"Though the New Evangelization has been a major effort in the Catholic Church for over forty years, it has failed to stem the disastrous losses of the faithful in the U.S. The New Evangelization is faltering: since 2000, 14 million Catholics have left the faith, parish religious education participation of children has dropped by 24%, Catholic school attendance has dropped by 19%, baptisms of infants has dropped by 28%, baptism of adults has dropped by 31% and sacramental Catholic marriages have dropped by 41%.[1] Something is desperately wrong with the Church’s approach to the New Evangelization.
The New Emangelization Project has documented that a key driver of the collapse of Catholicism in the U. S. is a serious and growing Catholic “man-crisis”.[2] One third of baptized Catholic men have left the faith and the majority of those who remain “Catholic” neither know nor practice the faith and are not committed to pass the faith along to their children. Recent research shows that large numbers of young Catholic men are leaving the faith to become “Nones”, men who have no religious affiliation.[3] The growing losses of young Catholic men will have a devastating impact on the U.S. Catholic Church in the coming decades, as older Catholic men pass away and young men fail to remain and marry in the Church, accelerating the devastating losses that have already occurred.
While there are massive cultural forces outside of the Church (e.g. secularism, pluralism, anti-Christian bias, radical feminism, pornography, media saturation, etc.) and missteps within the Church (e.g. failure to make men a priority, sex abuse scandals, homosexuality in the priesthood, etc.) that have contributed to the Catholic “man-crisis”, the New Emangelization Project has conducted dozens of interviews with top Catholic men’s evangelists[4] that suggest that a core reason for the “man-crisis” is that bishops and priests have not yet made the evangelization and catechesis of men a clear priority. Men are being ignored by the Church."
Addicted to homosexuality and effeminism, the Cult of Softness has a deep and abiding hatred of real men and anything even remotely resembling masculinity. I've addressed this truth often at this Blog- see here for example.
In the New Church, which will accept the Man of Sin, the Cult of Softness will be the New dogma. Already there is preparation on so very many levels.
The Latin Vulgate (see the Douay-Rheims Bible) indicates that the effeminate will not inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:10). But the New American Bible, which is used by the USCCB, omits the word effeminate:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (Latin Vulgate):
Verse 9: "Know you not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers:
an nescitis quia iniqui regnum Dei non possidebunt nolite errare neque fornicarii neque idolis servientes neque adulteri
Verse 10: Nor the effeminate nor liers with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor railers nor extortioners shall possess the kingdom of God.
neque molles neque masculorum concubitores neque fures neque avari neque ebriosi neque maledici neque rapaces regnum Dei possidebunt."
1Corinthians 6: 9-10 (New American Bible) posted online by the USCCB:
Verse 9: "Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor sodomites
Verse 10: nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God."
Why do you think this is so? The Latin Vulgate, which we have obtained from the great St. Jerome, is the most precise translation of the Sacred Scriptures available. There are many other problems with recent translations of the Scriptures. But my focus here is on this passage. Why has the word "effeminate" been dropped from 1 Corinthians 6?
Dr. Leon Podles writes, "Walter Ong, having been formed in a masculine, Jesuit, clerical milieu does not seem to be aware of how feminized Christianity had become even before the 1960s, but he saw a rapid shift in the Catholic Church in the 1960s toward even greater feminization...The contrasts of Christianity, grace and sin, life and death, have been toned down with a considerable loss of emotional power. Without this power, the popular appeal of the liturgy has declined (even with a more accessible language) and church attendance has plummeted...Even the change from Latin to the vernacular was also a symptom of feminization, according to Ong. Latin had been a means of maintaining a Latin culture in the Roman Catholic clergy. A language restricted to men is common; it is a sign of masculine separation from the feminine world. After it became a learned language, Latin was learned almost exclusively by men. The system of education that used Latin and centered around Latin literature was centered around contest and disputation and was confined almost entirely to men. The disappearance of Latin was part of the demasculinization of the clergy.." (The Church Impotent: The Feminization of Christianity, pp. 133-135).
So crippled by radical feminism and effeminate clergy, the Church often finds herself incapable of either giving or receiving fraternal correction. The Cotton-Candy "Church of Nice" (not the Church founded by Christ Jesus to deliver hard truths and thereby save souls), is the Church of "Who am I to judge?", the Church of empty, bland New Age homilies- Chicken Soup for the Chicken Catholic. Because I had the audacity to stand up to several women at a parish in Baldwinville, Massachusetts who were disrespecting Our Eucharistic Lord by talking loudly and laughing before the tabernacle as people attempted to prepare for Holy Mass, I was told by the priest that I am a "large man" who is scary and that I would be "ostracized." See here.
This is a favorite tactic of liberals to silence authentic men who are not sissified and who actually possess backbone.
The Cult of Softness permeates the entire Church. It is passive aggressive and desires total control of everything it comes into contact with.
But it cannot fight head on or on solid ground. That is its weakness. And it is there we must take the fight.
11 comments:
It's disgusting how feminized the Church has become. We are losing men in droves. And still no leadership in Worcester. Sacred Heart of Jesus, save our diocese.
Yet we see the Vatican fixated on, and heavily resourcing, so-called 'social justice' issues; more feminized, feel-good decision making at the highest levels.
Athol, that's why it's so important that we develop strategies to make the Church more masculine and tough! Do you have any suggestions?
I was the pastor of a large suburban parish of 2100 families for almost a decade. The effeminization of the parish was disastrous.
I immediately ended the feel-good, feminine expressions in the liturgy, ended the awful practices in the school masses which neutered boys and drove them away from the Church.
I preached constantly about the need to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, to serve him in battle, and invited men back to Church. The results were amazing. Men came back and stayed. Boys in 7th and 8th grades were invited to become Masters of Ceremony at mass, and were given cassocks and surplices to wear at mass. They loved it! They rose to the occasion. A visiting priest told me that he had never seen so many "normal men" at mass.
We junked liturgical dance, wispy, wimpy hymns, and hand-holding and all the rest of the emasculating practices. We promoted Confession endlessly, and saw a gradual return to the sacrament by many young men seeking to live a life of purity - and these are mostly men in their 20s.
We promoted Marian devotion by men and women, and saw a huge response.
I was asked to take on another assignment and had to leave the parish, but I left a solid young priest who will continue the good work The parish has grown in numbers and participation and collections.
The Lord has given us all the spiritual tools we need to draw people into the life of Christ: the sacraments, the Word of God, preaching and teaching the Truth, and the good work and example of good holy priests who are healthy and real men, as well as deacons who believe the Word and preach it and live it. The results are fantastic!
God is good.
Anonymous Pastor at 10:46 PM, God love you! What an inspiring account. The Church needs men. And young boys need more role models like yourself who show them that the Living God created them to grow into authentic manhood.
Thank you for the comment. It provides an answer to anonymous above.
Cardinal Burke is much concerned and has begun to organize men. See also http://bit.ly/1IYxgLb (may have to cut and paste) Men have a particular (and natural) role in combating the assault out religious freedom and in advancing the male role in the abortion issue, one that has til now very deliberately ignored that role. Here in North Carolina, we've begun to organize men's ... dare I say it? ... Crusader cells. At the core is the rosary and the Baltimore Catechism. With those we can reconquer what has been lost to Satan and his cohorts.
Anonymous in North Carolina
De Oppresso Liber!
PS I was an alter boy at a rousing French-Canadian parish in Massachusetts in the 50s. The Franciscan mafia in Boston recently sold the church and adjacent school for 30 pieces of silver.
I think a return to Ignatian spirituality would help. Plus, encouraging the study of Latin, arduous prayer and fasting, penance and physical activity.
We need more masculine role models.
Latin may again become the lingua franca of the surviving Church.
Lord Jesus, may it be so! Latin cannot be manipulated. Our Lady, hear our prayer!
I detest "feminism" the woman who wants to play the man, and man becomes womanized
“God did not create woman from man's head, that he should command her, nor from his feet, that she should be his slave, but rather from his side, that she should be near his heart”
It’s amazing how God made man, and so beautiful how he made woman!
Why did God create Woman from Man’s rib, when He could
have simply created her from dust, as He did Man? This
is a story that puts a beautiful touch on the
reasoning:
“When I created the heavens and the earth, I spoke
them into being. When I created man, I formed him from
the dust of the Earth and breathed life into his
nostrils. But you, woman, I fashioned after I breathed
the breath of life into man because your nostrils are
too delicate. I allowed a deep sleep to come over him
so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you. Man
was put to sleep so that he could not interfere with
the creativity. From one bone I fashioned you. I chose
the bone that protects man’s life. I chose the rib,
which protects his heart and lungs and supports him,
as you are meant to do.”
“Around this one bone I shaped you. I modeled you. I
created you perfectly and beautifully. Your
characteristics are as the rib, strong yet delicate
and fragile. You provide protection for the most
delicate organ in man, his heart. His heart is the
center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of
life. The rib cage will allow itself to be broken
before it will allow damage to the heart. Support man
as the rib cage supports the body.”
“You were not taken from his feet, to be under him,
nor were you taken from his head, to be above him. You
were taken from his side, to stand beside him and be
held close to his side. You are my perfect angel. You
are my beautiful little girl. You have grown to be a
splendid woman of excellence, and my eyes fill when I
see the virtue in your heart. Your eyes: don’t change
them. Your lips: how lovely when they part in prayer.
Your nose so perfect in form, your hands so gentle to
touch. I’ve caressed your face in your deepest sleep;
I’ve held your heart close to mine. Of all that lives
and breathes, you are the most like me.”
“Adam walked with me in the cool of the day and yet he
was lonely. He could not see me or touch me. He could
only feel me. So everything I wanted Adam to share and
experience with me, I fashioned in you: my holiness,
my strength, my purity, my love, my protection and
support. You are special because you are the extension
of me.”
“Man represents my image, woman – my emotions.
Together, you represent the totality of God.
So man:
treat woman well. Love her, respect her, for she is
fragile. In hurting her, you hurt Me. What you do to
her, you do to Me. In crushing her, you only damage
your own heart, the heart of your Father and the heart
of her Father.
Woman, support man. In humility, show
him the power of emotion I have given you. In gentle
quietness show your strength. In love, show him that
you are the rib that protects his inner self.”
What a great testimony!
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