During an argument with a Catholic Cardinal, Napolean Bonaparte burst out with arrogance, "Your Eminence, are you not aware that I have the power to destroy the Catholic Church?" The Cardinal, responded, "Your majesty, we, the Catholic clergy, have done our best to destroy the Church for the last 1,800 years. We have not succeeded, and neither will you"
While it is true that Satan continually attacks the Catholic Church from both within and without, what makes anyone think that he is winning the battle? The Church was founded and built by Christ. It was never built by human hands. Christ said that the gates of Hell will never prevail against His Church, and His words are true. Anyone who thinks that the Church is losing the battle only reveal their lack of faith. The Catholic Church still stands today because Christ is her Head, and the Holy Spirit guides her into all truths. For over 2000 years, Satan has been attacking the Church, but he has never come close to defeating her. The Church prevails:
1. The Church was persecuted by the Jews. They persecuted Christians left and right. And what happened to them? Saul, a Jewish Pharisee, was converted and became one of the greatest Apostles for the Gentiles. Christ's prophecy of the Jewish temple also came true. The temple was destroyed in 70 AD, and the Catholic Church continued to grow.
2. Then came the Roman pagans who also persecuted Christians left and right. And what happened to the Romans? A pagan Roman emperor, Constantine, converted to Christianity. The Roman Empire began a long decline, and then fell. It never recovered. The Catholic Church, on the other hand, continued to grow.
3. Then came Islam in the Crusades. While Islam is still here today and continues to persecute the Church, it has not defeated the Church. It still stands today. Despite these persecutions today, many Muslims are converting to Christianity even in the midst of the violence.
4. Heretics have been attacking the Church from the beginning. What happened to these heretics. They eventually died out. Why? Because it did not come from God, but came from human inventions. Occasionally, some of these heresies would crop up and like chameleons who change their colors, they disguised themselves with new names. Nevertheless, the Catholic Church continues to grow. What comes from God will always continue to grow.
5. Then came Protestantism, which was started by Martin Luther in 1521. Ten million Catholics left the Church to become Protestants, but that did not destroy the Catholic Church. Ten years later, the Catholic Church gained 10 million converts in Central America starting with the miracle of our Lady of Guadelupe, and the Church continued to grow. What happened to Protestantism? It became fragmented into pieces. There are approximately 40,000 non-Catholic sects in the world today that call themselves "Christians." Our non-Catholic brothers have not learned that a house divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25) and a house built on sand and not on the "rock" (Matthew 16:18), will be washed away (Matthew 7:21-27).
6. Adolph Hiter and Nazism rose to power. Hitler vowed to destroy the Catholic Church. Hitler is gone and Nazism fell. But the Catholic Church continues to grow.
7. Then came communism with 75 years of terror. Eastern Europe was behind the iron curtain. The USSR, Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland and many other countries were under the rule of communism. Where is communism today? Communism in the USSR has fallen, and Catholicism has made a comeback in those countries. It rose from hiding after communism fell.
8. Despite the persecution of Christians, the Catholic Church in Japan managed to survive without priests for 250 years. With only the sacrament of baptism and the transmission of faith, the Catholic Church in Japan survived. It did not die out because what comes from God cannot be destroyed.
The Catholic Church continues to stand and survive because Jesus Christ Himself said it would (Matthew 16:18, 28:20, and John 14:16-17). Christ is the Head of the Church, and it has always been Him who led and guided her no matter who sat in the Chair of Peter and no matter the fact that the Church was filled with sinners. After all, Christ built the Church FOR sinners. Anyone who says that Satan is winning the battle against the Catholic Church lacks faith and does not know God and His Church.
Friday, January 29, 2016
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
New Catechumenate?
Pope Francis spoke to the tribunal of the Roman Rota, which deals with annulments and stressed the importance of better preparing couples for the sacrament of marriage. The pope emphasized that a life long Christian marriage is not only for a select few but possible for all. According to the weblink below: Therefore, the Pope stressed, there is greater reason for all the structures of the Church to work toward an “appropriate preparation for marriage, in a sort of new catechumenate — I stress this: in a sort of new catechumenate — so desired by some Synodal Fathers.”Pope Francis To The Roman Rota
It is interesting that Pope Francis says "new catechumenate" and even stressed this word. :-) It is no secret that the Necoatechumenal Way has been successful in creating mission families and itinerants who were willing to leave everything behind to evangelize in other countries. People are impressed with how the families are open to life and how faith is transmitted to the children.
We live in a world where the divorce rate is high and most couples prefer cohabitation over the commitment of marriage. However, in the Way, families are instructed to pray together as a family. Families pray morning prayer together. In the communities, single people sometimes gather together in a home for morning prayer. Other times, families would invite community members who are single to join them for morning prayer. Prayer is very powerful. It brings all people of God together including those who are in Heaven interceding for us.
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Pope Changes Foot Washing Rite
Pope Francis has changed the foot washing ceremonies on Holy Thursday to include women. The change will take effect on Thursday, March 24th. However, even before Pope Francis officially made this change, he already washed the feet of women in 2013.
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CNN)Pope Francis has declared that women should be included in foot-washing ceremonies on Holy Thursday during Easter week, a move long awaited by Western women.
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CNN)Pope Francis has declared that women should be included in foot-washing ceremonies on Holy Thursday during Easter week, a move long awaited by Western women.
The Vatican announced the change Thursday, saying it will now be part of the Roman Missal, the book that guides Catholic liturgy throughout the world. It will take effect on Holy Thursday, March 24.
Previously, the Missal said that only males should participate in the foot-washing ritual, which memorializes Jesus' washing of the disciples' feet at the Last Supper.
But in a letter to the Vatican's head of worship and sacraments, the Pope said including women in the rite more fully expresses the meaning of Jesus' gesture at the Last Supper: "His giving of himself unto the end for the salvation of the world, his limitless charity."
"After careful consideration", Francis said, "I have decided to make a change to the Roman Missal. I therefore decree that the section according to which those persons chosen for the washing of the feet must be men or boys, so that from now on the pastors of the Church may choose the participants in the rite from among all the members of the People of God."
While some dioceses in the United States and elsewhere already allowed women to participate in the rite, many others did not, said the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author.
Friday, January 22, 2016
Become The Light Of Christ
Freedom of religion means that we have a right to worship and that this human right should not be taken away from anyone. In a democratic society, a person should be able to enter their place of worship and worship in peace without any kind of disruption.
As many already know, there has been a series of disruptions in many Catholic Churches in Vegas. Fundamentalist Protestants have entered the Catholic Church DURING Mass to distribute pamphlets to members. Of course, this is a disruption of the Mass and a violation of our constitutional right of religious worship.
I said earlier in one of my posts that the Laity Forward Movement is not very far from doing this. They have already violated the rules of free expression by distributing pamphlets on Church grounds without the permission of the parish priest. Now, the jungle is encouraging LFM to enter inside the Church and hold a silent protest DURING Mass, which is a clear violation of our constitutional right of religious worship. According to Tim Rohr:
As many already know, there has been a series of disruptions in many Catholic Churches in Vegas. Fundamentalist Protestants have entered the Catholic Church DURING Mass to distribute pamphlets to members. Of course, this is a disruption of the Mass and a violation of our constitutional right of religious worship.
I said earlier in one of my posts that the Laity Forward Movement is not very far from doing this. They have already violated the rules of free expression by distributing pamphlets on Church grounds without the permission of the parish priest. Now, the jungle is encouraging LFM to enter inside the Church and hold a silent protest DURING Mass, which is a clear violation of our constitutional right of religious worship. According to Tim Rohr:
I have edited the following comment as the last part was not needed. The main suggestion is good:
Excellent work of the Laity Forward Movement.
I also suggest another medium.
During the homily of NCW Presbyters/ Archbishop
silently stand up one by one remain standing throughout homily.
This is a silent public protest which is now well called for.
The Holy Father encourages Laity Forward to go out into your
parishes and make a mess where it is needed. Guam is in a mess
messed up by a cult of evil dangerous individuals. The army of the
laity need to now go out create a mess in opposition to the already
existing mess. " tickle ears of their bishop" I don't know about that.
For sure for sure Apuron needs (edited) Bye.
Excellent work of the Laity Forward Movement.
I also suggest another medium.
During the homily of NCW Presbyters/ Archbishop
silently stand up one by one remain standing throughout homily.
This is a silent public protest which is now well called for.
The Holy Father encourages Laity Forward to go out into your
parishes and make a mess where it is needed. Guam is in a mess
messed up by a cult of evil dangerous individuals. The army of the
laity need to now go out create a mess in opposition to the already
existing mess. " tickle ears of their bishop" I don't know about that.
For sure for sure Apuron needs (edited) Bye.
Desperate men do desperate things that the lines between right and wrong becomes so blurred, they no longer care about human rights and dignity. LFM has already violated the rules of free expression by protesting on church grounds without the permission of the parish priest. They have already attempted to instigate a riot by distributing their pamphlets filled with hateful comments about Father Adrian, Father Pius, the Archbishop, and so on. Fortunately, the parishioners have remained calm and did not give in to their human emotions. Now, they are attempting to deprive Catholics of their right to worship by bringing their protest into the Mass. Their fight against what they perceived an injustice has become an injustice in itself. As Martin Luther King Jr. stated: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that."
So, brothers and sisters, be prepared to be the light of Christ for only the light can drive out darkness. Let them hold their silent protests. As long as we have the light of Christ in us, what can disturb us?
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Responding To The Anonymous Priest.
It was brought to my attention that the anonymous priest has responded in the jungle. It is unfortunate that he did not respond here since my message to him was here. The comment of the anonymous commenter with the copied and paste comments from the priest is found under the thread of my last post here. The priest's comments are in red while my response is in black. The blue are quotes from certain documents.
Diana quotes CCC 1269. While I am no canonist, my earlier comments were based on the following in canon law. Book II, Part 1, deals with the obligations and rights of the Christian faithful:
Can. 212 §3. According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.
Dear Father,
Canon law 212 says that the Catholic faithful has a duty to manifest to the sacred pastors and the Christian faithful their OPINION. NOTHING in that statement says that the faithful should DISOBEY the Church leader. There is a big difference between making your opinions known and disobedience. The Church is not going to say "obey and submit" to your church leaders in the Catechism and then turn around and pass canon law stating to "disobey" your church leaders. The Catechism of the Catholic Church and Canon Laws are not contrary to each other.
Key here is a duty to make known to pastors and the rest of the Christian faithful...and it must be done with reverence. What I know of the LFM, they have acted respectfully, and I implore them to continue this way. God is with you when you act in charity to defend His church.
That is correct. The key here is a duty to make known with reverence, which is not the same as disobedience. However, you are incorrect when you stated that LFM have acted "respectfully." These are the words you will find in the fliers that LFM have illegally distributed out to parishioners:
Canon 229 §1. Lay persons are bound by the obligation and possess the right to acquire knowledge of Christian doctrine appropriate to the capacity and condition of each in order for them to be able to live according to this doctrine, announce it themselves, defend it if necessary, and take their part in exercising the apostolate.
The key here is that all Catholics have an obligation to defend the Church, which I encourage them to do. By the way, that Jubilee prayer at the end of mass...it is illegal since no prayers are to be added to the mass that are not a part of the roman missal.
Dear Father, you stated, "The key here is that all Catholics have an obligation to defend the Church, which I encourage them to do." Canon Law 229 NEVER said to defend the Church, Father. It says (the bold is mine):
Christ already said that the gates of Hell will never prevail against the Church, so what makes you think you need to defend something that not even the gates of Hell can overcome?????? The reason the gates of Hell cannot overcome the Church is because in the first place the Church was created by divine hands, not by human hands. So, since when does the "divine" need to be defended by puny little humans???
This Christian teaching, which we defend is found in the Nicene Creed and in the Beatitudes. The Nicene Creed consist of ALL our Catholic beliefs and teachings. If a pagan or an atheist were to ask me what are the Catholic beliefs, all I have to say is, "I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.........." The Nicene Creed sums up everything I believe in. The Beatitudes, which sums up the entire law, are also the Christian teachings that all Christians are called to live by.
As for the Jubilee prayer, which you say is illegal....the only thing I can say is that if you cannot read the canon law correctly, then I can only assume that you also cannot read the Roman Missal correctly.
Diana is typical of many of our protestant brothers. They look at one scriptural passage and ignore the entire text. Such is the richness of the Catholic Church that it has studied sacred scripture for two millenia, taking every piece of this amazing quilt into account. One panel cannot be interpreted without understand the whole fabric.
Dear Father, with all due respect....what do you call yourself when you replace the words "Christian teaching" with the word "Church" in canon law 229? The Jehovah Witnesses (who are not even Christians) replaced many of the words in the Holy Bible similar to the way you replace the word "Christian teaching" with the word "Church" in the canon law.
So, yes, CCC 1269 talks about obedience to the Church. But if Diana could look at CCC 907 she would see that the CCC also refers to canon law and 212.3. Obedience, yes, but not blind and absolute obedience. Wrong is wrong, and we must not be obedient to wrong, no matter who is directing the wrong. Infallibility does not apply to bishops and priests, and only applies to the Holy Father in very limited circumstances.
Dear Father, CCC 907 ALSO does not mention "disobey". It says:
If my priest told my son to serve as an alter server on Wednesday Mass, he can express his disagreement and complain that he already made plans with his friends. But the fact that he cancelled his plans with his friends is obedience despite his expressed opinion. My son can even express his opinion that he does not like taking out the garbage (and he has), but he obeys his father's command to take out the garbage. Do you now understand the difference, Father?
In the same way, I heard a Dominican priest from the Philippines complain that his Bishop sent him to Indonesia. He voiced his complaints about it, but he went to Indonesia even in a grumbling way. In the end, this priest came out and said that he was glad he was obedient to his bishop. Why? As a result of his obedience, some families in Indonesia invited him to a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. So, for the first time in his life, he traveled to the Holy Land. That would not have happened if he disobeyed.
Father, please reflect and discern on the Gospel readings Matthew 21:28-31. It will help you in your conversion of heart. You are in my prayers, Father.
Diana quotes CCC 1269. While I am no canonist, my earlier comments were based on the following in canon law. Book II, Part 1, deals with the obligations and rights of the Christian faithful:
Can. 212 §3. According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.
Dear Father,
Canon law 212 says that the Catholic faithful has a duty to manifest to the sacred pastors and the Christian faithful their OPINION. NOTHING in that statement says that the faithful should DISOBEY the Church leader. There is a big difference between making your opinions known and disobedience. The Church is not going to say "obey and submit" to your church leaders in the Catechism and then turn around and pass canon law stating to "disobey" your church leaders. The Catechism of the Catholic Church and Canon Laws are not contrary to each other.
Key here is a duty to make known to pastors and the rest of the Christian faithful...and it must be done with reverence. What I know of the LFM, they have acted respectfully, and I implore them to continue this way. God is with you when you act in charity to defend His church.
That is correct. The key here is a duty to make known with reverence, which is not the same as disobedience. However, you are incorrect when you stated that LFM have acted "respectfully." These are the words you will find in the fliers that LFM have illegally distributed out to parishioners:
Are you willing to stand up? Or would you just like to find out the juicy details of Adrian's sick and pathetic little life
Even some of the worse priest you ever met would be looked upon favorable if you had to compare them to Adrian, ethically, philosophically, humanly, or just plain commonly as a priest. Not only the man lacks any moral fiber of any kind, but he obviously suffers from psychological issues that would require prolonged professional supervision, for him to function in any traditional environment.So, dear Father....is this what you define as acting "respectfully" or making your opinions known "with reverence"??????? The pamphlets passed out are no more than protest picket signs written down as pamphlets.
Canon 229 §1. Lay persons are bound by the obligation and possess the right to acquire knowledge of Christian doctrine appropriate to the capacity and condition of each in order for them to be able to live according to this doctrine, announce it themselves, defend it if necessary, and take their part in exercising the apostolate.
The key here is that all Catholics have an obligation to defend the Church, which I encourage them to do. By the way, that Jubilee prayer at the end of mass...it is illegal since no prayers are to be added to the mass that are not a part of the roman missal.
Dear Father, you stated, "The key here is that all Catholics have an obligation to defend the Church, which I encourage them to do." Canon Law 229 NEVER said to defend the Church, Father. It says (the bold is mine):
Can. 229 §1 Lay people have the duty and the right to acquire the knowledge of christian teaching which is appropriate to each one's capacity and condition, so that they may be able to live according to this teaching, to proclaim it and if necessary to defend it, and may be capable of playing their part in the exercise of the apostolate.Canon Law 229 stated that we (lay people) have a duty to acquire knowledge of CHRISTIAN TEACHING, to live out this Christian teaching, proclaim this Christian teaching and even defend this Christian teaching. Nowhere in the Canon Law did it even mention "Church".
Christ already said that the gates of Hell will never prevail against the Church, so what makes you think you need to defend something that not even the gates of Hell can overcome?????? The reason the gates of Hell cannot overcome the Church is because in the first place the Church was created by divine hands, not by human hands. So, since when does the "divine" need to be defended by puny little humans???
This Christian teaching, which we defend is found in the Nicene Creed and in the Beatitudes. The Nicene Creed consist of ALL our Catholic beliefs and teachings. If a pagan or an atheist were to ask me what are the Catholic beliefs, all I have to say is, "I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.........." The Nicene Creed sums up everything I believe in. The Beatitudes, which sums up the entire law, are also the Christian teachings that all Christians are called to live by.
As for the Jubilee prayer, which you say is illegal....the only thing I can say is that if you cannot read the canon law correctly, then I can only assume that you also cannot read the Roman Missal correctly.
Diana is typical of many of our protestant brothers. They look at one scriptural passage and ignore the entire text. Such is the richness of the Catholic Church that it has studied sacred scripture for two millenia, taking every piece of this amazing quilt into account. One panel cannot be interpreted without understand the whole fabric.
Dear Father, with all due respect....what do you call yourself when you replace the words "Christian teaching" with the word "Church" in canon law 229? The Jehovah Witnesses (who are not even Christians) replaced many of the words in the Holy Bible similar to the way you replace the word "Christian teaching" with the word "Church" in the canon law.
So, yes, CCC 1269 talks about obedience to the Church. But if Diana could look at CCC 907 she would see that the CCC also refers to canon law and 212.3. Obedience, yes, but not blind and absolute obedience. Wrong is wrong, and we must not be obedient to wrong, no matter who is directing the wrong. Infallibility does not apply to bishops and priests, and only applies to the Holy Father in very limited circumstances.
Dear Father, CCC 907 ALSO does not mention "disobey". It says:
907 "In accord with the knowledge, competence, and preeminence which they possess, [lay people] have the right and even at times a duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church, and they have a right to make their opinion known to the other Christian faithful, with due regard to the integrity of faith and morals and reverence toward their pastors, and with consideration for the common good and the dignity of persons."Again, the Catechism says to manifest to the sacred pastors their OPINION. Expressing your opinion does not mean to disobey. And again....the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the canon laws do not contradict themselves.
If my priest told my son to serve as an alter server on Wednesday Mass, he can express his disagreement and complain that he already made plans with his friends. But the fact that he cancelled his plans with his friends is obedience despite his expressed opinion. My son can even express his opinion that he does not like taking out the garbage (and he has), but he obeys his father's command to take out the garbage. Do you now understand the difference, Father?
In the same way, I heard a Dominican priest from the Philippines complain that his Bishop sent him to Indonesia. He voiced his complaints about it, but he went to Indonesia even in a grumbling way. In the end, this priest came out and said that he was glad he was obedient to his bishop. Why? As a result of his obedience, some families in Indonesia invited him to a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. So, for the first time in his life, he traveled to the Holy Land. That would not have happened if he disobeyed.
Father, please reflect and discern on the Gospel readings Matthew 21:28-31. It will help you in your conversion of heart. You are in my prayers, Father.
Prayers Needed For This Priest
Priest Anonymous but Ever GratefulJanuary 20, 2016 at 3:56 PM
Hurrah for the Laity Forward Movement!
As a priest I am unable to speak freely, but am delighted to see the laity fulfilling their important role in the Church. It is a role our current Pope has urged on many occasions. Pope Francis wants the laity "to tickle the ears of their bishops". So tickle away, and God bless!
As a priest I am unable to speak freely, but am delighted to see the laity fulfilling their important role in the Church. It is a role our current Pope has urged on many occasions. Pope Francis wants the laity "to tickle the ears of their bishops". So tickle away, and God bless!
To the priest who made the above comment in the jungle, this is my message to you:
Dear Father,
I will be praying for you. May God have mercy on your soul. You stated: "As a priest, I am unable to speak freely..." This is false. You are able to speak freely, but you are not prepared to face the consequences for it. This is nothing new. There are always consequences for everything we do. It is a matter of whether we are prepared to face the consequences of our choice. You remain anonymous by your own choice, so you can still remain a priest. But God knows who you are. He knows your heart.
I will also offer you my correction, Father. It is wrong for any priest to encourage the laity to oppose the Archbishop, who is the local Vicar of Christ. Every baptized Catholic does not belong to himself or herself. Through their baptism, they belong to Christ. Church teaching is very clear that every baptized person is called to obey and submit to the Church leader (See CCC 1269). And Archbishop Apuron is the local Vicar of Christ in the eyes of the Holy See.
I would also like to know where Pope Francis told the laity to "tickle the ears" of their bishops because I could not find it. The only thing I found is the following:
At a prayer vigil on Saturday evening, Francis said that only by paying close attention and understanding real people’s lives would the church earn credibility on issues which he did not name but which are thought to include cohabitation, second marriages and gay relationships.
“We must lend our ears to the beat of this era and detect the scent of people today, so as to be permeated by their joys and hopes, by their sadness and distress, at which time we will know how to propose the good news of the family with credibility,” he said in his address, heard by tens of thousands of people in St Peter’s Square.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/05/catholic-church-listen-pope-francis
In no way is Pope Francis implying that the laity is to oppose their Bishops. It is the bishops who are to listen to the laity's experiences of cohabitation, second marriages, gay marriages, and other issues they encounter in their everyday life in order for the Bishops to propose the Gospel teachings. It is the Bishops' role who must "tickle the ears" of the laity to help them meet the standards of the Church rather than for the Church to lower their standards to accommodate the laity. Church teachings have not changed in regards to cohabitation, gay marriages, homosexuality, contraceptives, etc. It is the role of the Bishops to "tickle the ears" of the laity in getting them to meet the standards of the Catholic Church in regards to these issues. After all, it is possible for single people to practice chastity because with Christ all things are possible.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Update
Dear brothers,
Courage! I have it on high authority. Persecution makes us stronger. Let us look at the facts. It is almost three years and what has the jungle, CCOG, and the Laity Forward Movement accomplished so far? NOTHING! That is the truth. Archbishop Krebs visited the island twice and still Father Paul and Monsignor James is in the same position where the Archbishop put them. The Vatican delegation visited Guam. Has anything changed for Father Paul and Monsignor James? NOOOOOOO! Absolutely nothing! They remain in the same position where the Archbishop put them. They have written letters to the Vatican. Did they get any positive response from them? NOOOOO! In fact, they heard nothing from the Vatican, and Father Paul and Monsignor James remains where the Archbishop placed them.
And most important of all, Archbishop Apuron continues to be our Archbishop. He was appointed by the Pope and as long as Pope Francis have not removed him, he is legitimately and legally the Archbishop of Guam by canon law. Anyone who says otherwise is only going against the Catholic Church. It is almost three years, and the jungle has accomplish nothing. So courage brothers! They can brag about their page views all they want.......but these are the facts: 1) Archbishop Apuron remains the legal Archbishop of Guam in the eyes of Rome, 2) Father Paul and Monsignor James remains where the Archbishop placed them, and 3) the RM seminary continues to remain operational.
After almost three years, they have accomplished nothing, which is why they are so frustrated to the point that they have resorted to breaking the law. So, they can scream, shout, and protest all they want. It never got them anywhere anyway. Courage. As you know, the devil always seek to destroy the Church since her birth. And the only way to defeat the devil is through humility.
Courage! I have it on high authority. Persecution makes us stronger. Let us look at the facts. It is almost three years and what has the jungle, CCOG, and the Laity Forward Movement accomplished so far? NOTHING! That is the truth. Archbishop Krebs visited the island twice and still Father Paul and Monsignor James is in the same position where the Archbishop put them. The Vatican delegation visited Guam. Has anything changed for Father Paul and Monsignor James? NOOOOOOO! Absolutely nothing! They remain in the same position where the Archbishop put them. They have written letters to the Vatican. Did they get any positive response from them? NOOOOO! In fact, they heard nothing from the Vatican, and Father Paul and Monsignor James remains where the Archbishop placed them.
And most important of all, Archbishop Apuron continues to be our Archbishop. He was appointed by the Pope and as long as Pope Francis have not removed him, he is legitimately and legally the Archbishop of Guam by canon law. Anyone who says otherwise is only going against the Catholic Church. It is almost three years, and the jungle has accomplish nothing. So courage brothers! They can brag about their page views all they want.......but these are the facts: 1) Archbishop Apuron remains the legal Archbishop of Guam in the eyes of Rome, 2) Father Paul and Monsignor James remains where the Archbishop placed them, and 3) the RM seminary continues to remain operational.
After almost three years, they have accomplished nothing, which is why they are so frustrated to the point that they have resorted to breaking the law. So, they can scream, shout, and protest all they want. It never got them anywhere anyway. Courage. As you know, the devil always seek to destroy the Church since her birth. And the only way to defeat the devil is through humility.
How Far For A "Loud Bang"?
The following comments from Tim Rohr himself reveals the true agenda behind LFM protests:
"Tim January 17, 2016 at 2:55 PM
The idea is to make a loud bang so the whole world can see and hear the monstrosity of evil that Kiko Arguello through the likes of Pius the Putrid has set upon the world. Believe me, we are accomplishing far more here than Rome could or would ever do. So join us. Make some noise."
TimJanuary 19, 2016 at 2:50 PM
Great. Yes, let's have the cops. Imagine the photo op! Imagine Rome's reaction to a front page picture on the PDN with cops beating back Catholic protestors in front of a Catholic Church. LOL Bring it on, fools.
How far is he willing to go to bring about this "loud bang"? And what kind of "loud bang" is he expecting to get Rome's attention? What is the biggest attention getter? Would it not be violence? Anyone who looks at the newspaper knows that all the extremely bad news are always printed on the front page; therefore, Rohr's "loud bang" has to be of a highly scandalous or violent nature in order to get Rome's attention.
The jungle is not looking to rally troops. How do we know? We live in a world of social media where Tim Rohr has already voiced his opinions in the radio, television, and internet. The protesters were visible with their signs at the Cathedral and the Archbishop's birthday party. Their activities have made headlines in the media. Their members have expressed their personal views in the opinion pages of the Post and Pacific Daily News as well as in radio talk shows. Therefore, the people of Guam already knew what is going on and do not need a pamphlet handed to them after Mass to inform them.
Thus, those leaflets that LFM gave out to people after Mass on church property were not meant to distribute information because even an atheist living on Guam for at least the past two or three years would already know what is going on in Guam's Catholic Church through the media. LFM was not there to distribute information that is already known, but to incite some kind of "loud bang." They were also not there to rally troops because they already have the troops despite that they are very few in numbers. Their agenda is found in Tim's very own statements - to make a "loud bang" and get Rome's attention.
After two years of accomplishing absolutely nothing, their frustration and desperation have led them to violate the laws of free expression. Trespassing and unlawful solicitation are only misdemeanors. However, these illegal protests can lead to serious crimes if a parishioner, priest, or protester allows his emotions to get out of hand. As someone pointed out, there is a REASON why we have laws regarding the limitations of free expression. There is a REASON why there are laws stating that protests and demonstrations are to be held in public-forum areas only. It is so that people cannot simply do whatever pleases them otherwise we end up in an uncivilized, disorderly society. It was also brought to my attention that before the illegal incident at the Chalan Pago parish, LFM had already distributed pamphlets to the parishes of Dededo and Tamuning.
"Tim January 17, 2016 at 2:55 PM
The idea is to make a loud bang so the whole world can see and hear the monstrosity of evil that Kiko Arguello through the likes of Pius the Putrid has set upon the world. Believe me, we are accomplishing far more here than Rome could or would ever do. So join us. Make some noise."
TimJanuary 19, 2016 at 2:50 PM
Great. Yes, let's have the cops. Imagine the photo op! Imagine Rome's reaction to a front page picture on the PDN with cops beating back Catholic protestors in front of a Catholic Church. LOL Bring it on, fools.
How far is he willing to go to bring about this "loud bang"? And what kind of "loud bang" is he expecting to get Rome's attention? What is the biggest attention getter? Would it not be violence? Anyone who looks at the newspaper knows that all the extremely bad news are always printed on the front page; therefore, Rohr's "loud bang" has to be of a highly scandalous or violent nature in order to get Rome's attention.
The jungle is not looking to rally troops. How do we know? We live in a world of social media where Tim Rohr has already voiced his opinions in the radio, television, and internet. The protesters were visible with their signs at the Cathedral and the Archbishop's birthday party. Their activities have made headlines in the media. Their members have expressed their personal views in the opinion pages of the Post and Pacific Daily News as well as in radio talk shows. Therefore, the people of Guam already knew what is going on and do not need a pamphlet handed to them after Mass to inform them.
Thus, those leaflets that LFM gave out to people after Mass on church property were not meant to distribute information because even an atheist living on Guam for at least the past two or three years would already know what is going on in Guam's Catholic Church through the media. LFM was not there to distribute information that is already known, but to incite some kind of "loud bang." They were also not there to rally troops because they already have the troops despite that they are very few in numbers. Their agenda is found in Tim's very own statements - to make a "loud bang" and get Rome's attention.
After two years of accomplishing absolutely nothing, their frustration and desperation have led them to violate the laws of free expression. Trespassing and unlawful solicitation are only misdemeanors. However, these illegal protests can lead to serious crimes if a parishioner, priest, or protester allows his emotions to get out of hand. As someone pointed out, there is a REASON why we have laws regarding the limitations of free expression. There is a REASON why there are laws stating that protests and demonstrations are to be held in public-forum areas only. It is so that people cannot simply do whatever pleases them otherwise we end up in an uncivilized, disorderly society. It was also brought to my attention that before the illegal incident at the Chalan Pago parish, LFM had already distributed pamphlets to the parishes of Dededo and Tamuning.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Handling Protesters On Church Property
A commenter made the following observation under the thread of my last post. According to his/her comments, which can be found here.
Handling Protests At Church
AnonymousJanuary 18, 2016 at 9:30 PM
Folks, this is getting serious. The JW puppet master admitted what he is doing:
"Tim January 17, 2016 at 2:55 PM
The idea is to make a loud bang so the whole world can see and hear the monstrosity of evil that Kiko Arguello through the likes of Pius the Putrid has set upon the world. Believe me, we are accomplishing far more here than Rome could or would ever do. So join us. Make some noise."
All he wants is making a loud noise and creating a monstrous scandal! Exactly as Diana pointed out, he is becoming so desperate that he would do anything, literally anything, to get some media attention. It looks like, he would not even refrain from inciting lawless activity against the church!
Now, he sends his puppet minions to provoke violence in the churches. I quote from the Laity Forward flier: "Rid the practices of NCW out of our churches!" This is their demand, a direct call for violence, folks. By simple logic: you can rid of your own practices peacefully, but you cannot rid of the practices of others without violence! They want to rid of the practices of the NCW that had been repeatedly approved by the Popes and the Curia. Getting rid of us cannot be done without force, without violence, because we will stand up for our rights!
That is why this is becoming serious, folks. Inciting violence based on religion is against the constitution! Any anti-constitutional activity must be reported to and monitored by the police. This gang is truly approaching a law enforcement action.
I am deeply surprised and saddened that former Senator Bob Klitzkie would allow his wife to be associated to this kind of lawless activity.
The idea is to make a loud bang so the whole world can see and hear the monstrosity of evil that Kiko Arguello through the likes of Pius the Putrid has set upon the world. Believe me, we are accomplishing far more here than Rome could or would ever do. So join us. Make some noise."
All he wants is making a loud noise and creating a monstrous scandal! Exactly as Diana pointed out, he is becoming so desperate that he would do anything, literally anything, to get some media attention. It looks like, he would not even refrain from inciting lawless activity against the church!
Now, he sends his puppet minions to provoke violence in the churches. I quote from the Laity Forward flier: "Rid the practices of NCW out of our churches!" This is their demand, a direct call for violence, folks. By simple logic: you can rid of your own practices peacefully, but you cannot rid of the practices of others without violence! They want to rid of the practices of the NCW that had been repeatedly approved by the Popes and the Curia. Getting rid of us cannot be done without force, without violence, because we will stand up for our rights!
That is why this is becoming serious, folks. Inciting violence based on religion is against the constitution! Any anti-constitutional activity must be reported to and monitored by the police. This gang is truly approaching a law enforcement action.
I am deeply surprised and saddened that former Senator Bob Klitzkie would allow his wife to be associated to this kind of lawless activity.
Protests occurs in worship centers across the United States for many reasons. Hate groups, for example, have set up protests across from mosques where Muslims worship in the U.S. Numerous protesters have also disrupted Catholic Masses in Vegas (See the weblink here). Fortunately, these kinds of disruptions are not happening here; however, the incident at the Chalan Pago parish on Sunday is not far from it simply because the protest took place on Church grounds without the permission of the parish priest. The protesters in Vegas went INSIDE the Catholic Church and distributed pamphlets. Nevertheless, what happened at the Chalan Pago parish is very similar to the Vegas-style protests because it took place on church grounds.
The following website offers some safety tips for parish priests to protect their parishioners from violence by protesters.
Step 1 is the most effective step. The police can require protesters to stay off Church property. Unlike Vegas, Guam is a small island where people can identify to the police the members of the LFM who were there protesting. Even a SENATOR should know that all protests should always be done on public-forum areas (such as the sidewalk)!!! They can also remove and arrest any potentially dangerous individual from the protest. You can read the rest of the tips in the following website:Step 1: Call Police
This is the single most effective step your ministry can take to avert problems.Use their expertise. Law enforcement agencies are trained on tactics and strategies designed to cool hot situations, including protests, demonstrations and riots.Give them time to prepare. Get police involved ahead of time, if you can. With enough advance notice, local law enforcement can contact demonstration leaders beforehand to establish ground rules for the event. For example, police can require protesters to stay off church property or to demonstrate in a place where they won’t interfere with people or traffic.Minimize conflict. Only law enforcement officers possess the legal authority to deal with the most dangerous elements of a disruptive group. Laws in every state allow officers to arrest demonstrators for even the slightest assault on the officer, effectively removing these potentially dangerous individuals from the demonstration. Allowing police to deal with protesters outside your ministry allows you to focus on the people inside your ministry.
Handling Protests At Church
Monday, January 18, 2016
Guam's Clergy
In my last post, I have shown that this concept of the "three altars" is indeed Catholic teaching. There is so much beauty and richness in the Catholic faith that not many people can clearly comprehend it. This is why St. Paul said that milk must be given first before the meat (1 Corinthians 3:2). A child learns to crawl first before he can stand up to walk.
In my last post, the sources I have cited have nothing to do with the Neocatechumenal Way. Catholic Exchange website is a Catholic website, which also says that the dining room table is an altar and that the family is like the Catholic Church. Just as the father is the head of the household in the human family, so is the Pope and Bishops the spiritual head of God's household for they are Christ's representative on Earth. Pope John Paul II also stated that the Eucharist is a nuptial sacrament and likened to the union between man and wife.
Scott Hahn (a Catholic convert) found this richness in the Catholic faith as he was studying the word "covenant". When he was a Protestant, he only scratched the surface of Catholicism. After reading the Baltimore catechism, it took him even deeper into the Catholic faith. Most of us born and baptized into the Catholic faith do not even get that far into understanding our faith. According to Scott Hahn:
During our word celebration, "covenant" was also one of the words the members of the NCW came across. We became part of God's divine family through our baptism. The seed of faith was planted in us in our baptism. But God calls us to live out our faith and not just simply to know our faith.
Like in any family, one can see sibling rivalry. One can even see a glimmer of this sibling rivalry among the Apostles. Like in the story of the prodigal son, the elder son gets jealous when he learns that the father throws a feast for the younger son. The elder son perceives that the father loves the younger son more than him. So, it is with Guam's clergy. Some of the non-neo priests perceive that the Archbishop loves the RMS priests more than them. Nevermind the fact that an invitation was extended to all members of the clergy to attend the special Mass. Like in the story of the prodigal son, the elder son did not attend the feast even at the father's invitation.
As I said in my previous post, the division is in the clergy. Let the clergy resolve their problems without any help from the laity. Already, the case of Father Paul and Monsignor James was sent to Rome; therefore, we (the laity) should allow Rome to do their job.
There are many people who are not in the NCW attending the parish Mass, and they have seen with their own eyes that some members of the NCW also attend the Sunday Mass. People who are in the Way also attend the Sunday Mass because they chose to build up their parish through voluntary work in singing in the parish choir, in serving at the altar as altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, or Lectors. Others serve the parish in other ways by cleaning the parish, maintaining parish grounds, and other voluntary services.
In my last post, the sources I have cited have nothing to do with the Neocatechumenal Way. Catholic Exchange website is a Catholic website, which also says that the dining room table is an altar and that the family is like the Catholic Church. Just as the father is the head of the household in the human family, so is the Pope and Bishops the spiritual head of God's household for they are Christ's representative on Earth. Pope John Paul II also stated that the Eucharist is a nuptial sacrament and likened to the union between man and wife.
Scott Hahn (a Catholic convert) found this richness in the Catholic faith as he was studying the word "covenant". When he was a Protestant, he only scratched the surface of Catholicism. After reading the Baltimore catechism, it took him even deeper into the Catholic faith. Most of us born and baptized into the Catholic faith do not even get that far into understanding our faith. According to Scott Hahn:
In the Protestant world the idea of covenant is understood practically as synonymous with or interchangeable with contract. When you have a covenant with God, it's the same as having a contract. You give God your sin; He gives you Christ, and everything is a faith-deal for salvation.
But the more I studied, the more I came to see that for the ancient Hebrews, and in Sacred Scripture, a covenant differs from a contract about as much as marriage differs from prostitution. In a contract you exchange property, whereas in a covenant you exchange persons. In a contract you say, "This is yours and that is mine," but Scripture shows how in a covenant you say, "I am yours and you are mine." Even when God makes a covenant with us, He says, "I will be your God and you will be my people." After studying Hebrew, I discovered that 'Am, the Hebrew word for people, literally means, kinsman, family. I will be your God and father; you will be my family, my sons and my daughters, my household. So covenants form kinship bonds which makes family with God.Scott Hahn's Conversion
During our word celebration, "covenant" was also one of the words the members of the NCW came across. We became part of God's divine family through our baptism. The seed of faith was planted in us in our baptism. But God calls us to live out our faith and not just simply to know our faith.
Like in any family, one can see sibling rivalry. One can even see a glimmer of this sibling rivalry among the Apostles. Like in the story of the prodigal son, the elder son gets jealous when he learns that the father throws a feast for the younger son. The elder son perceives that the father loves the younger son more than him. So, it is with Guam's clergy. Some of the non-neo priests perceive that the Archbishop loves the RMS priests more than them. Nevermind the fact that an invitation was extended to all members of the clergy to attend the special Mass. Like in the story of the prodigal son, the elder son did not attend the feast even at the father's invitation.
As I said in my previous post, the division is in the clergy. Let the clergy resolve their problems without any help from the laity. Already, the case of Father Paul and Monsignor James was sent to Rome; therefore, we (the laity) should allow Rome to do their job.
There are many people who are not in the NCW attending the parish Mass, and they have seen with their own eyes that some members of the NCW also attend the Sunday Mass. People who are in the Way also attend the Sunday Mass because they chose to build up their parish through voluntary work in singing in the parish choir, in serving at the altar as altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, or Lectors. Others serve the parish in other ways by cleaning the parish, maintaining parish grounds, and other voluntary services.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
The Three Altars
An anonymous commenter asked the following questions, which I am happy to explain:
In the NCW, we are taught to eat our meals together as a family just as God's family eats together in a parish community. Unfortunately, many families are split during meal time. Rather than sitting at the family table for dinner, the father would eat his dinner in the living room watching the football game on TV. Mother would be eating her dinner at the dining room while the children eat their dinner separately in their bedrooms.
In the NCW, families are taught to eat their meals together at the dining table without any distractions (such as cell phones, TV, etc.). They are instructed to use real china instead of paper plates during meals. A family that prays over their meals together and dines together stays together. Thus, this dining room table is an altar in the domestic Church of the family and linked to the Eucharistic celebration of the Mass.
The Eucharist is also called a "nuptial sacrament." According to the Catholic Liturgical Library:
Catholic Liturgical Library
St. John Paul II taught that the Eucharist is a sacrament between the Bridegroom (Christ) and of the Bride (the Church). At the Eucharist of the Mass, when we eat His Body and drink His Blood, we become one with Christ, physically and spiritually.
The union between man and woman in the marriage bed brings life (in this case a human baby). But the union between Christ (the bridegroom) and the Church (the bride) brings eternal life (John 6:54). Thus, the Eucharist in the Mass is called a "nuptial sacrament" because it brings into union Christ and His Church. In other words, we become one with Christ when we eat His Body and drink His Blood at the altar.
In the human family, which is the domestic Church, the marriage bed is the third altar. In many Catholic homes, a crucifix or cross is usually hung over the bed. This third altar recalls the marriage between Christ and His Church just as the second altar recalls the Last Supper of Christ and the Apostles.
AnonymousJanuary 14, 2016 at 7:58 PM
Dear Diana, Can you explain what do you mean by "three" altars? Why is the marriage bed and dining table considered an altar? And how are these two altars related to the Eucharist in the Mass?
In addition to the Eucharist being a sacrifice, it is also a meal. The Eucharist is also called "The Last Supper." In every Catholic home, the painting or icon of "The Last Supper" is always in the dining room. Why? Because it recalls to our mind the last supper of Jesus and His Apostles when He instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The dining table is linked to the Eucharist in the Mass. Just as God's family gather together in the banquet of the Mass to eat His Body and drink His Blood, so does the human family gather together around the dining table in a meal. According to the Catholic Exchange website:
In this way, a Catholic family is much like a Catholic church. In this domestic church, as in the parish church, an atmosphere of truth and friendship is fostered, assisted by art and ritual, and ordered intrinsically to the worship and service of God. Like any parish, a family is a community devoted to each other through Christ and for Christ. Members of a church gather at a table for a meal, for Communion, just as members of a family gather at a table for a meal, for communion. The power and potency of the family meal is a sign and source of wellbeing in Christ.The Dining Room Altar
In the NCW, we are taught to eat our meals together as a family just as God's family eats together in a parish community. Unfortunately, many families are split during meal time. Rather than sitting at the family table for dinner, the father would eat his dinner in the living room watching the football game on TV. Mother would be eating her dinner at the dining room while the children eat their dinner separately in their bedrooms.
In the NCW, families are taught to eat their meals together at the dining table without any distractions (such as cell phones, TV, etc.). They are instructed to use real china instead of paper plates during meals. A family that prays over their meals together and dines together stays together. Thus, this dining room table is an altar in the domestic Church of the family and linked to the Eucharistic celebration of the Mass.
The Eucharist is also called a "nuptial sacrament." According to the Catholic Liturgical Library:
27. The Eucharist, as the sacrament of charity, has a particular relationship with the love of man and woman united in marriage. A deeper understanding of this relationship is needed at the present time. (83) Pope John Paul II frequently spoke of the nuptial character of the Eucharist and its special relationship with the sacrament of Matrimony: "The Eucharist is the sacrament of our redemption. It is the sacrament of the Bridegroom and of the Bride."......... The Eucharist inexhaustibly strengthens the indissoluble unity and love of every Christian marriage. By the power of the sacrament, the marriage bond is intrinsically linked to the eucharistic unity of Christ the Bridegroom and his Bride, the Church (cf. Eph 5:31-32).
Catholic Liturgical Library
St. John Paul II taught that the Eucharist is a sacrament between the Bridegroom (Christ) and of the Bride (the Church). At the Eucharist of the Mass, when we eat His Body and drink His Blood, we become one with Christ, physically and spiritually.
The union between man and woman in the marriage bed brings life (in this case a human baby). But the union between Christ (the bridegroom) and the Church (the bride) brings eternal life (John 6:54). Thus, the Eucharist in the Mass is called a "nuptial sacrament" because it brings into union Christ and His Church. In other words, we become one with Christ when we eat His Body and drink His Blood at the altar.
In the human family, which is the domestic Church, the marriage bed is the third altar. In many Catholic homes, a crucifix or cross is usually hung over the bed. This third altar recalls the marriage between Christ and His Church just as the second altar recalls the Last Supper of Christ and the Apostles.
End Of Conversation
To those who oppose the Way,
Time and time again, I have stated several times that the NCW has permission from the Vatican to celebrate the Eucharist the way they do. The fact that you do not believe the NCW is not our problem, so the subject is closed. Your only recourse of action is to write a letter of complaint to the Vatican, but you have no authority and no standing to dictate to the NCW what they should do. You also have no authority to declare the NCW a "heretic" organization. The NCW is recognized as "Catholic" by the Vatican and the RMS priests as "legitimate Catholic" priests, some of whom were ordained by Pope Francis. There is currently a priest formed in the Redemptoris Mater Seminary who was appointed a Bishop by the Pope. So, yes, that Bishop is also "Catholic."
As I stated earlier, what binds the Catholic Church (the Catholic people) is not the uniformity of liturgical rites, but our baptism and our belief and faith in communion with the Pope. The NCW is Catholic and follows the Pope. The founder Kiko Arguello also follows the Pope. We have already told you that the NCW has permission from the Pope to celebrate the Mass the way they do. If you do not like the way we celebrate it, no one is forcing you to attend. Therefore, this conversation of the Way not being Catholic or is not following the Pope comes to an end. Simply write your letter of complaint to the Vatican.
Time and time again, I have stated several times that the NCW has permission from the Vatican to celebrate the Eucharist the way they do. The fact that you do not believe the NCW is not our problem, so the subject is closed. Your only recourse of action is to write a letter of complaint to the Vatican, but you have no authority and no standing to dictate to the NCW what they should do. You also have no authority to declare the NCW a "heretic" organization. The NCW is recognized as "Catholic" by the Vatican and the RMS priests as "legitimate Catholic" priests, some of whom were ordained by Pope Francis. There is currently a priest formed in the Redemptoris Mater Seminary who was appointed a Bishop by the Pope. So, yes, that Bishop is also "Catholic."
As I stated earlier, what binds the Catholic Church (the Catholic people) is not the uniformity of liturgical rites, but our baptism and our belief and faith in communion with the Pope. The NCW is Catholic and follows the Pope. The founder Kiko Arguello also follows the Pope. We have already told you that the NCW has permission from the Pope to celebrate the Mass the way they do. If you do not like the way we celebrate it, no one is forcing you to attend. Therefore, this conversation of the Way not being Catholic or is not following the Pope comes to an end. Simply write your letter of complaint to the Vatican.
 |
| Cardinal Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict XVI) celebrate Mass in the NCW |
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
True Defenders Of The Church
The true defenders of Doctrine are not those who uphold the letter of the law, but those who uphold the Spirit of the Law. After all, Christianity is not about the law or the doctrines. Christianity is about Jesus Christ. It is through Jesus Christ, our Lord, that we come to the fulfillment and end of the Law (Romans 10:4).
According to Pope Francis in his closing address to the synod:
The true defenders of doctrine are not those who uphold its letter, but its spirit, Pope Francis has told the synod fathers in his closing address.
Speaking at the end of the three-week family synod, the Pope said: “The synod experience … made us better realise that the true defenders of doctrine are not those who uphold its letter, but its spirit; not ideas but people; not formulae but the gratuitousness of God’s love and forgiveness.
“This is in no way to detract from the importance of formulae, laws and divine commandments, but rather to exalt the greatness of the true God, who does not treat us according to our merits or even according to our works but solely according to the boundless generosity of his Mercy
.
“It does have to do with overcoming the recurring temptations of the elder brother and the jealous labourers. Indeed, it means upholding all the more the laws and commandments which were made for man and not vice versa.”
Reflecting on the synod’s purpose, he said: “Certainly, the Synod was not about settling all the issues having to do with the family, but rather attempting to see them in the light of the Gospel and the Church’s tradition and 2,000-year history, bringing the joy of hope without falling into a facile repetition of what is obvious or has already been said.
“Surely it was not about finding exhaustive solutions for all the difficulties and uncertainties which challenge and threaten the family, but rather about seeing these difficulties and uncertainties in the light of the Faith, carefully studying them and confronting them fearlessly, without burying our heads in the sand.
“It was about urging everyone to appreciate the importance of the institution of the family and of marriage between a man and a woman, based on unity and indissolubility, and valuing it as the fundamental basis of society and human life.”
He continued: “In the course of this Synod, the different opinions which were freely expressed – and at times, unfortunately, not in entirely well-meaning ways – certainly led to a rich and lively dialogue; they offered a vivid image of a Church which does not simply ‘rubberstamp’, but draws from the sources of her faith living waters to refresh parched hearts.
“And – apart from dogmatic questions clearly defined by the Church’s Magisterium – we have also seen that what seems normal for a bishop on one continent, is considered strange and almost scandalous for a bishop from another; what is considered a violation of a right in one society is an evident and inviolable rule in another; what for some is freedom of conscience is for others simply confusion.
“Cultures are in fact quite diverse, and each general principle needs to be inculturated, if it is to be respected and applied. The 1985 Synod, which celebrated the 20th anniversary of the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, spoke of inculturation as ‘the intimate transformation of authentic cultural values through their integration in Christianity, and the taking root of Christianity in the various human cultures’.
“Inculturation does not weaken true values, but demonstrates their true strength and authenticity, since they adapt without changing; indeed they quietly and gradually transform the different cultures.
“We have seen, also by the richness of our diversity, that the same challenge is ever before us: that of proclaiming the Gospel to the men and women of today, and defending the family from all ideological and individualistic assaults.”
The synod fathers voted to approve the relatio finalis, or final document.
All 94 paragraphs of the text were passed by a two thirds majority. The Holy See Press Office said 265 synod fathers were present and 177 qualified as a majority.
On Sunday Pope Francis will celebrate a Mass concluding the synod in St Peter’s Basilica.
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2015/10/24/true-defenders-of-doctrine-are-those-who-uphold-its-spirit-says-pope/
According to Pope Francis in his closing address to the synod:
It was about bearing witness to everyone that, for the Church, the Gospel continues to be a vital source of eternal newness, against all those who would “indoctrinate” it in dead stones to be hurled at others.
It was also about laying closed hearts, which bare the closed hearts which frequently hide even behind the Church’s teachings or good intentions, in order to sit in the chair of Moses and judge, sometimes with superiority and superficiality, difficult cases and wounded families.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The true defenders of doctrine are not those who uphold its letter, but its spirit, Pope Francis has told the synod fathers in his closing address.
“This is in no way to detract from the importance of formulae, laws and divine commandments, but rather to exalt the greatness of the true God, who does not treat us according to our merits or even according to our works but solely according to the boundless generosity of his Mercy
.
“It does have to do with overcoming the recurring temptations of the elder brother and the jealous labourers. Indeed, it means upholding all the more the laws and commandments which were made for man and not vice versa.”
Reflecting on the synod’s purpose, he said: “Certainly, the Synod was not about settling all the issues having to do with the family, but rather attempting to see them in the light of the Gospel and the Church’s tradition and 2,000-year history, bringing the joy of hope without falling into a facile repetition of what is obvious or has already been said.
“Surely it was not about finding exhaustive solutions for all the difficulties and uncertainties which challenge and threaten the family, but rather about seeing these difficulties and uncertainties in the light of the Faith, carefully studying them and confronting them fearlessly, without burying our heads in the sand.
“It was about urging everyone to appreciate the importance of the institution of the family and of marriage between a man and a woman, based on unity and indissolubility, and valuing it as the fundamental basis of society and human life.”
He continued: “In the course of this Synod, the different opinions which were freely expressed – and at times, unfortunately, not in entirely well-meaning ways – certainly led to a rich and lively dialogue; they offered a vivid image of a Church which does not simply ‘rubberstamp’, but draws from the sources of her faith living waters to refresh parched hearts.
“And – apart from dogmatic questions clearly defined by the Church’s Magisterium – we have also seen that what seems normal for a bishop on one continent, is considered strange and almost scandalous for a bishop from another; what is considered a violation of a right in one society is an evident and inviolable rule in another; what for some is freedom of conscience is for others simply confusion.
“Cultures are in fact quite diverse, and each general principle needs to be inculturated, if it is to be respected and applied. The 1985 Synod, which celebrated the 20th anniversary of the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, spoke of inculturation as ‘the intimate transformation of authentic cultural values through their integration in Christianity, and the taking root of Christianity in the various human cultures’.
“Inculturation does not weaken true values, but demonstrates their true strength and authenticity, since they adapt without changing; indeed they quietly and gradually transform the different cultures.
“We have seen, also by the richness of our diversity, that the same challenge is ever before us: that of proclaiming the Gospel to the men and women of today, and defending the family from all ideological and individualistic assaults.”
The synod fathers voted to approve the relatio finalis, or final document.
All 94 paragraphs of the text were passed by a two thirds majority. The Holy See Press Office said 265 synod fathers were present and 177 qualified as a majority.
On Sunday Pope Francis will celebrate a Mass concluding the synod in St Peter’s Basilica.
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2015/10/24/true-defenders-of-doctrine-are-those-who-uphold-its-spirit-says-pope/
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TimJanuary 23, 2016 at 2:43 PM
LOL. If Certificates of Title was all one needed to prove ownership then there wouldn't have to be a title search when properties are bought and sold. But hang on to this. It's going to be fun.
Meanwhile, it does appear poor Diana is not in Tony's inner circle, or she's just as big of a liar as he is, because privately he continues to stab Msgr. James in the back.
LOL. Some reconciliation. NOT.