Interdenom prayer service-my parish involved

[whatevergirl]

This totally stinks. I think this would have been a great thing, but we are celebrating Thanksgiving on Wed (prayer meeting is at 7pm on wed)–because my dh is working on Turkey Day…and I think our company will be staying into the night hours. Oh well–at least I learned about this a bit more, thanks for the posts here on this. I think I’m going to do this next year.

And looks like they are going to have a meet and greet with everyone after the prayer meeting…I so wanted to do this.

 

[emeraldcoast]

True. Catholicism is a religion, not a denomination.

I usually counsel people to avoid “non-denominational”, “inter-denominational”, “ecumenical” or whatever else they choose to call these prayer services. There is true ecumenism and there is false ecumenism. False ecumenism believes or supports the idea that Catholics and non-Catholics somehow share the same faith, and /or that both have the same value or legitimacy. True ecumenism occurs when Catholics present the truths of the Faith so as to teach our separated brethren those truths, and ultimately lead them to return to the Faith of the Church which their spiritual ancestors abandoned–most contemporary “ecumenism” fails to address this essential element, and is therefore a false ecumenism. This must be done in charity and honesty. True ecumenism also must be regulated by the local bishop.

Father David,

Can you please share a little bit of your background with us or if you have already done so please share the link. Thank you!

The message that I have read in some of your posts on CAF are totally different then what I have seen and heard by other Catholic priests.

In Christ!

 

[emeraldcoast]

Every year, my parish does an Interfaith prayer service for our military. No Communion, just bible readings and a homily, plus appropriate hymns for the occasion.

If you feel uncomfortable about the donations, them maybe check out which ministry will be receiving them and what are their plans with them. If it does not feel or sound right to you, then don’t give money. But attending the prayer service at your parish is a wonderful way of witnessing to our Protestant friends that we are truly Christian and part of God’s family.

Exactly! My husband is in the military and when 9-11 happened we were overseas. Many of our spouses left on 9-15 for deployment. The base chaplians quickly planned an ecumenical service. What a blessing that was to many of us that just sent our spouses off to War.

We all except Jesus Christ as our Savior. I am saddened to see that some would rather spend more time on what divides us instead of what unifies us all as God’s children.

God Bless!

 

[benedictgal]

Father David,

Can you please share a little bit of your background with us or if you have already done so please share the link. Thank you!

The message that I have read in some of your posts on CAF are totally different then what I have seen and heard by other Catholic priests.

In Christ!

Perhaps it is because the same message that Fr. David has been giving is the same one that the former Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, gave in the document Dominus Iesus.

You will find this by following the link below:

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html

He wrote this document in his capacity as Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It was approved for promulgation (release) by Pope John Paul II.

The document says, in part, that:

1. Therefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him.58 The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches.59 Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the Catholic Church, since they do not accept the Catholic doctrine of the Primacy, which, according to the will of God, the Bishop of Rome objectively has and exercises over the entire Church.60

On the other hand, the ecclesial communities which have not preserved the valid Episcopate and the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic mystery,61 are not Churches in the proper sense; however, those who are baptized in these communities are, by Baptism, incorporated in Christ and thus are in a certain communion, albeit imperfect, with the Church.62 Baptism in fact tends per se toward the full development of life in Christ, through the integral profession of faith, the Eucharist, and full communion in the Church.63

“The Christian faithful are therefore not permitted to imagine that the Church of Christ is nothing more than a collection — divided, yet in some way one — of Churches and ecclesial communities; nor are they free to hold that today the Church of Christ nowhere really exists, and must be considered only as a goal which all Churches and ecclesial communities must strive to reach”.64 In fact, “the elements of this already-given Church exist, joined together in their fullness in the Catholic Church and, without this fullness, in the other communities”.65 “Therefore, these separated Churches and communities as such, though we believe they suffer from defects, have by no means been deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation. For the spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church”.66

This is an official document of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and is considered a teaching of the Church. At the time, the former Cardinal Ratzinger was sharply criticized from many within the Church and without for his crystal clear statement. But, even Pope John Paul II, known for his ecumenism, defended the document and left it as is.

 

[Shike]

We all except Jesus Christ as our Savior. I am saddened to see that some would rather spend more time on what divides us instead of what unifies us all as God’s children.

God Bless!

That is not to say that what divides us is unimportant or any less beautiful and true than what unites us. What is wrong contemplating these things if they’re true and sharing them with others who do not realize their beauty?

Both what unites and divides is very important. Doctrine does this and is very important.

peace,
Michael

 

[FrDavid96]

Father David,

Can you please share a little bit of your background with us or if you have already done so please share the link. Thank you!

The message that I have read in some of your posts on CAF are totally different then what I have seen and heard by other Catholic priests.

In Christ!

No, I don’t have any “background” posted on the web.

Here’s the link again to the Vatican II Decree on Ecumenism
vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19641121_unitatis-redintegratio_en.html

That document does a good job of explaining the Church’s teachings on the relations between Catholics and non-Catholics.
I merely provided a very very brief summary of some of the more relevant points.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by emeraldcoast
Father David,

Can you please share a little bit of your background with us or if you have already done so please share the link. Thank you!

The message that I have read in some of your posts on CAF are totally different then what I have seen and heard by other Catholic priests.

In Christ!

No, I don’t have any “background” posted on the web.

Are you a Catholic priest? I think it is important for forum members to know at least that much. “Fr” in the username is no guarantee. (Maybe if I went back and read all your posts I could figure it out, but that would take a while.)

 

[benedictgal]

Are you a Catholic priest? I think it is important for forum members to know at least that much. “Fr” in the username is no guarantee. (Maybe if I went back and read all your posts I could figure it out, but that would take a while.)

I don’t know Fr. David personally, but, I believe he is a priest, as is Fr. Corey. We are blessed to have both of them in these forums.

 

[FrDavid96]

Are you a Catholic priest? I think it is important for forum members to know at least that much. “Fr” in the username is no guarantee. (Maybe if I went back and read all your posts I could figure it out, but that would take a while.)

Fair question, and I should have answered that earlier. Yes, I am a Catholic priest. (a real one:thumbsup: )

 

[emeraldcoast]

Fair question, and I should have answered that earlier. Yes, I am a Catholic priest. (a real one:thumbsup: )

Thank you, Father David!

God Bless!

 

[whatevergirl]

Fair question, and I should have answered that earlier. Yes, I am a Catholic priest. (a real one:thumbsup: )

God bless you, Father. Thank you for contributing in this thread. I hope to see more of you on the forums. I have never had a ‘real’ priest (or a fake one lol) reply to one of my posts…thanks so much!

 

[FrDavid96]

God bless you, Father. Thank you for contributing in this thread. I hope to see more of you on the forums. I have never had a ‘real’ priest (or a fake one lol) reply to one of my posts…thanks so much!

Thanks, but let’s stick to the topic. The comment about being a “real” priest is an inside joke from a recent unrelated thread.

Back on-topic. I do hope that people will read the Decree on Ecumenism. Thanksgiving time is a popular time for “ecumenical” prayer services, and it’s important for Catholics to understand the important teachings of the Church about this very complicated, and often sensitive issue. Too many of these services are simply planned according to the “least common denominator” principle and that often does more harm than good, even if it might not seem that way at first glance.

 

[benedictgal]

Thanks, but let’s stick to the topic. The comment about being a “real” priest is an inside joke from a recent unrelated thread.

Back on-topic. I do hope that people will read the Decree on Ecumenism. Thanksgiving time is a popular time for “ecumenical” prayer services, and it’s important for Catholics to understand the important teachings of the Church about this very complicated, and often sensitive issue. Too many of these services are simply planned according to the “least common denominator” principle and that often does more harm than good, even if it might not seem that way at first glance.

I may also add that a good reading of Dominus Iesus, the document on Ecumenism that the former Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger wrote when he was Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, might also be most beneficial. It clearly spells out the Church’s position on Ecumenism and it reinforces the Truth about Her role as the True Church of Christ. Before we can look to ecumenical relationships, we need to understand our Church first and foremost.

 

[whatevergirl]

Thanks, but let’s stick to the topic. The comment about being a “real” priest is an inside joke from a recent unrelated thread.

Back on-topic. I do hope that people will read the Decree on Ecumenism. Thanksgiving time is a popular time for “ecumenical” prayer services, and it’s important for Catholics to understand the important teachings of the Church about this very complicated, and often sensitive issue. Too many of these services are simply planned according to the “least common denominator” principle and that often does more harm than good, even if it might not seem that way at first glance.

I wasn’t trying to go off topic.