Proselytizing Dissident, Heretical Nationwide 'Catholic' Organizations

[Deus_lo_vult]

I don’t know if this thread belongs in this forum, so Mods, feel free to move it if necessary.

I submitted this question to the Ask an Apologist forum, but I’m submitting it here also because that forum is slow to return an authoritative answer.

I’ll quote my original question:

Where do apologists stand on the problem of nominal, or dissident Catholics, particulary in the United States?

I’ve extensively read the words of Church Fathers Tertullian and St. Augustine, and per their own writings and teachings, most American Catholics would fall under their definition of heresy, (due to stances on social issues in opposition to Church teaching) and from what I gather, the Catholic Church stands behind their reasoning.

I know nothing short of prayer and divine intervention will ever fully heal the disunity between Catholics and their nominal counterparts, however, for my own part, before I wade into ecumenical apologism (that is, between Catholics and other Christians), I’d like to first focus on what I can do to minister to individuals who claim the title Catholic but espouse antithetical beliefs?

What are some nominally Catholic organizations of “liberal” or “progressive” Catholics whose functions or meetings I might attend, that I may change some minds?

The title of the thread says it all. What I’m looking for is information about nationwide organizations of nominal (heretical) lay Catholics (or perhaps oragizations of dissident clergy). I want this information because I’m hoping to attend some meetings of these organizations and see if I can’t change minds.

I’m aware of Catholics for Choice, but I couldn’t elicit any meeting times or locations from the portions of the website that are available to the public.

Please keep your answers serious and on-topic, as I intend to act on the information I glean here. Please confine personal ‘member-to-member’ conversations to the Private Messaging system; please do not burden the thread with idle-chatter.

Thanks, to one and all, for all your (name removed by moderator)ut!

 

[Semper_Zelare]

Firstly I would say this definitely counts as evangelism. Poorly catechized Catholics need to be just as much a part of the New Evangelization as militant atheists do.

Anyways, here are 2 lists of groups you might be interested in:
ourladyswarriors.org/dissent/dissorg.htm
This is what ourladyswarriors have to say about these groups: These organizations are truly following in the footsteps of JUDAS - Just Undermine Doctrine And Spirituality.

renewamerica.com/columns/abbott/090201

Some of the names are MOST DISTURBING. I read these names with the same tone as a judge reading out the guilty verdict:
-“Celibacy is the Issue”
-“Challenge the Church”
-“Conference for Catholic Lesbians”
-“National Conference of Independent Catholic Bishops” Oh my
-“Sex Information and Education Council for the U.S.”
-“Women’s Ordination Conference”
-“Women in Church Leadership”
-“Catholics for Free Choice”
-“Catholics for the spirit of Vatican II” :banghead:
-“National Coalition of American Nuns” … I would imagine those are the heretical ones
-“A Critical Mass: Women Celebrating the Eucharist”
-“Catholic Coalition for Gay Civil Rights”
-“Catholics for Contraception”
-“Ecumenical Feminist Roundtable” BAAAARRRF
-“Feminist Liturgy Group”
-“North American Conference for Separated and Divorced Catholics”
-“Annulment Reform”
-“Priests for Equality”
-“Priests and People for a Married Priesthood”
-“Rent-a-priest” You can’t make this stuff up
-“Spirituality of the Feminine in Action”
-“Young Feminist Network”
-“Save Our Sacrament/ Beyond Catholic Divorce”

Well that’s the 23 that jumped off the page. But, the more malicious and devious wolves are the ones that have unassuming low-profile names. The ones that might lead people astray while they think they’re listening to orthodoxy.

I guess you’re going to have to choose which heresy you want to go after… looks like there’s plenty of it. May the Lord strengthen you in all you do.

Lord, make me know your ways.
Lord, teach me your paths.
Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:
for you are God my savior.
Amen.

 

[Swiss_Guy]

Catholic Democrats seems to be one. Not that being a Democrat is being a heretic, but the organization compromises the Church’s teaching on legal abortion to fit Democratic party platform views. And it often criticizes Bishops for being too “Republican”.

 

[anp1215]

Firstly I would say this definitely counts as evangelism. Poorly catechized Catholics need to be just as much a part of the New Evangelization as militant atheists do.

Anyways, here are 2 lists of groups you might be interested in:
ourladyswarriors.org/dissent/dissorg.htm
This is what ourladyswarriors have to say about these groups: These organizations are truly following in the footsteps of JUDAS - Just Undermine Doctrine And Spirituality.

renewamerica.com/columns/abbott/090201

Some of the names are MOST DISTURBING. I read these names with the same tone as a judge reading out the guilty verdict:
-“Celibacy is the Issue”
-“Challenge the Church”
-“Conference for Catholic Lesbians”
-“National Conference of Independent Catholic Bishops” Oh my
-“Sex Information and Education Council for the U.S.”
-“Women’s Ordination Conference”
-“Women in Church Leadership”
-“Catholics for Free Choice”
-“Catholics for the spirit of Vatican II” :banghead:
-“National Coalition of American Nuns” … I would imagine those are the heretical ones
-“A Critical Mass: Women Celebrating the Eucharist”
-“Catholic Coalition for Gay Civil Rights”
-“Catholics for Contraception”
-“Ecumenical Feminist Roundtable” BAAAARRRF
-“Feminist Liturgy Group”
-“North American Conference for Separated and Divorced Catholics”
-“Annulment Reform”
-“Priests for Equality”
-“Priests and People for a Married Priesthood”
-“Rent-a-priest” You can’t make this stuff up
-“Spirituality of the Feminine in Action”
-“Young Feminist Network”
-“Save Our Sacrament/ Beyond Catholic Divorce”

Well that’s the 23 that jumped off the page. But, the more malicious and devious wolves are the ones that have unassuming low-profile names. The ones that might lead people astray while they think they’re listening to orthodoxy.

I guess you’re going to have to choose which heresy you want to go after… looks like there’s plenty of it. May the Lord strengthen you in all you do.

Lord, make me know your ways.
Lord, teach me your paths.
Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:
for you are God my savior.
Amen.

How about this one? “Fortunate Families”- purports to be a “support group” of sorts for Catholic families with a homosexual family member “grounded in Catholic tradition” where families can find out about “Church teaching and pastoral responses.”

Code name: If you have a homosexual relative, come to our group, where we will celebrate and affirm your lifestyle, even though we know the Church says it’s a sin, and work to change the Church’s backward teaching.

Want to know the worst part? I found this group by visiting a parish website. I’ve mulled over bringing this to the Bishop’s attention, but haven’t because it’s not in my Diocese. I think I will though. A link to such a dissident group has no place on the website of a parish in Communion with Rome. You know there has to be even more out of line things going on there.

 

[Semper_Zelare]

How about this one? “Fortunate Families”- purports to be a “support group” of sorts for Catholic families with a homosexual family member “grounded in Catholic tradition” where families can find out about “Church teaching and pastoral responses.”

Want to know the worst part? I found this group by visiting a parish website. I’ve mulled over bringing this to the Bishop’s attention, but haven’t because it’s not in my Diocese. I think I will though. A link to such a dissident group has no place on the website of a parish in Communion with Rome. You know there has to be even more out of line things going on there.

Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. The ones I highlighted were pretty obvious they weren’t Catholic. But a lot of them really go beneath the radar, they hide behind a bland name. For this group, it might be the parish was deceived by them too… or worse someone in the parish put it on the website bc they agree with them. One would hope the former.

But yeah, I’ve never emailed anything to my Bishop or the Diocese yet, but they can’t respond to things if they don’t have information. It sounds like it’s really on your conscience, so I encourage you to contact whoever you need to.

 

[anp1215]

Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. The ones I highlighted were pretty obvious they weren’t Catholic. But a lot of them really go beneath the radar, they hide behind a bland name. For this group, it might be the parish was deceived by them too… or worse someone in the parish put it on the website bc they agree with them. One would hope the former.

But yeah, I’ve never emailed anything to my Bishop or the Diocese yet, but they can’t respond to things if they don’t have information. It sounds like it’s really on your conscience, so I encourage you to contact whoever you need to.

I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, but based on other things on the site, I tend to think it’s because they agree with them.

I really do think I will write to the Bishop about it, because I would hate to think that someone sees that site on the parish website, assumes that because it’s on a Catholic parish website that it’s in line with Church teaching. Things on a parish website should be in line with Church teaching, really sad that’s not always the case.

 

[Deus_lo_vult]

I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, but based on other things on the site, I tend to think it’s because they agree with them.

I really do think I will write to the Bishop about it, because I would hate to think that someone sees that site on the parish website, assumes that because it’s on a Catholic parish website that it’s in line with Church teaching. Things on a parish website should be in line with Church teaching, really sad that’s not always the case.

I looked up the local chapter of this group in my diocese (which I prefer not to disclose) and the local website (as well as the national website) is so ambiguous that I can’t tell whether or not they are promoting dissent with the Church. They don’t appear to mention same-sex ‘couples’, so I honestly can’t tell what they’re promoting here.

If they want to merely promote kindness to people suffering and resisting homosexual attraction, I’m completely behind that; indeed every Catholic should be. What I don’t understand is whether the group promotes illicit homosexual relationships. I am leery of this organization; it does feature some alarming signs, such as the display of the homosexual rainbow.

What have you learned?

 

[anp1215]

I looked up the local chapter of this group in my diocese (which I prefer not to disclose) and the local website (as well as the national website) is so ambiguous that I can’t tell whether or not they are promoting dissent with the Church. They don’t appear to mention same-sex ‘couples’, so I honestly can’t tell what they’re promoting here.

If they want to merely promote kindness to people suffering and resisting homosexual attraction, I’m completely behind that; indeed every Catholic should be. What I don’t understand is whether the group promotes illicit homosexual relationships. I am leery of this organization; it does feature some alarming signs, such as the display of the homosexual rainbow.

What have you learned?

Here is a link to their June 2011 newsletter. It speaks for itself.
fortunatefamilies.com/Newsletters/Jun2011Newsletter.pdf

But I will tell you the opening column nonsensically tries to argue that Vatican II “redefined marriage” to include same sex marriage.

It’s no accident that this group’s page is so ambiguous. They use ambiguous language that isn’t “in your face” against the Church so that they can lure faithful Catholics in and then fill their heads with their lies. They are the most dangerous type of group!

 

[Deus_lo_vult]

Here is a link to their June 2011 newsletter. It speaks for itself.
fortunatefamilies.com/Newsletters/Jun2011Newsletter.pdf

You’re right. Ambiguity is always a telltale sign, so, I had a strong hunch you were right about this group but in my searching I wasn’t able to find evidence on my own. I read through the newsletter you cited and it is clearly a dissenting organization. Thank you!

I think I’ll be paying my local chapter a visit in the next week, and writing the Bishop if I find that dissident clergy are supporting this group.

 

[anp1215]

You’re right. Ambiguity is always a telltale sign, so, I had a strong hunch you were right about this group but in my searching I wasn’t able to find evidence on my own. I read through the newsletter you cited and it is clearly a dissenting organization. Thank you!

I think I’ll be paying my local chapter a visit in the next week, and writing the Bishop if I find that dissident clergy are supporting this group.

You’re welcome.
I really hope and pray you are successful. You are also really, really brave. I am so non-confrontational, I could never imagine going to a group like that. I would feel as though I was being led into the lion’s den and probably panic!

 

[Deus_lo_vult]

You’re welcome.
I really hope and pray you are successful. You are also really, really brave. I am so non-confrontational, I could never imagine going to a group like that. I would feel as though I was being led into the lion’s den and probably panic!

Oh believe me, I am the SAME way as you. I’m going to fret and worry about it every bit as much as you would, were you in my shoes. I’m a homebody, so, I have to really step out of my comfort zone to do these sorts of things. I don’t look it, as a avid weightlifter considering a career in the military, but I avoid this kind of spiritual confrontation whenever possible. I have no fear of bodily harm, and yet I’m intimidated by social ridicule. I often liken myself to Jonah; I find myself reluctantly acquiescing to what I believe is God’s will for me to do, and that’s something I really need to work on.

I’m a veteran picketer of abortion mills, and I’ve had garbage and epithets hurled at me. I’m battle tested, but as far as I’m concerned, the fear and the apprehension never go away. You learn to deal with the fear, but it’s always viscerally present. In addition to my charitable intentions, I go out of my way to be very gentle when I confront dissenters, I’m never belligerent, both for my own sake and theirs.

Thanks for your compliments. I’ve no doubt that one day you will be as I am now, going to these dissenters, face to face. I’ll pray for you, and meanwhile, please say your prayers for me as well, God knows I’ll need them.

God bless.

 

[anp1215]

Oh believe me, I am the SAME way as you. I’m going to fret and worry about it every bit as much as you would, were you in my shoes. I’m a homebody, so, I have to really step out of my comfort zone to do these sorts of things. I don’t look it, as a avid weightlifter considering a career in the military, but I avoid this kind of spiritual confrontation whenever possible. I have no fear of bodily harm, and yet I’m intimidated by social ridicule. I often liken myself to Jonah; I find myself reluctantly acquiescing to what I believe is God’s will for me to do, and that’s something I really need to work on.

I’m a veteran picketer of abortion mills, and I’ve had garbage and epithets hurled at me. I’m battle tested, but as far as I’m concerned, the fear and the apprehension never go away. You learn to deal with the fear, but it’s always viscerally present. In addition to my charitable intentions, I go out of my way to be very gentle when I confront dissenters, I’m never belligerent, both for my own sake and theirs.

Thanks for your compliments. I’ve no doubt that one day you will be as I am now, going to these dissenters, face to face. I’ll pray for you, and meanwhile, please say your prayers for me as well, God knows I’ll need them.

God bless.

Lord, please be with deuslovolt as he brings Your message of truth to these dissenters. May the Holy Spirit fill him so that he will speak the truth in charity and kindness, and the scales from their eyes will fall away, and they will return to You oh Lord. May all these dissident organizations which mislead believers disband and convert to the fullness of truth. Amen.