My two cents... Why limit God's mercy? I am supremely thankful that Our Lord willed that I be born into a Roman Catholic family, baptized as a Roman Catholic as an infant, educated in Roman Catholic schools, exposed to the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist at an early age, confirmed as a teenager, etc., but I also know that with those blessings comes a great responsibility, which I struggle daily to fulfill. I am thankful for the great gift of my faith, but not so presumptuous as to believe that I am somehow more "special" to God because I am a Catholic. We are ALL sheep of God's flock, and He loves ALL of us with a unique and special intensity. He wants ALL of us in heaven. So, I make no presumptions about who is going there. I simply trust in God's infinite mercy and pray for the strength and grace to do His will in my life... one day at a time. Peace.
One of the most misunderstood teachings of the Catholic Church is this one: "Outside the Church there is no salvation" (Extra ecclesiam nulla salus). Those trying to grasp the meaning of this teaching often struggle with its formulations by various Church Fathers and Church Councils down through history. Of course, to understand an isolated formulation of any Church teaching, one must study the historical context within which it was written: why it was written, what was going on in the Church at the time, who the intended audience was, and so on. One must discover how the magisterium (teaching office) of the Church understands its own teaching. If someone fails to do this and chooses, rather, to simply treat a particular formulation as a stand-alone teaching, he runs the risk of seriously misunderstanding it. More........ http://www.catholic.com/magazine/articles/what-no-salvation-outside-the-church-means
My two cents. I watched the video's of Tony Palmer speaking at Kenneth Copeland's conference and was mesmerized. When he asked the audience if they believed in the teachings he just stated and most raised their hands and said you are all catholic , it was inspiring. Most were shocked and proceeded to drop their hands. I kept thinking, "that they all may be one." I know communism aim is to divide and conquer, his was the opposite. To see the vitriol in the "pure" protestant right was bad enough but to see it here is even worse. If he is good enough to be the Vicar of Christ here on earth's mouthpiece than that does it for me. I unabashedly loved this man as a brother in Christ and was inspired by him. I am saddened by his death (please don't tell me it was a hit-and-run) and will pray for him and his catholic family.
Yes. I think if Jesus would let me into heaven He would let just about anyone. My Devotion to Mary gives me personally great hope. She will open the back window to heaven and let me in that way. Protestants are her sons and daughters too. She will wait up for them at night , I suspect and let them in the back door as well.
What's coming to me these days in prayer is this: Trusting in the Divine Mercy of Jesus is not enough. I am called to be a carrier of His Divine Mercy. Woe unto me if I don't show His mercy (love+forgiveness) to my brothers and sisters, especially as they take baby steps (or running leaps!) toward the true Church. Please God, may the torch that Tony Palmer carried be picked up by others, and spread like wildfire! And prepare our hearts to receive with love whoever comes. Send us the separated believers, the atheists, the pagans, the biggest sinners on the planet. And please send us the grace to sort through the mess this stampede is sure to bring!
My condolences to Tony's family and friends...he was obviously a man with a heart of gold...may God grant him eternal rest.
Thanks for the prayers Andy, I will do likewise for you and all members, and I know most my posts are 'hardline'. As long as they are Catholic is the main thing. Im sure you will all let me know when they are not. Was Our Lord being to hard when he gave the quote? And yes ,I have solid opinions , and therefore must expect to be judged at my death more harshly, I accept that.May the Good Lord have mercy on my soul.
That is a good reply Garabandal. And I appreciate it.It makes me stop and think. I also found this in Luke 9 ...5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off even the dust of your feet, for a testimony against them. Read more at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9&version=DRA#SLxVsEJdbzDzfq5D.99
Like the protestants we can always find a quote to suit our needs. Thank goodness the Church is here to help us interpret.
I read this and took it as a warning that nowadays some so called Churches are no longer Holy but rather the dwelling place of demons. http://groundreport.com/spiritual-warfare-in-the-most-unlikely-of-places-inside-a-church/
So true - And their are reform movements that are more influenced by secular thinking than the values of the Gospel. Never in my lifetime did I expect the world to fall into such darkness. http://cta-usa.org/focus-areas/lgbt-justice/
I am grateful for your contributions Mac - we briefly crossed swords over the mysteries of the rosary, and even though I may not have enjoyed the experience I do think that we can all benefit from having our thoughts challenged now and again (just not all the time though). It is so easy to get complacent, so easy to slip into an area of comfort where I say you're great and you say I'm great, and the next thing you know we've both taken the wide gate and the broad road to destruction. Before we get to the pearly gates we're gonna need to really know what we believe. We're going to have to have lived a life that reflects those beliefs. And yes we are the ones from whom much will be expected. I mightn't agree with aspects of Mac's contributions, but because of them I am surer of what I do believe; I have a clearer idea of how to try to live out the best version of me, and how to avoid some of the pitfalls that I could so easily slip into. I mightn't always learn the lesson that Mac wants to teach but I always learn something - and for that I am grateful. So thank you Mac, and keep on keeping us on our toes.
Oh, Mac - think this all the way through! I'm praying that you'll ease up on your judgments, because I love you, and I don't want you to have a harsh judgment at the end. From what I hear, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!
Thanks Kathy ,and Bart. ' From what I hear, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!' This is so true Kathy. And this is why our 'seperated brethren' are in so much danger. We all fear our own salvation,at least if we have any wisdom. 'With fear and trembling work out your salvation.' [matthew 5] If we who have the truth struggle, with all our aids, sacraments ,rosary ,scapular,etc.Then should those in false religions be encouraged to continue in their errors? Let me ask you this . If you were in a different religion and damned to hell, What would you have expected from your Catholic friends or neighbours? Or from the Catholic Hierarchy?
Yes, Mac, but many of your comments seem to suggest that you believe that the Church's interpretations, since Pius XII, are best ignored. Am I misunderstanding your position?
My perspective comes from all the time I spend rubbing elbows with those in serious sin. I've spent more time in dens of iniquity over the past 25 years than I have in Church, and I've spent a lot of time in church! What I've learned is that words are easily swatted away, especially if they're not inspired by the Holy Spirit. What convicts people is the Holy Spirit, and we do our part by being Christ-bearers. I doubt anyone has ever been converted by a person who holds them in contempt. For me, it takes seeing them as suffering from spiritual leprosy. I read once, "Never crush a suffering person with the full weight of the truth." Every person who is living in error, by an inch or a mile, is suffering. We have to love them, and share the truth in spoonfuls, as the Holy Spirit leads. Sadly, I'm much better walking my talk with a retired drug dealer dying in a hovel than with the rascals in my own family!
To day is the Feast of St James the Apostle , Martyr, so very well celebrated in St James Compostella in Spain. I was reading a little potted history of St James after mass and came across an account that bears so well on our separated brothers and sisters...and the salvation of Men. St James was brought before King Herod, apparently and was denounced by the public prosecutor there in front of the entire court. However St James like St Stephen before him gave such a good account of his Faith in Christ Jesus that he greatly impressed all who listened. Indeed the Public Prosecutor was at once converted to the Faith and announced to the entire court his Faith in Christ. Herod of course was not best pleased at this remarkable turn of events and ordered both St James and the Prosecutor to be taken away to have their heads cut off. On the way to the place of execution the Prosecutor humbly apologised to St James for all the harm he had done the Church and St James assured him he had long since forgiven him. However the Prosecutor was concerned that he had not been baptised and that now there was not time for baptism. St James was very troubled by that and prayed to the Lord concerning this new believers salvation. The Lord however assured St James on this pointing out that his baptism would be one of love. I think this testimony from the very earliest Church reminds us how God can write straight in crooked lines. That He is a God of surprises. Andrea Mantegna, St. James Led to his Execution, 1454-57, Fresco, Formerly Ovetari Chapel, Eremitani Church, Padua
I read somewhere that Protestants who were born into that belief will not be judged as harshly as those, including their founders, who apostacize from the Catholic Faith. For instance, by this reasoning the first protest-ants, Luther, Melancthon, John Knox (who was a Catholic priest) are answerable in a way their spiritual descendants are not. Pride was probably the cause of their desertion and setting up of a rival church. Many at that time (including Melancthon) believed that the protest-ants were really working for a return to the Church, but one purified from certain abuses. What kept them from staying put and trying to restore things from within is hard to fathom. Erasmus was similarly unhappy about the same problems but did not jump ship. I am sure we all know godly protestants today who sincerely seek the will of God in their lives. That they don't see the whole picture as regards the Church is largely due to family history. The RCC accepts the validity of protestant baptism. If prostitutes and tax collectors will get into heaven before the Pharisees, then will God keep out those who sincerely love Him? I believe that all these people are members of the Church though imperfectly (through their baptism, perhaps) whether they know it or not. Certainly we should pray for the soul of Bishop Tony. Many people in purgatory have no one to pray for them because their belief system rules out this state. How terrible.
I would at the end of the day point the finger at myself. If I had been a true Catholic it would have drawn people to the Faith , through my holiness likes bees to honey. I have not been that honey of holiness. In a similiar way when Mary is sent from Heaven it is to the Children of Abraham, the Children of the Church , int he first instance that we might be the light of the World, the True yeast that the world be leavened and full of light. So when my eyes are turned to the faults and failings of others I am wasting time that would be far ,far better spent in regarding my own failings than those of others. For when opening myself through prayer and fasting to be turned into the honey of holiness I draw the bees of the entire World. My eyes must be inward, rather than outward.
