Pope Francis Agitates Conservative U.s. Catholics -usa Today 11/2/14

[dUSt]

I stopped reading after this:
 
"The conservatives had it all their way for about 30 years, and now the shoe might be on the other foot"

 

LOL

[Socrates]

As I have stated to many, there is no such thing as a liberal Catholic or a conservative Catholic. Only disobedient and obedient Catholics.

 

 

Ehhhhhhhh....

 

So what, we aren't allowed to use any words to distinguish between the Catholics who prefer Extraordinary Form, Latin, Chapel Veils, Baltimore Catechisms, and Gregorian Chant and the Catholics who prefer Novus Ordo in their native language, pews surrounding table altars, inter-faith softball leagues and the occasional guitar? 

 

Catholicism is meant to have diversity, and it's rather narrow minded to ignore it.  The world isn't split into good people and heretics.  

 

Unless you mean to say that we shouldn't be worrying about splits between conservatives and liberals and instead think about trying to do the best we can to understand the Pope and participate in the Body of Christ? 

 

The problem is when this kind of language is applied to matters of infallible, unchanging moral teachings of the Faith, as it commonly is in the media.  It cheapens and trivializes these moral teachings and their rejection by making it all into a matter of mere partisan politics.

 

("Conservative Catholics" are against abortion, contraception, homosexual activity, divorce & remarriage, etc., while "liberal Catholics" are a-ok with such things.  And who's to say the "liberal Catholic" position on these issues is any less Catholic than the "conservative" one?  

Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI opposed abortion and "gay marriage" because they were conservatives, while as a liberal, Pope Francis will hopefully bring Church teaching in line with current progressive opinion.  [Although the reality is that Benedict was hardly a political conservative, at least not in the American sense of the word.])

 

The truth is that there is no legitimate diversity of opinion on these issues.  The "conservative" positions are the unchanging moral dogma of the Church, while the "liberal" positions are contrary to Catholic moral dogma.  (The same applies to theological dogma such as the divinity of Christ, the Resurrection, etc.)

 

 

While as a Catholic, I have faith that the Church will not change and cannot change its moral teaching, this does not mean that everything the Pope says or does will be right or prudent.

[Didacus]

The problem is when this kind of language is applied to matters of infallible, unchanging moral teachings of the Faith, as it commonly is in the media.  It cheapens and trivializes these moral teachings and their rejection by making it all into a matter of mere partisan politics.

 

("Conservative Catholics" are against abortion, contraception, homosexual activity, divorce & remarriage, etc., while "liberal Catholics" are a-ok with such things.  And who's to say the "liberal Catholic" position on these issues is any less Catholic than the "conservative" one?  

Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI opposed abortion and "gay marriage" because they were conservatives, while as a liberal, Pope Francis will hopefully bring Church teaching in line with current progressive opinion.  [Although the reality is that Benedict was hardly a political conservative, at least not in the American sense of the word.])

 

The truth is that there is no legitimate diversity of opinion on these issues.  The "conservative" positions are the unchanging moral dogma of the Church, while the "liberal" positions are contrary to Catholic moral dogma.  (The same applies to theological dogma such as the divinity of Christ, the Resurrection, etc.)

 

 

While as a Catholic, I have faith that the Church will not change and cannot change its moral teaching, this does not mean that everything the Pope says or does will be right or prudent.

 

Agreed.

 

Although often a useful description, it sidelines key meanings concerning the faith and Catholicism.  I try to avoid the terms as much as possible myself.

 

 

My opinion: In God I trust...  The pope is 'ok' too, but ultimately my trust is within God and God alone.

[Gabriela]

If the last 30 years are what "conservative dominance" look like, I shudder to think what comes next.