We got through another 10 or 15 pages of the Apostolic Exhortation, "Evangelii Gaudium". The original post was removed from my wall??? Here are some of the lines which jumped at me. My comments are at the end of each quote in brackets.
54. In this context, some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world. This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system. (Even though the Pope has been absolved of not being anti capitalism, he does seem to talk around the aspects of capitalism.)
56, ,,,,,,This imbalance is the result of ideologies which defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation. Consequently, they reject the right of states, charged with vigilance for the common good, to exercise any form of control. ...... (He comes off with a jaded impression of the free market and seems to be calling on government to fix the human heart)
57. ........With this in mind, I encourage financial experts and political leaders to ponder the words of one of the sages of antiquity: “Not to share one’s wealth with the poor is to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own goods which we hold, but theirs”.[55] (As a member of the Byzantine Church, I like his use of John Chrysostom but expecting political leaders to dabble in the market to give to the poor is socialist in my mind.)
70. .............”It is undeniable that many people feel disillusioned and no longer identify with the Catholic tradition. Growing numbers of parents do not bring their children for baptism or teach them how to pray. There is also a certain exodus towards other faith communities. The causes of this breakdown include: a lack of opportunity for dialogue in families, the influence of the communications media, a relativistic subjectivism, unbridled consumerism which feeds the market, lack of pastoral care among the poor, the failure of our institutions to be welcoming, and our difficulty in restoring a mystical adherence to the faith in a pluralistic religious landscape.” (This scares me the most because, he takes no credit for this exodus from the lack of catechesis from the clergy and Bishops. The pulpit has been silent and many Catholics see this void but the Pope does not.)
94. .....The other is the self-absorbed promethean neopelagianism of those who ultimately trust only in their own powers and feel superior to others because they observe certain rules or remain intransigently faithful to a particular Catholic style from the past. A supposed soundness of doctrine or discipline leads instead to a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism, whereby instead of evangelizing, one analyzes and classifies others, and instead of opening the door to grace, one exhausts his or her energies in inspecting and verifying. In neither case is one really concerned about Jesus Christ or others. These are manifestations of an anthropocentric immanentism. It is impossible to think that a genuine evangelizing thrust could emerge from these adulterated forms of Christianity. (When I worship in the Roman rite, I prefer the traditional Mass. This Pope seems to talk down about Catholics who might have a preference for a “particular Catholic style from the past.)
95....In some people we see an ostentatious preoccupation for the liturgy, for doctrine and for the Church’s prestige, but without any concern that the Gospel have a real impact on God’s faithful people and the concrete needs of the present time. In this way, the life of the Church turns into a museum piece or something which is the property of a select few..... (This is the same cut that he draws on 94. I predict that he may chase many traditional Catholics to the SSPX group.)
1 comment:
Hey Dad,
I just rediscovered your blog!
Here are a couple things that I think are possible considerations:
70 - I agree that he could have, and maybe should have, mentioned the catechesis issue explicitly, I do believe that it is implicit in the phrase, "relativistic subjectivism" and "difficulty in restoring a mystical adherence to faith in a pluralistic religious landscape".
94 - He isn't speaking of those who have a preference, but those who are intransigent, meaning "characterized by refusal to compromise or to abandon an extreme position or attitude"
95 - Again, the adjective is important, Ostentatious meaning, "displaying wealth, knowledge, etc., in a way that is meant to attract attention, admiration, or envy." It is not a knock on those who prefer the traditional form, but a warning to those who might slip into an elitism that aims at showing everyone why they are better at being Catholic because of their liturgical knowledge, worship preference, and nuanced level of doctrinal knowledge. You once told me that the priest who says Latin Mass in West Virginia expressed a similar, albeit milder concern.
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