By ADELAIDE MENA/CNA/EWTN NEWS | BALTIMORE — Catholics, in seeking religious liberty, are seeking the freedom to serve in response to Christ’s love in the Eucharist, said the archbishop of Baltimore at the start of the 2014 Fortnight for…
Posts Tagged ‘Catholics’
Archbishop Lori: The Church Must Be Free to Imitate Christ Through Service
Posted by NCRegister on June 24th, 2014
Posted in News 
Tags: Archbishop Lori, baltimore, Catholics, Imitate Christ Through Service, religious liberty 
No Comments »Does Unity Require Uniformity?
Posted by Fr Charles Irvin on June 24th, 2014
This is a very unusual Mass. Normally we would be celebrating a Sunday Mass derived from this year’s cycle of Gospel readings taken from St. Matthew’s Gospel. Today, however, the Church puts Sts. Peter & Paul before our eyes, more specifically the relationship between them. In our ordinary days, what can we say about them […]
The post Does Unity Require Uniformity? appeared first on Catholic Journal.
Posted in DFWCatholic “Recommended Reads”, Featured, Opinions Tags: Catholic Church, Catholics, faith, Peter and Paul, unity No Comments »A reader struggles with despair over quarrelsome Catholics
Posted by NCRegister on June 22nd, 2014
By Mark Shea | Long time reader. Maybe you’ve addressed the issue, but I was wondering if you had any insight on a potential source of despair – infighting between groups of Catholics on forums and blogs.
I see lots of references to folks thinking…
Mt. 6:1-6; 16-18 Consumers of Christianity
Posted by Fr. Alfonse on June 18th, 2014
Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
(Click here for readings)
By Benedict Augustine
By Benedict Augustine
“And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”
A few years ago after our graduate class on St. Augustine’s Confessions had concluded for that evening, I talked with my friend about converting to Catholicism. He was a Calvinist Reformed Baptist Protestant, but he had a special affinity for St. Augustine and seemed to tolerate my thoughts of religion well enough whenever we discussed it. I brought up this fact to him, and asked him why he had not considered converting.
I expected some reply involving some abstract expatiation on the differences he held concerning predestination, or the emphasis on faith or scripture alone, passages of scripture, or some such topic since he did this in past, relishing those opportunities to show off his intellect—even more than me. This time, however, he answered more candidly: “The Catholic Church is dying. It doesn’t bear fruit anymore, not like it did in the past. I do like St. Augustine, and I think he would probably go to the church that I go to now, one that is growing and alive.” He went on to tell me how his church had a vibrant singles group, mission trips, a charismatic pastor who gave inspiring talks, a new campus in the making, and all sorts of ministries and programs that benefited the community. From what he could tell, the Catholic church had none of these things. By this criteria, his church was a winner, and mine was a loser. Although I now find it ironic that he said this in a Catholic university (University of Dallas), after a class centered around a Catholic saint making a confession of his Catholic faith, at the time, I had no reply; not because I could not think of anything, but because I did not know where to start—something tells me that most Catholics have run into this situation.
My friend expressed a common sentiment held by the majority of American Christians. Conditioned by commercialism and centuries of Puritan theology which held that God picks winners and losers regardless of one’s actions, many people flock to churches with the most outward appeal. As they do with cars, houses, and country clubs, they shop around, consider their options, and pick the church that best fits. Many churches, and not a few atheist organizations, have adapted to this behavior, sending out flyers and pamphlets, making televisions ads, sponsoring programs on the radio, and even writing up contracts for prospective members to sign. Like my friend, they talk up their innumerable ministries, their successful fundraisers, their superior fellowship—which, compared to typical Catholic congregations, often have an eerily homogenous makeup—in the hopes of attracting new members and collecting more tithes, which many of them vigorously enforce. Unfortunately, in America one’s religion frequently resembles a brand of clothing more than a community’s way of life.
The Catholic church could do more on this front, and many desperate Catholics, seeing their family members leave one-by-one for various reasons, insist it should do more before our churches turn into museums as many have in Europe. However, before plunging into the competitive spiritual marketplace in the hopes of making a big splash, we should reflect on Jesus’ admonitions concerning such an outward display of piety. In His time, the pharisees made such a point of their spirituality, announcing their acts of charity, delivering their prayers to a crowd, making appearances in places of honor, and even drumming up their penance. In hopes of boosting numbers in a crowded spiritual market of Isreal, they wanted to show that they were winners and the others were losers in hopes of making a splash. Assuming that they succeeded with this strategy, and they likely did before the Romans destroyed their temple in 70 AD, they essentially made their church a superficial entity, appealing to people’s insecurities, not feeding their souls. They made faith more a matter of style than substance. For good reason, Jesus spoke against this repeatedly.
Contrary to popular belief, Catholics actually have much to brag about. Besides simply existing for nearly two millennia, braving every heresy and social movement that has attacked it, it is by far the largest charitable organization in the world. It has by far the most members who live all over the world. It has a rich spiritual tradition, world class universities, and a ridiculously vast collection of art and literature. It has the saints, the superheroes of humanity. Besides hosting one of the biggest gatherings in the last decade (over 3 million people for World Youth Day), Pope Francis even made it on the cover of Time.
And yet, most Catholics who know all this hardly talk about it. Not because they do not care, but because most of them know that these successes should not form the basis of their faith. God does not pick winners and losers; he only picks losers, hence the constant call for humility. Probably thinking of their future persecution, Jesus tells his disciples that “God rewards in secret.” These are words to live and die by. Catholics can take some joy in the accomplishments of their church, but they should take much more joy in the accomplishments of the Holy Trinity. They should not pick Catholicism because it is a winner, but because it is True. They should not pray, give alms, and fast because for the sake of increasing membership but for the sake of increasing holiness.
On the surface, this message to practice one’s faith in secret contradicts injunctions to to “be the salt of the earth” and the “light of the world,” but on a deeper level the two messages actually complement one another. Sincere faith shines more than the glossiest advertisements. True hope inspires people more than the catchiest song. Sacrificial love, that love that emanates from the Holy Trinity, creates a stronger bond than the coolest hippest congregation and speakers. A life of holiness will bring more souls to God than a life of success.
Jesus did not ask for salesmen; he asked for disciples. We should not sell our faith like a product, but live it because is the Way, the Truth, and Life.
Pakistan Catholics Protest Land Seizure
Posted by ZENIT on June 17th, 2014
Last Sunday, more than 1,500 Catholics – including priests, religious, children, and young people – gathered to protest the government seizure of Christian-owned land in Anarkali, Lahore. Lahore Archbishop Sebastian Shaw led the demonstrators, along with other leaders of Christian communities.
The demonstration…
UK bishops’ draft doc advises Catholics on helping people through gender reassignment
Posted by [email protected] on June 11th, 2014
by John-Henry Westen LONDON, June 11, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Pro-life campaigners have drawn attention to a draft document produced by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales that appears to advise Catholics to assist ‘transgender’ people through the process of ‘gender reassignment.’…
Posted in Pro-Life Tags: Catholics, faith, gender reassignment, homosexuality, International, John-Henry Westen No Comments »Karachi Catholics Pray to St. Anthony for Peace
Posted by ZENIT on June 9th, 2014
As another fierce gun battle is reported close to Karachi airport Tuesday morning, Catholics in the city are praying to St. Anthony that the Lord bring peace and harmony to their nation. “In moments of tension and violence, while a symbolic attack is taking place at the heart of the state, as Catholics we turn t…
Posted in Catholic World News Tags: Catholics, Karachi airport, Karachi Catholics Pray, St. Anthony No Comments »A More Accurate Title Would Be…
Posted by NCRegister on June 5th, 2014
By Mark Shea | “What *Some* Social Justice Catholics Get Wrong About Social Justice”. Catholics such as this:
It’s not complicated. If you support the murder of innocent human beings, you are not a Social Justice Catholic.
Then again, if you…
Posted in News Tags: Catholics, Mark Shea, social justice, Social Justice Catholic, Social Justice Catholics No Comments »UK Midwives To Be Allowed to Take ‘Main Role’ in Performing Abortions
Posted by ZENIT on June 2nd, 2014
Prominent Catholics have condemned new guidelines that will allow midwives in Britain to take the main role in performing abortions. For the first time, British midwives and nurses instead of doctors may “participate in the termination” under new government rules. Members of Parliament and anti-abortion campaigne…
Francis Reminds Charismatic Catholics to Never Lose Freedom Given By Holy Spirit
Posted by ZENIT on June 2nd, 2014
Pope Francis has reminded a large group of charismatic Catholics never to lose the freedom given by the Holy Spirit through being administrators and “controllers” of God’s grace. Speaking Sunday afternoon to 52,000 people from 55 countries gathered for the National Convocation of “Renewal in the Spirit” at Rome’s…
