Posted on 04/18/2002 10:46:10 AM PDT by Rum Tum Tugger
No doubt ... it's in the taking on of responsibilities (particularly for his children) that he is pushed to do his best and increases in maturity, wisdom and self-control but also is endowed with the very real authority and sovereignty commensurate with his taking on of responsibility.
You've always struck me as a good father and a faithful husband. While I'm very happy for you and your loved ones in that regard, I'll admit I'm also grateful you were saved from further inculcation by what passed for Catholic instruction at your seminary and relieved your posts do not carry the authority of "Father Sinkspur, Schillebeeckx fan".
See post #103
Enough said. Wouldn't trust as Gospel anything written on that loathsome excuse for a newspaper.
First, there were serious problems among some in the church when Martin Luther decided to leave it. Few dispute that. However, instead of working within the church to correct the problems, Luther chose to leave the faith and make his own religion, accepting some of the doctrines and disgarding others, removing seven books of the Bible on his say.
Today, many Protestants have rejected the teachings of Luther, and therefore we have over 33,000 separate Protestant Churches with different takes and interpretations on the Bible and what God "meant" when He said something. For example, I bet many Protestants would be shocked to discover that Luther believed in the perpetual virginity of Mary, Holy Mother of God. Today, Protestants think that it's ridiculous that we can expect that Joseph refrained from having sex with his wife. (His wife that everyone agrees gave birth to our Lord, Jesus Christ). Now, if you really believe in the immaculate conception, in the angels coming down to Mary and Joseph, in God's revelation to the shepherds and wise men the night Jesus was born, in miracles, and that Jesus died, rose for the dead and ascended into Heaven (all of which Catholics and other Christians believe with all their heart); what's so difficult about believing that Joseph and Mary didn't have sex?
Now, during our current scandals and the purification that the Church is going through, most of the Catholic faithful believe that we must stand by our Church -- because the Church is not the priests, the Church is the Church established by Christ, who gave us the Sacraments, who gave us Himself in the Holy Eucharist. Mass is about Jesus Christ dying for our sins and rising again from the dead; Mass is about hope and salvation and grace. Mass is not about one charismatic minister preaching ... Mass is, and always has been, centered and directed towards God through His son Jesus Christ.
People who leave the Church, like Luther, leave the body of Christ. They desert Jesus because of the fallen few in His ministry. Jesus Himself said that some of those who call out his name will not see the kingdom of Heaven. When there is wicked in the Church, the faithful need to root it out from within. You don't just leave and start a new religion, changing what you don't like.
This writer makes so many blanket statements as if they were fact ... like no Biblical support for purgatory. He is obviously biased, obviously doesn't not understand the Catholic faith, and I hope that anyone who reads this realizes that.
I think you mean "Virgin Birth" not "Immaculate Conception." You don't find non-Catholics believing in the IC, which is wholly different.
Otherwise, right on.
SD
First, why would Jesus rename Simon Bar-Jonah in the first place? Just because he felt like it? It was obviously something important, because He did it AND it was written in the Gospels. It was an important things.
Second, why would Jesus give Peter the keys to the kingdom of Heaven if he putting Peter in charge?
Mt 16:19-20
I will give you (singular) the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Why would Jesus rename Peter a "little pebble", then give him the keys to the kingdom of Heaven and the power to bind and loose?
Early church fathers -- as early as the second and third centuries -- never doubted Peter's Primacy. In Acts, the Apostles deferred to Peter, and it is obvious from numerous references that Peter was their leader.
There is an unbroken line of succession from St. Peter to Pope John Paul II. Throughout the 2,000 years since Jesus Christ came, died, and rose from the dead, no doctrine has been changed by the Catholic Church. Doctrine remains as it had been since the time of the apostles, again showing how the Holy Spirit is working.
If you would like to read a paper with many Scriptural references on Peter, please go to: The Primacy of Peter or go to Peter the Rock. I won't post them here for length. There are many more things I can show you if you are at all interested.
God bless.
That's powerful antidotal evidence of the problems in some of our diocese.
I was pleased when at our parish, the priests interviewed the children, including my daughter, preparing to receive their First Eucharist. He asked many good questions to make sure that she knew details about the Lord's Supper, what Jesus said, and why he said it. Then he asked if she prayed. She said yes, every day at school and at dinner. He continued, talking about how many minutes there were in the day, and taking five minutes to pray to God wasn't really a lot of time, but she should do it every day.
My daughter asked me if I prayed, and I realized that all my prayers are in church or when I'm alone or, at the dinner table when we say Grace. It was an eye opener for me ... I need to set the example. So we've started praying together at night, just a short prayer now, and as my kids get older we can read more Scripture and pray on it.
I think what bugs me the most about non-Catholics who think that our celibacy rules for priests are archaic or non-scriptural or whatever is, why do they care? Is like when the Democrats talk about how if the Republicans just accepted a "woman's right to choose" they would win more elections. Since when do Republicans take advice from Democrats? Since when do Democrats offer advice so Republicans can win?
Should the Church ever change the 1700 year rules on celibacy, it should be done after long and thoughtful prayer and meditation, study, debate, analysis, and opening our hearts to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I, for one, strongly support celibacy among our priests, and I think that most priests (the ones who keep their vows) agree. Married priests would do nothing to solve the problem: active homosexuality in certain seminaries. Let's fix the problem.
Amen. This is a decision for Catholics to make.
Lost in the dust and din following the II Vatican Council (I hasten to add that I do NOT disagree with its teachings, although a few are vague) is a large theological segment having to do with the nature of ordination (and the Mass.)
The results of the new "spin" put forth by a variety of not-orthodox Catholics (and some who are also internal enemies of the Church) have been questionable, at best.
Thank God that the efficacy of the Mass has not changed.
Regarding Vatican II ... I think most people misunderstand what happened there. I know I don't understand it completely. But I do know they didn't change one iota of doctrine. Nothing changed about what Catholics believe and have believed for 2,000 years. I believe what changed were outward trappings, some good changes some bad changes, but not the faith.
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