Is The Church a Democracy?

The Catholic Church has never been a democracy, not in the past, not in the present and not in the future. In fact the Church does not change to suit the times in this 'anything goes' generation. Most of the acrimony comes from a failed understanding of this essential fact, some may not agree with everything the Church does, but that does not give anyone free license to dissent nor question the Churches authority.

Catholic Church doctrine and Dogma's are not to be disputed; they are to be accepted with filial obedience to the Vicar of Christ and the Magisterium, anyone who does other than this would have to consider themselves above the Church. This can also be a problem within the Church as some Priests and Religious embrace a spirit of liberalism and try to introduce a 'new doctrine' to the Catholic Church. They do this by trying to make Jesus seem as if he is no different from all of us, they emphasise Jesus humanity and either disregard or totally ignore Jesus Divine Nature. In their efforts to make the Church and Jesus more relevant they have in affect made both `seem' irrelevant, for why worship a `man' who is `just like us'?

The modernistic trend in the Church cannot be solely and entirely blamed on our Priests or Religious, it is also to be shared with equal responsibility with the laity. We cannot complain about bad liturgical practices, if we maintain our silence in the presence of the Priests who espouse this `new(false)Doctrine'.

The true enemy of the Church is apathy and timidity of soul, when in fear of repercussions or a loss of popularity the laity maintain their silence, thereby giving the Priest its sanction to do as he wishes.

In matters of Liturgical correctness, whether it be in Latin or in the required language of the persons country ie; Norvus Ordo is not based on a `perfect language' but on a `perfect intent', that seeks to give all Honour, Praise, Glory to the Trinitarian God, through Worship and thanksgiving and receiving of The Eucharist & through the Sacraments of the Church. To suggest that the only valid Mass is the Latin Mass is faulty in that it disregards the Popes authority to proclaim what is True and acceptable in forms of Worship. For if language is the source of the problems encountered by many Latin Mass observers, then should the Mass not be said in Aramaic, as was spoken by Jesus and the Apostles?

In defense of the Norvus Ordo Mass, while many dispute its validity they are in essence being disobedient to the very Church they proclaim to obey. There has not been one Pope who has negated the Norvus Ordo Mass therefore those who do proclaim it as illegitimate must understand the implications of such faulty thinking. If the Norvus Ordo Mass is considered illegimate then all those who have received the Sacraments of the Church must be considered null and void including the Sacrament of Baptism and Marriage. What are the repercussions of this? That those Baptized are really not Catholic? Or that those who have been married are not legally married? This is why it is essential that we proclaim what the Catholic Teaches, rather than what we 'think' it should teach.

We need to truly recognise the `signs of the times' and then with prayer, speak the Truth irrespective of the cost to oneself, for what comes first, self preservation or Salvation?

Written by Marie

What Does Being Catholic Mean?

In order to understand our Faith one has to study what Catholics believe and why. This is done by studying the Bible alongside the Catholic Catechism it is also crucial to read and believe Church Doctrine and all the Tenets of our Faith.

There are also matters that are considered Dogma. This means that all Catholics must hold true any specific Dogma declared by the Pontiff and the Magisterium.

There is also the understanding that as Catholics we cannot pick and choose what we wish to believe. This is where obedience must come in for we are to embrace, believe, and explain what the Catholic Church Teaches and not what we think it should teach. This is a crucial point in that many Catholics choose to speak a different gospel than what was given us by Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. St. Augustine put it quite succinctly, "If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself." In order for us to understand what we believe it is imperative for all Catholics to study the Word of God within the guidance of the Catholic Church.

To live one's life as a devout Catholic also means we must not embrace every new fad or novel experience for the sake of it. As Pope Benedict XVI has spoken with these words, "An Adult faith does not follow the waves of fashion and the latest novelties." Where one day what has been outlawed by man may become legal through due process, even though the man made law brings with it God's condemnation such as the case with Roe V Wade.

When society embraces the culture of death which is outside God's Holy Ordinances it is inherent upon the Catholic Church to rebuke and correct such a deceitful and sinful law. As devout Catholics it is also incumbent upon all Catholics to support the Church in its stance against the legalized death of unborn babies. Either by peaceful protests, or through the the ballet box.

If we attend Mass from a sense of duty or out of habit are we giving to God our love and reverence or only our physical presence minus the love? It is the Pharisee's who chained their people with the law. So it stands to reason that if in your own heart you attend Mass only for the above reasons, have you not fallen prey to lawfulness rather than sincere Worship of the Triune God?

We also cannot reject one aspect of the Churches Teachings because it does not align itself with the social issues of the day while accepting only what suits the particular individual.

As Catholics we were not created to accommodate the world or the worldly. We are here to speak the Truth as The Catholic Church specifies and not mistake our own 'ideas' as 'truth', for fear of being ashamed to proclaim it. When we become embarrassed by the Catholic Churches Teaching and too ashamed to proclaim it as it is, then whom do you serve, God or man?

A good Catholic is not one who embraces every new fad and every novel idea. A good Catholic is one who speaks the Truths of the Church with fierce courage irrespective of one's own safety and of one's popularity with others. To be a Catholic requires more than just saying the word, it means believing and then living what you hold Sacred which is ALL the Doctrines of the Catholic Church.