... For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
Imagine what they could do if it wasn't just for show.
The Catholic "abundance" consists of billion of dollars worth of art and buildings.
No to mention that throne for the Pope, picture of which was posted here the other day.
The opulence in which the higher ups in the Catholic live is simply obscene.
Years ago I was noticing the poor condition of the members of the Catholic faith contrasted with the gaudyness of the churches.
I would think why do they take these peoples money when they could help them impove their lot in life instead of spending so much money on giant false fronts.
One Christian church I went to years ago in the Santa Cruz area had a family where the father was out of work and lacking proper food for his family.
When the father went to put some money in the bucket, one of the elders told him, no don't give us your money, we will help YOU.
And they did.
They had several children.
That was the altar at St. Peter's Basilica. The sanctuary and altar should be as beautiful as the Blessed Virgin was. As St. Francis put it so simply, Mary is the "virgo ecclesia facta", the Virgin made Church. In the Eucharist the Church takes up her Marian role, becoming once again the place where the Spirit conceives the Body of Christ.
Having become once again the Body of Christ in Holy Communion, we faithful go forth from the Eucharist as the Word-made-flesh born into the world, on his behalf to preach, heal, suffer, and willingly give our lives so that the grace of His Passion and Resurrection may continue to flow over the world.
Peace be with you.
I am getting tired of some of the things being posted on this thread.
I’m not the right person to be responding, because I am nothing but the Lord’s “anawim”. I am not a Catholic scholar, or theologian, or apologist; however I am grateful to God for those who are.
But I have been reading along here and even though I’m just Jane Doe Catholic, I can’t ignore the stirring in me that tells me to respond to some of it.
Because my day is jammed-—(my daughter and her husband have come to help me get my yard cleaned up,) I will be doing my responses in bits and pieces. So be it.
My parish church was built not only with funds raised by our parishioners, but a lot of it was built by people in the parish who were carpenters. painters, contractors, etc. My parish church seats 600, and is exceptionally beautiful. It was built with love, by love for Love. It is beauty for Goodness, Truth and Beauty itself.
EVERY DAY our parish “Food Pantry” is open from 10 AM to 4 PM. We feed up to 250 needy families within our parish boundaries every week. We NEVER ask what faith they profess when they come for food. Our supplies for this serving of the needy comes from the tithes of our parishioners, and it’s maintained by people who volunteer their time.
Sometimes, the broad brush approach used to described “ordinary, every-day” Catholics is almost absurd.
In our present day American culture, if someone were to denigrate or hold in contempt the black community, they would be called racist. What should we call those people who do the same broad brush derogation of Catholics: “Catholists”?