Liberals think we Catholics should not be culture warriors. We should just shut up and be good little statists, acquiescent in the face of social trends.
I read at CNA today that the papal spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ, said that during US Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent visit…
U.S. domestic issues also drew attention. According to Fr. Lombardi the Holy See “expressed its concern, shared by the bishops of the United States, regarding rules regulating the health reform relating to guaranteeing freedom of religion and conscientious objection.”
This comes just a couple days after Pope Francis’ address to diplomats accredited to the Holy See.
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Aren’t we, as baptized Catholics, all “signs of contradiction in the world?”
I hope the Holy See’s concerns extended to other evils promoted by the USG – abortion, sodomite relationships, creeping socialism, indoctrination of our children with these evils in public school, and Catholic statesmen who fail to fight against it.
I continue to be very confused what direction the church is heading in. Two very deserving and great cultural warriors were notably excluded from the latest round of elevation to Cardinal. In the US, Archbishop Chaput and in Europe, Archbishop Leonard of Brussels, who took over from the very liberal Daneels and who has been publicly humiliated by feminist groups not once but twice ( I actually am appalled that neither the Pope or any high ranking member of the Curia offered public support)..so I remain dismayed, wondering and perplexed
http://www.thomasmore.org/press-releases/2014/01/government-retaliates-against-navy-chaplain-who-sued-over-government-shutdown
It would be nice if the Vatican would mention this outrage when Obama visits.
Supertradmum,
I don’t see taking a side in a debate framed around “religious freedom” as contradicting the world. It’s part of the live and let live ethos that most Americans belieev that they embrace (until they are pushed regarding specifics). And when you look out and see people arguing about putting up statutes of Satan in Oklahoma in terms of religious freedom,” you know the argument is in trouble. People are not going to listen to why we say some religions are good and some are evil, that is too complicated and it tears apart the whole appeal of the religious freedom argument: its simplicity and supposed nuetrality.
So we are either arguing for the same protections as Wiccans and satanists, or we are pushing people back towards America’s more historic proactice of forcing religious people to abide by laws that don’t target religions directly, so long as they have a legitimate purpose and are generally applicable to everyone.
Going any further with “religious freedom” leads to all kinds of unsolvable problems in a protestant culture where everyone believes that they have the right to create their own, personal religions, and no one wants to pay for someone else’s religious beliefs.
Seems like it would have been a good time for someone in the Vatican to remind Kerry that if he continues to say that he’s Catholic, he had better put up or shut up. There doesn’t seem to be any bishops who are man enough to tell him.
The effeminate clergy rules the roost. Cardinal Burke, who is anything but effeminate was put in his place by being taken off of the group that selects future bishops. If we want our government to know how we feel about their policies, then we had better step up to the plate. No designated hitters allowed in the real world!!
From Rorate
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Cardinal O’Malley’s Methodist reaffirmation
Less than a year and a half ago, Sean Cardinal O’Malley traveled from Boston to Washington, D.C. to attend a traditional Latin Requiem High Mass for U.S. pro-life leader Nellie Gray, and spoke from the pulpit after the funeral. Also during the pontificate of Benedict XVI, Cardinal O’Malley, archbishop of Boston, administered the sacrament of confirmation using the traditional Latin books at his cathedral.
Fast-forward to the current pontificate, when Cardinal O’Malley is, as one secular publication observed, “the only North American member of the Cabinet that Francis formed to advise him.” The charity toward traditional Catholics quickly changed.
Now we have learned Cardinal O’Malley proactively asked a female Methodist minister to “re-affirm” his baptism with an “anointing” at a Protestant church this month in Sudbury, Massachusetts.
During a special ecumenical worship service in Sudbury, Cardinal Sean O’Malley asked the Rev. Anne Robertson of Plymouth to administer a baptism reaffirmation ritual to him. (George Martell/Pilot New Media)
The local newspaper, the Patriot-Ledger, reported on the female Methodist minister’s “completely unexpected” request from the cardinal here:
“What moved me was not so much that I was anointing him,” she said. “It was him being willing to accept that from my hand – to ask me, as a woman in ministry, to do that.”
A Rhode Island native, the Rev. [Anne] Robertson was the only female clergy member who assisted at a special 50th anniversary worship service at Sudbury United Methodist Church.
…
As part of Sunday’s anniversary service, the 500 who filled Sudbury United Methodist to overflowing were invited to receive a drop of consecrated water on their forehead and be told, “Remember your baptism and be thankful.” The ritual resembles the ceremonial receiving of ashes on Ash Wednesday, but isn’t a formal United Methodist sacrament.
Cardinal O’Malley and New England United Methodist Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar led the ritual in the sanctuary. The Rev. Robertson and a Catholic priest were on their way with small bowls of water to a side room, for others watching the service on a large-screen TV.
She paused with the priest at the cardinal’s pew, so they could receive the baptism water from Cardinal O’Malley. The next moment, the cardinal quietly asked the Rev. Robertson to administer the water for him.
“My heart immediately went to my throat,” she said. “To be asked that by the man who might be pope someday – I was stunned. I was choking back tears for hours.”
Same here.
I’m choking back tears but not for the same reasons as the protestant minister!!!
Then there is this from Dallas Area Catholics via Voris. I think I am about to be ill after these two things I posted.
http://veneremurcernui.wordpress.com/2014/01/15/voris-with-an-explosive-video-on-homosexual-clergy/#comments
Kerry is now pushing gay marriage on Nigeria and other African countries, and they pushed the RH bill here in the Philippines, sex ed in schools, and (in the near future) abortion, gay marriage and easy divorce. All to please the US.
The scandal of the US pushing birth control under many administrations dating back to Nixon is well known in leftist circles who document human rights abuses, or I should say used to be well known before they decided abortion was a human right and decided to change sides.
Ironically, if the Supreme court here in the Philippines doesn’t block it, you will get free birth control at government clinics and fined if you advise a woman against using it, but one third of ladies will have to deliver with a native “hilot” because there are no trained midwives around, or if there are, they can’t afford to pay them (even “free” midwives expect a “gift”)…at the same time don’t expect free antibiotics for your child, or free high blood pressure medicine for grandmom. Oh yes: And we are in the middle of a measles epidemic because no one pushed free vaccinations.
Cuture wars? Yes. And it’s not just Obamacare.
Thanks, Tioedong, I’m bonded with your way of thinking here in America. As a Catholic that grew up in America, I was taught to stand up for what I believed even if it meant dying for it. Our Church now seems to be teaching us to acquiesce to the government who happens to be in charge. I for one will never buy into this way of thinking. The Catholic Church taught me what is right and I won’t back off from what they taught me. Don’t try and obfuscate what I was taught!!!! Abortion, Homosexuality et al was and is wrong. Nothing the liberal church says will dissuade me from believing those things are wrong…
Dear @tioedong,
It doesn’t look like that Kerry chap will get very far in Nigeria:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/10571788/Nigeria-begins-arrests-after-anti-gay-law-passed.html
The news is not all bad.
For Eugene:
Many serious problems do afflict us but let’s not invent non-issues to be concerned about. Archbishop Chaput was not “notably excluded.” Had he been named a cardinal, Philadelphia would have had two cardinal archbishops, one retired but still living (Cardinal Rigali), and Archbishop Chaput. By custom Chaput will not be made a cardinal while Cardinal Rigali is still living. The same holds true elsewhere in the world. We have too many injustices and failures to be concerned about to permit us the luxury of misplaced consternation.
“Liberals Think we Catholics should not be culture warriors..”
I don’t know about that. Liberal catholic culture warriors they most certainly welcome as they agree with each other.
It is conservates in general, Catholic and otherwise that they desire to be shut up.
Reading the summary of the Supreme Court case yesterday regarding the Massachusetts abortion clinic law was very interesting. The justices got to the heart of the matter in that free speech is exactly what was being regulated by the barrier.
If Liberals have to legally restrain those who oppose them from speaking, then they cannot have much of an argument, right?
I was a little perplexed at a post suggesting that Archbishop Chaput could not “by custom” be elevated as long as Cardinal Rogali remain alive. How intriguing then that Archbishop Nichols of Westminster (England & Wales) is to receive the red hat despite Cormac Murphy O’Connor being retired and in rude health. Perhaps given both English prelates enthusiasm for LGBT “special” masses and Modernism in general, Nichols was “notably Included!”
Dundonianski / Dennis Martin,
The rule is not that the predecessor (cardinal from the same see) is deceased, but is over 80 – meaning he cannot vote anymore. Card O’Connor isn’t of voting age, if memory serves me.
Phil_NL. Yes indeed Cormac Murphy O’Connor is over 80 so I will watch with interest what transpires in the in the not too distant future when Rigali turns 80. As a footnote I would suggest that Archbishop Chaput is of a significantly different perception of orthodoxy to the Westminster present and emeritus past!
@Dundonianski
” As a footnote I would suggest that Archbishop Chaput is of a significantly different perception of orthodoxy to the Westminster present and emeritus past!” …right on, couldn’t agree with you more. I am of the mind that if the Holy Father wanted some strong defenders of the faith (i.e. cultural warriors) he would have ignored the “rule” of not having two Cardinals from the same diocese, and elevated both Archbishops Chaput and Leonard.
I remain skeptical of our Church leadership especially after the Rorate post of yesterday on the actions of a certain “pastoral” high ranking Cardinal, personal adviser to the Pope having his Baptism renewed by a Methodist female Minister. What is going on?????
Regarding Cardinal O’Malley’s “re-baptism.” God help us. I thank Him for shielding from this sort of scandal during my reversion to Catholicism about 3-4 years ago.
They attack the Philippines because of it’s standout birthrate. The 21st century will belong to them if they simply hold firm for a little while longer. This is the last gasp of a dying party.