Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jun 1, 2004 / 22:00 pm
Bishop Juan Ruben Martinez of Posadas, Argentina, said this week that in an age marked by individualism it is common that many people call themselves “Catholic” but they make choices and live in ways that are not compatible with the Church.
“It is important to say this because in our age individualism is very strong. There is no shortage of those who call themselves ‘Catholic’ and whose opinions, choices and way of life are not compatible, nor are they in communion with the Church,” the bishop said.
Bishop Martinez recalled that “through Baptism Christians become part of the Church. Our faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord, has a personal commitment dimension on the hand, and a community or ‘ecclesial’ dimension on the other.”
“Without the communal-ecclesial reference point, we end up altering the Word of God to fit our own wishes, desires and ideologies,” he warned.