USCCB Retains Anti-Poverty Program

I wlll credit them with best intentions, but the results speak for themselves. What these misguided souls realized from decades of social activism is MORE poverty and LESS faith. The only solution in the prograssive leftist playbook is "full steam ahead"? The "Reporter" is notoriously unfaithful and progressive-secular leftist.

Monsignor Charles Pope writes a caution aginst this modern idol:

blog.adw.org

Beware the Strangest Idol of All - A Reflection on How Even Works of Charity Cannot Eclipse Obedience to Christ - Community in Mission

There is a passage in the gospels that breaks conventions and cuts to the core of what has come to be called the “Social Gospel.” Before looking at the passage we need to define “Social Gospel.” The phrase “Social Gospel” emerged in the Protestant denominations but has also come to be used in...
blog.adw.org
 
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I don't even know where to begin. It's not an "idol" - it's a commandment, i.e. necessitating - what does the Archbishop call it? Ah yes! - obedience to Christ. I can't believe he's even trying to make these concepts dichotomously opposed.

I'm glad to see the bigger picture; this era of Catholics who'd rather clutch their pearls over the Sign of the Peace or what someone is wearing to Mass than the homeless woman in the street will soon come to an end. We'll just have a lot of explaining to do to our Maker when it does.
 
Not an idol? OK. So Monsignor Pope must have written it for no reason. Or perhaps he actunally did notice something of concern?
Years back in the über liberal Seattle Archdiocese, a religious sister was interviewed by a priest on Catholic radio. Father asked her about her prayer life. "I let my work be my prayer" she said. Labora but no Ora. And there is the illness. She might as well work for government and get better, benefits and retirement.
So many anti-poverty program have contributed to increased poverty. How is more of the same an act of charity? Attributed to Albert Einstein is the expressioin, "Trying the same experiment and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity." A fresh approach is needed, rather than more state and federal tax dollars paying for more war and bloodshed (abortion) and transgender surgery.
I wonder how many African charities these fine liberals (and those at the "Reporter") contribute to - when not lobbying congress to tax this retired social security cancer patient higher? I wonder how many lobby for the reintroduction of western (or any) values into our schools?
Practicing Catholics, contributing individually - and not by force of law or being berated by the 'holier than thou' - further the Gospel AND feed the hungry AND clothe the homeless AND medicate those who are dying - Christian, Muslim and animist by supporting crucial African charities. Without cost or question. Without legislation. Without incessant condecension via progressive virtue signalling.
This is done quietly, without fanfare. That is social justice in real time, Christ made present.
 
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po18guy said:
Not an idol? OK. So Monsignor Pope must have written it for no reason. Or perhaps he actunally did notice something of concern?
Years back in the über liberal Seattle Archdiocese, a religious sister was interviewed by a priest on Catholic radio. Father asked her about her prayer life. "I let my work be my prayer" she said. Labora but no Ora. And there is the illness. She might as well work for government and get better, benefits and retirement.
Click to expand...

Is this what you're actually accusing the USCCB of doing??
po18guy said:
Practicing Catholics, contributing individually - and not by force of law or being berated by the 'holier than thou' - further the Gospel AND feed the hungry AND clothe the homeless AND medicate those who are dying - Christian, Muslim and animist by supporting crucial African charities. Without cost or question. Without legislation. Without incessant condecension via progressive virtue signalling.
This is done quietly, without fanfare. That is social justice in real time, Christ made present.
Click to expand...

I honestly can't make sense of most of your post - it's angry to the point of incoherence. But to clarify, it's the USCCB doing the charitable work, not "force of law" or "legislation." If you're that cynical against charities, so be it; don't give to them.
 
I am simply pointing out that some rather gross errors have been made in the past by the USCCB/CHD and that social justice is not the primary purpose of the Church. I am not evil as you may suppose. I am guilty of simply trying to be a Catholic who employs the virtue of prudence.
For some that is not good enough.
 
Well, that's a fair point. Our Church has multiple functions and purposes, all revolving around loving God and loving our neighbor. The USCCB has multiple other programs that address these.

It's equally unhealthy to obsess over how much (if any) incense is or isn't used at Mass while poo-pooing Catholic Social Teaching. Either way, nobody's faith journey should get out of balance.
 
po18guy said:
I wlll credit them with best intentions, but the results speak for themselves. What these misguided souls realized from decades of social activism is MORE poverty and LESS faith. The only solution in the prograssive leftist playbook is "full steam ahead"? The "Reporter" is notoriously unfaithful and progressive-secular leftist.

Monsignor Charles Pope writes a caution aginst this modern idol:

blog.adw.org

Beware the Strangest Idol of All - A Reflection on How Even Works of Charity Cannot Eclipse Obedience to Christ - Community in Mission

There is a passage in the gospels that breaks conventions and cuts to the core of what has come to be called the “Social Gospel.” Before looking at the passage we need to define “Social Gospel.” The phrase “Social Gospel” emerged in the Protestant denominations but has also come to be used in...
blog.adw.org
Click to expand...
This is basically how I was thinking when I first... just read the title of this thread.

The Church's primary concern is supposed to be getting people to Heaven. I help homeless people when I can, but sometimes even I forget that the first concern has to be getting them to Heaven, so now when I give them something, they will always, without fail, get some kind of information about the Catholic Church and how.. well, extra ecclessia nulla sallus or however the Latin is spelled.. Outside the Church there is no salvation.

I truly believe that. My experiences in life seem to SCREAM that... (long story)
 
antiSatan5 said:
This is basically how I was thinking when I first... just read the title of this thread.

The Church's primary concern is supposed to be getting people to Heaven. I help homeless people when I can. . . .
Click to expand...

We can't get into Heaven without serving the less fortunate. But I'm sure you've read Matthew 25 a few times and already know this.
 
blackforest said:
We can't get into Heaven without serving the less fortunate. But I'm sure you've read Matthew 25 a few times and already know this.
Click to expand...
I'm sure you read my post? I said that I help the downtrodden. I'm just tired of clergy doing ONLY that when they are NOT teaching such things as: not fornicating.. not being homosexual.
 
blackforest said:
I don't even know where to begin. It's not an "idol" - it's a commandment, i.e. necessitating - what does the Archbishop call it? Ah yes! - obedience to Christ. I can't believe he's even trying to make these concepts dichotomously opposed.

I'm glad to see the bigger picture; this era of Catholics who'd rather clutch their pearls over the Sign of the Peace or what someone is wearing to Mass than the homeless woman in the street will soon come to an end. We'll just have a lot of explaining to do to our Maker when it does.
Click to expand...
I understand what you're saying. I had parents who would go to Mass every Sunday, dragging their kids with them (we didn't have a clue how important the Church was until later.. if then) but then I recall my mother saying something snarky about homeless people. Well, I don't know if it sinks to the level of actual snark, but she didn't sound too charitable while she said it.. something about how there is no excuse for them not to be clean. Well, she had a point. Soap and water is ubiquitous in society... but still.. Again, it was her rather hateful tone that I noticed.

But still... I've noticed a lot of homeless people (I've known) don't go to Church, don't read the Bible a lot (though one I know did read it sporadically) and I'm sorry... can't help but think: Well, maybe that's why you guys have serious problems? I'm not saying a person should act on those kind of thoughts (by depriving people of something you could easily live w/o)--- just that I couldn't help having the thought.
 
po18guy said:
Not an idol? OK. So Monsignor Pope must have written it for no reason. Or perhaps he actunally did notice something of concern?
Years back in the über liberal Seattle Archdiocese, a religious sister was interviewed by a priest on Catholic radio. Father asked her about her prayer life. "I let my work be my prayer" she said. Labora but no Ora. And there is the illness. She might as well work for government and get better, benefits and retirement.
So many anti-poverty program have contributed to increased poverty. How is more of the same an act of charity? Attributed to Albert Einstein is the expressioin, "Trying the same experiment and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity." A fresh approach is needed, rather than more state and federal tax dollars paying for more war and bloodshed (abortion) and transgender surgery.
I wonder how many African charities these fine liberals (and those at the "Reporter") contribute to - when not lobbying congress to tax this retired social security cancer patient higher? I wonder how many lobby for the reintroduction of western (or any) values into our schools?
Practicing Catholics, contributing individually - and not by force of law or being berated by the 'holier than thou' - further the Gospel AND feed the hungry AND clothe the homeless AND medicate those who are dying - Christian, Muslim and animist by supporting crucial African charities. Without cost or question. Without legislation. Without incessant condecension via progressive virtue signalling.
This is done quietly, without fanfare. That is social justice in real time, Christ made present.
Click to expand...
I enjoyed reading the 1st part of your post but find myself bewildered about the 2nd part.. the part that begins with

"I wonder how many African charities....."
 
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