In Defense of the Church: Will our Church leaders just ignore this? All it does is add more fuel to the fire of the other misguided criticism that "Catholics" practice idolatry - something that, assuredly, had never been part of Catholic teaching and tradition. -Fr. Chito

"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, January 19, 2016

Will our Church leaders just ignore this? All it does is add more fuel to the fire of the other misguided criticism that "Catholics" practice idolatry - something that, assuredly, had never been part of Catholic teaching and tradition. -Fr. Chito

Source: Fr. Chito Dimaranan

This is pastoral leadership sorely missing where it is needed most at this time. I have been saying all these years that the "devotion" to the Santo Nino will go the way of all misguided "popular devotions" that border more on the fanatical and the ridiculous.

Some of the statues that I see have nothing remotely related to the mystery of the Son of God becoming man, and assuming the humility and simplicity of a child in the Santo Nino image.

Increasingly, I see differing versions of the Santo Nino de la Suerte, Santo Nino de la Bolsa, Santo Nino holding a teddy bear, Santo Nino garbed in the color of money, or Santo Nino de Palaboy, holding a walking stick.

I love the mystery of God-become-man in Christ, including his image as a humble - if, helpless child.

But I think misguided shallow popular religiosity needs to be purified of the steadily encroaching showbiz culture, for one, and the pagan culture of "suerte" or luck, to name just two.

Will our Church leaders just ignore this? All it does is add more fuel to the fire of the other misguided criticism that "Catholics" practice idolatry - something that, assuredly, had never been part of Catholic teaching and tradition.

Oh, in case you are tempted to give me that traditional argument that popular religiosity has its "merits," please refrain from doing so, because I believe in it. But I also believe that if kept unguided and untaught, it is bound to ridiculous excesses and gross exaggerations.

Viva Senor Santo Nino! (But please don't give me the likes of that outrageous one holding a teddy bear and sporting oh-so-childish-and-cuddly apparel - and that one made to look like "Wonder Woman!"