Was Jesus confused about who he was?

So I see this Tweet...

Asking "Who did Jesus think he was?" 😒

My first thought is: Where do you begin with 'Catholics' like this? As if God didn't know He was God!

I clicked the link to this retreat... 

"This is a series of 3 study days.
The first part of the course will examine how Jesus fits into the Jewish and political world of Roman Palestine and how he understood himself and his mission in that context.  (He seems to have directed his mission only to Jews and not to Gentiles: why?  How did he view his death?)  These questions have been extensively studied in recent ‘Life of Jesus Research’, sometimes in a very sceptical way.  What can we say about his self-understanding?  
The second part will consider how his self-interpretation was elaborated and amplified in the Church’s teaching that this particular man should be understood as the incarnation of God’s Word.  Is the idea of someone who is ‘divine’ and human’ credible?  When you focus on Jesus the Galilean Jew, does this undermine belief in him as the divine Son of God?  Or does it ‘flesh out’ what Incarnation really might mean?" 

At first I was just disgusted and angry reading this. Then I felt fear. I've been reading a lot of end times things, Bible, Saints, prophecies etc, lately and all I am left with is fear for the flock. Our shepherds aren't protecting us or educating most of us to give us the tools against modernists and those hell bent on destroying the Faith and leading people into confusion and doubt. And then I took a moment and thought maybe its not what I thought, cause I don't think very highly of the Jesuits these days (minus Father Mitch over at EWTN). 

So perhaps this retreat is truly about answering people who have these questions. I'm going to hope for the best here, and believe this isn't a modernist retreat meant to cause confusion and sew protestant theology into the minds of the Catholic Faithful.

That said, anyone considering this "retreat" save yourself the cash and confusion. Just open your Bible, all the answers are right there.

1) Who did Jesus think he was? 

John 10:30 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition30 "I and the Father are one."

2) He seems to have directed his mission only to Jews and not to Gentiles: why?  

Because he was the Messiah the Jews had been waiting for. The pagans were not waiting for a Messiah, they had their idols. That said, Jesus wanted all to come to Him for salvation, but he came first to preach to the Jews and show them He was their Messiah. 

Mark 7:25-30 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 25 For a woman as soon as she heard of him, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, came in and fell down at his feet.
26 For the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophenician born. And she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
27 Who said to her: Suffer first the children to be filled: for it is not good to take the bread of the children, and cast it to the dogs.
28 But she answered and said to him: Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat under the table of the crumbs of the children.
29 And he said to her: For this saying go thy way, the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
30 And when she was come into her house, she found the girl lying upon the bed, and that the devil was gone out.

3) How did he view his death?

Jesus viewed his death as a sacrifice. God was Incarnate for the purpose of being our Sacrifice so we might have eternity in Heaven with Him. 

John 10:16-18  Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 16 And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth the Father love me: because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.
18 No man taketh it away from me: but I lay it down of myself, and I have power to lay it down: and I have power to take it up again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

4) What can we say about his self-understanding?

We can say Jesus had a perfect self understanding about himself because he says so. There is no confused bewildered Jesus wandering around in the Scriptures trying to find his inner God.

John 10 24 The Jews therefore came round about him, and said to him: How long dost thou hold our souls in suspense? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them: I speak to you, and you believe not: the works that I do in the name of my Father, they give testimony of me.
26 But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep.
27 My sheep hear my voice: and I know them, and they follow me.
28 And I give them life everlasting; and they shall not perish for ever, and no man shall pluck them out of my hand.
29 That which my Father hath given me, is greater than all: and no one can snatch them out of the hand of my Father.
30 I and the Father are one.

5) Is the idea of someone who is ‘divine’ and human’ credible?  

Yes, if you're a Christian.

John 1:14 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

and... 

Romans 1:1-4 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2 Which he had promised before, by his prophets, in the holy scriptures,
3 Concerning his Son, who was made to him of the seed of David, according to the flesh,
4 Who was predestinated the Son of God in power, according to the spirit of sanctification, by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead;

6) When you focus on Jesus the Galilean Jew, does this undermine belief in him as the divine Son of God?  

No. Never. 

Philippians 2:5-11 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 5 "For let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man.
8 He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.
9 For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names:
10 That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth:
11 And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father."

7) Or does it ‘flesh out’ what Incarnation really might mean?

1 Timothy 3:16 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition 16 "And evidently great is the mystery of godliness, which was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the spirit, appeared unto angels, hath been preached unto the Gentiles, is believed in the world, is taken up in glory."

I love being Catholic, but right now I am heartbroken for my Church and souls being lost. I truly hope this retreat is sound and faithful to the Faith and not more modernist poison. 

Jesuit quote: "These questions have been extensively studied in recent ‘Life of Jesus Research’, sometimes in a very sceptical way." 

The answers to all these questions are right in the Bible. There is no reason to be skeptical or debate what is clearly stated in Sacred Scripture and has been taught by the Church for more than two thousand years.


God help us all in these troubled times.


In Christ, 

Julie 



Link: https://www.pathwaystogod.org/courses-events-retreats/jewish-jesus-and-divine-christ 

The Great Adventure Catholic Bible

OK, the title is kinda hokey but I like what this Bible will include. 

Ad quote: How you’ll learn... 

*Color-coding for easy reference. Uses the popular Bible Timeline system that’s used by hundreds of thousands of Catholics to learn the Bible 

*Articles to help you understand the overarching story and important covenants that tie the entire Bible together. 

*Key event callouts to help you quickly identify important points in the Bible that ordinarily take readers a long time to find and categorize in their head. 

*Detailed charts giving a visual overview of important characters, key events, maps, major covenants, and historical context. 

*Newly Designed Full-Color Maps to help visualize Bible story locations.

Being a convert to Catholicism, I grew up using Protestant reference Bibles- I adored them because they taught about the people, places and background information about the stories in the Bible. Granted it was flawed because it was Protestant, but my point is, I always wanted more information for better understanding of what I was reading in the Bible - reference Bibles gave that to me. 

Now I'm thrilled to find a new Catholic "reference" Bible being published that seems to include all those things. 

Ad quote from Ascension Press: 

Features
*A full-color Bible with a beautiful eye-catching design 

*Each book of the Bible is color-coded with printed tabs, indicating where it belongs within The Bible Timeline. 

*Twelve Timeline charts provide a visual overview of the Bible, including: important characters, Key Events, geography, major covenants, world rulers, and contemporary events in secular history. 

*Twelve articles give a summary and explanation of each period of salvation history. 

*Seven articles introduce and explain the major covenants of salvation history, showing God’s amazing plan for humanity. 

*Seventy Key Event call-outs provide a brief description of the milestones in the biblical narrative. 

*Includes sixteen newly designed full-color maps. 

*The words of Jesus are printed in red. 

*Revised Standard Version – Second Catholic Edition. 

*Granted an Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat through the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis 

*Two ribbon markers.

Source: https://shop.ascensionpress.com/products/the-great-adventure-catholic-bible 



In Christ, 

Julie @Connecticut Catholic Corner 

Vatican removes Bible from its website...

Another, why am I shocked moment brought to me by the Holy Catholic Church under the current direction of Pope Francis. 

What possible reason could the Vatican have for removing Sacred Scriptures...our Holy Bible from the Vatican website?

And what mental midget thought this was a good idea? 

Did Pope Francis give his approval? Was it his idea? 

Again...why?  

What purpose does it serve to remove our Sacred Scriptures from the Vatican website? 

I just don't get it. 

Vatican link to no where: http://www.vatican.va/archive/bible/index.htm

*hat tip to Da Tech Guy Blog


In Christ, 

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 

Outside the Church there is no salvation...

This argument discussion comes up continually in my Catholic circles. I hear people quoting assorted Saints and who said what before and after Vatican II as a way of determining whether or not a reference is reliable. The more authentic orthodox crowd always wants the resources from at least a decade or two prior to VII and the more...how should I say it...today's-typical-Catholic want whatever is new and clear to their thinking. Each is basing their acceptance of material on how they were taught the faith and what sort of education they received and by whom. 

For new Catholics coming into the Church through RCIA you probably never heard this discussed at all. And if you were Protestant, you still might unwittingly carry along your Protestant ideas that "anyone who has Jesus in their heart" is saved. That concept is usually shattered the first time they hear a Catholic quote "Outside the Church there is no salvation". Then fear sets in because very often a convert is leaving behind a family member or friend in some other faith community. 

That is good fear. Good because it should prompt you to want to work hard to help bring as many people into the Church as possible in your lifetime. If you do that and live your Catholic life to the best of your ability following the Teachings of the Church, you have the true hope of hearing Jesus say to you one day "Well done, good and faithful servant." What joy! 

That holy fear of people losing their souls to damnation used to (and in some cases still does) make Catholics battle for the souls of their loved ones and even for complete strangers. The battles could be verbal with those outside the Church or the Catholic could grab their rosary beads and get on their knees, do penance or even offer a Mass. These Catholics were/are working for the salvation of others to bring them into the True Church Christ founded on earth. We as Catholics are all called to do this. 

It's not easy trying to turn someone towards the Church where salvation is found, but it is our Christian duty. Why wouldn't we? Unless of course we think salvation can be found outside the Church. No worries if that was the case! Easy, smooth sailing into eternal bliss. If Christ's words "Pick up your crosses and follow me" are flashing in your mind right now you've been paying attention to your catechism. Getting to heaven is not a stroll in the park and there is only One Church Christ founded to help get us to Heaven.

Face it, if any old faith community would do, then why did Christ bother founding and safeguarding only One Church through the centuries? Assorted denominations have popped up and gone down, been reformed and deformed over and over again with doctrines coming and going with the changing times. Why didn't Jesus safeguard those communities that all claimed to be followers of Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit? 

Because none of them were created by Christ with the full Truth. His Holy Catholic Church is holy because He made Her so. Through Her comes our salvation, through the Sacraments Jesus Christ endowed Her with. Precious gifts from Christ to those people of good will who seek Him in Truth and in His Church. 

I learned the Catholic Faith mostly from writings safeguarded and held by the Church since the beginning. Not through the new writings in "the spirit of Vatican II", but in the old writings, things written over the centuries. Beautiful writings I found in books more than a hundred years old published by the Holy Catholic Church. If you haven't been blessed to read such books I can't accurately describe the beauty in the honest, straight forward to the point writings the Church once gifted the Faithful with. Nowhere in these books are the opinions of men, but rather the pure holy teachings the Church held so dear for so long. These now haggard and musty old books are absolutely priceless to me.

These books published by the Church are fantastic teaching tools, that leave no questions after reading them. The priest's quotes are authentic Catholicism. Not the insane nonsense and putrid ramblings of Catholic clergy nowadays who declare "we have the hope that all men are saved" and "we have to hold to the existence of hell at least as a possibility" (this coming from Bishop Robert Barron- hell is not a sure thing, its merely a possibility at this point in time. God save us from Bishop Barron!) 

No, no and no again. No we don't have that hope. We can dream it if we want to delude ourselves for a moment or two, but we don't have that actual hope. Saint Paul said "with fear and trembling work out your salvation". How could anyone think we can hope all men are saved if most men don't work out their own salvation with fear and trembling? And no, hell is not a "possibility", Hell is a reality according to Jesus. 

So who is in Hell? All those who died outside the Church? Depending on who you ask in the Church the answers you get will more than likely differ. 

Those holding to "old school" Catholicism might quote from one of those old books the Catholic Church used to publish, like "The Catholic Manual of the Holy Catholic Church", Catholic Art and Publication Office, Chicago, Ill, copyright 1906. 

Quote [this is in a Q&A form]:  

Q: Are there any other direct proofs from scripture to show that out of the Church of Christ there is no Salvation?  

A: Yes, these two will be mentioned here: First, Christ, speaking of those who were not yet joined in the communion of his Church, but whom he foreknew would make a good use of the graces he would give them for that purpose, says, "Other sheep I have who are not of this fold, them I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd," John x.16. : where he plainly declares, that all of those sheep, who are not yet of his fold, must be brought to it, as a necessary condition of their salvation.   Second, In consequence of this settled disposition of the divine providence, no sooner did the apostles begin to preach the gospel, than immediately "the Lord added daily to the Church such as should be saved," Acts ii.47. which evidently show that all who are not added to the Church are out of the way of salvation. [end quote] 

That is the sort of books I read that led me to become Catholic. It's pure and perfectly clear - at least to me. 

Now reading some of what came out of Vatican II, this can get a bit hazy...

Lumen gentium 16 [1964]
Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the people of God.(18*) In the first place we must recall the people to whom the testament and the promises were given and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh.(125) On account of their fathers this people remains most dear to God, for God does not repent of the gifts He makes nor of the calls He issues.(126); But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Mohamedans, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things,(127) and as Saviour wills that all men be saved.(128) Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.(19*) Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.(20*) She knows that it is given by Him who enlightens all men so that they may finally have life. But often men, deceived by the Evil One, have become vain in their reasonings and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, serving the creature rather than the Creator.(129) Or some there are who, living and dying in this world without God, are exposed to final despair. Wherefore to promote the glory of God and procure the salvation of all of these, and mindful of the command of the Lord, "Preach the Gospel to every creature",(130) the Church fosters the missions with care and attention. [Source: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html ]

Let's look at one more "oldie". 

From my book "The Catholic Instructor: An Educational Library of Ready Reference with an Encyclopedia Dictionary", The Office of Catholic Publications, New York, copyright 1910, page 153. 

Quote (again in Q&A form):  

Q: May not persons be saved in any religion?   

A: No, certainly; St. Paul tell us, Heb. xi 6, "That without faith it is impossible to please God." And St. Peter assures us, Acts iv. 12, "That there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we may be saved, but the name of Jesus." And Christ himself tell us, Mark xvi, 16, "He that believeth not, shall be condemned." So that it is manifest from the holy Scripture, that true faith is necessary for salvation. Now true faith, in order to please God and save souls, must be entire, that is to say, we must believe without exception, all such articles as by God and His Church are proposed to be believed; and he that voluntarily and obstinately disbelieves any one of these articles, is no less void of true saving faith, than he that disbelieves them all. As St. James tells us, with regard to practical duties, chap. ii. 10, "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." Hence St. Paul, Gal. v. 20, reckons heresies, that is, false religions, amongst those works of the flesh, of which he pronounces, "that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." And God, himself, Isa. ix.12, tells His Church, "the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee, shall parish." [end quote]

How do you answer the question "Is there salvation outside the Catholic Church?" 

What do you tell your loved ones who are outside the Church? 

Do you evangelize? 

I'd love to hear your stories, leave a comment or drop me an email. 

God bless! May we all be found INSIDE the Catholic Church before our dear Lord calls us home.



In Christ,

Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 

This weeks surfing around the web...

Welcome to this weeks hodgepodge of what caught my eye while surfing the Internet. 

Rainbows and more rainbows...the hijacked rainbows that once reminded Christians of God's promise to the world, now mocks God with the mortal sin of homosexual acts being legalized and promoted around the globe.

First up, the gay orgies going on at the Vatican - I should say continuing at the Vatican. This isn't really breaking news as we've heard it before and certainly at this point no Catholic should be surprised by this...disgusted, yes, but surprised, no. 

But hey, what the hell...who am to judge? Right? Isn't that the prevailing attitude being spread by Pope Francis among the laity and clergy? When do we hear from the Holy Father about the fact that the Church has always taught homosexual acts are mortal sin that lead to the damnation of souls? Eternity in Hell is sort of a big deal right? Does the pope think so?

I can't help but wonder if or how Pope Francis judges these situations? Does he worry about these souls? Does he worry about the scandal they cause the rest of the world? The ripple effect it has on the gay community and their families who are taking their cues from pro-gay clergy pushing their progressive (progressing to hell that is) agenda and warping minds? 

Sadly, with Pope Francis, Catholics everywhere have to wonder: does Pope Francis care about these things at all?

We really don't know with this pope. 

Do the words of Christ to St. Catherine have any effect on our dear "Who-Am-I-To-Judge" Pope Humbleness himself? 

The sad story of the goings on at the Vatican...

Quote: "ROME—It all started with the usual complaints from disgruntled neighbors: funny smells, slamming doors, loud music, the sound of squeaky beds and laughter late into the night. In almost any other situation anywhere in the world, the angry neighbors would have confronted the noisy tenant, maybe left a mean note on the door or complained to the landlord and the matter would be settled.But this particular dispute occurred in one of the most prestigious addresses in Rome, the so-called Ex Sant’Uffizio Palace, in the very apartment owned by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith where Joseph Ratzinger lived for decades before becoming Pope Benedict XVI. The palatial ochre-colored building is home to dozens of high-ranking cardinals who live within walking distance of their jobs at the Roman Curia in Vatican City next door.The fed-up neighbors were simply sick of what they described as a “steady stream of young men” who frequented Ratzinger’s former apartment, which had been given to Monsignor Luigi Capozzi, the secretary for Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, who heads the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, which busies itself with deciphering and clarifying various points of canon law. So they called the cops, in this case the Vatican’s elite Swiss Guard gendarmerie unit, when the noise and movida nightlife just got to be too much.The Vatican police showed up to find an orgy in progress, with an untold number of naked men allegedly writhing around the floor with Capozzi and his cohorts, who were apparently under the influence of hard drugs according to the Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano which broke the story that a host of Italian and international media have since picked up."

Source: http://www.thedailybeast.com/the-vaticans-swiss-guards-break-up-a-drug-fueled-gay-orgy-in-pope-francis-backyard

***

And in other gay Catholic news this week to mention...this is a good mention. 

Archbishop Chaput wrote an excellent article over at CatholicPhilly.com that everyone should read. He points out the error in heretic Fr. James Martin's approach to affirming all things LBGTQ without correcting the gay community or telling them they must stop sinning in gay relationships and convert to the Truth and live their lives accordingly and he uses Sacred Scripture to do it. 

Quote: Christians are always, in a sense, outsiders.  We have the joy and privilege to be a leaven for good in society.  That’s an exhilarating vocation.  It means working for as much justice and virtue in human affairs as we can.  We have a special obligation to serve the weak and the poor, and to treat even those who hate us with love.
But while we’re in the world and for the world, we’re never finally of the world.  And we need to understand what that means.
Writing in the mid-first century to “all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints” — and despite the dangers and frustrations he himself faced — St. Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed …” (Rom 1:7, 16-17).
Paul’s Letter to the Romans became a key text of the New Testament.  The Church has always revered it as part of the inspired Word of God and incorporated it into her thought and practice.  The books of Scripture, even when they’re morally demanding, are not shackles.  They’re part of God’s story of love for humanity.  They’re guide rails that lead us to real dignity and salvation.
That’s a good thing.  Much of human history – far too much — is a record of our species’ capacity for self-harm.  The Word of God is an expression of his mercy.  It helps us to become the people of integrity God created us to be.  As Paul reminds us, we’re “called to be saints.”
Sometimes Scripture’s lessons toward that end can be hard.  But God cannot lie.  His Word always speaks the truth.  And the truth, as Jesus tells us in the Gospel, makes us free.  This is why Christians must never be ashamed of God’s Word – even when it’s inconvenient.
Which brings us to the heart of my comments this week.
In Romans 1:21-27, speaking of the men and women of his time “who by their wickedness suppress the truth,” Paul wrote:
“… for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools….
“Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
“For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions.  Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.”
If reading that passage makes us uneasy, it should.  Many of Paul’s Roman listeners had the same response.  Jesus didn’t come to affirm us in our sins and destructive behaviors – whatever they might be — but to redeem us.  Paul’s message was as resented in some quarters then as it is now.  In an age of sexual confusion and disorder, calls to chastity are not just unwelcome.  They’re despised.  But that doesn’t diminish the truth of the words Paul wrote, or their urgency for our own time.
What we do with our bodies matters.  Sex is linked intimately to human identity and purpose.  If our lives have no higher meaning than what we invent for ourselves, then sex is just another kind of modeling clay.  We can shape it any way we please.  But if our lives do have a higher purpose – and as Christians, we find that purpose in the Word of God — then so does our sexuality.
Acting in ways that violate that purpose becomes a form of self-abuse; and not just self-abuse, but a source of confusion and suffering for the wider culture.  The fact that an individual’s body might incline him or her to one sort of damaging sexual behavior, or to another very different sort, doesn’t change this.
This can be a difficult teaching.  It’s easy to see why so many people try to finesse or soften or ignore Paul’s words.  In a culture of conflict, accommodation is always the least painful path.  But it leads nowhere.  It inspires no one.  “Fitting in” to a society of deeply dysfunctional sexuality results in the ruin that we see in so many other dying Christian communities.
In his recent book “Building a Bridge” (HarperOne), Father James Martin, S.J., calls the Church to a spirit of respect, compassion and sensitivity in dealing with persons with same-sex attraction.  This is good advice.  It makes obvious sense.  He asks the same spirit from persons in the LGBT community when dealing with the Church.  Father Martin is a man whose work I often admire.  “Building a Bridge,” though brief, is written with skill and good will.
But what the text regrettably lacks is an engagement with the substance of what divides faithful Christians from those who see no sin in active same-sex relationships.  The Church is not simply about unity – as valuable as that is – but about unity in God’s love rooted in truth.
If the Letter to the Romans is true, then persons in unchaste relationships (whether homosexual or heterosexual) need conversion, not merely affirmation.  If the Letter to the Romans is false, then Christian teaching is not only wrong but a wicked lie.  Dealing with this frankly is the only way an honest discussion can be had." [clipped]

Source: http://catholicphilly.com/2017/07/think-tank/archbishop-chaput-column/a-letter-to-the-romans/

The only "affirmation" anyone should need to know is that if you truly repent you are doing as Christ asked of us all. You are affirming your dedication to Christ in repenting of sin and turning yourself in a new direction to avoid sin to the best of your abilities. No one should ever be affirmed IN their sin as Fr. James Martin continually does. 

Christ is looking for our affirmation of living our lives for Him. That is what the Church should be teaching us about affirming one another in our Faith, not in our sexual escapades outside of marriage.  

***

In another Fr. James Martin story this week, the pro-homosexual priest is advocating for gay clergy to come out of the closet...because he thinks it will benefit the gay community to see how gay clergy can lead chaste lives...apparently he hasn't seen the Vatican gay orgies story! 

Quote: In the interview, the Jesuit priest and editor-at-large of America magazine spoke about his new pro-homosexual book Building a Bridge. He said the Church is beginning to shift its “approach” to homosexuals, thanks to Pope Francis.
“There are two reasons for this shift. One is Pope Francis. His saying ‘Who am I to judge?’ about gay people; his public meeting with Yayo Grassi, his former student who is gay, during his papal visit to the United States; his comments in Amoris Laetitia [which have been used to allow practicing homosexuals to receive Communion]. And the bishops who Pope Francis is appointing in the United States are much more LGBT friendly,” he said.
“The second thing is the increased number of LGBT Catholics who are coming out and making LGBT issues much more important for the church as a whole,” he added.
The interviewer asked Fr. Martin about his claim in his new book that there are “thousands” of homosexual clergy who have not “come out,” wanting to know why they keep their sexuality secret.
“Several reasons,” replied Martin. “One, their bishops or religious superiors ask them not to come out. Two, they fear reprisals from parishioners. Three, they fear it would be divisive. Four, they are private people. Five, they are not fully aware of their sexuality. And lastly, people have mistakenly conflated homosexuality and pedophilia, and so priests don't want to come out because they fear they'll be labeled a pedophile.”
Fr. Martin then agreed that it would make a “difference” in the Church if more homosexual clergy “came out.”
“It would help to show Catholics in the pews what a gay person is like and, incidentally, how gay people can live chastely. The great irony is that these men and women are living out exactly what the church asks of LGBT people — chastity and celibacy — and they are not allowed to talk about it. They are doing great work under a strange cloud that should not exist,” he said."[clipped]

Source: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/homosexual-clergy-should-come-out-to-show-how-gay-people-can-live-chastely


***

Muslims groups in Malaysia and Indonesia are calling for a boycott of Starbucks over the chains support of LBGTQ support. 

These Muslims are not stopping there. They are working to get the business/trading licences revoked not only from Starbucks but also from Microsoft and Apple, other large companies that push the gay agenda on nations. 

Quote: "Malaysian group Perkasa called on its more than 500,000 members to stay away from Starbucks shops, and leaders of Indonesia's second largest Muslim group, Muhammadiyah, with about 29 million members, also denounced the chain.The groups are apparently reacting to comments made several years ago by former chief executive Howard Schultz in support of gay rights that drew renewed attention amid an increasingly anti-LGBT climate in both countries.Shares of the company that operates Starbucks in Indonesia fell this week but its stores in the capital Jakarta appeared as popular as ever."

Full article: http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/malaysian-and-indonesian-groups-call-for-starbucks-boycott-over-lbgt-support-796620.html

***

The final thing that caught my eye this week is a Vatican apartment up for grabs. 

Word of advice to Catholic clergy with homosexual tendencies seeing this ad, a 1 bedroom apartment advertised for 4 people is not a good idea for you and your brother priests to share. Avoid temptation. 

Apartment advertisement: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/19408668



In Christ,


Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner 

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. ² And you are arrogant! Should you not rather have mourned, so that he who has done this would have been removed from among you?³ For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present I have already pronounced judgment ⁴ 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.

⁶ 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. ⁸ 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.

Source: http://helenair.com/news/local/no-resolution-in-sight-for-two-gay-men-and-lewistown/article_5f854162-be4a-5cd5-a3c4-f82e9b87f609.html

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/09/17/i-thought-i-could-be-a-gay-jesuit-priest-i-cant-believe-how-wrong-i-was/

Quotes:  http://www.fisheaters.com/forums/index.php?topic=3457508.40