Pride is the sin that fell Lucifer and something to be on guard against. However most Catholics who faithfully make their Sunday obligation who PopeWatch has encountered have not been proud of this, but rather quite aware of their sins and how far they fall from the Glory of God. The chief sin of our time is a belief that people are essentially perfect and will be saved no matter how wretched their conduct. The Pope caters to this attitude.
Pope Francis should bring out a line of trademark cilice we can all wear to Sunday Mass. Stop them happy folk coming out of mass smiling and stuff.
Pope Francis is the exact reason why an otherwise good Catholic would stop going to what nowadays too often passes for Mass. Milquetoast preaching, heterodox liturgy, social justice crap, LGBTQ inclusion, environmental eco-wackism, Pachamama idolatry, feminism, etc. ad nauseam.
And on a related note, did anyone else happen to catch EWTN’s “News In Depth” this past Friday or one of the “encore” showings over the weekend? The one in which the hostess, Montse Alvarado, gushed about, and I quote, “these ten wonderful years” with Francis? It appears that Raymond Arroyo may be the only remaining member of EWTN’s staff who is willing to tell the truth about this disastrous reign. My incensed letter to the CEO, Michael Warsaw, will likely be ignored. Mother Angelica would fire them all.
This quote coming from one of the world’s biggest ego maniacs. He’s beyond parody.
There seems to be a mode of thinking in the modern church that if we make people outside the church welcome, they will be more likely to come to church and experience the faith. Fair enough. However, the modernists believe that such welcome requires us to project an acceptance of sinful lifestyles these outsiders have no intention of changing. Thus we come to Francis, who believes the piety of faithful is an impediment to welcome, rather than the obstinate refusal to acknowledge sin being a barrier to conversion and grace. He would fill the churches with apathetic hedonists receiving watered-down messages of acceptance that affirm the current state of their souls, and call it evangelization.
The “all are welcome” mantra actually differs quite a bit from Early Church practice, when friendly non-Christians would listen at the doors of churches, catachumens went through rigorous preparation, observing the sacred mysteries was for Catholics only and those guilty of serious sin had to wait years to be readmitted, thronging outside the doors in sack clothe and ashes. How different from our practice, especially in how well it worked.
Expect little from people and that is what you will get. Expect much and mountains may be moved.
That is such a powerful clip about the tax collector! Very moving. Thanks for posting that. One of my Bible group members shared a clip from “chosen” about the call of Matthew –
I know this is off the subject for this post, but “chosen” is such a fail compared to the clip you showed — and compared to a study of the Caravaggio painting too!
I don’t know any Good Catholics that go to Mass on Sunday and boast of their righteousness.
I see them spending hours baking pies, preparing fish and stirring vegetables for the fish fry dinners on Friday. Profits going to help local food pantries, and expenses for the poor. I see them bringing groceries to shut in’s. I see them when they visit the lonely in Nursing homes. Weekly they volunteer helping their neighbors. I see them stand in front of Planned Parenthood every week, never retreating because of inclement weather. I see them making hospital visits and visiting the jail system but never…never have I ever heard them boast of their righteousness.
I do hear them give all glory and honor to God when a recipient they ministered too cry’s tears of thanksgiving. Or when one, who has left the sacraments for various reasons, has agreed to return and accepts the invitation to reconciliation. And the person who aided him back to Church points his index finger heavenward, when assailed with praise by the repentant, and said; “Give thanks to God, not to me.”
But never have I heard them boast.
I feel sorry for the leader of the Holy Catholic Church. He must be surrounded by inauthentic Catholics to have to make statements like his.
Or maybe he is just unhappy.
Joy is a natural expression of those who spend their lives in the service of others. Their Joyful because God cannot be outdone in generosity.
His love lives in these servants.
A person who is miserable and professes the faith is a person who is at odds with himself. Joy and the spreading of Joy is contagious.
Attitudes are too.
May ours be worth catching.
I go to Mass to see Jesus Christ.
Expect little from people and that is what you will get. Expect much and mountains may be moved.
Yes!
Philip Nachazel
Very good comment. Thanks.