OK need a little help here! Church Bulletin!

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Nordar

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This was The word from The Pastor in our Church Bulletin today!

Our present Pope has just come out with statements that we are the one true Church of Christ. Protestants are in an inferior position in respect to salvation but can be saved through the Roman Catholic Church. the Pope has made these statements before in a 2000 document “Dominus Jesus”. Fearful of relativism and the idea all churches are the same he has for some time been leary of ecumenism, which he thought many in the Church, carried too far. None of this is new teaching but gives a less friendly approach to Protestantism.

First am I misunderstanding what is being said in the above? Is he saying that Protestants cannot be saved unless they are in The Catholic Church?

Secondly, he just kind of left it hanging there he never mentioned it in his Homily! I am fortunate that I come on this forum and I know what has been happening. There are a lot of knowledgable people on here who I learn from, but a lot of Catholics don’t have that. I don’t know but that Bulletin just didn’t sit right with me, am I wrong?🤷
 
If you look at your post the words are “saved through the Catholic Church” which is in line with what Dominus Iesus and Benedicts pronouncement said. Doesn’t say they must be card carrying, signed up, Roman Catholics to be saved “through the Catholic Church.”
 
Less friendly? You can be as friendly as you like.

You just have to tell Protestants the truth; namely, their “faith communities” are not true churches and the fullness of the faith subsists in the Catholic Church alone.

I think it is a good thing to be honest with them, don’t you?
 
Nordar said:
This was The word from The Pastor in our Church Bulletin today!

Our present Pope has just come out with statements that we are the one true Church of Christ. Protestants are in an inferior position in respect to salvation but can be saved through the Roman Catholic Church. the Pope has made these statements before in a 2000 document “Dominus Jesus”. Fearful of relativism and the idea all churches are the same he has for some time been leary of ecumenism, which he thought many in the Church, carried too far. None of this is new teaching but gives a less friendly approach to Protestantism.

First am I misunderstanding what is being said in the above? Is he saying that Protestants cannot be saved unless they are in The Catholic Church?

Secondly, he just kind of left it hanging there he never mentioned it in his Homily! I am fortunate that I come on this forum and I know what has been happening. There are a lot of knowledgable people on here who I learn from, but a lot of Catholics don’t have that. I don’t know but that Bulletin just didn’t sit right with me, am I wrong?🤷
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I guess you’re having a hard time reading his “tone”? I agree, I’m not sure how I would digest it, especially if, like you said, I were a catholic that wasn’t really up on the latest happenings. It doesn’t give enough meat to sink your teeth into, only a nuance of anti-Protestantism, which I don’t think was the real intent of Pope Benedict XVI. Strange. :hmmm:
 
Nordar said:
This was The word from The Pastor in our Church Bulletin today!

Our present Pope has just come out with statements that we are the one true Church of Christ. Protestants are in an inferior position in respect to salvation but can be saved through the Roman Catholic Church. the Pope has made these statements before in a 2000 document “Dominus Jesus”. Fearful of relativism and the idea all churches are the same he has for some time been leary of ecumenism, which he thought many in the Church, carried too far. None of this is new teaching but gives a less friendly approach to Protestantism.

First am I misunderstanding what is being said in the above? Is he saying that Protestants cannot be saved unless they are in The Catholic Church?

Secondly, he just kind of left it hanging there he never mentioned it in his Homily! I am fortunate that I come on this forum and I know what has been happening. There are a lot of knowledgable people on here who I learn from, but a lot of Catholics don’t have that. I don’t know but that Bulletin just didn’t sit right with me, am I wrong?🤷
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It wouldn’t sit right with me either. Most of what he says is true - but it’s the way he says it. He seems to be knocking Pope Benedict for presenting what he (your pastor) himself admits is Church teaching - “None of this is new teaching…”

There is nothing in the documents that is “less friendly” than previous Church teaching on the subject. The very fact that he (as well as many others) thinks there is, shows that there was a need for the Church to remind the faithful again of the correct understanding. Calling this teaching “less friendly” is a subtle way of instilling dissent within parishoners.

He is correct in noting that Pope Benedict has been concerned about relativism - that’s because the pope is a good and faithful shepherd.

Regarding the pope being “leary of ecumenism” - I don’t think so, not proper ecumenism. All one has to do is read his various talks.

Nita
 
I would refer you to the Catechism of the Catholic Church beginning about #748 to read about the mystery of the Church.
But in particular there is the section entitled “Outside the Church there is no salvation” which means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church that is His body. It does not say that one has to be a Roman Catholic for there are millions of souls who will never hear the Name of Jesus Christ. Of these it is said that those who seek God with a sincere heart with what they encounter in their lives may too come to salvation. The hows and whys are up to God who knows all hearts.

But the graces for salvation flow through the Church! Specifically they flow through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. As St. Padre Pio said, “The earth could more easily survive without the sun than without the Mass.” The graces for all souls flow through the Mass because of the merits of Jesus Christ.
 
All Pope Benedict is saying is that truth matters and that faith is not a matter of opinion.

If truth matters and it exists then either it is true that Jesus was God and founded a Church or He didn’t and/or wasn’t God.

Which Church? If He founded no Church and what He taught doesn’t matter then you can belong to whatever Church you want to. Does truth matter and did Jesus actually teach truth? Yes.

Does God want people to come to a knowledge of the truth or whatever we feel comfortable with is ok?
God wants us to know the truth and He gives everyone a chance to find it. It is up to us to accept it and spread it, not hide it or be ashamed of God’s truth.

We should spread God’s truth charitably yet without compromise.
All too often in the last few decades we have compromised the faith of Jesus by allowing people to believe whatever they want without truly standing up for truth.

Pope Benedict is right and we need to not be so wishy washy.

In Christ
Scylla
 
Jeanette_L said:
I guess you’re having a hard time reading his “tone”? I agree, I’m not sure how I would digest it, especially if, like you said, I were a catholic that wasn’t really up on the latest happenings. It doesn’t give enough meat to sink your teeth into, only a nuance of anti-Protestantism, which I don’t think was the real intent of Pope Benedict XVI. Strange. :hmmm:
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Yes it is the tone! and your right it did kind of make me feel queesy about anti- protestantism. I don’t believe The Pope meant to convey that message in anyway, but that is the feeling I got from The Bulletin! Thank you I thought it was just me.
 
Nordar,

Just wondering… Did you copy and paste, or simply paraphrase? Is there an online bulletin for your parish, and if so, can you post a link? I am curious what this comment looks like word for word in context.
 
Nita said:
It wouldn’t sit right with me either. Most of what he says is true - but it’s the way he says it. He seems to be knocking Pope Benedict for presenting what he (your pastor) himself admits is Church teaching - “None of this is new teaching…”

There is nothing in the documents that is “less friendly” than previous Church teaching on the subject. The very fact that he (as well as many others) thinks there is, shows that there was a need for the Church to remind the faithful again of the correct understanding. Calling this teaching “less friendly” is a subtle way of instilling dissent within parishoners.

He is correct in noting that Pope Benedict has been concerned about relativism - that’s because the pope is a good and faithful shepherd.

Regarding the pope being “leary of ecumenism” - I don’t think so, not proper ecumenism. All one has to do is read his various talks.

Nita
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The “less friendly” is what I thought was quite provactive also.

I also never thought The Pope was being “Leary of ecumenism” either. I thought that was rather odd to say, like I said it is just that I know what has been happening so I understand what The Pope said… However there are many Catholics who don’t for whatever reason keep up on what is going on and I think that what The Pastor said is very misleading!
 
Conciliar said:
Nordar,

Just wondering… Did you copy and paste, or simply paraphrase? Is there an online bulletin for your parish, and if so, can you post a link? I am curious what this comment looks like word for word in context.
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I typed exactly what was in The bulletin, I can’t give you a link to it
That would give out The Church and The Pastor’s name.
 
I read the bulletin. And you did give it to us just as it is in the bulletin. The only thing I can say, is that maybe you need to give the Priest the benefit of doubt, he did just have a heart attack! He may not be up to form as of yet!

Unfortunately, if people end up being confused by this, the damage is already done.
 
Nordar said:
I typed exactly what was in The bulletin, I can’t give you a link to it
That would give out The Church and The Pastor’s name.
Click to expand...
Your pastor could use a spell-check – he spelled “leery” wrong.🙂
 
Jeanette_L said:
I read the bulletin. And you did give it to us just as it is in the bulletin. The only thing I can say, is that maybe you need to give the Priest the benefit of doubt, he did just have a heart attack! He may not be up to form as of yet!

Unfortunately, if people end up being confused by this, the damage is already done.
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Jeanette, No I understand that if people are confused then it is too late, It was just that I wanted to know if it was just me, if I was not getting it right. I also understand that he just had a heart attack, and I am giving him the beefit of the doubt.

It is just that there are other things that he has said at times that have made me go Hmmm! Like Adam and Eve are just Smybolic. So I kind of just wanted to get someone else view point on The Bulletin that’s all.
 
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