Posted on 10/22/2002 8:50:25 AM PDT by Polycarp
Church's Social Work Is Not Political, John Paul II Says
Gospel Message Must Accompany Aid, He Tells Brazilian Bishops
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 21, 2002 (Zenit.org).- The social work carried out by the Church, especially among the poor, cannot be reduced to simple material or political work, says John Paul II.
When the Pope met Saturday with a group of bishops visiting from northeast Brazil, he reminded them that a bishop's first mission is to proclaim the truth of the Gospel, without which the work of the Church would be meaningless.
"As vicars and legates of Christ, you are called above all to offer a clear and vigorous proclamation of the Gospel," the Holy Father said.
He urged the Brazilian prelates not to have "reservations about associating the word of Christ to charitable activities by a misunderstood sense of respect for others' convictions."
"It is not an act of charity to leave brothers in darkness about truth," John Paul II stressed. "It is not an act of charity to feed the poor or visit the suffering by taking human resources to them but not communicating to them the Word that saves."
The Holy Father described the serious difficulties endured in northeast Brazil -- lack of employment, housing and health care; educational problems, social differences, and the presence of aggressive sects -- but he urged that pastoral action not be reduced "to the temporal and earthly dimension."
"It is not possible, for example, to think, of the challenges of the Church in Brazil by limiting oneself to some important but circumstantial questions, related to social policy, the concentration of land, the question of the environment, and others," he continued.
"To claim for the Church a participatory model of a political character, where decisions are voted on at the 'base,' limited to the poor and outcasts of society, but abstracted from the presence of all the segments of the People of God, would impair the original redemptive meaning proclaimed by Christ," the Pope warned.
On the contrary, "the fundamental mission of the bishop is evangelization, a task that he must carry out not only individually, but as Church," John Paul II stressed.
This mission is summarized in the triple mandate to "teach, sanctify and govern," he added.
The Holy Father acknowledged that the bishops of northeast Brazil must carry out the task of teaching in a cultural environment characterized by a high level of illiteracy, divorce, child violence, malnutrition, and superficiality promoted by some media.
In this ambience, the duty of the bishop is "to invite members of the particular Churches entrusted to him to accept in all its fullness the teaching of the Church in regard to questions of faith and morals," even if it means going against the current of the prevailing mentality, the Pope said.
In particular, this work must be done with young people -- a majority in Brazil's population -- promoting "the formation of a moral conscience, which must be respected as the 'sanctuary' of man alone with God, whose voice resounds in the intimacy of the heart," he added.
At the same time, John Paul II said, "remind your faithful that conscience is an exacting tribunal, whose judgment must always be conformed with the moral norms revealed by God and proposed with authority by the Church."
In this educational work, there must be a "return to the sacrament of reconciliation, unfortunately quite abandoned today, even in Catholic areas of your country," the Pontiff added.
In regard to "sanctification," the second mission of the bishop, John Paul II urged the prelates to highlight the two fundamental sacraments of Christian life: baptism and the Eucharist.
He said the living of the Eucharist, "source and center of the whole of Christian life," has two critical challenges in Brazil: on the one hand, the lack of priests and their unequal distribution, and on the other, the worrying drop in Sunday Mass attendance.
"It is evident that this situation suggests a provisional solution in order not to leave the community abandoned, with the risk of progressive spiritual impoverishment," the Pope emphasized.
"However, the incomplete sacramental character of these liturgical functions, carried out by persons who are not ordained, should induce the whole parish community to pray with greater fervor so that the Lord will send workers for his harvests," he said.
Lastly, the Pope focused on the bishop's mission to "govern." Above all, he must care for the priests, "especially when there is a delay in the fruits of pastoral work, with the possible temptation to discouragement and sadness."
"Many pastors do not have the feeling of working in an evangelical vineyard, but rather in an arid steppe," the Holy Father said. Yet, "the risen Lord walks with you and makes your efforts fruitful."
I am all astonishment, said again in my best Brontë voice.
Have you?
BigMack
First, speaking of Aquinas 'rolling in his grave' is a figure of speech.
Second, no one is in the grave after they die,(their body is, but they aren't) they are either in heaven or hell (sorry, no third options)
As far as the first quote RNMomof 7 gave, it matters not if it was printed in a thousand places because Mother never said those words. That is a fact. It is no assertion.
OK, if you say so.
I am sure with all that she did say, she did express her own personal faith in Christ and how she shared that faith with those she was helping.
I expect you treasure your faith in Jesus as Lord in Savior. I also treasure my faith in the same Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Obviously we both believe the other to be wrong on any number of theological issues, possibly even salvation itself. My prayer and hope is that we both will see the Lord Jesus face to face and be welcomed by Him to take our place among the mutlitude of his saints. I bid you peace.
Well, that is a prayer we can both agree on.
If you are counting on anything but the blood of Christ for your salvation, you are leaning on a weak reed. (Rom.3:25)
LOL!
That is the essence of disinformation. All your little photos, faux announicng ect were mere distractions. I know you feel you have somehow wona victory. Enjoy....<>
Amen, let them go to their grave declaring victory. However, you can fool yourself your whole life long, but you cannot fool Jesus Christ. He gets the last laugh, He's the one who will decide the victor and "turn out the lights."
Let them think they've one. Heck, even tell them so if it makes them happy. I'll be glad to aid them in their self deception, if they leave our Catholic discussions alone in the future.
As far as worthy charities goes, I give locally to ones I know exactly where the money goes.
Mom's House Inc and a friend, a Monsignor, who raises money for a feeding program for the poor in Haiti.
I've been on the board of Mom's House, they provide free day care and scholarships for single mom's so the moms can complete their education and get off welfare while avoiding abortion.
I've been to Haiti and seen the programs the Monsignor set up.
I used to donate office space upstairs here in my podiatry office for the local crisis preganacy center (run by a great friend, a Baptist minister, who would be ashamed of the anti-Catholic bigots here, BTW.).
I like to give to organizations that I know personally and know exactly where the money is spent.
Thank you for the insult, Big Mack. God bless you.
From post #248 - Siobhan: What an imp you are, Big Mack.
Aren't you the little hypocrite.
Thank you for YOUR FIRST insult, Siobhan . God bless you.
BigMack
Boy, that's real big of you, BigMack.
< / sarcasm >
Siobhan called the first name. Yet you jump on Mack, completly ignoring her wrong doing. Mack calls her on it, she still does not apologize and you jump on him again.
Then we have ventana who totally lied about something I said, never pinging me to the post she was speaking about me in. When I caught it and called her on it she completly disappears from the thread, never to return, never apologizing, and no one rebukes her.
On another thread about catholic communion I told a man on there he was dead wrong for saying/having he had a consecrated host in his possession and was going to have it scientifically analyized. The catholics were very upset, but did any of them notice I had rebuked the man, NOOOOO, and I was later called a few choice names.
I admitted to being hateful on another thread, and apologized. My apology was all but spit on and I was accused of never being sincere. Yes I have apologized for things I have said several times. We all should. Does that make it insincere if we have to do it more then once. Are we only allowed to mess up once, and after that we are insincere.
What is it with you guys. Can you never see wrong doing on your part. Baiting, name calling, sarcasm. Are you all too good to ever apologize for your lapes into human error.
Everyone does it, that doesn't mean we are all bigots, hypocrite, and haters. It means we are human.
Stop with the persecution complexes. You might get farther.
Becky
OxfordMovement: Boy, that's real big of you, BigMack. < / sarcasm >
Do you guys really think people can't see thru you? LOL....Your using rule #9. Play Dumb. No matter what evidence or logical argument is offered, avoid discussing issues with denial they have any credibility, make any sense, provide any proof, contain or make a point, have logic, or support a conclusion. Mix well for maximum effect.
WOW! you guys are funny! :)
The catholic SPIN continues.
BigMack
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