Posted on 12/05/2006 2:15:45 PM PST by Coleus
On Sunday Pope Benedict XVI spoke of the necessity of Catholics to accept the whole of the faith. "Dear brothers and sisters how necessary it is today at the dawn of the third millennium for the entire Catholic community to proclaim, teach and witness to the entire truth of Catholic faith, doctrine and morals in a unanimous and harmonious manner!," he stressed.
His comments came as he spoke of the recently completed abbreviated Catechism known as the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Compendium, in addition to proclaiming the church's popular teachings on the necessity of caring for the poor and the striving for peace, teaches the truth on the grave evils of abortion and of sexual practices unbecoming humanity such as adultery and homosexuality.
Pope Benedict noted that the completion of the Compendium happened by "Divine Providence" to coincide "with the opening of the cause for beatification of our beloved Pope John Paul II."
John Paul II also stressed the need for Catholics to maintain the fullness of the Church's teachings and not pick and choose the teachings as they saw fit. Speaking to the Bishops of the United States at Queen of Angels Seminary in Los Angeles on September 16, 1987, Pope John Paul II stated: "It is sometimes reported that a large number of Catholics today do not adhere to the teaching of the Catholic Church on a number of questions, notably sexual and conjugal morality, divorce and remarriage. Some are reported as not accepting the clear position on abortion. It has to be noted that there is a tendency on the part of some Catholics to be selective in their adherence to the Church's moral teaching. It is sometimes claimed that dissent from the magisterium is totally compatible with being a 'good Catholic,' and poses no obstacle to the reception of the Sacraments. This is a grave error that challenges the teaching of the Bishops in the United States and elsewhere. "
In related news, the election of a German Pope seems to have boosted the faith in Germany. Cardinal Karl Lehmann, the Archbishop of Mainz, has reported that in his diocese during the period from May to June more people returned to the practice of the faith than in the whole of 2004.
See Pope Benedict's full address (in Italian):
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/angelus/2005/...
jhw
With about 20 other families we formed a church and got a disgruntled Methodist pastor whom we pledged to support. We envisioned a Methodist church without the hierarchy. Well, a bunch of late-comers arrived with lots of money and suddenly we were way more fundamentalist than we had envisioned (no infant baptism, etc.).
So, we wound up without a church. I came to the Faith after watching about 3 years of EWTN and seeing Pope Benedict's election. I decided that I wanted to be with the Church who was the original Church, and had RULES and discipline. I was quite tired of hearing lay Sunday school teachers give me their personal interpretations of Scripture, which often seemed to me to be slightly off.
Anyway, I joined last Easter, and I have never been so happy, and I get a great deal of inner peace from the Mass.
What, no "The cafeteria is closed" image?! :-)
By their deliberate stepping outside the norms of Catholic life, these individuals have, to all intents and purposes, excommunicated themselves. When the Church makes an official pronouncement of Excommunication, she is merely ratifying their deliberate choice. The Church does not have to make an "official" ruling regarding one's position outside the Church in order for it to be a de facto excommunication.
See above... Also, the official pronouncement of excommunication on these people would have little to no effect, and they would immediately test it by taking a place in the Communion line. There is ALWAYS some darned leftist "priest" who is willing to give them Communion at his Clown Mass, despite their open and blatant disregard for the Church's teachings on ANY aspect of Catholic life, not just those on "Life." Teachings on contraception and marital fidelity, annullments, confession...these are all part of the life of the Church that "Cafeteria 'catholics'" choose to disregard. Excommunicating them formally is not going to do anything to their state. They will continue to flaunt the Church's care and teachings as long as they can, just to "prove" they are right. ("A bolt of lightning didn't strike me dead. That must mean God blesses/doesn't care what I do...")
Pinging...
But it has a strong sting of formal disapproval. These folks thumb their noses when faithful Catholics say they've excommunicated themselves, but only a ferendae sententiae excommunication will get the message across.
(no punishment, no crime)
Actually, I doubt that seriously. The politicians I am sure we both have in mind couldn't care less about their moral state, the "approval" of the Vatican, or anything else except spitting in the eye of Holy Mother Church. They know the condition of their souls, and they not only do nothing about it, but continue in their sin.
Kick the bums out. At least they wouldn't be able to masquerade as Catholics anymore.
And you do that, how? How do you keep them from coming to any church they wish, or masquerading as "good" Catholics? Believe me, they know where the enabling "priests" are, and that's where they go. An official excommunication from the Church isn't going to keep them from using Catholic appearance to manipulate the electorate.
If they are thrown out of the Church, they can't say they are Catholic in any way, shape or form. Place any priest who helps them under interdict, and excommunicate them too if they don't cease and desist.
bump
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