"The Christianity of history is not Protestantism. If ever there were a safe truth it is this, and Protestantism has ever felt it so; to be deep in history is to cease to be a Protestant." (-John Henry Newman, An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine).

"Where the bishop is, there let the people gather; just as where ever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church". -St. Ignatius of Antioch (ca 110 AD)a martyr later thrown to the lions, wrote to a church in Asia Minor. Antioch was also where the term "Christian" was first used.

“But if I should be delayed, you should know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15

"This is the sole Church of Christ, which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic." -CCC 811

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Where are the real American Catholics?

US President Barack Obama is a good public speaker and I agree on that. He's been a good bridge connector as I know and that factor alone swept him to the White House I guess. But trying to appease everyone there is one thing he did so terrible when he favored those who terminate unwanted pregnancy through legal abortion. The Catholic Church stand on this issue has never been changed and this issue is non-negotiable but some priests and cold Catholic Bishops were asleep or have been busy with their personal lives when their own President have accepted an invitation to grace a Commencement Exercises at Notre Dame University, a Catholic University in Indiana. Adding insult to injury is when this same man whose moral principles are directly contracditory to Catholic social and moral teachings would be confered with Honorary Doctorate approved by no more than Catholic Board of Directors in that same Catholic University-- or is it should I say ex-Catholic University. that university shouldn't use the word "Catholic" anymore. It is a shame to the rest of the Universal Church to have such a university that sells it's moral principle over politicians!!!

What a shame, isn't it?

To those who stood to this Gospel principle, may God bless you but don't worry, there are other good Catholics around the world who pray for you and for your inefficient bishoops. Thanks to Catholic Online: These Bishops and Priests deserves the least of our respect.

Below is the letter of Ms. Jennifer Hartline who is a Catholic Army wife and stay-at-home mother of three precious kids who writes frequently on topics of Catholic faith and daily living. She is a contributing writer for Catholic Online.
To the Bishops, Priests and Deacons of the United States I respectfully say:

“Gentlemen, please LOOK UP! Your flock is being scattered and devoured by the wolf! We need you to rise up, raise your voice, and start teaching the orthodox truth of the Catholic faith, and to instruct your parishioners that these truths are not optional nor are they negotiable! You are our Shepherds and we are in dire need of strong leadership. I am tired of seeing so-called Catholic politicians and public figures flaunting their Catholic heritage while at the same time supporting and lobbying for the destruction of preborn children, the government sanctioned “right” to kill the child in the womb, or the disabled, the elderly and the sick.

I am so tired of prominent, educated Catholics misleading the faithful in matters of Church teaching, paving the way for so many to follow them down the road of supporting the aforementioned so-called Catholic public figures, all in the name of “the common good.” The common good will never be fully achieved until all human life is held sacred and protected from the moment of conception until natural death, and those who propose to seek the common good without requiring that this first truth, this cornerstone be secured are deluding themselves and leading countless others astray.

Why are we not hearing from you? There are a few reliable, clear voices courageously speaking the truth, and to those fearless leaders I say THANK YOU! We would be even more lost in this dark haze without the light of holy men like Bishop Joseph Naumann, Bishop Joseph Martino, Francis Cardinal George, Fr. Frank Pavone, and others (including Catholic Online’s own Deacon Keith Fournier) who publicly proclaim the real truth and confront the error being portrayed as authentic Catholicism.

Catholics are largely responsible for electing the most committed pro-death politician in America to the White House. That is our great disgrace! Where were you last year when your faithful were rallying to the support of a man who has no regard for the sanctity of human life, who feels no need to even protect a child who had the audacity to survive the attempt on his/her life, who proudly proclaimed that his first act as President would be to sign into law the most outrageously LIFE-threatening legislation in history (FOCA)? Now, whether this lethal bill is ever fully introduced, it is being implemented piecemeal and the culture of death is on the march!

Where are you now that this same President has nominated Governor Kathleen Sebelius to the Health and Human Services Department, flaunting her Catholic religion to lend credibility to his mission of advancing the culture of death? It is demeaning and insulting to our true and holy faith, and all of you should be loudly opposing and denouncing this nomination and reminding the Governor and all the faithful that our commitment to protecting human life cannot remain just a private belief. We must live out in public what we claim to believe in private, or our beliefs are meaningless and our faith is dead!

In the absence of your voice, the United States is being led to believe that the Catholic Church will abide by its members deciding for themselves which teachings must be lived and followed and even what those teachings actually teach!

I beg you, for the sake of our Church and Her glorious faith, and for the sake of our souls, to break your silence! Proclaim the truth again, boldly and without exception. Require those who profess to be Catholic to actually live their faith in truth and in deed, and when they refuse, let them face the consequences!

It is time for the followers of Christ to show their loyalty to Him again to our nation and to the world. We cannot serve God and the Church and serve the agenda of moral relativism and death at the same time.

There will be many who do not want to hear you proclaim the truth or require them to heed and obey. They have forgotten the cost, the sacrifice required to follow Jesus. Their faith has been watered-down and confused by cleverly-phrased arguments that cater to their self-centered desires for a false “freedom” and the illusion of control. They have lost the conviction of their true faith -- they do not see how distorted and empty it has all become.

They are your sheep, wandering around in the darkness, following the loudest voice they hear, and too often, it is not YOUR voice!

Please hear us crying out for you to lead us! Take courage! I would rather be part of the Church our Holy Father has envisioned – smaller in number, but more faithful – than continue to see the Church in America divided and apathetic.

Be assured of our prayers and our gratitude for your faithful service. May God pour out His grace upon us again and refresh us with His love, and strengthen our faith to withstand the tests of our time. May we, the Catholic Church of the United States of America, boldly and unapologetically proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, that by His cross and resurrection we are set free from sin and death, and may we unequivocally declare that all human life is sacred and made in His image, and so work tirelessly to ensure the protection of all human beings, whether small and preborn, or aged, or sick, or disabled, whether friend or adversary.

Christ is with you, our dear Shepherds…lead us on!”

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Photo Credit: Politicallyright Blog

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