How many winds of doctrine have we known in recent decades, how many ideological currents, how many ways of thinking. The small boat of the thought of many Christians has often been tossed about by these waves - flung from one extreme to another: from Marxism to liberalism, even to libertinism; from collectivism to radical individualism; from atheism to a vague religious mysticism; from agnosticism to syncretism and so forth. Every day new sects spring up, and what St Paul says about human deception and the trickery that strives to entice people into error (cf. Eph 4: 14) comes true.Today, having a clear faith based on the Creed of the Church is often labeled as fundamentalism. Whereas relativism, that is, letting oneself be "tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine", seems the only attitude that can cope with modern times. We are building a dictatorship of relativism that does not recognize anything as definitive and whose ultimate goal consists solely of one's own ego and desires.
This homily was delivered on April 18, 2005. Since then, the evidence of his preaching has manifested itself in all too personal a reality for many of us. We raised our children in the Church, ensured they were properly educated and received all of the sacraments yet many of them have slipped away.
Secularism can be a strangle hold to impede the development of one's growth in faith.
I don’t have complaints about the Church.
It all boils down to “Sin begets sin.”
I started as a Catholic and totally missed the message, even after baptism, confession, first communion and confirmation. The real message got lost in all the noise of the religion. I believe that’s why so many are leaving some of the churches - religion takes a lot more time and effort and the message of Christ is what many hearts yearn to hear over all the “extras”. The Bible tells us what the great news and reality of Grace is and tells us how to become saved in Christ - it makes it the personal relationship it is meant to be and does not require priest or others to intercede in order to make the “magic” happen. IMO, that’s one of the reasons so many non-denominational churches are cropping up and thriving - more time and energy in the message and no wasting so much time on the “rules” which are inferred from scripture and other sources, but enumerated and “defined” withing the various religions.