Posted on 09/08/2018 9:06:50 AM PDT by Salvation
Scripture shares how Jesus ministry was among sinners; the same is true today in the Church
Question: I have a friend who says she is leaving the Catholic Church because of the new sexual abuse scandals. What can I say to convince her to stay? — Name withheld
Answer: Begin with empathizing with her anger and grief at the latest revelations of clerical misbehavior. It is the worst sort of betrayal when a priest or bishop sexually harass and abuse their own people. The faithful are right to be especially angry and hurt since they entrust to the clergy’s care the thing they most need to be saved: their faith.
Having acknowledged this, nothing would please the Evil One more than to see a Catholic walk away from the sacraments and thereby be deprived of these graces. This is especially true if the devil can sever your friend from the Sacrament of Holy Communion, which is Jesus himself.
There is an old saying: “Don’t leave Jesus because of Judas.” In his earthly ministry, Jesus was among sinners, and many of the puritanical Pharisees took scandal. Indeed, Jesus was often found in strange company.
The same is true today; Jesus is found among sinners. One image for the Church in the Scriptures is Christ crucified between two thieves. To find Jesus, we must often look past many sinners and unpleasant realities.
Jesus said, “And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me” (Mt 11:6). So encourage your friend not to block her blessings on account of the scandals that Jesus said would inevitably arise (see Luke 17:1). Remind her that Satan will be delighted if she leaves and that she will become one more victim of these horrible abuses.
There are scripture scholars in the RCC. Scott Hahn and Taylor Marshall come to mind. Msgr. Charles Pope is another as well as a priest.
Also there are Catholic Biblical Schools as well.
Your post is simply an assertion and nothing more.
If you believe it is true, perhaps you do not know what was left out...
And made to mean the opposite of what Christ meant.
None of these three could exegete themselves out of a wet paper bag...
Ironically, based on the course requirements they post online, they cover very little Scripture. I examined the top three Roman seminaries in the US.
My cousin in law, who is a professor at one of these, told me he considers himself a "Catholic Intellectual" - and then added, this is an oxymoron.
There is even a world famous Catholic Biblical School called the Little Rock Catholic Biblical School.
At least you have a first reading, most of the time OT, sometimes NT, for example during the Easter season, Acts. Then there is the Psalm, a second reading, from the NT letters, and then the Gospels. At least scripture is covered.
How wrong you
Move read their stuff. It is lacking in exegetical foundation.
That is why there are books and websites that go more into detail.
Correction: How wrong are you.
Gosh; this is a hard question.
I'd guess that first you'd to have a REASON to stay.
Salvation seems to think there is some kind of magical powers to be found in performing certain rituals.
Perhaps S could convince her.
Yeah; an old saying.
Here's another:
Come out of her and do NOT share in her sins.
Revelation 18:4
And Clinton tried to tell us what IT is; too.
(Or was that IS??)
We Prots are buying up popcorn stock.
But; but...
They’d lose some kind of ‘grace’ thingy!
And ol' St. Pete has NO key to any of the Pearly Gates; no matter WHAT you've been told!
Never said it wasn't. What I am saying is what Rome teaches about this is wrong.
This is not how one comes to faith in Christ.
They can't!
Got WAY too much invested in Apparitional visitations and PROMISES.
Ambrose: constantly pray Open to us, O Mary, the gates of paradise, since thou hast its KEYS.
Anselm: It suffices, O Lady, that thou willest it, and our SALVATION is certain.
Antoninus: souls protected by Mary, and on which she casts her eyes, are NECESSARILY JUSTIFIED AND SAVED.
Athanasius: And, thou, O Lady, wast filled with grace, that thou mightiest be the way of our SALVATION and the means of ascent to the heavenly Kingdom.
Bonaventure: the gates of heaven will open to all who confide in the protection of Mary. Blessed are they who know thee, O Mother of God, for the knowledge of THEE is the high road to everlasting life, and the publication of thy virtues is the way of ETERNAL SALVATION . Give ear, O ye nations; and all you who desire heaven , serve, honor Mary, and certainly you will find ETERNAL LIFE.
She says, "He that shall find Me shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord. "Qui me invenerit, inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a Domino."
Listen," exclaims St. Bonaventure on these words, "listen, all you who desire the kingdom of God: honor the most Blessed Virgin Mary, and you will find life and eternal salvation." "Audite qui ingredi cupitis regnum Dei: Virginem Mariam honorate, et invenietis vitam et salutem perpetuam."-psalt. B.V.ps.48.
Ephem: devotion to the divine Mother is the unlocking of the heavenly Jerusalem.
Fulgetius: by Mary God descended from Heaven into the world, that by HER man might ascend from earth to Heaven.
Guerric: he who serves Mary and for whom she intercedes, is as CERTAIN of heaven as if he were already there and those who DO NOT serve Mary will NOT BE SAVED.
Richard of Laurence: Mary, in fine, is the mistress of heaven; for there she commands as she wills, and ADMITS whom she wills.
The Catholic Church has always and with justice put all her hope and trust in the Mother of God.
(Leo XIII: Encyclical, Supreme Apostolatus, September 1, 1883.) [p. 32, no. 104]
... Yet our manner of praying to the Blessed Virgin has something in common with our worship of God so that the Church even addressed to her the words with which we pray to God: Have mercy on sinners.
"Only She Can Help You"
by Father Nicholas Gruner, S.T.L., S.T.D. (Cand.)
In this letter introducing The Fatima Crusader Issue 38, Father Gruner discusses the growing lies and deception about Russia's errors and the consecration of that nation. He also reminds us that, while it is urgent that we be informed about and fight for Our Lady's cause, we must ask for Her help and intercession.
Mary Leads Her Servants to Heaven
by St. Alphonsus de Liguori
In this article taken from The Glories of Mary, Saint Alphonsus explains that there are countless souls in Heaven who are there now only because Mary, by Her powerful intercession, led them there. If a soul persists in true devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, She will certainly lead that soul to Heaven.
The Rosary
by Father Stefano Manelli, S.T.D.
It is greatly important that Our Lady insisted on the Rosary. When at Fatima She spoke of the salvation of sinners, of the ruin of souls in hell, of wars and peace, and of the future of our age. Our Lady indicated and recommended the Rosary as the prayer that saves, that brings peace, that preserves the faith.
Hail Mary, Full of Grace
by Father Stefano Manelli, S.T.D.
It is truly a treasure to have a strong devotion to Our Lady, for it is She who unites us to Jesus and brings us to Heaven, as this article explains.
Mary, Our Life, Our Sweetness, Our Hope
by St. Alphonsus de Liguori
St. Alphonsus de Liguori explains how Mary is our life, how She is our sweetness, and how She is our hope.
The historical record of the worship of Mary accumulated by St. Alphonsus de Liguori who wrote The Glories of Mary in the year 1745, which has been since translated into English and printed again and again and again with the full affirmation and imprimatur of the official Roman Catholic Church. In this book there is the sum of all the glories of Mary which has been vouchsafe to the Roman Catholic Church and the Church itself calls upon all its constituents to give Mary that honor she is due. She is identified as Mary, our Queen; Mary, our mother; Mary, our life; Mary, our sweetness; Mary, our hope; Mary, our help; Mary, our Mediatress; Mary, our advocate; Mary, our guardian; and Mary, our salvation. It is said that Mary delivers us from hell, Mary delivers us from purgatory, and Mary leads us to heaven. And it should be said that de Liguori, who collected all the Marion dogma and devotion, was himself one of the most celebrated and revered authorities in the Roman Catholic Church. De Liguori was himself a cardinal in life, and a saint in death.
Jesus said "Without Me you can do nothing". In this crisis which looms ahead of us, Our Lady has told us that we need Her help, Her intercession. We must ask for Her help with the Rosary and the Scapular.
At Fatima, Our Lady told us very plainly that "Only I can help you". Today more than ever is this so true.
Pray the Rosary and sacrifice yourself for Our Lady.
I urge you to also make some sacrifices as Our Lady of Fatima asked us. For those who are able, do some fasting. If you can, abstain from meat by eating meat only during one meal a day. Try to do this for two days, even ten days or 30 days. Of course we should abstain totally from meat every Friday.
Jesus and Mary Our Hope
It is so urgent that we reach as many souls as possible before it is too late. Let us be of good cheer and remember the words of Jesus to each of us, "It's never too late to have recourse to Jesus and Mary." That is why it is so important to reach the many millions of souls who do not know this, and who do not know the grave dangers lying in wait for their souls.
No, we must never lose hope. Mary is our hope. She can obtain for us what we cannot by ourselves. Read what St. Alphonsus has to say regarding confidence in Our Lady's intercession in "Mary Leads Her Servants to Heaven". Father Manelli also reminds us of the importance of devotion to Our Lady. (See "Hail Mary, Full of Grace"). Our Blessed Mother tells us to turn to Her in confidence. She tells us repeatedly to ask Her intercession through the frequent fervent praying of the Rosary. (See "The Rosary"). She tells us we must pray the Rosary every day. She wants us to pray it many times a day.
http://fatima.org/crusader/cr38/cr38pg2.asp
"Blessed is he whose interior offers the Blessed Virgin Mary a place of repose." Devotion towards the Blessed Virgin remains in all who are the inheritance of Our Lord; that is to say, in all who will praise Him eternally in Heaven.
O, how many blessed souls are now in Heaven who would never have been there had not Mary, by Her powerful intercession, led them thither. I made that in the heavens there should rise light that never faileth. Cardinal Hugo, in his commentary on the above text of Ecclesiasticus, says in the name of Mary, "I have caused as many saints in Heaven through Her intercession, who would never have been there but through Her ."
...in the words of St. Ambrose, "Open to us, O Mary, the gates of paradise, since Thou hast its keys." "Aperi nobis, O Virgo coelum, cujus claves habes." Nay more, the Church says, that "Thou art its gate."
St. Antoninus tells us "that this divine Mother has already, by Her assistance and prayers, obtained Heaven for us, provided we put no obstacle in the way."23
Hence, says Abbot Guerric, "he who serves Mary, and for whom She intercedes, is as certain of Heaven as if he was already there."24
St. John Damascene also says, "that to serve Mary and be Her courtier is the greatest honor we can possibly possess; for to serve the Queen of Heaven is already to reign there, and live under Her commands is more than to govern."25
On the other hand, he adds, "that those who do not serve Mary will not be saved; for those who are deprived of the help of this great Mother are also deprived of that of Her Son and of the whole court of heaven."26
23. "Coeleste nobis regnum, suo interventu auxiliis, et precibus, impetravit."Paciucch. Sup. Salve Reg. exc. I.
24. "Qui Virgini famulatur, ita securus est de paradiso, ac si esset in paradiso."
25. "Summus honor, servire Mariæ, et de ejus esse familia; etenim ei servire, regnare est; et ejus agi frænis, summa libertas."
26. "Gens quæ non servierit illi, peribit; gentes destitutæ tantæ Matris auxilio, destituuntur auxilio Filii et totius curi coelestis." De Laud. B. M. I. 4.
Cardinal Hugo http://fatima.org/crusader/cr38/cr38pg3.asp
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