Being a catholic in these troubled times

[Loud-living-dogma]

You know what keeps me sane? (If I can be described as such?!)
An attitude of gratitude! Thank God for our beautiful Church and for Our Redeemer Lord Jesus Christ! Don’t let the media, the devil, or even other Catholics distract you from the important things.
Your family needs you to be a strong family leader. Just think how much worse off they would be if you waver in your faith.
God bless you and stay strong!!

 

[martyfrancis]

Thank you so much for the encouragement! Glad to know I am not alone in this fight.

 

[CathoRick]

Despite what the media wants you to think, you’re not the lone crackpot who believes in Jesus and follows the Catholic Church.

This cannot be stated enough. Most agnostics/atheists that have found out I’m Catholic always resort to shaming tactics: “How can you believe that?”, “Your views are outdated.”, “No one thinks like that anymore.”, etc… These are reactions garnered simply for professing a belief in our Blessed Lord and adhering to His Church’s teachings. It’s always fun to remind said people that there are hundreds of millions of practicing Catholics outside of their little bubble who hold the same exact beliefs.

 

[martyfrancis]

yes i believe so too - mutual strengthening and support to build the community - problem is with so much of the noise outside and really with the rise of traditionalist Catholics, many young folks think traditionalism is the answer without really deep understanding of the faith.

 

[martyfrancis]

yes that’s true but also needs to be well formed to not be swayed with the noise. Continous formation, spiritual reading and dedicated prayer I suppose is necessary to be firm.

 

[martyfrancis]

I agree we may not be sent to martyrdom as the great saints of the past, but it sure does feel like a persecution of some sort given everything we have held steadfast to are being challenged openly under the guise of “tolerance” and “acceptance:”

Jesus came to call the sinners and because of that as Christians, we are challenged by the secular world to be more tolerant and accepting. However, I often find the secular world forgets the second half of what Jesus did - He told the adulterous lady to "sin no more"

 

[martyfrancis]

Also I would want to ask this question and pardon me if it sounds offensive -

Are Traditionalist Catholics practicing a form of elitism which subtly promulgates racism and superiority all in the name of “opposing” vatican and conforming to the true teachings of the Church and Christ? I feel these folks are taking their brand of traditional Catholicism out of context.

I say this because I was troubled by a recent Taylor Marshall interview with Faith Goldy - a rising Canadian white nationalist who also happens to be catholic. It was troubling to see her views but it could just be media slander.

 

[Scott84]

I’m not going to get into the debate on Traditional Catholicism vs. Vatican II Catholicism, or whatnot. Once upon a time we were all Catholic, but sadly it isn’t so. I’d like to think by virtue of our baptism and confirmation yes, we are all Catholic, and that means we are brothers and sisters in Christ. No matter if we hold different ideas or not.

Anyway, what I want to say is this:

Let us not forget that Our Lord was spat on, beaten, dragged, flogged, stripped, mocked, humiliated, and crucified.

To walk in Our Lord’s footsteps means for us to be rejected by the world, because by virtue of our baptism and confirmation, we are no longer of this world, but of the Kingdom of Heaven. Our Lord said the path would be long and narrow, and following Him means us being rejected by the world also.

To be rejected, persecuted, even martyred because of Him (Jesus Christ) is a badge of honor for all Catholics. Look at the lives of the saints! How many were martyred, persecuted, beaten and rejected because they were friends of Christ.

We should always have our eyes on our true home, which is not this world, but Heaven, where we will get to share in God’s glory for all eternity.

Remember we are all called to be saints! So let us live lives of heroic virtue and smile when the world rejects us because of Christ. You’re never alone, because He is always with you! Have confidence in God, but not of men!

 

[Minks]

@martyfrancis

“Are Traditionalist Catholics practicing a form of elitism which subtly promulgates racism and superiority all in the name of ‘opposing” vatican and conforming to the true teachings of the Church and Christ?”

Where on earth did you get such ideas? Choosing to go to one of two Pope-approved Masses is equivalent to “racism and superiority to the true teachings of the Church and Christ?” Racism? Superiority? Unreal!

 

[Michael16]

My thinking, OP is this:

I don’t worry about the traditionalists. My worry is the secular culture pushing itself on people. Heck, faith itself is called into question everywhere.

What I do is just keep soldiering on. I keep my head down, slogging onward to save my soul and those around me.

All else is extra.

 

[Beryllos]

Also I would want to ask this question and pardon me if it sounds offensive…

After reading this post, I went back and reviewed your original post and your subsequent posts, and I am beginning to see the problem. I see that you are actually quite sympathetic with the “traditionalist” Catholics whom you are trying to denounce. You yourself use strong language against the Church, but you think others are taking it too far. You are zealous, but you can’t stand their zeal. You are quite proud of your own religiosity, and yet you call them haughty.

I’ve got more to say, but it’s very late (in my time zone) and I need to get to bed. I’ll write tomorrow with some advice and suggestions. In the mean time, think about it, and take the log out of your own eye.

 

[martyfrancis]

Please dont get me wrong, this is just a perception that I am sensing from the traditional Catholics - it doesn’t in any way mean I am right in my views as I try to process in my mind. You are right in saying that I am a traditionalist catholic to some degree and yes my views are conservative. In fact, its through the church’s teachings I have been able to navigate my life especially around hot button topics.

But for these traditionalist catholics to pounce on the Pope’s leadership ; that’s where I draw the line. Whatever happen to obedience to the Pontiff? Yes you can have your views, but ultimately denouncing the Pope and playing up the traditions of the church and being ultra conservative - is it just a facade I wonder? And I associate that sort of of attitude, tone and behavior with nationalists and white supremacy.

By the way just for the record, I am not bashing Marshall or any of the guys. I was just perplexed why he would interview Goldy who has been associated as a nationalist - it did raise my eyebrow after I did abit of research on Goldy - of course I dont know her personally and I am just basing on what I am reading on the news.

Likewise, when my wife and I met Pope Francis a few years ago during our spousi novelli, we felt so privileged to be in his presence and we both really felt the presence of God in his man (all this before the scandals blew up and his wayward teachings became more public). It broke our hears to later learn all the weakness of the pope but we feel he’s still God’s appointed one and I’ll never forget the peace and warmth we felt when we met him. Could also all just be a facade but meeting him did help to bolster our faith.