Catholic Sectarianism?

[HS_Dad]

Vatican II documents refer to other Christians as "Separated Brethren"..... Still family, but with differences as opposed to the vast gap vis-a-vis the outside world. However, some Catholics find it most difficult to see anything good in their fellow Christians while readily acclimating to many secularist currents of thought and culture. In our increasingly secular anti-Christian age, should not our focus be on our common unity in Christ?

I am not referring to those who wish to follow every detail of every church teaching. (Which is often done in a great spirit of obedience and seeking after Christ and truth.....) But, instead on those who have an angry combative Pat Buchananesque spirit about them.

Anyways, thoughts? Can Catholics be sectarian?

Edited November 11, 2006 by HS_Dad

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

Frankly, i like pat Buchanan. Seperated Brethren.... Think about it. If i am seperated from my brother i don't see him anymore or i am at odds with him. i think that it is wrong to ignore the problems in the protestant "churches" and we need to point these out to them with love and charity.

[Era Might]

I'm not sure what you mean by sectarian, but yes, we should treat other Christians appropriately, as our brothers who were baptized into the same death that were baptized into.

[quote]Nevertheless, besides the doctrinal differences needing to be resolved, Christians cannot underestimate the burden of long-standing misgivings inherited from the past, and of mutual misunderstandings and prejudices. Complacency, indifference and insufficient knowledge of one another often make this situation worse. Consequently, the commitment to ecumenism must be based upon the conversion of hearts and upon prayer, which will also lead to the necessary purification of past memories. With the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Lord's disciples, inspired by love, by the power of the truth and by a sincere desire for mutual forgiveness and reconciliation, are called to re-examine together their painful past and the hurt which that past regrettably continues to provoke even today. All together, they are invited by the ever fresh power of the Gospel to acknowledge with sincere and total objectivity the mistakes made and the contingent factors at work at the origins of their deplorable divisions. What is needed is a calm, clear-sighted and truthful vision of things, a vision enlivened by divine mercy and capable of freeing people's minds and of inspiring in everyone a renewed willingness, precisely with a view to proclaiming the Gospel to the men and women of every people and nation.

--Pope John Paul II, Encyclical Letter "Ut Unum Sint"[/quote]

[ruso]

I do not understand well to that about you talk, If you talk about to that some catholics groups, even within the church, can be sectarian, the answer is yes. This happens within some conservatives groups.
Others as you indicate, unite to secular currents, in which, sometimes without finding out, the message of Christ happens to be secondary.
To speak with people the different positions is necessary between catholics(I do not talk about those "catholics" that defend the abortion, for example), we cannot speak of unit, if we did not speak between us.

[Anomaly]

HS-Dad,
If you mean "One characterized by bigoted adherence to a factional viewpoint", then ABSOLUTELY!
If you mean an unwillingness to change how and what you profess to belief, then generally, Catholics are very Sectarian.

I was listening to Peter Kreeft on ecumenism, and what he said really struck me. He believes in ecumenism without comprimise, but makes a great point about what Protestants and Catholics shouldn't compromise on, which is Jesus. Caths & Prots failure to recognize what's foundation and what isn't is the root of Sectarianism.

[HS_Dad]

[quote name='Anomaly' post='1117426' date='Nov 11 2006, 08:34 AM']
HS-Dad,
I was listening to Peter Kreeft on ecumenism, and what he said really struck me. He believes in ecumenism without comprimise, but makes a great point about what Protestants and Catholics shouldn't compromise on, which is Jesus. Caths & Prots failure to recognize what's foundation and what isn't is the root of Sectarianism.
[/quote]

Very good points.... Because so many secularist philosophies aren't organized into identifiable bodies, many Christians tend not to see these secularist perspectives as enemies or competitors but get all bent out of shape regarding other Christian denominations. That is so unfortunate, because what unites us (Christ) is so much greater than what divides us. In many respects even orthodox Jews, through their belief in a Holy God who cares about actual human individuals and actions, are even closer to us than secularists or many modernist Christians who have ventured towards a more deistic perspective (within Catholicism or Protestantism).

[123]

[quote]Anyways, thoughts? Can Catholics be sectarian?
[/quote]

Personally, many Catholics will not agree with everything the church does or what other members believe. I know devout Catholics who push for women to be ordained. But, on an ecumentitcal level, There is no real apparent sectarianism.

Edited November 13, 2006 by GloriaIesusChristi

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='GloriaIesusChristi' post='1118619' date='Nov 13 2006, 12:25 AM']
Personally, many Catholics will not agree with everything the church does or what other members believe. I know devout Catholics who push for women to be ordained. But, on an ecumentitcal level, There is no real apparent sectarianism.
[/quote]
They may think they are "devout" but if they willingly hold a belief contrary to church teaching, they are mistaken. It is an infallable teaching that women cannot be ordained.

[Quietfire]

I just returned today from a funeral for the father of a good friend. I have spoken of her before here, as my sister. She is, in every respect, my sister. I have known her many years and we have shared so much together that I consider her family.

The church her father attended was not Catholic. I actually do not know the denomination(neither did she as she was not a member of that church) but it was Christian.

A few days before his death(he had cancer) I had sent her a card with a letter.
Throughout the service, people getting up and speaking about this amazing man, the preachers kept quoting from the Bible and explaining what it meant in terms of his passing. How many times did she turn and look to me and point as if to say, "Thats what you wrote me."
So many times I agreed with them. Not once did I hear anything contrary to Catholic teaching there. Mind you it was a funeral service, but still.

I came home and told my husband about this. He asked me if that was the case, then what was missing from that church?
I answered, "Christ in the Eucharist"
He asked, "That's it?"
I answered, "No. That's everything."
It wasnt a cheap shot. It wasnt meant to demean their beliefs. It was and still is the Truth. I didnt look at them and see them as beneath me, instead I saw family. A family that we are all a part of.

Did I feel at home there? Of course. We were brothers and sister in Jesus Christ coming together to pay our last respects to a man that not only touched many lives, but brought many lives to Christ. There may have been a time where I would have wanted to be a part of such a fellowship as the one in that church. But understanding more and more of what the Catholic Church teaches, there can now be nothing less in my life than a life within the Catholic Church. I thanked God today for allowing me the wisdom of seeing the differences, but more importantly allowing me to see the similarities.
Yes, they are viewed as separated brethren but today we didnt focus on what made us different, we focused on what made us the same. We all are created by the very same God. Today one of our brothers was called home to the Lord. In my prayers this past week I prayed that he died in fellowship with God and would be justly rewarded for that fellowship.

Since I had never personally met her father, when it was my turn to pass his coffin I simply thanked him for the gift of his daughter in my life.

Pax.