Many years ago my forestry consulting services were requested by a group of Catholic nuns, Benedictines, who own a large tract of land in the Pacific Northwest.
Thank you for the reporting. Some time back I learned of claims of heresy aimed at the Pope. At first incredulous, I read on and saw before and after transcripts pulled from the Vatican website. In short, the statements seemed to imply that all global religious faiths were valid, and the Catholic Church was not the one true faith. Regardless of one’s personal views on the matter, given the transcripts were accurate, that would be heretical.
The rot starts at the top and the reporting here supports the idea that at least some Church leadership have lost their way. Pray the Church Fathers return to the Faith they claim to embody.
Eric Sammons over at Crisis Magazine has a couple of good takes on the USCCB:
- "The bishops have lost the plot." That is they now see themselves as an NGO, not as those who should be saving souls. Indeed they are prohibited from even speaking about the faith or caring for the spiritual needs of immigrant catholics by taking government money.
- "The USCCB should be disbanded". Not only does this made-up bureaucracy have no canonical authority, it inhibits bishops from having responsible individual governance of their episcopal dioceses as they should. If the bishops want to meet once a year of more together, they can do so without the USCCB as they did before on occasion in Baltimore -the first US See.
I could not agree more. And I'd add that the USCCB is more interested in saving their brick and mortar schools, than saving souls through catholic education.
Brings to mind an aphorism I heard, not sure who said it, some Joshua guy maybe: “Render unto Caesar that which Caesar’s and unto God that which is God’s”.
I have always understood that to imply (inter alia) that religious organizations that become involved in political matters cede the spiritual high ground and become mere political parties. That’s hardly the vision held by the man in whose name they preach. What appalling hypocrisy to, on one hand cry “Separation of church and state!” and on the other actively participate, unelected yet, in matters that are rightly the domain of state action.
Individual church members can and should apply their religious principles in their daily lives. The church, as an organization, should stick to its knitting, which is bringing God to all who may listen, regardless of their political views and social norms and class.
The Catholic Church, under the guidance of this pope, has drifted far from its principles and doctrine. It is difficult for Catholics to remain steadfast in their faith given such “leadership”. Also, how is the USCCB on the public dole? How about some of that sweet Vatican money be spent? Ya know, sell a couple Vermeers or DaVincis that are buried in the basement?
Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves’”.
I'm a protestant yet I have many catholic brothers in Christ. I don't consider them to be separated from me just because they belong to a different small "c" church, and for this reason: the Church is not a human organisation, it's not a hierarchy of religious authorities, and it's not a tax exempt corporation registered in Delaware.
The large "C" Church is, at any one time, the total number of living people who are disciples (followers and servants) of Christ. The disciples were commanded by Christ to multiply (the spiritual command given BY the second Adam is the analog of the physical command given TO the first Adam: "be fruitful and multiply") in Matthew 28: 18 to 20, and they were obedient to this command. Hence Paul calls the people of the churches he established and wrote to both children and sons, but only in the spiritual sense.
THAT is THE Church. There are many churches but only one Church. Many disciples, but only one Lord.
It seems to me that eventually every church makes this error; identifying the people who supposedly serve in the organisation as being the organisation itself, and those servants exercising authority over the members in direct contradiction to Christ's command. You see, to their minds THEY are the church, we are but members of it. We belong to it, they ARE it.
This political aspect of religion is unavoidable as a function of fallen human nature; you see it in every group of people for whatever purpose they are assembled. As time goes by and the assemblage persists it only becomes more and more clear.
In the oldest and most powerful churches Lord Acton could tell you what to expect, but the relatively invisible corruption of the small churches is not due to any superior virtue but only to the relative invisibility and powerlessness of the smaller churches themselves. Powerlessness is not virtue. It's only a matter of degree, not of kind. The political analog is of course the USA itself; we are now bearing witness to the immense depths of corruption to which the political mechanisms of the federal government have been turned by successive generations of entitled knaves. The politics of Nauru are not morally superior to those of the USA, merely less powerful.
The Green Revolution makes poor countries dependent on the rich, while the rich get richer through tax benefits and payouts from the public purse. The poor need cheap, plentiful energy if they are to have any hope of pulling themselves up out of poverty. Think propane and kerosene: inexpensive, easy to transport, low technology systems, and immediate heat and energy.
Thank you for saying this. As a Catholic I’ve been sorely tested by these despicable actions made in “my” name. Did not Jesus teach that to help our fellow man one must teach him to help himself not just give him things and make him dependent upon our good will? He certainly never intended for his priests to own vast amounts of wealth and do bodily and spiritual harm to children. The church needs to see to its own before it reaches out to condemn others imo. I’ve long given up on the Catholic Church but my soul despairs at its absence in my life. 😔
I have written (for Crisis magazine) that the USCCB should be disbanded. Tomorrow my husband and I will discuss this whole issue as well on our podcast -- we regard it quite negatively! Your points are well taken.
A couple of notes:
1. the CCC point about armed resistance applies to ... our own revolution. The principles are those mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. I have no idea why the USCCB would want that paragraph in bulletins... and had not been aware of that! Wowsahs!
2. the CCC paragraphs about solidarity, in their actual context (promulgation by JPII, under whose pontificate the CCC was drawn up), are about brotherly love required by Christians rather than the Marxist inclination to conflict and seeing everything in terms of strife. For JPII, solidarity was a principle of political action (you will recall the movement in Poland went by that name).
From my perspective, the bishops operate under the principle of conflict, NOT solidarity -- they show no sense of brotherhood (or fatherhood!) towards their flock. They prefer to side with those who sow discontent, envy, and class conflict. They seem to thrive on all that. Sad.
Nice you helped the sisters....kind of arrogant dissing the bishops. Remember when they sued Obama? That seemed to be well received by the masses (pun intended).
I am sorry, there are many good, moral and wonderful Christians, many of them Catholics, but the Catholic Church has always been willing to let children starve so that they may have golden candlesticks on the altar.
Unfair. The Catholic Church is one of the biggest helpers of the poor in the world; it runs, in Africa alone, 1,074 hospitals; 5,373 primary care centers; 186 leprosy treatment centers; 1,279 clinics; 753 homes for the elderly and disabled; 979 orphanages; 1,997 nurseries; 1,590 marriage counseling centers; and 2,947 social education centers
Also, I remind you of Judas (see Mark 14:3-10) and the radical importance of beauty. Do you think Europe would be better off without all those cathedrals? They took money to build.
As to the article: the requirements for just war are straight out of the Summa. The USCCB having them published in parish bulletins as some kind of threat is repulsive, but there's nothing un-Christian about the principles in themselves. And note that Christ told His apostles to acquire swords (Luke 22:36).
A majority of this money is funneled to Catholic Charities which (similar to Lutheran World Relief) has been co-opted for the Christian front name & are run by non-Catholics.
I know you are sincere but I stick by my comment. The Africa numbers are basically nonsense as I know of several 'centres' which are tin huts open once a week if you are lucky.
As for Cathedrals, how many peasants starved so that they could be built?
Catholic Church linked to Uganda child labour - BBC News
Thank you for the reporting. Some time back I learned of claims of heresy aimed at the Pope. At first incredulous, I read on and saw before and after transcripts pulled from the Vatican website. In short, the statements seemed to imply that all global religious faiths were valid, and the Catholic Church was not the one true faith. Regardless of one’s personal views on the matter, given the transcripts were accurate, that would be heretical.
The rot starts at the top and the reporting here supports the idea that at least some Church leadership have lost their way. Pray the Church Fathers return to the Faith they claim to embody.
When the question "God or Mammon" appeared on the test, the majority of American Cardinals circled "Mammon."
Timely and great article.
Eric Sammons over at Crisis Magazine has a couple of good takes on the USCCB:
- "The bishops have lost the plot." That is they now see themselves as an NGO, not as those who should be saving souls. Indeed they are prohibited from even speaking about the faith or caring for the spiritual needs of immigrant catholics by taking government money.
- "The USCCB should be disbanded". Not only does this made-up bureaucracy have no canonical authority, it inhibits bishops from having responsible individual governance of their episcopal dioceses as they should. If the bishops want to meet once a year of more together, they can do so without the USCCB as they did before on occasion in Baltimore -the first US See.
I could not agree more. And I'd add that the USCCB is more interested in saving their brick and mortar schools, than saving souls through catholic education.
Brings to mind an aphorism I heard, not sure who said it, some Joshua guy maybe: “Render unto Caesar that which Caesar’s and unto God that which is God’s”.
I have always understood that to imply (inter alia) that religious organizations that become involved in political matters cede the spiritual high ground and become mere political parties. That’s hardly the vision held by the man in whose name they preach. What appalling hypocrisy to, on one hand cry “Separation of church and state!” and on the other actively participate, unelected yet, in matters that are rightly the domain of state action.
Individual church members can and should apply their religious principles in their daily lives. The church, as an organization, should stick to its knitting, which is bringing God to all who may listen, regardless of their political views and social norms and class.
The Catholic Church, under the guidance of this pope, has drifted far from its principles and doctrine. It is difficult for Catholics to remain steadfast in their faith given such “leadership”. Also, how is the USCCB on the public dole? How about some of that sweet Vatican money be spent? Ya know, sell a couple Vermeers or DaVincis that are buried in the basement?
Similarly in the UK, the C of E. Would probably be a member, but Welby, and no-one knows what they actually believe.
I have started going on retreat at Benedictine Monasteries, and feel very much at home. Good people, doing God's work on behalf of everyone.
And Buckfast, by Dartmoor also has a wonderful choir.
We may need another St. Benedict, to guide us through these troubled times.
Dear USCCB:
Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves’”.
Great article. I am not Catholic but I am a Christian, and all that is written is true. And Marxism and Christianity are mutually exclusive ideas.
I'm a protestant yet I have many catholic brothers in Christ. I don't consider them to be separated from me just because they belong to a different small "c" church, and for this reason: the Church is not a human organisation, it's not a hierarchy of religious authorities, and it's not a tax exempt corporation registered in Delaware.
The large "C" Church is, at any one time, the total number of living people who are disciples (followers and servants) of Christ. The disciples were commanded by Christ to multiply (the spiritual command given BY the second Adam is the analog of the physical command given TO the first Adam: "be fruitful and multiply") in Matthew 28: 18 to 20, and they were obedient to this command. Hence Paul calls the people of the churches he established and wrote to both children and sons, but only in the spiritual sense.
THAT is THE Church. There are many churches but only one Church. Many disciples, but only one Lord.
It seems to me that eventually every church makes this error; identifying the people who supposedly serve in the organisation as being the organisation itself, and those servants exercising authority over the members in direct contradiction to Christ's command. You see, to their minds THEY are the church, we are but members of it. We belong to it, they ARE it.
This political aspect of religion is unavoidable as a function of fallen human nature; you see it in every group of people for whatever purpose they are assembled. As time goes by and the assemblage persists it only becomes more and more clear.
In the oldest and most powerful churches Lord Acton could tell you what to expect, but the relatively invisible corruption of the small churches is not due to any superior virtue but only to the relative invisibility and powerlessness of the smaller churches themselves. Powerlessness is not virtue. It's only a matter of degree, not of kind. The political analog is of course the USA itself; we are now bearing witness to the immense depths of corruption to which the political mechanisms of the federal government have been turned by successive generations of entitled knaves. The politics of Nauru are not morally superior to those of the USA, merely less powerful.
The Green Revolution makes poor countries dependent on the rich, while the rich get richer through tax benefits and payouts from the public purse. The poor need cheap, plentiful energy if they are to have any hope of pulling themselves up out of poverty. Think propane and kerosene: inexpensive, easy to transport, low technology systems, and immediate heat and energy.
No such bulletin announcement appeared in our parish as of 2/27 here in eastern Kansas
Thank you for saying this. As a Catholic I’ve been sorely tested by these despicable actions made in “my” name. Did not Jesus teach that to help our fellow man one must teach him to help himself not just give him things and make him dependent upon our good will? He certainly never intended for his priests to own vast amounts of wealth and do bodily and spiritual harm to children. The church needs to see to its own before it reaches out to condemn others imo. I’ve long given up on the Catholic Church but my soul despairs at its absence in my life. 😔
I'm catholic too and this upsets me. They shouldn't be suing.
I have written (for Crisis magazine) that the USCCB should be disbanded. Tomorrow my husband and I will discuss this whole issue as well on our podcast -- we regard it quite negatively! Your points are well taken.
A couple of notes:
1. the CCC point about armed resistance applies to ... our own revolution. The principles are those mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. I have no idea why the USCCB would want that paragraph in bulletins... and had not been aware of that! Wowsahs!
2. the CCC paragraphs about solidarity, in their actual context (promulgation by JPII, under whose pontificate the CCC was drawn up), are about brotherly love required by Christians rather than the Marxist inclination to conflict and seeing everything in terms of strife. For JPII, solidarity was a principle of political action (you will recall the movement in Poland went by that name).
From my perspective, the bishops operate under the principle of conflict, NOT solidarity -- they show no sense of brotherhood (or fatherhood!) towards their flock. They prefer to side with those who sow discontent, envy, and class conflict. They seem to thrive on all that. Sad.
Yup, the USCCB is very much in on the open borders industrial complex.
Nice you helped the sisters....kind of arrogant dissing the bishops. Remember when they sued Obama? That seemed to be well received by the masses (pun intended).
Read Canon Law 212. Laity have the right, and sometimes the duty, to make their opinions known. (212.3)
I am sorry, there are many good, moral and wonderful Christians, many of them Catholics, but the Catholic Church has always been willing to let children starve so that they may have golden candlesticks on the altar.
Unfair. The Catholic Church is one of the biggest helpers of the poor in the world; it runs, in Africa alone, 1,074 hospitals; 5,373 primary care centers; 186 leprosy treatment centers; 1,279 clinics; 753 homes for the elderly and disabled; 979 orphanages; 1,997 nurseries; 1,590 marriage counseling centers; and 2,947 social education centers
Also, I remind you of Judas (see Mark 14:3-10) and the radical importance of beauty. Do you think Europe would be better off without all those cathedrals? They took money to build.
As to the article: the requirements for just war are straight out of the Summa. The USCCB having them published in parish bulletins as some kind of threat is repulsive, but there's nothing un-Christian about the principles in themselves. And note that Christ told His apostles to acquire swords (Luke 22:36).
As to solidarity, that is not a Marxist idea, though Marxists (including Marxists in the Church) abuse it. See http://blog.adw.org/2012/04/subsidiarity-and-solidarity-not-necessarily-what-you-may-think-they-are/
A majority of this money is funneled to Catholic Charities which (similar to Lutheran World Relief) has been co-opted for the Christian front name & are run by non-Catholics.
I know you are sincere but I stick by my comment. The Africa numbers are basically nonsense as I know of several 'centres' which are tin huts open once a week if you are lucky.
As for Cathedrals, how many peasants starved so that they could be built?
Catholic Church linked to Uganda child labour - BBC News
The peasants did NOT starve to build cathedrals. You are just a bitter, Anti-Catholic, protesting Protestant.