VIDEO FROM ROBERT NUGENT
I include this video as Robert is asking similar questions. Robert has no association with me or The Oratory and our views would be very different on many things.
Many Catholic bishops and priests, including in Ireland, no longer publicly teach the core beliefs of Catholicism as expressed in the Catholic Catechism.
1. Do they not believe in the teachings of the Catechism?
2. Are they trying to be seen as “kool” by not expressing those teachings?
Personally, I am not committed to the Catechism, its teachings and style – and that is one of the big reasons I am where I – estranged from the Catholic hierarchy and priesthood.
But if you are a fully paid up member of the hierarchy and priesthood – and are making a living out of that position – surely you must teach the teachings?
And if you don’t, are you not just cynical and hypocritical?
Can you imagine a middle or upper line manager of the Shell oil company being tolerated if he promoted the oil and petrol of BP and not Shell.
He would be gone in seconds.
And yet Catholic bishops and priests regularly fail to privately and publicly uphold Catholic teachings and yet they are allowed to keep their jobs and take their pay and benefits.
Catholic bishops and priests are called upon to teach things like:
1. Sex outside marriage and outside of the context of being open to procreation are mortal sins.
2. Not going to Mass on Sundays and Holy Days is a mortal sin.
3. Abortion, or assisting in an abortion is a mortal sin and incurs automatic excommunication.
4. Homosexual acts are mortal sins.
5. Artificial contraception is a mortal sin.
6. Euthanasia or assisting in euthanasia are mortal sins.
7. A priest breaking his vow of chastity or breaking his promise of celibacy is committing a mortal sin.
When I first learned the Catechism the difference between mortal and venial sin was stressed. A venial sin caused your relationship with God to be undermined. A mortal sin broke off your relationship with God.
To die in mortal sin, without going to Confession, led you to Hell.
Are these “truths” I learned from the age of 4 no longer valid?
And if not why have we not been told they are no longer valid?
And if they are still valid why are our bishops and priests telling us so?
Why are they not preaching about them anymore?
Why, for instance do the Irish hierarchy and priesthood not wage a moral war against abortion and euthanasia?
Sure, it would make them highly unpopular. But Jesus was not popular for teaching His truths.
It would shrink the size of the Irish Catholic Church. So what? It’s supposed to be the small yeast in the big loaf.
Maybe Christ is calling on Irish bishops, priests and lay Catholics to be His “anawim”.
“Anawim is the plural form of an Old Testament Hebrew word which is variously translated as “poor”, “afflicted”, “humble”, or “meek”. It is the Anawim, “the lost and the forgotten ones”, to whom Jesus refers in his beautiful beatitudes on The Sermon on the Mount. “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven”, and “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”. ( Mt5:3,5) What a revolutionary thought: God loves everyone!”
Why are Irish bishops and priests afraid to be hated because of Christ”?
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 