Dale Price at Dyspeptic Mutterings calls upon Orwell to explain this Orwellian time in the history of the Church:
“If thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”
A NewChurch Lexicon for Catholics in the Age of Francis:
1. Fundamentalist: Faithful Catholic.
2.  Imperfect Living Arrangement: Shacking up.
3.  Social Justice: Socialism.
4.  Self-absorbed promethean neo pelagian: Someone who differs with the Pope.
5.   Doctors of the Law: Anyone who wants to uphold a law of the Church that the Pope wishes to throw down a memory hole.
6.   Pastoral: Trump card played by Pope.
7.    Magisterium: Only what he current Pope says or writes.
8.    Hell: Empty
9.    Jesus Christ: Who?
10.  Black: White
Remember when the Rorate Caeli combox went into meltdown after the election of Pope Francis?
Christianity has faded in Western Europe and North America for a bunch of reasons, but it has not entirely been self inflicted. Latin American Catholicism has faded almost entirely because of the bishops of the Catholic Church in Latin America. There it has been self inflicted.
So, where do we get our Pontiff from? A failed order from a failed nation. Nobody forced errors upon the Jesuits or Argentina. They were not infiltrated by the KGB in Latin America. Argentina wasn’t invaded by nations hostile to the Catholic Church. They shot themselves in the foot.
The late Mother Angelica put it best. “I am tired of you, Liberal Church.” I’ve been tired of it. Cardinal Kingmaker Wuerl has softpedaled the Georgetown controversy of having the Worse than Murder leader speak on the campus.
Penguins Fan.
We’re all tired of it, however we are missing the opportunity. View this time as a shared persecution going on two thousand and some years ago. Remove the centuries and share the rejection, betrayal and beating of Christ.
Share it as best you can with patience, love for neighbor and love for God the Father… then ask Our Father to accept this offering of a Church scourged, ridiculed and undermined by the very ones HE made and loved.
This is my poor perspective.
Trying to offer redemptive suffering because it’s the only lemonade I can see profitable from an orchard of lemons. It’s a value for souls unseen and if accepted by Almighty God, it’s a work that will not perish in the final fire. It very well could be a lasting and profitable gift…not because of us…but because of the original sufferings by Christ on Calvary. If Christ accepts our offering than we are participants in the work of renewing the face of the earth. Agian. Not us. As St. Paul said; We make up what is lacking… not that God lacks anything… but rejoices in our participation. That is the sweet lemonade that comes from a grove of lemons… be it Rome, Washington or Main Street.
Peace and may our weariness be turned into enthusiasm for with God all things are possible.
Philip. Aren’t we supposed to fight the good fight as best we can by resistance, by speaking out as well as by prayer and suffering?
Michael, not to presume to speak for Philip, but it does seem that he offers but a way of fighting–the same way Christ chose that brought about the largest victory in history–that of salvation.
it is not so much ignoring doctrine that has brought our church to this sorry state, but it is that it has ignored embracing the most important weapon of all–the cross. I also remind myself that it was Christ’s errant church leaders that he fought–just as many of us are doing today.
We now have much more than a micro-opportunity to join with Him daily.
“If you wish to follow me, pick up your cross daily…..
Philip. Aren’t we supposed to fight the good fight as best we can by resistance, by speaking out as well as by prayer and suffering? – Michael Dowd
As an active sidewalk prayer protester and rally captain for public square rosaries stepping up in the face of injustices is at my core. Be it so-called same sex marriage – blasphemous plays- HHS mandate and The Right to Life for the unborn I’m in.
Pope Francis is an enigma. Hence I’m suffering in this conundrum. When I take this to Jesus in the Holy Hour it is “PRAY for my Francis”…. so I pray for him. Conversion? Well I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide him to do exactly what God wants him to do.
My answer then Micheal is Prayer and sacrifice. I can’t fathom standing in protest in front of St. Peter’s……. but with the dome being used for green propaganda and other twisting I can’t rule it out.
The golden act of redemptive suffering is a practice I engage in and teach the elderly at the nursing home. It is valuable in ways that only God can correctly identify since it is so personal….an intimate joining of deep suffering with the ultimate sufferer, Christ.
I believe this is what is needed at the moment concerning our Holy Church and it’s head.
Thanks Phillip. I well understand. My wife and I have been suffering with the Church since Vatican II. Trying to raise 11 kids in the Catholic faith in the feverishly left wing diocese of Detroit was a difficult challenge beginning in the mid sixties. Basically the Church did more harm than good to the kids. And, I think it helped cause her early death at age 62.
Dear Michael.. my sincere condolences.
If the Church was a part of her sufferings and played a role in her premature departure then please know what a jewel she is in Christ’s Crown. Together, She and Christ will see to your children and their safety, their souls well-being. Please know I will pray for your family today. Each of them.
Thanks Phillip I appreciate that and agree. It was 20 years ago that she died. In some other era she would probably be considered a saint for raising 11 kids, setting up her own orthodox Catholic catechetical program for 100 kids and years of work on counseling girls against abortion.
You did just describe a Saint….in our era.
Now I know why Jesus wanted her home early… He couldn’t wait to have her enjoy the rewards she has helped to garner. Love wanted her home even though it would break hearts on earth.
Your very blessed to call her wife, friend and mate. She IS beautiful.
I take my son to Mass and catechism myself. The wife sleeps.
I will not raise my sons in the same banal atmosphere that drove away my dad and brothers.
Penguins Fan.
Respectively understood.
I don’t have a clue as to the availability of an orthodox priest that may or may not reside near your family.. but I will mention that it was a pleasure to move close to one in my community. We moved in ’13 to a beautiful parish. One that offers TLM every week. Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. Men’s Holy League. Legion of Mary and a few others.
The parish in in a rural area. Prior to the move I painstakingly put up with liberal theology including a homosexual music director who’s Facebook page is scandalous, however the “possibility of conversion,” is never extinguished and the big question; Did I do enough to plant seeds to help them?
I finally made the move out of the front lines to be a parishioner at this oasis of living water.
Yes, it is an additional 17 miles each way to employment now, but so worth it.
The boys are plentiful for serving at the Mass and Benedictions. I’m feeling refreshed and able to serve my residence and neighbors with a gentler heart……however sometimes I vent here which is not always charitable. Girls are not recruited to be alter servers. They sing the choir and when they sing the hymns in Latin it’s tears of joy for us, the parishioners.
Please consider your options in PA.
I’m sure you already have. Your a sensible contributor.
Peace PF.
Your a good father for many reasons, but your investment in their catechism is stellar.
Prayers to you for a new assignment of a orthodox priest in your diocese that feeds the sheep with Holy conviction.