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To: BlackElk

Heaven, because a life changes and eternally passes from death to life, not rituals done that are proclaimed “holy.”


155 posted on 07/13/2014 7:53:05 PM PDT by Faith Presses On
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To: Faith Presses On
So, the Roman Catholic Church may not be what you are looking for. I believe that there are numerous paths to heaven, that Jesus Christ's flock, given human nature and the Fall, was not going to be One, but that the Tridentine Mass (or the Novus Ordo is holy because it IS holy and not because it is proclaimed holy by men and women.

The most Christian person I have been privileged to know was my mother's best friend, an old school Methodist woman who died about 20 years ago at about 90 years of age. She suffered heartbreak in her family from children and grandchildren and from the long slow farewell of her sort of strict Methodism as it disappeared in the New Haven area. She was generous to a fault to all around her. Hers was a passionate Scripture based faith even when there was no acceptable Methodist Church for her to attend. She, according to her understanding of Scripture refrained from most bad habits like nicotine and caffeine and alcohol and even dancing and card-playing but would provide hospitality in her home with ashtrays, coffee, cola, and even an occasional can of beer for visitors. If I am fortunate enough to be admitted to heaven when my time comes, I would be amazed not to find her there. She and my mother agreed not to discuss religion or politics and thereby save their wonderful friendship.

While other Christians may disagree with Catholicism's understanding that the Roman Catholic Church was created by Jesus Christ in the Peter Passage of Matthew (16:18 et seq.) and continues to this day, we do so believe. I avoid religious arguments here because they are fruitless. I am not going to abandon the Roman Catholic Church, the Mass, the sacraments and a two thousand year Tradition to become, what?, Something else? My own theologian? To choose one of thousands of sects of other Christians, each arguing for some Scriptural insight held more strongly by its own free agent leaders, dead or alive? To become a Christian free agent responsible for personally interpreting all of Scripture? I don't think so. That may somehow work for some people but not for me. At least for me, these seem to be paths to anarchy. But, it certainly seemed to work for my mother's best friend. I am not infallible. I just know me.

In this matter of rituals, I was responding to your suggestion as to the orientation of the priest (presumably at the more common Novus Ordo) Mass. As a Catholic of Traditional tastes, I prefer the Tridentine rite that I grew up serving, its solemnity, its music and the strict doctrine that seems to accompany it. The Novus Ordo is a somewhat low rent liturgy by comparison. Again, this is a matter of taste in liturgy. Then there is the role of sacraments as opportunities for grace. Necessarily another whole discussion.

May God bless you and yours!

156 posted on 07/14/2014 10:40:21 AM PDT by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline, Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Society: Rack 'em Danno!)
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