I'm afraid that I don't understand what you are saying. I was a former Lutheran myself, and when I discovered that the Catholic Church had the truth about the Eucharist and other doctrines, I humbled myself and joined the Catholic Church. Humility is accepting the truth about yourself and reality, and acting accordingly.
No, padraig, but man divides himself. Man has divided Christ's Church. We must re-unite but we need God to teach us how.
Man has divided Christ's Church precisely by accepting untruth as truth. The remedy is to again accept the truth.
Aahhhh, You discovered the truth. That changes everything...no more ignorance. You now have no excuse about sinning. Your cross becomes greater. The laws of the Church are bound to your faith. That is the difference. You/we are bound by our Catholic Faith. May Gods Will be Done
Pilate before he crucifed Jesus asked Him a very cynical question which Jesus had already given the answer to, he asked, 'What is Truth?' But Jesus had already answered this by saying, 'I am the Way the Truth and the Life'. The Church is the Mystical Body of Christ , the Way the Truth and the Life. This Truth is objective, not subjective. It is not how I feel of think that makes the Truth , the Truth is Christ and the Church and its teaching place forth that truth. It cnnot be changed by the back door of off the cuff comments and remarks. But actually I feel quite reassured about all this. Pope Francis and friends went to the Synod seeking to have their agenda approved. The Synod rejected this. Pope Francis knows he has no power to change things on his own so he is going for a back door nudge and wink approach (I as Pope cannot approve), but my second , private self actually do approve. So what he is saying he is not actually saying as Pope , from the Chair of Peter. But this of course makes him no less a heretic. But it does reassure me that the Doctirne of Papal Infallibility is secure. Nudge, nudge, wink, winks and back doors are not change in Doctrine. He has said this himself. As I write he is no less a heretic for this, but the Doctrine of Papal Infallibilty remains secure. I anticipate that it will not be long before the good God calls this guy home.
Pope Francis makes me disbelieve in what Charlie Johnston has to say. He actions are reminding me, more and more, of what Obama and company have done to our US constitution. They have shredded it by failing to enforce the laws, finding things that are not in it to enact, and imposing on its citizens thru executive decree. Oh yeah, and if we don't follow we are somehow "the bad guys" (ie pharisees).
Pilot didn't know truth...he will be judged much different then Peter who knew truth. Peter denied God (excommunication) but became a great saint. These spiritual arguments are so complex that, as the Pope states, it is even out of His competency. Don't throw Pope Francis under the bus. I wouldn't want his burden. Its all about souls...we can't fathom the complexity of the spirituality that will be needed at the end of times. The Pope has to manuever around these terrible storms. Don't add hot wind to it. If the Church goes astray the saints will know. As of today, the Vicar of Christ has performed His moral duty to the best of His ability. I am tired of this banter...it is time to save souls.
Belief in the Real Presence alone is not sufficient enough reason to allow someone the PRIVILEGE to receive Holy Communion...for even Satanists believe in the Real Presence. Did St. Tarcicius die in vain? Are we as Catholics not all called to protect the Body of Christ? The rules regarding who may or may not receive not only protect the sinner from receiving "unworthily" and heaping condemnation upon himself, but are also put in place to protect Jesus. I've heard so much chatter about the Kasperite view of mercy towards wayward Catholics, but no discussion about how we as Catholics are called to be merciful to Jesus by protecting His precious body and blood from being passed like a party hors d'oeuvre for all who claim to believe. Holy Communion is a privilege, not a right.
He basically contradicted himself, saying he couldn't give permission, but on the other hand talk to the Lord about it and go forward (which would indicate there are no objective impediments to her receiving Communion, which is clearly not the case.)
It is not about being a Pharisee, it is not about being Judgemental, it is not about being holier than thou. It is about the understanding of Objective Truth as taught by the Church for the last 2,000 years as opposed to Subjective ,'Truth', (I think, I feel.) The objective truth as taught by the Church all these long centuries and as stated in Scriptuire is that no one shoudl receive the Body of Chirst unworthily and that no who does not believe it to be the Body and Blood of Christ is worthy to receive it. It is as simple as that. It is not about the Subjective (supposed), 'Truth ' that at any time a particular person may 'feel' or 'think' to themselves its fine to receive it , for this makes no difference to the Objective Truth as placed forward by the Church that it is not. Nudges and winks and back door options do not change this Objective Truth. The Truth is the Truth is the Truth, its not about feelings. Nor was the Church being a Pharisee or Judgemental in placing this truth before us. It is the objective truth. If we loose sight of this we are, all of us, lost. This idea of Subjective interpretation , 'I think', 'I feel', is the very essence of Protestantism. So when Pope Francis says to this little old lady 'Well if you think its fine, who am I to judge?' Is essentially a Protestant viewpoint.
The bottom line is we are getting Doctrine fed to us by sound bites by someone who claims to be the Pope's, 'Double'. (as Pope I couldn't possibly go along with this but my double says wink, wink , nudge, nudge, go for it......) What kind of way is this to run a Church? It makes me dizzy just thinking about it.
Unfortunately many (most?) of them will accept these "merciful" changes with glee, then persecute the orthodox, with merciless glee.
After reading the Popes comments, my first impression after one read Francis is telling her he cant give her Holy Communion .Francis points out, communion is not the end goal ,but food for the journey. He also points out they are unified thru baptism into Christ and marriage as well(the 2 shall be one flesh) For me, reading between the lines I take away hes not saying for her to receive communion but for her to ask the Lord for guidance/ discernment. As you have rightly posted already, if she wants to receive communion in the Catholic Church she should convert or carry your cross after Jesus not being able to receive. He points out his Episcapaln(sp) Bishop friend who was married with children. Wife and kids were all Catholic. This Bishop attended Mass with wife and kids but no mention of this bishop taking communion. Just how im reading it, MC. We can agree to disagree on this .
“I saw a strange church being built against every rule…No angels were supervising the building operations. In that church, nothing came from high above…There was only division and chaos. It is probably a church of human creation, following the latest fashion, as well as the new heterodox Church of Rome , which seems of the same kind…” Emmerich
June 1, 1821 “Then I saw that everything pertaining to Protestantism was gradually gaining the upper hand, and the Catholic religion fell into complete decadence. Most priests were lured by the glittering but false knowledge of young school-teachers, and they all contributed to the work of destruction. In those days, Faith will fall very low, and it will be preserved in some places only, in a few cottages and in a few families which God has protected from disasters and wars…” - Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich
Read slowly and carefully. Falsely Accusing a siting pope of heresy is very, very serious to your eternal soul http://wdtprs.com/blog/2015/11/what-did-the-pope-really-say-about-lutherans-and-communion/
I agree with you Miker, that is a serious charge. One I will not levy as I am too fearful of my own interpretations. I don't even talk about the times things have been attributed to Pope Francis in private conversations, etc. and always try to be the most charitable I can to him. Discussing these things is, to me, like tap dancing on a landmine. However the article cited above by Father Z (and I like him a lot and read his columns) doesn't address fully enough the schizophrenic nature of the statement that Padraig cited. It is not as cut and dry as Fr. Z might like it. There is trouble here. Every action of a Pope is scrutinized. He does not have the luxury of being unclear, especially about the teachings of the Church. If there is confusion he should make a point to clarify it.
Fr Z... That said, for this issue the Pope made a clear statement: “I wouldn’t ever dare to allow this, because it’s not my competence.” Before anyone gets out onto the ledge outside the window, read that again and repeat it to yourself. The Pope is not saying that Lutherans can go to Communion.
