WHAT "THINKING LIKE AN ADULT" REALLY MEANS
In the last few decades, the expression ‘adult faith’ [fede adulta, 'grown up faith'] has become a widespread slogan. It is often used in relation to the attitudes of those who no longer pay attention to what the Church and her Pastors say — which is to say, those who choose on their own what to believe or not to believe in a sort of ‘do-it-yourself’ faith. Expressing oneself against the Magisterium of the Church is presented as a sort of ‘courage’, whereas in fact not much courage is needed because one can be certain of receiving public praise.
Instead, courage is needed to adhere to the Church’s faith, even if it contradicts the 'order' of today’s world. Paul calls this non-conformism an ‘adult faith’. For him, following the prevailing winds and currents of the time is childish.
For this reason, it is part of an adult faith to dedicate oneself to the inviolability of life from its beginning, thus radically opposing the principle of violence, in defense precisely of the most defenseless. It is part of an adult faith to recognize the lifelong marriage between one man and one woman in accordance with the Creator’s order, re-established again by Christ. An adult faith does not follow any current here and there. It stands against the winds of fashion.
-Benedict XIV
Homily - First Vespers of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
June 28, 2009
with thanks to Rorate Caeli
14 comments:
A breath of fresh air! If you try your best to be a faithful Catholic you're torn apart by **fellow Catholics!!** Which is probably more faith-destroying then anything else.
Robert, since I'm not a member of this parish, it's unclear to me what the sign is saying? Did they actually offer sermons IVF? If so, that's probably more than most parishes hear and I have to tip my hat to them. Though it's difficult to understand why they would reach out to those that may be stying away because they didn't want to hear Catholic teaching?
A fresh, young, well-educated priest came to this parish and preached a homily about why the Church condemns IVF.
Unfortunately, many in the congregation haven't heard a solid homily about Catholic teaching in years. For some it's been so long that they don't know what Catholic teaching is.
And a few don't want to know. They just want their club. Make no waves, keep everything comfortable.
Anyway, some people didn't like the homily.
Those people complained. Some loudly.
Now the priest has been sent packing. He is off to "discern" whether or not he has a vocation or not.
I cannot say what all the reasons are for this abrupt departure or who is behind it--but I can definitely say what this priest desperately needs and isn't going to get to nurture his vocation here or in this diocese:
Leadership.
Just wondering--How do you know so many people were upset? How many? I thought you didn't attend Masses at SJC. Just wondering where your info comes from--do you have an insider?
The change in the parish is not abrupt or surprising--new priests are traditionally moved in rotation every couple of years. All the priests from that ordination year are moving. We are lucky to get a new one and sad to see one go. The priest even said God has a perfect plan for everyone. I think our parish and diocese has good leadership. We all have our views.
Thanks.
Ah...I never reveal my sources. But you can rest assured there were a number of people who were not happy about that homily and others that actually had some meat in them.
Yes, priests are regularly rotated and, according to my sources, this rotation was expected months ago. However, no one was expecting this to include a "sabbatical". THAT is where leadership would make a difference.
Yes, God has a perfect plan for everyone. He even uses our mistakes and can retroactively grace them. That's the difference between the perfect will of God and the permissive will of God.
You know, the more I think about your question: "Do you have an insider?"--the more I am amazed. Do you think of the parish as some sort of secret club? I know a lot of Catholics and every Catholic I know in this town attends Mass at SJE. If I only had one person informing me about what goes on, it would be a very bad day indeed. Yeesh.
Thanks for filling in the blanks. What a shame that some so-called Catholic actually authorized the message on the sign. I'll pray for the priest. I guess the parish will not be inviting Fr. Corapi to come speak anytime soon. What poor fools these people are.
Uh Tom...the sign is a joke, photoshopped for this blog. Although there are a few in the parish who certainly share its sentiments.
That's so horrible. That right there is the reason I gave up wanting to be a priest when I was 15.
Believe me, this parish is all about an elite club, spearheaded bu the fallen-away Catholics who run it. They are all about prim and proper and perfect make-up, but when it comes to actual Church teaching, they ridicule and preach heresy. IVF is against Church teaching.
God help the poor priest. I truly have no idea how any man has the courage it takes to be a priest in our Church, and I need to pray far more often than I do for them. May God have mercy on our souls. I pray that the young priest may have the courage of young David before the jeering Goliath.
Remember Christ's words: ""Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe (in me) to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea."
So many children have not been taught the true Faith at that school. I know it firsthand. They're too scared or they refuse to teach the true teachings because it will offend the moneybags that support them--the unrepentant divorced, the ex-Catholics, the contracepters, etc. That is the truth, like it or not. Saint Dorothy, pray for us!
anonymous:
Reading your post makes me think of this joke:
A man walks into church during Mass holding a machine gun. He shouts out, "All right! How many here are willing to die for Jesus?" Most of the congregation takes to their feet and runs away screaming. A few stay behind, along with the priest.
The man then says, "O.K. Father, carry on. I just got rid of the hypocrites for you!"
well, my point was that they do not have any desire to repent, and they see nothing wrong with what they did. That's what I get for a 2am post. :) They get very upset if you say anything is a sin, unless it is not celebrating Earth Day. Ask to see who donates to the school and how much, and see how many are actually practicing Catholics.
I am sorry to see this young priest
leaving.It was a pleasure to listen
to his homilies that came from his
own words when it came to church
teachings and not scripted. I am
afraid it will happen to the next
priest coming 7/23.I am sick and tired of the nonsense going on within the parish.I agree that you
are saying,Its run by a group of
elitists who have a Southern good
ole boy modernist mindset.It has
been going a long time. They are
hypocrites, and my wife and I
dont know how much more we can
take of this crap
Well, I don't know how much more anyone should HAVE to take of this uh, stuff, but it can't last forever.
Until then, we must work as if everything depends upon us, pray as if everything depends upon God and remember to "bear all wrongs patiently".
This is the Year of Priests, so we should all pray for the intercession of the great saint who is the model of and patron of parish priests: St. John Vianney.
He came to Ars France and found a situation not unlike ours: Lukewarm Catholics, disinterested Catholics and a generally fallen-away culture. By ceaseless prayer, fasting and sacrifice, God used him to transform Ars into a place with a strong Catholic identity.
And yes, some people hated him. It's not about popularity.
I agree, we have to grow in our faith to be able to support the Truth as taught by Jesus and followed by the Pope. I had an offside question to you about homeschooling. I am a widow with 7 children who works semi-full time with flexible hours. I would like to homeschool my four youngest who will be in grades 2,6,8, and 10 this year. Does anyone think it is possible for me to do this??? I have been praying and came across Kolbe Academy which I feel is what I need and it is faithful to the magisterium. I am saddened to see the influence the public school here has had on my children as they had attended Catholic school back in Australia before my husband's death. We came back here to recover with my family and I need now to direct their schooling a bit more toward their faith.
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