tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950714.post8209239816990570104..comments2024-02-15T17:38:13.412-06:00Comments on nunblog: Anti-Catholic Catholics and Change in the ChurchSister Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04032465016160490375noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950714.post-68501281623461055982010-08-05T18:40:41.213-05:002010-08-05T18:40:41.213-05:00Yes, all good points, Anon. Nice post. Jesus loves...Yes, all good points, Anon. Nice post. Jesus loves us while we are still sinners. What a great God we have! The Church has survived 2,000 years with this bunch. lol There is always good reason to hope both for our own salvation and for the well-being and triumph of Holy Mother Church.Robert Beaurivagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05317435681490152461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950714.post-14694567944228000472010-08-05T17:58:13.873-05:002010-08-05T17:58:13.873-05:00Our Saviour said to our first Pope "get behin...Our Saviour said to our first Pope "get behind me satan". Our first Pope denied Our Lord 3 times. And yet Jesus loved Peter.<br /><br />St Paul had been a Pharisee and a persecutor of Christians, involved i believe, in the persecution of our first martyr (St Stephen). And yet Jesus loved Paul. <br /><br />Christ's first followers were: a prostitute (it's believed she was although not certain), a corrupt tax collector, a hot-head Zealot, a Centurion ... Then there were the disciples who boasted about being the greatest, the disciples who fell asleep when Our Lord asked them to stay awake, the disciples who didn't trust Our Lord in the boat with the storm. And so on ..<br /><br />Inevitably, we Catholics are going to have problems .. But we're not the only community to have problems. All communities, Protestant and secular have them.<br /><br />But with Christ - God as head of the Church - there's great hope for us all, sinners / flawed that we may be. <br /><br />God Bless us all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950714.post-86720233382445293022010-08-03T19:16:05.745-05:002010-08-03T19:16:05.745-05:00Thanks for your insight, Robert B--I have just had...Thanks for your insight, Robert B--I have just had one of those "light bulb moments," courtesy of your comment!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950714.post-59600165764797135622010-08-03T16:00:10.344-05:002010-08-03T16:00:10.344-05:00I enjoyed your article, Sister Anne. I wholeheart...I enjoyed your article, Sister Anne. I wholeheartedly agree with what you say. The way I see it, there are two chief difficulties to which the solution is (I believe) to teach and pray.<br /><br />A major problem is that many Catholics in our day are poorly catechized. As a result, Catholics have the mistaken notion that the Church belongs to them. (we are church?) The reality is far more wonderful - as you point out, it belongs to Christ! Thus her teachings are full of wisdom and her Sacraments give life. The Good News is that we are members of the Church and have the means of salvation at hand if we follow Jesus.<br /><br />The second problem is related to the first. Our alienated brothers and sisters often were not taught the necessity of supernatural grace, gained through prayer and receiving the sacraments. In order to have a conversion to Christ, we must have the grace. We can learn about Christ, but we need supernatural help to understand supernatural truths. When Peter confessed Jesus to be the Savior and the Son of God, Our Lord told him "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven." <br /><br />We need the power of the Holy Spirit to change our hearts. We, all of us, stubbornly cling to our favorite sins and shortcomings. Change is hard and we resist it. We need God's light to motivate us, illuminate us, and strengthen us to follow Jesus. This is true for all, for the road to holiness continues long after we have returned to Catholic truth.<br /><br />Some of us were once where these disaffected Catholics are now. But for God's grace, we would still be there. We must treat these brothers and sisters with love and gentleness. We must be patient. At the same time, we must prepare for resistance, as Christ told us would happen.<br /><br />So, I believe our part of the solution is to teach, or support those who teach the Catholic Faith to our brethren in season and out of season. It is also to pray for conversions. Prayer softens the heart. People must hear the message and receive the grace and light to respond.<br /><br />I am sure you understand these things Sr. Anne, but hope these comments are helpful to your readers. I am new to your blog, and will come back to read it often.Robert Beaurivagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05317435681490152461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950714.post-58931515005122660242010-08-03T13:51:55.153-05:002010-08-03T13:51:55.153-05:00This is sadly pertinent, but the writer offers som...This is sadly pertinent, but the writer offers some solid perspective on this trend. It strikes me that Rice, like many others, is strangely hostile and judgmental towards people she condemns as ... judgmental. It's hard to get away from our human poverty!<br />http://www.provocativechurch.com/2010/07/leaving-church.htmlSister Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04032465016160490375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950714.post-22150511852409996382010-08-03T08:08:15.871-05:002010-08-03T08:08:15.871-05:00Thanks, y'all. It's always a risk to write...Thanks, y'all. It's always a risk to write about something that touches other people's hearts so closely. The anger, frustration and alienation of disaffected Catholics is a real suffering for them, and one whose remedy is quite close at hand, but they are unable to grasp it because it means unclenching the fist and leaving one's hand empty: a big risk! Today I prayed in a special way for these alienated members of the Body of Christ, especially those like the author of the original essay whose eloquence (and unreal self-confidence) can have a broad influence. They have a place in the Church, if they will only allow themselves to be grafted into the life-giving vine!Sister Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04032465016160490375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950714.post-21523597183793179622010-08-03T04:56:46.079-05:002010-08-03T04:56:46.079-05:00Very well written, Sister. There's nothing one...Very well written, Sister. There's nothing one can really add to what you have written, except a "thank you" for writing it! God bless!Deacon Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10122365395121818240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950714.post-87178180965937695012010-08-02T20:39:04.159-05:002010-08-02T20:39:04.159-05:00You always have such a good grasp on it all.You always have such a good grasp on it all.Carolnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8950714.post-37961756724516090792010-08-02T19:30:03.359-05:002010-08-02T19:30:03.359-05:00You and I are in the same wavelength! See my own r...You and I are in the same wavelength! See my own riposte <a href="http://vivificat1.blogspot.com/2010/07/charles-p-pierce-catholic-anti-catholic.html" rel="nofollow">here</a><br /><br />-TheoTeófilo de Jesúshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03013188371223503953noreply@blogger.com