Pope: secularisation is invading all cultures, and even the Church

Asia News Service ^ | March 9, 2008

[NYer]

» 03/08/2008 14:51

VATICAN
Pope: secularisation is invading all cultures, and even the Church
Benedict XVI reveals that an increasing number of people live "making do without God", and he exhorts the Church to carry forward dialogue with cultures, in order to bring back to them the "lofty values of existence".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Secularisation - living without God - is invading every aspect of human life, and for some time has stricken the Church itself.  It is a tendency fostered by the consumerist mentality, with its tendency to superficiality and egocentrism.  This is the cry of alarm raised today by Benedict XVI at a meeting with the Pontifical Council for Culture, which the pope asked to "react" to this situation, and, through dialogue with contemporary cultures, to bring back to them "the lofty values of existence".

The pope first of all emphasised the Church's desire to initiate "dialogue with the cultural movements of our time", in which it has great interest.  "Today more than ever, in fact, the reciprocal openness among cultures is a privileged terrain for dialogue among men and women committed to the search for an authentic humanism, beyond the differences that separate them".

Referring to the theme chosen for the current assembly of the dicastery, "The Church and the challenge of secularisation",  the pope then asserted that "the secularisation that is present in cultures as an arrangement of the world and of humanity without reference to Transcendence is today invading every aspect of daily life, and is developing a mentality in which God is effectively absent, in whole or in part, from human existence and understanding.  This secularisation is not only an external threat for believers, but has for some time shown itself within the bosom of the Church itself.  It deeply undermines the Christian faith from within, and in consequence, undermines the lifestyle and daily behaviour of believers.  They live in the world and are often affected, if not determined, by the culture of the image that imposes contradictory models and impulses in the practical denial of God: there is no longer any need for God, for thinking of Him and returning to Him.  And furthermore, the predominant hedonistic and consumerist mentality fosters, among both faithful and pastors, a tendency toward superficiality and egocentrism that damages ecclesial life".

"The 'death of God' announced in past decades by many intellectuals gives way to a sterile worship of the individual.  In this cultural context, there is the risk of falling into spiritual atrophy and into an emptiness of heart, sometimes characterised by surrogate forms of religious membership and vague spiritualism. It is clearly more urgent than ever to react to this trend through a recalling of the lofty values of existence, which give meaning to life and can calm the disquiet of the human heart in its search for happiness: the dignity of the human person and his freedom, the equality among all men, the meaning of life and death, and of that which awaits us after the conclusion of earthly existence".

The encounter with cultures and science, he concluded, "is greatly anticipated by the Church, but also by the scientific community, and I encourage you to pursue it".

[NYer]

Ping!

[wintertime]

Pope: secularisation is invading all cultures, and even the Church
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The Pope is speaking truth!

[ROCKLOBSTER]

The Pope is speaking truth!

That means the Pope better get busy.

Among other things, he needs to seriously start excommunicating "Catholic" politicians who steal the Catholic vote by crapping all over the Church's positions on abortion and "gay" issues in Congress and as well as state legislatures.

[MSSC6644]

I wonder if Benedict places any responsibility at the feet of those who have, in so many ways, removed true worship of God from the parishes in the US. I fail to find many churches where the First Commandment given us by Christ is ever even mentioned.

As a Catholic, I pray the Holy Father works faster to bring his flock back to our true Father.

[Dionysius]

The polticians you mentioned have excommunicated themselves by their secular-based “pick and choose” brand of Catholicism which is no Catholicism at all. I would add to the list those whom engage in bizarre, narcissistic rituals of their own creation which fly in the face of Canon Law such as ordinations of women “priests”, co-celebrated, hippie-esqe services with ministers of other faiths, and, of course, gay marriages.

[the invisib1e hand]

by the culture of the image

in which there is the tyranny of the image.

The encounter with cultures and science, he concluded, "is greatly anticipated by the Church, but also by the scientific community, and I encourage you to pursue it".

This sounds like a call.

[the invisib1e hand]

That means the Pope better get busy.

I rather think it means we all "better get busy."

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Well, the very many I know about keep getting re-elected and continue to steal the Catholic vote.

The Pope should direct the Bishops to declare them satanists, or at the very least, murderers. They should run real Catholics against them in the primaries.

[G Larry]

He is following the practice of Pope JPII and methodically replacing Bishops in the U.S. with Priests loyal to the faith.

As much as we would like to see wholesale, fire & brimstone condemnation from Rome, that is not the most effective means to correct the situation.

[MSSC6644]

Some effort is being made, I understand. However, I live in the KC-St. Joe diocese. Bishop Finn has tried to reign in the truly bad eggs, but the diocese is hurting for priests, so some of the worst are not only still in place, they have begun to feel emboldened. I keep hearing, “poor bishop Finn” from those of us who want change. I’m afraid he’s in a real pickle. So, we keep praying. Meanwhile, is there any backup, followup from the Vatican? I can’t see it if there is.

[pbear8]

I fail to find many churches where the First Commandment given us by Christ is ever even mentioned.

Or any of the other nine for that matter.

[Dionysius]

What I find most disturbing is that many parishes are drastically down playing devotion to the Blessed Mother. It is as if they are somehow ashamed of her or wish to placate the protestants in the furtherance of ecumenicism.

[pbear8]

I, too, have seen the same thing in our parish and several others.

So sad and so destructive to the mission of the Church. Why would you not want to point to the Blessed Mother as the first follower of Jesus and as an excellent example of devotion?

On the good side I get to go to Latin Mass today so I'm sure that the Mother of Our Lord will be mentioned and honored there.

[Salvation]

**The Pope is speaking truth!**

He is very much a straight liner and a great teacher!

[Salvation]

**That means the Pope better get busy.**

He has already been busy in the U. S, replacing bishops that have strayed or are retiring.

[Salvation]

That’s too bad. Evidently you have not been in a Catholic Church.

[Salvation]

Not so in our parish.

Hav eyou asked your priest about First Saturdays?

About the traveling Our Lady of Fatima?

About hosting a Rosary Bowl?

Special celebration for Our Lady of Guadalupe?

All of these are happening in my parish/Archdiocese.

[steve86]

The Extraordinary Rite (i.e. Latin Mass), or eastern rites in the case of some with that heritage, is the proper place to take refuge from the perils of secularization and modernization.

[steve86]

Hooray for your parish!

My impression of the Novus Ordo in my parish, from standing a safe distance away in the vestibule, is that it is a basically protestant service. A few parishioners do get together to say Rosaries, but they are probably considered to be the nut wing by most.