It’s not a democracy, you’re right. That’s one of the reasons the Catholic Church in the United States is dying. It’s a kind of authority not embraced in our society, for better or worse.
I’m happy in my parish for the moment, and still have hope for my Church, a seriously flawed entity (surely we can all agree on that one), but one full of many good people.
The Catholic Church has adapted to society throughout its history, though often at a slow pace. If you think otherwise, you’re kidding yourself.
Fascinating ...
Hmmm ...
Religious life? Old, anti-traditional orders are indeed dying ... whilst new, orthodox orders are thriving. But MSM won't tell you that.
Vocations to the priesthood? Easy to find ... just look for dioceses where the Bishop hasn't fallen for the least-common-denominator "relevance" that the proponents of democracy in the Church have been clamouring for these last 40 years.
Overflowing Parishes? Easy to find. You'll usually find an orthodox, faithful, courageous, self-sacrificing priest as Pastor.
My opinion here may or may not be bigoted, but it is securely based on Scripture, Tradition, and my observations of the Church for a few decades.
You have it backward. It's the Church which is good; some of the people are seriously flawed. The topic at hand is a case in point. And if the hope you have is for democracy, it's misplaced. You should look to the myriad Protestant denominations with which you're clearly more closely aligned.
The Catholic Church has adapted to society throughout its history, though often at a slow pace. If you think otherwise, you’re kidding yourself.
The Catholic Church will hardly wither and blow away because some whining feminists don't get their way. If you think otherwise, you're kidding yourself.
Where do you come up with this??? The Catholic Church in the US isn't as strong as it may have appeared to have been 50 years ago but it's far from dying. In fact it's the most vibrant Church in the developed, first world.
I also noticed in a previous post that you think ytoung people are abandonning the Church. Maybe in your parish...which from the tenor of your comments I would guess is probably very liberal...but not in the Church at large. Young people are the core of our Church...more and more of them are finding their way to a religious vocation and many of those who don't are finding fullfilment in the vocation of marriage and family life and are some of the most traditional Catholics around.
No it's not "dying". In certain parts of the country it is very sick and in others it's rather healthy. That's relevant and very interesting because it allows one to do a little study and investigation. One can compare the parts that are sick with those that are healthy and ask "what are the relevant differences?".
I live in Georgia and the Dioceses of Atlanta and Savannah are doing great in terms of vocations. Sorry to have to give you that good.....er.....bad news but it's true. We've had good bishops, good liturgy and have resisted the worst of the catechetical lunacy. Elsewhere of course, things aren't so rosy. Seminaries have been turned into lavender palaces by homosexuals where bishops and seminary rectors have been remiss in their responsibility. Scandal has inevitably followed and vocations have dwindled.
Ask yourself the question "when did this current vocations crisis first manifest?" The answer is; "coincident with the wholesale reforms and changes of the late '60s and early '70s". Nobody quit coming to Church because there are no women priests or because there weren't enough changes. That's perfectly ridiculous. And you know it.
Great numbers quit because there were too many of the wrong sort of changes and they came too rapidly. Catechesis went haywire, liturgy was turned upside, truths of the faith were denied with no episcopal intervention and in many cases lead by the episcopate. Result? Shipwreck in the faith for many.
And your solution to the problem is more of the same? To ordain women?
Try and acquire a little sense of history. Two thousand years is a long time. The Church didn't begin in 1965 when Vatican II finished. Two millenia without women priests probably means the Holy Spirit isn't a big fan of that idea.
All is not lost, however. There are a number of churches which have gone down the route which you would like Catholics to take and ordained women. You might like to try one. But be quick!!! In case you haven't noticed, they really are dying!! No coincidence, of course! No, no......they haven't ordained enough women! Yeah, that's it.......the Episcopal Church is collapsing because they don't have enough women priests! Brilliant!!
Get a clue and a new screen handle.
If you're "traditional" then Dracula is a vegetarian.
. . . one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church . . .
Benedict XVI in "Introduction to Christianity" explains this as a Holy Church of sinful people not a sinful church of Holy people. I highly recommend this book.
So who the hell is making you stay in this backwater, dying institution who’s very doctrine forces women into subservient roles? Gee I think you’d be pounding towards the exit to leave this anachrostic example of entrenched misogyny. And we haven’t even discussed the artificial birth control issue- talk about sneering at the empowerment of wimmin.