Pope: Half-hearted Catholics aren't really Catholics at all

cns ^ | June 5, 2014 | Cindy Wooden

[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.

[trisham]

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

[ansel12]

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?

[dsc]

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.

[NYer]

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.

[ansel12]

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%

[Jeff Chandler]

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?

[ansel12]

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

[trisham]

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

[ansel12]

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.

[trisham]

Legal immigration is a problem for you?

[NKP_Vet]

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.

[trisham]

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

Take care, FRiend.

[piusv]

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.

[ansel12]

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

[piusv]

I’m guessing the evil rosary counters.

[ansel12]

See post 89.

[trisham]

I saw that. Thank you.

[ebb tide]

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

Seems the only people he criticizes are Catholics.

[Salvation]

No cafeteria Catholics here.

[Salvation]

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

Not true.