New Age

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Yesterday on EWTN, Fr Groeschel did a program on the dangers of the new age philosophy in the world and its infiltration into the Catholic Church. He pointed out dangerous gnostic-like practices such as walking the labyrinth, reiki, eneagram, etc. and why there is no place for these practices in the Catholic Church.

Are there any new agers out there who feel differently?
 
Mickey said:
Yesterday on EWTN, Fr Groeschel did a program on the dangers of the new age philosophy in the world and its infiltration into the Catholic Church. He pointed out dangerous gnostic-like practices such as walking the labyrinth, reiki, eneagram, etc. and why there is no place for these practices in the Catholic Church.

Are there any new agers out there who feel differently?
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I am very surprised that walking the labyrinth is specifically seen as having no place in the Catholic Church. It’s a practice that has existed in the Church for centuries and was seen as representative of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. One of the most famous labyrinths is in Chartres Cathedral.

bc.edu/friends/alumni/labyrinth/history/
 
KarenNC said:
I am very surprised that walking the labyrinth is specifically seen as having no place in the Catholic Church. It’s a practice that has existed in the Church for centuries and was seen as representative of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. One of the most famous labyrinths is in Chartres Cathedral.
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In all fairness, Fr Groeschel seemed to indicate that there may be more tolerance for the labyrinth, but if a Catholic Christian needed to walk something, it should be the stations of the Cross.🙂
 
I feel that many of the New Age principles are applicible to my spiritual practice, though not all. I especially share in the idea that we, as humanity, can engage in a conscious spiritual evolution that will revolutionize the world as we know it- the Kingdom of God.

I also share in the philosophy of monism, however, I don’t feel that pointing out the trascendence of God, his existence as that “life-power” as many in the movement might call it, exlcludes the experience of God in personal, intimate terms.
 
KarenNC said:
I am very surprised that walking the labyrinth is specifically seen as having no place in the Catholic Church. It’s a practice that has existed in the Church for centuries and was seen as representative of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. One of the most famous labyrinths is in Chartres Cathedral.

bc.edu/friends/alumni/labyrinth/history/
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When I was watching last night, I understood the labyrinth that was being discussed as one that was just built as a wing of a hospital where you walk through it and are “healed”. I don’t think it was meant to be the pilgramage type labyrinth. But then again I could have misunderstood!
 
From the Declaration of the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions:
Likewise, other religions found everywhere try to counter the restlessness of the human heart, each in its own manner, by proposing “ways,” comprising teachings, rules of life, and sacred rites. The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men. Indeed, she proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things to Himself.(4)
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As the Council Fathers have written, there are many “true and holy” things that can be found in non-Christian religions. Unfortunately, these are the things most often labeled “New Age”. For example, there is some wisdom in the Tao Te Ching and in other Eastern religions and helps balance out the primacy of logic and science in the western mind.

However, any mention of Eastern Philosophy many times gets immediately shouted down as “New Age! New Age!”.

To be sure, not all Eastern thought is good, just as not all western thought is, but too often the baby gets tossed out with the bathwater.

So, do I consider myself “new age”? No. I am Catholic, through and through.
 
**The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men. **
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While The Church does not reject the elements of truth that exist in some other religions, She does not encourage Catholics to engage in their practices.

With all the countless gifts, devotions, sacramentals, and prayers available to Catholics, why would anyone need to seek outside our faith?
 
blessedtoo said:
With all the countless gifts, devotions, sacramentals, and prayers available to Catholics, why would anyone need to seek outside our faith?
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I draw an analogy with learning a foreign language - I have a better understanding of English after studying Latin and Spanish.

In the same way, I understand Catholicism in a deeper way after looking at other religions.
 
blessedtoo said:
While The Church does not reject the elements of truth that exist in some other religions, She does not encourage Catholics to engage in their practices.
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She doesn’t have to, for whatever truth you find in other religions, will already exist in the Church. Often the only difference is the titles and labels.

Jim
 
I pray my husbands family was watching that! Some of the daily rosary & mass participants have been going to a healing touch practitioner and recommending it for others. We went to this healer on her word, but I should have looked first! I had no idea what we were going into. I Pray their eyes will be open to the danger they are putting their souls (and others) into!
 
cheese_sdc said:
I draw an analogy with learning a foreign language - I have a better understanding of English after studying Latin and Spanish.

In the same way, I understand Catholicism in a deeper way after looking at other religions.
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How true!

Jim
 
cheese_sdc said:
I draw an analogy with learning a foreign language - I have a better understanding of English after studying Latin and Spanish.

In the same way, I understand Catholicism in a deeper way after looking at other religions.
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I agree! Studying the history of Judaism, for example, is enormously beneficial to understanding our Catholic faith. I do not, however, participate in Passover celebrations or keep kosher.
 
blessedtoo said:
I agree! Studying the history of Judaism, for example, is enormously beneficial to understanding our Catholic faith. I do not, however, participate in Passover celebrations or keep kosher.
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Well attending a Seder Passover Meal was a grand experience for me.

The more I understand Judaism, the more I understand the passion and death of Christ.

Jim
 
JimR-OCDS said:
Well attending a Seder Passover Meal was a grand experience for me.

The more I understand Judaism, the more I understand the passion and death of Christ.

Jim
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That was not what I meant. Attending a Jewish celebration of Passover with friends is lovely. Observing annual Jewish feasts yourself as a means to understanding your faith would be unnecessary at best, dangerous at worst.
 
blessedtoo said:
Observing annual Jewish feasts yourself as a means to understanding your faith would be unnecessary at best, dangerous at worst.
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Well, observing Jewish feasts without proper guidance would be as meaningless as receiving sacraments without proper understanding and guidance.

The fact is, the more you understand Judaism, the better you’ll understand your Catholic faith.

Jim
 
JimR-OCDS said:
Well, observing Jewish feasts without proper guidance would be as meaningless as receiving sacraments without proper understanding and guidance.

The fact is, the more you understand Judaism, the better you’ll understand your Catholic faith.

Jim
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This is absolutely true! We only have to read the Church Fathers and even Scott Hahn to understand that many of our Catholic doings stem from the Hewish religion.
 
cheese_sdc said:
From the Declaration of the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions:

As the Council Fathers have written, there are many “true and holy” things that can be found in non-Christian religions. Unfortunately, these are the things most often labeled “New Age”. For example, there is some wisdom in the Tao Te Ching and in other Eastern religions and helps balance out the primacy of logic and science in the western mind.

However, any mention of Eastern Philosophy many times gets immediately shouted down as “New Age! New Age!”.

To be sure, not all Eastern thought is good, just as not all western thought is, but too often the baby gets tossed out with the bathwater.

So, do I consider myself “new age”? No. I am Catholic, through and through.
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There is a difference between reading wisdom of other religions and practicing their rituals which ultimately originates in a spirit that is not of God.
 
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