The Bachelorette reminds me of how grateful I am to be Catholic

I have watched several seasons (not all) of The Bachelor/Bachelorette on and off over the years. I am not watching this season however because I did watch the previous season where viewers were first introduced to Hannah Brown whom in my opinion is about as intelligent as a bag of rocks and more boring than watching grass grow. 

Try as I might to avoid Brown, a tweet on Twitter from Pat Robertson's CBN caught my eye. 

Hannah Brown, the "Christian" single woman having sex and looking for a husband on ABC's reality show "The Bachelorette" has declared "I am having physical relationships," and "The Lord made sex to be amazing!". 

Apparently, this self professed Christian believes fornication is perfectly acceptable to our Lord because, get this, "I can do whatever. I sin daily, and Jesus still loves me. It's all washed, and if the Lord doesn't judge me and it's all forgiven, then no other man, woman, animal -- anything, I don't know! -- can judge me!"

I've heard this before years ago when I first became Catholic and protestant "friends" on social media were trying to talk me out of being Catholic. They attempted to correct me about going to Confession for my sins by telling me "It's all washed!". Poof! the moment Jesus died on the cross all my sins past, present and future were already washed away so I could sin daily and not worry about it. No need to repent. 

To this day it shocks me that people who claim to love Jesus feel their sinning is harmless and acceptable to God because Jesus loves them. Brown doesn't deny fornication is a sin, she just justifies her sin by saying "Jesus loves me" and "the Lord doesn't judge me". Where in the world did she get that from? 

She is shocked by the responses she is getting from the Christian world after she went naked bungee-jumping with one of the bachelors on the show competing for her hand in marriage. 

I don't know what denomination Hannah belongs to, reports merely describe her as "a devout Christian". 👀🤦 Whoever is 'teaching' her about Christianity is either confused or diabolical and purposely leading her toward Hell rather than Heaven. 

What part of Christianity teaches naked bungee-jumping is appropriate at any time- let alone with two people who barely (no pun intended) know each other while a film crew records it and millions of viewers watch? Or that suddenly fornication is acceptable to God because Jesus loves us? People often forget that the woman found in fornication about to be stoned to death (John 8:3-11) was told to "sin no more" by Jesus. He didn't tell her "Hey, you can continue fornicating because I love you, it's all good." Rather he called out her sin and told her to stop. Same with the invalid at the pool (John 5:1-15) when Jesus said to him, "Behold thou art made whole: sin no more, lest some worse thing happen to thee."

Quote: She [Hannah Brown] told ET she feels "blessed" that producers decided to showcase Christianity on her season. "A lot of times, people get Christianity and religion messed up. Your faith should be something personal in a relationship and it's not to judge others," the Alabama native expressed. "Christianity is something you welcome others into. It should be a place where people feel safe and welcomed... and not to feel judged or shamed."

The irony of that statement. 🤦

Besides my frustration at this type of attitude I am mostly angry. I was really, really angry when I found the Truth in Catholicism because at that moment I knew that almost everything I thought I knew about Christianity was a lie. I had been lied to, my non-Catholic family had been lied to for generations and so many of them died in those lies. Makes me mad- furious really. 

I pray daily for the conversion of sinners. I pray for the blind to see because once not too long ago I was one of those blind idiots stumbling around in protestantism thinking just because I loved Jesus I was saved and had nothing to fear or worry about. I was a fool. I had been fed lies and believed them.

Thank you Jesus for answering my prayers and bringing me home to your Holy Catholic Church. I am ever so grateful. 
🙏

In Christ, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 



links: 

https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2019/june/jesus-and-premarital-sex-make-big-appearance-on-the-bachelorette

https://www.etonline.com/how-hannah-browns-season-is-changing-sex-and-religion-on-the-bachelorette-exclusive-127204 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/bachelorette-star-hannah-brown-hits-back-at-show-critics-1221699 

Holy Communion for Polygamists?

Pope Francis' excellent job of causing a "mess" in the Church continues with chaos in the African communities where polygamy is a troublesome issue in the culture. 

Cardinal Napier, Archbishop of Durban, South Africa recently tweeted: 

Before Pope Francis this was not a question. With Francis as pope everything seems to be questionable - because of course, who are we to judge?

Before Pope Francis we had: 

CONCERNING THE RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION BY DIVORCED AND REMARRIED MEMBERS OF THE FAITHFULVatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

[quote in part] "In some places it has also been proposed that in order objectively to examine their actual situation, the divorced and remarried would have to consult a prudent and expert priest. This priest, however, would have to respect their eventual decision in conscience to approach holy communion, without this implying an official authorization.
In these and similar cases it would be a matter of a tolerant and benevolent pastoral solution in order to do justice to the different situations of the divorced and remarried.
Even if analogous pastoral solutions have been proposed by a few fathers of the church and in some measure were practiced nevertheless these never attained the consensus of the fathers and in no way came to constitute the common doctrine of the church nor to determine her discipline. It falls to the universal magisterium, in fidelity to sacred Scripture and tradition, to teach and to interpret authentically the <depositum fidei>.
With respect to the aforementioned new pastoral proposals, this congregation deems itself obliged therefore to recall the doctrine and discipline of the church in this matter. In fidelity to the words of Jesus Christ, the church affirms that a new union cannot be recognized as valid if the preceding marriage was valid. If the divorced are remarried civilly, they find themselves in a situation that objectively contravenes God's law. Consequently, they cannot receive holy communion as long as this situation persists.
This norm is not at all a punishment or a discrimination against the divorced and remarried, but rather expresses an objective situation that of itself renders impossible the reception of holy communion.[end quote]

Jesus and our Church have always been very clear on this subject. 

Catholic Catechism: 

1665 The remarriage of persons divorced from a living, lawful spouse contravenes the plan and law of God as taught by Christ. They are not separated from the Church, but they cannot receive Eucharistic communion. They will lead Christian lives especially by educating their children in the faith.

With Francis as pope, suddenly it is a question because chaos and confusion is the new normal in our Church. 

Quote from CatholicCitizens.org: 

"For the African Church, this is a pressing issue. For example, in 2004 it was reported that nearly half of marriages in Senegal are polygamous. I know from my own former ministry in Kenya that polygamy is not at all unknown among Catholics. People in that sort of situation might well think that the admission of those in irregular second unions throws them some sort of lifeline.
Four Cardinals, as we know, have submitted five dubia to the Pope on the matter of the correct interpretation of Amoris Laetitia. Virtually every priest who has ever worked in Africa could submit a dubium on this matter too, namely, to quote Cardinal Napier: “If Westerners in irregular [marital] situations can receive Communion, are we to tell our polygamists and other ‘misfits’ that they too are allowed?”
If polygamists were ever admitted to Holy Communion for whatever reason, it would undo a century of work by the missionaries who have consistently taught that marriage is an exclusive and lifelong union between one man and one woman, and can only be dissolved by death. It would also severely damage the credibility of the Church, and undermine the authority of Scripture. Dubium means doubt, but on this matter there can be no doubt. We cannot admit polygamists to Holy Communion, whether serial ones of concurrent ones, whether Westerners or from other continents." [end quote] 

Who knew back in 2013 when the Holy Father said...

"I want to tell you something. What is it that I expect as a consequence of World Youth Day? I want a mess. We knew that in Rio there would be great disorder, but I want trouble in the dioceses!" he said, speaking off the cuff in his native Spanish. "I want to see the church get closer to the people. I want to get rid of clericalism, the mundane, this closing ourselves off within ourselves, in our parishes, schools or structures. Because these need to get out!"

...that we would be petitioning our Holy Father to clarify Holy Communion for adulterers and fornicators? 

Well Pope Francis, you have succeeded...you have given us a mess, disorder and trouble in dioceses around the world. 

I am sure your father is proud of your unholy accomplishments.

Well done, loyal servant to the devil, well done. 



In Christ, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 



Links: 

https://twitter.com/CardinalNapier/status/816969704489308160

http://catholiccitizens.org/news/69452/african-cardinal-asks-good-question-communion-polygamists/

http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/CDFDIVOR.htm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20130725/lt-brazil-pope/?utm_hp_ref=world&ir=world

How do you stop a pope who has gone off the rails?

"If the faith is in imminent peril, prelates ought to be accused by their subjects, even in public." -St. Thomas Aquinas 

How do we stop a pope who has clearly (for a while now) gone off the rails? 

No, seriously.  What do we do?  Sit by and watch as Pope Francis continues the downward spiral of spouting heretical ideology that is causing chaos and mass confusion in the world?

We do nothing?  Just stand by and watch people go to hell with a helping hand from the Vicar of Christ? 

How long do we keep saying "He hasn't officially changed Church teaching" to comfort ourselves when we've got a pope saying things like fornicators have "real marriages" because of their "fidelity to each other"? 

Quote: He [Pope Francis] said that in Argentina’s northeast countryside, couples have a child and live together. They have a civil wedding when the child goes to school, and when they become grandparents they “get married religiously.”
“It’s a superstition, because marriage frightens the husband. It’s a superstition we have to overcome,” the Pope said. “I’ve seen a lot of fidelity in these cohabitations, and I am sure that this is a real marriage, they have the grace of a real marriage because of their fidelity, but there are local superstitions, etc.”

When did fidelity fornication become sinless?  Is this not a "new teaching" by a Catholic pope?  How many people living in the mortal sin of cohabitation will now not even consider an actual valid marriage because Pope Francis has just made this latest SCANDALOUS statement?

So go ahead and fornicate folks, if you are loyal to each other Pope Francis "is sure" you have a "real marriage" even though you've never gotten married.  Pope Francis has just redefined the word "fornicator". 

Can the rest of the Catholic world now call Pope Francis' ideology heresy? 

What else will it take before we collectively call a spade a spade? 

When our first pope, Saint Peter was wrong about his treatment of the Gentile converts nearly everyone was silent.  It seemed no one was willing to step up and tell the pope he was wrong- then Saint Paul stood up and opened his mouth and corrected Saint Peter.  Peter accepted the correction and world didn't end.  Should it be any different today? 

I don't have to list all the things this pope has said and done over the last few years - you all know what I am talking about.

Is there no one at the Vatican willing to correct Pope Francis?  No one? No backbones to be found among the clergy?  What a disgrace!

Is it to fall to the laity here and there around the world, whom the pope probably doesn't hear and wouldn't listen to anyway, to speak up?

I know everyone sees it - including clergy, too many simply will not tell the truth about what we all see happening. 

Shame on you for your silence, souls are being lost and you sit by and do nothing to stop it!

In Christ and weeping, 


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 


Source: 
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/most-marriages-today-are-invalid-pope-francis-suggests-51752/



Catholic Church teaching (before Pope Francis): 

Catechism:

2353 Fornication is carnal union between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman. It is gravely contrary to the dignity of persons and of human sexuality which is naturally ordered to the good of spouses and the generation and education of children. Moreover, it is a grave scandal when there is corruption of the young.

2396 Among the sins gravely contrary to chastity are masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.


***ADDITION: 
Fox News article asking for Pope Francis to resign: 

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/06/17/enough-is-enough-pope-francis-should-resign.html

What about all the scandal caused by Catholic laity?

I hoard collect old and rare Catholic books.  I love reading these old books and want to share them with my blog readers.  I’ve got bookshelves in my house filled with them in assorted sizes complete with that wonderful (to me) old musty book smell. ;)

One of them I want to quote from today is called “The Fountain of Catholic Knowledge” written in 1899 and published in 1900. 

It’s a large book and this is just a small sample of one topic in it.  The section I am sharing today, and the topic I wish to discuss is on the Church’s teaching of the terrible sin of scandal and how very damaging it is and how this sin ruins souls and causes the loss of salvation if not corrected and repented of.

Scandal is all over, but many hardly notice it, unless it’s coming from inside the Church.  The media happily (and correctly) calls the sin coming from the Church 'sin' and 'scandalous' but doesn't apply the same standard to sin outside the Church. 

Sadly, the media is also full of reporting priests supporting gay ‘marriage’, supporting women priests, abuses at Mass, child molestation and cover ups…you get the picture.  Depending on the media source and topic it may or may not call these things 'sin'.  But this isn't about the media, it's about us Catholics.

These ripples of scandal have spread across the globe causing numerous Catholics to leave Christ’s Holy Catholic Church.

But what about all the scandal caused by Catholic laity?

Are you still scandalized when you see a Catholic “remarry” outside the Church after a divorce, hence entering into public adultery?  Are you scandalized by adultery or do you happily attend the wedding and buy the adulterating couple a wedding gift?

Are you still scandalized by pre-marital sex or have you become so desensitized by it that the sin of fornication barely registers in your brain as you pick out a house warming gift for the fornicators in your family who insist on living together before marriage?

Are you getting the picture yet?

These sins are no longer taboo in our secular society.  Adultery, fornication, lies, lust, greed etc are the norm on television, in books, magazines, online… we are submerged in the ‘normalcy’ of sin.  Secular society has declared ‘sin’ to be…well, no longer sin at all.  There is no sin today according to our society.  Society tells us that if you live with your boyfriend/girlfriend before marriage that it’s “your own business” and no one else’s.

That is wrong.  

People don’t have to see you having sex to figure out if you are living with someone as boyfriend/girlfriend sharing the same bed you are committing fornication.

That is scandal. 

Scandal is the ripple effect of one person’s sin made public.  When was the last time you heard a homily on the sin of scandal?  I never have.  Thankfully, I am a Catholic bookhoarderworm so I read these wonderful old Catholic books that teach me the depth of these Catholic teachings.

Please carefully read the below quote and reflect on your own life any occasion that you might have caused scandal and the ripple effect that went out into the world because of it.  If upon reflection you are free from the sin of scandal, good for you!  If not… get thee to confession as soon as possible.

[quote]  “To cheat and to steal are, certainly, not virtuous actions; if we do either, we sin against God, our neighbor, and ourselves; but to give scandal to others is still worse, for this is one of the greatest dangers which can menace a soul.

 Scandal is the evil which we do to others by the bad example that we give them.

A man does wrong, no one knows it; he is guilty in the sight of God; he will lose his own soul if he does not repent.  This is very certain and very lamentable, but at least his example has perverted no one.  But suddenly a man hides his wrong-doing no longer, his evil life becomes known and spoken of, he even speaks of it himself, boasts of it, and appears to glory in a miserable notoriety.  Others, attracted at first by curiosity, begin to make a little circle around him, and to regard him with admiration.  “At all events this man must get some pleasure and excitement out of life!” they begin to say; and thus it follows that the evil which they regarded too closely strikes them, they are gradually overpowered by it; and next we may see them enjoying themselves after the manner of their model; they imitate him, and soon they desire to go still further than he!  This is scandal!

One man offended God; at this hour there are ten, a hundred, a thousand… Death strikes the author of this scandal; he goes to stand before his heavenly Judge and render an account of all those thousand souls lost by his example!

Thus you see how incalculable are the effects of bad example.  How is it possible completely to retrieve a scandal?  We may desire to do it, but often it is quite beyond our power.  Our Lord said, ‘Woe to that man by whom scandal cometh.  It were better for him that a millstone should be hanged around his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea.’  He who knows everything, knew well that those who give scandal to their brethren stand upon the brink of their eternal ruin!  But, on the other hand, how happy a thing it is to give a good example!  It is to work in union with God Himself for the salvation of souls.  

 And how great is this power which each one of us possesses!  Consider the case of a young man who has been so unhappy as to give scandal to others by setting them an evil example; if he only examine himself, if he reflect, and consider the terrible account he will have to render, he becomes changed and converted; he was openly wicked, and is now openly a Christian!  His companions ridicule him; he pities them, he advises them to imitate him in his conversion; he sets an example of patience and temperance, of industry and morality, and, in the end, succeeds in saving a great number of those whom he would most certainly have led to destruction.

It is impossible to calculate the immense influence of example.  By means of this all-powerful influence whole families, parishes, schools, and communities are either saved or lost.  I have known a numerous family, worse than indifferent, become a model of religion and fervor, thanks to the holy influence of but one of its members, who, by turning to God with his whole heart, caused the light of faith to shine upon all who surrounded him through the force of example alone.  And I have known another family in which the apostasy of the eldest son led away into heresy a number of his brothers and sisters… How many parishes have been perverted, corrupted to their very centers by the scandal given by one priest!  In a college, in a school, one thoroughly bad child will entice into evil the greater part of his schoolfellows, and if the superiors do not arrest the contagion from its very commencement, by driving this black sheep out of their midst, the whole flock will surely be lost.  And finally, in a State, how incalculable are the evils, which, by a fatal necessity, are always produced by the immorality of a sovereign or by his irreligion!  Now, what is the conclusion to be drawn from all this?  That scandal is an immense evil.  He who has given scandal has but one chance of salvation, and that is by becoming entirely changed and setting a good example to those whom he formerly scandalized.
Human respect will often prove a stumbling-block; but we must gather courage; those who have dared to do evil must also dare to be repentant in the sight of all. [End quote]

We ARE our brother's keeper.

I've learned that each time I go to Confession, I have to very carefully reflect on the sin of scandal and take a good look at my life...sometimes I have more to confess than I first thought.

In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner

Book images from: http://www.princetonantiques.com/pab/product_info.php?products_id=9873

Quote Source: The Fountain of Catholic Knowledge – Published by the Office of Catholic Publications in the year 1900 [page 208-210]

Why is Fr. Barron endorsing a profanity filled fornication movie?

I just don’t understand Fr. Robert Barron at all.  I know of Fr. Barron from his appearances on EWTN, his assorted DVD's and his "Word on Fire" series.  I did not expect to see him support a teen movie that clearly goes against Catholic teaching for Catholic parents.

As a Catholic parent, I read A LOT about what the Church teaches and has taught on Catholic parenting.  One thing is very clear, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ALLOW YOUR CHILDREN TO BE SUBJECTED TO (this includes books, movies, television shows, video games etc.).

So when I saw Fr. Barron make a Youtube video ENDORSING the movie "The Fault in our Stars" I was not only shocked but extremely disappointed in Fr. Barron.  This is another example of the Church teaching one thing and a priest doing the opposite.

How can a priest put his stamp of approval on a movie that 1) takes the name of the Lord in vain, 2) depicts fornication (two teens having sex), and 3) uses terms like “a$$hole” and “bulls**t” and “freaking douche”?  

Is this what Fr. Barron (according to his Youtube video) wants our Catholic youth watching?  Really?

The movie “The Fault in our Stars” is about two teens dealing with cancer and what, if anything awaits them (all of us) after death.  But the issue I have is what else is included in the story- as mentioned above.

Movie clip: 

Here is Fr. Barron’s Youtube video endorsement of the movie:

Christian review of “The Fault in our Stars” by Christian magazine Thriving Family writes:

Authority roles:  Both Hazel's and Augustus' parents are loving, caring, and long suffering. Augustus' parents make him watch television in the living room rather than in the basement when he first brings Hazel to his house. Hazel's mother has devoted herself to taking care of her daughter. She insists Hazel attend the support group when she thinks Hazel is depressed. Later, Hazel discovers that her mother has been taking courses from a college and that she will soon get her degree in counseling so she can help other families in similar situations to theirs. Although Hazel's mother accompanies them to Amsterdam, she has no hesitation about leaving Hazel and Augustus alone. In fact, they have sex in his hotel room while she explores the museums.

Profanity/Graphic violence:  The dialogue is laced with profanity. H---, b--ch, bulls--t, b--tard and a variation of the f-word are used. A-- is used alone and with bad, hole and clown. God's name is used alone and with d--n and oh my. The phrase sweet holy Lord is used as well as sweet Jesus Christ. Other objectionable words are p---, p---ed, sucks, freaking douche, dumbbutt crap, gosh dang, boobs and boobies.
The only violence in the book is in the descriptions of the video game that Augustus and Isaac like to play. There are some fairly graphic descriptions of Hazel's and Augustus' illnesses. When Hazel is in the ICU, Augustus describes the black cancer fluid being drained from her lungs. Augustus soils the bed and vomits on himself as his body deteriorates.

Kissing/Sex/Homosexuality:   Isaac and his girlfriend kiss outside the church after a support group meeting. Hazel can tell that Isaac is feeling his girlfriend's breast while they kiss. Hazel's friend alludes to wanting to have sex with Augustus. Hazel looks up pictures of Augustus' old girlfriend on the Internet and sees several of the couple kissing. Augustus jokes that he thinks his grand gesture of including her in his wish should have gotten him laid. Augustus and Hazel kiss passionately in Anne Frank's house. Later that afternoon they have sex in his hotel room. It is intimated they have sex the following morning as well. When Augustus learns that Isaac has a computer program that will read his emails, he tells him that he'll send Isaac porn. After Augustus dies, Hazel and Isaac play his favorite video game but tell the characters to do sexual things like hump the wall instead of actually trying to win the game.

For me, this is NOT something a Catholic priest should endorse.

I am very disappointed in Fr. Barron for the grave scandal his endorsement might give to our youth.

Catechism: #2353 -Fornication is carnal union between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman. It is gravely contrary to the dignity of persons and of human sexuality which is naturally ordered to the good of spouses and the generation and education of children. Moreover, it is a grave scandal when there is corruption of the young.

In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner



PS - fans of the book who want to tell me about the "love" the book and movie depict can save your rantings and hate mail- you won't change my mind.  Anyone who fornicates and doesn't repent is GOING TO HELL.  
Fornication depicted in books and movies is CORRUPTING society. That isn't love, it is hate. Catholic priests, laity and parents NEED to teach that reality, not the misguided lie that 'if its love God is ok with it'.  If you love someone, you don't fornicate with them.  God is NEVER ok with fornication- its a mortal sin that sends people to hell.  Period.

Movie Review Source:  http://www.thrivingfamily.com/Family/Media/book-reviews/f/fault-in-our-stars.aspx