tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post3579556963580112009..comments2023-08-21T03:51:17.425-06:00Comments on Enlightened Catholicism: Pope Benedict And The State Of The Churchcolkochhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03432916690101599393noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-39313641787835985792012-04-18T14:12:21.729-06:002012-04-18T14:12:21.729-06:00The papacy has become a cult of personality in the...The papacy has become a cult of personality in the manner of John Paul II. +Dolan already has papal gestures when in a throng and he believe the processions to and from the sanctuary are actually parades for him to receive the affection of the aisle-side adorers. WYD is perfect for Nuremberg-like worship of fearless leader.<br /><br />The reduction of religious life to yearly "theme" years is silly so as to render the theme meaningless and forgettable. The "Year of Faith" in consort with the "The New Evangelization" effort is perfect ecclesial synergy...feverish inertia. <br /><br />I think this is a way to wrest control of the church away from the Holy Spirit, too unpredictable and uncontrollable, and Scripture, raw and unmediated. Bring out the papal platform, yard-tall miters, the code of canon law, the catechism and the missal. Everything is just fine.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-79721482384909154612012-01-01T21:00:09.263-07:002012-01-01T21:00:09.263-07:00Rat, this is an excellent article. Thanks for the...Rat, this is an excellent article. Thanks for the link, and yes it is relevant. When I got done reading all three parts, I couldn't help but think Pope Benedict could easily be seen as a co conspirator who suddenly became the leader. That would certainly be a confusing place for him, and one from which he would very likely want to distance himself. Not surprising Benedict is being described as aloof and withdrawn from the actual governance of the Church.colkochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03432916690101599393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-71638434302952312812011-12-30T18:35:46.003-07:002011-12-30T18:35:46.003-07:00This link, to three parts of an essay on spiritual...This link, to three parts of an essay on spiritual abuse, may be relevant:<br /><br />http://revandylittle.com/pastoral-careethics/scapegoating/Rat-biternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-50609751718936031382011-12-29T04:33:36.486-07:002011-12-29T04:33:36.486-07:00@Nixon
Agree 100%. I believe the lack of a state ...@Nixon<br />Agree 100%. I believe the lack of a state church is the main thing that has made religion far more vibrant in the U.S. than in Europe. <br /><br />Even in the early 90s, I felt like I was visiting museums rather than active houses of worship in Germany and Austria. <br /><br />BronxirishcatholicPatrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00930563727941355838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-110116116385837712011-12-28T17:08:47.625-07:002011-12-28T17:08:47.625-07:00"The essence of the crisis of the Church in E..."The essence of the crisis of the Church in Europe is the crisis of faith. If we find no answer to this, if faith does not take on new life, deep conviction and real strength from the encounter with Jesus Christ, then all other reforms will remain ineffective."<br /><br />## He can have the answer - or he can have unreformed (& often sinful) Church structures. But he can't have both. The Bad News is that Jesus is not the prisoner or plaything or fetish of the Church, but its Lord. He is not a *guarantee* of anything - not even in the Church.Rat-biternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-74374374825128223862011-12-28T13:05:21.619-07:002011-12-28T13:05:21.619-07:00The churches of Europe usually get funded in some ...The churches of Europe usually get funded in some way from the state; they get stale because they get fed and housed and even educated at state expense and don't have to depend on the folks in the pews for their money. Such a group, fed no matter what it does or doesn't do gets lazy and complacent.<br /> The best thing for religion in the developed world would be for it to become disestablished and lose its tax breaks. Clearly this partnership is costing the governments of these countries a great deal and should be ended.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8383701632927065467.post-3877730931876030452011-12-26T21:03:32.038-07:002011-12-26T21:03:32.038-07:00Declare the year of the Catholic Woman. Recruit wo...Declare the year of the Catholic Woman. Recruit women to become deacons, immediately. <br /><br />I have been thinking a lot about Mary Magdelene lately. I would love to provide some links to articles but for some unknown reason I am not permitted to paste web addresses in the comment box here.<br /><br />May I recommend you google the Christian church house (Circa 246 AD) at Dura-Europos? There is a remarkable representation of Mary in the "Procession of Women" as they procede to witness the resurrection. <br /><br />artgallery.yale.edu/duraeuropos/durha.html <br /><br />The pre-Constantinian Christians emphasized deliverance and salvation. The baptistry has images depicting the Good Shepherd, Christ and Peter walking on water, Christ healing the paralytic, the women about to witness resurrection, and the Samaritan woman at the well. Draw your own conclusions. <br /><br />This year Yale is exhibiting some of the treasures of Dura-Europos. I particularly love the earliest surviving depiction of Mary. See:<br /><br />popular-archaology.com/issue/june-2011/treasures-of-ancient-dura-europos-released-for-all-to-see<br /><br />Scroll down to see the Procession of Women as it has been restored by Yale. <br /><br />And what are we to make of Africa and the Pope's visit to Benin? Who was most prominent in the crowds greeting the Pope? It was the women. <br /><br />I love this photograph of three African women, viewed through a lattice, who could be the modern equivalent of those portrayed at Dura-Europos. See: November 18th Photo 1<br /><br />blogs.voanews.com/photos/2011/11<br /><br />Scroll all the way down.<br /><br />p2p<br /><br />If the Pope wants more advice, I've got it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com