Posted on 04/05/2009 4:11:27 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
Congressional Quarterly has posted a transcript of “Fox News Sunday,” including this exchange between Chris Wallace and Newt Gingrich about the former House speaker’s conversion to Catholicism:
WALLACE: Mr. Gingrich, you have been a Baptist most of your life, and last Sunday you converted to Catholicism. Why, sir?GINGRICH: I’m not talking about this much publicly, but let me just say that I found over the course of the last decade, attending the basilica, meeting with Monsignor Rossi, reading the literature, that there was a peace in my soul and a sense of well being in the Catholic Church, and I found the mass of conversion last Sunday one of the most powerful moments of my life.
WALLACE: You have — it’s no secret — been married and divorced twice. Will you be able to participate fully in communion and all the other rites of the Catholic Church?
GINGRICH: Yes, we have done everything within the law of the church, following all of the rules of the church over the last 10 years. And it’s been a process. It’s been a very long process and something which was deeply affected, in part, by Pope Benedict XVI’s visit and the opportunity I had to sit in — as you know, my wife, Calista, sings at the basilica every Sunday, and I was allowed as a spouse to be there as part of the vespers program when the pope came. It’s been a long process.
WALLACE: And if I might ask, just briefly, what is it about the pope’s visit that led to this?
GINGRICH: I really believe, first of all, seeing the joy in his eyes, listening to his message, and I really believe that his basic statement, Christ our hope, is right. And I think much of what’s wrong with our country and with the western world is a function of looking inside ourselves, not just looking at money or looking at our wallets.
Hi, Miss Marple. People can be redeemed. That’s what faith in Christ is all about, the redemption of mankind. God forgives the most horrendous of crimes if the person is sincerely repentant and turns to Christ. Nothing better can ever happen to a person.
Amen, gumdrop. It’s his business anyway.
You are so right! I have a lot of problems with Newt’s commentary and inconsistencies, but I am happy for him that he seems to have answered the Hound of Heaven.
We don't believe just by saying that you accept Jesus and then NOT do what He told us to do is enough. I guess you do....we don't.
Also, at EVERY Mass, we say the Nicene Creed or at Latin Mass The Apostle Creed......have you EVER read those??? They are AFFIRMING EVERYTHING you think we don’t. You should read those.
See post 90
Som Marysecretary, it demands a human choice? How did you make that choice? So you chose God in faith, apart from God’s Grace, which sounds somewhat like Pelagianism [early 5th century heresy]. Baptism itself is a free gift of God’s Grace that comes from Christ through his body, the Church to the individual which gives the Grace so that faith in Christ, which is rooted in love/charity can grow [c.f. Gal 5:16]
As someone noted earlier, the entire history of Christianity has always seen the passage in John 3:5 as referring to Baptism, which God’s Grace is infused into the human person and the person is now a new creature and thus has communion with God, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Ultimately, Salvation, which comes through Gods Grace is intimate communion with God.
Regards
where does it say that you have to be a member of a particular church to be saved?
So-called is the term I use for the Protestant Catholic bashing crowd like the guy who started me on this tangent if you follow the links backward.
Newt's second "wife" married him while his first wife was still alive. Thus, according to Church law, Newt was not married to "wife" #2 any more than Henry VIII was married to Ann Boleyn.
Newt's first wife was dead when he married Callista. As a widower, he was free to marry. To the best of my knowledge, Callista had not been married and so this third marriage was apparently valid.
You identify yourself as a traditional Catholic. I also identify as a traditional Catholic. What is your basis in Church law or otherwise for saying that Newt should be denied full Communion with the Church???
Second, just what is your problem (or what are your problems) with the (present or immediate past) hierarchy? B-XVI, JP-II?
Third, define, in traditional Catholic terms, what you mean by "annulment scandal."
May God bless you and yours, Dan.
So am I, dear Miss Marple.
No, it isn’t saying you accept Jesus. It says you accept the teachings of your church. It’s not the same. I know there are many Catholics who are truly walking the way Christ wants them to, just as I know there are many who do not. God knows those who are truly His, whether they take the Eucharist or not. It has to do with the heart of the person taking the Eucharist, not the rite itself. Many do it out of habit or because they were brought up in the church. But, as I say, God knows the heart.
I was brought up Episcopalian. Of course I’ve read those. Written words don’t affirm it for everyone. Not everyone who repeats those is sincere or even Christian. It’s your HEART, Ann. God KNOWS the heart of every Catholic, every person who professes Christ. We can’t fool Him. You can repeat words until the cows come home but God knows what’s in that person’s heart.
I did and it doesn’t make a lot of sense.
God draws us unto Himself but we can choose to receive Him or not. He gives us that choice. I believe baptism is necessary after we receive Him into our lives. Baptism doesn’t save us. Our faith (and His Grace) does.
So YOU are telling me what’s in my HEART??? And that I don’t believe Jesus is the Savior! OUT! OUT!! Vipers Brood!! I’ve had HAD it with you.....and all like you that think they KNOW what’s in my heart or our teachings! OUT!
Jesus NEVER says "born again" He uses the specific term "Born from above" The Greek word Palon vs Duetron. This is a common mistake made by people that either don't read the Bible, or don't understand what they do read. Of course you also need an understanding of Graduate level Greek
That sounds terrible!
Good thing the Catholic Church has none of those problems.
Yes!
The Catholic Church!
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