I often get extremely disheartened at the
way the Church is under constant attack from within. I accept that the Church
will naturally be subjected to constant attacks from outside, as Satan frantically
and desperately attempts to destroy the Church. However, I find it extremely heart
breaking to come to terms with the fact that so many attacks that take place on
the Church, come from within the Church.
These attacks, from within the Church, take so
many clever guises and they are sadly always presented as being for the greater
good of the Church and, of course, in accordance with the will of Christ. Those
who engage in these attacks on the Church generally muster the support of very
intelligent and highly persuasive individuals to help their cause. It is therefore
often very difficult, at face value, for ordinary Catholics to recognise the attack
on the Church for what it really is. On the contrary, it is in fact quite easy
for the ordinary Catholic like me to fall into the trap of believing that what
is being proposed is extremely reasonable and therefore actually acceptable.
This is clearly, what they hope to achieve.
Those intent on attacking the Church also rally
the support of priests, religious, and theologians for their cause. This is
done specifically to give their cause added credibility and to increase the
extreme difficulty that ordinary Catholics already have in trying to discern
the truth. It is quite horrifying that these priests, religious, and
theologians allow themselves to be used in this way.
What is equally horrifying is not only that priests,
religious, and theologians are engaged in this way, but also that on many
occasions these attacks on the Church are actually organised and managed
directly from the premises of the Church. Once again, how does the ordinary
Catholic differentiate what is of the Church and deserving of support or not,
when the attack comes directly from the Church premises?
Let’s not forget to mention of course how
the Catholic newspapers today serve as one of the biggest and most successful
platforms from which to launch an attack on the Church, all fooled by the
belief that as a ‘newspaper’ they have some sort of ethical duty to provide a
voice for all, just like a secular newspaper would do.
The complete and utterly shameless ways that
are used to enable ordinary everyday Catholics to be deceived must leave us
with no doubt whatsoever that a firm and no nonsense response is required to
protect the Church and its members. We cannot allow this to continue unchecked because,
if we do, we are increasing the probability of one of our children, our family
or our friends being exposed to their treachery and succumbing to their false
teaching. This is an extremely serious matter and we must, as quickly as
possible, oust those who attempt to attack the Church from within. This is
literally a matter of life and death.
This will of course not be easy. Often these
efforts will be complicated by accusations that those doing the ousting are
behaving uncharitably. One has only to read the comment section of any Catholic
newspaper to see this in action. Take note of the comments in reaction to the person
who has the courage to speak the truth. Seldom is any effort made to address
the contents of the person’s response itself. This is because they frankly have
no interest in dialogue, despite what they may say.
Instead, their only objective is to
embarrass and humiliate the person in order to silence him or her. They do so
by branding him or her as uncharitable, confrontational, disrespectful, bully
and many other hurtful labels. They firstly want any others reading the
comments to be too afraid to even consider supporting the person. Further, they
hope, and sadly, they’re often successful, that the person will simply ‘run
away’ from their bitter and hurtful attack. Their behaviour is intent on
silencing the person at all costs while of course maintaining the perception
that they are the victims in the entire matter.
If this behaviour does not stop the person
then they will begin with the next range of options: censor and delete the
person’s comments; enlist people to address ‘letters of complaint’ to the
newspaper about the allegedly hurtful and confrontational content, in order to get
the person banned completely.
The reason that these attacks on the Church generally
continue, despite the fact that many Catholics actually find them unacceptable,
is that most people naturally want to avoid any unpleasantness. Life is tough
enough without having to complicate it any further and it is this sentiment
that is exactly what these groups are banking on. They persist because they
have shown that more often than not, they can simply wear other people down and
in that way get their own way.
Consider Pope Benedict’s words during his
homily at the Chrism Mass earlier this year. Speaking about those who simply
refuse to obey the Church’s teaching on the ordination of women and who persist
in this regard, Pope Benedict says: “Do
we sense here anything of that configuration to Christ which is the precondition
for all true renewal, or do we merely sense a desperate push to do something to
change the Church in accordance with one’s own preferences and ideas?”[i]
This morning’s gospel reading does of course
always give me great comfort whenever I become disheartened and despondent at
this constant attacking of the Church. It is very short so I will repeat it
below.
“In the evening the disciples went down to the shore of the lake and got
into a boat to make for Capernaum on the other side of the lake. It was getting
dark by now and Jesus had still not rejoined them. The wind was strong, and the
sea was getting rough. They had rowed three or four miles when they saw Jesus
walking on the lake and coming towards the boat. This frightened them, but he
said, ‘It is I. Do not be afraid.’ They were for taking him into the boat, but in
no time it reached the shore at the place they were making for.”[ii]
It is nice to be reminded that despite the
winds of persecution that the Church constantly faces from every side, even
sometimes, like the waves, breaking into the boat, Christ is always their with
His Church. He will ensure that the Church will not be deviated from course and
the Church will arrive, on time, at its planned destination, with all of those
who remained faithful and safely within her.
We need Catholics to realise that they must be prepared to stand
their ground and remain in the boat, despite being battered with unflattering
and hurtful labels, because the destination is so truly magnificent
and worth it.
When these liberal monkeys accuse us of being "uncharitable", you may recall the charitable words of Jesus: "Get behind me Satan."
ReplyDeleteYou can never be uncharitable when you take up the whip to drive the "money changers", "scribes", and "Pharisees “out of God’s house, the Church, while defending the Faith; no matter what their status, their squeals, their whining.
These liberal "hypocrites" try to gain weight while causing stress and division among the Faithful while, indeed, they oppose Doctrine and Dogma, Faith, Hope, and Charity in the most sneaky, insidious and manipulative fashion.
Let's just agree that we love the Church and will do anything to defend the Pope. Our charity is demonstrated by our love for God and the Church. We do not exercise “charity” over the Devil , his angels and his collaborators!
Being Catholic is not just about regional locality, but of world view to the issues that affect us all, including those who are not Catholic.
ReplyDeleteThat view is shaped by the teaching of our Church which flows directly through revelation of God our Father through the prophets to Jesus our Christ who sent His apostles to proclaim the good news, which Tradition and Scripture records.
When our Bishops need to counteract certain issues like the Secrecy Bill, Abortion Euthanasia, Poverty, Laws that are unjust, it needs an apostolate that is true to the teaching of the Church on all issues.
A Catholic press would be the first in line to do this work, for our Bishops to get their message across to the broader population. One could easily imagine how effective that this would be.
How many Catholics know that Christianity in Africa has phenomenal growth? That Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world. That there are countries in the world, which in their constitution actively discriminate against Christians.
Catholics are at the forefront of all these above issues and if you do not know about them and you think or have a perception that Catholics are leaving the Church that we are decreasing, in numbers, that there is chaos in the Magisterium that Pope Benedict is on a Sinking Ark. That all priest are sexual abusers, which the Church has no control of or does nothing about, and needs to Change to modern thought.
Then Our Catholic Press in this country has failed you and secular propaganda has shaped your perception.
An apostolate is one, who does the work of an apostle, and apostle is not one to preach or convey messages that go against the teaching of Christ our Lord or convey messages that contradict the teaching of the Church to its members and the broader population, this causes confusion.
Indeed, Malcolm, your view is good.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, fidelity to the authentic Teaching Authority of the Magisterium is absolutely necessary for every true Catholic Believer and Preacher.
This fidelity embraces everything that the Church does and teaches, at every moment, at every time, universally. This fidelity faithfully and consistently embraces Dogma, Doctrine, Authority, Revelation, Scripture, Tradition, Councils, Catechism, Liturgy, Canon Law, Encyclicals, Scripture, Prayer,Structure, the Faithfulul, Hierarchy, Laity, Priesthood,Religious Institutions, Administration, Evangelisation, Creed, Church History, Sin, Holiness, Death, Salvation, Faith, Hope, Charity, the Trinity, Our Blessed Lady,the Angels, the Saints, etc; all being the same, today, yesterday and forever!
No matter whether the Church is triumphant, suffering, militant, where all these elements co-exist in harmony, there is the Church and her work, the presence of the Holy Spirit!
Thank you Romano
ReplyDeleteBriefly, when we are pointed to the supposed SINS of the Church, it is a deflection of where SIN really resides.
What is pointed to, is the Myths and not the facts, that is, the utter weakness of man under the influence of temptation, who is lacking in religious value, who to a large extent has renounced authority, the spiritual discipline of the Church.
Take the sexual abuse of children. It is against every taught moral value that the Church instructs. It is a great plague in our secular society by school teachers and people of every profession. There are movements in our secular, society that see nothing wrong in and promote intergenerational unions. This puts children at risk.
Not much is written about this. One quite rightly, would be considered ignorant to blame the profession of Accountancy or Teachers, Music, Radio Presenters, Writers, if one of their members had such moral fallings.
This is where the Myth comes in, it now becomes the right thing to do to accuse the Church, attack its disciplines, its leaders, and then place blame at the altar of Rome. No attempt is made to find a solution in our society, however the plague continues undercover.
Let’s look at the Catholic Martin Luther; there is Martin Luther the myth, or Martin Luther the fact.
If one reads the Catholic newspaper under perspectives, you might be surprised to get Martin Luther the Myth or Hans Kung the myth.
Was Martin Luther’s, justification on faith based on a noble idea, or on his inability to overcome personal sin and the lack of discipline that caused the emergence of his famous doctrine on the worthlessness of good works? That our Lord would recognize his faith, in turn shield his utter inabilities, with a cloak, so the he may gain salvation.
There is no doubt that as a young man, he was in opposition to monastic regulations, to indulgences, this in turn led him to be opposed, to authority in general.
When he came across the abuse of indulgences, was this a golden opportunity to launch his attack on the Church. Just as the sexual sins of Catholics, has become an excuse to launch attacks on the Church?
Any objective study on Martin Luther would pick this up, for him to be presented in myth form, is far from the truth. Many other Catholics who descent from Church Teaching (even in this day), are presented in a like wise, manner.
As a Catholic, it would be the responsibility for parents to be able to have a Catholic news paper, to hand to our children and encourage them to read it. To, promote truth to counter the myths, of our time, to cultivate a catholic opinion. Personally I am not sure that this is possible without change.
This is also an appeal to our Bishops and priest to look into this matter.
Again, Malcolm, your point is well taken. I fully agree and endorse what you say: For the sake of our children, we need to counter the myths of our time.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble with myths is that these fallacies really translate themselves into a NEW belief over which wars will be fought, resulting in great future religious persecution. If unchecked, the Protestant reformation will be a picnic by comparison..
Personally, from observation, the core problem, that the Church now experiences, does not lie with newspapers like the Southern Cross.
The problem is deeper than that! It lies with a constructive conspiracy to destroy the Church entirely. It lies hidden among those nuns, the LCWR. It lies hidden in certain religious orders. It lies hidden with certain bishops who are in league to introduce the demise of the Church by mobilising the passions of ignorance and “un-catechetised” people (3 generations!) . It lies hidden within those fads and fashions of those who dissent with the Church, preferring to disguise their own sins while blaming the Church because they are themselves, SINFUL in their lifestyles, not desiring conversion or repentance.
Really, the ongoing problem lies in the fact that Catechesis has been seriously neglected. Because of the failure to preach Catechism, the Truth about Man, the Truth about the Church and the Truth Christ, there is only a remnant who are able to detect error and heresy; having well formed consciences and a strong “Sensus Fidei”.
Rather, today, Mythology is leading the Way as the truth is being manipulated and twisted so that people must "experience" wrong and evil in order to "discover" the Truth. There is no one to wsarn that evil is a trap from very few can escape. This Mytholgy can be termed "experiential" religion.
Alpha, Renew, Marriage Encounter, Liberation Theology, Justice & Peace and similar movements, including the so-called "Youth Mass" are providing the play-ground of the "experiential" religion. Here there is no Catechism. Here a mirage is being produced with an underlying deceit which promotes dissent. These movements encourage the expression of wild opinions, also in cases, inevitably calling the Church to legitimise homosexuality; demanding the introduction of married priests, ordained woman, and other aberrations. These myths are arriving under the banner-heading of "Democracy" or "We are Church"; causing Catholics to feel that they are being deceived by the Church, by the Pope, the Bishops and the Priests.
The reality of these fashionable "movements" is a conspiracy from which, if allowed to go unchecked, will translate and culminate into another diabolical Reformation and many souls will be lost or lose the legacy to know, to serve and to love God; a legacy which is the Divine right of every person..
Rather than appealing to bishops and priests to correct a bad situation, I think, it is rather time to appeal to Pope Benedict VI personally. It is time to beg for a supreme intervention before it is too late.