Then why the sharp differences in the beliefs of the congregation if they are to follow Rome? The very woman who attended Mass regularly and adhered to the catholic church...yet she believes in Abortion for woman...that homosexuals have a right to marry.....at the same time cannot explain what she believes....I suppose all churches have those who are at very degrees of nderstanding of their faith...I'm not there yet and doubtful most will be throughly educated this side of heaven. But there are the differences..and most catholics I have spoken to do not know why they believe as they do....the catholics on these threads are an exception to the rule of the catholics I have encountered.
Sorry, but that's a clear contradiction. You can't do both.
I suppose all churches have those who are at very degrees of nderstanding of their faith...I'm not there yet and doubtful most will be throughly educated this side of heaven.
But there are the differences..and most catholics I have spoken to do not know why they believe as they do....the catholics on these threads are an exception to the rule of the catholics I have encountered.
INDEED to the supreme degree. Well put. Accurately put.
Accurately put per the former FR RC's.
Accurately put per approximately 90-98% of the RC's in my social network over my 63 years.
Accurately put per the diligent, devout, dedicated, earnest, authentic, heart-devoted former priests who's narratives have been posted.
The rabid clique sorts who don't sound like they have a microgram of discernment, honesty nor integrity and less personal insight disagree. VERRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYY IMPRESSIVE.
NOT.
The differences in OPINION do not track the differences in RITE. Pelousy is in the same rite as I. Her problems (IMHO) probably arise from her father's cynical politics and her own cynical approach to Jesus AND to a bunch of pastors (bishops and priests) who are gonna have some splainin' to do when they show up at the pearly gates. At least Patrick Kennedy's bishop yanked his chain pretty firmly.
But Sean Hannity uses artificial birth control, and has mentioned it on air. He's just a disobedient Catholic.
From what I gather from my Maronite acquaintances there are obedient and thoughtful Maronites and disobedient and thoughtless ones. Piety and impiety cut across the lines drawn by the various rites.
I've heard there are Baptists who drink and, ahem, party, too. And Presbyterians who think that they have to do good stuff to get into heaven. Repenting on Sunday for what one did on Saturday and means to do on Monday is not confined to any Rite, or, evidently, to any denomination.
But an important note here is that we understand ourselves as a hospital for sinners. We are not surprised when people fail, even if they fail year after year. We are here for them, and we know we also fail and are glad the Church is here for us.
AND we take very seriously the whole 'members of the body' image of Corinthians. I have a gift for and an obsession about this stuff. My idea of a great way to spend an afternoon -> evening is with a bottle of good whiskey and a good theological question. Not everyone in the Church has my problem. And some just don't do theology. They're not cut out for it. But they shine in loving the poor or in depth of prayer.
In fact the sorrow of our breaches, to me, is that none of us can just focus on loving Jesus the best we can, the best HE gives us to do. Instead I spend needless time on apologetics. and the vulnerable all over are susceptible to being 'harvested' for less than excellent reasons by persuasive recruiters for either side. I know for a fact that some people became Catholics without having a clue what the Church really teaches or why. I'm sure traffic has gone the other way for similar reasons.
Any organization which claims to be there for all human beings is bound to have a bunch of people who have no clue why they are part of it.