In yesterdays Courier-Journal, there was an article about the sexual behaviors of "spiritual" women as opposed to "religious" women. It is, of course, a controversial study.
The study did a survey of British women, and divided them into two groups. One group was composed of women who were identified as being traditionally religious, (going to a "mainstream church", or practicing some form of organized religion) the other as "spiritual", (practicing meditation, "earth based spirituality" etc). The result of the study was a finding that "spiritual women" had lots more sex, and riskier sex, than "religious" women, including numbers of partners and sex with multiple partners.
So the study has been criticized on all the usually points. Methodology, sample size, definitions, and so forth. Some quoted in the article maintained that this was an artifact of culture--that "artistic" and "creative" women were just more loving and compassionate, and more likely to be "spiritual". Others were of the opinion that "religious" women were hung up.
OK--not being encumbered by a degree in sociology I can't comment on the study, it's methodology or conclusions. However I do have observations based on my personal experience. Yep, the ever poo-pooed anecdotal approach to the interpretation of social trends.
People who read my former blog are probably aware that before I returned to the Faith I was active in the Neo-Pagan and Wiccan subculture, with significant contact with other parts of the New Age and "Spiritual but not Religious" sub cultures. So here are my observations.
The Study matches my experience. Most of the Pagan, Wiccan, "Spiritual" etc. women I knew were rather free and easy with their favors. Many could be described as promiscuous. Some as kinky. (The kinky thing was interesting in a psychological or anthropological sense: They usually claimed to be celebrating or channeling some aspect of the "Divine feminine"--Lilith, etc--in their activities, thus sacralizing them.) Mostly they used alternative spirituality to justify or celebrate what they were doing. ("I was the instrument of his sexual healing/awakening/initiation...") Or they were more honest and said that they really liked being sexual, that there were no prohibitions in their belief system against it, so why not. Many were using sex to bolster their self esteem or self image. At times, and this happened several times to me, they would admit they felt valuable, powerful or complete only during sexual activity. (And every time I heard something like this the woman in question was crying.
An odd factor was the occasional, but not rare, woman who was attempting to earn a living as a "Tantric Healer", "Priestess of Astarte" etc. And these women invariably cast what they were doing as a form of paid clerical (in the sense of clergy) work, denying that they were attempting to earn their living through sex as opposed to a conventional job. Interestingly, many of these women couldn't really hold a conventional job of any lucrative nature, despite often being very intelligent and holding college degrees.
So I think that this study exposed, in a minor and very polite way, one of the effects of New Age spirituality: That leaving the traditional values behind eventually dis-empowers and degrades women. And, as the sexual drive is one of our strongest, this manifests in sexual behaviors. Add into this the fact that Satan is alive and well, and very active you run into the other thing that the New Age movement doesn't often talk about: Middle aged women, often scarred through substance abuse, low grade mental illness and psychological alienation, looking around and finding that they have very little to show for their lives, are lonely and are suffering a sense of diminishing worth as their youthful bodies age and they are no longer sought after as sexual partners.
All in all--loose religion, and you become prey to Powers that want you to suffer, in this world and the next.
TRIUMPHALIST--YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
In Local News
Our Archdiocesan newspaper has ran an article about a priest who won a national award.
From voice of the Faithful.
Despite the fact that VOF espouses ideas and programs that are contrary to the faith. Despite the fact that when many of their members were formally excommunicated the excommunications were upheld by Rome. (They were excommunicate because they were members of an organization that worked against the deposit of the faith!)
This was on page 4 of The Record. Interestingly enough, the Vatican's announcement about the Anglicans was buried in the far back of the same paper.
Draw your own conclusions about the local archdiocesan paper.
From voice of the Faithful.
Despite the fact that VOF espouses ideas and programs that are contrary to the faith. Despite the fact that when many of their members were formally excommunicated the excommunications were upheld by Rome. (They were excommunicate because they were members of an organization that worked against the deposit of the faith!)
This was on page 4 of The Record. Interestingly enough, the Vatican's announcement about the Anglicans was buried in the far back of the same paper.
Draw your own conclusions about the local archdiocesan paper.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Just a Final Observation
I can't help but wonder just when our culture decided that teenage girls were appropriate objects for fetishized fantasy. What's worse, I can't help but wonder when parents decided this was appropriate, and decided to dress their daughters accordingly.
It first popped into my head yesterday ofternoon when I was walking down the street in Louisville. there was a gaggle of girls from Presentation Acadamy, a putativly Catholic school, walking down the street to the art center for a school outing.
They were, of course, in their school uniforms. They were also, without exception, in miniskirts. It struck me that in a culture marred with a prevelance of ephibophilia and rape, (less than a week after anotorious gang rape of a 15 year old where no one stopped it but many watched it) these girls would be walking down the street dressed like that.
I have to say right here that I don't think that short skirts are any sort of invitation to rape! Nor do I think that they excuse or lessen the offense.
But the fact remains that they are attractive to perverts who fixate on teenage school girls. Common sense tells me that avoiding them woulod lessen the attraction. Don't believe me? do a web search for "schoolgirl fetish". but be advised, it may be a near occasion of sin.
Then today I went to fox news's website. what was prominantly displayed? "the lost pictures of 16 year old Angelina Jolie". With a cleavage shot prominant as the teaser.
Hey parents: watch what you let your daughters wear. They may be innocent and pretty, but there are a lot of perverts out hunting, and lots of pressure on them to think of themselves as hotties and available.
BTW--If your daughter goes to Catholic School, and the School tolerates miniskirts with their uniforms, maybe you should speak up and point up that even though the kids are basicly fine, the pervs are out their, and need to recieve zero encouragment in their twisted fixations.
sorry about the spelling, out of time.
It first popped into my head yesterday ofternoon when I was walking down the street in Louisville. there was a gaggle of girls from Presentation Acadamy, a putativly Catholic school, walking down the street to the art center for a school outing.
They were, of course, in their school uniforms. They were also, without exception, in miniskirts. It struck me that in a culture marred with a prevelance of ephibophilia and rape, (less than a week after anotorious gang rape of a 15 year old where no one stopped it but many watched it) these girls would be walking down the street dressed like that.
I have to say right here that I don't think that short skirts are any sort of invitation to rape! Nor do I think that they excuse or lessen the offense.
But the fact remains that they are attractive to perverts who fixate on teenage school girls. Common sense tells me that avoiding them woulod lessen the attraction. Don't believe me? do a web search for "schoolgirl fetish". but be advised, it may be a near occasion of sin.
Then today I went to fox news's website. what was prominantly displayed? "the lost pictures of 16 year old Angelina Jolie". With a cleavage shot prominant as the teaser.
Hey parents: watch what you let your daughters wear. They may be innocent and pretty, but there are a lot of perverts out hunting, and lots of pressure on them to think of themselves as hotties and available.
BTW--If your daughter goes to Catholic School, and the School tolerates miniskirts with their uniforms, maybe you should speak up and point up that even though the kids are basicly fine, the pervs are out their, and need to recieve zero encouragment in their twisted fixations.
sorry about the spelling, out of time.
Learning from the Foe
If you are a Catholic who endorses, supports or believes in the Teachings of the Church, lay coalitions for various causes with the name "reform", "accountability" etc. immediately raise a red flag in your mind. Mostly these groups have an agenda at variance with that of the Church.
So now there is a new coalition.
It's different.
It's called Reform CHHD Now, and it's dedicated to fixing something that is definitly broke: a programme of the USCCB that funds groups that are pro gay marriage, pro abortion etc.
You can link to them at www.REFORMCHHDNOW.com. Go check it out.
So now there is a new coalition.
It's different.
It's called Reform CHHD Now, and it's dedicated to fixing something that is definitly broke: a programme of the USCCB that funds groups that are pro gay marriage, pro abortion etc.
You can link to them at www.REFORMCHHDNOW.com. Go check it out.
just stupid stuff
One thing:
Miley cyrus was voted "worst celebrity influance" in a poll of teens and "tweens". I can't imagine why. (?/*snark=off)
Two thing:
the catagory "tween" disturbs me--it suggests to me a whole new marketing niche defined into existance to sell things. Not least among them, parental anxiety and premature social activities.
Three thing:
A major Catholic institution is persecuting 88 people for practicing freedom of thought and expression. These people are called "The Notre Dame 88". what heinous thing did these people do and say?
Why, they went on the Notre Dame campus to express pro-life sentiments at a time that would prove embarrassing for the university. what's worse They did it with a rosary!.
Notre Dame's president says the matter is out of his hands--the state is prosecuting them, not the University.
Hmmmm--this is the same argument that is rejected by many of ND's faculty regarding the Inquisitions practices. Oh! BTW--they were arrested by ND's Campus cops.
Miley cyrus was voted "worst celebrity influance" in a poll of teens and "tweens". I can't imagine why. (?/*snark=off)
Two thing:
the catagory "tween" disturbs me--it suggests to me a whole new marketing niche defined into existance to sell things. Not least among them, parental anxiety and premature social activities.
Three thing:
A major Catholic institution is persecuting 88 people for practicing freedom of thought and expression. These people are called "The Notre Dame 88". what heinous thing did these people do and say?
Why, they went on the Notre Dame campus to express pro-life sentiments at a time that would prove embarrassing for the university. what's worse They did it with a rosary!.
Notre Dame's president says the matter is out of his hands--the state is prosecuting them, not the University.
Hmmmm--this is the same argument that is rejected by many of ND's faculty regarding the Inquisitions practices. Oh! BTW--they were arrested by ND's Campus cops.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Getting My Dad Annointed
My father has since passed away--years ago so please don't feel the need to express condolences.
But an incident stands out to me, in my memory, that explains a good bit of how I began my slow slide away from the church.
My Dad had heart disease, and suffered from multiple heart attacks. He stayed one technological jump ahead of the Grim Reaper on each heart attack. Eventually they did a coronary bypass and my father lived well into his 70's, with a good quality of life until he succumbed to congestive heart failure.
When my dad had his 4th heart attack (out of five) his cardiologist said we should expect him to die. And we did. We called for a priest. And waited. And Waited. And waited. I set off on my bicycle (I was in college at the time and couldn't afford a car) to the rectory of our Parish, St. Margret Mary's, in Terre Haute Indiana. I actually got a hold of our pastor, Fr. Dede. I explained that my Dad was in grave danger of death. He said he had an appointment that he couldn't miss. So I went to the Conventual Franciscan Fathers at St. Benedict's Friary. No one could come. I went to the Friary at St. Josephs. No one could come. I went to St. Anne's, St Patrick's, in fact to every parish in town. No priest came.
A Protestant minister saw us crying in the waiting room in the hospital and asked what he could do. I told him that no priest would come and anoint my father. He did it, in the tradition of his own denomination.
I later learned that our pastor's "appointment" was a golf game with a well heeled parishioner (we were never well heeled!). About a week after my Dad came home from the hospital, having received a then new and radical procedure called a cardiac catheterization and having benefited greatly from it (His quality of life went up enough he could actually do things) we got a letter from a parish group, asking for an additional donation (from a family who had one parent permanently disabled!) to buy Father a new car "to help in his ministry".
My Dad never set foot in a Catholic church again, and received his end of life ministries and anointing from a Pentecostal Preacher who my sisters had grown up with.
Now you know one of the reasons I just don't trust priests, only the priesthood.
But an incident stands out to me, in my memory, that explains a good bit of how I began my slow slide away from the church.
My Dad had heart disease, and suffered from multiple heart attacks. He stayed one technological jump ahead of the Grim Reaper on each heart attack. Eventually they did a coronary bypass and my father lived well into his 70's, with a good quality of life until he succumbed to congestive heart failure.
When my dad had his 4th heart attack (out of five) his cardiologist said we should expect him to die. And we did. We called for a priest. And waited. And Waited. And waited. I set off on my bicycle (I was in college at the time and couldn't afford a car) to the rectory of our Parish, St. Margret Mary's, in Terre Haute Indiana. I actually got a hold of our pastor, Fr. Dede. I explained that my Dad was in grave danger of death. He said he had an appointment that he couldn't miss. So I went to the Conventual Franciscan Fathers at St. Benedict's Friary. No one could come. I went to the Friary at St. Josephs. No one could come. I went to St. Anne's, St Patrick's, in fact to every parish in town. No priest came.
A Protestant minister saw us crying in the waiting room in the hospital and asked what he could do. I told him that no priest would come and anoint my father. He did it, in the tradition of his own denomination.
I later learned that our pastor's "appointment" was a golf game with a well heeled parishioner (we were never well heeled!). About a week after my Dad came home from the hospital, having received a then new and radical procedure called a cardiac catheterization and having benefited greatly from it (His quality of life went up enough he could actually do things) we got a letter from a parish group, asking for an additional donation (from a family who had one parent permanently disabled!) to buy Father a new car "to help in his ministry".
My Dad never set foot in a Catholic church again, and received his end of life ministries and anointing from a Pentecostal Preacher who my sisters had grown up with.
Now you know one of the reasons I just don't trust priests, only the priesthood.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Theology in an Age of Doubt.
I am not a theologian, and for that I give thanks to God. I mistrust theology intensely, because it has become, for a long while now, simply an academic discipline divorced from faith.
It's also true that the vast majority of heresiarchs have been theologians, priest or bishops.
Perhaps the most telling thing was when I realized that many modern theologians, like McBrian and Curran, regarded credal, magisterial Catholicism as a folk religion only suitable for the simple. It made clear to me that they had long ceased to read the Gospels as a guide to life, but only read in such a way as to mine them for proof texts in their clever arguments. In effect, cleverness and convincing lines had replaced knowledge of God as their goal.
This doesn't mean that I don't study my faith. I use the Catechism (The Vatican Edition, not the US Edition!), the Fathers and Scripture. I find reading the books by Benedict XVI very rewarding, (They're available through Ignatius Press, hint hint.) even though they are heavy going.
But theology is actually something that occur most in prayer. St. Thomas Aquinas actually stopped writing theology because he learned, in prayer, that it can't really be told in words.
So I read and study my faith. Both the parts that are necessary to study for the good of my soul, and the parts that are just fun. (Like, regional customs, Liturgical Trivia, things like that). But that doesn't make me a theologian, nor is it theology. So where does my theology come from?
Well, to be honest, and at risk of sounding simple minded, the Rosary. Really. Praying and meditation on the mysteries of the Rosary is where I come to an understanding of my reading. Where the parroting of formulae stops and the meaning becomes clear. Where I internalize the teachings of the Faith.
I'm glad that after a generation of neglect, the Rosary is making a comeback.
And I can't get the image out of my head, of the couple who used to come to make a private holy hour at St. Paul's in Bloomington IN. It's a very "progressive parish". And these two people would come into the chapel, where the Blessed Sacrament was reserved to pray together as a couple. But due to the culture of the parish, they felt they had to hid the hands that held their rosaries under their jackets. Because after all, the Rosary is so outmoded by an active participation in "Liturgical Expressions of Community".
That was really, really sad.
But the Rosary is realy, realy good at teaching theology!
It's also true that the vast majority of heresiarchs have been theologians, priest or bishops.
Perhaps the most telling thing was when I realized that many modern theologians, like McBrian and Curran, regarded credal, magisterial Catholicism as a folk religion only suitable for the simple. It made clear to me that they had long ceased to read the Gospels as a guide to life, but only read in such a way as to mine them for proof texts in their clever arguments. In effect, cleverness and convincing lines had replaced knowledge of God as their goal.
This doesn't mean that I don't study my faith. I use the Catechism (The Vatican Edition, not the US Edition!), the Fathers and Scripture. I find reading the books by Benedict XVI very rewarding, (They're available through Ignatius Press, hint hint.) even though they are heavy going.
But theology is actually something that occur most in prayer. St. Thomas Aquinas actually stopped writing theology because he learned, in prayer, that it can't really be told in words.
So I read and study my faith. Both the parts that are necessary to study for the good of my soul, and the parts that are just fun. (Like, regional customs, Liturgical Trivia, things like that). But that doesn't make me a theologian, nor is it theology. So where does my theology come from?
Well, to be honest, and at risk of sounding simple minded, the Rosary. Really. Praying and meditation on the mysteries of the Rosary is where I come to an understanding of my reading. Where the parroting of formulae stops and the meaning becomes clear. Where I internalize the teachings of the Faith.
I'm glad that after a generation of neglect, the Rosary is making a comeback.
And I can't get the image out of my head, of the couple who used to come to make a private holy hour at St. Paul's in Bloomington IN. It's a very "progressive parish". And these two people would come into the chapel, where the Blessed Sacrament was reserved to pray together as a couple. But due to the culture of the parish, they felt they had to hid the hands that held their rosaries under their jackets. Because after all, the Rosary is so outmoded by an active participation in "Liturgical Expressions of Community".
That was really, really sad.
But the Rosary is realy, realy good at teaching theology!
Pontifex Maximus
The Pope is the Supreme Pontiff. The title Pontiff means "bridge builder".
The Pope is also the one who holds authority to discipline bishops.
And so we find that His Holiness has built a new type of bridge for those of us who are tired of watching immoral bishops get away with things, or who quietly resign "for health reasons" or what ever.
This new type of bridge is a suspension bridge. As in he suspended Archbishop Richard Burke of Benin for allegedly abusing a 14 year old girl.
Now, if we see a pattern of Episcopal suspensions for sexual and other skulldugery, we can actually begin to breath easier with the knowlege that things are getting betting in this leaking and storm tossed Barque of Peter.
The Pope is also the one who holds authority to discipline bishops.
And so we find that His Holiness has built a new type of bridge for those of us who are tired of watching immoral bishops get away with things, or who quietly resign "for health reasons" or what ever.
This new type of bridge is a suspension bridge. As in he suspended Archbishop Richard Burke of Benin for allegedly abusing a 14 year old girl.
Now, if we see a pattern of Episcopal suspensions for sexual and other skulldugery, we can actually begin to breath easier with the knowlege that things are getting betting in this leaking and storm tossed Barque of Peter.
Bishop Trautman, I am not stupid.
Nor am I ignorant. I picked "Ignorant Redneck" as a blog moniker because I was fed up with being regarded as ignorant by my own Church.
You said, and I quote, "The vast majority of God's people in the assembly are not familier with words of the new missal like "ineffible', 'consubstancial', 'incarnate' {Incarnate? What about churches with Incarnation in their name, or schools as well?} 'inviolate', 'oblation', 'ignomy', 'precursor', 'suffused', and 'unvanquished'.
I have news for you, Boyo, I don't know a single Catholic over the age of 18 who doesn't know these words. In fact, Anne Hathaway, the actress (not a profession especially noted for subtle academic shadings) used "ineffible" in an interview on an entertainment program--and everyone got it. We are not stupid. We are not ignorant.
And I'm damned tired of you assuming that we don't speak english any better than we do Latin.
Moreover, if there are Catholics who don't understand words like "consubstancial" or "oblation" because of their theological overtones or meaning, I would look not to a way to avoid teaching them, were I you, but fufill the duties of a Bishop to Teach Sanctify and Rule.
Actually, if we are ignorant, it's a judgment against you and your ministry.
You said, and I quote, "The vast majority of God's people in the assembly are not familier with words of the new missal like "ineffible', 'consubstancial', 'incarnate' {Incarnate? What about churches with Incarnation in their name, or schools as well?} 'inviolate', 'oblation', 'ignomy', 'precursor', 'suffused', and 'unvanquished'.
I have news for you, Boyo, I don't know a single Catholic over the age of 18 who doesn't know these words. In fact, Anne Hathaway, the actress (not a profession especially noted for subtle academic shadings) used "ineffible" in an interview on an entertainment program--and everyone got it. We are not stupid. We are not ignorant.
And I'm damned tired of you assuming that we don't speak english any better than we do Latin.
Moreover, if there are Catholics who don't understand words like "consubstancial" or "oblation" because of their theological overtones or meaning, I would look not to a way to avoid teaching them, were I you, but fufill the duties of a Bishop to Teach Sanctify and Rule.
Actually, if we are ignorant, it's a judgment against you and your ministry.
Monday, October 26, 2009
The Right Reverend John Hind
The above named man is the Anglican Bishop of Chichester. He has announced that he is seriously considering conversion to the Catholic Faith, knowing that it will cost him his living, his place of residence in the Bishops Palace, etc, to have the freedom to be Catholic in his faith.
He went on to say that there was no longer any place in Anglicanism for those who are what have been called Anglo Catholics.
So, there, it's not like the Anglican Bishops are all pi--ed off at us, after all.
Ummmm---this came to my attention after I wrote the post below.
He went on to say that there was no longer any place in Anglicanism for those who are what have been called Anglo Catholics.
So, there, it's not like the Anglican Bishops are all pi--ed off at us, after all.
Ummmm---this came to my attention after I wrote the post below.
O Ye of Little Faith!
Sometimes I have to acknowledge that I'm not a good fit in the Catholic Church. I mean, that I am so out of step with my coreligionists that sometimes I am actually ashamed of my Church.
Right now, I'm pretty fed up with the various responses I've read and heard to the Apostolic Constitution for the Anglicans who wish to return to communion with Rome that I have wonder if many of the people I've heard are even capable of reason, or have any faith what so ever in the promises of Christ!
From those on the modernist end of our Church, perhaps the single most ignorant and off topic objection I read was an opinion expressed in The Tablet, in which the writer seemed to think that the whole thing was an attempt to derail joint Catholic/Anglican parish initiatives to combat global warming, entered into to allow the "global warmers" to continue to kill the planet. That one was just stupid. It also pointed something that bothers me about post-modern Catholicism: The tendency to Idolatry. So many of us cannot seem to get our mind around the idea that the saving of souls is more important than our temporal political concerns, and to elevate those concerns to the same level as proclaiming the Gospel.
A more sensible objection concerns the idea that we are "fishing in the Anglican Pond". Yet this objection chooses to ignore a simple fact. The fact that this comes as a response to initiatives by The Traditional Anglican Communion, of two years ago, as well as initiatives by Anglican parishes and Bishops seeking reunification. This wasn't a fly cast into the waters in the hope of snagging a few Anglicans, it was a generous, and almost unprecedented offer to those who have already asked to be admitted to communion with the Holy Catholic Church. that ammounts, all told to about half a million sould seeking admission to Communio in the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The charge of proselytism is completely unfounded. (And, even if it wasn't, what is the possible theological objection? If the Catholic Church was the one founded by Christ, then shouldn't we be happy and vigorous in converting others for error? Besides, many of those objecting are the same voices who argue for the idea that the Second Vatican Council changed the rules, and re wrote tradition. In doing this they also seem to conveniently avoid the part of Lumen Gentium that says clear, organic unity with the Catholic church is the surest route to salvation.)
On the same time the Traddies are saying some pretty foolish things too. One objection I have heard is that since Anglican priests who are married will be admitted to the priesthood, and since the Anglican seminarians who are married will be ordained as well, it will lead to bitterness among Roman Rite clergy. I don't think this is an issue. We have already admitted Anglican/Episcopalian clergymen to the priesthood who are married. It hasn't caused the horrible things that are predicted by some of our traddy doomsayers. Moreover, celibacy isn't, and has never been, the universal discipline of the Church. Only the Roman Rite has this discipline, and for 1100 years it was not universally enforced. Our Orthodox brethren haven't been overwhelmed with disaffected Catholics going over so that they can be ordained after marriage. Nor, for that matter, have the Eastern Catholic Rites. (In fact, the only Roman Catholic men I have met who changed their rite so that they could enter Holy Orders in the Eastern Rites embraced the discipline of celibacy! They went for the freedom to reverently celebrate mass and preach the faith, which they were unable to find in their home dioceses of the roman Rite.)
Another spurious objection is that if we have married priest in the Anglican Usage, it will lead to women being ordained to the priesthood. Bull! Again, our eastern brethren have been ordaining married men for about 2000 years, and have yet to ordain a woman.
But the worst thing, the very worst thing, I see in the various negative responses is this--that they somehow spell the doom of the Church.
Our Lord told us, quite frankly, that "Thou art Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. And, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." We believe, or are supposed to believe since it seems that most Catholics have lost sight of it, that the election of the Pope is guided by the Holy Spirit. Pope Benedict is Pope because the Holy Spirit choose him for the job. Moreover, the church Herself is guided by the Holy Spirit. My brothers and sisters, have a little faith! Accept that you views just might be narrow and parochial. Accept that God is leading the Church, and when it does things, through Petrine Ministry, or says things through the same, or through the Magisterial office of the whole of the episcopate, that's what is right. If you don't get your druthers, because they are not what the Teaching or governing Authority of the church say, the odds are good your druthers are wrong.
The Church will endure. The will of God will be accomplished. Worry about prayer, fasting and almsdeeds, our wn conversion, and trust that the Vicar of Christ will guide the Barque of Peter rightly.
Right now, I'm pretty fed up with the various responses I've read and heard to the Apostolic Constitution for the Anglicans who wish to return to communion with Rome that I have wonder if many of the people I've heard are even capable of reason, or have any faith what so ever in the promises of Christ!
From those on the modernist end of our Church, perhaps the single most ignorant and off topic objection I read was an opinion expressed in The Tablet, in which the writer seemed to think that the whole thing was an attempt to derail joint Catholic/Anglican parish initiatives to combat global warming, entered into to allow the "global warmers" to continue to kill the planet. That one was just stupid. It also pointed something that bothers me about post-modern Catholicism: The tendency to Idolatry. So many of us cannot seem to get our mind around the idea that the saving of souls is more important than our temporal political concerns, and to elevate those concerns to the same level as proclaiming the Gospel.
A more sensible objection concerns the idea that we are "fishing in the Anglican Pond". Yet this objection chooses to ignore a simple fact. The fact that this comes as a response to initiatives by The Traditional Anglican Communion, of two years ago, as well as initiatives by Anglican parishes and Bishops seeking reunification. This wasn't a fly cast into the waters in the hope of snagging a few Anglicans, it was a generous, and almost unprecedented offer to those who have already asked to be admitted to communion with the Holy Catholic Church. that ammounts, all told to about half a million sould seeking admission to Communio in the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The charge of proselytism is completely unfounded. (And, even if it wasn't, what is the possible theological objection? If the Catholic Church was the one founded by Christ, then shouldn't we be happy and vigorous in converting others for error? Besides, many of those objecting are the same voices who argue for the idea that the Second Vatican Council changed the rules, and re wrote tradition. In doing this they also seem to conveniently avoid the part of Lumen Gentium that says clear, organic unity with the Catholic church is the surest route to salvation.)
On the same time the Traddies are saying some pretty foolish things too. One objection I have heard is that since Anglican priests who are married will be admitted to the priesthood, and since the Anglican seminarians who are married will be ordained as well, it will lead to bitterness among Roman Rite clergy. I don't think this is an issue. We have already admitted Anglican/Episcopalian clergymen to the priesthood who are married. It hasn't caused the horrible things that are predicted by some of our traddy doomsayers. Moreover, celibacy isn't, and has never been, the universal discipline of the Church. Only the Roman Rite has this discipline, and for 1100 years it was not universally enforced. Our Orthodox brethren haven't been overwhelmed with disaffected Catholics going over so that they can be ordained after marriage. Nor, for that matter, have the Eastern Catholic Rites. (In fact, the only Roman Catholic men I have met who changed their rite so that they could enter Holy Orders in the Eastern Rites embraced the discipline of celibacy! They went for the freedom to reverently celebrate mass and preach the faith, which they were unable to find in their home dioceses of the roman Rite.)
Another spurious objection is that if we have married priest in the Anglican Usage, it will lead to women being ordained to the priesthood. Bull! Again, our eastern brethren have been ordaining married men for about 2000 years, and have yet to ordain a woman.
But the worst thing, the very worst thing, I see in the various negative responses is this--that they somehow spell the doom of the Church.
Our Lord told us, quite frankly, that "Thou art Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. And, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." We believe, or are supposed to believe since it seems that most Catholics have lost sight of it, that the election of the Pope is guided by the Holy Spirit. Pope Benedict is Pope because the Holy Spirit choose him for the job. Moreover, the church Herself is guided by the Holy Spirit. My brothers and sisters, have a little faith! Accept that you views just might be narrow and parochial. Accept that God is leading the Church, and when it does things, through Petrine Ministry, or says things through the same, or through the Magisterial office of the whole of the episcopate, that's what is right. If you don't get your druthers, because they are not what the Teaching or governing Authority of the church say, the odds are good your druthers are wrong.
The Church will endure. The will of God will be accomplished. Worry about prayer, fasting and almsdeeds, our wn conversion, and trust that the Vicar of Christ will guide the Barque of Peter rightly.
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