What are the fruits of the Religious Education Congress?
If the annual Religious Education Congress is so good for the Faith, what with tens of thousands of religion teachers and others going out from it every year and spending the next 12 months "sharing" the speakers' "insights" with their students and others...
Then how come, during the REC's decades of existence...
...so many Catholics no longer know the fundamentals of the Faith, or they "question" basic Catholic truth, or they disregard the Church's Divinely granted authority in faith and morality?
...so few Catholics receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) anymore?
...so many high school and college students, and older Catholics too, leave the Faith and become "nothings," defect to Protestantism, join non-Christian sects such as the Mormons and the Witnesses, or end up as New Agers, Buddhists, etc.?
...so many of the "nothings" and others live just like pagans, not marrying, marrying outside the Church, not having children, and aborting, contracepting and being sterilized, and if they do have children, depriving them of Baptism?
...so many Catholic families in this Archdiocese have had one or more of their children, and sometimes all of them, abandon the Faith?
...once-plentiful vocations to the priesthood, as well as to the religious life, have disappeared or gone elsewhere, so much so that the Archdiocese has even shut down its minor and college seminaries?
Now, clearly these tragedies are not exclusive to this Archdiocese, and clearly they have many causes and clearly "Congress" is not responsible for all of them. But again, it is fair to ask...if "Congress" is so good, why are have the problems above occurred to such a degree and why are they continuing?
Could there be a connection between the quality of catechesis in the Archdiocese and the problems into which so many of the catechized have fallen?
But let me make it clear that, obviously, some good speakers do attend "Congress" and some good does come from it. But is it not true that EVERY speaker at such an event should be orthodox and pro-life and that none should have bad track records?
Then how come, during the REC's decades of existence...
...so many Catholics no longer know the fundamentals of the Faith, or they "question" basic Catholic truth, or they disregard the Church's Divinely granted authority in faith and morality?
...so few Catholics receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) anymore?
...so many high school and college students, and older Catholics too, leave the Faith and become "nothings," defect to Protestantism, join non-Christian sects such as the Mormons and the Witnesses, or end up as New Agers, Buddhists, etc.?
...so many of the "nothings" and others live just like pagans, not marrying, marrying outside the Church, not having children, and aborting, contracepting and being sterilized, and if they do have children, depriving them of Baptism?
...so many Catholic families in this Archdiocese have had one or more of their children, and sometimes all of them, abandon the Faith?
...once-plentiful vocations to the priesthood, as well as to the religious life, have disappeared or gone elsewhere, so much so that the Archdiocese has even shut down its minor and college seminaries?
Now, clearly these tragedies are not exclusive to this Archdiocese, and clearly they have many causes and clearly "Congress" is not responsible for all of them. But again, it is fair to ask...if "Congress" is so good, why are have the problems above occurred to such a degree and why are they continuing?
Could there be a connection between the quality of catechesis in the Archdiocese and the problems into which so many of the catechized have fallen?
But let me make it clear that, obviously, some good speakers do attend "Congress" and some good does come from it. But is it not true that EVERY speaker at such an event should be orthodox and pro-life and that none should have bad track records?
posted by Quintero at 5:59 PM
5 Comments:
Is it so hard to find someone without a dirty record???
I'll tell ya: these are things my kids' catechism teachers have taught them recently:
the sign of peace should not be participated in because it's a "Protestant thing"
(last week) poor people in India (regardless of their faith) go straight to heaven because they're poor and don't care about money
crows are possessed by the devil
the moon is God's fingernail
In my daughter's Catechism:morality book:
deportation is a violation of human rights
personal property is to be used for the good of all
And this is all at the most conservative church in the area. With training like this I'm more surprised that ANY of the Catholic children of today stay Catholic...
Where are the fruits? They're at the podium speaking!
I’ve looked at the program and couldn’t help noticing a few “good guys” too. What gives?
Unfortunately, on the other side, you’re being treated to our very own Richard Leonard SJ and his workshop “Films that set the Spirit Free” – “If we have the eyes to see it, the contemporary cinema can help us do our job as religious educators. Come and explore how we can creatively use films like “The Hurricane,” “Finding Nemo,” “Erin Brockovich,” “The Truman Show,” “Witness,” “Shadowlands,” “Billy Elliott,” “Whale Rider,” “In America,” “Chocolate,” “A Man for All Seasons” and “Philadelphia,” which enable us to help set the next generation free and stay that way.”
Wonder if he’ll share his Brokeback / Shopgirl / Passion of the Christ reviews with them, and how they set the human spirit free too? (www.catholic.org.au/filmreviews and search). Or even his Film Office’s review of Kinsey?
I too am alarmed at the level of devotion, knowledge of faith, and the response the leadership of our diocese which in my view is probably overwelmed.
If someone took all my sins, mistakes, and mediocrity and only highlighted that I doubt if my own son would know me.
I also tried to contribute to the Body of Christ by teaching CCD and I do not know if there was any fruits. So what does that mean?
It is frustrating for a lay person when we read the lives of the saints and do not see those people amoung us Angelenos
If I have faith and pray I know Our Lord will sort this out between our actions and His great love for the Body of Christ.
I would not be surprises if one day someone will emerge and we will be thinking "Can anything good come out of LA."
Besides y'all
I know how hard it is to get mad at things these days but try this on for size:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/02/16/bishops_to_oppose_adoption_by_gays/
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