Pope Benedict and the Catholic Church are under attack from the secular and religious media, from within the Church and outside of the Church and now from governments. In some cases it revolves around a Puritanical understanding of what the Catholic Church should be and of course she has never been or will be. In other ways it revolves around another form of "Puritanism" that doesn't understand the nature of sin, evil and the devil and the influence of all three upon those called and chosen by God to lead the Church not to mention the person in the pew.
While there is room for valid criticism of the institutions and people who run the Church and who are called to holiness; there is a destructive way that seeks revenge and strives toward annihilation.
I think the Catholic Church is facing a "Reformation" period and that there may well be a major schism. But this schism will not be to form another Church or denomination, but rather a secular, agnostic perhaps even atheistic way of living. When this occurs, the state will triumph for a time, like Hitler's state, Stalin's state and all the other despotic regimes that have tried to manipulate the Church to diminish her true influence.
Yes we need a counter-reformation and I think Pope Benedict is the one who is leading it and preparing others to step in when he will not be able to do so. Time will tell. But the Church has been through much worse; but not reported as quickly and as widely as today.
At any rate, pray for the Holy Father, the bishops in union with him and for all who are Catholic.
READ THIS GOOD ARTICLE BY JOHN ALLEN
PRAYER THIS PRAYER FOR THE POPE!
4 comments:
IMHO, we (all of the above) are in for some very difficult times in the coming months and years. As the pendulum starts to swing back to Christ-centered Catholicism and away from the feel-good, watered-down practices of recent decades, the adversary is stepping up his attacks. This tells me that Pope Benedict and his obedient followers are on the right track because Satan wouldn't be this aggressive otherwise. The holy father is truly a rock, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against God's Church. That doesn't mean that it will be easy, or that rank-and-file Catholics can sit back and let the Church hierarchy fight the war alone. Prayer, Adoration, the Sacraments and all the other weapons against evil are at our disposal and we must use them. We already know who will win the war but we need to be sure we have fought on the right side.
It is expected that people who have never been on our side to misunderstand the Church and, of course, God in any form. It is obvious that many of the leaders who are openly attacking the Church and her teachings are disappointed in God as a talisman, a Spirit to be summoned and invoked when needed to validate their authority. This is the natural inclination of heathens who view themselves as equal to all of creation and seek not so much allegiance to God as from Him. They attack the Church and clergy in the brave new spirit of freedom from religion; in the wisdom of agnostics without understanding the irony of that statement.
Of course the clergy have brought much of this on themselves. They did, in fact, draw their ranks together to protect themselves, perhaps from broad-brush accusations, and have unintentionally invited them. Whether this, or any other Pope, knew the extent of the sex abuse they were probably blinded out of fielty of the good priests and faith that God would somehow cull the goats from the sheep. I am reminded of the joke of the pastor in the flood who denies the help of the rescue crews admonishing them that God will save him. After drowning and awakening in heaven the pastor seeks out God and asks why He never came to save him.
"Dang, son" (God appears to each of us a we understand Him), "I sent the sheriff, Bubba in his canoe, and even a National Guard Helicopter. What more could I do?"
So this Pope has taken up the paddle of his rescue boat and is doing the obvious that has been left for others to do for so long. Maybe the Church needs to almost die out in places like Ireland so they can see that it is they who constructed the obstacle to suit themselves and when they cannot find God, as Mother Theresa discovered, that it is not that He left them, but that they were worshiping their own selfish, pagan false god. They will know then the thirst and hunger, and will be fed.
rcg
RCG, That first picture looks a lot like a club I saw you going into last week...
Club? That was the DMV.
rcg
Post a Comment