My Return to Protestantism

I'm catching up on Diogenes, and I won't have to tell you how strongly I grok the following:

If Joe Biden plans to visit Pensacola, Florida anytime soon, he knows that the bishop there questions his fitness to receive Communion. But in his own home diocese of Wilmington the vice-president-elect has no such problem; Bishop Malooly doesn't "want to alienate people." The difference can be explained thus:

• Senator Biden's support for legal abortion is well known in Florida, but remains a secret in Delaware, so that his reception of the Eucharist does not constitute a scandal there? Nope. The voters in Delaware aren't stupide. They know. 
• Public support for abortion is seriously wrong in Florida, but not in Delaware, because... No, that argument is going nowhere. If it's seriously wrong anywhere, it's seriously wrong everywhere.
• A bishop in Florida is worried that Biden is jeopardizing his immortal soul, but the senator's own bishop isn't interested in that question. Let's hope that's not right.

OK, I give up. You tell me the difference.

The Catholic Church no longer makes a lick of sense to me. I'm a Protestant who believes in transubstantiation. Call me whatever you want.

Comments

[Joe]

A "protestant who believes in transubstantiation" sounds a lot like any one of our more wayward bishops.

Me? I'm a misanthrope who believes in transubstantiation. (I just try -- usually fail -- to disguise it in public as my recovery progresses.)

The problem is that while the gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church, they are making a BLOODY racket.

Kind of like the guy who was blasting Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice" at 175dB at 1am.

Yeah.

That's what it's like.

OK.

Off to get espresso.

[walks away, mumbling incoherently]

-J.

[Karen]

I firmly believe that the gates of Hell will not prevail. But I think they might make it so that there is an ocean between me and actual Catholicism. Or at least a couple of really big rivers.

[Joe]

One really bad rainstorm and a creek, and that's my final offer.

-J.

[nialla]

Sorry, chick, buy into the transubstantiation, and you're a Catholic. It's hopeless. Nothing to be done.

I feel your pain, my confused Catholic sista!

But it's the one, the only, the original, and despite morons, wafflers, chickenshits and panderers, it's still God's Church on Earth (which my explain why it's getting pounded on so hard. Just like Palin -- evil only fights back with fury when it feels threatened).

Have faith! Hey, we survived the Borgias, didn't we?

:)

[Theresa]

I am an American Catholic living in the most frighteningly liberal region in the world - Scandinavia (Norway) - and I receive GREAT solace from your radical Catholic opinions. Don't even jokingly decamp. We need you, your energy, your irreverence and your orthodoxy. Just hang in there - the payoff, whenever it comes and at whatever price - will be worth it. Whenever the indifference and the rationality get to me (daily), your blog supplies the antidote. Thank you.

[Deirdre]

I think part of the problem might be that a Bishop is supposed to be an excellent Bureaucrat AND an excellent leader.

It's pretty tough to find a courageous, out-spoken, paper-pusher.

Maybe we need to start having two bishops per diocese? The leader and the organizer?

[Mia Storm]

Whenever I get to thinking that the craziness of some Catholics is such that I just can't take it anymore, I re-read this quote by St. Francis De Sales:

"While those who give scandal are guilty of the spiritual equivalent of murder [i.e., destroying other people’s faith in God by their terrible example], those who take scandal--who allow scandals to destroy their faith--are guilty of spiritual suicide."

I first found that quote in this article, which I highly recommend.

[Jesuit John]

NOT calling yourself a Catholic might get in the way of you receiving the Eucharist. It's ironic, I know.

You can hold the opinion that a certain Bishop is completely off his rocker, but to then think our Church is completely off its rocker puts you in some pretty bad company.

Stay strong. The witness of thousands of martyrs should compel you.

[Lee G]

Yeah, it must really be confusing, specially since episcopal behavior lately contradicts so blatantly paragraph 32576 of the Catholic Catechism which plainly states:

"Catholic bishops since they represent Christ on earth, are, like Him, pefectly wise, prudent, just and chaste. Furthermore, since they all participate in the divine wisdom equally, they invariably are consistent with one another, and in any given country will be found to have a common policy, which in turn corresponds perfectly with that of the pope. In short, the bishops united with the Pope are impeccable, and as history so vividly attests their policies invariably produce peace, justice and the flourishing of the Church."

So I can understand why you would be confused.

[LJ]

Protestantism is an even lonelier place. Been there, done that.

My Bishop one day at the end of Mass told us that if anyone, even him, were to teach something other than the teaching of the Bishop of Rome, to disregard it.

We are in a state of flux in history and where we will end up is uncertain. But remember, it is in times of great adversity that our faith is solidified. Cardinal Ratzinger once suggested that the church might end up smaller but stronger. There is really only one way that this can happen if you think about it, and we are experiencing the beginning of it.

[Joe]

In short, the bishops united with the Pope are impeccable, and as history so vividly attests their policies invariably produce peace, justice and the flourishing of the Church.

I would venture to say it's the bishops not really united with the Bishop of Rome that are causing us such vexations.

-J.

[Piera]

Joe
the bishop of Rome gives all the time Communion to politician pro-choice so the bishop of Delaware is really deeply united to the pope.

Stop this intellectual masturbation!!!

[eric]

Haven't you heard this one; that we are not the church, but 'of' the church. Gods church would remain even if no one even called themselves 'of' the church. Oh yes, not only those who live by the credo'we are the church',are wrong about many things, but also those who supposedly are of the church(i.e. in line with catholic dogma), can be barely so. It's the 'weeds and the wheat' analogy, many different kinds of weeds ya know. But what to do?
I'm sorry to say since you recognize all this stuff you are automatically disqualified from protestantism, sorry, save your own soul. I have a hard time with this myself, I have a very short fuse, but I always get back to the Divine Office, though I almost cannot go to a novus dodo mass. It's exactly what you were talking about, usually. vivere militaire Christie

[Patrick Coffin]

Hey Karen:

Before your backstroke to the reverse side of the Tiber gains any momentum, recall the story in The Decameron by the very cynical-toward-the-clergy Boccaccio.

Perhaps you've heard it. If not, an astute Jewish businessman named Abraham told the Bishop of Paris that he may want to become a Catholic, but that he wished to see Rome first. The Bishop, knowing the corruption and bad example on the part of the Roman clergy (these were the days of the Medici popes....shudder) urged Abraham to just get baptised in Paris.

No. Abraham insisted that he knew nothing about sanctity or theology but he was a sharp-eyed businessman. He needed to see Rome first.

Abraham returned to Paris and immediately visited the Bishop and asked him for Baptism. The Bishop was stunned. "You mean you...you saw Rome and all the, uh, corruption and scandal there and...you *still* want to enter the Church?"

Abraham replied, "Your Grace, I'm a practical Jewish businessman, and I can tell you that no organization so corrupt and venal could have lasted two months. The Church has lasted centuries -- it HAS to have God behind it. I'm in!"

[Karen]

Lee G: So basically, this is business as usual. And that's supposed to make me feel better.

Patrick: I love it!

Piera: Have you heard the joke where the guy says, "Doctor, it hurts when I do this." And the doctor says, "Then stop doing that." Last time I checked, the internet was very, very big.

[Karen]

Okay, thanks everybody.

I've figured it out. What I am is a thoroughly fed up Catholic.

Be about your business.

[Lee G]

Dear Karen,

Business as usual? No way.

But first, please forgive the earlier sarcasm- it was merely meant to put the theology in perspective. The Catholic faith in all its teaching takes into account that we are all weak and all sinners, including all of the hierarchy. Certainly nothing in the news over the past ten years contradicts that in the least!

Friday evening I attended a dinner here in Portland and by coincidence (Providence)sat across from a gentleman named Bob Nyssen. Bob is probably 70 yrs old, a former business exec. He has a letter in a recent issue of the Wanderer (November 8th?) in the "From the Mail" column.

"My plan is that.. we picket every chancery in the country, both those with reputations for orthodoxy and those with reputations for heterodoxy. We will not direct our...signs to the local bishop or diocese, but rather to the national Church at large. The wording will not be rude or nasty, but must be directed to the entire U.S. Catholic community.

"Examples: 'Where are our bishops when we need them?' 'We want our Church returned to us.' 'Are you Catholic or not?' 'Obedience to the Catholic Catechism, Now!' 'Liturgy and Rubrics- Follow the Letter.'

"No shouting matches, no fighting, no rudeness, just praying our rosaries, greeting passers-by and singing traditional hymns."

"I am writing you as a daily Mass-goer and communicant, and have been an active member of the Legion of Mary for many decades. Over the years, my beloved wife knocked on the doors of more than 20,000 doors in the name of Jesus Christ. we have conducted innumerable workshops and have field trained many hundreds of folks on how to do this work effectively. I have also written several books and articles on the subject of evangelization. I am sure this project can work."

Earlier he had written, "We need more than prayer-that is a given for all of us. We must get the immediate attention of our hierarchy, the clergy, religious and lay faithful, liberal and orthodox, and the national media. We will strive to make the front pages of every major newspaper, TV talk shows, and radio. It's a simple plan but will be nuanced by our love for our disobedient and dissenting brothers and sisters. Our objective is to help them save their immortal souls. In order to accomplish this, we must create a little conflict- which could get a bit dicey."

Here Bob is confronting the hierarchy firmly and publicly, but with respect for their persons and office.

To me that is the sine qua non of any criticism of the hierarchy, not only from the standpoint of avoiding sacrilege, but from the standpoint of actually transforming the situation. No other tack has the slightest possibility of having the blessing of God. In fact, any other tack is a direct assault on one's own God-given gift of faith.

So I can halfway see joining Bob in this effort, with the refinement that I would like to see us also process into downtown Portland with signs that a) confront "the culture"; b) catechize the city.

No, we can fight, like St Ignatius, who as you say, was a warrior, so long as we understand that "Our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but with the principalities and powers of darkness."

[Joe]

Fed up Catholic? GOOD. Now I won't be so lonesome.

-J.

[Piera]

Karen
you don't hurt me, you are quite funny! I like to read how your fundamentalism views distort the Catholicism.

I like to see how you preach obedience to the pope and then you ignore the Church's social teaching( very like Obama's view).

I like to see how you think catholicism is no a religion but only a sexual moral: gay sex, abortion.....

I like to see how you destroy 2000 years of nuanced and balanced teachings with 10 seconds of black or white judgement.

You cannot return to Protestantism, you never left it!

[Shan]

Interesting comments.

I would only add the following thoughts. In John's Gospel Jesus encourages us with the truth that "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you." (Jn 15:19b) This truth is encouraging not because it takes away our struggle, but because it places our struggle in the proper perspective. The world hates us because we are servants of our master; and because we are joined to our master through the promise of obedience then we are bound to him - as he does, so we do.

This message follows Jesus' instruction that we should love one another and is immediately preceded by Christ saying "Remember the word I spoke to you, 'No slave is greater than his master.'"

And it is true - our Master's sufferings are greater than our own, but we can bear our trials precisely because we are united to him - and He is Victorious.

Do not despair when you look around you and see all the desolations this world offers; regard them as opportunities to unite yourself closer to our Master. And remember the words of Pope Pius XI "Let us thank God that he makes us live among the present problems. It is no longer permitted to anyone to be mediocre."

That others fall into mediocrity is not cause for alarm, but reason for prayer. Let us encourage each other in the truth.

You know that I am not some Pollyanna who will blithely ignore the crap that we have to deal with, but I get by and keep hope by living in faith. Give thanks to God for what He has given us, because gratitude is the mother of hope.

In other words: make the sign of the cross, lift your head up and tell the devil to bring it on.

[TNP]

In a diocese where the majority of priests are flaming liberals how do you suppose the bishop would implement the No Communion For Biden Rule? Should he attend every Mass in every parish to make sure the guy doesn't get away with receiving? Threaten to not only excommunicate Biden but also the priests who give him Communion?

Joe Biden is bringing condemnation on himself each and every time he receives Communion in a state of mortal sin, just as all those men do when they receive after actively engaging in masturbation following an evening watching porn on their computers. Or how about the women who have had several abortions and are indignantly unrepentant? And what about those who haven't seen the inside of a confessional since their first reconciliation?

I met Bishop Malooly about a month ago and brought up the election situation to him, saying we were praying for him. (He had only been in the diocese a few months.) He thanked me, hung his head and said, "It's a mess."

Far be it from me to presume that Bishop Malooly neglected that little detail of self-condemnation in his private conversation with Joe Biden. It is now between Biden and God.

I'm sure God knows how to handle it. In the meantime, I'm going to pray for them both.

[Karen]

My problem IS the fact that the priests are all flaming liberals.

And the bishops won't do anything about them.

Hence, no Catholic Church.

Really. I'd really like to go talk to a priest right now, but I keep thinking, "What's the point?" I have to wait till I get to NC to find one who believes what the Church teaches. I don't know WHAT the priests at my parish believe, but I know they were sitting three feet away from the deacon when he told us all that Jesus didn't really multiply the loaves and fish.

Why on earth would I want to sit down and discuss the state and/or fate of my soul with them?

[Karen]

Piera: please tell me what "social teaching" I am ignoring.

[Karen]

First a disclaimer: I'm in a particularly nasty mood this morning.

Now, a thought that just crossed my mind: Perhaps my problem with AmChurch (and with my conversion to Catholicism in general) is my stubborn refusal to let go of the Bible.

[Joe]

Oh! NOW I get it. You're a victim of Reverse Oasis Syndrome.

I think you have been blessed with the grace of not chasing these guys with a weed whacker over a mile or two of difficult terrain.

-J.

P.S. It's interesting the deacon homilized on the inaccuracy of the only miracle attested in all four Gospels.