Are we living as true catholics or just catholics?

[Gloria1]

who is the true catholic?.. how can we live as true catholics?.. how can others recognise us as true followers of christ?.. how can we really change?..

"A child dies every three seconds from AIDS and extreme poverty, often before their fifth birthday.
More than one billion people do not have access to clean water.
Every year six million children die from malnutrition before their fifth birthday.
More than 50 percent of Africans suffer from water-related diseases such as cholera and infant diarrhea.
More than 800 million people go to bed hungry every day, 300 million are children.
Of these 300 million children, only eight percent are victims of famine or other emergency situations. More than 90 percent are suffering long-term malnourishment and micronutrient deficiency. "

quote: http//:cozay.com

 

[nana3]

HI Gloria. I am not sure of what you are asking, but think that you are saying that due to all the suffering and sin in the world, are we being faithful Catholics. I hope that is what you mean. I will answer it by what I heard on EWTN last Sunday night on the Lenten Parish Retreat by Fr. Casey. He said that if you ask him what he feels is the problem with Catholics today is, he would say a lack of Faith in the Eucharist and Jesus Real Presence Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. He said that if all Catholic’s truly believed this without a doubt, that the world would be a better place and be converted to Christianity. But because not all Catholic’s really believe in the Eucharist, we tend to talk in church with no reverence or silence. He said that many have ceased to genuflect when entering and exiting a Catholic Church when Jesus is in the Tabernacle. Basically, the lack of faith is the cause of some of our own suffering, if I understood him correctly. He spoke on a lot from the lack of vocations to divorce and the family breakup.

So to answer your question if we are all living as true Catholics, I don’t think so. I think many are just Catholics and I have seen this in my own extended family and friends. Many become habitual Catholics and go to Mass out of habit.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

who is the true catholic?.. how can we live as true catholics?.. how can others recognise us as true followers of christ?.. how can we really change?..

I’m not clear about your question. But I would say that true Catholics do their best to be good disciples and part of being a good disciple is to follow Jesus’ command to love others as ourselves.

The Catechism lists the corporal works of mercy:

2447
The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities. Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead. Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God.

Being a true Catholic would include following these words.

 

[duskyjewel]

who is the true catholic?.. how can we live as true catholics?.. how can others recognise us as true followers of christ?.. how can we really change?..

"A child dies every three seconds from AIDS and extreme poverty, often before their fifth birthday.
More than one billion people do not have access to clean water.
Every year six million children die from malnutrition before their fifth birthday.
More than 50 percent of Africans suffer from water-related diseases such as cholera and infant diarrhea.
More than 800 million people go to bed hungry every day, 300 million are children.
Of these 300 million children, only eight percent are victims of famine or other emergency situations. More than 90 percent are suffering long-term malnourishment and micronutrient deficiency. "

quote: http//:cozay.com

And most of this is due to corrupt third-world governments that would rather let their people suffer than accept help from “the Great Satan.” Or who, when we do send aid, confiscate it and appropriate it to their well-fed military and secret police forces, to keep themselves in power.

Individual Catholics have very little power to change that. Human evil is very powerful. We can support charities and missions that go into these areas, even volunteer for them, but we will be able to make very little difference until the governments responsible for these people actually start to care about their welfare.

Slandering your average Catholic by saying they must not be “true enough” or else these things would go away not only will solve nothing, but reveals lack of knowledge about why things are the way they are. And, it might turn off the very Catholics whose continued conversion and renewal you seek…

 

[1ke]

What’s your question? It is not clear to me what you are asking.

 

[Gloria1]

sorry my question is not all that clear but all I am trying to say is that we must try as catholics to help others especially those in the third world countries. Life is really hell in these areas especially in poverty-stricken West-Africa. Thanks very much for your concern!

 

[Priscilla_Ann]

who is the true catholic?.. how can we live as true catholics?.. how can others recognise us as true followers of christ?.. how can we really change?..

"A child dies every three seconds from AIDS and extreme poverty, often before their fifth birthday.
More than one billion people do not have access to clean water.
Every year six million children die from malnutrition before their fifth birthday.
More than 50 percent of Africans suffer from water-related diseases such as cholera and infant diarrhea.
More than 800 million people go to bed hungry every day, 300 million are children.
Of these 300 million children, only eight percent are victims of famine or other emergency situations. More than 90 percent are suffering long-term malnourishment and micronutrient deficiency. "

quote: http//:cozay.com

I rarely post here anymore; however, your post really got my attention. If we are true followers of Christ (Catholic or non-Catholic) and we claim to be pro-life, we cannot ignore these critical issues. The number of people dying worldwide from poverty and AIDS is mind boggling and should weigh heavily on the heart of every Christian. There are plenty of organizations that are working to address these problems: World Vision and ONE are two excellent organizations that come to mind…there are others as well.

I challenge all of you who profess to be pro-life to become active in one of the excellent organizations that is working in the fight against poverty and AIDS.

God bless you for your compassion. That is how people will recognize us as true followers of Christ.

 

[Gloria1]

Thanks all for your answers! I really appreciate it ! stay blessed!