That's my goal: St. Kathy, patron of smart asses. (Takes one to know one!) This forum helps me immensely. Often, the first, second and sometimes third response I want to make come from my smart ass nature. I beat them down with a stick; call on the Divine Will, and hopefully post something worthwhile. So I expect that, eventually, with enough blunt force, my smart ass nature will die, leaving room for only Christ to live in me! But I will always have deep love and understanding for my tribe, and will intercede for them when I come into the Kingdom (unless they all beat me out of purgatory!).
Thank you all for the very sincere and thoughtful answers to my question. I must confess here that I usually sing dumb when I encounter a-la-carte Catholics. Basically, I'm a coward who takes the easy way out. I also believe that every Catholic knows the fundamentals of the faith and the vast majority who pick and choose the parts that suit them know what they're doing, are looking for affirmation and resent correction however gently administered. That's the main reason I respect people like Malachi who have the courage to speak the truth even 'though it makes them unpopular. Speaking the truth harshly is better than not speaking the truth at all. Having said that, I have great admiration for those of you who adopt a softer tone while speaking the same truth. I'll leave it at that because I don't want to start another argument.
I know some "cafeteria" Catholics who truly think they are right, and the rest of us are wrong. I know Catholics who go to daily Mass, Adoration weekly, and say the Rosary every day who love Hilary Clinton, and who have a figurine of Obama in their house. They actually think God sent Obama to us to save our country. They are so deluded that I have mostly stopped trying to convince them of the truth. Now I mostly just pray for them. The really sad thing is, they have a brother who is a priest, and he believes as they do. That's why they won't listen to me. That, and the fact that I'm a convert. They think they know way more because they are cradle Catholics.
I pray every day, thanking God in advance for the universal illumination of conscience spoken of by so many Saints. My conversion was given August 25th, 1988, and I have been praying this prayer ever since (from the Blessed Mother's prayer group in Lubbock, Texas), Only recently it dawned on me that this prayer calls down the illumination: Forgive them, Father; for they know not what they do. Dear Father in heaven, in all your love in mercy, I plead for my brothers and sisters who are in bondage and held captive by satan at this time. Please, Father, grant them even a few seconds of clear vision, to know you and to love you, without the lies of satan and this world to blind them. Please, Father, give them a chance to say "yes" to You as our Blessed Mother did; Please give them a chance to be with you in paradise. And Please, Father, give them a new heart that is worthy of this paradise. I offer this prayer through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen
And I think maybe most importantly, Jesus goes onto say: “Today salvationc has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham." Even Zachaeus, the awful evil tax collector can find salvation. THIS IS GOOD NEWS!!!!!
How about today's gospel: GospelLK 13:1-9 Some people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them— do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’” Not much coming from the vatican these days on the necessity for repentance and conversion
Not much coming from the Vatican for repentance these days?? Ummm.....a declared special Jubilee Year of Mercy with all of its requirements (personal confession; works of mercy et al) necessary to obtain the indulgence....not only for self but for souls in Purgatory. This to me demonstrates the understanding by this Pope that everyone is now facing a shortened time available with humanity's desperate need for repentance through the unfathomable Mercy promised to St. Faustina (who also btw saw the coming Illumination of Consciences)....still offering such Mercy for at least a time. Afterwards, only justice. This elderly Pope is going everywhere and into the very belly of the Beast, fearlessly (with threats to his life), to invite everyone....including those MOST in need of that Mercy who have the greatest right to It according to Jesus. Who else is doing this? How many are following his example of getting dirty and smelling like the dirtiest sheep? And this is a man who never liked to travel...was a homebody. He's made great sacrifices, esp. not being that healthy himself and in pain due to his back condition. And people who critique him are, um, doing what in comparison themselves??
Jolly good show earthtoangels...Pope Francis is our God chosen leader for the hour. He is human and has his own opinions but he is also our Vicar of Christ...praise Jesus!
I guess my take here is that the ground is being cultivated and fertilized right now in the Jubilee Year of Mercy.
We must believe that our prayers and sacrifices (especially this Lent) for the Church and our Holy Father are being heard and answered. Dear Lord Jesus preserve Pope Francis, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. Amen
Kathy k, I may be wrong; but I think the birthday of Saint Maria Faustina is on 25th August. Your conversion date. And God bless every poster lately, it is so uplifting for the spirit to hear God's Mercy magnified on Mother of God Forum. Praised be Jesus and Mary.
http://southernorderspage.blogspot.com/2015/10/just-who-h-says-pope-francis-never.html?m=1 Repentance
A whole lot about conversion but not so much about repentance. At the Mass I attended, the priest never once mentioned repentance. It was a lovely homily in some ways, focusing on God's love for us no matter how often we turn away from Him and return. The summary was that it isn't about rules, that we are being called to be compassionate and forgiving each other, but not once did the priest mention repentance or the sacrament of penance. There were notices in the porch about extra days and extended times for confession, but why would anybody bother if nobody actually mentions it. Sometimes I worry the the Church is heading down the protestant route of doing away with confession altogether with all this talk about abandoning the rules in favour of a "personal relationship" with Jesus.
We turn away from God when we sin. We Repent when we return to Him through the sacrament of Confession. Or that is the only way I know of.
Yes, that's the only way I know. Have you noticed long queues for confession in comparison to the queues for Holy Communion? I haven't. Many Catholics have already adopted the "confess direct to God" approach, and need reminding that the Sacrament of penance is still a requirement. When did you last hear any priest reminding parishioners of the importance of that particular sacrament?
Dolours, we have a parish Priest for just over two years now who lets us know that confession is available straight after Mass every day during Advent and Lent as well as the normal times advertised. He does not preach brimstone and fire; but who could criticize him and say he does not preach the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He is preaching it by informing us of his willingness to be there. Maybe I am naieve; but would you think that Priest is promoting Confession. I think he is. He does occasionally invite us to go to confession; but not so as to sound like he is nagging every Sunday. Of course I would love to hear sermons like we used to hear, especially from missionaries who would visit from time to time. He also has made available Eucharistic Adoration for one hour every day before Holy Mass. What a gift. I do empathise with you on this; but what can we do only pray. Do you know, I have heard that after the Illumination/Warning there will be that many Catholics, and fallen away Catholics as well as non Catholic Christians begging for absolution that Priests will die in confessional; because they will have queues that never end. And the worst thing being that many of those poor Priest (martyrs) will die without being able to make their own confession and get the relief of absolution themselves. Pray for our Priests.
I never thought of the repercussions of such an illumination. The thought of priests dying in the Confessional is horrific.
You are very fortunate. Treasure that priest. It is very rare these days to hear any priest mention confession. The priest I referred to in my previous post isn't in my parish. Our parish did make a special effort last Christmas with a special service of reconciliation and a number of priests hearing Confession. It was very well attended. A nearby parish does the same for Divine Mercy Sunday and that, too, is very well attended which suggests to me that people will make the effort if they are reminded. Perhaps rather than moaning about it being an annual event I should be grateful that we still have priests available to us. I hope I'm not giving the impression that ours are not good, faithful priests because they are good, holy men. I suppose that that they are trying to live down the Church's reputation of priests being pulpit-pounding, hellfire and brimstone preaching hypocrites although we never had that type of priest in our area. It just seems like they have gone to the other extreme in their attempt to show the merciful side of the faith.
