Posted on 06/09/2016 3:59:37 PM PDT by ebb tide
The stunning introduction to today’s official Vatican Radio report on Pope Francis’ morning homily reads: “Pope Francis warned on Thursday against an excessive rigidity, saying those within the Church who tell us ‘it’s this or nothing’ are heretics and not Catholics. His remarks came during the morning Mass on Thursday celebrated at the Santa Marta residence.”
The specific section of the homily referred to in the opening is as follows:
This (is the) healthy realism of the Catholic Church: the Church never teaches us ‘or this or that.’ That is not Catholic. The Church says to us: ‘this and that.’ ‘Strive for perfectionism: reconcile with your brother. Do not insult him. Love him. And if there is a problem, at the very least settle your differences so that war doesn’t break out.’ This (is) the healthy realism of Catholicism. It is not Catholic (to say) ‘or this or nothing:’ This is not Catholic, this is heretical.
Jesus always knows how to accompany us, he gives us the ideal, he accompanies us towards the ideal, He frees us from the chains of the laws' rigidity and tells us: ‘But do that up to the point that you are capable.’ And he understands us very well. He is our Lord and this is what he teaches us.
Interpreting what Pope Francis is saying in a precise way has always been difficult. However, there has been a consistent theme in his remarks against what he refers to as ‘rigid’ Catholics who hold steadfastly to the ideals proposed by Christ and to absolutes. “Fundamentalism is a sickness that we find in all religions,” said the Pope in November while flying home from Africa. “Among Catholics there are many, not a few, many, who believe to hold the absolute truth,” he added. “They go ahead by harming others with slander and defamation, and they do great harm… And it must be combated.”
In his most recent Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis criticized the Church for often proposing, “a far too abstract and almost artificial theological ideal of marriage.” He added that conscience can “recognize with sincerity and honesty what for now is the most generous response which can be given to God, and come to see with a certain moral security that it is what God himself is asking amid the concrete complexity of one’s limits, while yet not fully the objective ideal.”
An accusation of rigidity or heresy by Pope Francis against those who would insist on the ideal of Christ’s teaching such as marriage, would fall heavily on Francis’ own predecessor, Pope St. John Paul II, whom Pope Francis himself declared a saint. In the encyclical Veritatis Splendor, John Paul taught: "It would be a very serious error to conclude... that the Church's teaching is essentially only an 'ideal' which must then be adapted, proportioned, graduated to the so-called concrete possibilities of man, according to a 'balancing of the goods in question'.”
The same condemnation of heresy against “this or nothing” Catholics would seem to target the author of God or Nothing, Cardinal Robert Sarah, who Pope Francis appointed to head the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. In God or Nothing, Cardinal Sarah forcefully rejected the notion of watering down the teaching on the indissolubility of marriage with pastoral leniency. “The idea of putting magisterial teaching in a beautiful display case while separating it from pastoral practice, which then could evolve along with circumstances, fashions, and passions, is a sort of heresy, a dangerous schizophrenic pathology,” he wrote.
Cardinal Sarah also issued a warning to prelates who would seek to alter doctrine by altering the practice of the Church regarding marriage. “Men who devise and elaborate strategies to kill God, to destroy the centuries-old doctrine and teaching of the Church, will themselves be swallowed up, carried off by their own earthly victory into the eternal fires of Gehenna,” he said.
Pope Francis says that Christ “tells us: ‘But do that up to the point that you are capable.’” The Bible however, records our Lord’s words differently in the Gospel of Matthew concluding the 5th chapter where He teaches the hard truths about divorce and adultery. “Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect,” said Jesus.
“We need a pope who studies and applies passages in the Holy Bible.”
I would suggest not just passages, but the whole Bible. So you want a protestant preacher to head the RCC? Get the RCC to drop the CCC and you might have a chance other than that you might want to start looking at other options.
Yes, I should have stated that. Busy day at office.
I asked her once what the theological differences were between Protestant denominations.
She didn't know. None of the Protestants here seem to know either. Our respective Bibles DO have very small differences but the Word of God is the same for both Catholics and Protestants. THAT is what we focus on. Nothing much else is worth is, especially this kind of brangling I see here.
However, DO continue to argue whatever you like.
I attend Mass Sunday through Friday and it is the center of my life. What could be more important than spending my mornings like this? We do say the rosary before Mass too. How better to live than to pray and worship our good Lord?
"Prots"??? Lol. I never, ever saw THAT before. "Prots" -- sounds like a sports team.
Also the "traditional" Catholic Mass is merely a LATIN Mass, nothing else. Some people miss that Latin so much. The Mass HAS changed over 2,000 years. It's a study in itself to read about the subtle changes in the liturgy. The Biblical readings haven't changed, of course.
MY missal has the LATIN of the Mass on the left side and the ENGLISH of the Mass on the right side.
I've traveled all over the world and the Mass is exactly the same. When I went to Serbia, Belgrade, I THOUGHT that I might understand some of the Mass but the ONLY words I understood were Jesu Christos.
The Serbian priest spotted me and occasionally looked over at me.
I went to Mass in Cairo, Egypt, one Christmas and the Mass was said in Arabic, French, German ... and the "Our Father" in English. But, it was the SAME Mass and I could therefore follow along EXACTLY as I did here in the USA.
===============================================
What is a Catholic Mass? Mass is the central act of worship in the life of a Catholic. Going to Mass is about spending time with God, but also receiving his graces (inner strength to live the Christian life). The name ‘Mass’ comes the final blessing said by the priest in Latin ‘Ite missa es’ meaning “to send out” as Jesus Christ sent his disciples out to the world to take his teaching to them.
The Mass has four basic parts or ‘rites.’
1. The beginning is called the ‘Introductory Rite.’ At the beginning, the priest processes in, accompanied by altar servers, (usually boys and girls who help the priest by carrying things, giving him things). Often the congregation (all those who are there) sing a hymn.
Once the priest reaches the sanctuary (the part of the Church where the altar table is) he begins Mass by saying the sign of the cross:
'In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.’ This short prayer means that everyone is reminded that they are baptized into the One God in three persons, and so puts themselves into his protection.
Then the congregation are given a few moments to reflect upon the things they have done or not done which hurt other people, and are invited to repent, or say sorry to God. This is because not being sorry for sins (when we have hurt other people or disobeyed God,) can be a barrier to being given the graces God wants to give us.
2. The second part of Mass is called the ‘Liturgy of the Word.’ Liturgy is an ancient word, which came from the ancient Greeks meaning ‘official work,’ so Mass is part of the official prayer of the Church.
In the liturgy of the Word, everyone listens to readings from the Bible; first, a story from the Old Testament which is completed by what Jesus Christ did, e.g. the story of the Israelites being fed on manna in the desert (Exodus chapter 16), is completed when Jesus Christ said ‘I am the bread of life’ (John chapter 6).
Then a psalm is prayed or sung on the same theme. The second reading is usually a letter from St Paul and then everyone stands to listen to a reading from the Gospel, the story of Jesus. This reading will show how the Old Testament is completed by Jesus.
After the readings everyone sits and listens to the homily, or sermon preached by the priest. To complete this part of the Mass, on Sundays, everyone recites the Apostles' Creed, which is the statement of faith in God, and then each parish has its own set of ‘intercessions’ that is, a set of prayers for local issues and people.
3. The third part of the Mass is called the liturgy of the Eucharist. ‘Eucharist’ means to give thanks, so it begins by the ‘offertory’ when we offer ourselves to God. This is symbolized by taking up the bread and wine which will become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and the collection.
During the Eucharistic prayer everyone kneels as to worship Jesus Christ who becomes present under the appearance of bread and wine when the priest says the ‘consecration’.
The change is not ‘done’ by the priest, but by Christ, and whilst visible, nothing appears to have changed, the change is one of substance, of what it is.
Those who are able to receive ‘Holy Communion’ then process up to receive, either in one kind (just the host, the Body) or in two kinds (from the cup as well). Those unable to receive Holy Communion, either because they are not Catholics, or because as Catholics they have disobeyed a serious law of the Church and have not been reconciled to the Church, are invited to come forward and receive a blessing, which can be called a spiritual communion.
4. The final part of Mass, the concluding rite, is quite short – after some time to reflect on the Eucharist (Holy Communion) everyone stands and the priest says a final short prayer, asking God for help to use the graces we have received in Mass to help us in our daily lives.
He then blesses everyone in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, so we all leave knowing we have worshiped the Triune God, and strengthened by him to live our lives in the world.
To the priest’s final words, ‘The Mass is ended. Go in the peace of Christ, to love and serve the Lord/’ the congregation reply ‘Thanks be to God.’
Much has been written on the central mystery of the Eucharist and St. Cyril of Jerusalem writing in the late fourth century said, ‘Do not look upon the bread and wine as something ordinary, for, by the Lord’s own words, they are His Body and Blood.
Even though perception suggests this to you, let faith grant you certainty. Do not judge the matter by taste! Be firmly convinced by faith that you have become worthy of the Body and Blood of Christ’
Source: Mystagogical Catecheses 4, 6
Pax vobiscum!
I don’t imagine I can do anything about this Pope, except to point out that he is the worst Pope in centuries—and in some respects the worst Pope of all time.
The point is not to change or influence the Pope, but to alert as many people as possible to the deception.
Do you complain to the local meteorologist that his attempts to change the weather are futile?
Is it YOU who is jealous? Why on earth would YOU be jealous? I know it's not me.
Pax vobiscum!
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As always!
Pax vobiscum!
Pax vobiscum.
As always.
I asked her once what the theological differences were between Protestant denominations. She didn't know. None of the Protestants here seem to know either. Our respective Bibles DO have very small differences but the Word of God is the same for both Catholics and Protestants.
What kind of argument is that? The ignorance of your isolated friend is hardly a basis for arguing there are no real differences btwn Prot churches. And contrary to your "seem" opinion here, the regulars here can tell you of theological differences were between Protestant denominations, and which is actually regularly used by RCs in attacking Protestantism! Do you think Anglicans and Southern Baptist do not have substantial differences in beliefs and moral positions? But the strongest unity is btwn those who most strongly hold to Scripture as the accurate and supremely authorative wholly inspired word of God (which is not the Anglicans).
I attend Mass Sunday through Friday and it is the center of my life. What could be more important than spending my mornings like this?
Contrary to what we see in the life of the church in Scripture, with no class of believers distinctively named "priests," offering bread and wine as a sacrifice for sins as their primary active function, with this sacrament being the source and summit of the Christian life, around which all revolved.
We do say the rosary before Mass too. How better to live than to pray and worship our good Lord?
Which is also utterly absent in the Scriptures, despite prayer being a basic practice and with the Spirit providing approx. 200 prayers by believers, none of which are addressed to anyone else in Heaven but the Lord.
"Prots"??? Lol. I never, ever saw THAT before. "Prots" -- sounds like a sports team.
Which petty protest testifies to your absence here in years of Cath vs Prot debates. And it saves my arthritic fingers from typing and making more typos.
Well, some of your fervent RC brethren disagree: http://www.traditionalcatholicmass.com/home-m240.html
Also the "traditional" Catholic Mass is merely a LATIN Mass, nothing else.
Which, and all your superfluous text that follows, does not change the fact that some of your fervent RC brethren disagree with you that no Popes before Francis publicly spewed "un-Catholic nonsense," if not to the regular degree you see Francis doing.
Yet as was substantiated in post 60, "the one duty of the multitude is to allow themselves to be led, and, like a docile flock, to follow the Pastors." (VEHEMENTER NOS)
But but Rome has presumed to infallibly declare she is and will be perpetually infallible whenever she speaks in accordance with her infallibly defined (scope and subject-based) formula, which renders her declaration that she is infallible, to be infallible, as well as all else she accordingly declares. How dare you doubt that!
And that's a problem just why? After all Catholics brag on how much Bible reading they have in their mass, now you're criticizing the fact that the Protestant services include Bible reading?
Actually he is misrepresenting Protestant services, unless he calls dead liberal churches or cults Protestant/ In contrast, Protestant evangelical churches are worship services (my former priest when I was a lector and CDD teacher used to tell us, "sing like Protestants"), with many singing for approx 45 minutes - which is about as long as the typical RC mass with its scripted perfunctory praises, prayers and a sermonette, and with the focus being on a piece of bread and sip of wine, contrary to the NT church. And after the evangelical worship there is likely testimonies and then typically about 45 minutes of preaching, and then some fellowship. Plus midweek Bible study, and hopefully outreach. For evangelicals are overall far more committed and conservative than Catholics, yet they are far less committed then they should be, and in contrast to cults.
So much for right and wrong.
2cor11 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
That's in the Word of God FYI.
There is also useless rage/anger. I haven't been angry since I was 14 years old. The WORST I ever get is irritated.
Besides, I LONG, LONG ago knew that I had weakness and that I stumbled. "Indignation," that is, the irritation part is NOT rage for me, but only irritation.
The only time irritation gets to me is with drivers who SEEM to be trying VERY hard to kill themselves--and me, by way of "collateral damage."
As Catholics we are to PRAY for those souls...Matthew 5:43-48. I do give it a good try and it usually works.
Pax vobiscum.
Pax vobiscum.
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