Two prayers....

God's will be done and may He have mercy upon us all.

About Me

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A Catholic who follows Rome & the Magisterium. I'm against gay "marriage", abortion, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, human cloning. Altar girls, Communion in the hand, Eucharistic Ministers and "Protestant" music in the Church doesn't bother me at all. A proud American retired submarine sailor. Our borders should be secured with a 10 ft. high fence topped by concertina wire with minefields out to 20 yards on both sides and an additional 10 yards filled with warning signs outside of that Let's get energy independent NOW! Back Israel to the max, stop appeasing followers of the Pedophile Prophet. Pro 2nd Amendment, pro death penalty, Repeal all hate crime legislation. Back the police unless you'd rather call a hippie when everything hits the fan. Get government out of dealing with education, childhood obesity and the enviornment. Stop using the military for sociological experiments and if we're in a war don't micromanage their every move. Kill your television, limit time on the computer and pick up a book. God's will be done and may He have mercy upon us all.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Being a "good" Catholic.

CATHOLIC RANT FOLLOWS! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!

A drive-by troll who left what will probably be his one and only comment here accused me of not trying to be a good Catholic. After telling him to bite me I started mulling that charge over. It's one I've heard often enough over the time I was growing up in the Church and the last five or so years I've been getting back into it.

First, when have I been accused of not being a "good" Catholic? Well let's see, besides the recent post I've heard it when I owned up to not raising my kids in the Church (after I'd conferred with my parish priest on the topic). Seems some fool sitting at a keyboard who knows jackshit about me and the War Department is more qualified than an ordained priest to give me advice.

I've heard it when I've spoken out in favor of the death penalty. The WD will tell you I've been really conflicted over that one for some time. Part of the struggle comes from having my only sibling murdered twenty four years ago. Kind of messes with your mind. Here again I've received chastisement from various sources letting me know that "good" Catholics don't have a problem with condemning the death penalty.

Noted.

Being less than a "good" Catholic has been laid at my doorstep for supporting various military actions. In my youth is was the Viet Nam War, these days it's our presence in Iraq. The detractors always cite the stance of our bishops and our supposed obligation to respect and support them. Sorry, I have a hard time giving credibility to a group of pedophile enablers. Just a failing of mine I suppose. And I always wonder if the actions of our military are SO heinous then why doesn't the Archbishop in charge of the military's ministry step up to the plate and tell Catholics in the military to get out under pain of excommunication?

Marrying a Protestant didn't help me in the eyes of some I'm sure. My first two marriages to Catholic women didn't work out. The one that had been recognized by the Church was annulled, the other was never recognized. So much for hooking up with Catholic women. FWIW, this one IS recognized by the Church.

So, I've come to the following conclusions;

First, my salvation is MY business. Not the business of any damned fool with too much time on his hands and too much self-righteousness in his head. If I need advice I'll seek out a trustworthy priest.

Second, when I stand before the throne of God I'll be alone. So I might as well just use MY best judgment as to what will make a good case for me then. If I need advice I'll seek out a trustworthy priest.

Last, what the hell is this "good" label all about? Either you're Catholic or you're not. If you are then you're an admitted sinner not worthy of salvation no matter what your good works, in the end you're saved by the love and grace of Jesus Christ alone. No other busybodies involved. Period. Until that end is reached you keep on trying to stay in a state of grace one day at a time. Kind of like recovering alcoholics with their sobriety, except there are some drunks who won't relapse. ALL Catholics have a spiritual relapse, even the Pope goes to Confession! And if I need advice, ...oh hell you already know the rest!!!

So for those nonclerics who might be reading this and subscribe to the idea of telling off those they don't consider "good" Catholics, would you please be so kind as to kiss my plain Catholic ass?

Thanks for listening.

3 comments:

Pen of Jen said...

I lurk here alot, cause I like visiting your wife and you...BUT rarely leave comments. I have decided to pipe in my thoughts on this because I so dislike this "good" person "good" what ever. All who have read the Bible know that none of us are any good. You did mention your salvation and any who have received Christ as their Saviour have said enough.

After the covering blood of Jesus all the rest is playing in the world.

You are correct on the good Catholic thing. I wish everyone would get past this and focus on Him.

BTW I am a secret admirer of you...you and MM babies have lots to appreciate...a mom and dad together really working to make their lives the best that they can be.

And staying home and loving and caring for and playing with....and loving your wife all come through loud and clear. I am not Catholic so don't take this wrong, but I do not believe that when you die that He will ask if you were a Catholic(and then check your goodness status)

I for one see you as a good father, good husband, and a man not worried about trying to come to grips with not being perfect(as none of us is) and sharing that you do have a forward direction towards Him.

Sorry to be longwinded....
Jennifer

Subvet said...

Thanks for the support Jen, I really appreciate it.

The more I read of Catholic literature the more I'm convinced the most important thing is to seek Christ. That applies to everyone, even those who would seemingly reject Him by name. So being a Catholic for me is just the best way to make that happen.

Thanks also for the compliments, I'm really not all that great. Just ask MM, she's the one who's had to clean my dirty laundry. My skivvies stink just like everyone else's!

dudleysharp said...

Whoever is telling you that you are not a good Catholic, because you support the death penalty, deosn't know what they are talking about.

You can remain a Catholic in good standing while finding that executions should be increased, based upon your own prudential judgement.

For those who continue to condemn you, have them read these.

Christan Scholars: Support for the Death Penalty
Dudley Sharp, Justice Matters, contact info below

The strength of the biblical, theological and traditional support for the death penalty is, partially, revealed, below.

(1) Capital Punishment: New Testament Teaching", 1998, Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J., considered one of the most prominent Roman Catholic theologians of the 20th century. See bottom.
http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Sacred_Scripture/Sacred_Scripture_014.htm

"There are certain moral norms that have always and everywhere been held by the successors of the Apostles in communion with the Bishop of Rome. Although never formally defined, they are irreversibly binding on the followers of Christ until the end of the world." "Such moral truths are the grave sinfulness of contraception and direct abortion. Such, too, is the Catholic doctrine which defends the imposition of the death penalty."

"Most of the Church's teaching, especially in the moral order, is infallible doctrine because it belongs to what we call her ordinary universal magisterium."

"Equally important is the Pope's (Pius XII) insistence that capital punishment is morally defensible in every age and culture of Christianity." " . . . the Church's teaching on 'the coercive power of legitimate human authority' is based on 'the sources of revelation and traditional doctrine.' It is wrong, therefore 'to say that these sources only contain ideas which are conditioned by historical circumstances.' On the contrary, they have 'a general and abiding validity.' (Acta Apostolicae Sedis, 1955, pp 81-2)."

about Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.
http://www.mariancatechist.com/html/general/stjohnhardon.htm
http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/archives.htm
http://www.mariancatechist.com/html/general/fatherhardon.htm
http://www.saintphilomena.com/newpage4.htm
http://credo.stormloader.com/Saints/hardon.htm


(2) "The Death Penalty", by Romano Amerio, a faithful Catholic Vatican insider, scholar, professor at the Academy of Lugano, consultant to the Preparatory Commission of Vatican II, and a peritus (expert theologian) at the Council.
http://www.domid.blogspot.com/2007/05/amerio-on-capital-punishment.html

A thorough theological repudiation of Pope John Paul II's death penalty prudential judgements and of their improper inclusion into the amending of the Catechism.

"Amerio has the great gift of going to the heart of a subject in a few lines and very neatly distinguishes genuine Catholicism from imitations and aberrations." "What makes Amerio's analysis unique is that he restricts himself to official and semi-official pronouncements by popes, cardinals, bishops, episcopal conferences and articles in L'Osservatore Romano, from the time of Pope John XXIII to 1985 when the book was originally written." (1)

titled "Amerio on capital punishment ", Chapter XXVI, 187. The death penalty, from the book Iota Unum, May 25, 2007

About Romano Amerio
http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/176565?eng=y
http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2006/02/romano-amerio-and-pope-benedict.html
http://www.latin-mass-society.org/2007/romanoamerio.html
http://www.angeluspress.org/oscatalog/item/6700/iota-unum


(3) Christian Scholars & Saints: Support for the Death Penalty", at
http://www.homicidesurvivors.com/2006/10/12/catholic-and-other-christian-references-support-for-the-death-penalty.aspx


(4) "Capital Punishment: A Catholic Perspective",
by Br. Augustine (Emmanuel Valenza)
http://www.sspx.org/against_the_sound_bites/capital_punishment.htm


(5) "Capital Punishment: The Case for Justice", Prof. J. Budziszewski, First Things, August / September 2004 http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles4/BudziszewskiPunishment.shtml


(6) Chapter V:The Sanctity of Life, "Principles of Conduct: Aspects of Biblical Ethics" By John Murray
http://books.google.com/books?id=phoqAAaGMpUC&pg=PA107&lpg=PA114&ots=mFvByHqGSy&dq=Murray+%22It+is+the+sanctity+of+human+life+that+underlies+the+sixth+commandment.%22&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&sig=ACfU3U1b0mdM3BfpNSXnhrwFYXaE_9Ij9A


(7) "Capital Punishment: What the Bible Says", Dr. Lloyd R. Bailey, Abingdon Press, 1987. The definitive biblical review of the death penalty.


(8) "Why I Support Capital Punishment", by Andrew Tallman
sections 7-11 biblical review, sections 1-6 secular review
http://andrewtallmanshowarticles.blogspot.com/search?q=Capital+punishment


(9) "The Death Penalty", by Solange Strong Hertz at
http://www.ourworld.compuserve.com/HOMEPAGES/REMNANT/death2.htm


(10) "A Seamless Garment In a Sinful World" by John R. Connery, S. J., America, 7/14/84, p 5-8).


(11) "God’s Justice and Ours" by US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, First Things, 5/2002
http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=2022


(12) Forgotten Truths: "Is The Church Against Abortion and The Death Penalty"
by Luiz Sergio Solimeo, Crusade Magazine, p14-16, May/June 2007
http://www.tfp.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=957


(13) "The Purpose of Punishment (in the Catholic tradition)",
by R. Michael Dunningan, J.D., J.C.L., CHRISTIFIDELIS, Vol.21,No.4, sept 14, 2003
http://www.st-joseph-foundation.org/newsletter/lead.php?document=2003/21-4


(14) "MOST CATHOLICS OPPOSE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT?",
KARL KEATING'S E-LETTER, Catholic Answers, March 2, 2004
http://www.catholic.com/newsletters/kke_040302.asp


(15) "THOUGHTS ON THE BISHOPS' MEETING: NOWADAYS, VOTERS IGNORE BISHOPS",
KARL KEATING'S E-LETTER, Catholic Answers,, Nov. 22, 2005
http://www.catholic.com/newsletters/kke_051122.asp

----------
Religious positions in favor of capital punishment are neither necessary not needed to justify that sanction. However, the biblical and theological record is very supportive of the death penalty.

Many of the current religious campaigns against the death penalty reflect a fairly standard anti death penalty message, routed in secular arguments. When they do address religious issues, they often neglect solid theological foundations, choosing, instead, select biblical sound bites which do not impact the solid basis of death penalty support.

Footnotes:
(1) Books: 'Iota Unum: A Study of Changes in the Catholic Church', by Romano Amerio, Fr Peter Joseph (reviewer)
IOTA UNUM: A Study of Changes in the Catholic Church in the 20th Century
by Romano Amerio (English translation by Fr John Parsons)
(Sarto House, USA, 786 pp)
Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 9 No 8 (September 1996), p. 14
---------------------

70% of Catholics supported the death penalty as of May, 2oo5, Gallup Poll, Moral Values and Beliefs. The May 2-5, 2005 poll also found that 74% of Americans favor the death penalty for murderers, while 23% oppose.

copyright 1999-2008 Dudley Sharp
Permission for distribution of this document, in whole or in part, is approved with proper attribution.

Dudley Sharp, Justice Matters
e-mail sharpjfa@aol.com, 713-622-5491,
Houston, Texas

Mr. Sharp has appeared on ABC, BBC, CBS, CNN, C-SPAN, FOX, NBC, NPR, PBS , VOA and many other TV and radio networks, on such programs as Nightline, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, The O'Reilly Factor, etc., has been quoted in newspapers throughout the world and is a published author.

A former opponent of capital punishment, he has written and granted interviews about, testified on and debated the subject of the death penalty, extensively and internationally.

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