In order to nip this problem in the bud some theologians have gotten together and created an open declaration to phase out the celibacy rules for priests. I am not Catholic so to me this isn't a big deal. My pastor is married with children and I don't feel that has affected his job performance in any way. Actually, I think his family adds a great deal to our church community. But, I can't speak for other Catholics and the views that they will hold on this issue. Although, there is no biblical reasoning for this. It seems that even the Pope at one time agreed with this sentiment, so maybe this could happen down the road.
The issue is that they are not stopping at allowing priests to marry. They additionally would like to see the Catholic Church ordain women. Again, not really a big deal to me, I have never had a woman as a head of my church, but I don't think it would hurt anything. They further this by wanting the church to recognize divorce and allow same-sex marriage. I would think that devout Catholics need to stand firmly against this.
Some good news/bad news is that the Catholic Church does have numbers that are growing. The areas of the world where the numbers are going are mainly in South American Countries. The bad news part of this is the fact that many of those churches have been taken over by the "Social Justice" side of the Catholic Church. Churches that preach Social Justice pervert the Gospels. It is that plain and that simple. No where in the bible does it say that you are required to give to the state to help the poor. While there is plenty about helping the less fortunate and tithing, but it is to be done by the individual, not by the state. The roots of social justice Catholicism is communist based.
+Social Justice Prayer+
Almighty and eternal God, may your grace enkindle in all of us a love for the many unfortunate people whom poverty and misery reduce to a condition of life unworthy of human beings.
Arouse in the hearts of those who call you Father a hunger and thirst for social justice and for fraternal charity in deeds and in truth.
Grant, O Lord, peace to souls, peace to families, peace
The Four Main Aspects of Social Justice
1.SOLIDARITY
Living as though other people and living things matter. Examples of this would be:
FASTING in solidarity with the hungry, the oppressed etc
LIVING SIMPLY. Do I really need all those gadgets coming out in the stores? Recycling where you can; being a good steward of all our natural resources and of our planet that God has given us.
PRAYING for the poor, the homeless,for an end to sweatshops,etc.
2.EDUCATION
We are obligated to educate ourselves and others about social justice. Read all you can about the subject. Study all you can about all the social issues facing us in the world today. Spread the word about these issues. Examples :Global Warming, the natural disasters, sweatshops, the death penalty, opressed and persecuted Christians in the Sudan etc. ...............everthing!
3.COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
Get involved in the community! Join or start a food pantry. Start a neighborhood watch program if one is needed. Start or join a group in your parish that studies the issues of the community/world and decides what can be done about the problems facing us. Start a volunteer voter registration group. Organize the community in consolidating the efforts of giving its help to the poor. Join Habitat for Humanity etc. etc. ...Just do it!
4.ADVOCACY
This is giving a voice to those who have no voice, that is, the poor, the sick, the shut in, the unborn, the dying, the disadvantaged, the immigrants, those imprisoned, the homeless, racial minorities etc. We are called to speak out! Write a letter to the editor, join a march, call your elected officials and let them know how you feel. Very often legislation gets passed to the disadvantage of many, because the elected official simply didn't know how people feel about the subject. This is because no one bothered to call!
to our country and peace among nations. Amen
These people have characterized Jesus as a "Liberal Jew" and I have even seen Him called him a communist. No where in the scriptures will you find justification for either of these statements. Jesus very clearly defined the separation of church and state.
“Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s
Matthew 22:21
Again, I am not a Catholic and I have no dog in this fight, but if I were a Catholic I would be standing firmly against it this. This is nothing more than creeping progressivism. This is an attempt to turn the church into yet another feel good no real responsibility for your choices kinda place. Sort of like your local pub; you just show up where everyone knows your name and you'll meet someone named Norm. Accepting Christ into your life is not meant to be easy. Living your life in the image of Him gives your life an anchor and direction. It forces you to take a good hard look at yourself and to take responsibility for your own actions. By making it that you are responsible for someone else's salvation it then in turn makes them responsible for yours as well. Which means you can then justify cheating here and there and say to yourself 'well my neighbor will do the heavy lifting' and then allowing yourself to live however you choose. Once that starts to happen you have lost your moral compass.
Much of the problems with declining numbers in the Church seem to coincide with the revelations of sexual abuse of minors within the ranks of the church. While it is perfectly understandable that people may feel wary of the hypocrisy that the church had shown by not taking care of the problems swiftly and severely. This doesn't mean that you completely change the entire institution. If we start dumbing down the Church what is really left? Where does the faithful go?
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6 comments:
Your post made me think a little about foundations. Once upon a time I used to think either you believe your foundational principles or you don't. Now, like the Unitarian church, pick what you want out of the principles that put you where you are & ignore the rest.
I'm not Catholic, don't understand how celibacy got institutionalized ("better to marry than to burn"?) but if it's what defines Catholicism, then it defines Catholicism and changing it makes a different institution. I am American and I abhor reinterpretation of the Constitution; it is supposed to be what defines America and changing what it means redefines America.
There are two aspects to most churches: (1) Faith-based worship and acceptance of dogma. (2) Social interaction. I think that many if not most churches push the second dynamic harder than the first. I don't condemn it, simply observe it.
People in Europe don't seem to need the second dynamic as keenly - unless it's a Muslim church with strict rules of Halal, etc. and the dogma, refusal to accept birth control methods other than abstinence, etc. create faith-based conflict. In the Third World, birth control (for example) is not much of an issue because it's not widely available and they seem to want the fire, brimstone and pageantry.
Anoy:
Originally marriage was allowed. It changed I think in either 13th or 14th centuries for reasons that had little to do with the bible. It had to do with the cardinals and bishops willing church property to their families. Or so I read once. But your right about foundations. It will become so watered down it will not mean anything anymore.
Consider, too, that in European countries, aka. "Nanny States," "Nanny" provides everything a person could need, from cradle, to grave. With all that "abundance," who needs to rely on God? The Nanny state creates a false sense of security that there will always be a steady, endless supply of--whatever--while countries who really stress independence and self-reliance create an environment where a person quickly realizes that one needs to "work as though it all depends on you, and pray as though it all depends on God (which it does!)."
Creeping Progressivism doesn't even start to describe what's going on at the USCCB. Look into the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and the organizations they've aligned themselves with over the years.
If you want a taste of what true Catholic teaching about economics and society are all about go over to The Distributist Review (http://bit.ly/dsntXi) and read a few articles. You'll begin to get a sense of what social justice really means. It ain't the happy face Marxism that so many in the Church and out want it to be.
I'm a devout catholic and i believe that everything the church teaches is true. The trick is realizing the difference between authentic, authoritative Church teaching and the distortions so prevalent in the American church today.
I am not a Catholic either, but I find this very concerning. And the Catholic church isn't the only one under infiltration by the progressives. My own denomination, the United Methodist church, has very liberal 'social justice' stances and it makes me sick. My own church is conservative, but I don't like the feeling that the larger church to which I belong has such stands.
Good post.
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