Friday, April 4, 2008
Finding My Way in the Catholic Church After Twenty Years.
Since I crossed the Tiber eight months ago, I have been carefully finding my way around and getting re-acquainted with the Church of my youth. I returned to the Catholic Church because, when I threw down the gauntlet of challenge, She convinced me that She is indeed the Church founded by Christ.
With a billion people world-wide, the Catholic Church is truly diverse. But at the same time, it requires obedience to the teachings of the Holy See. If one wants a ‘warm and fuzzy’ Jesus, the Catholic Church is not the place for them.
As I am writing this, a Catholic priest in Chicago has made the news by supporting a pro-abortion candidate for president. Recently, I encountered a priest who, to me, appeared to be bragging about his liberal views on homosexuality.
Having grown up in the Church, this comes as no great surprise. I was aware that the Church was far from perfect and not everyone is obedient to her.
Catholics have always taken a stand against racism and for social justice. However, the Church cannot be called ‘liberal’. The definition I am using of ‘liberal’ is one who because he or she can legitimately dissent from Church teaching. A conservative will assent to Church teaching and teach fullness of our faith.
There is a generation of liberal priests from the sixties and seventies who still hold power. These priests are also often not pro-life and believe social poverty issues are far more important than the slaughter of the unborn.
They have misguided their flocks into dissent on matters that are not up for discussion. The Christian conscience is to be guided by the Holy Spirit. The church is to be guided by it and the Pope, etc.
Liberal Catholics do more damage to the Church than any wide-eyed anti-Catholic. They create nominal ‘cafeteria Catholics’ who pick and choose what the doctrines of their Church they want believe in. They have created more fundamentalists, than fundamentalists have.
While some liberal priests are still in control on the parish level, the seminaries, and some of the bishoprics, they are slowly being replaced by those who obey to the Pope and the Church. Many of these replacements come from outside the US.
I have noticed, on a personal level, the differences between American priests and foreign-born priests. When I tell a foreign-born priest of my return to the Church, it is met with joy, interest and enthusiasm. With some American priests I have met, it is met with disinterest.
I did not return to the Catholic Church to discard Her doctrines and teachings. For what would be the purpose of returning?
I am a conservative Catholic and traditional. I believe the Bible is the Word of God and I submit myself to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
I would like to see more Latin in the Mass, but I have nothing against the Norvus Ordo. I am under the authority of the Church and the Pope, who have upheld the doctrine for 2000 years.
On the other hand I will not be part of a schismatic group just because I am conservative and prefer some Latin in the Mass. For what would be the purpose of returning to the Catholic Church only to join with a group that has disobeyed their Pope? That is not conservative, that displays as much disobedience as the Protestant reformers did.
The Catholic Church is 2000 years old, and the gates of Hell will never prevail against her. As I find my way back into her arms, I will defend her against enemies both within and without.
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6 comments:
Welcome to the Catholic Church,hope your a fighter because we have a helluva fight going on to get the church going again!!!!
I hope you find your way to the fullness of Catholic tradition. It starts with the traditional Latin "Tridentine" Mass. The Holy Father is leading the way. Welcome home.
The truth is that both the Catholic Church and most protestants have the same theology of salvation. Both state that one is saved by works-amazing decisions and performance.It is called Armininism-or Pelaginism light.It is a very comforting theology. It tells you that you are the master of your fate,that you can gain God's favor,gain salvation,and grow holy by mere acts of free will.It puts the will of God subject to your's. And of course you get the glory. It is an undependable salvation depending on the undependable will of sinners who,before the real God,are dust in the balance and considered as less than nothing.
Well said! We are so glad you are with us. We aren't perfect but we are trying. There are those nominal Catholics being lead astray by the "liberal" Catholics. I pray for them all. It is an exciting time to be Catholic because there is a renewal occuring! Thanks be to God.
anonymous -- Where did you get your information? A quick check in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (available on the internet) will tell you that Catholic Church does not teach that we are saved by works. That is a common misconception frequently put forth by protestants who never check to find out if it is true. On the other hand, once saved always saved is unbiblical. Why don't you check it out, try and find out what the Catholic Church really teaches? I have a feeling it would be a real eye-opener for you as you have been obviously misinformed. I invite you to find the truth about the Church's teachings.
I, too, have been surprised by the liberalism in the Church. A few Catholics actually tried to discourage me from becoming Catholic! But I'll never forget the one lady who cried and hugged me when she found out I was a convert. She was so ashamed of the Church because of the sex scandals and figured that was the beginning of the end of the Church. I guess it gave her hope that God was still working! It's an exciting time to be Catholic and I welcome you as well.
Great blog, too!
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