Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
The Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen very frequently noted that “If souls are not saved, nothing is saved.” The entire mission of the Church is predicated upon the salvation of souls. In truth, nothing else matters. At the end of each of our lives, we will be faced with the inevitability of death. Some die young, some die old. Some die after years of suffering, while others die in the prime of their lives. No matter who you are, how healthy you think you are, or what your state in life is, you will die. Furthermore, no matter what you believe, you will be judged by the Just Judge, Our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. And finally … this judgment will render one of two eternal destinations: Heaven or Hell.
Everything we do, think, say or profess in this life will lead to our eternal abode. This world is just a staging ground; a testing place. This world, ultimately is the mere scaffolding for the Kingdom of Heaven. When an architect and his builders create a marvelous structure, such as a cathedral, no one laments the removal of the scaffolding once the structure is completed. The same is true for this world. As Our Lord said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)
Of great concern in our modern times is the growing trend among the clergy in the Church to shift the focus away from the Last Things (Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell), and place them squarely on the world. Catholic hospitals, which were once run by priests and nuns, are now corporate entities. Catholic schools are likewise no longer run by priests and nuns. Catholic conferences and chanceries are now taking up the worldly standard of environmentalism. Works of charity have shifted to political agitation under the guise of “social justice.” And most scandalous of all, perhaps, is the big industry of social development, such as Catholic Relief Services, where CEOs pull in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in the name of helping the poor.
This is the scandal of it all … the corporal works of mercy are those acts of kindness and charity individuals provide to other individuals, not so we can have a better world to live in, but so we can save our own souls and bring other souls to Christ. Catholic hospitals no longer include evangelical works in the healing arts … the focus is solely on the body. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development funds socialist-leaning political agitation groups that have no interest or understanding in aiding the impoverished both in spirit and in body. And now, the Vatican is focusing its attention on empowering a global governing body (the United Nations) in the name of environmentalism, once again shifting more and more attention on this idea that man is capable of creating a heaven here on earth.
The truth is, Catholics, by and large, have lost the sense of a missionary spirit. On September 23, Pope Francis will canonize Blessed Junipero Serra, who founded the mission system in California. Fr. Serra founded 21 missions during his lifetime, bringing countless souls to the Catholic faith. Through the missions, Fr. Serra educated the natives of California, taught them to read and write, to build, and he brought them out of the poverty they had previously lived in. The missionary model truly is the model for all development work engaged in by the Church.
The great missionaries of the Church, like St. Francis Xavier, St. Ignatius of Loyola, Fr. Pierre-Jean De Smet, St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, St. Marianne Cope, and St. Pedro de San Jose Betancur all lived in the spirit of saving souls for the Kingdom of Heaven. And wherever great missionaries such as these went, education increased, and spiritual and physical poverty decreased.
But sadly, it seems that many priests, bishops and cardinals in the Church today have no missionary zeal, instead calling upon governments and financial monoliths to do what what had been done by the Church. Only, as the baton is being passed to the world, the conversion of souls is being forgotten. The words of the poet William Wordsworth are well applied here:
The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
Indeed, the leaders of the Church are tossing aside the greatest gift to mankind … which is the salvation of souls … for the trifles of this passing world.
This article, succinct, and deadly accurate, and is the best I’ve seen in recent time!
The Catholic Church has lost its’ way AND message!
It has become the hospice for tradition, and the “rec-center” for posturing prelates, who have been in the “wings”, desperately hoping for a “moment in the sun”!
Yes the Church is on its’ knees, because there are Cardinals and Bishops who have found fellow travelers within the church, and with whom they conspire to corrupt the church and it’s “Godly message”! All this in association with modern relativism and worldly passions and desires!
The church today is a “Cesspool” of sin internally! There is a proliferation of homosexuality within the actual walls of the church’s, and seminaries, and even the parish houses!
An organization “rots” from the head first! The new POPE FRANCIS, appears to be more concerned with volume’s of parishioners, then the actual “message” they receive!
Pope Francis is more concerned with the organizational periphery than retaining a solid foundation!
He is soliciting suspect minions, with a message that is flawed and superficial, which will soon be rejected by his facade of “Lukewarm” acolytes, but in the mean-time is driving a tainted contagious arrow, through the heart of the faithful!! They are leaving in droves!
Sweet Jesus, we pray for the churches’ correction of course, and an immediate return to the traditional understanding of your truthful words!
I can see your opinion is tainted by a “pre- Vatican II bias. I believe, people like you who bash the Pope and focus on the evils of the bad “spirit of Vatican II”, as if that is the whole Church, are doing a disservice to all faithful Catholics who are also trying to battle the liberal factions within the Church. The Doctrine, and Dogma of the Church will always remain the Truth. Liberal Bishops, Priests, Nuns or Catholics in name only, must always be pointed out and apposed, but never the One Holy and Apostolic Church, be denigrated or disrespected.
This article and reply by “bobbylang” are as accurate a depiction of the state of the Church today, as I’ve seen anywhere. Everyone in the Catholic “blogosphere” is aware of the ongoing debate over how to or whether to attribute “blame” to Pope Francis, and are perpetually left with the sense that there is an 800 pound gorilla in the room that is constantly ignored, but which we have been warned about for centuries. Dr. Kelly Bowring, an esteemed and “in good standing” Catholic Theologian in his own right, states what should be obvious to the world, but most especially, the Catholic world, that there is every possibility that our present Pope is the prophetic False Prophet referenced both in the Bible and in Catholic approved prophecy, who will prepare the way for the Antichrist. All of his words and actions both said and unsaid, certainly do nothing to dissuade from that argument. Thank you Dr. Bowring for your courage:
http://twoheartspress.com/blog/taking-offense-at-pope-francis-just-the-beginning/
I agree wholeheartedly. There seems to be among some orthodox Catholics–not to mention the heterodox ones–that anyone open to prophecy is hopelessly gullible and naïve, and just not up to par with the sophisticated. Openness to prophecy is being obedient to the Holy Spirit Who calls us to be docile to His promptings of grace. Discernment is given to the humble and prayerful, which is to say, to those who live on a level of Faith and Trust in God. Dr. Kelly Bowring in his very credible and highly researched book, ‘The Great Battle Is Unfolding’ has created a lush and extensive commentary on the Book of Revelation. He is faithful to Catholic prophetic sources and has compiled a credible and thorough resource for prayer and understanding of these end times as expressed symbolically in the Book of Revelation. God, through the prophetic utterances He inspires, is attempting to help us understand what we are presently living through. Relying on one’s own limited intelligence, without the help of authentic prophecy combined with deep prayer, can lead to confusion and false understanding of the things that only God’s grace can reveal to any one of us..
Dear Michael,
I just wanted to congratulate you on your most recent appearances on USA Survival with Cliff Kincaid (especially the most recent one, involving the Vatican upper hierarchy’s apparent complicity in the “communization” of justice and charity). I can’t think of anything more vital than this truly alarming development at the present time (I take it that like myself, you’re not exactly sold on the notion that Fatima is all finished and behind us). Please continue this important work – in fact, I can’t think of anything more important than that more Catholics be made aware of exactly how precarious our present situation is.
Since you mentioned the four last things in this newsletter, and since I’ve been seeing and hearing more references to it lately (especially in the traditional Catholic press), it may interest you to know that I composed a work for a musical project of mine called Advent for which the theme is the passage of time and the four last things (the last four verses consist of brief meditations on death, judgment, hell, and heaven, in that order). I don’t know if the music is your cup of tea or not, but I’ve included the link to it below:
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-KQzqy1Ths
One of our fans posted it (without asking permission I might add), and it’s called “Silent Sentinel”. I purposely directed this to you personally – I’d prefer not to create the impression that this is some cheap attempt at free publicity for Advent.
God bless you and your work!
Sincerely,
Henry Ptak
Church Militant today posted an article similar to this regarding the Church’s accommodation with the world instead of focusing on saving souls. How does social justice address the Church’s true calling. A full stomach and a roof over your head will not save one’s soul. Case in point, just compare the faithfulness of Africa and South America to the affluent countries of Europe and the U.S. where churches are emptying and being turned into mosques.
Michael, what is your opinion of Catholic Charities? I ask because I’m concerned about how the money is used. I have stopped donating to my parish until I find out.
Thanks for your faithful voice,
Sandy
The real concerning matter is the focus on building paradise on earth; this leads directly to the ring of antichrist.
Church, have changed the Salvation of all souls for the cited, officially since Vatican II. It´s sad to say that, but evidence is there everywhere for anyone who want to see it.
The shifting impetus of the Church has a lot to do with the laity across the globe. What’s missing is Education of the Catholic faithful. Since Vatican II the education of faith has waned. And it produces what we have today…..over 50% of Catholics OK with Homosexuality and marriage- and abortion.
If there isn’t any way to reach these confirmed in the Holy Spirit, to strengthen THEIR Catholic faith- then this situation will continue…downward. The Catholicism is unequalled as a Living Faith- but the education process has to be there- not the phony Un (often Anti) -Catholic Social Justice schemes designed to distract from the true goal of Holiness.
And my people, upon whom my name is called, being converted, shall make supplication to me, and seek out my face, and do penance for their most wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 D-R
I like best greg1’s quote from Chronicles. The problem, as I see it, is this: WE are the church. So, for example, when you say that Catholic institutions are not run by priests and nuns you have to acknowledge that Catholic families are not nurturing vocations, so there is a dearth of priests and nuns. If the laity is running Catholic institutions why shouldn’t we expect the same outcome as priests and nuns got in the past? Isn’t CRS run by Catholic’s?The great apostasy is upon us. Let’s quit playing the blame game. It’s true that the sheep are scattering and leadership is lacking but if people are not catechised it’s because they choose not to be. We are the light! We are the salt! Each family is a mini church. How is your family doing? Are they catechised? Are they virtuous? Do your neighbors know you are Catholic? We each have our work cut out for us, don’t we?
Our neighbors know that we are Catholic because we have a cross, a rosary, and a brown scapular on our front door for all to see. Whoever comes into our house will convict us of being Catholic also by the presence of everything Catholic on the walls, statues, books, etc. Our favorite place that we keep a Crucifix is on our kitchen table with several holy cards surrounding it. We love it there because it is in our presence to pick up and kiss, to just look at, or to pray with it being present, and it is always before us in this way.
Of course we remove it temporarily when we eat. We recommend this because it is such a blessing for us these last several years. Pax Domini and God’s blessings to you, Jan, Michael Hichborn, and all those of good will on this blog.
I think every parish should have Bible study each week and work in the teachings of our church. I know so many “Catholics” who do not know the very basics of our faith. For example, they don’t know you cannot support abortion, you must attend confession at least once a year, etc. We should have these sessions weekly toSAVE souls.