Vatican insists new lay movements are nothing to be afraid of [CNA]

[CNA_News]

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/i..._the_Family_Credit_Daniel_Ibez_CNA.jpgVatican City, Jun 14, 2016 / 06:46 am The Vatican’s doctrinal watchdog has issued a new document affirming that while some might be hesitant in the face of new lay movements in the Church, they are a “great gift” in ecclesial life.

However, at the same time the document stressed that these movements must respect the authority of the Church’s hierarchy, both local and universal.

Lay movements “are not to be considered optional in the life of the Church,” but are rather “to be considered as gifts of indispensable importance for the life and mission of the Church,” read the June 14 document.

“In the essential work of the new evangelization, it is now more than ever necessary to recognize and value the numerous charisms capable of reawakening and nourishing the life of the faith of the People of God,” it continued.
Full article…

 

[Vic_Taltrees_UK]

Even more important than “respecting the authority of the Church’s hierarchy, both local and universal” is checking that the set-up is gracious, using genuine Holy Spirit discernment (and not just lip service to same), respecting of good personal boundaries, and a genuine instrument of a proactive bishop rather than a passive bishop being an instrument of the movement.

(A person who is hesitant about a movement can be accused of being the one who is disrespectful to authority.)

Many bishops are less proactive than they think or look.

Movements don’t do a bishop’s work for him.

A typical situation is that some people sense that the movement is less genuinely respectful than it is claimed to be by those involved and even by the bishop himself. They probably aren’t very articulate at describing the situation and they can get called malcontents.

Mismatches are utterly deniable, and such movements can be found to be unsinkable on doctrinal, liturgical and canon law grounds because of various ways these rules have always been found to bend. An "orthodox"movement and an “orthodox” bishop are a perfect fit!

They thrive on the hundreds of thousands of lonely Catholics in major cities and the thousands in small places.

The Council called for Catholic churches and for ordinary Catholics at home (not needing permission) to invite others to Bible studies but sadly it hasn’t been happening enough, hence an opportunity for “package dealers” to step in.

Lots of people appreciating the company and the excuse to study Scripture are the alibi for whatever else might end up going on, especially after a number of years.

I’ve seen an entire Charismatic movement (whose potential had been undervalued by the clergy) swallowed up by one of these, sad to behold.

Some movements are good at their very start but incompetence (cunningly disguised) gets entrenched after that.

 

[commenter]

Even more important than “respecting the authority of the Church’s hierarchy, both local and universal” is checking that the set-up is gracious, using genuine Holy Spirit discernment (and not just lip service to same), respecting of good personal boundaries, and a genuine instrument of a proactive bishop rather than a passive bishop being an instrument of the movement.

(A person who is hesitant about a movement can be accused of being the one who is disrespectful to authority.)

Many bishops are less proactive than they think or look.

Movements don’t do a bishop’s work for him.

A typical situation is that some people sense that the movement is less genuinely respectful than it is claimed to be by those involved and even by the bishop himself. They probably aren’t very articulate at describing the situation and they can get called malcontents.

Mismatches are utterly deniable, and such movements can be found to be unsinkable on doctrinal, liturgical and canon law grounds because of various ways these rules have always been found to bend. An "orthodox"movement and an “orthodox” bishop are a perfect fit!

They thrive on the hundreds of thousands of lonely Catholics in major cities and the thousands in small places.

The Council called for Catholic churches and for ordinary Catholics at home (not needing permission) to invite others to Bible studies but sadly it hasn’t been happening enough, hence an opportunity for “package dealers” to step in.

Lots of people appreciating the company and the excuse to study Scripture are the alibi for whatever else might end up going on, especially after a number of years.

I’ve seen an entire Charismatic movement (whose potential had been undervalued by the clergy) swallowed up by one of these, sad to behold.

Some movements are good at their very start but incompetence (cunningly disguised) gets entrenched after that.

Good points. Where I live most parishes are far less active than they used to be. Non denominational churches sometimes offer an opportunity for more intense, even passionate involvement, and they draw many Catholics away. Catholic based movements can attract a few lonely people from each parish into a more intense, spiritual and social life.

The problem is that orthodoxy means more than we realized. When I was in the charismatic movement in the 1970s, we assumed everyone had a solid background in Catholic doctrine. As years went on, that was no longer the case. There is so much questionable teaching coming from the secular culture, we all need to be continuously learning doctrinal content, or we will lose our focus, be going off in all directions.