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Pope: Half-hearted Catholics aren't really Catholics at all
cns ^ | June 5, 2014 | Cindy Wooden

Posted on 06/06/2014 11:46:00 AM PDT by NYer

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Those who insist others pray and believe exactly like they do, those who have alternatives to every church teaching and benefactors who use the church as a cover for business connections may call themselves Catholics, but they have one foot out the door, Pope Francis said.

"Many people say they belong to the church," but in reality have "only one foot inside," the pope said June 5 at the morning Mass in the chapel of his residence.


(CNS/Paul Haring)

"For these people, the church is not home," but is a place they use as a rental property, he said, according to Vatican Radio.

Pope Francis reflected on the day's Gospel reading, John 17:20-26, and Jesus' prayer that there would be unity, not divisions and conflict, among his disciples. There are three groups of people who call themselves Catholic, but are not really, the pope said. Apologizing for making up words, he labeled the three groups: "uniformists," "alternativists" and "businessists."

The first group, he said, believe that everyone in the church should be just like them. "They are rigid! They do not have that freedom the Holy Spirit gives," and they confuse what Jesus preached with their "own doctrine of uniformity."

"Jesus never wanted the church to be so rigid," Pope Francis said. Such people "call themselves Catholics, but their rigid attitude distances them from the church."

The second group, those with alternative teachings and doctrines, "has a partial belonging to the church. These, too, have one foot outside the church," he said. "They rent the church," not recognizing that its teaching is based on the preaching of Jesus and the apostolic tradition.

Members of the third group "call themselves Christians but don't enter into the heart of the church," they use the church "for personal profit," the pope said. "We have all seen them in parish or diocesan communities and religious congregations; they are some of the benefactors of the church."

"They strut around proud of being benefactors, but in the end, under the table, make their deals," he said.

Pope Francis said the church is made up of people with a variety of differences and gifts, and if one wants to belong to it, he or she must be motivated by love and enter with "your whole heart."

Being open to the Spirit, who fosters harmony in diversity, he said, brings "docility," which is "the virtue that saves us" from entering the church half-heartedly.


TOPICS: Catholic; Religion & Culture; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; faith; popefrancis; rcc; romancatholic
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To: ansel12

Do you mean amnesty? I don’t know any Catholics here who support amnesty.


81 posted on 06/06/2014 4:16:08 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: NKP_Vet

LOL, are you just pretending to be like this are do you really mean it?

Can you honestly say that you think that I am talking about gross population numbers and that I think that Catholics outnumber all the non-Catholic Christians in America?

Is that what you get from learning that the majority of Protestant Christians vote pro-life and republican, while the majority of the members of the Catholic denomination vote pro-abortion democrat?


82 posted on 06/06/2014 4:21:57 PM PDT by ansel12 ((Ted Cruz and Mike Lee-both of whom sit on the Senate Judiciary Comm as Ginsberg's importance fades)
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To: ansel12

How can you speak with such authority about the voting habits of such a huge group?

I think you’re just making it up as you go along.


83 posted on 06/06/2014 4:22:41 PM PDT by dsc (Any attempt to move a government to the left is a crime against humanity.)
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To: Jeff Chandler
By not offering specific contemporary examples, the Holy Father is creating confusion and division.

I disagree! He is speaking to our consciences. That entails looking in the mirror to examine our motives; not an easy task IF we are to be truly frank and honest with ourselves.

84 posted on 06/06/2014 4:22:59 PM PDT by NYer ("You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears." James 4:14)
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To: dsc

We know how groups vote, the democrats won the Protestant vote by narrow margins in 1932 and 1936, and won it again, and for the final time, in 1964.

The republicans have only won the Catholic vote 4 or 5 times, depending on the source. FDR for instance was beloved by Catholics winning their vote by 85%, 81% 73% and again 73% in 1944.

Here is how National Review lists the Catholic vote.

Percentage of Catholic Vote for Presidential Winners
1952: Eisenhower, 44%
1956: Eisenhower, 49%
1960: Kennedy, 78%
1964: Johnson, 76%
1968: Nixon, 33%
1972: Nixon, 52%
1976: Carter, 57%
1980: Reagan, 47%
1984: Reagan, 61%
1988: Bush, 49%
1992: Clinton, 47%
1996: Clinton, 55%
2000: Bush, 46%
2004: Bush, 48%
2008: Obama, 53%


85 posted on 06/06/2014 4:34:27 PM PDT by ansel12 ((Ted Cruz and Mike Lee-both of whom sit on the Senate Judiciary Comm as Ginsberg's importance fades)
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To: NYer
The first group, he said, believe that everyone in the church should be just like them. "They are rigid! They do not have that freedom the Holy Spirit gives," and they confuse what Jesus preached with their "own doctrine of uniformity."

Who is he talking about? What is this doctrine of uniformity?

86 posted on 06/06/2014 4:35:39 PM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Conservatism is the political disposition of grown-ups.)
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To: trisham

LOL, this is how it goes, I never said anything about amnesty.


87 posted on 06/06/2014 4:35:54 PM PDT by ansel12 ((Ted Cruz and Mike Lee-both of whom sit on the Senate Judiciary Comm as Ginsberg's importance fades)
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To: ansel12

Then I don’t understand. What’s wrong with immigration?


88 posted on 06/06/2014 4:37:29 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: trisham

If you are a pro-abortion, pro-gay, pro-leftist democrat, nothing is more important than to replace the American voters with an endless and overwhelming supply of foreigners.


89 posted on 06/06/2014 4:47:11 PM PDT by ansel12 ((Ted Cruz and Mike Lee-both of whom sit on the Senate Judiciary Comm as Ginsberg's importance fades)
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To: ansel12

Legal immigration is a problem for you?


90 posted on 06/06/2014 4:52:53 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: ansel12

Hispanics allowed bummer to barely beat a morman for the catholic vote. If braindead Romney had picked Rubio instead of cafeteria catholic Paul Ryan, Romney would be sitting in the White House now.


91 posted on 06/06/2014 4:54:59 PM PDT by NKP_Vet ("Truth is like a lion. You don't have to defend it. Let it loose. It will defend itself")
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To: ansel12

Usually we seem to agree, but perhaps this is the wrong forum for us to have a discussion.

Take care, FRiend.


92 posted on 06/06/2014 4:55:51 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: BlatherNaut

There is also public vs private. I am trying to get a better handle on this because it absolutely affects the issue of the pope.


93 posted on 06/06/2014 4:57:25 PM PDT by piusv
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To: NKP_Vet

The majority of the members of the Catholic denomination vote pro-abortion democrat.


94 posted on 06/06/2014 4:57:28 PM PDT by ansel12 ((Ted Cruz and Mike Lee-both of whom sit on the Senate Judiciary Comm as Ginsberg's importance fades)
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To: Jeff Chandler

I’m guessing the evil rosary counters.


95 posted on 06/06/2014 4:58:43 PM PDT by piusv
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To: trisham

See post 89.


96 posted on 06/06/2014 5:00:00 PM PDT by ansel12 ((Ted Cruz and Mike Lee-both of whom sit on the Senate Judiciary Comm as Ginsberg's importance fades)
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To: ansel12

I saw that. Thank you.


97 posted on 06/06/2014 5:05:16 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: NYer; Jeff Chandler

Why doesn’t he speak to the consciences of non-Catholics like this?

Seems the only people he criticizes are Catholics.


98 posted on 06/06/2014 5:07:15 PM PDT by ebb tide (Some "catholics" don't even realize they're protestants. They have both feet outside the door.)
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To: NYer

No cafeteria Catholics here.


99 posted on 06/06/2014 5:51:42 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Trapped Behind Enemy Lines

**If you don’t attend Mass said in Latin, it’s not a legitimate Mass....**

Not true.


100 posted on 06/06/2014 5:52:36 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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