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Trust the Church or make "considered decisions"?
Topic Started: Wednesday, 13. May 2009, 20:26 (156 Views)
Rose of York
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Only one Christian denomination makes a claim to be THE ONE True Church.

Some say "we should think things out, not just accept what the Pope says".

The Catholic Church is so firm in her teachings, if I did not accept that Jesus gave the Church, led by the Bishop of Rome, authority to teach, I would look around and find something that suits me.

Down the road there's a super duper non conformist church, with state of the art facilities. It is very comfy, and accessible to all disabilites. Once a week they have lunch, everybody welcome. I've been to the lunches, there are young mothers, children, middle aged and elderly people. It is a very friendly place. On the social level they put my local church to shame. I could give their religious services a try. I am told the preacher is very good and the community mutually supportive.

In the other direction there is a High Church place, very interesting architecturally, pre Reformation. Their notice board advertises Mass, Confessions, and Rosary. A friend who goes there says liturgical standards are very high.

In town, there's an independent Christian church, it has a good reputation for fellowship.

Not one of those churches belongs to an organisation that has:

Authority to teach

Seven sacraments

I'll stay where I am. The Holy Catholic Church, given the keys to the Kingdom, by God the Son, is my teacher and guide. When I think the Church is wrong, deep down I know she is RIGHT.
Keep the Faith!

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JRJ

:agree:
Jennifer
hubby's dinosaur blog
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Ned

Rose of York
Wednesday, 13. May 2009, 20:26
The Holy Catholic Church, given the keys to the Kingdom, by God the Son, is my teacher and guide. When I think the Church is wrong, deep down I know she is RIGHT.
I don't think that it's always that straightforward, Rose.

It's not a very pleasant example, but it's the one that comes to mind - the long-term cover-up of child abuse.

If I had ever been placed a situation, and I was aware of it (as many of his parishioners were) then I would rather have had a relative buried by a Methodist minister than by Rev Fr Sean Fortune.

And don't forget that Fr Fortune was over in London for a spell !
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Joe Valente
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Ned,

I think that the trust referred to is in spiritual guidance and matters of dogma. The wrong decisions thatwere made concerning Fr, Fortune were neither spiritual nor dogma based. The Church has suffered badly over those decisions made in error and great pain has been caused to many but it does not alter my faith in the teachings and guidance of the Church in all spiritual matters.
.
As an aside, personally, I would prefer the undertaker to either the Methodist minister or Fr. Fortune. :angel:
What doth it profit a man if he gains the whole world but suffers the loss of his soul
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Deacon Robert
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"When I think the Church is wrong, deep down I know she is RIGHT"

Yes Rose, but only in those areas where she is competent in. It is also our duty, so that we attempt to form a rightly formed conscience, to seek to understand why we differ from church teaching and why we may need further information to totally accept church teaching.



"I think that the trust referred to is in spiritual guidance and matters of dogma"

Joe V

Exactly right!
The burden of life is from ourselves, its lightness from the grace of Christ and the love of God. - William Bernard Ullanthorne

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Rose of York
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Ned, I wrote

Quote:
 
Not one of those churches belongs to an organisation that has:

Authority to teach

Seven sacraments

I'll stay where I am. The Holy Catholic Church, given the keys to the Kingdom, by God the Son, is my teacher and guide. When I think the Church is wrong, deep down I know she is RIGHT.


Whatever any individual Pope, Bishop, priest, or religious does or says, The Church is guided by the Holy Spirit. in matters of faith and morals. Sins committed by Popes, Bishops, priests, or religious have no bearing on the Church's authority to teach, or on the availability of valid sacraments.

The point of my first posting on this thread was, to open up discussion about the reasons for submitting to the authority of the Magisterium . Some say we must always obey. Some talk about primacy of conscience. Some say "make up your own mind, don't follow like a sheep."
Keep the Faith!

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Rose of York
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Deacon Robert
Thursday, 14. May 2009, 21:02
"When I think the Church is wrong, deep down I know she is RIGHT"

Yes Rose, but only in those areas where she is competent in. It is also our duty, so that we attempt to form a rightly formed conscience, to seek to understand why we differ from church teaching and why we may need further information to totally accept church teaching.
Deacon Robert your posting reminds me of the time I told a parish priest I could not see the sense in one particular Church teaching, given in an encyclical. He said "Have you read it?" "No, Father, I haven't". "Here you are, you may borrow this copy." Until then it had never entered my head to find out exactly what the document said. I had been guided solely by my own thoughts, uninformed conscience.
Keep the Faith!

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Ned

Rose of York
Wednesday, 13. May 2009, 20:26
When I think the Church is wrong, deep down I know she is RIGHT.
Hi Rose,

We can all of us depend on the Living God to guide us - always - Quoniam confirmata est super nos misericordia eius et veritas Domini manet in aeternum

This is so in a special way for us Catholics. We have received the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, in a particular way at the time of our Confirmation. And priests and bishops receive further sacramental graces at their ordinations.

Sadly though we all have Free Will. We are free to accept the guidance of God, and we are also free to reject it.

Douay, Apocalypse, Chapter 3, verse 20 Behold, I stand at the gate, and knock. If any man shall hear my voice, and open to me the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. We all sometimes choose NOT to open that door, and that is as true for people in authority as it is for the rest of us.
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