I am Now A Catholic In Name Only

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You need to attend a Pro-Life march in DC. IF you want to see progress in how the Church IS succeeding in the Pro-Life movement all you need to do is look at the latest polls. The US is now 51% prolife, and only about 42% pro-choice. Only a year or two ago that was reversed, and about 5 or 10 years ago, there was virtually no light at the end of the tunnel.

We are making tremendous headway. The message is getting out there, and the Church is leading the way, even if Notre Dame and its nutcase administrators don’t get it.

By the next election Pres Obama will see the writing on the wall, and IF he is half as smart as most claim him to be, he too will be singing a different tune. When the country gets a big majority of Pro-Lifers, I’m willing to bet that Obama and a whole lot of other politicians will magically get a concious and become pro-lifers also, These people swing with whatever direction the wind blows. Don’t jump ship when the ocean liner is just starting to turn in our direction.
 
Thank you all for your sharing. I make no excuses. I will resist the “yes but” (s) that are going through my head.

When I heard that Fr. Vincent Serpa was hosting today, I called-in about my skepticism of the Bishops. Fr. Serpa said basically: It’s a temptation to be skeptical of the Bishops."

So, I must deal with this as a temptation.

Thank you all for your understanding. I just wish there more Catholic priests involved in the anti-abortion work like Pastor LeVonne Yuille, Bible Church in Ypsilanti, Pastor Chalmers, Pastor Walter Hoye who set an outstanding example.

If you know of any priests besides Fr. Frank Pavonne and ArchBishop Chaput who are very public about abortion, please let me know.

It seems that the majority of Catholic priests just do not preach the anti-abortion message.

Regards,
 
Terry_from_Ypsi said:
Sunday, May 17, 2009 I was in South Bend. I help a sign and heard some of the speakers in the “South Quad.” I even told someone who said they were a Catholic who openly admitted using artificial birth control so he and his wife could have sex without concieving a child they were not a Catholic and was going to hell.

But I no longer believe in half of the US Bishops and Cardinals as being really “successors” to the Apostles and the majority of priests who supposedly act in “the person of Jesus Christ” are more phonies than the priests who were involved in the sex scandals.

So, although I do believe that the majority of the fullness of the truth is in the Catholic Church, that as much as thewre are folks here who I believe are Catholics in name only, I guess so am I. I will imitate them. I will go to mass, recieve Holy Communion,
but not listen to what is taught or preached, unless it is something that really rings true to me. I sure won’t pay any attention to the USCCB unless it is a quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

So please understand that I am a CINO - Catholic in name only.

For those becoming Roman Catholic, please do it for the “right reasons” that you honestly read the Catechism, go to class and if you hear something different than what is in the Catechism. ask for clarification. Remember, thyis is the most important decision you will make do it for the right reasons.

I guess if you want to be Catholic in Name Only then consider what does it mean to “Believe all that the Catholic Church believes and teaches.” I sure do not anymore
believe all that the Catholic Church teaches because different priests and Bishops teach differently about the same subject.

Regards to all,
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Teaching authority is the Bishops and higher. The Magisterium holds and protects the Deposit of Faith.
 
wcknight said:
You need to attend a Pro-Life march in DC. IF you want to see progress in how the Church IS succeeding in the Pro-Life movement all you need to do is look at the latest polls. The US is now 51% prolife, and only about 42% pro-choice. Only a year or two ago that was reversed, and about 5 or 10 years ago, there was virtually no light at the end of the tunnel.

We are making tremendous headway. The message is getting out there, and the Church is leading the way, even if Notre Dame and its nutcase administrators don’t get it.

By the next election Pres Obama will see the writing on the wall, and IF he is half as smart as most claim him to be, he too will be singing a different tune. When the country gets a big majority of Pro-Lifers, I’m willing to bet that Obama and a whole lot of other politicians will magically get a concious and become pro-lifers also, These people swing with whatever direction the wind blows. Don’t jump ship when the ocean liner is just starting to turn in our direction.
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Exactly–it’s an old trick of Satan’s to get people to throw out the baby with the bathwater. He worked it on Martin Luther; why shouldn’t he try it on us?

And please don’t refer to INFANTICIDE as pro-CHOICE. Call abortion what it is.
 
Terry - As far as being respectful, the pen is mightier than the sword. You have every right to start a letter-writing campaign to the Catholic hierarchy to express your dissatisfaction with a particularly odious policy. (I can think of a few.)

Also, talk with your pocketbook. Don’t support institutions like Notre Dame that engage in hosting anti-Catholic speakers - if that is what you believe.

If you don’t like what you see going on in your local parish, walk. Find another Catholic church in your community to support. Voice your objections to the Archdiocese if appropriate.

With the advent of the electronic age, with blogs, e-mail, forums, etc., you can reach a large audience with your ideas.

Organize - Find people with like-minded opinions, and work together as an activist group to take appropriate action: letter writing, consultations with authorities to make policy changes within the Church, vocal dissent in public forums, etc. If based on moral and ethical principles, you have every right to promote your ideas.

Protesting in public never seems to make much sense to me. Nothing ever seems to change much when people protest. Once the publicity dies down, the same bad policies and bad actors remain, regardless of the cause.
 
Did the situation at NDU need to be so complicated? Catholics have always been against abortion. The Bishops have made statements against abortion. The faithful have been asked to support pro-life efforts. This has been going on for 40 years.

Similarly, NDU seems to have had some difficulty with the secularization of the University. This has been going on for years. One issue being the showing of the play, The Vagina Monologues. That should have been enough but it wasn’t. Actually, if this wasn’t a sign to do something, I don’t know what would have snapped people awake. But it didn’t. Only Sycamore, the alumni association signaled the alarm. But it wasn’t heeded, and so it progressed to the Obama scandal.

Instead of involving the whole nation in this fire storm, wouldn’t it have been easier, once the Bishops knew Father Jenkins wasn’t going to pay attention, that the Pope make a confidential phone call to the President of Notre Dame suggesting that he, Father Jenkins, cancel the invitation? Does anyone really think Father Jenkins wouldn’t have complied with the Pope? And if he didn’t, then the Pope would have known how serious a problem exists in the Church.
 
Fr. Serpa said basically: It’s a temptation to be skeptical of the Bishops."

So, I must deal with this as a temptation.
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Fr. Serpa is so smart/compassionate/faithful!

A great prayer, which I now say every day, is the Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It covers everything!
Code: 
Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Thy altar. We are yours, and yours we wish to be; but to be more surely united with you, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Your most Sacred Heart.
Many indeed have never known you; many too, despising Your precepts have rejected You. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them all to Your Sacred Heart.
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Be King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken you, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned you; grant that they may quickly return to their father’s house, lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.

Be King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.
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Grant, O Lord, to Your Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the Earth resound from pole to pole with one cry:

Praise to the divine heart that wrought our salvation;
to it be glory and honor for ever. Amen.
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God bless you,

Ruthie
 
If it helps any, the wonderful, faithful priests at our parish held a Holy Hour at the church at the same time Obama was speaking. Many of us can’t make it to where the action is. The place was almost full. There are inspiring priests andpeople out there, but it can take a bit of searching.
 
I do believe that the fullness of truth resides in the Catholic Church. Anyway, thank you all for the encouraging words.

This morning 2 Jehovah Witnesses came to my door. I talked to them, and at one point I told them there were 3 reasons I believe the Catholic Church is the “true Church” and I “judge” others by these as well:
  1. Is the teaching and preaching scriptural ?
  2. What is the church’s link to the “disciples of the Apostles”
  3. Are there good examples of those bearing fruit in the service of God
In terms of the Catholic Church:
  1. Yes, although some teaching has direct foundation in the scriptures and some is “indirect”
  2. The disciples of the Apostles teaching is taken seriously and there is a consistency (tradition) in the Catholic Church that points back to the disciples of the Apostles - the wider “Apostolic Succession”
  3. The witness of Blessed Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II plus the historic events around the miracles at Guadalupe Mexico involving Juan Diego, the apparitions at Lourdes France and Fatima Portugal and the individuals involved.
In a sense I do not understand why God delays in working to correct multiple denominations. Also, how to acknowledge the work of “non-Catholics” especially in the anti-abortion movement" when many Catholic priests and Church leaders fail or even work against Church teaching.

Also what can be confusing is the accepted and approved diiference between the “Eastern Catholic Church” and the “Latin Catholic Church”.

I guess I must pray more for the leadership of the Catholic Church and its priests and deacons that God bring greater unity and conviction about the “teachings of the Catholic Church” and correct the errors in teaching and implementation.

Thank you and God bless all.

Regards,
 
None of us decides that people are going to hell. The Church only teaches what the criteria are as handed to us in the deposit of faith and interpreted by the Magisterium. We discuss morality, not judgment cases of particular souls. That is left to God (by His own revelation).

Priests are priests because they are validly ordained. Not because of what they say. In this day and age we have to be more vigilant than ever about soundly educating ourselves. I am not pointing fingers at anybody here, but we have to be careful not to fly off the handle and think we are living in the most perverse age in Christian history. Since there weren’t Gallup polls in the 7th century, for example, we’re not going to know which age is the worst, best, etc.

Let’s try to produce some more saints amongst ourselves to help the Church out a bit, though, eh? 😉
 
Terry_from_Ypsi said:
I want to thank you all for the many replies. I am 59 but I must confess that I am like that “teenager” mentioned in the above replies.

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I"m 59 too (for a few more days) and I sympathize with ALL your concerns. But, like others have said to me, don’t punish yourself for what others are doing.

The ND thing makes me wonder what the Bishops are doing, here in the U.S. This action was open defiance, and I don’t know how that priest is still the head of ND, for example.

For me, the week’s outrage is that sex scandal in Ireland. That rather pushes me to the edge – another bumbling, fumbling mismanagement of something so important.

I predict Benedict is changing his itinerary to go to Ireland to beg forgiveness for the mess that was created there by the “Sisters of Charity” and the “Christian Brothers”.

I just joined a parish months ago, and I am trying to discipline myself to just go to Mass and then high tail it out of there, before I read the parish bulletin or anything, Even the Polish Sausage is bad at their breakfasts.
 
Terry_from_Ypsi said:
When I heard that Fr. Vincent Serpa was hosting today, I called-in about my skepticism of the Bishops. Fr. Serpa said basically: It’s a temptation to be skeptical of the Bishops."

So, I must deal with this as a temptation.

…

If you know of any priests besides Fr. Frank Pavonne and ArchBishop Chaput who are very public about abortion, please let me know.

It seems that the majority of Catholic priests just do not preach the anti-abortion message.
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Disobedience is always a big temptation for all of us, in one way or another. Disobedience and pride were the sins of Lucifer himself, and the sins to which he successfully tempted Adam and Eve. He later tried to tempt even Christ in the same way. So of course, he will tempt us. Pray the Rosary and frequent Mass, Holy Communion, and Confession. These will strengthen you.

As for pro-life clergy, are you familiar with Fr. Thomas Euteneuer and Bishop Robert Finn? Fr. E is head of Human Life International. He is also an exorcist. He speaks on Catholic Answers radio sometimes, both about pro-life issues and about exorcism. Bishop Finn has spoken openly and frankly of the fight against abortion as a full-out spiritual war. Here is what he said about the ND commencement.

My local bishop and a number of our local priests have spoken against abortion, and participate in our local March for Life. But I know that many Catholics are not so fortunate to have the leadership and support of their clergy.

God be with you. Please don’t lose heart. Trust and hope in our Lord!
 
Why post this in the Traditional Catholic forum? What do you hope to accomplish by doing it? I don’t have a crisis of faith and personally I think it shows poor taste on your part to post this here…if you have a crisis of faith, talk with a priest or someone else…it is sad your faith was so weak that the actions of a few individuals caused you to lose it. “Oh ye of little faith…” If that is how your faith was already…then it is a good chance you have been a CINO for a very long time…just only now you are able to admit it…if you put your faith into action and lived it, the actions of a few would not be able to discourage you.
Terry_from_Ypsi said:
Sunday, May 17, 2009 I was in South Bend. I help a sign and heard some of the speakers in the “South Quad.” I even told someone who said they were a Catholic who openly admitted using artificial birth control so he and his wife could have sex without concieving a child they were not a Catholic and was going to hell.

But I no longer believe in half of the US Bishops and Cardinals as being really “successors” to the Apostles and the majority of priests who supposedly act in “the person of Jesus Christ” are more phonies than the priests who were involved in the sex scandals.

So, although I do believe that the majority of the fullness of the truth is in the Catholic Church, that as much as thewre are folks here who I believe are Catholics in name only, I guess so am I. I will imitate them. I will go to mass, recieve Holy Communion,
but not listen to what is taught or preached, unless it is something that really rings true to me. I sure won’t pay any attention to the USCCB unless it is a quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

So please understand that I am a CINO - Catholic in name only.

For those becoming Roman Catholic, please do it for the “right reasons” that you honestly read the Catechism, go to class and if you hear something different than what is in the Catechism. ask for clarification. Remember, thyis is the most important decision you will make do it for the right reasons.

I guess if you want to be Catholic in Name Only then consider what does it mean to “Believe all that the Catholic Church believes and teaches.” I sure do not anymore
believe all that the Catholic Church teaches because different priests and Bishops teach differently about the same subject.

Regards to all,
Click to expand...
 
You forget that Jesus chose Judas…despite knowing he would blatantly sell him out to the Jews and have him turned over to be crucified…by your own evaluation, Jesus was incapable and incompetent when it comes to picking his Apostles (our Bishops)…Look, all I am saying is that everyone of these guys, despite how holy and devout they are or how horrible they are, are still descendent from the Apostles through Apostolic Succession…Judas was given to us as an example of what we should do as a Church when we have a bad one…it isn’t to lose faith and give up on The Catholic Church…you replace them with a good one. In this case, they chose Matthias by drawing lots (Read Acts). Remember, our Bishops and our Cardinals and our Priest are only human…they have the same weaknesses and frailties…do not lose hope and faith in The Church…because by doing so, you are losing hope and faith in Christ who gave us The Church.
Terry_from_Ypsi said:
Terry’s Critieria for Evaluating Bishops and Cardinals:
  1. Does their sermons correctly reflect the teaching of the Bible ?
  2. How do they show respect to Mary the Mother of Jesus and the saints of the Church
  3. Does their teaching and example reflect what is taught in the Catechism of the Catholic Church ?
  4. In their speaking, how do they use the words “diversity”, inclusiveness ?
  5. Is their teaching clear or is it confusing ?
  6. What is the place of “reliance on God” and personal prayer in their lives ?
  7. Does their life reflect the “fruits of the spirit” in Ephesians or does it reflect the "fruits of the world. "
  8. Does it seem that the most important thing is making budget and money versus
    prteaching the message of Jesus Christ ?
  9. Have they ever been “persecuted” for “righteousness” sake ?
  10. Do members of their flock speak of them as “a good man”, a faithful Catholic ?
  11. What theologians and teachers and mentors have had the biggest effect upon their lives ?
Priests:
  1. How do they act in CHurch ?
  2. Does it matter where the tabernacle is to be ?
  3. What do they teach about birth control abortion and homosexuality ?
  4. DO they really recognize they are acting in the person of Christ ?
  5. WHat do they teach about the Catechism ?
  6. What do they allow catechists to teach in their religious instruction classes ?
  7. What do they teach about Mary and the Saints ?
  8. See list from above.
  9. Are they a better Pastor or a better “social service worker” ?
  10. Do they preach about heaven, hell and the need for a saviour ?
  11. Do people get “fed” ?
Regards.
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michaeldaniels said:
Why post this in the Traditional Catholic forum? What do you hope to accomplish by doing it? I don’t have a crisis of faith and personally I think it shows poor taste on your part to post this here…if you have a crisis of faith, talk with a priest or someone else…it is sad your faith was so weak that the actions of a few individuals caused you to lose it. “Oh ye of little faith…” If that is how your faith was already…then it is a good chance you have been a CINO for a very long time…just only now you are able to admit it…if you put your faith into action and lived it, the actions of a few would not be able to discourage you.
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Poor taste? Hey—Mother Theresa herself had a crisis of faith for FORTY YEARS.

It’s a subject worth discussing. Maybe the OP only needs support and a few ‘attaboys.’
 
michaeldaniels said:
Why post this in the Traditional Catholic forum? What do you hope to accomplish by doing it? I don’t have a crisis of faith and personally I think it shows poor taste on your part to post this here…if you have a crisis of faith, talk with a priest or someone else…it is sad your faith was so weak that the actions of a few individuals caused you to lose it. “Oh ye of little faith…” If that is how your faith was already…then it is a good chance you have been a CINO for a very long time…just only now you are able to admit it…if you put your faith into action and lived it, the actions of a few would not be able to discourage you.
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I suspect that a Catholic who is deeply disappointed by how Notre Dame and the heirarchy as a whole handled the university’s relationship with the latest new President might expect to find some sympathy here, and maybe some pointers on how to cope better.

Yes, we should all be steadfast all the time…but when one of us is discouraged and admits openly how close he or she has come to despair, we need to be compassionate as well as firm when we call him or her to persevere, don’t you think? When one needs a life preserver, after all, the thought that how one asks for it might be in poor taste usually doesn’t come up.
 
Cluny said:
Failure in the exercise of ministry, or even person sin, does not stop a bishop from being a bishop, or a priest from being a priest.

They continue as such until deposed by proper authority.

To say anything else is to at least skirt the edges of the Donatist heresy.
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Actually, that is not entirely true. Once a priest, always a priest. They may be dispensed from priestly duties, but they will always and forever be a priest.
 
I fully agree with Terry and can understand everything perfectly. What is widely known as the “catholic church” today just simply isn’t Catholic anymore. it’s a mixture of various secularised political ideas salted with sime christian remnants. Since the sixties we’ve had priests who were simply badly trained. Everything just isn’t credible anymore. Priests today only can be bothered to read Mass on fixed times and the rest … ? Where is their cassock? Where are their daily readings from the Brevarium? Why do they eat meat on fridays? Why don’t they hear confessions anymore? Why do the modern, eucumenical song books have boring and often blasphemous song texts? Where has the Angelus gone? Where has kneeling gone? If their version of Mass is sitting bored on some weird chair (no kneeling benches, of course) and listenting to some weird and secularised “prayers” whilst singing some uninspiring and modern songs in between, just how is that catholic?

I only found real and actual Catholicism in FSSPX-circles. That is not to say I dislike FSSP but they just haven’t got the priests and parishes yet to start up a normal parish life.

In my opinion, we will need decent and good bishops who will turn the ship around 180 degrees and clean out the stables. It can’t go on like this.
 
EasterJoy said:
If you’re baptized, you’re not Catholic in name only. You might be faithful, unfaithful, righteous, self-righteous, or any of a number of other things, but you can’t make yourself more or less Catholic unless you formally repudiate the faith and leave.
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**
YAY!!!
:yyeess:**
 
Archangelum said:
I fully agree with Terry and can understand everything perfectly. What is widely known as the “catholic church” today just simply isn’t Catholic anymore. it’s a mixture of various secularised political ideas salted with sime christian remnants. Since the sixties we’ve had priests who were simply badly trained. Everything just isn’t credible anymore. Priests today only can be bothered to read Mass on fixed times and the rest … ? Where is their cassock? Where are their daily readings from the Brevarium? Why do they eat meat on fridays? Why don’t they hear confessions anymore? Why do the modern, eucumenical song books have boring and often blasphemous song texts? Where has the Angelus gone? Where has kneeling gone? If their version of Mass is sitting bored on some weird chair (no kneeling benches, of course) and listenting to some weird and secularised “prayers” whilst singing some uninspiring and modern songs in between, just how is that catholic?

I only found real and actual Catholicism in FSSPX-circles. That is not to say I dislike FSSP but they just haven’t got the priests and parishes yet to start up a normal parish life.

In my opinion, we will need decent and good bishops who will turn the ship around 180 degrees and clean out the stables. It can’t go on like this.
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You are really over-generalizing. In my local parish(es) we have very orthodox priests and those who are less so.

Priests are overworked and under-appreciated. If they do not preach orthodoxy then take it up with your Bishops, and if that doesn’t work go over their heads.

It has been said that people get the leadership they deserve. Whatever you do, pray as never before!
 
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