See List of CATHOLIC BLOGGERS
It’s unquestionable that the Catholic Church is the biggest ONE single CHURCH in the world. Her church buildings are found in almost entirely in the world except in strict Islamic states such as the Saudi Arabia. But the presence of many Christians in that kingdom is recognized by the Saudi King when he visited Pope Benedict XVI in2007 for the first time at the Vatican City.
However today the growing antipathy against the CHURCH due to recent clerical abuse cases mostly in Europe and Americas is deeply impacted the whole CHURCH. The wound has caused the Body of Christ so much pain being felt by every member of CHRIST’S BODY—the CHURCH.
The repair of the lives of these abused children is “irreparable” says the Holy Father. And it is deeply regrettable that there were priests whom we have looked up for spiritual guidance and yet had betrayed the very innocence of our children, the future of the CHURCH.
Undeniably, we remorse as a CHURCH and share the burden and the pain the victims are undergoing for years. We, as a CHURCH should help weed out the Judases in our midst BUT we should not forget that there are still 11 faithful disciples willing to take up an extra mile with a heavy cross over their shoulders.
There are still holy men and women out there doing tirelessly the mission (such as Fr. Pierre Tritz, a French Jesuit and many other unsung heroes) of Christ to make him known. They are the ones who are punished for the sins of their brethren in the priesthood (and religious life). They are paying a huge prize for the sins of their brethren. Let’s keep them in our prayers.
This is the CATHOLIC CHURCH of JESUS CHRIST. Be confident Jesus said the gates of hell SHALL NOT prevail
The media gets hyped on every anti-clerical and anti-Catholic news around the world. News is a business so they need to sell it like something that is tasteful. Talking about holy men and women is boring but talking about sex and sexuality is easily picked up in the media.
We Catholics couldn’t blame them. We should understand that the Church is so big that they can hurl a stone hoping that they would be hitting something. We should pray for them too.
Just few days ago, a group from New York based “right groups” called SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ) went to the International Court in Hague accusing Pope Benedict XVI and some cardinals in the Vatican for sins they didn’t commit. It’s like accusing the President of the USA for his failure to curb on sexual sins of his party members. After all it’s the same America which introduced immorality in the world through the media which has infected the world. Not only that. They want the world to be patterned to their system.
Let us not get distracted. The media is just doing its normal business. With how the media is portraying our youths as “disintegrated” members of the CHURCH, the recent World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain proved them wrong. Some more than 2,000,000 strong young Catholic youths gathered in that city in prayer and fun.
After those damaging news used against the CHURCH, we all have seen how our Catholic Youths showcased their love of the CHURCH. They are VIBRANT and RECEPTIVE to the call of the SUCCESSOR of PETER—POPE BENEDICT XVI during the WORLD YOUTH DAY in Madrid. These amazing more than 2,000,000 young Catholics who cheered and guarded the Pope during his visit are the real NEWS MAKERS but media failed to highlight that. The mayor of Madrid was extremely surprised how 2 million young people completely observed their personal discipline all throughout the celebration. That’s because these young people MIRRORED the LORD and abided to the Pope who is ever loving and caring as St. Peter’s Successor.
The CHURCH is the PILLAR and BULWARK of TRUTH (ITim:3:15). Let us BLOG our FAITH.
How do we respond to the growing antipathy against the CHURCH of CHRIST, His Vicar-- the POPE and the many holy men and women of the Church? What shall we do when people start taunting us as a result of the few “Judases” in the Church? How shall we defend the TRUTH in the CHURCH against those who demonize and propagate deception and lies against the CHURCH of the LORD JESUS?
First and foremost, we respond in prayer. Only God can protect HIS CHURCH! The Pope is just a mere appointee, NOT owner. We are just workers in his VINEYARD. The Lord will protect HIS CHURCH because HE FOUNDED it!
Then we pray unceasingly for our taunters and blest all those anti-Catholics persecuting and attacking the CHURCH and the Pope. That differentiates us from them. Pray and fast for their sakes.
So we should never utter any words of condemnation rather we should CONDEMN every sinful act which offends the justice of God. Just as Jesus LOVES the SINNER but HATES SIN so shall we do also.
For those people who attack us just because we belong to the original ONE BODY of CHRIST-the CHURCH, we should thank God for sharing in his sufferings. Many humble holy men and women who have gone before us didn’t spare their lives for the sanctification of each of us. These saints chose death for the sake of Christ and his Gospel. We pray that even in our present societies where hatred, deception, and atheism has attracted people from our fold, we will continue to be WITNESSES of GOD. We remain steadfast in our prayers and happy to be Catholics.
While the “Judases” brought SHAME in the CHURCH, let us help those ELEVEN Peters and James and Johns and Philips, and Simons, and Matthews and Judes through our constant prayers. Let us be assured of the Master’s words that HE WILL REMAIN in HIS CHURCH. Pray that they may remain faithful servants. They REALLY REALLY NEED our PRAYERS.
Let us not desert the Lord over the sins of Judas but join together in one voice. This is the time we Catholics who love the CHURCH of CHRIST come together in unison, united under our humble servant Pope Benedict XVI SHARING the SPLENDOR of our CHRISTIAN FAITH to those who were discouraged by these false propaganda in the media. This is the CHURCH which is the PILLAR and BULWARK of TRUTH!!
The easiest way to do that is to BLOG—let us BLOG our FAITH.
Let’s SHARE!
Let’s DISCOVER the beauty of this FAITH of our FOREFATHERS!
What makes Catholic Bloggers confident with their defense of the Faith and worth sharing it?
Obviously, the Vicar of Christ’s keen interest with this new tool for EVANGELIZATION is very encouraging to future bloggers. His zealous admiration and amusing welcoming of Catholic Bloggers at the Vatican is a confirmation of that. Now, Catholic Bloggers are officially recognized by the CHURCH as our modern MISSIONARIES towards the new MILLENNIUM. We, Catholic Bloggers should be thankful to the Successor of St. Peter for his fatherly, pastoral and apostolic care and blessings to us. We are assured of his SPIRITUAL SUPPORT and GUIDANCE. We can lean on the CHURCH of JESUS CHRIST.
We, Catholics have everything OFFICIAL:
For the Bible, we have our own Catholic Bibles, guaranteed from any error with IMPRIMATUR and NIHIL OBSTAT.
The Bible from the official site of the Vatican State.
The Bible from the United States Bishops Conference
The Bible from the Catholic Encyclopedia (New Advent)
The Bible from Catholic Online
You can find the same Online Bible in many CATHOLIC SITES. If in doubt if those sites using the word “Catholic” are really Catholics (like the “Catholic” Women priests) ask Catholic Answers to guide you.
For the OFFICIAL Catechism of the Catholic Church we have it @:
Be assured that any site having that online copy of the CCC is a CATHOLIC. It would be impossible a Protestant site would be interested with it.
When it comes to DEVOTIONAL PRAYERS, we have it @:
Prayers from Catholic Online
Prayers from EWTN
Prayers from Catholic Answers
Try to search for prayers that are approved by the Catholic Church because there are also prayers that are used by “ex-communicated” groups claiming to be Catholics too.
For Catholic TV on cable, we have
EWTN
TV2000
PadrePioTV
CatholicTV
You might encounter other TV stations saying they too are Catholics, make sure that they do not lambast the Pope and the Church hierarchy—if that happens, leave. They are not Catholics in the first place!
Just as when a sick person looks for a doctor, also when in doubt, CONSULT what is OFFICIALLY said by the CATHOLIC CHURCH and don’t depend on opinions.
Above all, pray for the CHURCH and her leaders. We really need to atone for our CHURCH. Let’s ask for forgiveness and let God bless us all. Amen!
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