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| Renewal of the Church in Brazil | |
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| Topic Started: Friday, 27. January 2012, 19:10 (163 Views) | |
| Rose of York | Friday, 27. January 2012, 19:10 Post #1 |
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One priest, Father Marcelo Rossie has had remarkable success at reversing the decline. Read all about it, click here. |
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Keep the Faith! | |
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| Derekap | Friday, 27. January 2012, 23:08 Post #2 |
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Just a thought. Could the decline not be also due to a seemingly favoured relationship of some clergy (of all ranks) with wealthy business and commercial people rather than among people in the very poor areas of cities and towns. Or are the poor more loyal than the wealthy? |
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| Deleted User | Saturday, 28. January 2012, 00:22 Post #3 |
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My understanding is that the move towards evangelical Christianity in Central and South America is predominantly from the poorer sections of the population. John |
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| Rose of York | Saturday, 28. January 2012, 00:50 Post #4 |
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The point is, that huge numbers of Catholics in Brazil have returned to the Catholic Church, a significant contribution to that having been made by Father Marcelo, the leading figure of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Brazil. He was able to bring three million people to the racetrack in São Paulo in 2008, in a gathering characterized by music and prayer that saw the participation of Ivete Sangalo, Claudia Leite, and other pop music stars of the country.. Apparently people of all social classes are coming back in droves.
Within the Catholic Church in Brazil, Pentecostalism has spread with astonishing speed, in an orthodox form, under the name of Renewal in the Spirit. They have the support of Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, one of the most prominent leaders of the Brazilian Catholic Church. Father Rossie speaks about God. He preaches about the Holy Spirit. He uses modern aids to his outreach - music, films, popular music.
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| Gerard | Sunday, 29. January 2012, 12:03 Post #5 |
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Six years ago I was at a talk given by Charles Whitehead who was then the Chairman of the International Service Committee of Charismatic Renewal which is based in Rome. One of the things he mentioned was that in the Latinn American countries, Catholics were leaving the Church in droves and joining the Pentecostals. He said that the Bishops in Latin America had turned to Charismatic Renewal for advice and help and the National Service Committee were working with them. So it is interesting to hear some of thie detail in this article. But I would expect it is about much more than one priest. Actually, I am certain it is about the Holy Spirit. Gerry Edited by Gerard, Sunday, 29. January 2012, 12:05.
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| "The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998). | |
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| Rose of York | Tuesday, 31. January 2012, 15:01 Post #6 |
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Gerry I agree, the renewal of the Church in Brazil is about the Holy Spirit, but surely the Spirit is using a priest who is responding to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the command of Jesus, to go forth and preach the Good News. |
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| Rose of York | Tuesday, 31. January 2012, 15:06 Post #7 |
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When I posted the initial post on this topic, I made an unwise choice of heading, referring to the decline of the Church in Brazil, what is going on is a new growth with many returning, so I changed the title. Do any other members have thoughts about how the Church, worldwide, can be helped to grow? Given the opportunity I would make a start by encouraging more publicity about God, and less on individual people. Many diocesan websites face the reader with a photograph of the bishop, but no picture of a crucifix, the Resurrection or Christian symbols, and the absence of any explanation of what Catholicism is about. |
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Keep the Faith! | |
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| Deleted User | Wednesday, 1. February 2012, 00:20 Post #8 |
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What if we stopped seeing othe rChristian denominations as rivals and worked with them to ensure the Christian message was spread everywhere? John |
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| Anne-Marie | Wednesday, 1. February 2012, 00:26 Post #9 |
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Given the variation in beliefs and dogmas... that message would be what, exactly? (It's all very well wanting to unify with God's help... but with what message and beliefs? That issue (which is what is preventing re-unification) is what we would first need to agree!) |
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Anne-Marie FIAT VOLUNTAS DEI | |
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| Rose of York | Wednesday, 1. February 2012, 00:31 Post #10 |
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Other denominations were founded by human beings. We respect them and co-operate with them through organisations such as Churches Together, but let us not forget, they do not have the seven sacraments and what is more they were not founded by God the Son. I do not think Christ wanted there to be lots of denominations teaching what their human founder told them to teach, according to his wishes. Jesus prayer that we all be One as he and the Father are One. So, how do we go about playing our part in that? What is happening in Brazil is bearing fruit. Would it have the same success here? |
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| Deacon Robert | Wednesday, 1. February 2012, 03:29 Post #11 |
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I think, and Gerard may agree with me, If the Catholic church was more willing to tailor our worship to the needs of the people we would not be losing them to other christian congregations. Our hierarchy does not understand that the church is not populated by middle European and mediteraining people. It extends to all the peoples and customs of the world. There is no need to water down tradition or teaching. There is a need to understand. |
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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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| Anne-Marie | Wednesday, 1. February 2012, 12:14 Post #12 |
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Strange how limited the Church's memory seems to be... because it is exactly what Deacon Robert has written that was long the modus operandi of missionaries taking the Faith to pastures new: It worked... and now we won't allow it. Methinks Canon Browne's sermon, reproduced in another thread here, might apply just as much to our Church as to our society! |
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Anne-Marie FIAT VOLUNTAS DEI | |
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| Gerard | Wednesday, 1. February 2012, 20:09 Post #13 |
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I do agree Robert. Styles and cultures of worship are very important and differences should be accomodated sympathetically. People do switch denominations on account of it. However, in Brazil we were haemoraging members to the Pentecostals, and pentecostalism is not primarily about styles of worship. It is primarily about mystical aspects of Christianity. Most people ouwith pentecostal/charismatic movements fail to realise this. So, Rose, if you want me to suggest an idea to promote growth I would suggest promoting the charismatic/mystical. Gerry Edited by Gerard, Wednesday, 1. February 2012, 20:27.
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| "The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998). | |
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