Despite the most horrible, stomach-turning scandals ever in the history of the Roman Catholic Church coming to light over the past decade, our numbers are growing:
"U.S. membership has increased in the Catholic Church — the nation's largest Christian body — but the No. 2 Southern Baptist Convention, along with most mainline Protestant denominations, reported continuing decline, according to new figures released by the National Council of Churches."
Take a look at these growth numbers over the past year, comparing the home team with other Protestant sects:
The Catholic Church: 68.1 million, up 1.49 percent. [Blogger note: represents over 1 million people entering]
Southern Baptist Convention: 16.2 million, down 0.24 percent.
The United Methodist Church: 7.8 million (U.S.), down 0.98 percent
The Church of God in Christ: 5.5 million, no change.
National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc: 5 million, no change.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: 4.6 million, down 1.62 percent.
National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.: 3.5 million, no change.
Assemblies of God: 2.9 million, up 1.27 percent.
Presbyterian Church (USA): 2.8 million, down 3.3 percent. ."
The Protestant churches in the U.S. are in a very bad place right now. Many of them are establishing ideologies within their church that is strictly in contrast with God's teachings in the Bible. They try to explain this away, but their church members know. Say what you want about the Roman Catholic Church, I will bet my life of where their position will be on abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, etc.. five centuries from now.
I firmly believe this growth is a byproduct of the U.S. Bishops forcefully speaking out over the past two years on moral issues instructing their flocks.
People always get it wrong. They believe if you need numbers you soften and modify your beliefs (the Big Tent - so they say). In truth, it is the complete opposite. People respond quicker and more enthusiastically to conviction. The continuity in the bedrock teachings of our Church represent two millenniums of the greatest minds in the world and is extremely attractive to millions if it is heard unfiltered. And don't forget a little thing called the Holy Spirit as well.
"You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18)
1/21 Post Note: The Vatican has confirmed that the increasing Catholic population is not only a U.S. trend but a world trend, with an increase of +1.7% growth this year. 19 million more baptisms this year than last year.
Showing posts with label Roman Catholic Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roman Catholic Church. Show all posts
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
The Sleeping Giant Will Sleep No More - II
As predicted in my post "The Sleeping Giant Will Sleep No More!," our Church hierarchy has passed a crossroad on the abortion debate in America. The 89 prelate voices that were raised to protect human life during the Presidential campaign was just a warm up.
From my brother-in-law, on the other side of the bridge, came today a report that the U.S. Catholic Bishops plan to forcefully address President-elect Obama on his Culture-of-Death views.
From the Chicago Tribune:
"In a direct challenge to President-elect Barack Obama, America's Roman Catholic bishops vowed on Tuesday to accept no compromise for the sake of national unity until there is legal protection for the unborn.
About 300 bishops, gathered in Baltimore for their national meeting, adopted a formal blessing for a child in the womb and advised Chicago's Cardinal Francis George, president of the conference, as he began drafting a statement from the bishops to the incoming Obama administration. That document will call on the administration and Catholics who supported Obama to work to outlaw abortion."
Here are three quotes to tell you where this confrontation is going:
..."Any one of us here would consider it a privilege to die tomorrow--die tomorrow!--to bring about the end of abortion," said Auxiliary Bishop Robert Hermann of St. Louis.
...Bishop Joseph Martino of Scranton, Pa., vice president-elect Joe Biden's home town, called on his brother bishops to be more punitive against Catholic officials who are "stridently anti-life."
"I cannot have the vice president coming to Scranton and saying he learned his values there when those values are utterly against those of the Catholic Church," Martino said."
"Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Diocese of Kansas City in Kansas said politicians "can't check your principles at the door of the legislature."
Naumann has said repeatedly that Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Catholic Democrat who supports abortion rights, should stop taking Holy Communion until she changes her stance.
"They cannot call themselves Catholic when they violate such a core belief as the dignity of the unborn," Naumann said Tuesday."
As mentioned, it is a different era for the Roman Catholic Church in America.
From my brother-in-law, on the other side of the bridge, came today a report that the U.S. Catholic Bishops plan to forcefully address President-elect Obama on his Culture-of-Death views.
From the Chicago Tribune:
"In a direct challenge to President-elect Barack Obama, America's Roman Catholic bishops vowed on Tuesday to accept no compromise for the sake of national unity until there is legal protection for the unborn.
About 300 bishops, gathered in Baltimore for their national meeting, adopted a formal blessing for a child in the womb and advised Chicago's Cardinal Francis George, president of the conference, as he began drafting a statement from the bishops to the incoming Obama administration. That document will call on the administration and Catholics who supported Obama to work to outlaw abortion."
Here are three quotes to tell you where this confrontation is going:
..."Any one of us here would consider it a privilege to die tomorrow--die tomorrow!--to bring about the end of abortion," said Auxiliary Bishop Robert Hermann of St. Louis.
...Bishop Joseph Martino of Scranton, Pa., vice president-elect Joe Biden's home town, called on his brother bishops to be more punitive against Catholic officials who are "stridently anti-life."
"I cannot have the vice president coming to Scranton and saying he learned his values there when those values are utterly against those of the Catholic Church," Martino said."
"Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Diocese of Kansas City in Kansas said politicians "can't check your principles at the door of the legislature."
Naumann has said repeatedly that Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Catholic Democrat who supports abortion rights, should stop taking Holy Communion until she changes her stance.
"They cannot call themselves Catholic when they violate such a core belief as the dignity of the unborn," Naumann said Tuesday."
As mentioned, it is a different era for the Roman Catholic Church in America.
Monday, October 27, 2008
The Sleeping Giant Will Sleep No More!
I have referenced in a prior post that the "Pelosi Heresy" will be a defining moment and turning point for the Roman Catholic Church in America. The past practice of the Catholic hierarchy in the U.S. privately trying to counsel pro-abortion, Catholic politicians to see the error in their ways while these politicians politely deflected the issue to seem passive came to a blazing, Hindenburg-like end one Sunday morning. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated in front of all America that St. Augustine’s writings would have permitted a pro-abortion position.
This scandal, as literally defined by the Catechism, was unleashed across the airways and country and could not be recoiled back into the bottle by private actions. In trying to confuse the issue for her political gain, Speaker Pelosi actually did the complete opposite by invoking the 2,000-year teaching authority of the Catholic Church to starkly publicize her error. It was the arrogance of a conditioned politician who thought she would have free range without hierarchy interference.
An unending list of Who’s Who of American Prelates (Chaput, Wuerl, Lori, Rigali, Egan, Niederauer, Zubik, Sheridan, etc…) soon followed denouncing Pelosi and her lack of understanding of the Catholic Faith. It was obvious that our Cardinals and Bishops now had their kid gloves off. Enough was enough with this prolonged, American farce that adamant, pro-choice politicians could claim that they were devout Catholics in good standing with their Church.
The clerical outrage that started with the "Pelosi Heresy" has continued and broadened through this whole election season as Church leaders are not remaining silent anymore. Denver’s Archbishop Charles Chaput has not minced words, or dabbled in vagueness, citing specifically that Barack Obama, by name, is the "most committed" abortion-rights candidate for the presidency since abortion became legal.
Knowing the Archbishop, his vocal amplification of the Gospel of Life will not stop on Inauguration Day, if the unspeakable does happen. He will be as much as a nemesis of Barack Obama as he was when the DNC were putting up those "Styrofoam pillars" in the Archbishop’s backyard. Obama greatly underestimates Chaput’s conviction and the Archbishop’s not caring whether or not he is ever invited to a Heads of State dinner. This core of character cannot be understood by most expedient politicians. It is contrary to their very existence. They sniff the air for something they can use. Similar to an indicted mobster not understanding how a district attorney making $45,000 a year cannot be bribed but will do what is just and bring him down while continuing to live below the poverty line because of his conviction. Chaput will be Obama’s ongoing nemesis.
Anyone who travels a lot for business has travel horror stories. Four hours out on a tarmac; a twenty-hour layover; and things not going quite right at 30,000 feet in the air. When these latter prayerful moments come, as they will, I always look at the flight attendants faces to reveal the seriousness of the situation. These reactions of those in charge will tell you more than any group announcement by the pilot.
This strategy holds true as well in the religious realm as we have witnessed the reaction of the leaders of our Faith over the past few months. This election is a very serious moment for the pro-life movement and there has been a plethora of prelate statements reinforcing this view. Rocco Palmo of the UK Tablet has documented that some 50 active, U.S. bishops have issued statements that abortion is the key issue of this election and that it should dictate how Catholics vote.
The latest entry in this catalog of conscience has been Cardinal Justin Rigali, again not mincing words:
"At this moment in our country’s history, defense of innocent human life is a moral responsibility for all of us. The same God who thundered from Mount Sinai: "Thou shalt not kill," thunders still. When life in the womb is destroyed, God thunders: "This is a child!" When by the most barbaric means, unworthy of any civilized people, the brain of a child is sucked out of his or her head by a vacuum, God thunders: "This is a child!" When a baby is left to die of exposure on a shelf because of a failed abortion, and this is considered a "right" by any leader, God, the Source of all law and authority, thunders: "This is a child!" When we are faced with every modern means of education and communication, in addition to the law placed in our hearts at creation, no one, and most especially, no Catholic, can ever say: "I did not know."
The vast majority of Presidential polls point to the fact that the Pro-life cause may have lost the battle of the 2008 Presidential campaign. But take heart! As we continue to fight the "Cultural of Life" war we have a new era of bold, Catholic leadership who will preach the unfiltered Gospel and influence the 25% of the electorate under their pastoral care.
In the movie Tora, Tora, Tora, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto ceases the celebratory and congratulatory mood after his subordinates confirm that the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor was a complete success. The Admiral laments, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."
On that Sunday morning in August, Nancy Pelosi poked the sleeping giant that is the Roman Catholic Church in America in the eye, and the sleeping giant awoke. The sleeping giant will sleep no more. I do not doubt its resolve.
This scandal, as literally defined by the Catechism, was unleashed across the airways and country and could not be recoiled back into the bottle by private actions. In trying to confuse the issue for her political gain, Speaker Pelosi actually did the complete opposite by invoking the 2,000-year teaching authority of the Catholic Church to starkly publicize her error. It was the arrogance of a conditioned politician who thought she would have free range without hierarchy interference.
An unending list of Who’s Who of American Prelates (Chaput, Wuerl, Lori, Rigali, Egan, Niederauer, Zubik, Sheridan, etc…) soon followed denouncing Pelosi and her lack of understanding of the Catholic Faith. It was obvious that our Cardinals and Bishops now had their kid gloves off. Enough was enough with this prolonged, American farce that adamant, pro-choice politicians could claim that they were devout Catholics in good standing with their Church.
The clerical outrage that started with the "Pelosi Heresy" has continued and broadened through this whole election season as Church leaders are not remaining silent anymore. Denver’s Archbishop Charles Chaput has not minced words, or dabbled in vagueness, citing specifically that Barack Obama, by name, is the "most committed" abortion-rights candidate for the presidency since abortion became legal.
Knowing the Archbishop, his vocal amplification of the Gospel of Life will not stop on Inauguration Day, if the unspeakable does happen. He will be as much as a nemesis of Barack Obama as he was when the DNC were putting up those "Styrofoam pillars" in the Archbishop’s backyard. Obama greatly underestimates Chaput’s conviction and the Archbishop’s not caring whether or not he is ever invited to a Heads of State dinner. This core of character cannot be understood by most expedient politicians. It is contrary to their very existence. They sniff the air for something they can use. Similar to an indicted mobster not understanding how a district attorney making $45,000 a year cannot be bribed but will do what is just and bring him down while continuing to live below the poverty line because of his conviction. Chaput will be Obama’s ongoing nemesis.
Anyone who travels a lot for business has travel horror stories. Four hours out on a tarmac; a twenty-hour layover; and things not going quite right at 30,000 feet in the air. When these latter prayerful moments come, as they will, I always look at the flight attendants faces to reveal the seriousness of the situation. These reactions of those in charge will tell you more than any group announcement by the pilot.
This strategy holds true as well in the religious realm as we have witnessed the reaction of the leaders of our Faith over the past few months. This election is a very serious moment for the pro-life movement and there has been a plethora of prelate statements reinforcing this view. Rocco Palmo of the UK Tablet has documented that some 50 active, U.S. bishops have issued statements that abortion is the key issue of this election and that it should dictate how Catholics vote.
The latest entry in this catalog of conscience has been Cardinal Justin Rigali, again not mincing words:
"At this moment in our country’s history, defense of innocent human life is a moral responsibility for all of us. The same God who thundered from Mount Sinai: "Thou shalt not kill," thunders still. When life in the womb is destroyed, God thunders: "This is a child!" When by the most barbaric means, unworthy of any civilized people, the brain of a child is sucked out of his or her head by a vacuum, God thunders: "This is a child!" When a baby is left to die of exposure on a shelf because of a failed abortion, and this is considered a "right" by any leader, God, the Source of all law and authority, thunders: "This is a child!" When we are faced with every modern means of education and communication, in addition to the law placed in our hearts at creation, no one, and most especially, no Catholic, can ever say: "I did not know."
The vast majority of Presidential polls point to the fact that the Pro-life cause may have lost the battle of the 2008 Presidential campaign. But take heart! As we continue to fight the "Cultural of Life" war we have a new era of bold, Catholic leadership who will preach the unfiltered Gospel and influence the 25% of the electorate under their pastoral care.
In the movie Tora, Tora, Tora, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto ceases the celebratory and congratulatory mood after his subordinates confirm that the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor was a complete success. The Admiral laments, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."
On that Sunday morning in August, Nancy Pelosi poked the sleeping giant that is the Roman Catholic Church in America in the eye, and the sleeping giant awoke. The sleeping giant will sleep no more. I do not doubt its resolve.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
20% Off Sales and Salvation
This is one of the absolute best developments in the Catholic Church in America that I have seen in a many years.The Capuchin Franciscans in Colorado Springs are leasing space in a shopping mall to spread the Gospel. Through their Catholic Center storefront they offer Mass twice daily, every weekday, and confession to anyone who wants it during "store hours".
The major impact of this venture, I believe, would be to offer an open door to the masses and a much easier access to those in need of spiritual counseling and interested in learning about the Catholic Faith.
For many who feel a call to spirituality, going to a strange Church can cause paralyzing fear and inaction, people do not know where to begin the process. Here you have a smiling Capuchin inviting you in.
Such a wonderful idea, I have to run and get my checkbook! Such a great idea!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Imagine Catholics Coming Together...
.
The above map shows America's Catholic population. The dark red designations are areas where Catholics are strongly represented, more than 25% of the population.
Now imagine if Catholics were loyal to the Magisterium and voted in blocks, like any other ethnic or religious groups. Can you imagine New England being overwhelming Pro-life as this map shows it could be? What about the cities of New York or Chicago being against birth control? How 'bout California being in favor of traditional mariage? We have enough of the population in all these places to change the political landscape if desired.
The question should be asked, how did the Catholic Church in America lose its way?
I believe it did not have a large amount of Her leaders speaking out as Bishop Martino does below, preaching the clear, unfiltered Gospel. The Church in America became infiltrated by authority figures who watered-down their gospels to adjust to the times and make sure they did not offend anyone, parishioners in the pews or politicians at the podium.
Our Catholic universities became overflowed with educators who placed their own primacy and interpretations of their alle carte faith ahead of Rome's teaching and were permitted to continue teaching.
The seminaries were flooded by sub-standard applicants who were accepted because their numbers were dwindling and 30 years later this mistake would bring the darkest moment that the Catholic Church in America has ever seen.
The good news is I believe there is a new breath of life in the Catholic Church in America. Young leaders like Archbishop Chaput, Fr. Frank Pavone, Fr. Corapi, Fr Euteneuer, etc... are teaching the unfiltered Gospel nationally and this tells me now there is a different ballgame. Nancy Pelosi poked the sleeping giant in the eye, the giant awoke and said enough is enough. It's very encouraging.
The above map shows America's Catholic population. The dark red designations are areas where Catholics are strongly represented, more than 25% of the population.Now imagine if Catholics were loyal to the Magisterium and voted in blocks, like any other ethnic or religious groups. Can you imagine New England being overwhelming Pro-life as this map shows it could be? What about the cities of New York or Chicago being against birth control? How 'bout California being in favor of traditional mariage? We have enough of the population in all these places to change the political landscape if desired.
The question should be asked, how did the Catholic Church in America lose its way?
I believe it did not have a large amount of Her leaders speaking out as Bishop Martino does below, preaching the clear, unfiltered Gospel. The Church in America became infiltrated by authority figures who watered-down their gospels to adjust to the times and make sure they did not offend anyone, parishioners in the pews or politicians at the podium.
Our Catholic universities became overflowed with educators who placed their own primacy and interpretations of their alle carte faith ahead of Rome's teaching and were permitted to continue teaching.
The seminaries were flooded by sub-standard applicants who were accepted because their numbers were dwindling and 30 years later this mistake would bring the darkest moment that the Catholic Church in America has ever seen.
The good news is I believe there is a new breath of life in the Catholic Church in America. Young leaders like Archbishop Chaput, Fr. Frank Pavone, Fr. Corapi, Fr Euteneuer, etc... are teaching the unfiltered Gospel nationally and this tells me now there is a different ballgame. Nancy Pelosi poked the sleeping giant in the eye, the giant awoke and said enough is enough. It's very encouraging.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
An "Upside Down" Faith
One of the most beautiful revelations about Catholicism, is that since Christ’s establishment of this Faith over 2,000 years ago, it has turned everything in this world upside down. This Faith is so contrary to anything in the history of human thought, and so far away from any religion that could have been established by the human mind, it must have had a Divine origin.
It is a Faith that strips away all the distractions and materialistic prizes treasured by our world. It, in its true essence, denies everything of this world for the Divine. I believe a saint once said being Roman Catholic prevents you from being a slave to the ages. Society will change around you with every flux, fashion and desire, but your Faith will remain a constant through the ages based on its inherent Truth.
In this backwards paradox that our Faith has established, a homeless person who sleeps under a bridge and whom society mocks and shuns, may have a better reward on judgement day than a Hollywood actress, or a billionaire that our society fawns over.
Two of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen’s quotes come to my mind and should be touched upon in this post.
He pointed out that our Almighty God humbled himself and became vulnerable to join us in our mortal existence. He bled and felt pain. He had head colds and the stomach flu. His body became fatigue to the point that He craved sleep. He had to overcome all the human shortcomings that we wrestle with each day. Sheen beautifully pinpointed this Immortal God taking on a mortal form and the unfathomable nature of this event (paraphrasing the Archbishop), "A totally helpless baby lying in the poverty of a manger who also controlled all the stars in all the galaxies." What an "upside down" concept. What a great Faith!
Another one of my favorite Archbishop Sheen quotes spoke of this "upside down" incarnation. He said the reason why violent storms raged when Christ dropped his head in death on the cross was that "Nature could not tolerate Deicide." A God who would allow His Creation to kill Him in order to save His creation. We will never be able to fully grasp this "upside down" concept.
I thought of these quotes today when hearing PZ Myers’ despicable actions. An Almighty and All-Powerful God who created and controls everything in existence but allows a scurvy of his creation to sacrilege Him without just fury raining down on him (and all of us). This event is definitely "upside-down"; as our Beautiful Faith.
Two scripture passages came to mind to make sense of this horrible event:
The first shows who is really in control of this and every situation despite what Myers and his minions think:
Matt 26: 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels [to protect Me if needed]?
The second passage shows the same exact incident millenniums ago - - of another (Pilate) desecrating the Body of Christ - - and our God’s similar response, with all of His Almighty power and glory as intact back then as it is today:
Matt 27:12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. [He stood silent in the presence of his accusers].
This logic of this silence was understood a few days later at the Resurrection, as the logic of His silence now will be understood someday as PZ Myers stands in front of Him.
It is a Faith that strips away all the distractions and materialistic prizes treasured by our world. It, in its true essence, denies everything of this world for the Divine. I believe a saint once said being Roman Catholic prevents you from being a slave to the ages. Society will change around you with every flux, fashion and desire, but your Faith will remain a constant through the ages based on its inherent Truth.
In this backwards paradox that our Faith has established, a homeless person who sleeps under a bridge and whom society mocks and shuns, may have a better reward on judgement day than a Hollywood actress, or a billionaire that our society fawns over.
Two of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen’s quotes come to my mind and should be touched upon in this post.
He pointed out that our Almighty God humbled himself and became vulnerable to join us in our mortal existence. He bled and felt pain. He had head colds and the stomach flu. His body became fatigue to the point that He craved sleep. He had to overcome all the human shortcomings that we wrestle with each day. Sheen beautifully pinpointed this Immortal God taking on a mortal form and the unfathomable nature of this event (paraphrasing the Archbishop), "A totally helpless baby lying in the poverty of a manger who also controlled all the stars in all the galaxies." What an "upside down" concept. What a great Faith!
Another one of my favorite Archbishop Sheen quotes spoke of this "upside down" incarnation. He said the reason why violent storms raged when Christ dropped his head in death on the cross was that "Nature could not tolerate Deicide." A God who would allow His Creation to kill Him in order to save His creation. We will never be able to fully grasp this "upside down" concept.
I thought of these quotes today when hearing PZ Myers’ despicable actions. An Almighty and All-Powerful God who created and controls everything in existence but allows a scurvy of his creation to sacrilege Him without just fury raining down on him (and all of us). This event is definitely "upside-down"; as our Beautiful Faith.
Two scripture passages came to mind to make sense of this horrible event:
The first shows who is really in control of this and every situation despite what Myers and his minions think:
Matt 26: 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels [to protect Me if needed]?
The second passage shows the same exact incident millenniums ago - - of another (Pilate) desecrating the Body of Christ - - and our God’s similar response, with all of His Almighty power and glory as intact back then as it is today:
Matt 27:12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. [He stood silent in the presence of his accusers].
This logic of this silence was understood a few days later at the Resurrection, as the logic of His silence now will be understood someday as PZ Myers stands in front of Him.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
A True Church; A Church Not of this World
I have been remiss. One week of blogging already and I have not quoted Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen yet. This one will give you chills:"If I were not a Catholic, and were looking for the true Church in the world today, I would look for the one Church which did not get along well with the world, in other words, I would look for the Church which the world hated. My reason for doing this would be, that if Christ is in any one of the churches of the world today, He must still be hated as He was when He was on earth in the flesh. If you would find Christ today, then find the Church that does not get along with the world. Look for the Church that is hated by the world as Christ was hated by the world. Look for the Church that is accused of being behind the times, as our Lord was accused of being ignorant and never having learned. Look for the Church which men sneer at as socially inferior, as they sneered at Our Lord because He came from Nazareth. Look for the Church which is accused of having a devil, as Our Lord was accused of being possessed by Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils.Look for the Church which, in seasons of bigotry, men say must be destroyed in the name of God as men crucified Christ and thought they had done a service to God. Look for the Church which the world rejects because it claims it is infalliable, as Pilate rejected Christ because He called Himself the Truth. Look for the Church which is rejected by the world as Our Lord was rejected by men. Look for the Church which amid the confusion of conflicting opinions, its members love as they love Christ, and respect its Voice as the very voice of its Founder, and the suspicion will grow, that if the Church is unpopular with the spirit of the world, then it is unworldly, and if it is unworldly it is other-worldly, since it is other-worldy, it is infinitly loved and infinitely hated as was Christ Himself. But only that which is Divine can be infinitely hate and infinitely loved. Therefore the Church is Divine"
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