Posted on 04/09/2010 6:48:50 AM PDT by raptor22
So much that you need to know about the Catholic Church’s social policy problems can be summed up in one word: Chicago. On race, abortion, guns, immigration and “community organizing,” Catholic Church officials in the Windy City have forged unholy alliances with radical left-wingers and enablers who undermine the faith—and the faithful.
Exhibit A: the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office for Racial Justice and one of its most notorious priests, the Rev. Michael Pfleger. This week, Chicago Cardinal Francis George—who also happens to be president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops—presided over a gala ceremony honoring Pfleger with a “lifetime achievement award” for his “service in pursuit of dismantling racism, injustice and inequalities on behalf of African Americans and all people of color.”
(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...
In America, the Catholics are the back bone of the Democrat Party, that is naturally a problem for some conservatives.
If we don’t figure out a way around the Catholic vote, then America will fail and we will become just another Catholic, European style country.
The Bible states clearly that the Devil entered into Judas, an Apostle, one of the very seeds of the Church. Why are people surprised that the Devil works through men in holy places to try and destroy those holy places? If the Devil could encourage one of the Apostles to crucify the Savior, what's with all the dismay that he entices bishops to crucify him with their own terrible actions?
I'm equally frustrated with the inaction. But, if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing at your local parish level to strengthen the Church? Becoming a catechist? A deacon? An RCIA coordinator to help those entering the Church learn the faith? These macro-personalities - the bishops, the priest like Pfleger, people working at the Vatican, they can disappoint and fail you and me with their personal decisions every day, but the Truth they guard is what we, the Church militant, must bring to the people closest to us and within our own communities. If a math teacher tells me that Che Guevara is his hero, that doesn't mean he no longer has the authority to teach me that 1+1=2.
Focus on the Truth. Be the eyes, ears, and lips of the Lord and share that Truth. God promised to guard the Church from destruction, because the Truth cannot ever be destroyed. The Truth IS, just as God IS. And that Truth is revealed in its fullness in the Catholic Church.
If we're to save souls for Christ, who "thirsts", it begins by evangelizing to the people around us, not wringing our hands incessantly over the failings of our shepherds. We have that Truth. The split comes when Satan goads us into such disillusion, we stop sharing that Truth with others to try and put out a fire that God has already promised will not consume us.
What do you mean, "will become"? We shot right past "Catholic, European style" and landed on "Secular Atheist State".
Love Michelle and understand her frustration but disagree with the broad brush. Some in the trenches are still fighting the good fight.
As for the Inquisition, this has been debunked over and over. Firstly, the target of the Inquisition was a very powerful, growing sect of Albigensians that taught that Christ had both the Father and the Devil in him. That God was both Good and Evil. ‘nuff said. They were demonically directed and the spiritual well-being of the Spanish flock was in grave danger. Secondly, the so-called mass executions were wildly, if not laughably overstated. And the executions were not carried out by the Church, but the state. Compared to the ridiculous assertions that have grown over time, the actual number of executions was a mere handful.
Wise words.
For over 40 years, the ”smoke of Satan” has afflicted the Church greatly from within. Dissent, and the erosive winds of infidelity and disobedience exist. Now the bad fruit of those years is being confronted. Homosexuals are denied entry into seminary. Pelosi or Biden are publicly corrected by Bishops if they misstate Catholic doctrine. Their Bishops privately scold them. The USCCB condemns 0bamacare and encourages the faithful to call their representatives. ‘fr’ pfleger is an extreme, not a majority. IMO, a majority of ignorant catholics (in name only) who voted for 0bama have had their eyes opened. Notre Dame was condemned by Bishop D’Arcy for inviting 0bama.
Catholics have been asleep but are now being awakened. IMO, the pendulum is swinging back. Conservative Bishops are in the majority now. Yes, there are still liberal Bishops and administrative staff. Yes, the behavior of Cardinal George is very troubling. The Cardinals and Bishops are supposed to be the shepherds. They are responsible for the flock and this type of pfleger tolerance sows confusion. Perhaps this public event with ‘fr’ pfleger will lead to his being made an example of by Rome. We are called to “Hope” aren’t we?
Well said!
Actually I misstated the Albigensian heresy. It’s also known as “Catharism”, which believed that Creation was inherently evil (which, by argument, leads back to God having the capability of committing evil since He’s the Creator). Basically, heresy of dualism. They saw “two gods in one”.
Read more here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharism
For a good primer on the Crusades, I recommend (no kidding) “Catholicism for Dummies”. It takes a very complex series of events and boils it down to the key points.
I would also like to point out that when I say a “handful”, I mean a handful relative to what’s been asserted. A study commissioned by the Vatican, employing dozens of historians, found that only 1% of 120,000 people tried in the Spanish Inquisition were executed. Which is not to say that it was “right”, but the Church (JP II) has apologized for any wrongdoing of the Inquisitors.
The problem today is that there’s such a simplistic idea of what the Crusades were and what the Inquisition was. No one woke up at the Vatican and said, “hey, let’s burn some people at the stake, you know, just for the heck of it.”
“Jesus answered He it is to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.”
(John 13:26)
Then Jesus dismisses Judas before forming a covenant with the disciples.
“And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest do quickly.”
(John 13:27)
Judas was no prodigal. In that illustration the son squanders his inheritance and repents, returning to his father asking forgiveness.
Judas feels remorse but who does he go to? He tries to give back the money to the chief priests, that failing he hangs himself. (Matt. 27:3-5)
“If Judas repented and did not hang himself, He would have been forgiven in the Upper Room and given a great reward”
Since he didn't and since Jesus said,
“The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed it had been good for that man if he had not been born”. (Matt.26:24)
it's not at all clear Judas would be forgiven.
I find it is “incomprehensible” ONLY to Roman Catholics who have had their head in the sand over just how leftward Roman Catholic leaders and intellectuals have become.
“However, to leap to equating this clearly dissenting behavior with the entire “Catholic Church” and justifying it as a reason to “leave” the Church strikes me as suggesting that all of the Apostles and early Christians should have just quit and left based on Judas betraying Christ.”
There's a big difference in the situation that makes your analogy fail; in my opinion. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops together with people like Rev Pfleger, unlike Judas in his day, represent a majority, not a minority viewpoint in the Roman Catholic Church, among it's leaders and among it's intellectuals.
The only conservatives left among Roman Catholics are among the parishoners themselves.
.
What was wrong with the Crusades?
As a non-Catholic perhaps I shouldn't say anything. But as an ex-Catholic I know exactly how you feel. All I can say is that I am gratified that I am no longer complicit in what is going on.
It's a very sorry situation where someone with such a love of the Church and very natural expectations is accused of bigotry and bashing just for stating the obvious. Thank you for saying what no non-Catholic can say.
Be strong.
You and I are together in thoughts. I also call for the Church to ACT and speak in a loud unmistakable voice. I’m tired of the” Can’t we all just get along” attitude. We can’t get along with error in the Church. There isn’t room to accept rebellion anymore.
I get the truth, and have gotten the truth. What I am speaking of is the fate of the Church. I have no doubts on my faith. I just regret the inaction of the Church that, IMHO, will come to a head and eventually cause a split. I've been told, No way, never happen, but I can envision trouble on the horizon and wish to see the conservative Church in control. My statement that seem to get the biggest reaction seems to be that the libs run the Church NOW!!! That means we have already lost to the usurpers. A majority of Catholics voted for Obama. What does that mean? They voted for a man that wanted to kill babies OUTSIDE the womb!!!! How can any believer vote Democrat anyway? Abortion is in their platform, as is gay marriage, removing God from America, ect. BTW, I have also been told that I'm to accept these pew sitters are my brothers. If an abortion believer is my brother, I'm in the wrong Church. I have been taught that evil DOES exist in the world and I won't bow to it in my Church. I will resist and there will be trouble.
Catholics are marching for abortion?
Is your TV broken?
Who helped found the Gay/Lesbian Task Force? A Roman Catholic priest. Did he suffer for his advocacy? No.
Paul Shanley openly advocated pedophilia, and was termed “a priest in good standing” even after molesting young boys.
Pfleger? Why would a cardinal chastise him?
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