The Universal Prayer

Archdiocese of Washington ^ | 03-16-17 | Msgr. Charles Pope

[Salvation]

The Universal Prayer

Msgr. Charles Pope • March 16, 2017 •

To my mind, one of the most remarkable prayers ever written was one attributed to Clement XI, who was pope from 1700-1721. Many have never heard it. The prayer is called “universal” because of its sweeping themes. Upon completing it one might well ask if anything at all was left out!

If you are looking for a prayer to set on your night stand, this is surely a good one. I often pray this when my mind is dull. I admire its beauty and style; it is deeply personal and humble. It is not trite but neither is it stuffy. One of my favorite sections is this one:

Let me love you, my Lord and my God,
And see myself as I really am:
A pilgrim in this world,
A Christian called to respect and love
All whose lives I touch,
Those under my authority,
My friends and my enemies.

As beautiful and helpful as the Universal Prayer is, it is nearly unknown. It is a bit long to reproduce in its entirety, but is available for viewing and download here: The Universal Prayer.

Here is a video in which the prayer is recited. Now off to prayer with you!

[tomsbartoo]

Really?

Respectfully, in the early 1960’s prior to Vatican II’s “ecumenism”, the churches were overflowing with “faithful” Catholics. Since the days of the Council the Church has been brought to her knees and has been bleeding members and priests like no time in history. You would do well to read up on what has really happened to the Church since the Second Vatican Council.

Monsignor Pope has often offered responsible and instructive teachings in his articles, but he is a child of Vatican II like the rest of the modern priests and prelates. His failure to properly distinguish between “Catholics” and “Christians”, therefore, is no surprise. Yes all Catholics are Christians, but importantly not all Christians are Catholic.

It is the weak and confused Catholic who either fails to understand just how very important it is to push back against the suggestion by the Modernists that would lump Catholics and Protestants together as though they are much the same in many respects. To believe that one is guilty of the heresy of “Indifferentism”, a word that is unlikely to have ever been mentioned from a Catholic pulpit in 50 years.

[dsc]

I don’t think Salvation needs any instruction on that.

[ealgeone]

There once was a day (long before Vatican II and the scourge of heretical ecumenism) when the holy sisters who taught many of us our religion, would have read that “universal” prayer and told us not to dare say it because it was a “Protestant” prayer. A Catholic prayer, they would have insisted, would would have used the word “Catholic” instead of Christian.

That is very telling about the mind set of the roman catholic.

To be a follower of Christ is to be called a Christian.

...and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Acts 11:26 NASB

[ealgeone]

Sorry...the Roman Catholic church with it’s idols of Mary and repeated sacrifices of Christ would not be recognizable to first century Christians.

[tomsbartoo]

Yes, it is and should be very telling for the Roman Catholic that follows the true teachings of the Catholic Church. After the Protestants rejected Catholicism, they began (and still are) splitting into many factions––all of whom refer to themselves as Christians.

Some of these sects embrace religious views so far removed from reality that even some Protestant factions condemn their beliefs as bizarre. Yet, each and all happily refer to each other as Christians. Faithful Catholics refer to themselves as Catholics. Modern Catholics not so much.

[ealgeone]

I see in your tagline you’re relying upon a deceased fallible man to watch over you. To appeal to a created being in such a manner is an insult to God and very revealing about the roman catholic.

[tomsbartoo]

You prods are still trying to figure it out. I’m sure that one day you’ll see the truth––hopefully it will be in this life.

[MosesKnows]

How Old Is Your Church?

The Church I attend is a Christian non-denominational church and began about 30 years ago.

However, I was speaking of the beginning of Christianity as manifested by the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, the first Christian Church.

The time line begins with the Pentecost. For the first thousand years or so, the one Christian Church consisted of the five patriarchal centers, Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, Alexandria, and Constantinople.

After the end of the Roman persecution of Christians and during the time of the Russian conversion The Great Schism occurred in A.D. 1054.

The Great Schism created The Roman Catholic Church whilst the Christian Church continued unchanged as the Orthodox Church.

Later, after the Protestant Reformation, the Church of England begins to pull away from The Roman Catholic Church whilst the Orthodox Church continued.

To this day, the worldwide Orthodox Church maintains the fullness of the Apostolic Faith.

These are facts but there are many more facts available for those with a keen interest in learning.

[MosesKnows]

So you wish to set these two churches against one another?

What you or I wish is irrelevant; they were set apart nearly a thousand years ago.

The Roman Catholic Church set itself apart from The One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, by creating the Great Schism in A.D. 1054, which created The Roman Catholic Church.

The One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church continues to this day as The Orthodox Church.

[ealgeone]

You prods are still trying to figure it out. I’m sure that one day you’ll see the truth––hopefully it will be in this life.

I have no idea what a "prod" is. More condescension from roman catholicism I guess.

A person who follows Jesus Christ is called a Christian.

I follow Christ. I am a Christian.

[tomsbartoo]

Any person who is not a Catholic and claims to follow Jesus Christ is often referred to as a “prod”. It is intended as a disparaging term––much like you are wont to do by identifying the Roman Catholic religion in lower case. If you failed to comprehend this definition of your religion, it was obviously wasted on you. But now that it has been explained to you, perhaps the next time you’ll know.

[ealgeone]

Wow. The love of Catholicism on display again. /sarc

[ealgeone]

BTW....I don’t claim to follow Christ. I do.

[tomsbartoo]

Thank you for the capitalization of Catholicism. Your Protestantism will enjoy the same respect when mentioned by me.

[ealgeone]

If I were a protestant I’d appreciate that. However, I am a Christian. A follower of Christ. There is a difference.

[ealgeone]

Any person who is not a Catholic and claims to follow Jesus Christ is often referred to as a “prod”.

In the future I prefer you not refer to me as a "prod" as I don't recognize that title of derision.

[tomsbartoo]

Happily, I will be the one to break you the bad news. You are either a Protestant or a Catholic (if you claim to be a Christian). Now you could be a lapsed Catholic, but otherwise, you are following one of those sects that “protested” the true teachings of the Catholic Church during the 16th century. Feel free to deny that if you will, but you are what you are.

But as I had so indicated early, I will gladly refer to you as a Protestant. And moreover, the fact that you are either unwilling or unable to identify a particular sect of Protestantism that you follow is irrelevant as far as I’m concerned. As fas as I’m concerned they’re all the same.

[PeterPrinciple]

Being Catholic and $2 will get you a cup of coffee

Being Protestant and $2 will get you a cup of coffee and a glass of water.

[tomsbartoo]

I can’t say I really understand the point you’re trying to make, but I will confess that whatever it may be, the “glass of water” bit confused me. But just guessing, that if your point is that there is not much difference between the religion of Protestantism and the religion of today’s modern popes and bishops (the post-Vatican II version of Catholicism), I would wholeheartedly agree.

[ealgeone]

Happily, I will be the one to break you the bad news. You are either a Protestant or a Catholic (if you claim to be a Christian).

Well, let's see what the NT has to say about that.

Neither term you employ is in the NT. And by Catholic I mean Roman Catholic.

A close examination of the NT does not show the Roman Catholic church in existence in the early church...the ekklesia...the body of believers.

There is no praying to Mary or other departed saints, there are no idols of Mary, no admonitions to rely upon her for anything, no priesthood that continually resacrifices Christ or calls Him down from Heaven to be resacrificed over and over and over again, etc.

The term Christian is used to identify those who follow Christ.

and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Acts 11:26 NASB

But as I had so indicated early, I will gladly refer to you as a Protestant.

You were upset that I did not capitalize Roman Catholicism. In fairness of respect and in consideration of how Paul addressed those who differed with him I have done so.

In return, I asked you in future conversations to refer to me as a Christian as I follow Christ and not to refer to me as a "prod".

But now I see you're not inclined to reciprocate in what has been thus far a friendly discussion and thus reveal the true intent and purpose of your position.