Posted on 02/25/2006 10:40:21 AM PST by NYer
THE INDEPENDENTS: Father Eric Martinez, right, greets Lorenzo Portales at the Little Havana church, which has attracted about 400 parishioners, many from Cuba and Central America.
The rise of independent Catholic communities that reject the authority of the Vatican raises new questions about what constitutes a Catholic. Many Catholic groups have formed outside of the authority of Rome but still maintain some elements of Catholic spirituality such as the liturgy, Eucharist and much of the catechism.
''Technically, they're not Catholic in the sense of belonging to the church, but they're Catholic in terms of spirituality,'' said Ed Sunshine, a professor of theology at Barry University.
``Catholic spirituality goes a lot further than the organized Catholic Church.''
Some Catholic denominations have formed their own clerical hierarchies and rites but are still in communion with Rome. Sacraments in those churches are regarded as valid by Roman Catholics. They include the Armenian Catholic Church, the Syrian Catholic Church and the Maronite Catholic Church, among others.
Several schismatic Catholic groups have rejected the Vatican's authority but maintain they have valid ordination lineages tracing to the Old Catholic Church -- which broke from Rome in the 1870s over the issue of papal infallibility -- and other lineages.
Another ping for ya.
I'm not a praticing Catholic, nor a good Catholic, but I know that these folks AREN'T Catholic. Roman Catholicism isn't a Horn and Hardart or cafeteria, where you walk through the line and take what you want and leave the rest.And these people can delude themselves all they want. But if it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck, it's an Episcopalean.
Hey ,folks! "You ain't seen nothing yet!" There is still that so-called "Society of St. Pius X," some of whose by blows are really wild, such as "His Holiness Pope Pius XIII."
While I odn't know if he, himself, is "still with it," a local St. Pius X preist told us here in El Paso a few years back that "His Holiness" had that same priest's "seminary dorm father."
Wow! And just what kind of "spiritual advice and counsel" would "His Holiness" have been dising out, 24/7?
Anyway, here he is, in all his little boys dress-up regalia:
www.truecatholic.org/pope/
Keep the faith, and better yet, a sense of humour to go with it!
Well you certainly have an excellent understanding of 'authentic' catholicism. Kudos! :-)
Whatever is holding you back from practicing your Catholic faith, you have come to the right forum. Many of us have strayed over the years, only to rediscover our faith and have it strengthened by the catholics at FR.
It was here that I learned about the Eastern Catholic Churches. After years of battling liturgical abuse at my former RC parish, I set off to find a new parish and included two Eastern Catholic Churches on the list. Two years ago I stepped into a Maronite Catholic Church (in full communion with the Holy Father and Magisterium) and knew I was home.
As we begin Lent this week, you may want to join the two Catholic Ping lists maintained by myself and freeper, Salvation. Just freepmail us if you would like to be added to our lists. I can assure you, you will learn much about the Catholic Church that you never knew, meet some truly awesome catholics and perhaps make some new friends.
Pax et Bonum
Hope you will accept this invitation to join the Catholic ping lists maintained by myself and freeper, Salvation. Rest assured you will learn much about your Catholic faith and meet some great folks. Just freepmail us if you would like to be added to the lists.
Pax et Bonum
So9
OK, enlighten me. Why wouldn't this group be considered another "protestant" group?
Their praying that in the end will be The Last Non-Judgement where all the sheep and goats can get together.
Thats a good question. They feel drawn to the truth, yet reject it still. Amazing.
Should read "relative conscience".
We've been firsthand witnesses to these types of imposters right here on FR.
BTTT!
Yes, Bishop VASA!
Welcome to Free Republic. You might be interested in hearing the mp3 audio of Father Franz Schmidberger's recent speech in Kansas City, last month, regarding the relationship between the SSPX and the Vatican:
http://box26.bluehost.com/~labtwoni/mp3/20060127.mp3
Dear Dennis Paul Morony,
The fellow who stylizes himself "Pope Pius XIII" is not part of the SSPX.
Although I've heard that some folks in the SSPX are sedevacantist, the Society is officially not sedevacantist, and currently recognize no other pontiff other than Pope Benedict XVI.
sitetest
Well, they aren't Catholics, but I guess they like to call themselves Catholics.
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