Except for the name being removed, this is exactly how it appears. Would anyone like to dissect it for its orthodoxy and paganism?
We, Sisters of************* are persons who have always responded to the urgent needs of our world. As persons of compassion, we are taking our cue from our 2007 Congregational Chapter, which says in part “Urgency to respond to the groanings of a disconnected fills us."
Collaborating with others, we work then to protect and restore
Earth's healthy living systems; to act with justice and to alleviate the
sufferings of people, especially the poor; to live the gospel of Jesus,
to strengthen our unity with the Church and to deepen our quality of
life together among ourselves.
Our engagement with the Earth, with others, with the Church, and with each other strengthens the communion we share and allows us to participate in the Mystery of Transformation.
Our engagement with the Earth, with others, with the Church, and with each other strengthens the communion we share and allows us to participate in the Mystery of Transformation.
21 comments:
You ought to post the name of the order. People need to know who the lulu's are.
Nice sentiments. Excuse me while I go walk a labyrinth.
I have a sudden urge to marry a tree or race down I-16, frightening people out of the way, to go count dolphins in Savannah. Do I hear "Sunshine Superman" and "Age of Aquarius" playing in the background? LOL!
Preacher, putting "LOL!" on comments doesn't make them funny.
It means it is funny to me. I don't give a damn if no one else thinks it is funny.
"As persons of compassion, we are taking our cue from our 2007 Congregational Chapter, which says in part 'Urgency to respond to the groanings of a disconnected fills us.' " > Huh? Groanings? Disconnected what?
"Collaborating with others, we work then to protect and restore Earth's healthy living systems;" > In what way is your order of sisters doing this?
"to act with justice and to alleviate the sufferings of people, especially the poor;" > Alleviate the sufferings-OK. How are the members of your order of sisters doing this? Is this acting with justice or rather with compassion and mercy?
"Our engagement with the Earth, with others, with the Church, and with each other strengthens the communion we share and allows us to participate in the Mystery of Transformation." >Mystery of Transformation? What is that? What are you being transformed into? The Trinity is a mystery. Sacraments are mysteries.Transformation by itself is a process, not a mystery.
Father McDonald:
I think I understand your concerns here. However, I see a risk that the actions and statements of what may be a “fringe” group may bring more mainstream Catholic concerns about the environment and care of creation into disrepute in the eyes of some readers. And such, I feel sure, cannot be your intention. So, just to help clarify the situation, here are some links for relevant positions held by Pope Francis and Pope Benedict on these matters:
http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/catholic-teachings/pope-francis/
http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/catholic-teachings/benedict-xvi/
The Catholic Climate Covenant website on which these appear seems to be a useful one, with much information regarding relevant Catholic resources.
A2, neither Popes Benedict or Francis are advocating pantheism which this statement seems to do. The earth is capitalized as though it is god or a god. The order of allegiance for these sisters is obfuscated. Where is the Most Holy Trinity in all of this? Where are the priorities.
I have as one of my priorities, but not the top, to take care of my body by not abusing it through gluttony, piercing, tattoos, drugs and alcohol. But I don't capitalize body into Body to make it more than it is.
God the Most Holy Trinity is my priority and everything else falls behind that.
Pantheism is the belief that the universe (or nature as the totality of everything) is identical with divinity or that everything composes an all-encompassing . Pope Francis early in his papacy condemned religious women who are pantheists and part of the investigation of the LCWR is based upon statements like the one I post.
We are called to be good stewards of the earth, but we were also commanded to use the fruits of the earth and of our labor. Somewhere there is a balance…
We cannot get to the truth, or even a reasonable plan of action, because science has become so politicized.
The Left uses environmental issues as a foil for their socialist/collectivist schemes…remember, for the Left, the issue in question is never the real issue. The "revolution" is always the real issue. Of course, most Leftist morons could not tell you what the "revolution" is. They are just there to act out their rage against momma and daddy and any authority figure or social structure that would prevent them from living like psychopaths.
They are too stupid to realize that shutting down industry and capitalism would make it impossible to feed their mythic "poor" and support their numerous give-away social schemes, not to mention their drugs, birth control pills, iPhones, tablets, backpacks, Birkenstocks, tattoo and piercing parlors, and Prius automobiles.
A little quick Googling and we find:
http://www.csjcarondelet.org/about-us/spirituality/
Father McDonald and Gene:
Father McDonald: Thank you for the clarification. I don’t think we disagree (although I would point out that capitalizing the word Earth is correct scientifically – one uses a capital letter when referring to any of the planets, e.g., Mars, Jupiter, Earth).
Gene: I think you are correct that the answer is balance. And again I don’t think we disagree about politicization of the environment by the Left. What troubles me about your comments, however, is precisely an apparent lack of balance. Thus there is also politicization on the Right, as in, for example, “climate change denial” as an ideological reactive position. When you read the statements of both Popes it is clear that neither has much time for climate change deniers. Also, I doubt that any but the most extreme adherents of the environmentalist movement would want to “shut down industry and capitalism.”
And we have to find a way to get to the truth and a “reasonable plan of action.” Failing to do so would be grossly irresponsible and surely displeasing to God Who gave us the wonderful gift of the Earth.
I think their statement might be interpreted as an order having a contemporary mission, and one of that contemporary concern might revolve around environmental issues. Environmentalists are dominated by left leaning liberal groups that are often extremely hostile to the Church. These sisters might simply be similar environmentally inclined people, though different in that they are members of the Church the others are attacking. From their statement I doubt they would classify as orthodox, and are likely liberal, but I don’t think that makes them pagans either. For pantheism, environmental issues don’t have to be in line with an earth as god mentality; promoting the cleanup of toxic dumps and rivers does not necessitate a pagan belief system, though many groups do use these issues to promote a social agenda that goes against Church teaching. These sisters might be working with the same environmental issues, but more in harmony with the Church. Personally, I would not be one to paint them in a negative light.
For the Sisters:
Deteriorata
You are a fluke
Of the universe.
You have no right to be here...
Deteriorata! Deteriorata!
Go placidly
Amid the noise and waste.
And remember what comfort there may be
In owning a piece thereof.
Avoid quiet and passive persons
Unless you are in need of sleep.
Ro-tate your tires.
Speak glowingly of those greater than yourself
And heed well their advice,
Even though they be turkeys.
Know what to kiss... And when!
Consider that two wrongs never make a right
But that three... Do.
Wherever possible, put people on hold.
Be comforted that in the face of all aridity and disillusionment
And despite the changing fortunes of time,
There is always a big future in computer main-te-nance.
Chorus
You are a fluke
Of the universe.
You have no right to be here.
And whether you can hear it or not
The universe is laughing behind your back.
Remember the Pueblo.
Strive at all times to bend, fold, spindle and mu-ti-late.
Know yourself.
If you need help, call the fbi.
Exercise caution in your daily affairs,
Especially with those persons closest to you.
That lemon on your left, for instance.
Be assured that a walk through the ocean of most souls
Would scarcely get your feet wet.
Fall not in love therefore;
It will stick to your face.
Gracefully surrender the things of youth:
The birds, clean air, tuna, Taiwan
And let not the sands of time
Get in your lunch.
Hire people with hooks.
For a good time call 606-4311;
Ask for "Ken."
Take heart amid the deepening gloom
That your dog is finally getting enough cheese.
And reflect that whatever misfortune may be your lot
It could only be worse in Milwaukee.
Chorus
You are a fluke
Of the universe.
You have no right to be here.
And whether you can hear it or not
The universe is laughing behind your back.
Therefore, make peace with your god
Whatever you conceive him to be
Hairy thunderer, or cosmic muffin.
With all it's hopes, dreams, promises and urban renewal
The world continues to deteriorate.
Give up!
Reprise
You are a fluke
Of the universe.
You have no right to be here.
And whether you can hear it or not
The universe is laughing behind your back.
That’s pretty good, Gene, albeit a little bleak. Did you do that adaptation yourself?
No, Anon 2. I cannot claim it. It is from National Lampoon. Great send-up of the Desiderata nonsense, though.
Several things bother me about this whole environmental obsession: First, it cannot be established that there truly is global warming and, second, if there is, it cannot be established that it is man-caused. Then, we have the morons on the left attacking American industry and consumerism when we completely ignore the far worse pollution and slaughter of species in other nations. Pollution of the seas, alone, should be a huge concern and it is demonstrably true. Most of it comes from other nations besides the US and I hear no one complaining. Greenpeace would rather sail in front of a whaling ship (a legal one) than take on the far more difficult issue of global pollution of the oceans. I see no effort being made to educate or instruct third world countries, not to mention Russia and China, that the oceans are the very basis for life on earth AT ALL, and they need to stop poisoning them. Our priorities are screwed up.
Lulus. Stupid. Leftist morons. And a string of cultural stereotypes that we joyfully apply to people we disagree with.
How does this jibe with this blog's stated policy of avoiding name-calling, vitriol and tearing down any members of the church?
Or does that only apply to extreme, extreme, extreme conservatives?
Gene:
On global warming: As in so much else, we need to get the politics out of it and be guided as objectively as possible by the science.
On pollution of the oceans: You won’t get any argument out of me regarding the shared responsibility for pollution of the oceans and much else besides. But let’s not fool ourselves. Whichever country is currently the most responsible for the assaults on our God-given home, they can be traced back to the dark side of industrial and technological “modernization” pioneered by the West. This is not an anti-Western observation, just a statement of fact. As the originator of the problem, then, don’t we have an additional responsibility to provide leadership, including through example?
On screwed up priorities: The biggest skewed priority is that we humans have enthroned ourselves as the center of Creation and have forgotten Who put us there and with what responsibilities. This runs the gamut from A (Abortion) to Z (Zoology). All (everything and everyone) is disposable “standing reserve” (to quote Heidegger) in the global economic system. This is the height of hubris (and we all know, or should know, what the gods do to those with hubris).
Hey, Daniel. Lighten up. Join the fun. We need spirited conversation which may, at times, involve some ridicule and jibes. Why don't you contribute something of substance instead of whining?
Anon 2, I have no argument with you on those things other than to say that, once a nation has the technology, wherever they got it, they have a responsibility to manage it properly.
Anon 2, Regarding the dark side of the industrial/technological age, some of it was simply that they did not know what they had….did not realize the dangers and contingencies. I am currently reading, "The Making of the Atomic Bomb," by Richard Rhodes. It is disturbing and sobering to realize that all of those truly brilliant men and women(the average IQ of the scientists involved in the project was 170. They were tested by psychologists at the beginning of the project.)truly did not realize what they had. They did not understand the long term effects of radiation and many exposed themselves recklessly only to die of leukemia in their 50's. They nearly blew themselves to kingdom come a couple of times. Otto Frisch reached across the pile (spherical stack of uranium) for a clip board and the hydrogen from his body sent the alarms for critical mass off all over the lab. He had to quickly rake his arm over the pile to knock off some U235 bricks to slow the reaction.
Now, we have enough knowledge to know, in many cases, what we have. Our responsibility for proper
stewardship goes up accordingly.
Post a Comment