What Are Catholics To Do? (Part II)

Catholic World Report ^ | 4/11/13 | James Kalb

[marshmallow]

In the absence of agreement with the rest of society on human nature and the good life, Catholics must remain a sign of contradiction.

Last month I noted that Catholics need settings in which they can lead a Catholic life among Catholics. For most of us, loving God and living as Christians take schooling and support, which we aren’t going to get from the world at large. That may be one reason the Apostle Paul’s letters focus more on the practical internal life of Christian communities than on evangelism. The ultimate ideal may be the New Jerusalem, in which the distinction between the Church and the World disappears, but we’re not likely to get there any time soon.

Still, those who object to “fortress” or “ghetto” Catholicism have a point. Something of an inward focus may be necessary, because today’s world is so much at odds with the Faith, and we Catholics are not already everything we should be. It should not be exaggerated, however. Christ told his followers to go out and teach all nations, and love of neighbor means engagement with the world both individually and socially.

But how do we engage the world socially when Caesar—and the media—are ever more powerful and anti-Catholic? During the Christian centuries, when social leaders accepted Catholic Christianity as the norm, it was natural for them to recognize the authority of the Church regarding matters on which she has special competence. It was no odder for the king to accept Church authority on faith and morals than it is today for a government to accept the authority of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or defer to the National Academy of Sciences on an engineering question.

Those days are past, and it is less obvious today how the Church can play an.......

[ex-snook]

Hey I’m trying to figure out what is new about the New Evangelization.

[stuartcr]

Do you honestly think there can be an agreement with the rest of society on human nature and the good life? Would you really want everyone to have the same beliefs?

[ansel12]

In the absence of agreement with the rest of society on human nature and the good life, Catholics must remain a sign of contradiction.

Huh? For those of us fighting against the democrat party, it is hard to listen to a democrat voting block complain about how they don't like the effect that the democrats have on America as they vote for them.

[ansel12]

In the absence of agreement with the rest of society on human nature and the good life, Catholics must remain a sign of contradiction.

Huh? For those of us fighting against the democrat party, it is hard to listen to a democrat voting block complain about how they don't like the effect that the democrats have on America as they vote for them.