JPII: Church's Social Work Is Not Political, Gospel Message Must Accompany Aid

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[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."

[OxfordMovement]

I'm not a Catholic. I don't do spin. I call them like I see them.

[OxfordMovement]

Desdemona, I think donating clothes to the Council for the Blind is very important both here on earth and in God's eyes. I have a family member whose blind, so this is a really important thing to me.

[OxfordMovement]

I think donating to indigent care at religious hospitals is a very good thing to do too.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

This whole thread was nothing but bait from the beginning. As was the thread about "How Anti-catholics read the bible" posted by Irsihlass. (Note that title and tell me that isn't bait, that it isn't inflamatory) These threads are posted for the sole purpose of causing just such a turmoil, then they can sit back and act like saints.

Of course they are going to deny this. But I asked serval times on the other thread for Irishlass to clarify her intent of that thread and I never got an answer. I think as a matter of fact, she disapperered after that on that thread. What are we suppose to think.

BTW, what do you say about ventana's lying, do you just overlook that behavior. Is lying alright and name calling not.

The only point I am trying to make is there are haters and bigots on both sides. There are also people who just have disagreements on religious issues on both sides. If you are going to correct one side you should be ready to correct both sides, or else live with the label hypocrite.

Becky

[OxfordMovement]

I've been called worse things than hypocrite and lived to tell.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I've been called worse things than hypocrite and lived to tell.

And live up to it also

Becky

[OxfordMovement]

You know, I think if I were you or the other non-Catholics and I saw Catholic threads going I'd want to just leave them alone and concentrate on reaching out to the non-Christians who are all over the place on FR. If you have the Gospel of Jesus Christ to share you might find more fertile ground for your good will and good intentions by finding ways to present the Gospel in positive perspective. I think the goal should be to draw the non-Christians to Jesus through your presence here whenever it is possible to draw them by God's grace and by the work of the Holy Ghost. I tjust hink you all are just banging your heads against the wall with Catholic freepers and a few others. Its the people without faith who need to see you take the high road and share good news with love and hope. I wouldn't want you to shy away from the core of your belief in Jesus. But I would hope you and the others would think about a different approach in order to spend more time doing what you can to draw the non-believers to Jesus.

[OxfordMovement]

No, Becky, that's not true. But you can call me all the names you want. I will still pray to the blessed and most glorious Trinity for you asking that He bless you.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I'm not a Catholic. I don't do spin. I call them like I see them.

I think your husband has been a total ass on this thread and I think Siobhan has been pretty amazing in dealing with the anti-Catholic claque.

Your using rule #8. Invoke authority. Claim for yourself or associate yourself with authority and present your argument with enough "jargon" and "minutiae" to illustrate you are "one who knows", and simply say it isn't so without discussing issues or demonstrating concretely why or citing sources.

This whole thread was for "BAIT" you have no idea what your talking about. "Oh Holier than thou"

Polycarp: There was a reason I posted this article. I knew exactly how RnMomof7 would respond, and that her anti-Catholic bigot cronies would gleefully defend her and join in the attack.

It was pure "BAIT" so the catholics can sit back and act like saints, and you fall for it hook line and sinker!

I am on the floor reading your posts. ROFLOL...you're funny!!!

BigMack

[OxfordMovement]

I look forward to a post from you where you display your faith in Jesus Christ and interact with people you don't know in a positive way.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

I look forward to a post from you where you display your faith in Jesus Christ and interact with people you don't know in a positive way.

I look forward to a post from you where you display your understanding of what Becky and I are trying to say to you. This thread was a joke from the beginning, I caught on to what polycarp was doing from the start and warned her, it was a set up from the word go, if you go back to the beginning and look you will find the trap being sprung.

Siobhan pinged every catholic on the froum to attack Mom, in their claim that she condemned one His greatest saints to hell, RnMomof7 didn't condemn MT to hell. Rather, she pointed out that the canons of the Council of Trent anathematized something that MT is reported to have said. If all of this is really true, then it would be the Catholic church anathematizing her, not RnMomof7.

And I mocked the the whole sham from the beginning, doesen't make me an ass, Thats all I'm trying to get you to see.

BigMack

[OxfordMovement]

I understand your point of view. I understand also that you feel justified in your choices. I don't accept your defense for RNMom and her intentions. No Freeper is so ignorant that they wouldn't know such volatile language about Mother Teresa would ignite the deepest feelings of Catholics as well as those who respected Mother Teresa. I will pray for you. Please pray for me.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Did you see post #2? Polycarp was the one that brought up the accusations against MT, and then pinged RN too it. Then read RN's response to it. She never accused MT of anything. She just asked how the RCC reconciled what she said to their beliefs.

Becky

[ventana]

I am very hopeful that we can gather together on another thread where the goal of every poster is charity and love, and all emnity is left behind. He left us in peace, let us go in peace to love and proclaim the word of the Lord. V's wife.

[OxfordMovement]

She never accused MT of anything. She just asked how the RCC reconciled what she said to their beliefs.

I know she's your friend and you want to defend her. But she did not just ask how the RCC reconciled Trent with alleged statements of Mother Teresa. She lobbed a live bomb meant to zap the Catholics and she succeeded just as Polycarp succeeded in drawing all of you out to this thread instead of just ignoring him.

But she went one further by ticking off non-Catholics too who admired Mother Teresa and didn't like the hand RNMom was playing. Anyway it is already moving to the ancient history bin as other threads spin wildly on.

No victors here, and the Gospel of Christ served poorly.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

ventana: I am very hopeful that we can gather together on another thread where the goal of every poster is charity and love, and all emnity is left behind. He left us in peace, let us go in peace to love and proclaim the word of the Lord. V's wife.

OxfordMovement: But she did not just ask how the RCC reconciled Trent with alleged statements of Mother Teresa. But she went one further by ticking off non-Catholics too who admired Mother Teresa and didn't like the hand RNMom was playing.

Now your real reason shows up! You two can now go back to what you do best.

BigMack

[OxfordMovement]

You are consistent. Too bad.

[Siobhan]

Thank you for the supportive words. It's good to have you back!