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To: St.Chuck
Present crisis? Is that phrase a careful distinction?

I'm sorry. It never occurred to me that anyone did not think that we are in a crisis. I will provide an example:

1. News polls show that 90% of Catholics do not believe in the Church's teaching on contraception.

2. I have a hard time imagining that this dissent proceeds from invincible ignorance in any but a handful of cases. Again, I may be wrong, but I would be surprised to hear anyone, whether Catholic or not, say, "Really? The Church condemns artifical contraception? No way!"

3. St. Thomas teaches that the denial of a single article of faith means that a person does not have divine faith even in the articles to which he assents.

4. Sacred Scripture says, Without faith it is impossible to please God and Whoever does not believe is already condemned.

Therefore, I have no choice to conclude that some 80-90% of the Catholic population of the United States has no hope of salvation. I would call that a crisis. Do you not agree?

If anyone can see any error in my logic, please tell me.

79 posted on 11/24/2004 12:17:05 PM PST by Credo_in_unum_deum (Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.)
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To: Credo_in_unam_Deum
It never occurred to me that anyone did not think that we are in a crisis.

"Crisis" is a relative term applied to a turning point in any given situation. Anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of Church history might recognize that the Church has always existed in a state of perpetual "crisis". So to apply "crisis" to current affairs is to indulge in Nowism, ignore the 2000 years of precedent, and forget that God's providence is ultimately in charge.

3. St. Thomas teaches that the denial of a single article of faith means that a person does not have divine faith even in the articles to which he assents.

I'm not certain that the conviction that contraception is intrisically evil is an article of faith, but since the Church does teach such and assent to the magesterium is an article of faith I'll take your point. But again, the teaching authority of the church has always been challenged, denied, and ignored. Nothing new here.

As for your contention that 90% of Catholics do not believe in the Church's teaching on contraception; this must be attributable to our Constitution's "Right to Privacy". The thinking must be that God doesn't come into the bedroom. In fact, that is an argument that "pro-contracepts" use, that the Church has no right to one's bedroom, to which we must counter, "you allow the pharmaceutical corporations in, why not the church?"

I see you aspire to become a priest. Any specific role or order you feel drawn to?

86 posted on 11/25/2004 7:43:12 AM PST by St.Chuck
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