Wednesday, December 14, 2011
GET THE H--- OUT OF THE CHURCH!
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin was quoted as suggesting that Ireland’s lapsed Catholics should have the maturity to leave the Church. In an obvious reference to “cultural Catholics” who want to be married in a church and have their children baptised for purely social reasons, the archbishop is alleged to have said: “It requires maturity on those people who want their children to become members of the Church community and maturity on those people who say ‘I don’t believe in God. I really shouldn’t be hanging on to the vestiges of faith when I don’t really believe in it.’ Archbishop Martin urged non-believers to walk away from the church.
My comments: I'm not so sure how accurately the Archbishop was quoted. I happen to think Catholic priests are sometimes way too dogmatic with young couples who for the first time in their lives make contact with the church either to be married or to have their children baptized only to be rebuffed in a cynical way by the priest they contact.
Wouldn't it be better to be welcoming of them, explain to them what the Church believes and teaches and what the expectations are for marriage and having a child baptized and then just let the Holy Spirit worry about the rest of it.
We don't have to control everything and we must recognize that there will always be lapsed Catholics and Catholics who attend only at Christmas and Easter. Why should we push them out of the Church altogether. That seems counterproductive to me and opposed to the new Evangelization.
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9 comments:
The only problem I have with these lapsed folks remaining in the Church is that they are subject to being recruited buy those in the Church with a Modernist political agenda. If they don't give a hoot about the faith, then they don't give a hoot about doctrine and tradition, either. They will likely just follow the "nice" people who say we should include everybody and judge no one, Latin is a "dead" language, and the Church should be a place full of "nice" people. What was that country song, "If You Don't Stand for Something, Then You'll Fall for Anything...."
Young couples is one thing. But when the cultural Catholics decide to volunteer for positions within the Church, that is another. Since I have been Catholic (18 years), I have heard parishioners in positions of leadership question the real presence; question the divinity of Christ; openly argue for women ordination; and put down the Holy Father on many occassions. I have never heard an atheist argument, but I know some cultural Catholics that are nothing more than agnostics, who attend Church every Sunday. The Holy Father is openly spoken of a smaller, purer Church. I'm all for Catholics coming home, but not to be a home wrecker.
Frajm, the problem is that people already come and go as they please. Would they chose the music? The vows? The readings? Your vestments to match the ruffles in the groom's tuxedo? We ask more during confirmation. They should be welcome, of course. But they are getting the cart in front of the horse.
rcvg
Perhaps he's referring to Catholics - especially those in the public eye - who know well what the Church teaches and deliberately go against it. Then they spend their lives maligning the bishops, the "institutional" Church, insulting them, ascribing all kinds if corrupt motives to them, and mocking the faithful laity who confirm to the teachings. They are a vexation to the soul. How often do we hear of celebrities who want to baptize their babies while publicly mocking the Church? I don't agree with being harsh on the non-cathechized, but there are so many unhappy, whining people "in ministry" who should have the maturity to leave if all they're going to do is enervate the spirit.
I am not in favor of telling catholics to "get the hell out" but I am in favor of playing hard ball. Catholics who approach the Church for Baptism or Marriage should be told in clear terms what being Catholic requires. If they want to get married and haven't been to Church in 3 years make them show their commitment by living as a Catholic for a year and then come back and ask for the Sacrament. Filling up the pews with a bunch of lukewarm followers isn't Evangelizing. Didn't Christ say he would spit us out if we were Luke Warm? Everything in the Faith should be geared towards the salvation of their souls, and in true Charity we owe it to them to tell them the Truth, not let them sit around and be luke warm in their faith, leading ultimately to the damnation of their souls. The road is wide but the gate is narrow...don't sugar coat it.
As to Jody's reference about all the Heresy she's heard espoused by Lay faithful working for the Church...here we see once again the fruits of Vatican II. To be in any Ministry you should have to take an Orthodoxy Test.
Jody P., Embedded Heretics spotted: You are cleared hot, multiple reattacks.
rcg
taHis comments seemed a bit on the "uncharitable" side. If these Catholics are to leave the church, it should not be because they were not welcomed or told to leave, but rather because they wanted to. On the flip side, the second largest religous group are non-practicing Catholics, and those are the ones we need to bring back Home.
Anonymous at 2:44: The problem with what you suggest is that, for all intents and purposes, these people have "left" the Catholic Church in every way but body. At this point, there is a danger that they will infect those who remain in the Church with their errors and unorthodox ideas.
There are three ways to be no longer Catholic: heresy, apostacy, and schism. When they choose not to believe what the Church teaches, they are no longer Catholic through heresy. When they deny the authority of the Holy Father, they are no longer Catholic through schism. So, it really is not right for them to continue to take part in the life of the Church (insofar as they are not availing themselves of the sacraments in an effort to be reunited to the Church).
When there is an infection in the Mystical Body, yes, the first remedy is therapeutic in nature. The question is this: at what point is amputation needed? Or more accurately, at what point is it necessary for the Body to recognize that a particular member has amputated itself and to prevent that member's infecting the parts of the Body that remain...?
It is very common in Britan and the surrounding area for people to attend church for weddings and baptisms (christenings) and thats it. No Mass or Sunday Worship Services, occasionally a funeral. I am quite sure this is the crowd the Archbishop is referring to.
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