"the enemy is at the Gates!"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The statistics are painful but we need to read them, weeping. The Church needs to wake up and strengthen the faith we have. Please read my husband’s blog, HERE posted yesterday, with the title: “The Church is shrinking; the faith is in decline.”

You may wish to comment on the blog or in this thread, but please read these statistics on Catholics in the USA and worldwide. Let us continue to pray for God’s wisdom to see what each of us can do working with the Holy Spirit in renewing Faith on this earth.

 

[zamyrabyrd]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The statistics are painful but we need to read them, weeping. The Church needs to wake up and strengthen the faith we have. Please read my husband’s blog, HERE posted yesterday, with the title: “The Church is shrinking; the faith is in decline.”

You may wish to comment on the blog or in this thread, but please read these statistics on Catholics in the USA and worldwide. Let us continue to pray for God’s wisdom to see what each of us can do working with the Holy Spirit in renewing Faith on this earth.

This may well be the separation of the sheep and goats. Those in name only will exit the fold and those with solid values and courage will stay firm. It will be an issue of more quality and less quantity, not so bad in the long run.

 

[Neofight]

The enemy is not at the gates…the enemy, since that confrontation in the garden where man fell to Satan’s deceitfulness, is beyond the gates, and is not only in the world, but as Christ tells us (John Chapter 12), that Satan is the “ruler of the world”.

However, with that being said, if our faith is strong, we will recall Christ’s words in that same chapter that, Satan, the prince of this world, will be driven out.

Furthermore, Christ told Peter, when he founded his Church on earth, (Matthew 16:18) that evil will not prevail against it.

We should not give in to feelings of fear and woe, but rather rejoice in God’s divine plan of salvation. Despair robs us of faith, subverts God’s grace, and plays into the hands of Satan.

Peace and all good!

 

[chimo]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The statistics are painful but we need to read them, weeping. The Church needs to wake up and strengthen the faith we have. Please read my husband’s blog, HERE posted yesterday, with the title: “The Church is shrinking; the faith is in decline.”

You may wish to comment on the blog or in this thread, but please read these statistics on Catholics in the USA and worldwide. Let us continue to pray for God’s wisdom to see what each of us can do working with the Holy Spirit in renewing Faith on this earth.

I think we need to look at this through the eyes of common sense. Yes it seems that a large percentage of Catholics do not adhere to all of which the Catholic faith teaches. However this may be the trend for a very long time even centuries ago. For instance how many times did Catholic and Christian nations went on war against each other? It was so plentiful you wonder where was the faith then? Look for instance at the first World War when supposedly Christian nations were at war with each other. How can for instance the Muslims see us as Christians when we were fighting with each other. The Muslims were probably confused about Christianity as being the true faith. An answer to this may apply that Christians who were practicing their faith was much smaller in percentage than how many Christians there were. Since only a small percentage of Christians were practicing their faith it seems to me that is why we have these wars and so on. It was not until Vatican II which had given us an answer to know what to do to help evangelize more people to be active Christians. The answer must lie within the greatest force in the Church, the Laity. It is my understanding that the clergy cannot do for us what they were doing for centuries. Too much of the faith was only taught by the clergy. The shift of priorities to allow the Laity to exercise their God given right to teach, admonish, correct and establish the missionary work of the Church is now only coming into its own. This means that the Laity are now just beginning to discover their greatest privilege and power and that is to evangelize within the same level of responsibility as do the priests and monastics. Even though the numbers are unsettling in these surveys I believe the Laity are only now coming into their own and such numbers from these surveys only tell us what was happening to the Church for centuries and not only the last few years. There is a resurgence of the power of the Holy Spirit into the role which the Laity finds themselves into. Even if numbers are down in such surveys I am sure there is an increase level of responsibilities among those who are becoming active and faithful. The survey does not report this. Since the Church is discovering the role which the Laity can be empowered to this means it will take time for the Church to adjust itself accordingly. I sense we are moving towards a better foundation even it seems to move slowly. Perhaps more understanding to both Catholic and Eastern Churches roles here will help benefit all especially the Laity which needs the (name removed by moderator)ut of both Churches.

 

[friardchips]

This may well be the separation of the sheep and goats. Those in name only will exit the fold and those with solid values and courage will stay firm. It will be an issue of more quality and less quantity, not so bad in the long run.

I think it is actually quite sad, myself. To anyone who might have lost some hope by this poster’s lack of consideration with their words, I strongly tell you that you are not a goat. Becuase you all have been paid for at a high price.

Just in case.

---

Thanks to the OP. There are issues in the Church and they need addressing. Will read your husband’s blog! Thanks, and prefect timing - I was starting to feel as if I was the only one who thought this.

 

[MariaChristi]

This may well be the separation of the sheep and goats. Those in name only will exit the fold and those with solid values and courage will stay firm. It will be an issue of more quality and less quantity, not so bad in the long run.

Dear zamyrabyrd,

Thanks for your reply. Perhaps you could look at the statistics again, because one of the saddest parts for me was that the numbers opposing Church teaching are those still frequently attending Mass. It makes me wonder, how shallow are the homilies perhaps that Catholics are not learning the beauty of the Truth which the Church has to give.

It is always sad to me to read high numbers of Catholics who do not agree with the teachings of the Church, whether they are Catholics in name only or not. These are our brothers and sisters and we need to be true brothers and sisters to them, and faithful sons and daughters of Our Father.

The statistics are sad indeed and I do not think we can simply ignore the fact that our brothers and sisters are wandering from the One Fold our Good Shepherd Jesus died to save. Let us pray for the Church and for all those who have yet to know and love her as the Bride of Christ. Let us pray for ourselves also that we may grow in wisdom and all the gifts of the Holy Spirit to know how we can “work properly”. God’s Word tells us:

…speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the Head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint by which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds it self in love. (Ephesians 4: 15-16)

 

[Neofight]

…one of the saddest parts for me was that the numbers opposing Church teaching are those still frequently attending Mass. We should rejoice, not lament the fact that these people "are still frequently attending Mass. The Mass will help them find the truth.

It makes me wonder, how shallow are the homilies perhaps that Catholics are not learning the beauty of the Truth which the Church has to give.**Yes, learning probably is an issue, but its more than “shallow” homilies. Many of these people still frequently attending Mass may not be “opposing Church teaching”, but more than likely, have not received proper catechesis **

It is always sad to me to read high numbers of Catholics who do not agree with the teachings of the Church, whether they are Catholics in name only or not. It might not be a matter of not agreeing, but rather of not understanding. Archbishop Fulton Sheen noted that its not that millions of people hate the Catholic faith, its that they don’t understand it.

You have made a wonderful case for the importance of the New Evangelization. Before we give up on these souls by shaking the dust from our sandals, we must first ensure they have been given every opportunity to hear and understand the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Peace and all good!

 

[MariaChristi]

The enemy is not at the gates…the enemy, since that confrontation in the garden where man fell to Satan’s deceitfulness, is beyond the gates, and is not only in the world, but as Christ tells us (John Chapter 12), that Satan is the “ruler of the world”.

However, with that being said, if our faith is strong, we will recall Christ’s words in that same chapter that, Satan, the prince of this world, will be driven out.

Furthermore, Christ told Peter, when he founded his Church on earth, (Matthew 16:18) that evil will not prevail against it.

We should not give in to feelings of fear and woe, but rather rejoice in God’s divine plan of salvation. Despair robs us of faith, subverts God’s grace, and plays into the hands of Satan.

Peace and all good!

Dear Neofight,

Did you read the blog? If you read the statistics carefully, and the important questions asked concerning some crucial teachings of the Church, you may understand my title was to indicate the enemy has made terrible inroads into the Catholic Church.

Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. The evil one is cunning and a liar from the beginning, and in our day we are seeing a more rapid advance of evil over good. Yet, and this is what ought to wake us up, too many are unaware of the degree to which Catholics are opposing the Church teachings on such issues as abortion. They are unable to see through the lies of satan who is seeking to devour. (cf 1 Peter 5:8)

Christ told Peter that hell would not prevail against the Church and His Word remains true. Peter however failed his temptation and denied Christ. Once forgiven, St. Peter warns us in his first letter:

Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, strong in your faith knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world. (1 Peter 5: 8-9)

All our hope is in Jesus Who has conquered sin and death, but we must each do our part in helping our brothers and sisters to recognize the enemy that we may overcome evil in order that the enemy does not devour any one of the sheep in the fold. I sincerely hope you will read the blog and ponder the message. It is not one of despair nor are my husband in his blog or I on this thread seeking to engender fear to the detriment of courage. Rather we need to encourage one another to fight the good fight in order that we all finish the race well.

 

[friardchips]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The statistics are painful but we need to read them, weeping. The Church needs to wake up and strengthen the faith we have. Please read my husband’s blog, HERE posted yesterday, with the title: “The Church is shrinking; the faith is in decline.”

You may wish to comment on the blog or in this thread, but please read these statistics on Catholics in the USA and worldwide. Let us continue to pray for God’s wisdom to see what each of us can do working with the Holy Spirit in renewing Faith on this earth.

Just read the blog, Maria-Christi, and the statistics are worrying, but as your husband said, not surprising.

Some time ago Pope Francis said about the fact that the Church is not just all about “tea and biscuits”. I’d noticed the same problem up to then. And your husband eloquently highlighted this point. It seems to me that he is right. We are not in Heaven yet and are behaving as if we can just carry on with jumble sales and little meetings of five people to gossip. We have to do more. In my diocese I think our Bishop is trying. But I think the Church is limited by the diocese in many respects. They are made up of well-intentioned people but the administrative processes are SO slow that it makes for evangelisation from a by-gone age.

And of course this can then supress the spirit of individuals who get frustrated and leave due to having given up trying. The blog speaks about the need for spiritual warfare. The problem is that many don’t believe in it. And I have no idea why. It even seems as if authority in the Church doesn’t take this seriously. There are next-to-no spiritual directors. Religious don’t even know what spiritual direction is! This lack of concern ripples through uncomfortably to the laity. Again, it’s all tea and biscuits! The blog content is correct: The enemy is forming. satan has made himself known in the places he is at work - both inside and outside the Church. And the laity need to be treated as if we are not stupid and that we also have in us the Holy Spirit and are useful. I say, enough of elitism in the Church; instead, more “formation” - as said on the website - and more community projects. People of all ages, both genders, any background, situation, any nationality, any level of skill - from academic to learning disabilities etc…can all, appropriate to their level of expertise, have a go at expressing their faith, within the love of the Holy Spirit, as a unified whole.

The references to Ephesians could not be better suited to the subject.

Thank you for this excellent thread. And link to the informative blog.

The statistics are scary but as said on the blog: it is not over yet. They could be worse. Your husband should do the same profile in the U.K! He would get a shock.

God bless, Maria-Christi!

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear chimo, thanks for your reply. Since it is long, let me try to respond in blue within the text
I think we need to look at this through the eyes of common sense. Yes it seems that a large percentage of Catholics do not adhere to all of which the Catholic faith teaches. However this may be the trend for a very long time even centuries ago.
While we are trying to use our gifts of intellect (common sense) we also need to ask Gof for wisdom to discern the signs of the times.
For instance how many times did Catholic and Christian nations went on war against each other? It was so plentiful you wonder where was the faith then? Look for instance at the first World War when supposedly Christian nations were at war with each other. How can for instance the Muslims see us as Christians when we were fighting with each other. The Muslims were probably confused about Christianity as being the true faith.
We do learn from history and yet we know that each generation faces it is own unique times and God raises up saints in every generation. We are all called to holiness, and we need to remain in Christ and by His Grace, hear what He is saying through His Church.
An answer to this may apply that Christians who were practicing their faith was much smaller in percentage than how many Christians there were. Since only a small percentage of Christians were practicing their faith it seems to me that is why we have these wars and so on. It was not until Vatican II which had given us an answer to know what to do to help evangelize more people to be active Christians. The answer must lie within the greatest force in the Church, the Laity. It is my understanding that the clergy cannot do for us what they were doing for centuries. Too much of the faith was only taught by the clergy.
The faith was lived by the laity from the beginning of Christianity and spread through their living the faith handed down from Christ through His Church, by God’s Grace. True – the clergy did most of the teaching by the graces of their ordination and the training they received, but clergy and people together form the Body of Christ, with Christ as the Head.
The shift of priorities to allow the Laity to exercise their God given right to teach, admonish, correct and establish the missionary work of the Church is now only coming into its own.
The laity do not have the graces of the Bishop for governance and his responsibilities as well as those graces and responsibilities of local pastors and priests. They are different from the responsibilities of the laity. This means that the Laity are now just beginning to discover their greatest privilege and power and that is to evangelize within the same level of responsibility as do the priests and monastics.
The laity have a share in the “common priesthood” of believers but that is different from the “ordained priesthood” i.e. together we offer Jesus to the Father with ourselves at Mass, but the priest only can say “This is my Body” “This is my Blood” at Mass. Even though the numbers are unsettling in these surveys I believe the Laity are only now coming into their own and such numbers from these surveys only tell us what was happening to the Church for centuries and not only the last few years. There is a resurgence of the power of the Holy Spirit into the role which the Laity finds themselves into. Even if numbers are down in such surveys I am sure there is an increase level of responsibilities among those who are becoming active and faithful. The survey does not report this.
It is precisely because the statistics do not report a strong Catholic Laity in union with the official teachings of the Church on very important issues that this blog and thread were written. Persons need to recognize the danger posed to all the Faithful. Since the Church is discovering the role which the Laity can be empowered to this means it will take time for the Church to adjust itself accordingly. I sense we are moving towards a better foundation even it seems to move slowly. Perhaps more understanding to both Catholic and Eastern Churches roles here will help benefit all especially the Laity which needs the (name removed by moderator)ut of both Churches.
Of course, we need a reunification of Easern and Western Church, but the union is in Christ Who is our Way, our Truth and our Life. We need all to be One as Christ prayed in John 17. We need to pray fervently for the Church to let Christ’s Light shine through every member that His Light may shine on the world so in need. We need to know the Truth, love the Truth and live the Truth.

 

[friardchips]

Dear Neofight,

Did you read the blog? If you read the statistics carefully, and the important questions asked concerning some crucial teachings of the Church, you may understand my title was to indicate the enemy has made terrible inroads into the Catholic Church.

Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. The evil one is cunning and a liar from the beginning, and in our day we are seeing a more rapid advance of evil over good. Yet, and this is what ought to wake us up, too many are unaware of the degree to which Catholics are opposing the Church teachings on such issues as abortion. They are unable to see through the lies of satan who is seeking to devour. (cf 1 Peter 5:8)

Christ told Peter that hell would not prevail against the Church and His Word remains true. Peter however failed his temptation and denied Christ. Once forgiven, St. Peter warns us in his first letter:

All our hope is in Jesus Who has conquered sin and death, but we must each do our part in helping our brothers and sisters to recognize the enemy that we may overcome evil in order that the enemy does not devour any one of the sheep in the fold. I sincerely hope you will read the blog and ponder the message. It is not one of despair nor are my husband in his blog or I on this thread seeking to engender fear to the detriment of courage. Rather we need to encourage one another to fight the good fight in order that we all finish the race well.

And your threads are exactly that: encouraging.

 

[MariaChristi]

Just read the blog, Maria-Christi, and the statistics are worrying, but as your husband said, not surprising.

Some time ago Pope Francis said about the fact that the Church is not just all about “tea and biscuits”. I’d noticed the same problem up to then. And your husband eloquently highlighted this point. It seems to me that he is right. We are not in Heaven yet and are behaving as if we can just carry on with jumble sales and little meetings of five people to gossip. We have to do more. In my diocese I think our Bishop is trying. But I think the Church is limited by the diocese in many respects. They are made up of well-intentioned people but the administrative processes are SO slow that it makes for evangelisation from a by-gone age.

And of course this can then supress the spirit of individuals who get frustrated and leave due to having given up trying. The blog speaks about the need for spiritual warfare. The problem is that many don’t believe in it. And I have no idea why. It even seems as if authority in the Church doesn’t take this seriously. There are next-to-no spiritual directors. Religious don’t even know what spiritual direction is! This lack of concern ripples through uncomfortably to the laity. Again, it’s all tea and biscuits! The blog content is correct: The enemy is forming. satan has made himself known in the places he is at work - both inside and outside the Church. And the laity need to be treated as if we are not stupid and that we also have in us the Holy Spirit and are useful. I say, enough of elitism in the Church; instead, more “formation” - as said on the website - and more community projects. People of all ages, both genders, any background, situation, any nationality, any level of skill - from academic to learning disabilities etc…can all, appropriate to their level of expertise, have a go at expressing their faith, within the love of the Holy Spirit, as a unified whole.

The references to Ephesians could not be better suited to the subject.

Thank you for this excellent thread. And link to the informative blog.

The statistics are scary but as said on the blog: it is not over yet. They could be worse. Your husband should do the same profile in the U.K! He would get a shock.

God bless, Maria-Christi!

Dear friardchips,

Thanks so much for reading the blog and really hearing what is being said in the statistics and my husband’s commentary. I read your reply here to him and he was grateful also. Yes, we are aware that the situation in the UK and many other places in Europe are even worse than in the USA. Nevertheless, God is more powerful than any evil which opposes His Truth. We can put all our trust in Him, continuing to ask, seek and knock on the door of His Heart to receive His Holy Spirit and be enabled to do what we are called to do.

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.

 

[GLam8833]

I think that the time is RIPE for a
movement of the Spirit in the
Catholic Church, the World Youth
day has wakened the youth of the
Church and THEY are revitalizing
the churches world-wide!!!
I also think that the answer to our
spiritual acedia lies in the way we
treat our Poor in our parishes, if we
will only LEARN to value them and
pray for them and give them our
moral support and teach them that
it is ultimately GOD who supplies
their daily bread, and NOT the
socialistic government, who views
them as statistics only!!

 

[MariaChristi]

I think that the time is RIPE for a
movement of the Spirit in the
Catholic Church, the World Youth
day has wakened the youth of the
Church and THEY are revitalizing
the churches world-wide!!!
I also think that the answer to our
spiritual acedia lies in the way we
treat our Poor in our parishes, if we
will only LEARN to value them and
pray for them and give them our
moral support and teach them that
it is ultimately GOD who supplies
their daily bread, and NOT the
socialistic government, who views
them as statistics only!!

Dear Glam,

Thanks for your reply. While I certainly agree the World Youth Days begun by Pope St. John Paul II have blessed the youth of the world, young persons also have a natural exuberance that needs to grow into a mature faith. If they are truly to become the saints they are called to be, they cannot remain on the same level but need to go forward. There is no “standing still” in the spiritual life. The Church has not done enough, it seems, in fostering Faith Formation on every level of our life’s journey. We never stop learning.

Every day is “ripe” for the Holy Spirit for He has been given to the Church and He is living and active. It is we human persons who are lacking in our receptiveness to Him, and our willingness to do God’s Will as He makes it known through Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium of His Church. We need both both poverty of spirit and a real detachment from material goods in order to freely give ourselves to Him and to serve the needs of the poor – spiritually as well as materially. Mother Theresa once said that the greatest poverty is to be without God.

I agree with you that we need to help the materially poor learn from the Lord, and to pray with them “…give us this day our daily bread…” with faith in God’s Word. Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5-7) teaches us the true happiness that comes from living the Beatitudes, praying the Lord’s prayer, and seeking first His Kingdom. Our lives as well as our service to the poor can, as Bl. Mother Teresa did, bring Christ’s Light into the dark places of our world. She knew that it was “easier” to give the hungry bread than to satisfy their “loneliness” for God. She knew that man does not live on bread alone.

Did you read the blog? see HERE The statistics give evidence, as I mentioned in another response on this thread of the grave danger we face. I have friends in Canada by the way who are aware of the “shrinking Church and Faith in decline” in their areas. They are closer to the east coast so maybe it is worse there than in Central Canada. If you have read the blog, hopefully it has spurred you on in your own receptivity to the Holy Spirit and you will pray and do whatever He tells you.

The enemy’s time grows shorter and he knows he cannot prevail, but we cannot let the evil one continue deceiving our brothers and sisters, if we can help them. I noticed on your profile page, you have an album devoted to Bl. Mother Teresa. I wonder if you have read the books by two priests who are in the Priest branch of the Missionaries of Charity. I’ve read both Come be My Light and Mother Teresa: In the Shadow of Our Lady and recommend both.

 

[Mark121359]

MariaChristi, interesting thread as always. I read your husband’s blog, and your concerns are well grounded. His blog is excellent by the way. It’s staggering that the faithful are in the minority with regards to adherence to Church teachings. I wonder what your thoughts are on the following. Back in 1969, theologian Joseph Ratzinger said the following;

From the crisis of today the Church of tomorrow will emerge—a Church that has lost much. She will become small and will have to start afresh more or less from the beginning. She will no longer be able to inhabit many of the edifices she built in prosperity. As the number of her adherents diminishes, so will she lose many of her social privileges. In contrast to an earlier age, she will be seen much more as a voluntary society, entered only by free decision.

As a small society, she will make much bigger demands on the initiative of her individual members. Undoubtedly she will discover new forms of ministry and will ordain to the priesthood approved Christians who pursue some profession. In many smaller congregations or in self-contained social groups, pastoral care will normally be provided in this fashion. Alongside this, the full-time ministry of the priesthood will be indispensable as formerly.

But in all of the changes at which one might guess, the Church will find her essence afresh and with full conviction in that which was always at her center: faith in the triune God, in Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man, in the presence of the Spirit until the end of the world. In faith and prayer she will again recognize her true center and experience the sacraments again as the worship of God and not as a subject for liturgical scholarship.

The Church will be a more spiritual Church, not presuming upon a political mandate, flirting as little with the Left as with the Right. It will be hard going for the Church, for the process of crystalization and clarification will cost her much valuable energy. It will make her poor and cause her to become the Church of the meek.

The process will be all the more arduous, for sectarian narrow-mindedness as well as pompous self-will will have to be shed. One may predict that all of this will take time. The process will be long and wearisome as was the road from the false progressivism of the eve of the French Revolution—when a bishop might be thought smart if he made fun of dogmas and even insinuated that the existence of God was by no means certain—to the renewal of the nineteenth century.

But when the trial of this sifting is past, a great power will flow from a more spiritualized and simplified Church.

Men in a totally planned world will find themselves unspeakably lonely. If they have completely lost sight of God, they will feel the whole horror of their poverty. Then they will discover the little flock of believers as something wholly new. They will discover it as a hope that is meant for them, an answer for which they have always been searching in secret.

And so it seems certain to me that the Church is facing very hard times. The real crisis has scarcely begun. We will have to count on terrific upheavals. But I am equally certain about what will remain at the end: not the Church of the political cult, which is dead already with Gobel, but the Church of faith. She may well no longer be the dominant social power to the extent that she was until recently; but she will enjoy a fresh blossoming and be seen as man’s home, where he will find life and hope beyond death.

Peace, Mark

 

[MariaChristi]

MariaChristi, interesting thread as always. I read your husband’s blog, and your concerns are well grounded. His blog is excellent by the way. It’s staggering that the faithful are in the minority with regards to adherence to Church teachings…

Dear Mark,

Thanks for posting the words of our Pope Emeritus (Benedict XVI) written as theologian Joseph Ratzinger in 1969. I tried to find the full context of his prophetic remarks and/or what may have been the impetus. I found the following in the Vatican Insider:

His prophesy concluded a series of radio preachings which the then professor of theology gave in 1969 at what was a decisive moment in his life and the life of the Church. These were the turbulent years of the student revolts and the landing on the moon but also of the disputes over the Second Vatican Council which had only recently come to a close. Ratzinger, who was one of the Council’s protagonists, had left the riotous university of Tübingen seeking refuge in the calmer city of Regensburg.

He found himself isolated as a theologian, having split with liberals Küng, Schillebeeckx and Rahner over their interpretations of the Council. It was in this period that he concolidated new friendships with theologians Hans Urs von Balthasar and Henri de Lubac, with whom he founded Catholic theological journal, Communio. Communio soon became a training ground for young “Ratzingerian” priests who are now cardinals and all seen as potential successors to Benedict XVI: Angelo Scola, Christoph Schönborn and Marc Ouellet.

In five little known radio speeches made in 1969 and published again a while ago by Ignatius Press in the volume “Faith and the Future”, the future Pope gave his vision of the future of man and the Church. His last teaching, which he read out on “Hessian Rundfunk” radio on Christmas day, had a distinctly prophetic tone.

Ratzinger said he was convinced the Church was going through an era similar to the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. “We are at a huge turning point – he explained – in the evolution of mankind. This moment makes the move from Medieval to modern times seem insignificant.” Professor Ratzinger compared the current era to that of Pope Pius VI who was abducted by troops of the French Republic and died in prison in 1799. The Church was fighting against a force which intended to annihilate it definitively, confiscating its property and dissolving religious orders.

Today’s Church could be faced with a similar situation, undermined, according to Ratzinger, by the temptation to reduce priests to “social workers” and it and all its work reduced to a mere political presence. “From today’s crisis, will emerge a Church that has lost a great deal,” he affirmed.

“It will become small and will have to start pretty much all over again. It will no longer have use of the structures it built in its years of prosperity. The reduction in the number of faithful will lead to it losing an important part of its social privileges.” It will start off with small groups and movements and a minority that will make faith central to experience again. “It will be a more spiritual Church, and will not claim a political mandate flirting with the Right one minute and the Left the next. It will be poor and will become the Church of the destitute.”

The process outlined by Ratzinger was a “long” one “but when all the suffering is past, a great power will emerge from a more spiritual and simple Church,” at which point humans will realise that they live in a world of “indescribable solitude” and having lost sight of God “they will perceive the horror of their poverty.”

Then and only then, Ratzinger concluded, will they see “that small flock of faithful as something completely new: they will see it as a source of hope for themselves, the answer they had always secretly been searching for. (Underlining is MariaChristi’s)

I have been blessed by everything I’ve ever read by Pope Emeritus. He may truly be speaking prophetically and it is well for us to continue to listen and pray. The words of Jesus resound: “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” By God’s grace, may He find us awake with our lamps lit and may He welcome us into the Wedding Banquet.

 

[GLam8833]

Thanx MariaChristi, for your post ^^^
Yes, I have read your hubby’s blog,
but unlike Joseph Ratzinger, later
to become Pope emeritus, I believe
that the Church either MUST change
or go under in her existence, it is an
opportune time of the Spirit, as it had
in the beginning, a second Pentecost
is COMING, I believe.

 

[friardchips]

Btw, Maria-Christi, another poster recently posted this: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=968302

The link is to Pope Francis’ recent words to do with authoritarianism (or elitism) in the Church and his words go well with this thread.

The spirituality is there but we have no room to breathe. Such expensive diocesan offices throughout, everywhere, I would like to see the Church sell, and have these people move in to shabby houses in amongst poor people in the middle of towns and cities. Then I would think we were on the way to real Church Mission. To be amongst the people is real privilege and fortune not stuck away in private offices designed by wealthy architects to house Church administrators. They are to serve. The opposite leads many to being disillusioned by such unnecessary extravagance. I sound as if I have a bit of a chip, but seriously. I almost went for a job recently at our local diocese until I read that we need ‘proven leadership management skills’ - and there was Scripture, in one sentence, relegated to the background:

“Do not worry beforehand what you are to say; no, say whatever is given to you when the time comes, because it will not be you who is speaking: it will be the Holy Spirit.”

• (Mark 13:11). I know the scenario was different but still fits, I think.

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanx MariaChristi, for your post ^^^
Yes, I have read your hubby’s blog,
but unlike Joseph Ratzinger, later
to become Pope emeritus, I believe
that the Church either MUST change
or go under in her existence, it is an
opportune time of the Spirit, as it had
in the beginning, a second Pentecost
is COMING, I believe.

Dear Glam,

Thanks for reading the blog and for replying again to this thread. If you ponder the last line of Joseph Ratzinger’s 1969 radio address, which I underlined, I believe he is also talking about change which the Church may undergo, by the power of the Holy Spirit:

…Then and only then, Ratzinger concluded, will they see “that small flock of faithful as something completely new: they will see it as a source of hope for themselves, the answer they had always secretly been searching for. (Underlining is MariaChristi’s)

Our hope is always a supernatural gift which grows with faith and charity. Without God we can do nothing, but with Him we can experience the joy which Mary our Mother experienced in her Magnificat: “My soul magnifies the Lord ; my spirit rejoices in God my savior”. The Catechism of the Catholic Church has an important section in Part One, on Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church especially regarding: I. Mary’s Motherhood in regard to the Church (paragraphs 963 -970) ; II. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary (971) and III. Mary – Escatological Icon of the Church (972).

I believe as Jesus came the first time through Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit, He continues to come to us through her. The first Pentecost occurred in the upper room where the small community of disciples was gathered with Mary our Mother. Pope St. John Paul II in an address to a group of Legion of Mary members in 1982 said:

…For its birth and growth, apostolic work looks to her who gave birth to Christ, conceived by the Holy Spirit. Where the Mother is, there too is the Son. When one moves away from the Mother, sooner or later he ends up keeping distant from the Son as well. It is no wonder that today in various sectors of secularized society, we note a widespread crisis of faith in God preceded by a drop in devotion to the Virgin Mother.

The statistics given in my husband’s blog give evidence that the faith of many Catholics is in decline. May God have mercy on us, through the intercession of our Holy Mother. May we heed her words to the servants at Cana in the Gospel of John: “Do whatever He tells you”. May we also heed her words to the children at Fatima which simply repeat Jesus words: “Repent and believe”.

Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of Your faithful. Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us. Jesus, we trust in You.

 

[GLam8833]

Thank you for the reply, MariaChristi,
we must not shrink back from putting our
“shoulder to the yoke” of praying for a new
Pentecost, it must fly or we are sunk as
a Church!! And I think you are right in
saying that we should look to our Mother
Mary for help in this.