Two bits of horrible Catholic news for the day.
First 12,000 Greek Catholics are in danger, trapped , and starving in Syria as you read this at this very moment.
Thousands of miles away the suppresion of Christ's Church and his flock contiune in China. See Shanghai seminaries are told they cannot re-open until further notice
I did not look for updates on the latest persecutions in Pakistan or Vietnam and God knows what happened in Africa as we were asleep.
Yet this week the most powerful part of the Catholic Church in the world will barely take note. There will be no comments from the priest at Mass , no call for money to aid these people, no call for us to rally our elected officials to start doing something, and sadly few prayers for these Catholics.
In other words pretty much business as usual.
A few of the prestigious Catholic Magazines might take note on their blogs but like a dog getting distracted by a shiny object will go whoof whoof look transgendered lectors or something.
Now back in the day one of the good things about Latin as it was promoted wasYOU CAN GO TO ANY CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE WORLD and actively participate in the Holy Mass because we are saying the exact same thing literally . That was a big thing to show the "unity" of the Church in the Pre Vatican II apologetic stuff.
They had a point. Well that day is no longer here. Still we got the real important stuff. We are all in union with the successor of Peter, most of use with exceptions of some rites follow the same Mass, and we follow the same readings at Mass and Feast days.
We also have the CREED which will all say each Sunday that has at the end:
I believe in one, holy, catholic
and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
But American Catholics it sadly appears do not act like it. Not only do we have problems with Rome we pretty much think we are the Rome of the world.
To borrow some terminology from the gal that runs the Episcopal Church operation here in the United States the Holy Spirit here in the U.S.A ( yes little ole well fed safe from trials us) is involved in “prophetic actions" on issues from
gay marriage,
to abortion,
to can I have sex with my boyfriend,
to new ideas of gender or no gender at all,
too even if perhaps if it is time for some Christian communities to move "beyond Jesus"
The Pope recognizing no doubt the power of the United States issued a warning to Catholic and non Catholics alike that gather together when he came to New York.
Too often those who are not Christians, as they observe the splintering of Christian communities, are understandably confused about the Gospel message itself. Fundamental Christian beliefs and practices are sometimes changed within communities by so-called “prophetic actions” that are based on a hermeneutic not always consonant with the datum of Scripture and Tradition. Communities consequently give up the attempt to act as a unified body, choosing instead to function according to the idea of “local options”. Somewhere in this process the need for diachronic koinonia – communion with the Church in every age – is lost, just at the time when the world is losing its bearings and needs a persuasive common witness to the saving power of the Gospel (cf. Rom 1:18-23) .
Well sadly that went out ear and out the other including sadly for many Catholics that have no excuse.
But perhaps once the Holy Spirit tells us what has changed as to doctrines of the Church we can hopefully inform those Greek Catholics in Syria if any are around.
This is not to say issues in the U.S.A are not important. They are important because in the Catholic and political realm we affect well billions.
However I think at times we need to realize there is much more to the Church than just us and that guy in Rome that causes all the fuss for us.
There are real BROTHER and SISTER Catholics in real trouble and they need our fraternal assistance now in spiritual, in material, and in political ways. I think the most powerful part of the Catholic Church can spare some time for that.
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