Caritas new slogan unrealistic: Cardinal Sarah

[Luigi_Daniele]

catholicnewsagency.com/news/as-caritas-identity-is-refined-new-slogan-called-unrealistic/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+catholicnewsagency%2Fdailynews-vatican+%28CNA+Daily+News±+Vatican%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo

Rome, Italy, May 24, 2011 / 11:35 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The goal of a new slogan adopted by the Vatican’s official charity is being called “unrealistic” by the Church official charged with overseeing the organization.

Cardinal Robert Sarah said he doesn’t understand Caritas International’s new theme – “One Human Family – Zero Poverty,” which was unveiled at the charity’s annual meeting this week in Rome.

Attaboy, Your Eminence

[BIBLEDRB]Mt 26:11[/BIBLEDRB]

Read the Bible, people.

 

[Tsuwano]

catholicnewsagency.com/news/as-caritas-identity-is-refined-new-slogan-called-unrealistic/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+catholicnewsagency%2Fdailynews-vatican+%28CNA+Daily+News±+Vatican%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo

Attaboy, Your Eminence

[BIBLEDRB]Mt 26:11[/BIBLEDRB]

Read the Bible, people.

Rather than say the new slogan of Caritas is unrealistic, perhaps the Cardinal should have said it is hopeful. After all, should we not hope that all poverty will end? Should we not work towards that goal even if it is out of reach? Christ did indeed say that the poor will always be with us, but perhaps that is because he read the human heart and realized that many of us would prefer to see the suffering of the poor rather than work to alleviate that suffering. Sometimes it is best to be hope filled rather than cynically realistic.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

catholicnewsagency.com/news/as-caritas-identity-is-refined-new-slogan-called-unrealistic/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+catholicnewsagency%2Fdailynews-vatican+%28CNA+Daily+News±+Vatican%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo

Attaboy, Your Eminence

[BIBLEDRB]Mt 26:11[/BIBLEDRB]

Read the Bible, people.

I’m sure the cardinal would have given the Good Samaritan a stern talking-to.

 

[ANNE_2]

See: ENCYCLICAL LETTER, “DEUS CARITAS EST”
of the SUPREME PONTIFF BENEDICT XVI
TO THE BISHOPS, PRIESTS AND DEACONS
MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS, AND ALL THE LAY FAITHFUL
ON CHRISTIAN LOVE.
Especially: PART II "CARITAS THE PRACTICE OF LOVE
BY THE CHURCH AS A “COMMUNITY OF LOVE”
vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est_en.html

God Bless Pope Benedict.

 

[wisdomseeker]

Rather than say the new slogan of Caritas is unrealistic, perhaps the Cardinal should have said it is hopeful. After all, should we not hope that all poverty will end? Should we not work towards that goal even if it is out of reach? Christ did indeed say that the poor will always be with us, but perhaps that is because he read the human heart and realized that many of us would prefer to see the suffering of the poor rather than work to alleviate that suffering. Sometimes it is best to be hope filled rather than cynically realistic.

I never tought that we all have to be rich to be good. I wonder if we are not infected by the ideology of capitalism. As far as have seen, capitalism has driven people away from God. I rather be poor with God than be rich without God.

 

[antonivs]

Unrealistic, yes; but “One Human Family – Zero Poverty” is a worthy goal.

 

[Tigg]

Cardinal Rodriguez said the new slogan represents a “will to fight injustice and poverty. It is a simple expression of our understanding of the world. Zero can be conceived as a ‘condition of possibility’ for all the numbers,” he added. “It is an analogy for **equality.” **

I think this sounds more like a political statement and doesn’t seem consistent with earlier encyclicals that speak of “equality.” Compare the Cardinal’s statement with Pope Leos. (Emphasis mine)

There naturally exist among mankind manifold differences of the most important kind; people differ in capacity, skill, health, strength; and unequal fortune is a necessary result of unequal condition. Such unequality is far from being disadvantageous either to individuals or to the community. Social and public life can only be maintained by means of various kinds of capacity for business and the playing of many parts; and each man, as a rule, chooses the part which suits his own peculiar domestic condition.

Therefore, let it be laid down in the first place that in civil society, the lowest cannot be made equal with the highest. Socialists, of course, agitate the contrary, but all struggling against nature is in vain. There are truly very great and very many natural differences among men. Neither the talents nor the skill nor the health nor the capacities of all are the same, and unequal fortune follows of itself upon necessary inequality in respect to these endowments.

~Rerum Novarem~

Another observation…earlier popes have stated that spiritual needs are just as important as material ones. What means does Caritas employ to accomplish this?

That Caritas is deeply political cannot be denied. It is listed as a leftist political organization in Discover the Networks.

**Caritas views the “weak and oppressed” as the potential leaders of a socio-political movement to radically transform societies around the world; as “agents of change leading the struggle to eradicate dehumanizing poverty, unacceptable living and working conditions, and unjust social, political, economic and cultural structures.” **discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6555

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

Unrealistic, yes; but “One Human Family – Zero Poverty” is a worthy goal.

With all due respect, it is a utopian goal. A goal that flies in the face of our Lord’s words.

I am not really upset; I just think it’s silly.

 

[Dale_M]

Rather than say the new slogan of Caritas is unrealistic, perhaps the Cardinal should have said it is hopeful.

Of course, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, who spoke before Cardinal Sarah, said basically just that.

I think that the headline is unfortunate, because it takes away from what seems the main point of Cardinal Sarah: Caritas, and all Catholic organizations, are part of the Church and do not exist alongside the Church.

“A Caritas that wasn’t an ecclesial expression would have no meaning or existence. The Church cannot be considered as a partner of Catholic organizations. They are the organizations that take part in her mission.”

 

[Tsuwano]

I never tought that we all have to be rich to be good. I wonder if we are not infected by the ideology of capitalism. As far as have seen, capitalism has driven people away from God. I rather be poor with God than be rich without God.

I think this is a good point to consider.

 

[Tsuwano]

Of course, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, who spoke before Cardinal Sarah, said basically just that.

I think that the headline is unfortunate, because it takes away from what seems the main point of Cardinal Sarah: Caritas, and all Catholic organizations, are part of the Church and do not exist alongside the Church.

If this is what Cardinal Sarah is saying, I agree with him completely. Caritas is an expression, an action, of the Church in the world.

 

[Tsuwano]

I think this sounds more like a political statement and doesn’t seem consistent with earlier encyclicals that speak of “equality.” Compare the Cardinal’s statement with Pope Leos. (Emphasis mine)

Another observation…earlier popes have stated that spiritual needs are just as important as material ones. What means does Caritas employ to accomplish this?

That Caritas is deeply political cannot be denied. It is listed as a leftist political organization in Discover the Networks.

If having the desire to eradicate abject poverty and working to bring dignity to all human persons is left wing, then that is what I am. Personally, I prefer to call it love for my fellow human beings.

 

[Tigg]

If having the desire to eradicate abject poverty and working to bring dignity to all human persons is left wing, then that is what I am. Personally, I prefer to call it love for my fellow human beings.

It would certainly be the goal to improve the lot of the poor, not to mention that it is a gospel mandate, and we should all be committed to that end. The means and methodology of accomplishing that goal is what is politically debated.

 

[qui_est_ce]

I never tought that we all have to be rich to be good. I wonder if we are not infected by the** ideology of capitalism**. As far as have seen, capitalism has driven people away from God. I rather be poor with God than be rich without God.

I would say, rather, many people in our world are infected with the ideology of secular humanism.

Capitalism is the most efficient means of the distribution of material goods.

 

[Tsuwano]

It would certainly be the goal to improve the lot of the poor, not to mention that it is a gospel mandate, and we should all be committed to that end. The means and methodology of accomplishing that goal is what is politically debated.

Exactly, and Caritas, as a ministry of the Church, fully supported by the Church, and serving the goals of the Church, can’t really be considered either left or right wing. Whoever labeled Caritas as leftist is blowing smoke.

 

[Tsuwano]

I would say, rather, many people in our world are infected with the ideology of secular humanism.

Capitalism is the most efficient means of the distribution of material goods.

I would say that Capitalism can be the most efficient means of distributing material goods and alleviating poverty, but not necessarily so. Like any system, Capitalism can be abused and can lead to a greater discrepency between those with capital and those without. It can also lead to a situation where those with capital have excessive power to influence the world and society, sometimes to the detriment of those who are powerless and have little capital. These flaws need to be guarded against and those who would abuse the Capitalistic system should be held to the rule of a just law.

 

[Tigg]

Exactly, and Caritas, as a ministry of the Church, fully supported by the Church, and serving the goals of the Church, can’t really be considered either left or right wing. Whoever labeled Caritas as leftist is blowing smoke.

I just think we need to be very wary whenever an organization tries to merge the Church’s mission of charity with government regulation. (See previous link.)

 

[Tsuwano]

I just think we need to be very wary whenever an organization tries to merge the Church’s mission of charity with government regulation. (See previous link.)

Agreed. I also think we need to be wary of any organization which automatically labels a desire to serve the poor and to establish equality and justice in society as leftist.

 

[Tigg]

Agreed. I also think we need to be wary of any organization which automatically labels a desire to serve the poor and to establish equality and justice in society as leftist.

There’s more to it than the obvious. My forum time is severely limited right now but at some point I’d very much like to confirm (or reject) the conclusion some draw in stating that Caritas is opposed to capitalism. The term “leftist” is not really meant pejoratively in the sense that it is a concrete ideology - whether or not I agree. I had two hours of sleep last nite - am I making any sense?

 

[Tigg]

Interesting piece and the search for authentic Catholicism continues. (Emphasis mine)

This year’s Caritas International’s general assembly will have at last 6 members of the Curia addressing it - which has never happened before - and Cardinal Bertone himself will be celebrating the event’s main Mass. **The fact, then, that the Vatican seems so keen to reform Caritas has woken many of its members to the realisation that the years of dissent and lack of proper respect for Catholic teaching are well and truly coming to an end! **

Some people who are involved with organisations like CAFOD and NJPN seem more inclined to a Marxist reinterpretation of Catholicism as opposed to Catholicism as it really is meant to be lived. So, if organisations like CAFOD, that have a reputation for dissent and belong to Caritas International, actually embrace the “reform of the reform” that is currently sweeping through the Church it might become possible for Catholics of good conscience to start donating money to them once more,

areluctantsinner.blogspot.com/2011/05/holy-see-is-overhauling-caritas.html

MORE HERE:

Several weeks ago, the Vatican announced that it would not grant the necessary approval for Lesley-Anne Knight’s second, four-year term as secretary general of Caritas International, a global network of 165 Catholic agencies working primarily in the Third World on development and health-care issues. Predictably, the Vatican black ball was deplored by some leaders of Caritas-affiliated agencies, who have been complaining to their diplomatic representatives at the Holy See that this clumsy and unwelcome intervention in their internal affairs would imperil their effectiveness in working with other international non-governmental organizations (INGOs).

**If that’s the case, it won’t be because of anything the Vatican did. Rather, it will be because the INGO world is dominated by an unbending “progressive” orthodoxy on development and health-care questions that sits poorly with Catholic understandings of how people are empowered to break out of the cycle of poverty. **

crisismagazine.com/2011/reforming-caritas-international