Do we need some updating?

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I didn’t say we should encourage them to do so, it was just an observation that they would probably find other denominations more in line with their thinking.

We can and should witness our faith but such arrogance is entirely in the secular world demanding that the Church changes to be in line with today’s secular culture.
 
I agree. I would further add that, in the context of what are talking about, the terms such as updating, going with the changing times, new interpretations, new norms, etc… are simply codes to attempt to separate our Lord Jesus Christ from His bride—the Catholic Church. The devil is quite cunning and clever in masking his subtle/stealth attacks on the Church.

The truth and love of Christ are immutable and eternal. No powers on earth can ever change that. The Catholic Church, by definition, ceases to exist without Christ.
 
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It has not been my observation that arrogance is merely a secular reality. Surely, you would agree.
 
TheOldColonel said:
It has not been my observation that arrogance is merely a secular reality. Surely, you would agree.
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I never said it was in general. But it certainly is in this case. The secular leftist does not have the best interest of the Church in mind and so it’s all the more reason to resist such calls.
 
In attempting to understand scripture and what the author was attempting to communicate I find I update its meaning and make it relevent to me. I’m not sure I’d find it easier or engaging to read about a miracle involving an Xbox. The scriptures are intriguing as they are and as mentioned priorly by others human psychology hasn’t changed and God certainly is always in the now so to speak. I have an old chisel and the metal it is made from is of a higher grade and it cuts updated timber just fine.
 
Chisel “updated timber” and you’ll have something new. 😎
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I don’t believe we need to update anything. By that, I don’t mean that we need to be rigid for the sake of it. In every age there are those who oppose church teaching or think that it needs to change. I guess this applies even to people in the church. The constancy of the Catholic Church is what I have found to be deeply reassuring and is one of the things that attracted me to her in the fist place.

One of the things that I like about the Mass readings is that they covers everything, without cherry picking. I don’t know what someone who wants change might suggest. I certainly would not like to “skip” any bits.

If you are challenged by some scripture (like all of us are) then wrestle with it.
 
We could use a bit more of a renewal and reform.
 
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The major problem is that people have very little knowledge of Scripture, tradition or about what the Church teaches as well as other religions of the world. They make up their own minds based on heresay and errors.
 
I guess I’m skeptical of calls to “get with the times” in the manner that secularism expects, because every time attempts at this have been done, the results have largely been a failure. I fear we’re starting to not appreciate things like the bible because we have developed short attention spans and are becoming collectively dumbed down. I’d rather see the Church stand her ground as a firm parent and not, figuratively speaking, let spoiled children and lunatics run the asylum.

Europe is very “modern” and its churches, both Catholic and otherwise, also embrace secular modernism in an effort to “keep up”. But their pews are empty, too.

This world is becoming such a scary and crazy place, I would rather the Church and liturgy remain a place that is sacred and timeless, not something that will constantly need to be updated at the speed of the Billboard Hot 100. In the chaos we have now, I believe we need a place where the soul can find clarity, nourishment and rest – not more ambiguity, confusion, noise and chaos.

I don’t think “updating” solves the problem of needing authenticity and genuine holiness. God knows a heavy price is being paid for that right now. We could preach in the most dynamic ways, have the greatest bells and smells liturgies and jazziest masses and be great witnesses, but none of it matters if we lose our credibility by not actually practicing what we preach.
 
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SeriousQuestion said:
Some of the music needs to be updated. 😉
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Some certainly needs to be updated in the sense that some church music today reflects the style of popular music of the 1960s and 1970s – think television theme songs and advertising jingles. If updating means raising the level from contemporary to timeless, I am all for it.

It’s not that we have to revert to the old, traditional hymns. I love many of the hymns I learned as a child, but I wonder why we don’t have many new hymns that are just as good, and even better.
 
Really the Catholic church gets updated every time a soul finally recognizes the real presence in the Eucharist. Take it from a cradle Catholic who had 12 years of Catholic education and skimmed along the surface…Once a person realizes what is really taking place at the Mass, it is new every time… Every word the priest says, every word of every song, every smile at the other participants, every prayer from the faithful…every gospel reading, every homily… takes on new meaning. I discovered Jesus, the real Jesus about 10 years ago, though it has been a process… Don’t change anything. I’m still discovering the wonder of it all… (hey, isn’t that a song from our protestant brethren?)
 
I think they don’t study it, don’t read the bible, don’t listen to holy people and don’t pray enough. They go through the motions like I did from childhood (even though I took a 14 year detour…) and they don’t ask Jesus to draw them closer to himself and him present in the Blessed Sacrament… maybe they are missing it for the world…
 
Thank you for your post. Christ has already revealed so much of Himself via Scriptures, Tradition, the Magisterium, the Mass, the Catholic Church, and the lives of the saints. What we really need to do is to learn from them, and to ask for the grace to understand and comprehend all the truth and the mysteries of the Catholic faith. All efforts in the Church—devotional, disciplines, reforms, etc…— are to seek to bring out the truth, mercy and love of Christ.

What the Church had called out as heresies in the past were in fact calling out by names efforts to separate the faithful from the truth of Christ. In recent decades, the “updating” and “going with the changing times” efforts in the Church are no more than masking the real efforts to change the doctrines of the Church—which no powers on earth could ever do. The Church must obey Christ and has no authority whatsoever to “update” or change it. If the Church had given in to the demands of those who wanted to “update” the Church, the Church would now have accepted: abortions, homosexuality, homosexual marriages, gender identity/confusion, woman priests, sexual infidelity, adultery, inter-Communion, etc… All of which are unacceptable and are contrary to the Magisterium.

As Pope Benedict once pointed out, we need to learn to believe again, and do our part. We must continue to trust Christ to guide the Church and protect His bride—the Catholic Church.
 
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I agree. The Holy Mass is a treasure trough of the Catholic faith. My Catholic faith has truly matured since I took the efforts to learn every aspects of the Mass. In my humble opinion, our priests and bishops must put more time and efforts to educate the faithful about what the Mass really is and really means. Most importantly, Christ is truly present at the Mass.
 
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Yes, how many times have I read and repeated… “con substantial with the Father?” And yet at this past Mass those words hit me like a TON of BRICKS. Christ is truly present and he is of the same substance as the Father… so when we are receiving Jesus, the Father and the Spirit are also there… Oh my Gosh, how totally unworthy we mortals are and yet our loving God wants to be joined to us in the Eucharist. Who in this world could hurt us when we are joined to Christ? even death won’t separate us!!! And see how this simple (?) thought brings us back to the bible where Jesus says “the Father and I are one!!!” I’m old and this gift (the Mass/the Church) Jesus made for us still AMAZES me…
 
TheOldColonel said:
How would you respond to one who says the Bible and the Church are “outdated”?
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I wouldn’t respond to this. The question itself reveals a more basic ignorance of God. I would back all the way up to the existence of God, as he really is, and go from there. I do not know where all this talk of music is coming from. It has nothing much to do with answering the actual question.

I am partial to the approach of St. Thomas in the Summa.

BTW, I hope the @camoderator will look into the frivilous flagging, like what was unfairly done to @cc34. We really should limit it clear rule violations.
 
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