What keeps us Catholic? Mr. Groome's theology is anything but Catholic. See here and here for example.
The history of the Church testifies to the truth that men have a natural
inclination to divide Christ's Deposit of Faith and to choose only what they
want to believe. For those who are Catholic in more than name (a much smaller
group than most realize), all questions of faith or morals are answered in a
Deposit of Faith (Depositum Fidei) which has been revealed by God and entrusted
to a Custodian (the Church's Magisterium) established by God Himself which has
been endowed with infallible protection against any change or error.
But for the Catholic in name only, the reason for belief is private judgment rather than the infallible teaching authority established by God. The issue, ultimately, is who speaks for the Church? Who has the authority to speak in the name of Christ and to settle disputes which may arise within the Mystical Body of Christ? Vatican II, in its Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, No. 10, teaches authoritatively that: "...the task of authentically interpreting the Word of God, whether written or handed on, has been entrusted exclusively to the living teaching office of the Church, whose authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ. This teaching office is not above the Word of God but serves it, teaching only what has been handed on, listening to it devoutly, guarding it scrupulously and explaining it faithfully in accord with a divine commission and with the help of the Holy Spirit; it draws from this one deposit of faith everything which it presents for belief as divinely revealed."
If one is to be faithful to Christ and His Church, one cannot assert that what the Magisterium teaches is false and that the faithful are free to reject this teaching and substitute it with their own opinions or those of theologians. But this is precisely what dissent entails. The dissident looks upon the moral teachings of the Magisterium as mere legalistic rules instead of seeing them for what they really are: beautiful truths intended to enable the People of God to live the Christ Life.
Dissent represents an act of violence directed against Christ's faithful. Pope John Paul II drove this point home in his Encyclical Letter Veritatis Splendor (No. 113) when he said, "Dissent, in the form of carefully orchestrated protests and polemics carried on in the media, is opposed to ecclesial communion and to a correct understanding of the hierarchical constitution of the People of God." Dissent represents an act of violence because it violates "the right of the faithful to receive Catholic doctrine in its purity and integrity.." (VS, 113).
Mr. Marquis should begin his Lent by repenting of his promotion of a known heretic.
"Whoever wishes to be my follower must deny his very self, take up his cross each day, and follow in my steps." (Luke 9:23)
ReplyDeleteThis should be our goal, as Catholics, as we journey through Lent: to deny the self and to pick up our cross and follow in Jesus' footsteps.
The Diocese of Worcester, once again, is demonstrating that it is not really committed toward this goal.
Ultimately the fruit of self-will is Hell.
And the hits just keep on coming here in Worcester. Meanwhile, Pat Gale of the Johnny Appleseed publication, who publishes the bulletin for Saint Martin's in Otter River, is also promoting heretic Groome.
ReplyDeleteThe March 4th Worcester Diocesan Dispatch publicized Mr. Marquis/Dr. Groome's program under the guise of a "Lenten video series" at Mr. Marquis' parish, St. Joan of Arc in Worcester.
ReplyDeleteEllen, Pat Gale seems to believe she runs the show over at St. Martin's. Between her and Linda Columbus, there is no room for men to participate. The Church is given over to an anti-male mindset.
ReplyDelete