Catholics torn by issues: Church, faithful don't agree on many social, moral topics, poll shows

Albany Times-Union ^ | 4/17/05 | ROBERT LOPEZ

[Raquel]

I'll have to look further into it. The stat was given to me by Msgr. Phillip Reilly, executive director of Helpers of God's Precious Infants, who is very well read on these issues, and not one to skew details. I'll ask him for back-up and get back to you. It makes sense to me, knowing that the ultimate gift one can give their spouse is life itself, as further detailed in Pope John Paul's "Theology of the Body". Not only is it the ultimate gift from God, but indeed, necessary for humanity.

[Antoninus]

Actually, there is nothing at all "astray" in the Bishop's statement.

You have no idea of who you're defending. This is a bishop who has single-handedly destroyed a Catholic diocese--and not by accident.

[Raquel]

"The population in Catholic countries over there is shrinking (they don't even reproduce themselves) and that is why the Muslim communities will be taking over... as they are in many parts of Europe."

Yes, this is true, why? Because they're aborting their offspring at a rampant rate. Whereas, the Muslim communities do not believe in abortion. The so-called European Catholics are killing themselves off.

[Antoninus]

Unfortunately by some too young to comprehend what it really entails. It also may be one of the primary reasons there’s a shortage of Priests.

Sure it is. Now read this book and make the same statement:


Goodbye, Good Men

[stop_fascism]

The Episcopaleans need members. Since they took Matthew Fox, they'll take anyone.

[cookcounty]

"The random sample phone survey, conducted as the church's cardinals prepare to select a new pope in the wake of Pope John Paul II's death, polled 622 people, including 284 Catholics, in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady counties. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. "

They polled 284 generic Catholics, and it has a margin of error of 3.9% for measuring the views of faithful Catholics?

Tell me again that Journalism students are "the best and the brightest"! What a loaf.

[stop_fascism]

While we're at it, can't we get rid of all this sin talk. It's so medieval, and it's damaging to one's self esteem.

[NYer]

Not sure what we can do about it, though, any suggestions?

The Catholic Church is both Western and Eastern. As most of us realize, the Church began in the East. Our Lord lived and died and resurrected in the Holy Land. The Church spread from Jerusalem throughout the known world. As the Church spread, it encountered different cultures and adapted, retaining from each culture what was consistent with the Gospel. In the city of Alexandria, the Church became very Egyptian; in Antioch it remained very Jewish; in Rome it took on an Italian appearance and in the Constantinople it took on the trappings of the Roman imperial court. All the churches which developed this way were Eastern, except Rome. Most Catholics in the United States have their roots in Western Europe where the Roman rite predominated. It has been said that the Eastern Catholic Churches are "the best kept secret in the Catholic Church."

The Vatican II Council declared that "all should realize it is of supreme importance to understand, venerate, preserve, and foster the exceedingly rich liturgical and spiritual heritage of the Eastern churches, in order faithfully to preserve the fullness of Christian tradition" (Unitatis Redintegrato, 15). Pope John Paul II said that "the Catholic Church is both Eastern and Western."

Check your local community at the following link and look into attending an Eastern Catholic Liturgy (not to be confused with the Orthodox Church).

Eastern Catholic Churches in the U.S.

The Eastern Catholic Rites retain the rich heritage of our church, without the "novelties" introduced into the Novus Ordo liturgy. Incense is used throughout.

I attend a Maronite Catholic Church. The Consecration is in Aramaic, using the words and language of our Lord at the Last Supper. Communion is ONLY distributed by the priest. It is by intinction (the priest dips the consecrated host into the Precious Blood) and is ONLY received on the tongue. The priest administers communion with the words: "Receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the remission of sin and eternal salvation".

A Roman Catholic may attend the Divine Liturgy at any Eastern Catholic Church. You can learn more about the 22 different liturgies at this link:

CATHOLIC RITES AND CHURCHES

[maryz]

but, why would one stay a Catholic if one wants to live their life exactly the opposite of what the doctrine of Catholicism teaches?

You might ask someone who knows -- e.g., John Kerry, Ted Kennedy and Joe Biden (who claims to be a "practicing" Catholic -- he'd better practice harder, 'cause he's not getting there!); I sure don't have a clue!

[R. Scott]

Gay sex doesn’t count in celibacy for some – only sex with women counts. < /sarcasm?>
I hope the next hierarchy can address this problem.

[R. Scott]

I don't think I'd want a parish priest who was a priest just because his dad was a priest and they didn't want the family inheritance to be lost.

During the first millennium it was all important to people.

[HapaxLegamenon]

...and a Church without a hell isn't worth a damn.

[R. Scott]

Once again, you are incorrect. You lack even a rudimentary comprehension of the history of the discipline.

Then why was it being addressed so much later? It was apparently a fairly common occurrence throughout the 1st Millennium. Married men were ordained as priests, and priests were getting married.

[R. Scott]

Things sure have changed in the last few years. I was used to every little church having one full time pastor, larger ones having several.

[R. Scott]

Take note. I posted “one of the primary reasons”, not THE reason.

[lainde]

bttt

[R. Scott]

Take note. I posted “one of the primary reasons”, not THE reason.

[leprechaun9]

But she also believes in a woman's reproductive rights. She thinks gays should be able to marry. And she has no problem with using contraception.

This shows one of the distictions between a person who attends a Catholic Church and one who believes and lives the Catholic Faith!

[Proud_texan]

Sigh, if the management dislikes the organization it's not hard to see why the employees do, too.

In ECUSA I often wonder about guys like Spong. Does he actually go to Church? If he does and he recites the Nicene Creed is he thinking bravo sierra the whole time, does he refuse to say it or what?

But then when it comes to thinking that I know more than God I'm probably right up there and man, does he sure spend a lot of time taking me to the woodshed; you'd think I'd learn!

[I_dmc]

I don't get this. How can one justify choosing which tenets of one's chosen faith to believe, when some are foundational?