Posted on 02/02/2007 7:13:18 PM PST by Coleus
Its name means universal, and yet critics charge the Catholic Church is losing followers in the United States because it isn't inclusive enough. Outraged by the sexual-abuse scandals and chafed by the church's unwillingness to amend some traditional positions, many Catholics have given up on their church. But some still feel tied to the rituals and practices they grew up with, and have responded by forming their own churches that operate outside the bounds of Rome.
"We are church with a small 'c,' " said Mary Anne Nugent, a retired librarian from Suffern N.Y. whose group, Spirit Rising, celebrating its Mass in different locations around Bergen County. "We are past wanting to reform the church, but we love the faith. So the motivation is just to gather together and pray in a way that fits our mind-set."
Spirit Rising grew out of a women's book club focused on spirituality, Nugent said, and does not publicize its meetings. But other organizations, some started by former priests, have become sizable organizations frequented by people who feel alienated by Catholic doctrine, such as gays, lesbians and divorced people. Some of these underground churches, as some experts call them, aired their ideas Saturday at a conference in Whippany called "Imagining New Ways of Being Catholic." It was sponsored by Voice of the Faithful, a reform-minded group that has attracted the ire of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.
James Goodness, a spokesman for the Newark archdiocese, said the church has made overtures to "disaffected groups" but cannot go as far as groups like Voice of the Faithful would like. "We have to stay true to the teaching of the church as we do that," Goodness said. There is no reliable data about how many underground churches exist. Many were formed after the sexual-abuse scandals, but others were started by worshipers unhappy with the church's growing conservatism and those who rebelled against church hierarchy.
"I can't imagine not being a Catholic," said Steven Lord, an executive speaking coach from Flanders who attends St. Elizabeth Seton, a traditional church in Morris County. "But the hierarchy of the church sometimes makes it difficult to authentically follow Jesus." The groups at Saturday's event included The Inclusive Community, a small group in Nutley that includes Protestants and Catholics, and Spiritus Christi of Rochester, N.Y., a church that calls itself Catholic and is led by an excommunicated priest.
"We are a big Catholic church in the middle of the city," the Rev. James Callan told the audience at Birchfield Manor. As for the Roman Catholic Church, he added, "they are closing churches constantly." In 1998, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester removed Callan from the city's Corpus Christi Church after he invited non-Catholics to Communion, blessed same-sex unions, and allowed women a leading role on the altar. He and the Rev. Mary Ramerman, a female priest ordained by an independent bishop in 2001, responded with Spiritus Christi, a church that has 1,500 members and rents space in a Presbyterian Church. Its followers include a group it calls its "lesbian loft."
"We are growing and vibrant and young," Callan said. But there have been setbacks. Spiritus Christi is not as diverse at his former congregation, Callan said. Many Hispanic parishioners did not agree with his embrace of gays and lesbians, he said. Paul Jacobus, a 41-year-old father of two from Morris County, said he did not agree with every idea advanced on Saturday, but was pleased he attended. "I don't see a biblical basis for those beliefs," said Jacobus, who said he attended to support victims of sexual abuse by priests. "But I sit and I listen, because I still want to keep a dialogue open. If I am making a mistake, I want to change."
Mary Magdalene was advised to sin no more.
Good advice...
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It's not surprising to find VOTF associated with this nonsense. They were never about the welfare of the victims, and always about remaking the Church according to their own preferences. But, really, you have to be pretty far "out there" to be disciplined by the Diocese of Rochester (NY). It's probably the most "liberal" (by which I mean "least orthodox") diocese in the country.
Meaning no disrespect to faithful Anglicans, one can find all these practices, attitudes, etc., there. Why not just go there?
Oh good Lord! What self absorbed twits! Why didn;t they just go over to TEC. They'd be right at home there!
A bunch of dissinting cinos :(
"Why didn;t they just go over to TEC. They'd be right at home there"
For all their consant yammering about inclusiveness and diversity, TEC remains a VERY elitist sort of place. They really do NOT want too many descendants of the great unwashed coming in. It would complicate matters immensely, even if these folks are their idealogical twins. These RC dissidents have picked up on this, and prefer to do their own thing as opposed to funding Ms. Schori's salary, penthouse, designer vestments, and first-class plane tickets. And this is not counting the billable hours her legal eagles are racking up as they pursue departing congregations.
"Universal" is meant as "the same everywhere," not "accepting all things." The writer is an idiot or a liar (and if he's with Reuters or AP, probably both).
In 1998, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester removed Callan from the city's Corpus Christi Church after he invited non-Catholics to Communion, blessed same-sex unions, and allowed women a leading role on the altar. He and the Rev. Mary Ramerman, a female priest ordained by an independent bishop in 2001, responded with Spiritus Christi, a church that has 1,500 members and rents space in a Presbyterian Church. Its followers include a group it calls its "lesbian loft."
Rev. Mary Ramerman
ROME, February 2, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Knights of Malta have officially notified LifeSiteNews that Terry McAuliffe will never be admitted to the Order of Malta on account of his pro-abortion stand and public repudiation of the Catholic Church's teachings on the sanctity of life.
On Monday, McAuliffe made a brazen boast on the Hugh Hewitt show that not only could he be "pro-choice" and "Catholic", but said he was also invited to join the famous Knights of Malta. The Knights initially disbelieved reports that pro-abortion McAuliffe was joining their Order, but after examining the facts re-informed LifeSiteNews that the Order has no choice but to reject McAuliffe as an unworthy candidate
"Underground catholics," my fanny. These people are simply not Catholics any more.
Martin Luther and John Calvin did it better.
Why am I not surprised that Mr. Mac is full of it. He's another 'protester'.
I wonder if Hugh Hewitt has seen this? Somebody from the organization needs to get in touch with the show.
"I can't imagine not being a Catholic," said Steven Lord,
Newsflash. You're not Catholic. Just cause a cat has her kittens in the oven don't mean they're muffins.
That is great. Do you have a link to the story?
| Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) | From their mission statement, they are attempting to "3. Shape structural change within Church." This is intended to make a "democratic" Church which clearly violates the hierarchical structure which has always existed and is reemphasized in Vatican II Lumen Gentium. The chairman James Muller states in a National Catholic Reporter article on April 26, 2002, ìWe have donation without representation, and we have to change that.î Also on a CNN interview dated April 29, 2002, the chairman desires cafeteria Catholicism: "... our goal is to provide a democracy for the laity, so that the laity can decide what they want and then counterbalance the absolute power, which we have now of the hierarchy." See more details below. |
**Spiritus Christi of Rochester, N.Y., a church that calls itself Catholic and is led by an excommunicated priest.**
Not really Catholic, are they?
That's probably a badge of honor with them.
If an "underground catholic" saw his shadow at the conference, is that 6 more weeks of Winter?
/sarc
8 )
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