Liberal And Catholic?

[Maggyie]

[quote name='Hey_Pauly' timestamp='1329433956' post='2388158']
Thank you to everyone for all of the thought provoking posts.

The feeling that I am getting is that most of you are advocating me returning to the church and seeing where God leads me from there. What if God doesn't change me other than to encourage me to grow closer to Him through the liturgy? What if in five years from now I'm still believing the same things?
[/quote]

What if five years from now there is no change (that human eyes can see). What if 50 years from now, on your death bed, you are saying "I still don't get it, Lord, but I love you." At the rate I am going I think that will be me.

The great thing about Catholicism is that in this religion, salvation is about the journey you take in your relationship with Christ. It is not just one moment in time, be that baptism or reciting a prayer accepting Jesus. Salvation is something that is happening to us every day. The metaphor used at Vatican II was that the Church is on a pilgrimage through history, moving towards the New Jerusalem, and each of us individually are on a pilgrimage as well.

It doesn't matter how long your journey takes, in fact let me reiterate again that I have never met a Catholic or a Christian of any type who was fully converted to the Gospel, even on their deathbeds. Jesus tells us to be perfect as his Father is perfect, and we will be one day, but not while we are on this earth.

What matters is that we do not give up trying to meet that standard. That we don't just stop on the journey and say "I'm tired" or "I've gone far enough," or even forget that we are supposed to be going somewhere. I have seen this happen to many pious believing Catholics, where they let the fire go out.

It is good for you to be close to God. Even if all God does in a lifetime of Catholic worship is draw you closer to himself through the liturgy, then that is reason enough to welcome you as a Catholic. That would be wonderful and glorious thing. I suspect that would not be all he would do, simply because the Mass itself is spiritually powerful.

Please understand that people like yourself definitely do belong in the Church.

[Guest MasterJeb]

[quote name='Hey_Pauly' timestamp='1329433956' post='2388158']
Thank you to everyone for all of the thought provoking posts.

The feeling that I am getting is that most of you are advocating me returning to the church and seeing where God leads me from there. What if God doesn't change me other than to encourage me to grow closer to Him through the liturgy? What if in five years from now I'm still believing the same things?
[/quote]

From a fatherly perspective...

From Mark, chapter 10:
[13] And they brought to him young children, that he might touch them. And the disciples rebuked them that brought them. [14] Whom when Jesus saw, he was much displeased, and saith to them: Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. [15] Amen I say to you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter into it.

I have a daughter who turns two this May. She turns to me so many times every day for reassurance, for help, for peace, or just to be with me. She does not know in an intellectual or analytic way that I will take care of her - she knows that I am Daddy, and Daddy fixes problems. She trusts, no matter what it is, from tiredness to hunger, to just not feeling good to whatever - Daddy will take care of her. Yes, you could say its backed by experience, but there are times I'm not there, times I don't hear her right away, times she should have cause to doubt me, but she just runs at me again and again - Daddy!

If you are five years hence and struggling with the same doctrinal questions, welcome to the barque of Peter! We are all in a place where we do not see perfectly. Even St. Thomas Aquinas considered all of his work as so much straw, and rightly so. We just persevere, praying for the gift of sight. "I do believe, Lord: help my unbelief!"

[StMichael]

Not sure where all this liberal, conservative Catholic stuff came from. Whatever happened to obedient Catholic?

I would love to find an obedient parish where they have obedient Priests and I can go to an obedient Mass once in a awhile.

[quote name='Maggie' timestamp='1329362335' post='2387822']
Do you think that God is done creating you? Or that He may be calling you to grow?

Beware of choosing a religion that makes you comfortable or affirms you in all your beliefs. The Gospel should challenge you and make you uncomfortable, not be a "perfect fit."

Even Catholics do this sometimes (conservatives go to a conservative parish, liberals go to a liberal parish). If you are going to a church just to hear what you want to hear , it's a waste of time.
[/quote]

[Christa]

I am a liberal because I was brought up in the Catholic Church. You can believe what ever you want about liberal Catholics, but we're looking at the Bible, studying what the Pope says and how he says it, and don't vote however some Church thinks we should (Santorum is mentally ill, and lies more than Romney). I will stand up for the criminal, I will work to end poverty, I will follow Jesus in the life I live.

[MIKolbe]

[quote name='Christa' timestamp='1331797277' post='2401013']
I am a [b]m[b]o[/b]derate [/b]because I was brought up in the Catholic Church. You can believe what ever you want about [b]moderate[/b] Catholics, but we're looking at the Bible, studying what the Pope says and how he says it, and don't vote however some Church thinks we should [b](though I know the Church doesn't tell me who to vote for)[/b](Santorum is mentally ill, and lies more than Romney). I will stand up for the [b]repentant[/b] criminal, I will work to end poverty, I will follow Jesus in the life I live.
[/quote]

Changed for me

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='Christa' timestamp='1331797277' post='2401013']
I am a liberal because I was brought up in the Catholic Church. You can believe what ever you want about liberal Catholics, but we're looking at the Bible, studying what the Pope says and how he says it, and then ignoring it because he's an old (supposedly) celibate white guy.
[/quote]
fxd?

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Christa' timestamp='1331797277' post='2401013']
I am a liberal because I was brought up in the Catholic Church. You can believe what ever you want about liberal Catholics, but we're looking at the Bible, studying what the Pope says and how he says it, and don't vote however some Church thinks we should (Santorum is mentally ill, and lies more than Romney). I will stand up for the criminal, I will work to end poverty, I will follow Jesus in the life I live.
[/quote]

Liberal is a political term that has no place in the Church; one is either faithful or not. The Church is our moral compass and we form our conscience willingly to her teachings. So no birth control that kills babies, no abortion etc. which are basic teachings just as loving your neighbor is.


What has being "liberal" have to do with the spiritual and corporal works of mercy that you mention?

[list]
[*]To feed the hungry;
[*]To [url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10198d.htm#"]give[/url] drink to the thirsty;
[*]To clothe the naked;
[*]To harbour the harbourless;
[*]To visit the sick;
[*]To [url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10198d.htm#"]ransom[/url] the captive;
[*]To [url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03071a.htm"]bury[/url] the dead
[*]To instruct the [url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07648a.htm"]ignorant[/url];
[/list][list]
[*]To counsel the [url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05141a.htm"]doubtful[/url];
[*]To [url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04394a.htm"]admonish sinners[/url];
[*]To bear wrongs patiently;
[*]To forgive offences willingly;
[*]To [url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10198d.htm#"]comfort[/url] the afflicted;
[*]To [url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12345b.htm"]pray[/url] for the living and the [url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04653a.htm"]dead[/url].
[/list]
Those are basic things ALL Catholics are to do, it has nothing to do with politics.

You may not like Mr. Santorum who is certainly not mentally ill, or Mr Romney and you are not required to vote for either of them.

[truthlvr]

[quote name='Christa' timestamp='1331797277' post='2401013']
I am a liberal because I was brought up in the Catholic Church. You can believe what ever you want about liberal Catholics, but we're looking at the Bible, studying what the Pope says and how he says it, and don't vote however some Church thinks we should (Santorum is mentally ill, and lies more than Romney). I will stand up for the criminal, I will work to end poverty, I will follow Jesus in the life I live.
[/quote]
Is it possible for you to provide specific examples of Santorum lies? Making general statements doesn't really support your position.

[Annie12]

I just wanted to tell about something in my life that relates to this topic.
So, I was at a special church function and they started talking about schools so my mom chimed in and started to brag about how I did a pro life presentation at my very liberal school. So, then we all started to talk about my liberal school and one guy asked me"what do you mean by liberal?" and i didn't really know what to say because I was talking about very left wing liberals who are pro choice and everything. So, I said "very liberal people."And then I noticed that my parish priest wasn't talking and then discreetly left the room! I think all around it was a really weird discussion that I was not prepared for and I have supper weird feelings about it now that I look back. I hope I didn't give people the wrong impression of my political views back then because all I really care about is pro life/ religious freedom issues which I knew all of them agreed with me on. I feel like they might have thought I didn't like liberals for the sake of being liberal Supper awkward moment!

[Annie12]

[quote name='Christa' timestamp='1331797277' post='2401013']
I am a liberal because I was brought up in the Catholic Church. You can believe what ever you want about liberal Catholics, but we're looking at the Bible, studying what the Pope says and how he says it, and don't vote however some Church thinks we should (Santorum is mentally ill, and lies more than Romney). I will stand up for the criminal, I will work to end poverty, I will follow Jesus in the life I live.
[/quote]
So, according to catholic doctrine on life issues and the encyclical Humane Vite (not sure if that's spelled right), you can conclude that any of the republican candidates would be far better than pro infanticide Obama. And yes, Obama was the only senator to vote for a bill that would allow the killing of an alive baby that was born after a failed abortion when he was in the Illinois senate.

[dUSt]

[color=#282828]Hey_Pauly,[/color]

[color=#282828]I stopped attending mass for awhile back when I was searching for what I believed, and what fit best for what I thought God wanted me to be. I started attending a non-denominational church for awhile.[/color]

[color=#282828]I won't bore you with the details, but eventually I came to ask myself a simple question... [b]Was I conforming myself to God, or was I trying to conform God to myself?[/b][/color]

[color=#282828]Just be careful you are not doing the latter--because unfortunately, I feel that I was doing just that--but by the grace of God, I started reading a lot, studying, and really learning about the "Catholicism" that I thought I was ready to leave.[/color]

[color=#282828]Needless to say, this website is the result of my journey. A journey that continues every day.[/color]

[Annie12]

[quote name='dUSt' timestamp='1332438017' post='2405394']
[color=#282828]but eventually I came to ask myself a simple question... [b]Was I conforming myself to God, or was I trying to conform God to myself?[/b][/color]


[/quote]
That's so amazing!! We all should ask ourselves that question!