How to defend Papacy in crisis?

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DonCochran

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I cant help but feel in the current climate, false media accusations, etc., that the Papacy may actually be threatened. I believe that Benedict really is innocent of charges. However, I also wonder about the Vaticans understanding of current media traffic, information, and addressing this authoratatively. This has been evidenced in recent history. We are in a new media age as evidenced by this very forum. How can we defend the papacy as individuals when anti-catholic comments appear?
 
DonCochran said:
I cant help but feel in the current climate, false media accusations, etc., that the Papacy may actually be threatened. I believe that Benedict really is innocent of charges. However, I also wonder about the Vaticans understanding of current media traffic, information, and addressing this authoratatively. This has been evidenced in recent history. We are in a new media age as evidenced by this very forum. How can we defend the papacy as individuals when anti-catholic comments appear?
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The same way Pope Benedict XVI does:

Truth with charity.
 
The papacy is not threatened by the main stream media accounts. The Papacy is protected by God and has survived far worse than this. You’ll see. This will all blow over because its based on lies and exaggeration. And it will strengthen the resolve of the most faithful.
 
You can’t defend the indefensible. Acknowledge wrong where is wrongdoing, and prepare a charitable explanation of anything else.
 
Attacks on the Church are nothing new. In some cases, they were justified. But, to me, the Church is so much more than the Pope and the clergy. The Church is the message and the One who originally gave us that message.

Even if the Pope were justifiably removed, the Church would survive because the Spirit protects the message. Maybe that’s a simplistic faith, but I haven’t ever found anything better.
 
DonCochran said:
I cant help but feel in the current climate, false media accusations, etc., that the Papacy may actually be threatened. I believe that Benedict really is innocent of charges. However, I also wonder about the Vaticans understanding of current media traffic, information, and addressing this authoratatively. This has been evidenced in recent history. We are in a new media age as evidenced by this very forum. How can we defend the papacy as individuals when anti-catholic comments appear?
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One way to put a fire out is to not feed it any more fuel or fan the flames. The Pope or the Church does not need to be defended with complicated replies. The short answer, the accusations have no basis and that will be seen.
 
DonCochran said:
I cant help but feel in the current climate, false media accusations, etc., that the Papacy may actually be threatened.
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The Papacy has survived Nero, Diocletian, the fall of Rome, the machinations of kings and emperors bent on power, the Arian heresy (and all other heresies), the Mohammedens, the Great Schism, the Avignon years, the Reformation, the Reign of Terror, Napoleon, Hitler, and thousands of other assaults large and small.

It will survive CNN.
DonCochran said:
How can we defend the papacy as individuals when anti-catholic comments appear?
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Speak the truth and speak it charitably.
 
Where there is evidence of guilt, you can agree with critics that bishops or priests failed as shepherds. And where there are lies being advanced, you can stay well informed to correct them because that is the other injustice in this whole affair in which the Church is receiving undue persecution.

Here are a couple good articles with many details that help us stay informed.

Jimmy Akin writing for the National Catholic Register giving a timeline of Fr. Murphy’s life and the role of the CDC when Cardinal Ratzinger was then head of it.

Another NCR article, well-referenced.
 
MarcoPolo said:
Where there is evidence of guilt, you can agree with critics that bishops or priests failed as shepherds. And where there are lies being advanced, you can stay well informed to correct them because that is the other injustice in this whole affair in which the Church is receiving undue persecution.

Here are a couple good articles with many details that help us stay informed.

Jimmy Akin writing for the National Catholic Register giving a timeline of Fr. Murphy’s life and the role of the CDC when Cardinal Ratzinger was then head of it.

Another NCR article, well-referenced.
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Pretty much agree with your assessment there, and those are good articles. But just a minor point of clarity.

Those are two different "NCR"s, and they are quite different. The former (Akin’s Register) is of much higher quality (although its best writer is leaving soon) in general. However, the author of the former (John Allen of the Reporter) has the best journalistic cred from either. However, but for him there is not much else worthy of reading there.
 
Here’s the latest from Jimmy Akin for National Catholic Register. This article, which I’m still reading at the moment, discusses the translation of the so-called “smoking gun letter” the NY Times touted earlier.

I like this comment he makes early in the article:The new translation is a smoking gun in that it reveals how badly the New York Times and others have botched the story.:o
 
paul_c said:
What do you believe is indefensible?
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Logical fallacies, especially Ad Hominem, strawmen, appeals to authority, and anchovies on pizza. shudders

Catholic Hierarchy covering up pedophilia counts too.
 
i truly do love cheese, but when it has turned into a runny glob of fuzzy disease & stank, i throw it away because it is surely vile garbage!!!

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark
 
Mark77 said:
i truly do love cheese, but when it has turned into a runny glob of fuzzy disease & stank, i throw it away because it is surely vile garbage!!!

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark
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Ummmmm. Not sure if I should take this personally… :confused:
 
As Catholics we’re enjoined to bow before God, not before men. In fact, our faith ensures us that humans will fail to one degree or another, in one manner or another.
 
cheese_sdc said:
Ummmmm. Not sure if I should take this personally… :confused:
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**i was absolutely not intending anything personal & i apologize if my “cheesy” humor offended anyone! **

**We can disagree, but we are all called by Jesus to love each other!

No Catholic at any level has condoned the abuse or, as you wrote, “defended the indefensible.” **

Were mistakes made in handling the abusive priests? Yes. Were new policies & procedures put in place to improve the safety of children & others from abuse? Yes. Have abuse allegations been reduced significantly in the US Catholic Church? Yes. Will mistakes be made in the future? Yes.

**We must continue to lead the way do everything possible to protect innocent children & adults from abuse in the Catholic Church & throughout society in general!!
**
"Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mt 9:13)

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark
 
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