Tuesday, October 9, 2012

How Obama Sees the Church: Vortex

I reported here on the last episode of the new ChurchMilitant.TV “Mic’d Up” radio show, highlighting the end of the show where Michael Voris responded to a listener’s question about whether Obama was trying to divide the Church.

On yesterday’s (October 7) Vortex, Voris elaborated on his answer to that question. Here’s my transcription of the last couple of minutes of the episode:

Why would Obama ever see a reason to create or foster schism in the Church?

He sees the Church as this almost monolithic structure that almost always votes majority Democratic; largely ignores its own moral teaching; whose bishops barely utter a word, if ever, against any of his Catholic buddies – who let them receive Holy Communion, allow them to keep calling themselves Catholic, let them keep speaking on Catholic colleges and campus and so on. He watches the Catholic governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo – and his mistress – sit in the front pew at Mass while the bishop there, Howard Hubbard, jokes and kids around with them and distributes the Host to them.

He hears the reports that the Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, and his fellow bishops in New York, barely lifted a finger to fight against gay marriage in that state, and let it sweep into law. And then he hears reports that Cardinal Dolan actually apologizes for potentially hurting the feelings of any homosexuals because of stating Church teaching.

Then at the end of all of that, he comes walking downstairs in the White House, goes to the White House mailbox, and there he has, from the leading bishop of the United States, who is not only the Cardinal Archbishop of New York, but also the President of the entire US Bishops’ Conference, an invitation. He opens up the invitation, and it’s to the grandest ballroom gala dinner that the Church in New York has. He’s been invited to make a few jokes, kid around, and pose for a picture with this Prince of the Church, who is all smiles and joking and back-slapping and cigar toting.

Exactly where on earth would Obama ever get the idea that he is causing a divide or a schism in the Church?

What he sees is a Church that agrees with him on nearly every piece of legislation that he puts forward; happily shoots down traditional Catholics in a very public fashion, like GOP vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan and his budget; musters a somewhat limp defense of traditional marriage in New York; and launches a PR campaign against a very small portion of his new healthcare law.

No, what Obama sees is a pretty liberal Church, whose majority of members reject her morality; don’t believe it’s anything special; whose major bishops act that way; it has its fringe remnant of course, a little group clinging to the “old ways”…
In short…he sees it exactly like it is.

Sadly, it’s true – that does describe our Church in the US. I think most Americans probably see it that way. At least, non-Catholics are probably more confused than ever about what the Church actually teaches these days…because Catholics are confused about it.

I don’t think we need a “Year of Faith”; I think we need a “Year of Catechesis”. How can you have “faith” when you know so little about the object of that faith? Yes, I know, we are encouraged to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church during this Year of Faith, and I hope many pastors promote that idea and do something to facilitate it.

I’m interested to see just how this enfolds in my diocese. 


4 comments:

  1. Another great Vortex by Michael Voris.
    Isn't it TRUE ....how this is seen by Obama and the government !
    The Catholic Church is different. Since the changes of Vatican II ...all is not well.
    People don't know there Catholic Faith...they don't know if the basics , I know I sure did not.
    Year of Faith ... LORD Have Mercy on Us ...because people are losing their faith . We need to get back to the TRUTH and the complete TRUTH...not this watered down version of the TRUTH .
    But I believe it has to start at the top...Please dear Bishops tell the TRUTH to the flock and may our foundations of the Catholic Church be shaken up to its core.
    Then we will be seen as the TRUE LIGHT and God will be exalted .

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  2. "Yes, I know, we are encouraged to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church during this Year of Faith, and I hope many pastors promote that idea and do something to facilitate it. "

    [huge sigh]

    If *only* this were true, Dr. Jay. If only.

    "Encouraged" maybe by the USCCB and their promotion materials for the YoF. Your hope for having pastors promote the idea? Don't hold your breath.

    I do not have much hope for this at all. Sure, there will be some who do so... to the chagrine of the vast majority of their brothers.

    This past Sunday (where I attend Holy Mass... not my "registered" parish) the priest handed out this little four-fold pamphlet that had a lot of Catholic prayers in it. A good thing, to be sure! Many of the prayers your average Catholic should already know (you know, those associated with the rosary, and others like the Angelus, Regina Caeli, etc.).

    He then went on to say maybe... *maybe* even try to read the "Catholic Catechism" (his words) but, he then went on a little about how it is "tough reading"!

    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

    Dear Lord in heaven, I know how Charlie Brown feels.

    I told him afterwards, "Father, that Catechism is not that bad." Just a little way to be charitable towards the man all the while shaking my head at him inwardly.

    I've said it here before, Dr. Jay, and I'll say it again. I barely, and I mean barely, have a high school education. I am *no scholar* at all. I have a two year technical degree I received some years after hs just so I could get a decent job.

    If I can read the Catechism of the Catholic Church and have *any* sense of understanding it... anybody can!

    Sure, there are some sections a little more "in depth" than others, but I am living proof that a bo-hick, hill-jack, hayseed *can* learn these things!

    I tell the attendees at our adult faith studies that you have to try, try, and try again. I *did not* get through Veritatis Splendor on my first try. LOL!

    I have *zero* training/classes on theology.

    *By the grace of God* is how I learned the Faith. You have to want it to learn it and know it.

    How bad do we want it?

    Judging from what I have seen in many places (and like Mr. Voris put it in this video) not bad enough.

    Rant off.

    CK

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    Replies
    1. BTW, related to what I was saying above, Dr. Jay. My first Catechism is falling apart!

      I had to duct-tape the thing back together and the pages are still falling out. LOL!

      Why do I say this? To toot my own horn and say, "Hey, look at me the great Catholic who reads his Catechism!"?

      No. Hardly.

      I say it to show that I *needed* to be catechized in the faith. (I am a convert/revert)

      And as Blessed JPII said in the beginning of the Cathechism in Fidem Depositum, "This is the faith in its entirety" and "It is a sure norm for teaching the faith."

      Ya got to want it!

      CK

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  3. LOL, CK! I certainly will NOT hold my breath waiting for pastors to promote study of the CCC! But I felt compelled to say I hope they will...because I do! Even more, I wish everyone would take a look at what "modernism" is, and acknowledge that it crept in (understatement of the year) to Vatican II, and, subsequently, the CCC and Canon Law. The emperor has no clothes! (or rather, the emperor is wearing clothes that a previous Pope or two have called "heresy"!!!)

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