Benedict’s Coming Revolution Over State-Funded Catholic Charity

Pope Gregory XIV once said that “a lifetime is not enough” to see all of Rome. Similarly, the contributions of Pope Benedict XVI will last far beyond our lifetimes—yet their most lasting impact might be barely visible today. Take his “Regensburg Lecture,” delivered in 2006. The media huffed that the address offended Muslims, and wrote off the rest. It should not be surprising that their postmodern mentality chose to ignore the lecture’s fundamental theme: that rationality is required of all men—not just of Muslims but also of those who are deconstructing the dessicated remains of Western Civilization from within. In Benedict’s long view, whatever becomes of the West, Islam and Christianity are going to be around for a long time, and the only possible conversation between them will have to be a rational one. When that time comes—perhaps in the far future—both Islam and what Pope Benedict has called the Dictatorship of Relativism that dominates the West will have to confront that challenge with equal intellectual vigor—and honesty.

Solzhenitsyn once observed that “falsehood always brings violence in its wake.” Catholics recognize the pope as the Vicar of Christ on Earth, and Christ as the Prince of Peace, as well as “the way, the truth, and the life.” For Catholics, truth and peace are intimately connected; hence, in a world where falsehood thrives, so too does violence. And it’s not just Marxists who believe in endless war as the engine of progress: Benedict recognized that advocates of violence come in all colors and time zones, and he never bought into the slogans of Orwell’s Ministry of Truth—especially “War is Peace.” He knew the difference.

We Catholics also owe Pope Benedict a debt of gratitude for rescuing the Sacred Liturgy, and restoring the Latin Mass that prevailed throughout the Roman Rite for.....

In the next twenty years, we will witness one of the biggest shifts in Church’s educational and charitable activities. When Intima Ecclesiae Natura, is fully implemented, the Church will have to sever its ties with an increasingly hostile, even hedonistic, secular government, and cease accepting government funding for its charities, its educational institutions, and its hospitals. The results will be revolutionary—and liberating.

Very interesting! I didn't know about this (a law promulgated by BXVI in 2012) and I think it's very important. Apparently the bishops of Illinois and Oklahoma have already ceased accepting government funding for Church charities, and the goal is for all of the bishops worldwide to do so (also, not to accept money from entities hostile to the teachings of the Church).

In addition to setting the charities free, it will also mean a revival of religious orders, I suspect, because once again sisters and orders of priests and brothers will be needed to do the work that is no longer being paid for by the government - and also to do genuine Catholic work, not simply function as social workers for the Government.

This also covers schools and colleges, btw.

In Benedict’s long view, whatever becomes of the West, Islam and Christianity are going to be around for a long time, and the only possible conversation between them will have to be a rational one.

"Do you think that, because you're more enlightened than the rest of your species, we hate you any less?"
-- Finale, Battlestar Galactica "Blood and Chrome"

The same conundrum faces Catholic Charities, USA, and Catholic Relief Services, both of which receive a majority of their funding—billions of dollars a year—as federal contractors, often operating alongside, or even cooperating intimately with, organizations whose principles “are not in conformity with the Church’s teaching.

The reason Catholic adoption agencies are closing. The fed gov didn't tell them, they must adopt to homosexual "couples" Gov told them to adopt to homosexual "couples" or lose federal funding.

Various state's Baptist Children's Homes are doing just fine and they do not adopt to homosexuals. That policy is possible because they have never accepted a dime in gov (tax payers) money. They spend their own money to serve children and families, money freely donated by churches and individuals.

Great article!! We have had to forego Catholic education for our children—the local Catholic schools post HUGE banners announcing, “This is a United States Department of Education Blue Ribbon School!” with the Seal of the United States, eagle and all, and no one seems to understand what the problem is......

Catholic leaders and their democrat party supporters were demanding socialized medicine in the US. First trick out of Obama’s bag was to order the Catholic church to fund birth control and abortion pills. The Catholic supporters of Obamacare are fine with that mockery.

As the evil progresses, they will cut off all funding to Christian charities, schools, hospitals, etc. - with or without the Pope’s consent. Jesus pointed out that charity and service in His name and among His people, is not to be confused with the money and activity among Ceasar’s perverts.

The reason Catholic adoption agencies are closing. The fed gov didn't tell them, they must adopt to homosexual "couples" Gov told them to adopt to homosexual "couples" or lose federal funding.

Not true. The states of Massachusetts and Illinois both told the Church that their agencies must include adoptions by homosexual couples. They were told that this was required by state anti-discrimination laws, not by their acceptance of government money.

Not true. You have misstated the facts. Private adoption agencies in the states you mentioned plus Washington D.C. and Washington state were informed that they were not in compliance of the law concerning agencies that were subsidized by the states, to either comply or lose government funding.

Every state that has a state Baptist Children's Home, is still very much in the adoption business and not a single one has ever accepted any type of government funding, state or federal and not a single one will adopt to homosexual "couples", they won't even adopt to single straights or non Christian married couples and their own investigators decide on who's Christian.

They adopt to main line Christians, Catholic and Protestant alike. No atheists or cultists need apply.

Not all Catholic adoption agencies have folded, some which have closed are making a come back on their own with their own money, I pray for their success.

My own support goes to the local Catholic Social Services and my state's Baptist Children's Home. My local Catholic Social Services hasn't been involved directly in adoptions that I know of but support unmarried pregnant teens with medical help and sometimes more direct monetary support, counseling them to carry the baby to term and helping them after the baby is born.

I would hope the Church would welcome the opportunity to return to its true charitable nature — providing health and education services without relying on government funds. But that purity is probably impossible for the Church in America. When the Church began accepting federal funds, it had to expect that it would then have to use those funds for government ends. It hasn’t always been this way—those programs began in 1965!!

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