[Response to 2013 WSJ article] Cultural Catholicism and the End of Life: “You Earned It”

309 words of Wall Street Journal article posted on triablogue Blogspot ^ | Wall Street Journal August 29, 2013 : blog on August 30, 2013 | by PAUL MOSES Wall Street Journal copied by John Bugay

[RnMomof7]

I’ve mentioned that Roman Catholicism is so onerous because it puts its hooks in you at various times in your life – from baptism as a child, to “first confession” and “first holy communion”, then Confirmation as an early teen, then marriage, baptism of your own children, etc. It’s a programmatic cycle.

There is another point at which Rome is prominent, and that is at death. As the “Baby Boom” generation continues to age and die, people will continue to be focused on this phase of life, either as people focused on the end of their own lives, or that of their aging parents.

Paul Moses, a journalism professor at Brooklyn College/CUNY”, has written a piece for the Wall Street Journal this morning entitled “A Liberal Catholic and Staying Put”, which puts this in view.

Beginning the article with some comments from the atheistic “Freedom From Religion Foundation”, which urged discontented, liberal-minded Catholics to “Summon your fortitude, and just go”, he rejects this notion with the following comments:

To me, these invitations reflect a shallow view of the Catholic Church that reduces its complex journey to the points where it intersects with the liberal social agenda. Pope Francis’ pastoral approach has shown a more merciful, less judgmental face of the church—one that always existed but needed to be more prominent in the public arena.

After my father died last year, I realized that my instinctive resistance to these “just go” arguments—from the atheists, the secularists, the orthodox, the heterodox or anyone else—runs deep. It began when I observed how impressively the church was there for me in a moment of need (emphasis added).

This is where the programmatic structure of Roman Catholicism vis–à–vis human life comes into play. And while Moses accuses the “atheists, secularists, orthodox, heterodox, and anyone else” of having a “shallow” view of “the Catholic Church”, here basically is a basically shallow and un-engaged liberal New York professor coming into touch with the ritual shallowness of “the Church” and liking it.

Early on the morning after he died, I went to my father's parish, St. Peter's in lower Manhattan, to find out what to do to bury him. I found one of the priests in the sacristy after the early Mass. The Rev. Alex Joseph took my hands in his, spoke a beautiful prayer, told me of his own father's death years earlier and added, "Our fathers are always with us." I was much moved.

Given Professor Moses’s credentials, both as a professor and as a Roman Catholic, I found myself wondering why he would be first of all surprised, and then “much moved” by such a shallow and basically universalist statement by the priest “our fathers are always with us”. It seems to me that this priest was hedging his bets.

For any of you pastors who have had to attend at funerals of non-believers, you are probably aware of the difficulties of addressing this situation.

In Moses’s case, his father was a life-long Roman Catholic.

We decided to have my father's funeral in the Staten Island parish where he had worshiped for 25 years … Bernard L. Moses, who died at 88, had loved Father Madigan’s homilies, and to hear [Father Madigan] speak at the funeral Mass was to understand why. My father had advanced up the ranks of the New York City Housing Authority to director of management. Citing his concern for tenants, Father Madigan used the traditional Catholic term “corporal work of mercy” to describe what my father did. It explained for me, in those difficult moments, why my father, who was well-schooled in Catholic social teachings, had passed up the opportunity for a more pleasant career in academia, or a more lucrative one managing private housing, to work in housing projects instead.

Again, Moses is surprised by the motivations behind his own father’s career choices – that his father’s position in the liberal government program is reinforced by “Catholic social teachings”. The father’s life was spent first of all on “the sacramental treadmill” on Sundays, then during the week, doing government-sponsored “corporal works of mercy” was enough to get him into heaven, under the liberal Roman Catholic schema.

If we wonder why the United States can so willingly adopt the liberal agenda, this is one great and largely invisible source of power for that engine.

This article reminded me of something quite the opposite, related by J.I. Packer in his “A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life”. Packer said:

Few of us, I think, live daily on the edge of eternity in the conscious way that the Puritans did, and we lose out as a result. For the extraordinary vivacity, even hilarity (yes, hilarity; you will find it in the sources), with which the Puritans lived stemmed directly, I believe, from the unflinching, matter-of-fact realism with which they prepared themselves for death, so as always to be found, as it were, packed up and ready to go (emphasis added). Reckoning with death brought appreciation of each day’s continued life, and the knowledge that God would eventually decide, without consulting them, when their work on earth was done brought energy for the work itself while they were still being given time to get on with it (pg 14).

The Roman Catholic system is an on-going treadmill that in no way takes into account the realities of God’s Biblical Revelation – neither the joys of it, nor the realities – but rather, wraps itself around its own processes and the false salve of “you earned it” to the dying and reassurance that “you can still earn it” to shallow, unthinking liberal Roman Catholics like the professor Paul Moses.

[Dick Vomer]

I realize that by faith in Christ I will please him and hopefully attain heaven. But the sacraments keep me focused on the path. If it helps me, why belittle it? If it a way for me to find my way to the Lord why does it bother anybody?

[Dick Vomer]

thanks for the map.

[bonfire]

You are on a roll today! lol

[ealgeone]

Awesome chart!

[Bellflower]

Catholics practice church sanctioned idolatry. Anyone who knows the God of the Old Testament knows He would not put into practice the worship of bread and wine. The whole Old Testament reflects The God who abhors the worship of any material thing. He certainly would not establish the worship of bread and wine. It is a complete affront to who He is. But it does satisfy the deep drive of the fallen human nature to worship an object that can be seen.

[Resettozero]

You are on a roll today! lol

I sincerely apologize for my being on a roll today. Some days I feel too good for my own good.

[WVKayaker]

You are on a roll today! lol

I am sure lots of these nice RCC cultists would love to see you on a roll! Roasted on a spit!

[Resettozero]

I don’t understand your question.

Sorry for the imprecision of it. Let me rephrase...

How do you know of which spirit that you were born again? How did you know it was the Holy Spirit and none other(s)?

[Resettozero]

I am sure lots of these nice RCC cultists would love to see you on a roll! Roasted on a spit!

Fact is, many of my spiritual forefathers were. Not all were males and not all were adults. If memory serves, folks like these cultists found murder in their hearts took care of my Savior in a more painful way than being burned alive. He told me that if they loved Him, they would love me. If not, well...

It really is going to get deadly and painfully serious in the last days, whenever those may come. Especially the dreadful Day of the Lord.

I've had much teaching pro and con the Rapture. So, I place my trust only in my Lord Jesus Christ and in no man's theories. Still, there's a blessing that always comes from reading (aloud and to someone) the Book of Revelation, isn't there?

[Gamecock]

The Roman Catholic Church?

Isn’t that pejorative? (Or so they like to claim)

[Dick Vomer]

How do you know of which spirit that you were born again? How did you know it was the Holy Spirit and none other(s)?

What others?

[jobim]

calling RnMom a one-noter... Nah. I think it couldn't be an insult such as that

An insult would be calling an overweight person a fatso. It's personally mean. I am not calling her a One Note Samba, just her daily anti-Catholic postings.

a gay song

What do you mean by this? It's a perfectly decent Brazilian song. In what way do you mean that it is "gay"?

[jobim]

it can withstand the criticisms

Sure, Catholicism can stand up to every attack. That's not the point. It's the compulsion to single out Catholicism.

Your joke is tired and needs to nap

Thanks for your concern. We're well-rested here and have exceptional stamina.

[RobbyS]

Nothing like begging the question. Don’t have to prove a thing, just raw, unsubstantiated assertion.

[jobim]

Have you made "friendly" attempts to stop catholics from posting?

You have misunderstood, or misread, what I have said. I am not telling RnMomof7 to stop posting. This friendly club called FR thrives because of bounteous freedom, extended to all (except when Admin steps in). That is the appeal, the freedom, and the sense that we are in the main linked by a common world outlook. I find it unseemly that one club member feels compelled to level daily attacks at a goodly number of club members. From time to time, that I can understand. When attacked, by all means have at it. But to go on the offensive day after day? She's free to do it, but I think it unwise and unseemly.

But we Christians do what we can, what we must, for the greater glory of God (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam), so we are called in a myriad of ways.

[RobbyS]

In other words, just read “Romans,” c12ff.

[Dick Vomer]

Sorry for the delay and not being up to speed. I was reading the rest of the thread and realized that it was to put down Catholics. Peace be with you brother. I hope you find peace with your buddies here.

Sorry for the interruption. you all should continue on with your task. I’m sure it brings you closer to the Lord and that’s what we’re all striving for .

[Gamecock]

Nah.

I've been to lot's of hellholes. First hand observation of third world Roman Catholicism is chilling.

But then some first world Roman Catholicism is just downright ridiculous!

[pbear8]

Well your daily anti-Catholic thread has certainly helped me today as I learned about the tragic death of a dad of 7 who was taking his wife to the hospital to give birth to baby number 8. He was Catholic and wasted his life on an endless treadmill of glorifying God in Word and Sacrament, of being a fine father to his family, of teaching them to love the Lord by example, of helping those in need and all the things that Our Lord bade us to do. I am so heartened to know that you all think that he never knew God and never heard his Word.

[MamaB]

It is still gross. Don’t mind me. Had surgery on both eyes about a month ago and one is really hurting. She fixed my torn eye muscles and I am not seeing double anymore! I think my resident ghost is poking me in my right eye.