Catholic In America

In light of the recent comments being made about the HHS and the Obama administration....I have the following to say to other Catholics....


It is really, really good to hear that these holy bishops are standing up for what is important morally. We often times forget that there is more to being Catholic than just fulfilling our obligations. Being Catholic is a way of life and that way of life is under direct attack.

We are not American Catholics, but rather we are Catholics in America. A subtle distinction? Perhaps, but one which is necessary. Far too often we forget that the smallest adjustment in language can change the way an entire group of people look at themselves. This adjustment needs to be made, IMHO! I am an American by birth, but I am a Catholic from all eternity.

Archbishop (Cardinal Designate) Dolan, Bishop Nickless, Bishop Sample and Archbishop Schnurr, as well as every bishop in the United States needs to hear from every faithful Catholic that this is not acceptable and they need to rise to the occasion. Catholicism is not a piece of clothing like the shirts we put on and take off, it is our means to salvation. We cannot lose sight of that. All the Church teaches is our path to salvation. We stray from one teaching and our path is compromised. This applies to proper Sacramental/liturgical application and it also applies to protecting the innocent (the unborn and infirmed; the aged and those who cannot otherwise take care of themselves).

Pray for our bishops. Pray they have the strength to stand up against this tyranny. Injustice is injustice, even if it comes from within. It cannot be tolerated and it must be snuffed out, by proper means. May God have mercy on the pro-abort’s soul. They will need it.

 I know that in speaking about freedom of conscience, this would be political suicide, but I think that His Eminence, Cardinal Designate Dolan needs to promote the idea that the freedom of which he speaks is found in adherence to the Catholic Church.

As a Catholic, I don’t exercise my freedom of conscience because of my citizenship in the USA, but rather I exercise my freedom of conscience because I adhere to the Truth of the Church, then and only then apply it to my secular life. As I’ve said before, I am a Catholic in America, not an American Catholic. It isn’t my citizenship which frees my conscience, but rather it is my assenting of my will to the Truth of the Church which does so. What do I mean? I would say the same thing if I were South African, or if I were Japanese, or if I were British, or if I were Italian.

I think that if the bishops catechize the Church (and various ecclesial communions) we would be much better served. But I also realize that it would be political suicide to do so. As it is, it certainly seems that our freedom of conscience is couched in terms of our citizenship first, then our membership in the Church and I think it should be vice versa.