Children in consumerist societies "risk losing hope," says Pope Benedict

[KathleenElsie]

ROME, Dec 10, 2007 / 10:46 am (CNA).- Speaking on Saturday for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Benedict XVI warned of consumerism’s increasing spread among children.

He began his talk by first reflecting on Mary, whose being conceived without sin the Church was celebrating. “Looking at her we recognize the greatness and beauty of God’s project for each human being: to become holy and immaculate in love, in the image of our Creator,” the Pope proclaimed.
“What a great gift it is to have Mary Immaculate for a mother,” Benedict XVI rejoiced. “A mother resplendent in beauty and transparent to the love of God.”

As always please read the full story.

catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=11217

 

[mmm1]

Thanks for posting this, KathleenElsie. This is so wise & true. Very important in our society, too. I’m thinking of asking to print it in our school newsletter. It is a Catholic grade school, & sadly, I think it is already a problem there with girls getting teased for having fake Ugg boots & imitation Vera Bradley bags. Scary!

 

[KathleenElsie]

Yes it is sad when you see children value “stuff” more then family and the Church. But then it is easier for parents to give their children “things” and hard to give them time.

 

[whatevergirl]

I always marvel that the Pope does not get distracted with the things of this life…Just always stays steadfast, and true to the Church. Whenever I am caught up in wondering this or that about the Catholic faith, I see the beauty in our Pope’s zeal and consistency. I hope to grow further and deeper in my faith, like that!

And I agree with the link…but how can we fix this now?

 

[KathleenElsie]

I always marvel that the Pope does not get distracted with the things of this life…Just always stays steadfast, and true to the Church. Whenever I am caught up in wondering this or that about the Catholic faith, I see the beauty in our Pope’s zeal and consistency. I hope to grow further and deeper in my faith, like that!

And I agree with the link…but how can we fix this now?

We can’t fix society. But we can fix our families one at a time.

We now give one gift for each child at Christmas. Something they can share with the family like a game, a science project or books. When something new comes into the house something old gets donated to the second hand store.

 

[WanderAimlessly]

We can’t fix society.

We can’t? Maybe not overnight, but I think we can by selecting what we do in society. One think I have suggested in the past is setting up a network/listing of businesses not going against the teachings of the Catholic Church and only using those businesses when possible. My current dentist was found in the Catholic Business Pages published here.

Another way is to pull out kids from the public school system to get them away from the Secular Relativist indoctrination that goes on there.

There are other things that we can do also, but that is not for this thread.

 

[KathleenElsie]

We can’t? Maybe not overnight, but I think we can by selecting what we do in society. One think I have suggested in the past is setting up a network/listing of businesses not going against the teachings of the Catholic Church and only using those businesses when possible. My current dentist was found in the Catholic Business Pages published here.

Another way is to pull out kids from the public school system to get them away from the Secular Relativist indoctrination that goes on there.

There are other things that we can do also, but that is not for this thread.

So glad you only used one sentence of my post. Each of the things you mentioned have been discussed on other threads. This one is one consumerism and how to change it.

As a family we homeschool, use only Catholic practitioners (dentist, physicians etc). When we get distracted with adding more and more to a thread it gets no no place.
God Bless

 

[WanderAimlessly]

So glad you only used one sentence of my post. Each of the things you mentioned have been discussed on other threads. This one is one consumerism and how to change it.

As a family we homeschool, use only Catholic practitioners (dentist, physicians etc). When we get distracted with adding more and more to a thread it gets no no place.
God Bless

I see “consumerism” as only one symptom of a much larger problem which is the rapid downwar spiral of today’s society towards a “Sodom and Gomorrah” type society.

At some point before it implodes (or explodes), we will have to make a choice of staying or leaving.

 

[KathleenElsie]

I see “consumerism” as only one symptom of a much larger problem which is the rapid downwar spiral of today’s society towards a “Sodom and Gomorrah” type society.

At some point before it implodes (or explodes), we will have to make a choice of staying or leaving.

I agree fully. But consumerism is something that we each can fight and have an immediate impact. It needs to be discussed with many of our bothers and sister that say there is nothing can can do about society. This is a step that we each can do.