The Power of the Church

As Catholics, we don't just attend church because we like the music or the preaching - we believe that real power has been given to the Church.  Deacon Tim outlines the Scriptures which support this idea, but in a nutshell, here are the references:  Mark 16, John 20:21-23, James 5, John 6, Matthew 16, Matthew 10, and Luke 10:16.  Dive in! 

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Comments

[Deacon Pat Kearns]

I enjoyed your blog very much. God bless your ministry.

Deacon Pat

[Linda]

To quote Deacon Tim, "The Cathollic Church has incredible power!" I could not agree more...which makes actions taken like those taken this past week all the more troubling.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/world/europe/25pope.html?pagewanted=2&em

I have enormous respect for both Cyndi and Tim, but I have a great deal of trouble with any organization that plays both sides of the Anti-Semetic issue....I have a great deal of trouble.... to read that the Pope reinstated four ex-communicated Bishops including a holocaust denier, would suggest to me a blind spot in the manner in which you view the Pope. It is more than troubling to suggest that a man who denies the systematic murder of six million Jews can forgive sins, is jaw dropping to me. It simply does not make sense, to suggest that this Pope is infalible in all matters with regard to the faith is incredibly troubling.

The Catholic Church has long played both sides of the Jewish issue, Pope John Paul II was truly the fist Pope to break this mode. It would appear that the present Pope is rolling back that progress, which makes the power of the Catholic Church frightening.

[Linda]

It is fair to say, that the grammar mistakes in my post adequately reflect, just how troubling the announcement was to me.

[Cyndi]

Linda,

Anyone who has lost family members in the Holocaust has every right to be sensitive to this issue. I am sorry that my Church has opened a raw wound.

When Deacon Tim mentioned the Church's power, he wasn't talking about earthly power, though clearly the Church does have a responsibility to be a moral leader. Since the Church on earth is comprised of humans, we will make human errors, and I'm sorry for the times when that has caused hurt instead of healing.

When these sorts of things occur, it reminds me that we all long for heaven, when this sort of misunderstanding and pain will be made right.

Peace,
Cyndi

[Linda]

Cyndi- Respecfully, I believe everyone should be sensitive on this issue. Just as I believe that Rome has been right on target in saying politicians and individuals who vote for politiicians who support abortion rights are not in good standing with the church. The Catholic Church cannot play both sides of the issue without losing credibility.

Deacon Tim might have been referring to eternal power, but the fact remains the Catholic Church has enormous earthly power. I think that is why it is so often the target of hatred by other christian faiths.

It is my understanding that The Pope is seen as infalible in matters of the faith. And the arguement has been made, that lifting the excommunication of the bishops involved is an internal matter and his personal views ot relevant. That it is an internal matter, I have no argument. Just as I have no argument with the statement by Rabbi David Rosen, head of the inter-religious affairs for the American Jewish Committee:

"The late Pope John Paul II called anti-Semitism a sin against God and man. The denial of the overwhelmingly detailed documentation of the Shoah is anti-Semitism at its most blatant.

"In welcoming an open Holocaust denier into the Catholic Church without any recantation on his part, the Vatican has made a mockery of John Paul II's moving and impressive repudiation and condemnation of anti-Semitism,"

However, to suggest that in welcoming with open arms back into the fold a man who chooses spit on the memory of all those who died in the Holocaust, women, children, men, babies......Elan Steinberg, vice president of the American Gathering of Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants said it best, "At a time when the Vatican should have sided with the victims it acted instead to desecrate their memories. This was an act of moral debasement unworthy of a moral institution. For this Vatican political expediency trumps ethical and human considerations."

I long for the days when people will forget politics and simply do the right thing.

[Deacon Tim]

There are a number of issues here which have to be distinguished, and timing is an important element as well. Whether an ex-communicated bishop or priest can be reinstated or not does not necessarily depend on whether the Catholic Church endorses his views. His reinstatment is in no way an affirmation of his statements. It must also be kept in mind that Bishop Williamson made his comments about the holocaust very shortly before the announcement about his reinstatement. So I think we will hear more from the Pope about Bishop Williamson's comments about the use of gas chambers by the Nazis. I sure hope we do.

[Deacon Tim]

Holocaust-Denying Bishop Silenced
Bishop Fellay Apologizes on Behalf of Pius X Society

MENZINGEN, Switzerland, JAN. 27, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior-general of the Society of St. Pius X, publicly apologized for statements regarding the Holocaust made by one of the society's bishops, and reported that the prelate has been forbidden to speak further on the issue.
Bishop Richard Williamson, in an interview taped in November, but aired last Wednesday on Swedish television, claimed that historical evidence denies the gassing of Jews in Nazi concentration camps.

Days later Benedict XVI lifted the excommunication of Bishop Williamson, along with Bishop Fellay and two others, who were ordained bishops by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1988 without papal permission. The act was to be a step toward healing the division between the society and the Vatican that resulted from the ordinations.

"It is evident that a Catholic bishop cannot speak with ecclesial authority if it is not a question of faith and morals," said Bishop Fellay. "Our fraternity does not claim any authority over other questions."

"With great sadness we acknowledge the extent to which the violation of this mandate has damaged our mission," he continued. "The statements of Bishop Williamson do not reflect in any way the position of our society."

Bishop Fellay said that until further notice Bishop Williamson has been prohibited from speaking on these matters.

The superior-general asked "for the forgiveness of the Supreme Pontiff, and of all people of good will, for the dramatic consequences of this act," which said were "not acceptable."

[Linda]

Tim- the problem is the statement read, "...a Catholic bishop cannot speak with ecclesial authority if it is not a question of faith and morals." If this issue does not come under the category of morally repugnant, than the Catholic bishops are also without authority in speaking out against abortion.

It is interesting that the Society of Piux X did not repudiate or expel Bishop Williamson. They simply told him to keep quiet. He is a man who by their own definition is granted ecclesial authority to speak on matters of faith and morals. A man who is bluntly a liar. Does there not seem to be an enormous gulf between his mandate and the character he has exposed for public viewing? It can not go unnoted that Bishop Williamson is not the one asking for forgiveness.

If the superior-general is sincere in asking for forgiveness, than he must first remove the cancer.

[Deacon Tim]

Your points are very good. I agree with them. So we'll see what happens from here. I'll be very disappointed if there isn't more said on behalf of the official Church.

[Rosa]

The power of Catholic chruch, I doubt that...Catholic church has always said they are the real church or the church of God, at least in Latin America...If they are the church God has selected,why did the inquisition ever existed?, Catholic church, has noe excomulgated a mother of an 11 years old girl who has been rape by her step father since she was 6, and got pregnant with twins. The mother was advice that the child could not keep this babies or she would die. The mother decided to practice an abortion on the child, the Catholic church, always so right when it comes to judgement (except when is about the sick priets who molest little boys), excomulgated the mother and the doctors who helped her...I ask the Catholics, do you think that's a big deal? The mother and child will go to heaven, God forgives, why cant Catholic church do not?

[Rosa]

Just for the records, this is what the bible says about the Catholic church:
"For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities". - Revelation 18:3-5.

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