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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Connecticut Catholic Events



St Pio’s glove will be for veneration following the 5:30 Mass at Our Lady of Pompeii Church 355 Foxon Rd, East Haven, on Friday, October 3, 2014.
The evening will begin with rosary at 5:00PM followed by Holy Mass at 5:30PM.

All are welcome to venerate the glove of this saint

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Exceptional Art: Expressions from the Heart
On Monday, October 6 from 7:00- 9:00 pm at the Caritas Christi Center, Art Instructor Jeffrey Greene, who helps persons in prison develop their artistic talent and also tell their stories, will come to the Caritas Christi Center to talk about his work.
During the month of October, art and craft pieces created by the prisoners will be on display at the Caritas Christi Center. Come and admire the various mediums used and the outstanding talent of the prisoners. A free will donation to the Prison Arts Program would be welcomed.
To register please call 203-281-2569www.caritaschristicenter.org


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Holly Berry Festival
The annual Holly Berry Festival, a juried arts & crafts fair benefitting the Retirement Fund for the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, will take place Friday, November 21 (3-8 pm) & Saturday, November 22 (10 am – 3 pm) at Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden.


There is a Pasta Dinner on Friday from 5 – 7 pm ($10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under). Food Court and Home Depot child-friendly activity on Saturday. There are still spots left for crafters. If you are interested in renting a space call 203-248-4225 ext. 406 for more information.

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Annual Rosary Pilgrimage
sponsored by the Dominican Nuns

Sunday, October 5, 2014, 3pm

Rosary, Vespers, Homily, Benediction & Procession to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima.

Homilist: Father Jim Sullivan, Archdiocese of Hartford

Monastery of Our Lady of Grace
11 Race Hill Road
North Guilford, CT 06437

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A Bible study on St Paul's Letter to the Galatians (Jeff Cavins) at Our Lady of Pompeii Church, 355 Foxon Road, East Haven, CT.  We meet in the rectory meeting room, Tuesdays 9:30 to 11am.

Meetings dates
  1. October 14 and 28
  2. November 11 and 25
  3. December 9
  4. January 13 and 27
  5. February 10 and 24
  6. March 10 (if needed)
Registration and fee for the book is $25. due by October 6. Checks payable to Our Lady of Pompeii Church.




PAX!


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Contributor: Paul A. Zalonski
Catholic Connecticut
255 Foxon Hill Road
East Haven, CT 06513-1216 USA
Email Paul directly: CatholicCT@gmail.com
Follow Paul on Twitter @CatholicCT
Connect with Paul on Facebook "Catholic Connecticut CatholicCT"

***Paul is the Catholic Events Contributor for Connecticut Catholic Corner***

Monday, September 29, 2014

Praise God! The Progressives are leaving!

The cleansing of God’s Holy Catholic Church has begun.  Oh it’s a slow process, but its happening and I am thrilled to see it.

When Priests and Bishops STAND UP for the official teachings of the Catholic faith and fight back against the bullying liberals/progressives in the Church a wonderful thing happens… a purging inside the Church.

Here are a few examples...

First an openly gay Jesuit priest left the Church because he was heartbroken that the Catholic Church won’t support gay marriage and he felt hated because he was gay…

Quote:  “Over time, I realized I could not be part of an institution that hated me. I thought of the anti-gay legislation in countries like Uganda and Russia. I didn’t want to be part of an organization with similar policies, where LGBT Catholics are fired for loving their partners, for being the selves God created, the selves God delights in.” [end quote]

Newsflash: God does NOT “delight in” homosexual relationships- He calls them ABOMINATIONS and gays "loving their partners" is called FORNICATION- a MORTAL SIN.  You'd think (hope & pray) that a priest (even a Jesuit) would at least know the basics of the Catholic faith!

The ex-Jesuit gay progressive priest whines some more…

Quote:  “I’ve since left the priesthood and have pursued a different religious life with the Episcopal church.  But I am not the only victim. LGBTQ Roman Catholics are being fired from employment, simply because of their sexuality.”

“victim”?  

How is he a “victim”?  He entered a Church that for THOUSANDS of years has said marriage is between 1 man+1 woman and when he sees the Church live that belief he suddenly becomes a “victim”? 

Oh BOO FREAKING HOO! 

The good news is this progressive ex-Jesuit has now gone to the Episcopalian’s where they vote on what is and is not sin and where he will no longer have the opportunity to corrupt Catholics from inside the Church. Think of all the future Catholics who will now be saved from listening to this progressive homosexual who sees nothing wrong with “gay loving partners”.  This IS a blessing for Catholic laity, though not for him unless he repents.

There is another cleansing victory...

Some gay “marriage” loving progressive 'Catholics' who like their fornicators fornicating, decided to leave their parish (St. Leo’s Catholic Church, Montana) when their Sodomite buddies were told they could no longer have Holy Communion because they were in MORTAL sin.  [Imagine that, a person being told they need to repent of their sin before receiving Holy Communion!]  

It started with a choir director [Shupe] who just couldn’t believe a Catholic parish would deny a fornicating gay “married” couple HOLY Communion and then spread to other parishioners just as stupefied as Shupe.

“Huff [one of the gay ‘marriage’ men in the controversy] walked out of the rectory and decided he better tell choir director Janie Shupe that neither he or Wojtowick would be able to help out that Saturday night. Shupe was distraught. She had moved to Lewistown 23 years before. For 20 of those years at St. Leo’s, she has served as director of music liturgy and choir director.
The choir of 30-plus people was like a second family, Shupe said. After Huff broke the news, “I just felt like my world had fallen out beneath me,” she said in a telephone interview Thursday. She called and spoke with [Father] Spiering. Unhappy with his response, she told the priest she’d turn in her resignation the next day."
“I can’t believe this is the church I believed in for so many years,” Shupe said. “I thought we were moving forward, and we did have a very joyous, very vibrant community going all these years. It feels like we’ve been thrust back in the dark ages.”  At first, she stopped going to church altogether. Then she decided to attend St. James Episcopal Church “because it’s the closest thing I’ve known my entire life.” [end quote]

“Thurst back in the dark ages” for following Catholic teaching about mortal sin and the Eucharist? 
Catechism
 1385 To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great and so holy a moment. St. Paul urges us to examine our conscience: "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself." 218 Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion.
1395 By the same charity that it enkindles in us, the Eucharist preserves us from future mortal sins. The more we share the life of Christ and progress in his friendship, the more difficult it is to break away from him by mortal sin. The Eucharist is not ordered to the forgiveness of mortal sins - that is proper to the sacrament of Reconciliation. The Eucharist is properly the sacrament of those who are in full communion with the Church.

Is her parish so lacking that she’s never heard this teaching?  That she doesn't know the Church says fornication and gay "marriage" are MORTAL sins?
Guess not, so she too sets off and joins the “vote on sin” Episcopal church where she can fully support fornication and gay sex and no one will tell her it’s a sin. 
More progressives are purged from the Church…
Quote from the priest Fr. Spiering who denied the gay couple Holy Communion:  “About 350 people attend weekend Mass at St. Leo’s. Some people have left since the conflict came to light, [Father] Spiering acknowledged, while others have expressed their gratitude for Spiering upholding the teachings of the church.

You’d think the laity would be more concerned about the mortal sin these gay men are in, sin that sends people to Hell, but oh no!  They were too devastated that the gay lovers were denied Communion- no care at all for the homosexual couple’s souls headed for eternal torment in Hell.

Talk about having your priorities wrong!

 “However, they are called passions of ignominy because they are not worthy of being named, according to that passage in Ephesians (5:12): ‘For the things that are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of.’ For if the sins of the flesh are commonly censurable because they lead man to that which is bestial in him, much more so is the sin against nature, by which man debases himself lower than even his animal nature.” (St. Thomas Aquinas, Super Epistulas Sancti Pauli Ad Romanum I, 26, pp. 27f) 

These type of sinners DO NOT BELONG IN THE CHURCH!  Really, the Bible says so![quote below]

Oh don’t get your panties in a bunch, I am not saying there are no sinners in the Church.  The Church is FULL of sinners as She should be.  She is the only one through Christ’s Sacraments that can absolve the sinner of their sins – provided the sinner confesses those sins and seeks absolution.  These are repentant sinners.  Sinners willing to admit when they fall, accepting Church authority and seeking to do a better job of turning from sin in the future.  That is key issue #1 (there is another).

Those are the sinners the Church was created for.   Sinners with a heart for God, sinners who hate their sin and wish to be forgiven for them.  Sinners who are contrite, humbled and asking for forgiveness.

The prideful sinners who refuse to acknowledge their sins or repent [that is the key issue #2 here] of their sins are NOT supposed to be holding leadership positions [be it religious education teachers, choir directors, ushers etc] in parishes corrupting others.  People in parish leadership positions are to be in GOOD moral standing with the Church.  They should NOT be abortionists, 'married' gay couples, adulterers/fornicators, etc who continue to wallow in their sins with no thought of repenting.

These sinners do NOT have a heart for God, they have a lust and greed and selfishness to continue living in their sin.  And often a desire to change society to accept their sin as “normal” and ultimately to redefine their sin as no sin at all. This happens all the time within assorted Protestant denominations and secular society, but it should NOT be allowed INSIDE Christ's Holy Catholic Church.

Note this scripture [below] is about those INSIDE THE CHURCH- not unbelievers whom we MUST reach out to with the Gospel Message so they can repent and enter the Church.  

The instruction from St. Paul in the Bible is for the Church to be CLEANSED of ALL the sexually immoral MEMBERS INSIDE the Church.  The Sacraments are to be denied to them (to all of us) who remain in Mortal Sin- that is our Faith. 

[*Yes, I know this scripture isn't JUST about homosexuals, but homosexuals and their supporters leaving the Church is the topic of this discussion*] 

The Church used to do this.  It’s call excommunication and it’s a rarity these days hence the tsunami of corruption flooding the Catholic Church today.'


1 Corinthians 5 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church 
5  1"It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father’s wife. And you are arrogant! Should you not rather have mourned, so that he who has done this would have been removed from among you?For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present I have already pronounced judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
Your boasting is not a good thing. Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, as you really are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."
  Sexual Immorality Must Be Judged
9 "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral persons 10 not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since you would then need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging those outside? Is it not those who are inside that you are to judge? 13 God will judge those outside. “Drive out the wicked person from among you.”
 
Notice that bit there?  That we ARE to judge those INSIDE the Church based on their immoral behavior, while God will judge those OUTSIDE the Church.  
THAT is the Word of God.  

Also notice that Saint Paul says he "has already pronounced judgement" on the sexually immoral INSIDE the Church?  If Saint Paul is judging the sexually immoral why can't our Pope? 

I guess Pope Francis never read that verse.

So we ARE to judge those inside the Church by their sins [clearly these are visible sins- like gays getting 'married', etc]. Then we rebuke the sinner in their sin so they can repent.  They can't repent if no one tells them what sin they are in that needs to be confessed and repented of. 

If they repent, we slaughter the fattened calf and welcome them back and the angels in Heaven celebrate!
Luke 15:10(RSVCE) 10 "Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

If they REFUSE to repent and work to destroy and corrupt the Church from inside we are "to have nothing to do with them- do not even eat with such people".  THAT is what the Word of God says.

Saint Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)  "No sin in the world grips the soul as the accursed sodomy; this sin has always been detested by all those who live according to God.… Deviant passion is close to madness; this vice disturbs the intellect, destroys elevation and generosity of soul, brings the mind down from great thoughts to the lowliest, makes the person slothful, irascible, obstinate and obdurate, servile and soft and incapable of anything; furthermore, agitated by an insatiable craving for pleasure, the person follows not reason but frenzy.… They become blind and, when their thoughts should soar to high and great things, they are broken down and reduced to vile and useless and putrid things, which could never make them happy.... Just as people participate in the glory of God in different degrees, so also in hell some suffer more than others. He who lived with this vice of sodomy suffers more than another, for this is the greatest sin."  [ St. Bernardine of Siena, Sermon XXXIX in Prediche volgari, pp. 896-897, 915. ]

There is NO PLACE inside the Holy Catholic Church for UNREPENTING sinners who seek to corrupt the Faith and turn people away from God's Truth.  These people are protesting the Faith- they are Protestants who live under the title "Catholic".  They seek the RUIN of Christ's Holy Catholic Church and the ruin of souls.  They are dangerous.  Sacred Scripture demands we “Drive out the evil person from among you!” [1 Cor. 5:13] for the good of everyone.

To be clear, I don't want these people to be lost, but I also don't want them corrupting the faithful INSIDE the Church and spreading their heretical beliefs to others.  I would LOVE to see them all repent and return to full communion with Christ's Holy Catholic Church- but that is entirely up to them.  They MUST admit they are in sin, confess their sins to a priest and truly repent- that is turn from their mortal sin, not embrace it and march with banners down Main street proudly trumpeting their sin.  

That is my prayer for them- true repentance, but while they are in mortal sin corrupting others with their ideas/theology I do NOT want to see them teaching religious education to children or adults, leading the choir, being ushers, deacons or priests or anything else. 

I am in fact happy to see these progressive liberals leaving the Church because it means they can do no more damage from inside the Church.  The purging of the Church is damage control.

Jesus doesn’t want the corrupt running loose inside His Church corrupting others and leading them into sin and to eternal Hell.  To prevent that from happening, we have Sacred Scripture's words telling us to “Drive out the wicked person from among you!”  I'm afraid Saint Paul's words are falling on too many deaf ears these days.

If only our Church would heed these instructions and protect us from the corrupt progressives inside our Church.



In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner


One last interesting Saint quote [new to me] …

Saint Bonaventure, speaking in a sermon at the church of Saint Mary of Portiuncula about the miracles that took place simultaneously with the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, narrates this: “Seventh prodigy: All sodomites—men and women—died all over the earth, as Saint Jerome said in his commentary on the psalm ‘The light was born for the just.’ This made it clear that He was born to reform nature and promote chastity.” (St. Bonaventure, Sermon XXI—In Nativitate Domini, in Catolicismo (Campos/Sao Paulo), December 1987, p. 3; F. Bernardei, op. cit., p. 11)
Catholic Catechism: Chastity and homosexuality 
2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,141 tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."142 They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.




Wednesday, September 24, 2014

EWTN to air "The Crusades" a new mini series


EWTN To Air ‘The Crusades’ 
A Timely & Important Mini-Series!

Irondale, AL – When EWTN decided to produce a new docu-drama on the Crusades two years ago, most Americans had never heard of ISIS; no journalists had been beheaded in Iraq; and no Christian women and girls in Nigeria had been abducted or enslaved. Yet the Lord, with His perfect timing, knew that a mini-series on “The Crusades” needed to be ready to air in October – and so it is. (The mini-series airs 10 p.m. ET from Wednesday, Oct. 8 through Saturday, Oct. 11.)

You’ve heard the tales, now learn the truth concerning the church’s role in the Crusades and its efforts to restore the Holy Land to a place of safety for Catholic pilgrims. This powerful four-part series, shot on location in seven countries, gives viewers a well-rounded understanding of an important historical event, which has repercussions in our own time.

Each episode features original dramatizations, an original musical soundtrack recorded in Europe, and three pre-eminent, world-renowned Crusader scholars, together for the first time! They include Professor Jonathan Phillips, Professor of Crusading History at the University of London; Professor Jonathan Riley-Smith of Cambridge University, widely regarded as Britain’s leading historian on the Crusades; and Professor Thomas F. Madden, chair of the Department of History at St. Louis University, a widely recognized expert not only on the Crusades, but on Christian-Muslim conflict.

Viewers will also enjoy the many locales in which the series was shot: Istanbul; Turkey; Israel, including Jerusalem; France, Austria, England, Spain and Slovakia.

The mini-series is preceded by what is sure to be a fascinating “EWTN Live,” featuring our own Middle Eastern Scholar Father Mitch Pacwa interviewing “The Crusades” Writer, Producer and Host Stefano Mazzeo and Professor Madden, author of “A Concise History of the Crusades,” and a number of other widely acclaimed books on this topic. (Airs 8 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Oct. 8.)



Here’s an overview of a fascinating – and timely – series:
  • Episode 1: A look at the history and reasons for the Crusades, which were originally known as “armed pilgrimages” because they sought to protect pilgrims visiting the Holy Land against Muslim conquerors.
  • Episode 2: A look at the Crusader States, which were set up by the Crusader hierarchy after the miraculous success of the First Crusade; the formation of Military Orders such as the Knights Templars; the re-conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as the rise of Sultan Saladin and his conquest of Jerusalem.
  • Episode 3: A look at the Third Crusade, which was led by King Richard the Lionheart of England, King Philip of France and German Emperor Fredrick Barbarossa; the famous meeting between St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan Al-Kamil; and the role that devotion to the Apostle James and the Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela played in Crusader successes.
  • Episode 4: A look at the failures and successes of the Crusades and their legacy, including the role of St. Louis IX, the rise of the Ottoman Empire; the epic Battle of Lepanto, a turning point in the war, and a triumph of faith; the final Christian victory in the Iberian Peninsula, and the loss of the Holy Land, in particular, Jerusalem.
  • Finally, don’t miss another EWTN special on this subject airing the same week! “Franciscan University Presents Myths About the Crusades,” airs at 10 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. 5 and 5 a.m. ET, Thursday, Oct. 9, and features Dr. Paul Crawford, professor of medieval history at California University Of Pennsylvania.
If you are at all concerned about world affairs, you will not want to miss this important series. We suggest you mount a Crusade to get your family and friends to watch this important week of programming on EWTN!


EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 33rd year, is available in over 230 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com, electronic and print news services, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.



Tuesday, September 23, 2014

EWTN Press Release: Beatification of Bishop Alvaro Del Portillo


EWTN To Air Beatification of Bishop Álvaro Del Portillo,
Successor to Opus Dei Founder St. Josemaria Escrivá

        Irondale, AL (EWTN) – Just as Jesus called Peter “rock,” Opus Dei Founder St. Josemaria Escrivá referred to Bishop Álvaro Del Portillo, the man who would later become his successor, as “saxum” or “rock.” At 6 a.m. ET, Saturday, Sept. 27, Opus Dei’s “rock” will be beatified in Madrid – and EWTN will carry it live, with a re-air at 12 p.m. ET, Saturday, Sept. 27.
        The two-hour event will be preceded by an EWTN exclusive with the current prelate of Opus Dei, Bishop Javier Echevarria, who succeeded Del Portillo. Before being ordained to the priesthood, Bishop Echevarria served as personal secretary to St. Josemaria Escrivá, and he held important posts in Opus Dei during the tenure of the soon to be Blessed Álavaro Del Portillo. 
        “Very few people would have known his two predecessors better than he did,” says Host Alan Holdren, who reports from Rome for “EWTN News Nightly.” “We’ll be asking Bishop Echevarria about his memories, anecdotes, and personal stories. What is Del Portillo’s legacy for Opus Dei today? How was he distinct from the founder of Opus Dei? How were they similar or complimentary? How does their vision for Opus Dei and living sanctity in everyday life live in the work of ‘La Obra’ (Spanish for ‘the work’)?”
        The beatification will be carried in English, Spanish and German via EWTN’s 11 worldwide television networks as well as EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network (English) and EWTN Radio Católica Mundial (Spanish)! (Find EWTN at http://www.ewtn.com/everywhere.) In addition to all of this, EWTN viewers will also enjoy air a half-hour documentary entitled “Saxum: Rediscovering Bishop Álavaro Del Portillo.”
        You won’t want to miss this line-up, which you will only see on EWTN!
  • The Church Universal,” EWTN’s new series, features Opus Dei Historian John Coverdale, who will speak about the organization’s place in the Church. Airs 5 a.m. ET, Tuesday, Sept. 23 and 10 p.m. ET, Friday, Sept. 26.
  • “A Gift of God:” Learn about Opus Dei, an international organization founded by St. Josemaria Escrivá in 1928, where ordinary lay people sanctify their work and daily life. Airs 1 p.m. ET, Friday, Sept. 26.
  • “Saxum: Rediscovering Bishop Álvaro Del Portillo:” Airs 10:30 p.m. ET, Friday, Sept. 26; and Noon ET, Saturday, Sept. 27.
  • Exclusive Interview with the Prelate: 5:30 a.m. ET and 12:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, Sept. 27.
  • Beatification Mass of Bishop Álvaro Del Portillo: 6 a.m. ET and 1 p.m. ET, Saturday, Sept. 27.
        God bless Family!


        EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 33rd year, is available in over 230 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com, electronic and print news services, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Needed: Folk Music at Mass

This makes me want to rip my hair out and scream.



*facepalm*

The Catholic Church has so much RICH BEAUTIFUL music at its disposal and instead we get guitar strumming, hand holding, let's all gather in a circle folk music.

Catholics you are being RIPPED OFF and you don't even know it!


In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner


Craigslist: https://nwct.craigslist.org/med/4678578015.html
Folk Choir: http://www.sesparish.org/index.php/music/groups-1/folk-choir-2

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Catholic Survey says: Catholics want to be Protestant!

Another Catholic survey is in and the results are the same…Catholics want to be Protestant while keeping the title “Catholic”.  They want the Catholic Church to change her doctrines to catch up to these modern times. (PDF link below)

They want gay “marriage”…numerous divorces and “remarriages”…women priests…lots of birth control…nice priests who talk about love all the time and less talk about the need for confession and all the things Church doctrine has defined as sin- after all these are modern times and the Church must adapt!  

The ignorance of such ideas by (one time) Catholics is so colossal I’m not sure where to start!

Both active and inactive Catholics (in Illinois) were asked assorted questions about being Catholic, the Catholic faith, parish life, Catholic doctrine and more.
The responses were no surprise…these “Catholics” know nothing of the Catholic Faith and don’t want to BE Catholic.  They are protesting dogmas and doctrines of the Catholic Faith, they don’t like the Mass, the music (it isn’t upbeat enough for them), they don’t like the homilies (they apparently don’t relate to real life) and they are seeking fellowship and community, not “a message of fear and guilt”.

These “Catholics” would have truly hated Jesus in His time on earth…oh you know, all that talk about sin, repenting and going to Hell if you didn’t repent.






Here is what some of them had to say about why they are “inactive” Catholics…

• “I do not approve of the churches [sic] stance on many issues. Abortion, gays, women as priests, and several others.”

Yes, and that is why you are a closet (I guess now out of the closet) Protestant.

• “My daughter came out to me as gay, and I went through a divorce after 28 years of marriage. The Church doesn't want either one of us.”

Completely untrue.  If both the divorced mother and the gay daughter are living CHASTE CELIBATE lives they are living what the Church teaches.

• “Being divorced they do not let you take communion. Treat you like an outsider. But they allowed priest [sic] that they knew were bad to stay in the church.”

Completely NOT true.  Divorced people CAN have Holy Communion- “remarried” people (without an annulment) cannot because they are in fact ADULTERERS.  If the first marriage is valid, the spouse cannot ‘marry’ another spouse.

• “The archaic idea that only men can lead a congregation and be in the clergy, the underlying message of guilt and fear and the lack of diversity and openness to gays.”

 I'm pretty sure Jesus' hand picking all men for the priesthood can never be "archaic" and “underlying message of guilt and fear” eh?  Guess this person never read a word Jesus said in the Gospels!

• “We were both devout catholics [sic] who tried to have children with no luck. We decided to go with in-vitro fertilization and the result is 3 awesome boys through 2 pregnancies. The catholis [sic] church rails against that.”

Don’t you just love the “we are devout Catholics” who reject and thwart Catholic dogma?  How “devout” can you be if you are rejecting the Faith?

• “I do not feel that the Church respects or allows full participation of women. I also feel that the Church's stance on birth control to be wrong and not in step with modern medical science and the real world.”

Oh and here’s a goody…

• “I struggle with the way the Catholic Church has not adapted an ever changing world. I also feel sometimes people are looked down upon instead of being lifted up by the church.”

Oh yeah, cause it’s all about YOU being “lifted up” by the Church rather than you going to WORSHIP GOD!




Here are some of the demands of these ex-Catholics that must be met for them to consider returning to the Catholic Church…(try not to laugh or cry)

• “allow civil marriage equality, approve birth control, consider ordaining women.”
• “Hierarchy start [sic] living like Christ.”
• “The church needs to stop focusing on fighting abortion, birth control, and gay marriage. I would suggest focusing on building our community and helping those in poverty”
• “Allowing priests to marry. Treating women as equals. Advocating birth control.”

And the Mass MUST be changed to suit them too!

• “Make EVERYTHING more upbeat, passionate and energetic. Make people look forward to coming to Mass because it energizes them and their faith.”
• “Jesus spent his days preaching to the people with stories and doing good works and most priests couldn't give a good homily to save their life. Even the gospel readings are done like a seventh grader reading to class and not like an important lesson from the book of God.”
• “Sunday night mass! I don't like to make the 20 minute drive to another city just to go to mass on Sunday nights, I would rather donate that money I spend on gas to my local church instead of going and giving very little.”
• “Yes, greatly reduce the performance and celebrate the Spirit's power through silence. Make the 90-minute human-led spectacle a 60-minute Spirit-led rejuvenation [sic]”

The next demand is to stop teaching them about sin!  They don’t want to hear it and they will go to Protestant churches so they don’t have to hear about sin and the need for confession.

• “if the catholic church [sic] began sending a message of honesty, truthfulness and a message that we are all simply human and are trying to navigate this life with out [sic] the impeding guilt and better than though i [sic] would consider returning.”
• “quit threatening us and tell us more about God loving and forgiving us. Stop being so pious when you're human like we are.”
• “yes, the Catholic Church needs to accept all people if they love God and love the Catholic Church as I do. I refuse to have an annulment which is basically saying my first marriage of 19 years which bore 2 children did not exist.”
• “only God will be our judge.. [sic] so how can we be critical of those that have alternative lifestyles.”

Now that they’ve demanded Dogmas, doctrines and the Mass be changed they have one more demand.  Change the priests;

• “only a kind, gentle, and loving priest”
• “priests that speak with passion and apply the knowledge to today's time.”
• “younger more enlightened priest that could relate the sermons to todays [sic] world.”
• “we need Priests, Deacons and Bishop that are willing to work love into the hearts of these parishioners.”

What saddened me even more was what was said by the ACTIVE Catholics still sitting in the pews, most especially the poll on their REASONS for attending Mass…

"Sense of Community" rated 358 while Receiving the Sacraments was only 60 and Religious Obligation ranked 32. Convenient Mass times trumps the Sacraments?  Even the "Active Catholics" are confused about why we SHOULD be attending Mass.

Encouraging comments from ACTIVE Catholics…

• “Our faith is an integral part of who we are. Attending church gives us strength in meeting the challenges of daily life. Because we have been members for a long time we also feel very connected to the families that attend the same mass we do as many of our children have "grown up" together. We've gotten to know many of the families and individuals who attend the same mass we do and enjoy the "connectedness" we have with them.”
• “I believe in the Catholic Church and this is my parish, born and raised where I raised my family. This parish has supported me thru good times and bad, it is where Our Lord gives me comfort”
• “I was raised in the Catholic Church, I believe it is my duty to attend Sunday Mass.”
• “I love my Catholic faith, our parish family, and the opportunities available at XXXX to pray, study, celebrate Mass and other sacraments in a warm, inviting family atmosphere.”
• “I attend to serve Jesus and the people. I attend to be close to Jesus, and partake of the Eucharist. I go to honor God as he has commanded. I enjoy the people around me, I go to be inspired throughout the week.”

Worrying comments by ACTIVE Catholics…

• “Sometimes the music is drab, some people are not friendly, our school, which is over 50% non-Catholic [sic] is a drain on our finances”
• “We don't have anything for the elderly, such as a potluck, we don't have anything to give support to young mothers, to give parenting skills to young familes [sic]. We have nothing for young, single adults, or for college kids.”
• “Sometimes it feels like they are always asking for money and if you don't give, you are not welcomed at some events. Some people seem to be friendly toward you but don't include you in some events.”
• “like most church communities there seem to be a shortage of youth, and a church community that is void of youth is a dying community”
• “We never seem to be caught up financially, it is stressful”

And here are the ACTIVE Catholics who want to see things like women priests, gay marriage and changes to Church teaching on birth control…

• “I don't understand why the Church is opposed to birth control that prevents conception - I think birth control is immeasurably better than abortion. I think priests should be allowed to marry and that women should have a larger voice. (I am a 60+ year old man).”
• “I think that the Catholic church [sic] should be more tolerant of people with different sexual orientation. I believe that this is genetically determined, and therefore determined by God. I also do not agree with the church's stance on birth control.”
• “I would not have a problem seeing women have the option of becoming priests. Also, it would not bother me if priests could marry. Lastly, I think people should attend mass because they really want to be there and not attend because they are afraid of committing a mortal sin.”
• “I feel that we get bogged down in legislation and that maybe our efforts need to go to education more. Abortion will never go away, but we can educate our young people as to what it is. We seem to be in the dark ages still. Women deserve leadership roles. We judge instead of accept people. Condemning gays does not feel loving. The whole pedophile thing is disgraceful. Acting like it never happens is not a solution. I'm glad our Pope sees this.”
• “Confession - since we have had so many questionable priest [sic], I don't trust any of them anymore to confess to.”
• “Beliefs against gays. Politics shouldn't mix with religion. Always demanding money.”

Oh the irony in this one…

• “I have a difficult time with the church's stance a [sic] some social issues, ie contraception and sexuality. I also feel that the church gets away from teaching about faith and what it means to be catholic.”

A bright light in the dimness…

• “More education on what the Church believes and why we are passionate about these issues. ‘Why we do what we do’ seems to be a big question for most people. Adult education is important, because at a lot of parishes people did not get an adequate education as children/teens.”
• “As a Traditional Catholic I don't like seeing the True Faith being undermined by a much more liberal Church of Nice crowd.”

So what are the concluding thoughts from this survey?  Don’t judge. *sigh*

Quote: "This study suggests Church doctrine plays a key role in individuals separating from the Catholic Church and it may be difficult to prevent current parishioners from leaving or to bring lapsed or drifting parishioners back to this faith community.
However, in the recent words of Pope Francis, “no one is saved alone, as an isolated individual, but God attracts us looking at the complex web of relationships that take place in the human community. God enters into this dynamic, this participation in the web of human relationships” (Spadaro 2013). Given our findings, parishes and pastors in the Diocese of Springfield may have opportunities to attract and retain those Catholics who currently consider themselves distanced or lapsed from their parish or Church through this web of human relationships. The continued pursuit of a welcoming, friendly, and judgment-free atmosphere in their church may create this human community that so many seek through group worship and therefore bring back those who have lapsed or drifted away."

This study SHOUTS OUT that people are IGNORANT of the teachings of the Faith and yet the Dioceses of Springfield, Ill concludes that the Church must be more “welcoming, friendly and judgement-free” to attract lost and new members.


Basically, they have learned nothing.


In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner



Wednesday, September 17, 2014

EWTN Airing Pope's Visit to Albania



EWTN To Air Pope’s Sept. 21 Visit to Albania


Irondale, AL – Pope Francis will make a one-day trip to Albania, a country of almost 2.9 million people in southeastern Europe, on September 21. Count on EWTN to air all the events made available to air during his brief visit.
 
Our Holy Father’s schedule calls for a courtesy visit with the Prime Minister, and an address to representatives of local civil authorities. The Pope will then offer Mass in Mother Teresa Square (Airs live at 5 a.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 21 on EWTN television and at 5 p.m. ET on EWTN Global Catholic Radio), followed by the Angelus, and lunch with the bishops of Albania at the Apostolic Nunciature.
 
In the afternoon, Pope Francis will meet with leaders of other religions and other Christian denominations (Airs live at 10 a.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 21 on EWTN). In the evening, he will celebrate Vespers with priests, religious brothers and sisters, seminarians, and member of different lay movements. Afterwards, he will meet with children from “Bethany Center,” where the Catholic Church assists needy children, as well as representatives from other charitable institutions, before flying home.
 
Please check our website, www.ewtn.com, as we get closer to the trip as times and availability of some of that day’s papal events are still being determined. Find an EWTN radio affiliate near you at http://www.ewtn.com/radio/radioaffiliatemap/, tune into SIRIUS satellite Channel #130, tune in via iHeart Radio or EWTN’s own website.
 

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 33rd year, is available in over 230 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com, electronic and print news services, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.

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