The Church Needs to Change(?)

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rfournier103

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After reading alot of newspapers, web atricles, and magazines the last few days… I keep seeing columnist after columnist write that “the Church needs to change.” I’m also seeing alot of this on TV, too.

Gay marriage blah blah blah… Women priests blah blah blah… Contraception blah blah blah…

What I would like to know is why are our leaders so shy about saying that our dogmas on these topics are cast in stone and can not (not “will not”) change? A simple; “this is why our teachings on ______ can’t change. Stop asking.”

Are we/our Bishops too afraid of the media? The media already hates Catholics quite a bit. What’s to lose? I want truth, not touchy-feeley public relations.
 
rfournier103 said:
After reading alot of newspapers, web atricles, and magazines the last few days… I keep seeing columnist after columnist write that “the Church needs to change.” I’m also seeing alot of this on TV, too.

Gay marriage blah blah blah… Women priests blah blah blah… Contraception blah blah blah…

What I would like to know is why are our leaders so shy about saying that our dogmas on these topics are cast in stone and can not (not “will not”) change? A simple; “this is why our teachings on ______ can’t change. Stop asking.”

Are we/our Bishops too afraid of the media? The media already hates Catholics quite a bit. What’s to lose? I want truth, not touchy-feeley public relations.
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I see a lot of defense, but it doesn’t make it into our papers, and tv channels, and web news and such.

The media both right and left portray what will attract their viewers more, hence they will be able to perpetuate their companies, careers, etc.

I do believe Pope JPII definitively stated the teaching of the Church on women priests years upon years ago but it is rarely brought up by the columnists.
 
rfournier103 said:
What I would like to know is why are our leaders so shy about saying that our dogmas on these topics are cast in stone and can not (not “will not”) change? A simple; “this is why our teachings on ______ can’t change. Stop asking.”

Are we/our Bishops too afraid of the media? The media already hates Catholics quite a bit. What’s to lose? I want truth, not touchy-feeley public relations.
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It’s true, we are at odds with the world. That’s probably not going to change either.

I was actually pretty impressed with the way the American bishops stood their ground in regards to the HHS mandate. In fact, I have never been prouder of them!

But, perhaps in general we are too afraid of the media. And I can easily tell you what’s to lose- for some. Who would dare seem uncool? Unprogressive? Behind the times?

I suspect that the bishopric can be a lonely place some days. If those guys felt they had a phalanx of faithful standing right behind them- perhaps that might help. You and I can only work on ourselves.

There’s always the option of Catholics “coming out”. And speaking the truth in love.

“We’re here, we’re Catholic, and we’re not going away!”

No more closet Catholics!! : )

Another option might be starting up a website like that “adoptacardinal” one. I wonder what would happen if each and every American bishop had certain people regularly praying for him.
 
rfournier103 said:
After reading alot of newspapers, web atricles, and magazines the last few days… I keep seeing columnist after columnist write that “the Church needs to change.” I’m also seeing alot of this on TV, too.

Gay marriage blah blah blah… Women priests blah blah blah… Contraception blah blah blah…

What I would like to know is why are our leaders so shy about saying that our dogmas on these topics are cast in stone and can not (not “will not”) change? A simple; “this is why our teachings on ______ can’t change. Stop asking.”

Are we/our Bishops too afraid of the media? The media already hates Catholics quite a bit. What’s to lose? I want truth, not touchy-feeley public relations.
Click to expand...
The media doesn’t show it because it would be counter productive to the message they want to sell. What I find more interesting is their facination with the very church dogma and ritual they always talk down. I found all the media coverage of the conclave a little weird…out city had local guys there…yet they are always on the bandwagon of blasting the church for any little thing they can come up with. Yahoo had an article where for every praise of the new pope they stuck in a snide commet about the old one. I found it quite tasteless and tacky actually. I’m not a big fan of the old pope either but come on give the guy a break he’s retired and they they wonder why he dediced to retire. :confused:::whistle::takethat:
 
rfournier103 said:
After reading alot of newspapers, web atricles, and magazines the last few days… I keep seeing columnist after columnist write that “the Church needs to change.” I’m also seeing alot of this on TV, too.

Gay marriage blah blah blah… Women priests blah blah blah… Contraception blah blah blah…

What I would like to know is why are our leaders so shy about saying that our dogmas on these topics are cast in stone and can not (not “will not”) change? A simple; “this is why our teachings on ______ can’t change. Stop asking.”

Are we/our Bishops too afraid of the media? The media already hates Catholics quite a bit. What’s to lose? I want truth, not touchy-feeley public relations.
Click to expand...
I think sometimes it would be nice to see the “media” get punched in the nose by a Bishop but sometimes a bold counter defense probably will end up being counter productive in the end. Just like now, the media is jumping of the bandwagon that Pope Francis wasn’t outspoken enough in Argentina or Pope Pius the twelfth was Hitler’s Pope. I think these guys are damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Basically, I think it is up to us Catholics that care and know and practice the faith to contact media outlets and let them know what is what. A number of different real Catholics have been interviewed to set the record straight.
 
rfournier103 said:
What I would like to know is why are our leaders so shy about saying that our dogmas on these topics are cast in stone and can not (not “will not”) change?
Click to expand...
Give him some time, for goodness sake. Our new Holy Father has only been Pope for less than 48 hours!
 
One thing that has amazed me is how many news anchors and talking heads have come out over the last couple of days and said that they’re Catholic. And sometimes they’re non-practicing Catholics, but suddenly proud to say they are Catholic. Maybe this is a hopeful sign?

What really bothers me is how many U.S. Catholics can’t defend their faith and believe the popular culture rather than their own church. They’re hearing/reading in the media the drumbeat about why gay marriage should be legal, abortion is a human right, contraception just makes good sense, etc. But they can’t tell you why the Church teaches what it does on these subjects.

Maybe rather than convincing the media to clarify the Church’s position, we need to be focusing on educating Catholics?

I don’t think I’ve ever heard a priest get up and during the homily, explain why the Church teaches what it does on these hot-button issues. And although there have been classes, Bible Studies, etc., in the churches I’ve attended, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one that specifically addresses church teachings on these important social issues of our time.

Having taught catechism classes to young people for about 10 years, I’ve often thought we need a regular catechism program for adults.

Judy
 
Our local newspaper interviewed some people about their reaction to the election of Pope Francis. One of the people referred to themselves as a “liberal” Catholic. She stated that she would give him a chance but she was disappointed as she knew his stand on gay marriage. My hope is that Pope Francis will make it clear that there is no such thing as a liberal Catholicism because the Truths of the faith are not negotiable to be interpreted as liberal or conservative, they are what they are. There are a lot of these type of “Catholic” out there, they are waiting on change which is not going to happen.
 
DexUK said:
Give him some time, for goodness sake. Our new Holy Father has only been Pope for less than 48 hours!
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He said, “leaders,” not HH Francis, per se.

Actually, the heat will almost certainly be turned down now. The Catholic Church is of world interest primarily during an interregnum, when the cries for change are loudest. Now that “Habemus Papam!”, that interest will start to slack off.

ICXC NIKA
 
I think the media is very biased – last Sunday when there were thousands in St. Peter’s Square there was not one word in our local newspaper – unbelievable!!!
 
In apologetics, you always have to ask yourself “is this actualy bearing fruits of the Holy Spirit?”

The news is heard by many, and discussed much all over in the everyday lives of Catholics and others. If the bishops were to try and return a volley of statements back at the media companies these companies would run away with it and report a lot of negative things. Does this return volley help, or hurt the faithful? Will this return volley convert souls, or turn Catholics away?
 
I wonder why no one is pushing Islam to change. I’m sure Islam would appreciate the media’s (name removed by moderator)ut on gay marriage and birth control and women ministers. They would probably love to listen…
 
latingirl said:
I wonder why no one is pushing Islam to change. I’m sure Islam would appreciate the media’s (name removed by moderator)ut on gay marriage and birth control and women ministers. They would probably love to listen…
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You don’t have to wonder why no on is pushing Islam to change. Anyone in an Islam ruled country who resists any rules of Islam is killed. Any Muslims who do not live in accorance with the rules of Islam are shunned, cast out and abandoned.

When the Catholic Church influnced the secular world, and secular laws were made in accordance to the Catholic Church, those who broke the rules were put in jail. There are no “Catholic” countries anymore whose secular laws are based on Catholic laws, and no one will be shunned for not following Catholic rules.
 
latingirl said:
I wonder why no one is pushing Islam to change. I’m sure Islam would appreciate the media’s (name removed by moderator)ut on gay marriage and birth control and women ministers. They would probably love to listen…
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I think the media is afraid of Islam.

Catholicism doesn’t have a ‘dangerous militant faction’ like Islam, nor the ‘political clout’ of Judism (as some would say). Rightly or wrongly, these perceptions keep the media from being overly critical in some circles.

Catholicism is a lion without teeth. All kinds of derogatory things may be said or written without fear of any violent or political backlash.
 
i dont want to start another battle, but i dont worry as much about the media declaring that the church needs to change and allow more liberal ideas like same sex marriage, marriage of priests, and contraception. what worries me is the amount of so-called Catholics that are calling for these changes :eek:.

one of the things i love about the Catholic Church is that it is saying No to these changes and standing firm. IMO who the heck are we to tell God what we want HIS church to believe/allow. That’s called protestantism…
 
dee_burk said:
One of the things I love about the Catholic Church is that it is saying “No” to these changes and standing firm.

IMO who the heck are we to tell God what we want HIS church to believe/allow. That’s called Protestantism…
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You are right on, my friend.
 
latingirl said:
I wonder why no one is pushing Islam to change. I’m sure Islam would appreciate the media’s (name removed by moderator)ut on gay marriage and birth control and women ministers. They would probably love to listen…
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Just like they loved it when the cartoonist made fun of Mohammed!:rolleyes:
 
BarbG said:
I think the media is very biased – last Sunday when there were thousands in St. Peter’s Square there was not one word in our local newspaper – unbelievable!!!
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I don’t pay attention to the tv news and even less to the local newspaper, just the cabel news channels (mostly Fox). 🙂 :D:D:D
 
This is what I find funny, and I’m paraphrasing a comment I read this morning in the Comments section of a news website: “We want the freedom to control own our bodies, and the freedom to plan our families according to our ability to house, feed and clothe them.” Seems to me that if you only did the first, you wouldn’t need to worry about the second…:hmmm:
 
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