Pope Benedict decries “cafeteria Catholicism”

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Vatican City, Jul 6, 2005 / 12:00 am (CNA).- Speaking on the newly released Compendium to the Catechism of the Catholic Church Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI stressed the need for Catholics to lovingly embrace the whole of the faith. "Dear brothers and sisters”, he said, “how necessary it is today at the dawn of the third millennium for the entire Catholic community to proclaim, teach and witness to the entire truth of Catholic faith, doctrine and morals in a unanimous and harmonious manner!"

The Holy Father added that the Compendium’s completion happened to fall in conjunction with the announcement of John Paul II’s beatification process “by divine providence.”

The late pontiff commissioned the Compendium in …to complement the dense, but groundbreaking Catechism of the Catholic Church, compiled in large part by Benedict XVI, who was then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

In 1987, John Paul told a gathering of the U.S. bishops that, "It is sometimes reported that a large number of Catholics today do not adhere to the teaching of the Catholic Church on a number of questions, notably sexual and conjugal morality, divorce and remarriage.”

“It is sometimes claimed”, he said, “that dissent from the magisterium is totally compatible with being a 'good Catholic,' and poses no obstacle to the reception of the Sacraments. This is a grave error that challenges the teaching of the Bishops in the United States and elsewhere. "

Comments: 12

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Published by: carlos paz
usa 11/19/2006 11:07 PM EST

Rate: Good

Outside the moral issues and matters central to loving the Father,the Son and The Holy Spirit, I find it impossible for anyone, including the pope himself, not to be somewhat "cafeteriaish" when it comes to our faith. For me it is the very strength and truth of catholicism. It is not even a matter of discent, it is a matter of the way Jesus himself called 12 very different people and Paul, after all may have well been the very first "cafeterian" in the Church.Did we forget his rifts with Peter. Jesus new that Thomas would reqire proof, and Judas would betray him, and Mark,luke Mathew would messup his geneology...and so on.We are all different. Few of us would submit to be nailed to a cross as they do in the Phillipines during Easter. Are they better or worse Catholics?With so many orders and tradtions of the church, and 23 differentsub-cannons,throw the first stone he who truly is not a cafeterian. Let us celebrate the love of Christ and the mercy of God, for we all fail to meet his standards, but he forgives our sins.

Published by: Loretta Hoffman
Timonium, MD, U.S.A. 09/04/2005 03:52 PM EST

Pope Benedict XVI is clearly a gift from God for our Church and for our times. Let us pray for him to receive the knowledge and the graces he needs to bring unity into our holy Roman Catholic Church. Until that unity among ourselves occurs, we will not be able to achieve unity with any other Christian churches and to fight successfully against the enemies of the Church that intend to destroy us. The Pope looks like he is cleaning up our act first. All I can say is:
"Praise the Lord!" I hope and pray that dissenting "Cafeteria Catholics" get the message and accept the fullness of the truth as taught by our Holy Father and the Magisterium of our one, holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church! Please God, "may we all be one" as Jesus prayed.

Published by: Tim Robles
Chino Hills, California 07/07/2005 10:39 AM EST

The Cafeteria is Now Closed - "An adult faith does not follow the waves of fashion and the latest novelties" Benedict 16

www.cafepress/dgratias

Published by: Deb
Orlando, FL USA 07/07/2005 09:38 AM EST

I am delighted to hear this problem of cafeteria Catholicism being addressed by the Holy Father. Hopefully this will open some eyes of those who pick and choose what to believe, so they can either accept the Church as the Truth that it is, or rethink their religious affiliation.

Published by: elvira bates
usa 07/07/2005 09:30 AM EST

Those who have a problem and want to bring up the "errors" of the church, need to know that the definition of "Dissent" within the church actually means doing things "against" the will of Christ Himself. Therefore, technically, the very nature of the terrible acts he describes in the church were "people" who were "in" dissent against the church which is Christ Himself, even when they are priests, bishops and yes, even Popes. Jesus said, "the Gates of Hell will not prevail against it" therefore, EVEN with the sinfulness of dissent, the Catholic church will last. Please, don't try to reshape it, she is under the protection of Christ. I pray people will not listen to the lies of liberal media and "redefining" history. Research it yourself, look both at Catholic writers and those who are "against" the church and you will find that it isn't what you think. Anyone can write anything and "call" it history. Those who believe these writings are uninformed, uneducated and have an agenda of their own.

Published by: Santan De Mello
Toronto, Ontario, Canada 07/07/2005 08:56 AM EST

The starting point would be to examine the conscience of the Magisterium and of those who promulgate their edicts. Are they really following Christ in spirit and in deed? Do as I tell you but don't do as I do is the downfall.

Published by: Dan
Columbia, SC 07/07/2005 08:25 AM EST

To Henry, and all other Catholics who "see more to the catholic faith than sex": do everyone a favor and read JPII's "Theology of the Body". In it, you will find the most profound and beautiful explanation as to the "why's" behind the Church's teachings on sexual matters. It is not the Church who is hung up on sex; rather, I would argue, it is the world that has been so hung up on sex that it has reduced it to mere desire. The Church holds out sex as something special; i.e., something to be handled with great care. The pope challenges all of us to look beyond body parts and see the whole person, one who is made in the image of God. In fact, JPII goes as far as to say we will never fully understand ourselves, or our relationship with God, unless we first understand what the body means. It all starts with chastity, the virtue that alows us to love another person, rather than to use another as a pleasure object. It is a virtue that calls us not simply to self-control (which is a psychological accomplishment), but to self-mastery, which is a moral and spiritual achievement, under grace. Go here to learn more: www.theologyofthebody.net

God Bless.

Published by: roberta trew
USA 07/06/2005 07:24 PM EST

Those who are so free to proclaim the "truth": Do they spend hours a day praying as did Pope John Paul and now Pope Benedict does? Have they devoted years to studying theology,philosophy, literature, Sacred Scripture? I think not. My trust is with Pope Benedict.

Published by: Ian
Bethlehem/PA/USA 07/06/2005 07:15 PM EST

Henry, I kindly challenge you to present a document of Papal teaching regarding "faith and morals" or a similar dogmatic document from one of the Ecumenical Councils attesting to the "magesterial sayings" you quote.

Published by: Henry
Virginia 07/06/2005 04:11 PM EST

Dissent is always OK when it is the truth. The magisterium once said the sun revolved around the earth. U.S. bishops once said slavery was OK. The Middle Ages were full of popes who had illegimate children and mistresses and certainly taught by their behavior. The failure of U.S. bishops to get rid of the bishops who covered up sexual preditors for years is another message being taught about moral behaviour that is wrong. The Catholic faith does NOT require blind, unthinking obedience. Apparently, the only thing that really upsets the so-called 'orthodox' faithful are the "pelvic issues" - we don't need a Compendium for that. Please forgive us cafeteria catholics if we see more to the catholic faith than sex.

Published by: Virginia Warren
Spokane, WA USA 07/06/2005 03:14 PM EST

I am delighted that our wonderful new Pope follows the traditional teachings of the Church. I wish he would make the American bishops abide by the traditional teachings of the Church instead of teaching heresy as they do.

Published by: Jacob Johnson
Slidell, Louisiana, USA 07/06/2005 12:51 PM EST

God bless Pope Benedict!!! Unfortunantely in the U.S. we have too many bishops who are "cafeteria catholics." They need to cleanup their act before they can truly lead, most especially in Los Angeles!

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