Posted on 12/28/2013 3:59:04 PM PST by NYer
How many winds of doctrine have we known in recent decades, how many ideological currents, how many ways of thinking. The small boat of the thought of many Christians has often been tossed about by these waves - flung from one extreme to another: from Marxism to liberalism, even to libertinism; from collectivism to radical individualism; from atheism to a vague religious mysticism; from agnosticism to syncretism and so forth. Every day new sects spring up, and what St Paul says about human deception and the trickery that strives to entice people into error (cf. Eph 4: 14) comes true.Today, having a clear faith based on the Creed of the Church is often labeled as fundamentalism. Whereas relativism, that is, letting oneself be "tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine", seems the only attitude that can cope with modern times. We are building a dictatorship of relativism that does not recognize anything as definitive and whose ultimate goal consists solely of one's own ego and desires.
This homily was delivered on April 18, 2005. Since then, the evidence of his preaching has manifested itself in all too personal a reality for many of us. We raised our children in the Church, ensured they were properly educated and received all of the sacraments yet many of them have slipped away.
Secularism can be a strangle hold to impede the development of one's growth in faith.
I am Catholic but not “practicing”. Until the church starts kicking out some politicians I find no reason to be in the pew.
It’s happening all over American Christianity. People have decided that they don’t need church or religion. Oprah tells them that its more important to be spiritual than religious. They meditate through yoga to “commune with diety”. They stop attending church because they don’t agree with one part of doctrine...and the next church has a different disagreeable piece of doctrine....and the next church another.
Basically, they believe they hold all knowledge on their cell phone. They can publish their beliefs for the whole world to see via the phone everytime they discover that they believe something new. They can reach out and buy things on their phone.
So, they worship the phone. We’ve become a cargo cult.
I never left the church - the church left me.
Go back to the principals and teachings that were followed when I was growing up in the 50’s and 60’s and I will be there. Unfortunately, sometime starting in the late 1960’s the Church was hijacked by some kind of ultra liberal nincompoops. As the Church lurched to the left, I chose not to go. And have no regrets. In fact, I would honestly say I barely know the organization that today claims to be the Catholic Church.
The problem for me is that the people this describes are those that occupy high and low office in the Church. I refer to the pro-abortion-politician-loving USCCB in particular. And not only do they force public policy, they actively thwart the teaching of proper Catechism and morals.
That's why I left the church - things are so awful by me that I now have serious doubts about the beneficial value of the Eucharist. I wish this were not the case, but I'm seeing a negative correlation between the frequency that a person participates in the sacrament of Communion and the amount of vile (yet sanctimoniously executed) actions taken by them.
It breaks my heart, really (no sarcasm whatsoever), but I can't ignore what's happening.
Discovered the cause in the very first sentence yet failed to make the connection.
I don’t have complaints about the Church.
Dear friend, before you assume the role of judge, look to the gospels to see how Jesus handled these situations.
Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?Jesus heard this and said to them [that], Those who are well do not need a physician,* but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.
Mk 2:16-17
We are all sinners and we all need the Church. Suggesting the church kick out some politicians is a flimsy excuse. The person who suffers from such a decision is ... YOU.
See my post #9.
I can definitely see why religion is unappealing to women and women are leaving in droves. The only women who go to church are really old, like some of my aunts in their 60’s.
The only reason my family went to church is because my father dragged my mother and me/sibling down there. He actually liked church. Once he died, we stopped going. It’s a very depressing place.
Simple answer: Pray to God for your loved ones and all persons who have left the faith that He may show them the way back. On a personal note from certain members of my own family (my sister and a nephew) who have left the Church, it is my perception that neither one of them seem to have a sense of a "fear of the Lord." They truly have no profound sense of guilt for a sin, which is sad.
Count me in as one of the 30 million former Catholics. Between Kool Aid drinking ultramontanists on the Catholic Right, and illegal alien enablers on the Left, why bother?
Jesus dined with sinners WHO WANTED TO STOP SINNING.
He actually avoided those who He knew would ignore His message.
Quit trying to distort the issue - it's a form of lying. Canon 915 exists for a good and Godly reason.
Yet women attend religious services at a much higher rate than men, go figure.
Jesus was eating with the lowly which the pharisees did not like. I really don’t think the likes of pelosi would fall into the category. Rather she fits into the category of the rich and powerful whom jesus was always castigating.
OH especially in SO CAL with my stupid former Archibisop Telhron Don Roger Mahoney
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.