The Prodigal Doc

In these days when it is so fashionable to attack the Pope and the Catholic Church in particular, one must be vehemently loyal as to Christ Who founded the Church and gave the Keys to the Kingdom to Peter and His Successors, currently Pope Benedict XVI. Baby killings continue and I suspect God Himself will have to intervene to bring it all to a halt since man is unwilling except for the pro-lifers. I have a feeling, just a feeling, that if and when God does let us know how displeased He is about the millions of little babies being murdered, we will know it - clearly. Stem cell research authorization has just pounded another nail in the American casket.

What is particularly disheartening (besides the fact that about 55 percent of Catholics voted for the pro-choice candidate), the volume and viciousness of some of the attacks on the Church come from within the Church membership and some Church leadership as well. Our Lady of La Salette had something to say about this I believe prior to the French Revolution - bishop turning against bishop, cardinal against cardinal etc. Also, something about those who honored her would be mocked and persecuted.

Christ never intended to found His Church in over two thousand denominations. Man brought this about. Initially, the Church founded was (and remains) the Catholic Church. We pray for unity to take place one day again soon. "Father, that all may be one as You and I are One."

Get a Catechism of the Catholic Church and read and study it. All your answers are in there. Before you go off on someone's opinion or statement passed on as a rumor (always from a very reliable source of course) or some website about what the Pope said, the Bishops are thinking etc., check the Catechism and the Vatican Website. See and read for yourself the Papal Documents. Also, EWTN has a fabulous library of references as well. You can download them for free of course (using your own paper as Father Mitch says) but hey, that's a great deal since they (EWTN) has done all the research and linking for you. Make a donation to EWTN by the way and keep probably the best thing we got right now. For many it is a lifeline and I am one of these people. No other channel is ever on in my house for nothing on other channels has anything to do with eternity so why watch? If anything, some the garbage can endanger your eternity so why gamble?

The Holy Father teaches with absolute authority. All these schismatic and excommunicated so-called Catholic groups like Catholics for Choice, Catholics for Gay Marriage, Catholics for Admission of Squirrels and Woodchucks to Mass and so on - need to be ignored and their members prayed for before God's time of mercy ends. Now hear this: You cannot be pro-anything against the Magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church and be Catholic. You cannot have it both ways - Jesus has something very strong to say about lukewarmness in faith.

A final word...There was a time when most Catholics accepted the words of a Priest, Bishop or Religious as 'gospel.' Those days are gone and need to be since there is so much deception, error and in particular, inconsistency. Many in the religious life have totally abandoned their Founders' principles and guidance. Habits have been totally discarded for worldly dress and with the 'uniform' being tossed, so were the original reasons for their foundation.

Sadly, these days it takes a great deal of discernment to remain loyal and faithful to Christ and His Church - not because of what is or is not coming from the Holy Father and Magisterium but rather that which is coming from the local churches and many clerics. There is great division within the Catholic Church (and many Protestant ones as well). God doesn't divide nor is He the author of confusion; we know where that comes from. So, it is vitally important to remain totally loyal to our Pope and follow the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Jesus warns of deception in the Gospels, many times actually. We should not be surprised by the current state of the Church nor the attacks the world is leveling against her. We should not be susprised by the divisions within the clerical ranks, sacking of churches which were sacred and replacing them with buildings that look like night clubs and warehouses. The sacred is being suppressed in favor of the profane and many have succumbed to the ways of the world.

It is critical in these days to invoke the Holy Spirit. Each of us received Him in a special way at Baptism and were infilled with His seven gifts at Confirmation. Remember that Confirmation was to fortify us as Soldiers for Christ. We were anointed with Chrism and sent forth to fight the good fight. Today, it is ever more clear that the battle is real not simply symbolic language. This is real combat and it will most likely increase as time goes on. We need to be strong in our faith as others weaken and fall by the wayside.

One thing I have found helpful is to associate with like-minded Catholics in particular and non-Catholics who share our concern for the watering-down of the Gospel. Stay loyal to your Catholic devotions especially the Mass and Sacrament of Reconciliation. Say the Rosary every day and more often if you can. Say the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, Chaplet of Our Lady of Sorrows, pray to the Blessed Mother, Saint Joseph, and Saint Michael the Archangel.

Have statues and holy pictures around and reverence them (not worship them). Have plenty of sacramentals especially Holy Water, Blessed Salt, Rosaries and Scapulars. Retain the critical foundational items of your Catholic faith at all costs. Pray as a family especially is this is possible. "The Family that prays together, stays together" Father Pat Peyton taught for many years. It is so true and even more critical today as the family is attacked, re-defined and crumbling into dust.

Father John Corapi, for whom I have much respect, says it will get darker and darker and things will worsen. Many think it is business as usual and although there are some economic problems dominating us, everything else is 'normal.' Let those with eyes to see, see and those with ears to hear, hear. It is all around us - signs of pending destruction should we continue on our present path of shoving God out of our lives publicly and privately. The world glistens and glitters with great attraction - attraction to pleasure and rights without corresponding responsibilities. But the world is passing quickly and only what is done for God will matter in the end.

Now is the time for salvation; now is the time of mercy. Do not let it pass you by.