Saturday, 28th November 2009 - 18:00CET
Christ's teachings not reflected in modern culture - bishops
Faith and Christ’s teachings are no longer reflected in culture, the bishops said in a pastoral letter being read during this evening’s and tomorrow’s masses.
Archbishop Paul Cremona and Gozo bishop Mario Grech said that in order to live faith, one had to seek and find this in his heart through his choice of following Jesus.
“Only then we can call ourselves Christians in today’s culture”.
The bishops addressed their letter to all, but especially “those who are truly committed to be full active members within the Catholic Church in our country”.
This, they said, was not being done out of disrespect or to exclude anybody.
“Our intention is to encourage every person to realise what God’s call for him or her is, which will then help the individual to find the proper place within God’s church.
“Nonbelievers should see that there is a particular faith and attitude taught and shown by our Lord Jesus Christ in the church community.
“If then this nurtures a spiritual sentiment in their minds and hearts, this should lead them to actively join the Church.”
The Lord, they said, came to this world to bring temporary division to shed light on his message.
This division instilled a wish within believers to see others joining them in faith.
The right of freedom of opinion within the Church was not the same as within the State. “The rights reserved to the state’s members lie on the fact that they are citizens of a democratic state through birth or a requested and given citizenship by the state.”
One, however, joined the Catholic Church through baptism.
In the case of the newborn, the parents accepted to baptise their children because they want to pass on to their children their faith in Christ within the Church.
When a person matured, there should be a confirmation of the previous decision in total freedom. These decisions implied that one adhered to Christ’s life and teachings.
The bishops said that most faithful received their faith within a culture that passed on the Christian religion and faith.
"But “today’s culture embraces different ideas that sometimes distance us from God.
“This means that there are some individuals who do not make a conscious choice, as adults, to follow Christ, but still call themselves Christians.
“They are so driven by the culture of these times that they reflect more this culture than Christ.”
Some people felt comfortable choosing elements within the Catholic faith to accomodate their culture the bishops said adding that others called themselves Catholic even if they did not accept the “collective consciousness” of the Church.
“We wish to encourage these people to decide where to place their fundemental decisions.
“We know that this is not easy!
“We believe that when these individuals internally feel uncomfortable, torn between faith and culture, they should realise that this is already a positive sign that should help them take a decision.”
The bishops said others took the fundemental choice that confirmed the faith they recieved in baptism.
Jesus made the choice clear when he said that one could not serve both God and money.
“With the term money, Jesus referred to anything that hindered humans from serving God. He doesn’t want us to cheat ourselves. Whoever choses to serve money is quite clear in his thoughts: he can someday choose otherwise. Whoever chooses to serve Jesus is likewise clear: he wants to get closer to Jesus.”
The greatest tragedy was that there were people who did not take a decision and still called themselves “christians” because they were baptised, but who served modern culture, which no longer reflected Christ’s teachings, they said.
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Comments
Re: Paedophilia, as a crime it is up to the state to take action. Also, innocent until proved guilty, or? Lastly, you may want to discredit the Educational system or even parenthood, as there are cases of paedophile teachers and fathers, both of whom have great responsibilities towards their victims. Moreover, when choosing to pick on an ultra-absolute minority of accused (not proven) clerics, you may, for the sake of objectivity and justice, mention the thousands of priests & nuns who sacrifice themselves in e.g. old people's homes, prisons, hospitals, orphanages etc. in Malta and abroad , but I guess that's not sensationalist enough and/or in line with certain agendas.
@ Theresa Calleja
Do you not find the local Church's silence and non action on the issue of child abuse and Maltese clerics disturbing? How can the local Catholic community not question that? I wonder what sort of 'peace of heart and mind' those who unquestioningly support non action by the bishops acquire. Faith requires the courage to question too
Because what happened in Ireland with those children has also happened here,and as far as I know no one has been charged.Investigations,if any,have been kept secret and the culprits have gotten away scott free. Malta has behaved exactly like Ireland. The abusers are still running around, safe in the knowledge that neither the church nor it seems the police will take any action against them. Those damaged will have to fend for themselves!.
Mussolini was an atheist, but then again, Augusto Pinochet was Roman Catholic and Hitler, although perhaps he renounced the Catholicism he was raised in, still believed in God.
After all the new testament says something to the effect: render unto Caesar what is of Caesar and to God what is of God. So start practicing his advice…
If there's no compunction in religion why force your brand of morality on those who choose by their free will not to adhere?
You don't encourage people by forcing religion down their throat and censoring public discourse. You want people to respect the sanctity of religious feasts and then monopolize all the other public feasts, including New Year, Halloween and Carnival… Leave us some space, we are adults and would like to take responsibility and ownership of our lives.
Morality is not the sole province of religion and leading a spiritual life is a personal journey that's best nurtured with humility not forced.
They claim to represent Christ and dangle the keys to heaven's door. If there is a heaven, and if it has a door, god, if there is one, would have changed the locks centuries ago.
God’s Church? Which God? Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jain?
“Nonbelievers should see that there is a particular faith and attitude taught and shown by our Lord Jesus Christ in the church community---Objection! When the Church had absolute power, we had inquisitions, witch hunts and abuses. Freedom of the individual materialized when the State became secular and no longer under religious (Church) law.
“One, however, joined the Catholic Church through baptism”.--Objection! Baptism was never a choice of the individual.
"But “today’s culture embraces different ideas that sometimes distance us from God.” I would rather say that many distance themselves not from GOD but from the Church, which IS NOT THE SAME!
Jesus made the choice clear when he said that one could not serve both God and money. AH, Church please take note!!!
Many people are searching for a meaning, to find love and compassion and they know that the church does not and cannot satisfy them. People are opening up and becoming more aware. People are searching to be born again of Fire—the Fire of Cosmic Consciousness.
So much to write---but little space!
http://news.google.com/news?q=ireland+catholic+church+scandal&rls=com.microsoft:en-au:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7SKPB_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&ei=9IcRS-DdK4qosgODnaDmAQ&sa=X&oi=news_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CBgQsQQwAw
He may not know about "Crimen Sollictationis", a law concocted by Ratzinger when he was Cardinal and which is still law. Under pain of excommunication, bishops are not allowed to report sexual crimes by the clergy to the local police or authorities. They are to deal with them internally and report them only to the Vatican.
Perhaps someone should ask the Pope when he visits Malta or the Maltese bishops next time they call a news conference what Jesus might think of such a law. We know what the law and the world think of it - it's a fraud and a criminal conspiracy after the fact.
The bishops must stop blaming modernity for the collapse of the credibility of the church.
When Christ last visited we had crucifixions, slavery, no rights, life expectancy of 25 years, papyrus; the sick only had "miracles".
The power-jealous church, always bemoaned, interdicted and frustrated human progress in every field of endeavour. Today, nothing's changed.
we are all Christians; whether in Ireland or in Malta. The Pope is in Italy (vatican), but we still refer to him even though he's not in Malta. Each diocese has a very big responsibility towards society (including non-Christians) WORLDWIDE.
While what happened in Ireland is despicable, we have nothing to do with Ireland. It is a separate diocese. So how do you expect the local Bishops to refer to something that happened in another country and another diocese?