Conservatives call on GOP leaders to step down

[CMatt25]

It is His Church and God is cleansing it. But those who criticize and mock her teachings are directed specifically toward those who are trying to lead holy lives. They aren’t interested in what the Church is or has to offer - they only want to take from those who have found their faith and believe!

But Tigg, even if what you say were true and if there are those who are not interested, I’m at a loss to understand how Catholics such as yourself who have found their faith and believe, expect others to potentially find their faith and believe with you if they are no longer going to be in it. It’s something I just find so facinating because I’ve been hearing about this purer, if smaller Church idea for awhile now. I think for me personally I first heard about it at the time of the election of the current Pope. I realize the Holy Spirit can touch people’s lives. But surely you would say being in the pews has helped you to find and believe as well.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I think you have it pegged. All we Catholics can do, is stick together as God fearing people and when the world is ready to hear the message, we will be ready. But first we have to decide to follow the Church and not either party.
If this happens we will shrink in the short run. But I for one am ready to stand alone; if we stand with truth we will be persecuted.

Being Catholic first before being American or Republican is the most important thing.

Given the various choices, the Republican leadership could decide that issues important to Catholics are no longer main issues for them. For example, they could say that “rare, but safe and legal” is good enough for abortion, or that civil unions are OK as long as they don’t call it marriage. Every political party is in the business of winning elections and staying in power. If the coalition they need to get and stay in power doesn’t include Mass-going Catholics, then so be it from their point of view.

We may find it more and more difficult to find a candidate worth voting for, but will not be a reason for us to compromise the truth I hope!

 

[CMatt25]

Why are people still replying to CMatt25’s comments?

Apparently he has an axe to grind with Conservatives and Catholics (read, anyone who disagree’s with him).

I don’t have an axe to grind. Sure I disagree with the conservative politics espoused here and since I am not considered to be a Catholic, I compare beliefs and faith including others. I might do that anyway if I were Catholic because I’ve always done so. Learning about various faiths along my spiritual journey. But I have conservative Republican Catholics in my own family. We all get along. I don’t grind an axe into them nor they into me. I’ve never told anyone here they are evil or on the path to hell, etc as I’ve been told on occasion. I’ve never even ever said your faith is wrong. Because I don’t believe any of you are evil and it certainly is not my place to judge anyone to being on their way to hell. And while I don’t know for sure, you may even be right in faith. Peace and love and God’s blessings to each and everyone here though we might disagree.

 

[Tampa_Dave]

But Tigg, even if what you say were true and if there are those who are not interested, I’m at a loss to understand how Catholics such as yourself who have found their faith and believe, expect others to potentially find their faith and believe with you if they are no longer going to be in it. It’s something I just find so facinating because I’ve been hearing about this purer, if smaller Church idea for awhile now. I think for me personally I first heard about it at the time of the election of the current Pope. I realize the Holy Spirit can touch people’s lives. But surely you would say being in the pews has helped you to find and believe as well.

Consolidation of the Church into a smaller population of pious Catholics faithful to the Magisterium and the Holy See. It’s an appealing concept, I must say. Our parish hosts Eucharistic Adoration and Novus Ordo Latin Mass on Thursday evenings. Celebrating the Eucharist with this small but notably pious group of Catholics is decidedly different than what I’ve experienced at your typical Sunday Mass with all pews filled. Would the Catholic experience differ much if the Church consolidated into a smaller and overall more conservative and traditional base? I would guess so.

 

[ComputerGeek25]

Consolidation of the Church into a smaller population of pious Catholics faithful to the Magisterium and the Holy See. It’s an appealing concept, I must say. Our parish hosts Eucharistic Adoration and Novus Ordo Latin Mass on Thursday evenings. Celebrating the Eucharist with this small but notably pious group of Catholics is decidedly different than what I’ve experienced at your typical Sunday Mass with all pews filled. Would the Catholic experience differ much if the Church consolidated into a smaller and overall more conservative and traditional base? I would guess so.

What CMatt25 and others fail to understand is the Church is not a Democracy. Christ himself porked off the Jewish leadership to say and do what was right.

Remember, Christ said that they hated him first.

Not telling people the truth out of fear that they’ll leave is not charity.

 

[CMatt25]

Consolidation of the Church into a smaller population of pious Catholics faithful to the Magisterium and the Holy See. It’s an appealing concept, I must say. Our parish hosts Eucharistic Adoration and Novus Ordo Latin Mass on Thursday evenings. Celebrating the Eucharist with this small but notably pious group of Catholics is decidedly different than what I’ve experienced at your typical Sunday Mass with all pews filled. Would the Catholic experience differ much if the Church consolidated into a smaller and overall more conservative and traditional base? I would guess so.

I’m so happy Dave you have a good experience on those TH evenngs. It sounds like they bring you great peace. God bless!

 

[Tampa_Dave]

Being Catholic first before being American or Republican is the most important thing.

Given the various choices, the Republican leadership could decide that issues important to Catholics are no longer main issues for them. For example, they could say that “rare, but safe and legal” is good enough for abortion, or that civil unions are OK as long as they don’t call it marriage. Every political party is in the business of winning elections and staying in power. If the coalition they need to get and stay in power doesn’t include Mass-going Catholics, then so be it from their point of view.

We may find it more and more difficult to find a candidate worth voting for, but will not be a reason for us to compromise the truth I hope!

Undoubtedly true. By the Holy Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation (a voluntary choice), I am Catholic. America is where I live by accident of birth. I’m fairly certain I would have been equally happy living in any one of many Western European countries.

 

[CatholicGuy22]

This is such a load of hypocrisy. When it was, and 50% still is, the One Holy Catholic democrat Church you were okay with that.

The Democrat Party has left the Church and Her beliefs long ago, but unfortunately many still are more faithful to the DP than Mother Church.

Many here label me a partisan, Catholic Guy ridicules me with this comment that you, a partisan democrat, validate, but it’s me who is the partisan. Ok, I can take it. But I will not compromise my Catholic values.

I challenge any of you liberals to read the party platforms in light of Catholic teachings and see which matches better, which supports intrinsic evils and which does not.

This is a Catholic forum; I am a Catholic Deacon, a clergy member in His Church. Why would I talk of believing in or supporting anything contrary to the Catholic faith? I am not here to be an unbiased neutered hypocrite; I am here to represent the Church in Her fullness and I shall.

Now some here call themselves Catholic but only toe party line, some toe party line and are ashamed to list that they are Catholic, which they are even though they work against Her. Our Church is going through a period of “cleansing” and I can assure you it will get worse. The priests coming out of seminaries these days are not going left, they are going right with the Church, where She always has been. I’ve heard Arch Bishop Fulton Sheen quoted this past year more than ever in my lifetime, Praise God! He got it right. What is you opinion of him? I guess he was a partisan too…

The deacons coming out and being ordained these days are preaching the whole truth, and lately many priests and bishops are getting the strong message of truth out. I would like nothing more than to sit and hear my pastor preach Church truths every weekend, as of now every time there is a “hard” subject to preach on it is my turn to preach. I’m okay with that, but it should be the priest.

The Democrat Party has left the Church; it is past time for the Church to leave the Democrat Party. We are Catholics before we are rep or dem, we are Catholic before we are conservative or liberal. The Catholic Church is truth because the Truth is the Head of Her, conform you will to Him and you too will see the light.

Ohhhh please. Talk about being Self-Righteous! LOL. First off I see nothing wrong with voting republican, I just want people to open there mind to see that the Republican party is lacking in many areas. Especially with regards to the poor and undocumented. We need to respect ALL life from the womb to the streets. Democrats are seriously lacking in the abortion issue and marriage but I admit that.

 

[Tampa_Dave]

I’m so happy Dave you have a good experience on those TH evenngs. It sounds like they bring you great peace. God bless!

Ancient catacomb-size group of pious Catholics, dimly lit Church, Latin prayers and hymns, the smell of incense … BAM as Emerill would say!

 

[qui_est_ce]

Ohhhh please. Talk about being Self-Righteous! LOL. First off I see nothing wrong with voting republican, I just want people to open there mind to see that the Republican party is lacking in many areas. Especially with regards to the poor and undocumented. We need to respect ALL life from the womb to the streets. Democrats are seriously lacking in the abortion issue and marriage but I admit that.

GOP does care about the poor. They just believe they should be helping the poor on their own dime and leave the federal government out of it.

 

[Caldera]

I don’t have an axe to grind. Sure I disagree with the conservative politics espoused here and since I am not considered to be a Catholic, I compare beliefs and faith including others.

Seriously, do you realize what you have chosen to give up, CMatt?

 

[Tigg]

But Tigg, even if what you say were true and if there are those who are not interested, I’m at a loss to understand how Catholics such as yourself who have found their faith and believe, expect others to potentially find their faith and believe with you if they are no longer going to be in it. It’s something I just find so facinating because I’ve been hearing about this purer, if smaller Church idea for awhile now. I think for me personally I first heard about it at the time of the election of the current Pope. I realize the Holy Spirit can touch people’s lives. But surely you would say being in the pews has helped you to find and believe as well.

I sense in your posts that you have felt pushed away from the Church in the past and I’m sorry for that and mean it most sincerely. I have prayed for you that you have found peace in your new church. For those seekers of the Truth, they are always welcomed, but in the midst of this current secularism, apostasy and moral relativism, our core beliefs are being attacked in a most egregious, and might I say, diabolical way. The Year of Faith that has been proclaimed is an opportunity for every Catholic to learn, evangelize and promote the faith to those with ears to hear. But for those who make the choice to reject the message, then they need to go their own way and not engage in vicious battle against us. Look at this thread - Catholics against Catholics! And 50% of them voted against the primary life (and moral) issues that uniquely define us as One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. I see a schism in the near future…I honestly do and think there has been, without doubt, a de facto schism for years. This election has illustrated as much to me.

As an American, I would never have believed I would have seen in my lifetime that my religious freedom would be at risk, or that the threat would be from one of the two major political parties. How can any Christian, Catholic or not, swallow that one?

 

[CatholicGuy22]

GOP does care about the poor. They just believe they should be helping the poor on their own dime and leave the federal government out of it.

The Government is an extension of the people. Many people depend on the Government and if that is taken away, there livelihood would be in trouble.

 

[CMatt25]

What CMatt25 and others fail to understand is the Church is not a Democracy. Christ himself porked off the Jewish leadership to say and do what was right.

Remember, Christ said that they hated him first.

Not telling people the truth out of fear that they’ll leave is not charity.

Actually I know enough about the Catholic Church to know it’s not a democracy. I realize and I’m going to guess others do too, that none of you for instance, unless someone is a member of the College of Cardinals, has the Holy Spirit guiding them in the election of the Pope. Nor are any of you assigning bishops. I’m certain many of you pray though during a Papal election process.

I haven’t come across anyone professing to be Christian here who hates Christ. So I’m clueless where that came from. And I wasn’t saying not to tell them what you believe to be the truth. I only say if they are cleaned out or leave as you put it, they’re not going to be there to hear you telling them. So I don’t understand how they are going to learn what you believe to be the truth if they’re not there to keep hearing it. Because I can envision someone you want to clean out but if they’re not, someday could be sitting in the pew and the Holy Spirit clicks something in them when they are listening and all of a sudden they will believe. But if they’re not there because you’ve cleansed the pews, the chances of that happening for them in the Catholic Church are decreased. That’s all I was saying. And I certainly wasn’t saying anyone here hates Christ.

 

[qui_est_ce]

The Government is an extension of the people. Many people depend on the Government and if that is taken away, there livelihood would be in trouble.

Could you be more specific as to how the livelihood of people would be affected without Federal government assistance? What I have seen happening over the past four years is increased dependence on federal government assistance. The result of failed policies.

Since Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society program in 1965, more African-American babies have been born out of wedlock. The number of children born in two parent homes has decreased dramatically. The homeless shelter where I volunteer is full of mothers with multiple babies from different fathers. They all receive government help. Why are they on the street with children? Because their own mothers depend on them for welfare and they got sick of it. The fathers are not a part of their children’s lives. The government is the daddy.

The homeless shelter where I work helps women love their babies and take personal responsibility. They have smoking cessation classes, nutrition classes, parenting classes, how to dress for success how to get a job. One of the hardest things they have to do if they want to join the program is give up their cell phones.

I firmly believe the government is responsible for the plight of today’s poor. It is only through one on one personal contact that people can lift themselves out of the generational dependency of government handouts.

If you truly cared about the poor, you would get out there and do something that really helps them lift themselves out of government dependency.

 

[Lapey]

I asked myself the same thing. Why I would hear a young priest during the recession say in his homily his answer to the poor is to get a job. I don’t find that to be His answer.

And I have no clue who you’re talking about in regard to being ashamed to list they are Catholic. You must have some inside information of these members which I am not privy to. In any case, I’d say go ahead and cleanse Deacon Lapey along with the young priests. The ones you clean out will go elsewhere and will no longer be in the pews if that’s what you want. And the ones not in the pews much now may feel even further alienated or driven away and unwelcomed. As we all have to answer to God in the end.

That young priest needed your prayers, not your exit. It’s easy to run when the things we believe are not what we are told should be, I talk of Church teaching not the statement you made about a priest. Look at your profile, even if I didn’t know the whole story I could guess that you are one who left the pews because the Church would not conform to your views. We must form our consciences; we are not victims of our consciences. When our conscience does not fall in line with Church teaching, we must learn and discern then conform. Not the other way around. The Church will not and never will conform to popular belief or stick with the times; She holds the fullness of the truth. It is up to us to comply or leave, you have chosen the latter. That’s not the Churches fault that would be yours.

The cleansing is not aimed at cleaning butts from the pews, it is aimed at cleansing sin from the soul, and this is our ultimate goal, the supreme law of the Church Canon 1752, the salvation of souls. Salvation of souls does not happen when souls are left in the pig pen of sin.

If a person chooses to reject this that is their free will. It’s not the deacon, priest or bishop who caused him to leave; it is his hardness of heart.

 

[Lapey]

Deacon, while you and your associates are cleaning, ask yourselves how you expect the ones you clean away to see the light if they are no longer in the pews? Once you cleanse them away, you’ll have less impact on their lives than if you hadn’t given up on them. Keep them around and only the Lord knows what He might do for their hearts in time. I wish you well.

I don’t know why I try; you purposely misinterpret and misrepresent my words every time.

Preach the truth and some shall leave, of their own accord. It’s easier to run from truth then to admit that there is a truth. Keeping a body in a pew with a soul entrenched in sinful ignorance does exactly what for that persons immortal soul? Even worse, having a heart so hardened that the truth causes obstinate rejection and he leaves the Church because he cannot learn and discern and conform to the Truth.

The choice is yours to change, the Church Praise God will not!

 

[Lapey]

There have always been extremists on both sides, what is different here IMO, is the mainstreaming and the seeming acceptance of vile behavior and speech. Give John McCain that, in 2008 he refused to stoop or to accept this, even at the cost of losing.

I feel for you, you are so blinded by this hatred of anything that disagrees with your view. Just sad. Obama was the side which spewed venom and lies, but you see the other side as such. Please try to watch something other than MSNBC.

Please list the vile behavior and speach that the republican party used this campaign season, be specific.

 

[CMatt25]

Seriously, do you realize what you have chosen to give up, CMatt?

If you mean what someone doesn’t have if they are not Catholic, I know and understand you believe that to be Jesus in the Eucharist. .

 

[ComputerGeek25]

I don’t know why I try; you purposely misinterpret and misrepresent my words every time.

Preach the truth and some shall leave, of their own accord. It’s easier to run from truth then to admit that there is a truth. Keeping a body in a pew with a soul entrenched in sinful ignorance does exactly what for that persons immortal soul? Even worse, having a heart so hardened that the truth causes obstinate rejection and he leaves the Church because he cannot learn and discern and conform to the Truth.

The choice is yours to change, the Church Praise God will not!

Well said, my friend.