Posted on 07/18/2014 9:03:34 PM PDT by BlatherNaut
"I agree. Just to point out that hierarchy argument is quite weak given the current situation. "
That's a solid test of who the, "Oh ye of little faith" shoe fits like it was custom fitted to their foot.
The Bible wasn’t complete until the death of John about 100 or 120. Many books floated around for 300 or 400 years. A few painstakingly, handwritten Bibles staring coming into existence at this point. But until the invention of the printing press, very few Christians had personal Bibles. Is all this supposed to be ignored? People followed the Church which is “the pillar and foundation of truth(1 Tim 3:15).”
Pray a family Rosary daily.
"The Family That Prays Together Stays Together" ~ Fr. Patrick Peyton
A better argument might be that authority is collective among those who have been educated and trained in the field, but it also must withstand the test of generations.
A Pope, or even a generation, can be in error, but, in Catholic parlance, the magisterium, considered over generations, can’t be in error.
Most religions have some version of this idea. Catholics have a hierarchy and Pope (mostly just in theory these days), which is a bit unique.
“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
The story goes that Napoleon basically said to a cardinal, “I shall destroy the church!” The cardinal started snickering and replied, “If we haven’t been able to do it in 1800 years, you’ll never do it.”
“the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it (My Church).” - Mt 16:18
Jumping ship is cowardice in the face of the the enemy. We're not dust in the wind, we're bought with a price and Jesus Christ knows each of us intimately.
Throw the pirates overboard and put out the fires they started, that's the cross we bear.
JMHO
I spent 3 hours writing my original response to this only to have the electricity flicker as I was about to hit Post.
I don’t have the willpower to recreate it. The bottom line of what I was writing is that I didn’t find Jesus until I found Him in His one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I had quite a sermon going on how, for me, personal holiness is the key. It was what my grandfather spent his life preaching and it’s stuck with me across most of a lifetime. If one isn’t living a holy life then there’s no real point in pretending that one is born again or having a personal relationship with Jesus.
Congregational evangelicalism taught me about hypocrisy, not holiness. It’s what I grew up in... the sweet smile on the face and the knife in the back. I’m a PK, I watched the vile underbelly of “Bible centered churches” and there’s nothing in it that makes it special.
Yes, your advice is solid. A daily rosary makes a huge difference, my concern is for when my children no longer have me running interference between them and the bishops.
My older kids could teach religious ed at the parish I think, their hearts and minds belong to Christ I believe. But what concerns me is when they grow up and leave the nest to discover that mom and dad teach a different kind of Catholicism than the bishops seem to be teaching.
Been there done that Legatus but I found that those people being wrong didn’t make the next “church” right. In fact, I found that “church” most often is not where Christ is. Christ is found in the most quiet solitude of your thoughts after reading God’s word with prayer for help from the Holy Spirit. Test every teaching of every so called “church” and every professed “teacher” by the words of scripture with prayer that the Holy Spirit will enlighten. Following any “church” or any man will always lead you to error of some kind or another. Sincere prayer for guidance from the Holy Spirit with scripture as your only source will fill your soul with gladness and an assurance that no one can take from you.
Immunize them in advance by telling them the truth. Unfortunately, we have been left with no choice in this period of diabolical disorientation but to point out to our children the widespread defections within the hierarchy (and the priesthood) from Traditional teachings. If we fail to do so, they will definately be in for a shock down the line.
I'm not sure in what ways you differ from the bishops. Thus, it's difficult for me to answer your post intelligently.
sitetest
http://www.serraus.org/serrausa/serra_connect.htm
Have you heard of the Newman Connection? Sponsored by the Serra club — your religious ed teacher can register your graduate with the college in which they are enrolling.
When your son/daughter gets to the college campus they are contacted and warmly welcomed by the Newman Club.
It started right from the beginning of Francis’ Papacy with all these celebrities, heretics and miscreants coming right up for communion, no questions asked.
Thanks for the information on the Newman Connection, although my knowledge of many Newman centers hasn’t exactly been positive I suppose it’s much better than tossing a child out into a college culture with no help whatsoever.
Sitetest,
The Catholicism practiced in our home is closer to the Catholicism of the 1950s than the 21st century. My children memorized the Baltimore catechism and have never been exposed to the CCC (for instance). They complain (without any prompting from us) on the rare occasions that a novus ordo Mass is the only option available. The examples could go on for some time but I think you get the general idea.
THat makes a lot of sense, one thing that bothers me is I don't want to poison my children against the institutional Church. We've already had enough "Daddy says the Church teaches this but the bishop teaches otherwise" events. Balancing what we teach and what the Church appears to be teaching is a difficult job, on one side looms sedevacantism and on the other is the Church of Nice. Neither of those possibilities does anything other than scare me.
It sounds as though you're already dealing with the dilemma in a rational manner. That's all any of us can do, and then trust the outcome to God.
Have you enthroned the Sacred Heart in your home?
http://www.catholictradition.org/Two-Hearts/enthronement-3.htm
Another suggestion: St. Louis de Montfort's total consecration to Jesus through Mary.
http://www.fisheaters.com/totalconsecrationmontfort.html
http://www.marian.org/marians/A-New-Day-Dawns-for-Marian-Consecration-4742
More recs:
"Church Militant Field Manual: Special Forces Training for the Life in Christ"
"Officium Divinum" (abridged for use of the laity) Angelus Press
___________
"Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer." - Padre Pio
Yes and I'll check out the fisheaters link, I've found it to be a great resource in the past. We have a couple of copies of the Angelus Press Divine Office and use Brevmeum on iphone and ipad at home. Based on your recommendation I just threw 3 books by Fr Richard M Heilman into my Amazon shopping cart, including the Church Militant Field Manual.
Thanks
:)
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.