becoming the image of His Son!”
The Pope closed out his remarks by exhorting the American bishops to encourage all the faithful-- particularly young people-- to make frequent use of the sacrament of Reconciliation. "As bishops, it is of special importance for your to have frequent recourse to the sacrament," he added.
"Pope calls US Church to repentance and renewal"
I don't hear the Pope, I do hear the Word of God.
Yep. He knows. And it's not only that he knows about certain personal scandals. He knows that some of these guys don't believe much that the Church teaches, and he's calling them to repent.
HE HAS SOME EXCELLENT POINTS.
THANKS.
the Pope knows that the Catholic Church in America has slid down the slippery slope.
He is the voice! And we all need to listen!
**Addressing a group of bishops from the western US, who were making their ad limina visits, the Holy Father emphasized that bishops must pursue their own personal sanctity. He warned that the "crisis of the loss of a sense of sin" threatens the spiritual health of the Church in America, and underlined the importance of Confession.**
And we must all pray that the bishops hear and change their ways! (Those who need to change, that is!)
“For Christians to be linked in association with ministers who do not preach the gospel of Christ is to incur moral guilt. A union which can continue irrespective of whether its member churches belong to a common faith is not fulfilling any scriptural function. The preservation of a denominational association when it is powerless to discipline heretics cannot be justified on the grounds of the preservation of ‘Christian unity.’ It is error which breaks the unity of churches, and to remain in a denominational alignment which condones error is to support schism.” C.H.S., The Forgotten Spurgeon, Murray, 164-165.
Repeating this statement! Wise words.
This appears to me to be a warning shot across the bows . . .
| Saturday, May 15, 2004 Easter Weekday |
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Sorry, Spurgeon has nothing to do with being Catholic.
The church is full of sinners. We all know that. Our bishops are no different, but they are called to set an example and lead a holy, simple life. Currently, the American bishops are in violation of this. We, the laity, know this and now we have proof that our spiritual leader, the Holy Father, knows this as well. He knows a lot more than people give him credit for and he's telling them to clean up their acts.
VIVA IL PAPA
A warning shot? Posibly. I think the Holy Father sincerely means this to be pastoral.
I'm waiting for the ecclesiastical teeth in a few documents. There's too many laisez faire attitudes right now.
I think people underestimate him. The problem that's giving us all the dissent and confusion lies somewhere in the magisterium, but not with the pope.
With all due respect, the person who said he "hears the word of God" is right!!! Are you forgetting that when the pope is speaking of such matter he IS passing on the "word of God?" Just as intended!!!
;-)
Yeah, but the clown in question did not mean it this way. He's the same person that compared Catholicism to Satanism.
I hope the one to his right, but I'm not holding my breath.
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