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To: Trad Bishop

The mission of the Church is to lead all to eternal life with God.

How can this be accomplished if only 22-30% if registered Catholic parishioners attend Mass on a regular basis?

I agree that division in the Church is a problem, among many problems and society (the world) seems to encourage this.

From Catholic.com: https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/the-truth-will-make-you-free-0

The fullness of happiness is found in the encounter with Christ, who is the most complete answer to the question that is every human life. Following Christ is the foundation of Christian morality. John Paul wrote, “The decisive answer to every one of man’s questions, his religious and moral questions in particular, is given by Jesus Christ, or rather is Jesus Christ himself” (VS 2). The guide for the Christian life is not a set of rules:

Jesus’ way of acting and his words, his deeds, and his precepts constitute the moral rule of Christian life. Indeed, his actions, and in particular his passion and death on the cross, are the living revelation of his love for the Father and for others. This is exactly the love that Jesus wishes to be imitated by all who follow him. (VS 20)

To love as Jesus loved is to share in the life of Jesus, the life of grace that enables weak human beings to act beyond their limitations. It is not possible for anyone to imitate Christ through his own power.

How do we get there and help others?


4 posted on 06/11/2017 2:12:20 PM PDT by ADSUM
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To: ADSUM
Jesus Himself from what the Gospels tell us and from how many were at the foot of His Cross, is one clue. Another clue is that there is somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.5 billion people who call themselves Catholics in the world (many of whom are only nominal Catholics), with a total population of 7.2 billion people, which isn't too far from 22-30%. Both of these statistics would indicate that who does and who doesn't go to church is not the limiting factor. Do you live your life and conduct yourself as a shining light as did Pope St. John Paul II? One of the prime requirements of canonization is to have evidenced, not just virtue, but heroic virtue. Heroic virtue gets plenty of notice, even by the bad guy. Live as Pope St. John Paul II did and love as he did, and you will have done your part. He imitated Christ. He lived by the primitive rule that Jesus, by His Life, gave to mankind. It's not possible to outdo Jesus and still not force anyone's free will. So keep your light where people can see it and your log where people can feel it.
14 posted on 06/11/2017 3:38:40 PM PDT by Trad Bishop
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