WHAT KIND OF CATHOLIC WILL SURVIVE THIS APOCALYPTIC MOMENT FOR THE CHURCH?
Just a simple question: will conservative, traditional Catholics better absorb this scandal with their active Catholic Faith remaining in tact compared to liberal/progressive Catholics, cafeteria Catholics?
In my opinion, it's getting harder and harder to think of "progressive" or "cafeteria" Catholics as anything but CINO's: Catholic In Name Only. The religion they profess is not the religion that is in accord with that handed down by the Apostles. To name a few points: no belief in the Real Presence; mercy and forgiveness without repentance; a belief that everyone goes to heaven because God is so merciful; laxity in Mass attendance on Sunday or Holy Days of Obligation... and so much more.
So will they weather this crises better than conservative Catholics? Well, they will stick to their religion, which is drifting farther and farther away from true Catholicism daily.
An interesting question. I would agree with Bee. Ironically the scandals may produce a cleansing in the Church of the CINOs. But a lot will depend on cleansing the hierarchy, who clearly have a self-interest in preserving homosexuality within their ranks.
To answer your question, yes, I think so. The remnants of Vatican II madness are still in our parish. I will admit that many are a little paranoid, some are a lot paranoid, but based on the last month or two I am not arguing with them. The young folks are less conspiracy theorists as they are realists with a burning desire to help the Church. When the latest scandal with Mr McCarrick broke, our priest calmly said, “fine, we need to clean out a lot of priests and bishops.” Then got to the homily. I have heard precious little except that it was a long time coming and how could we be surprised. So, yeah, the traditional, (I am going to start using the term ‘Perennial’) will rumble over this period prayerfully.
I think that those Catholics who are already sufficiently insulated from the institution of the Church (traditional or progressive) will best survive the crisis since they have already lost faith in Church structures and practice their religion in various non-conformist ways. For these individuals, the label "Catholic" means something deeper than and often even opposed to the institutional structures of the Church. Watching those structures burn is not harmful to them. They might even enjoy it.
Conservative, traditional Catholics might, in time, become the majority of those who are left. Progressives, always yearning for more "progress", will ultimately fade away as their ideology moves them out of the structured Church. The "nones" should be long gone by then.
From those I know, it appears that a Francis effect among traditional Catholics is to deepen their resolution and devotion to the faith. In the face of such adversity as that of the current papacy--with the hierarchial Church being unreliable as a guide--where else to turn except to our roots in tradition and faith?
This lifelong Catholic who loves clear teaching (as in Cardinal Mueller's recent homily) and a preference for the ancient Roman Rite Mass has no intentions of leaving. I only hope to live long enough to see the coming counter-"reformation".
Spot on. The faux catholics focus on secular concerns, rather than spiritual ones. Their tanks are running on empty. They will not be with us in the long term.
9 comments:
This is a question that I ask myself, especially considering the fact that the hierarchy are becoming liberal, progressive, "cafeteria Catholics."
When it's obvious the laity are being led and fed by clergy that no longer believe.... where's the Faith?
Bee here:
In my opinion, it's getting harder and harder to think of "progressive" or "cafeteria" Catholics as anything but CINO's: Catholic In Name Only. The religion they profess is not the religion that is in accord with that handed down by the Apostles. To name a few points: no belief in the Real Presence; mercy and forgiveness without repentance; a belief that everyone goes to heaven because God is so merciful; laxity in Mass attendance on Sunday or Holy Days of Obligation... and so much more.
So will they weather this crises better than conservative Catholics? Well, they will stick to their religion, which is drifting farther and farther away from true Catholicism daily.
God bless.
Bee
An interesting question. I would agree with Bee. Ironically the scandals may produce a cleansing in the Church of the CINOs. But a lot will depend on cleansing the hierarchy, who clearly have a self-interest in preserving homosexuality within their ranks.
To answer your question, yes, I think so. The remnants of Vatican II madness are still in our parish. I will admit that many are a little paranoid, some are a lot paranoid, but based on the last month or two I am not arguing with them. The young folks are less conspiracy theorists as they are realists with a burning desire to help the Church. When the latest scandal with Mr McCarrick broke, our priest calmly said, “fine, we need to clean out a lot of priests and bishops.” Then got to the homily. I have heard precious little except that it was a long time coming and how could we be surprised. So, yeah, the traditional, (I am going to start using the term ‘Perennial’) will rumble over this period prayerfully.
I think that those Catholics who are already sufficiently insulated from the institution of the Church (traditional or progressive) will best survive the crisis since they have already lost faith in Church structures and practice their religion in various non-conformist ways. For these individuals, the label "Catholic" means something deeper than and often even opposed to the institutional structures of the Church. Watching those structures burn is not harmful to them. They might even enjoy it.
Conservative, traditional Catholics might, in time, become the majority of those who are left. Progressives, always yearning for more "progress", will ultimately fade away as their ideology moves them out of the structured Church. The "nones" should be long gone by then.
From those I know, it appears that a Francis effect among traditional Catholics is to deepen their resolution and devotion to the faith. In the face of such adversity as that of the current papacy--with the hierarchial Church being unreliable as a guide--where else to turn except to our roots in tradition and faith?
This lifelong Catholic who loves clear teaching (as in Cardinal Mueller's recent homily) and a preference for the ancient Roman Rite Mass has no intentions of leaving. I only hope to live long enough to see the coming counter-"reformation".
Henry,
Spot on. The faux catholics focus on secular concerns, rather than spiritual ones. Their tanks are running on empty. They will not be with us in the long term.
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