Tag Archives: ecclesiology

Swallowing Camels

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Another
aren’t we wonderful? parish

From Richard John Neuhaus’ May “Public Square”

It is no little thing when one Sunday’s church bulletin can reflect the innumerable
wonders of renewal. A friend picked up the other day the bulletin of St. Francis
Xavier Church, which is around the corner on West 16th Street. It includes the parish
mission statement: “We, the Church of St. Francis Xavier, are a prophetic Roman
Catholic community. . . .” Not any old Roman Catholic Church, mind you, but a community,
and a prophetic one at that.

I doubt parishes like this actually bother to strain gnats, but they’re apparently
swallowing camels like crazy. Inclusiveness isn’t an object good. If it were, the
Church would be inclusive of pagans, secular humanists, feminists, third-rate liturgical
composers, and other un-Catholic types. Oh, wait…

Intolerant Family

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Unfortunately, I’ve experienced some of the familial anti-Catholicism this blogger
describes. My mom is a bitter ex-Catholic and we often get into nasty arguments
over religion. Compared the following situation, I’m quite lucky, though. My mother
and I have a loving relationship filled with plenty of healthy communication. A
good friend of mine had it worse when he converted from Judaism to Evangelical Christianity
and then to Catholicism.

Dilemma

How discouraging it was for me to learn today that not only is my mother-in-law
displeased with our conversion to Catholicism, she honestly believes we’ll be going
to hell if we persist in it.

True Gospel?

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More on sheep stealing:

The Agape Press says that "residents of the Central American nation are hungry for the true gospel". What’s implied here is that Catholicism doesn’t teach the true Gospel. Sometimes Evangelicals really drive me nuts.

El Salvador Fertile Soil for the Gospel of Christ, Missionary Says
By Allie Martin
June 8, 2004

(AgapePress) – A Mississippi resident who has served as a missionary to El Salvador for nearly 20 years says residents of the Central American nation are hungry for the true gospel.

Communing With Judas

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This question about whether Judas partook of Christ’s flesh at the Last Supper has bearing on the current Eucharistic politicla controversy.

Judas receiving the Eucharist

Question from Mary on 05-27-2004:

Dear Father Why did Jesus allow Judas to receive Communion at the last Supper? Was’nt he in mortal sin at that time or was it still at the stage of being a venial sin? Thanks Mary

United We Stand

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Divided we fall.

Putting aside the actual "meat" of the denial of Eucharist issue, it is quite disturbing and somewhat frightening to see such a division among U.S. Bishops. What kind of message does in-fighting and lack of pastoral harmony send? The Church is in a precarious position right now, due to scandals, dwindling numbers of faithful, rampant heterodoxy, and hostile secularism. We, the members of the Church militant, the body of Christ on earth, need strong, unified leadership. A decision needs to be reached soon, one way or another.

Communion issue causing split amongst US bishops

The New York Times is interpreting recent signs from the Vatican as dismay over the dissention amongst US Bishops on denying communion to politicians.