from: Roman Catholic Man :
http://www.romancatholicman.com

On this day in which we remember the atrocities of the 9/11 events, an article over at Crisis Magazine, entitled, Revolution and Regression, got my attention. I felt the author was pointing out the “elephant in the room” that few, if any, seem to want to approach. Have we become complacent? Calloused? Are we regressing? Have we lost our ability to take serious the things we ought? The author of the article sums it up this way …
“The point is, a culture that is undergoing a moral regression of its own is less likely to notice that another major historical regression is unfolding. Head chopping is intrinsically disturbing, but not quite so disturbing if you live in a society where highly regarded organizations buy and sell baby parts.”
What happened? How did we get here? I am convinced there is a clear explanation, and a clear path to recovery. Let me start here …
In 1957, just two years before the call for the Second Vatican Council and the crisis of faith that followed, and just before the revolutionary decade of the 1960s, Sister Lucia (the primary seer at Fatima) said: “The devil is in the mood for engaging in a decisive battle against the Blessed Virgin, as he knows what it is that offends God the most, and in a short space of time will gain for him(self) the greatest number of souls. Thus the devil does everything to overcome the souls consecrated to God, because in this way he will succeed in leaving the souls of the faithful abandoned by their leaders, thereby the more easily will he seize them.”
And thus began, in the immediate years following Sr. Lucia’s words, a campaign to desacralize the Mass. Desacralize means “rendered less sacred.” It means signs of reverence or mystery, of transcendence or heaven should be reduced to a minimum or removed.
Most believe there was an influential group that took control directly following the Second Vatican Council; they sought to make Catholicism look more Protestant in order to be more ecumenical. That meant, in their minds, Catholicism needed to come out of the clouds and get down to earth … it must become more man-centered vs. God-centered.
So, over a very short period of time, churches and sanctuaries were gutted out, music moved from sacred to worldly, a “common” language was to be used, devotions were ridiculed, homilies were watered-down, a casual approach (attire, grabbing the host, etc.) was encouraged, and the Mass emphasized the “fraternal meal” at the exclusion of its sacrificial meaning. As St John Paul II wrote, “the mystery of the Eucharist is ‘too great a gift’ to admit of ambiguities or reductions, above all when, ‘stripped of its sacrificial meaning, it is celebrated as if it were simply a fraternal banquet’.”
The sense of prayer, dignity, majesty, transcendence and beauty were all but lost in a matter of a few short years.
The unfortunate reality is that the modern campaign of militant desacralization has been so severe that only a dwindling remnant remains who believes or trusts in God’s supernatural power. In speaking of the need for a New Evangelization, Pope Benedict XVI said, “the true problem of our times is the ‘Crisis of God,’ the absence of God, disguised by an empty religiosity” … a kind of lukewarm, going through the motions of one’s faith, which ends up collapsing completely. The terrible consequence of this war on the supernatural is seen in the epidemic of spiritual sloth in our times — hearts deadened to the Divine Life of God.
Bishop Robert Barron draws attention to this very real epidemic in our times:
“A real concrete statistic around this is that 70 percent of the baptized faithful are staying away from Mass on a regular basis. And we’re doing well in comparison with the European countries. Vatican II said the Mass is the source and summit of the Christian life … everything leads to and flows from the Mass. The Eucharist is everything, and 70 percent could care less about it. Yes, there are many reasons around why some do not go to Mass, but I suspect that, for most, they are suffering from spiritual sloth; they could just care less.”
Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, Lex Vivendi (As we Worship, So we Believe, So we Live).
“Liturgical worship is not an “add on” for a Catholic Christian. It is the foundation of Catholic identity; expressing our highest purpose. Worship reveals what we truly believe and how we view ourselves in relationship to God, one another and the world into which we are sent to carry forward the redemptive mission of Jesus Christ. How the Church worships is a prophetic witness to the truth of what she professes. Good worship becomes a dynamic means of drawing the entire human community into the fullness of life in Jesus Christ. It attracts – through beauty to Beauty” (Catholic Online).
Liturgical minimalism has led to a minimalism in our faith and our witness in the world … we’ve become all too unserious. If God came to earth – and He did; if God gave us His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Most Holy Eucharist – and He did; then our worship must reflect that. If it does not, then the faith and witness of our people erodes … regresses. In other words, if we do not take our worship seriously, then we will not take our discipleship seriously. We then lapse into a very unserious and casual approach to our faith, which we have.
Save the Liturgy, Save the World!
Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live” Luke 10:23-28.
For centuries, Catholics have lifted the culture to greater and greater heights of virtue and values and morals and truth. Why? Because, for centuries, Catholics were blessed to see a majestic and sacred and beautiful Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; a Mass that solidified their belief in the Real Presence and, therefore, solidified their call to devotion and dedication and fervor in their faith and witness. From the very core of their being, they truly loved God with ALL their heart, with ALL their soul, and with ALL their mind and strength.
Our culture is dying as we offer our bland, kitschy, banal, man-centered liturgies, which have failed to draw us into a transcendent encounter with the God who we receive and in whom we are invited to live and move and have our being. Liturgical minimalism MUST be replaced with liturgical maximalism!! The casual must be replaced with the serious. Do this and you will live!
SAVE THE LITURGY, SAVE THE WORLD!
I think the main problem with the Church involved the sexual revolution in the 1960’s which affected both lay and clergy. Numerous priests left the priesthood, many left to get married. Religious life vocations began to gravely decrease in numbers. But the worst problem which persists to this day ,and it is evident when one looks at what is happening with the Synod on the Family, is the homosexually oriented clergy and overly ” sympathetic” clergy including Bishops, Cardinals, and now the Pope also, it seems.
I love the Latin Mass, but Latin never kept anyone straight The manly and knowledgeable , family supportive Pope Saint John Paul II is strongly criticized for not supporting the TLM, even though
the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter and the Apostolic Administration of Campos , Brazil (with it’s own Bishop) came into being during his Pontificate.
By the way, Bishop Robert Barron ( quoted above) , when discussing heaven and hell said that we have reason to believe that all men go to heaven, so why would people bother to got to Mass and work out their Salvation if we can all expect to end up in heaven? It has been pointed out on Church Militant and other blog sites that this statement by Barron does not follow constant Church teaching.
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1957 thats 3 years before 1960 the year requested for the opening of the third secret of Fatima. The Fatima is inseparable from Garbandal (approved by St Pio). We are now 55 years on from 1960 and Bishop is against Bishop, Cardinal against Cardinal.
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“Bishop is against Bishop, Cardinal against Cardinal.”
Roger against Robert.
D’oh!
“We are now 55 years on from 1960 “
Crikey – so we are!
Doesn’t time fly!
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Mrs Avila: you say: “…Bishop Robert Barron (quoted above) , when discussing heaven and hell said that we have reason to believe that all men go to heaven.”
When / where did he say that? I sometimes think Barron walks a bit close to the edge, but I think what you’re referring to is the Hans Urs von Balthasarian hope that we may all go to Heaven, which is one, I suggest, that orthodox Catholics can hold without fear of straying from truth. It’s only a hope – a forlorn one I’d say – but still a rational one that we are allowed. I do. I must do, because otherwise there are many people I love who I must give up on and consign to hell because they are not orthodox, devout Catholics and probably never will be. We just don’t know exactly what’s in store for us on Judgment Day is all that I’m saying.
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To John Henry
Below is a web search page on the subject of Bishop Barron’s ideas about the numbers of people in hell. In the video, B. Barron describes how he arrived at his “reasonable” hope…but as he speaks, one can see that the hope is not reasonable. In the Fatima apparitions, Mary said that most souls go to purgatory, the next largest number go to hell, and the smallest number go directly to heaven. This does not mean that Jesus did not die to save all men, it means that given that some are uncooperative with his graces, they must go to hell to satisfy God’s justice. Where one spends Eternity depends on the judgment of the state of the person’s soul at the moment of his death.The writings of the saints as well as Sacred Scripture attest to this and even the Divine Mercy Saint, Sr. Faustina says we must open to God’s Mercy or we will suffer His justice. Padre Pio warned that God’s justice is fierce. Our Lady of Lourdes told Bernadette that Many souls go to hell because they have no one to pray for them.
https://www.google.com/search?rls=aso&client=gmail&q=youtube%20fr%20barron%20%20all%20people%20go%20to%20heaven&authuser=0
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“Our Lady of Lourdes told Bernadette that Many souls go to hell because they have no one to pray for them.”
Could Our Lady not pray for them herself?
…But isn’t this all a bit horrible, and stupid?
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Well, if you prefer to hear it from a living Roman Catholic man, then there is a Saint Padre Pio, Franciscan priest, mystic and stigmatist, who during his lifetime said that he would gladly change places with the soul in the lowest place in Purgatory because that person is certain of reaching heaven, whereas he is not because there is no certainty of salvation in this life because of the possibility of committing a mortal sin. One mortal sin if unrepented by sincere sacramental confession,or by a special grace of perfect contrition ( which God is under no obligation in justice to grant), is what it takes for person will spend all of eternity in Hell, as the Church has always taught and continues to teach.
To think that we are saved by God without our own efforts is a Protestant heresy. Jesus died to redeem all men by He does not save all men without their cooperation.
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“Our Lady of Lourdes told Bernadette that Many souls go to hell because they have no one to pray for them.”
Well, I don’t really care where I hear the likes of that from , Mrs, M. – it sounds like one of the most unchristian, uncharitable, uncaring things I’ve ever heard suggested that anyone ever said on Planet Earth. And it seems to go against virtually every precept of moral decency I have ever heard uttered. No doubt you will tell me why I’m wrong to think this way.
“Jesus died to redeem all men by He does not save all men without their cooperation.”
Personally, I would save all men without their cooperation, as I would save my dogs from the consequences of their dopey, mindless, actions. If any human said to me, “I don’t want to be saved, “ I’d say to them “I don’t care what you want. You’re talking arrant, ignorant, nonsense. I will save you whether you like it or not – because I love you. If you had the slightest idea what Hell was like, you wouldn’t want to go there.” But then, as you agree – I’m not God. Nowhere near as mysterious.
What, as a matter of interest – would be the least grave sin one could commit to ensure eternal damnation? Missing Mass on Sunday?
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You are correct, there are some mortal sins which are graver than others and will impart a graver punishment in hell if one should be unfortunate enough to die before being restored to the state of grace. We make a mistake when we try to be more “charitable” to others than Christ was..if you read the gospels straight through you might not ‘like’ Jesus. What comes to mind about the gravity of sin is what Saint John of the Cross said and that is that we do comprehend the vast difference between good and evil. As a person grows in holiness , by the grace of God imparted by prayer good works and the Sacraments, the difference becomes more clear, but many of us will through our own fault do not achieve a high state of holiness, so we must accept on Faith what we do not understand , and that includes our Faith in God, that He is all good , all wise, and all loving. We are shouting and complaining about the evil in the world, and why does God permit it , so how can we ask Him to allow us to bring the evil men into Heaven under the pretext of “charity”? So what God seems to be saying to us in effect is, “Yes, I died for all and everyone is welcome into heaven so long as he is willing to leave the evil outside, and I have told you what is good and what is evil.”
Then we must exercise our Faith by being obedient to God and his commandments and to the constant teachings of the Church which he founded for the purpose of our sanctification and ultimate Eternal happiness in heaven.
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“We make a mistake when we try to be more “charitable” to others than Christ was..if you read the gospels straight through you might not ‘like’ Jesus. “
But didn’t Jesus in the gospels say, “Father forgive them, they don’t know what they do’? Surely that’s charitable enough for anyone? If Christ forgives everyone – how can we fail to do the same?
And why can’t Mary pray for those who have nobody to pray for them and so are off to Hell, as she says? You didn’t answer that, I notice. (I’ve now put the unfortunate souls on the prayer list, anyway.)
And don’t you like Jesus then, Mrs M? I assume you’ve read the gospels straight through. Wouldn’t want to go on your holidays with him? Why not?
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To Mr. T
To answer your questions.
1 Mary asks us to pray, as Jesus also did. Mary obtains graces from God for us with our prayers, even when we pray directly to God. We are called to take this active part ( praying) in working out our own salvation and helping others to do so. Mary is not a goddess, but the greatest of the saints and the Mediatrix of graces. We are all called to be saints by keeping the Commandments, praying, frequenting the Mass and Sacraments of penance and the Eucharist and
doing whatever good works are discerned appropriate for each of us.
2 In a Scripture course, we were each assigned to read one of the four gospels in one sitting. The priest asked the class what their reactions were. One student (not me) said “I didn’t like him”. The student found Him his answers too harsh at times.
3 I would like to be on Holiday with Jesus for all Eternity. I do my best here on earth with holiday/pilgrimages to sacred places.
I will end my discussion on this post here.
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“I will end my discussion on this post here.”.
Yes, it’s all very difficult, isn’t it Mrs A? Best to not get too involved.
Never mind. None of it really matters….It’s all hot air – intended to keep us all from thinking logically .
But, I suppose I should keep pressing you (goodness knows why) on why Christ’s Mother does not bother to pray for any of those those poor people who, through no fault of their own, have nobody else on earth to pray for their salvation. (Except me, it seems. ) Horrible, obscene, elitist, and absurd – I boringly suggest.
…But what do I know? No doubt, to a Catholic, it all makes perfect sense.
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To Mr. T.
You might find this book about Mary helpful..It also is available in a CD if you would like to listen while commuting:
Scott Hahn ( former Protestant Minister); Hail Holy Queen
http://www.amazon.com/Hail-Holy-Queen-Mother-Word/dp/0385501692/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443142291&sr=1-1&keywords=hail+holy+queen+by+scott+hahn
If I were to say anything more than this book does, I would be “reinventing the wheel”.
God Bless!
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Yes, Mrs. A – the trouble, I think, with “Kings and Queens” these days is that they are often seen as rather silly, old-fashioned, powerless, figureheads – useful only as gossip fodder for Hello! Magazine and the like, good only for opening day-care centres.
Who can have any respect for Charles and Camilla, or the Monaco mob?
Not plain old Toad.
Bit difficult for Heaven to go republican at this late stage, though – I agree.
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