Here is a man of God filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and is a prophetic voice ---- some wonderful quotes about the crisis of faith in the Catholic Church. “In these our dark times of doctrinal confusion, with its deceitful flashes of relativism, naturalism, anthropocentrism — oftentimes covered under the mask of ‘dialogue,’ under the mask of ‘pastoral accompaniment,’ under the mask of ’surprises of the Holy Spirit’ — in these dark times of such phenomenon, let us often invoke Our Lady, Our Mother, with confidence and filial love: ‘Rejoice — Gaude — O Virgin, my Lady, for thou alone has destroyed all heresies in the whole world. Mother of God, intercede for us.’” The consequence of an “unchaste life” is always heresy. Mary is in the centre of Christ’s fight against heresy. “Faith is the light that shines in the darkness of this mortal life and pilgrimage. It leads men securely to the possession of the fatherland to which they [belong] … if they do not allow it to die out by infidelity and sinfulness. Faith … serves as a nourishment of the just man and the support of his just labours.” (PS - for those who do not believe that there is a crisis please do not read as it might put up your blood pressure).
I certainly believe there is a crisis of faith in the Church and in the world and it doesn't need a prophet to tell us as much. I am sure that Bishop Schneider is a good man but I believe he is mistaken in many of his views. I find that the 'Medjugorje test' is a good one to determine where a bishop or priest is with regard to their faith. I wonder where Bishop Schneider stands with regard to Medjugorje. I suspect he either does not believe or he thinks it is not necessary to have a view. Either position is a mistake and inevitably leads to more mistakes, the biggest being him distancing himself from Pope Francis. I realise that even the Medjugorje supporters on this forum will not necessarily go along with the above but I felt a need to express this view when Bishop Schneider is being presented as a 'prophet' of our age.
"Mary is in the centre of Christ’s fight against heresy." Medjugorje is the fulfillment of Fatima. No wonder Pope Francis tries to keep Medjugorje in the dark.
Oooo, that is a challenging remark 4unborn! If it were true I would be a worried man. No, the Pope has been prevented from allowing Medjugorje to be made a Catholic shrine by conservative members of his clergy. Don't believe any 'rumours' that suggest he is against Medjugorje.
This is a good old tactic to deflect from the real argument by inserting another debate into the initial one. Let us keep Medjugorje out of the debate until the Church makes its decision. Sorry to say David but you are guilty of using of using Medjugorje like a political football.
Belief in the appearances of Our Lady and words from God in our day is absolutely crucial to not being led astray in the current confusion in the Church. He who tries to separate those two things from current events is almost inevitably going to be led astray.
Who determines when apparitions are authentic? There are lots of false apparitions. There are lots 'false prophets' in out times. This has led a lot of people into confusion. I believe in Medjugorje and live the messages but I certainly do not see it as a litmus test of someone's faith if they are agnostic towards it.
davidtlig, you should worry. The Pope has called Gospa (Croatian name for Mary) a "postmaster." He has belittled her coming to Medjugorje. Thank God that others at the Vatican recognize the many good fruits of Medjugorje. Cardinal Schönborn has said that if it were not for Medjugorje, he would have to close the seminary.
Anyway - back to the real debate --- the crisis of faith in the Church. What Bishop Schneider states is worth reading and thinking about: “In these our dark times of doctrinal confusion, with its deceitful flashes of relativism, naturalism, anthropocentrism — oftentimes covered under the mask of ‘dialogue,’ under the mask of ‘pastoral accompaniment,’ under the mask of ’surprises of the Holy Spirit’ — in these dark times of such phenomenon, let us often invoke Our Lady, Our Mother, with confidence and filial love: ‘Rejoice — Gaude — O Virgin, my Lady, for thou alone has destroyed all heresies in the whole world. Mother of God, intercede for us.’” What he is saying here is that a secular spirit has entered the Church. There are priests, bishops and cardinals who are immersed in a secular culture and influenced more by the things of the world than by the spirit. As a result the language that they speak - the language that has entered the Church is secular language, a language sometimes of political correctness. For example, those who want female ordination speak of equality. As do those who want homosexual 'unions' validated - all in the name of equality. Those who demand radical reform of the Church speak of democracy. Those who want to overturn dogma speak of the primacy of 'conscience'. Those who want married priesthood speak of the unfairness of the vow of chastity. These are the folks who said of Christ on the Cross - 'come down of the cross and we will believe'. They want a religion without the cross. There are many in the Church who are more conformed to the spirit of secularism than they are to the primacy of Gospel of Jesus Christ. Bishop Schneider also gives an excellent cure for such a disease - devotion to the Mother of God.
The consequence of an “unchaste life” is always heresy. This is a wonderful insight. Those who are not chaste cannot see the things of God clearly. When I see a priest, bishop or cardinal who promotes homosexuality as a 'normal lifestyle' my immediate thought is that that person struggles with his own sexuality or is not chaste and has broken his vows of chastity or has some impure sin in their life. Those who struggle with impurity or justify impurity (pornography, masturbation, homosexuality, contraception, adultery etc) need to realise these impure acts are of darkness and a sign of someone attached to the 'world, the flesh and the devil'. Again the remedy is purity under the mantle of our Lady Queen of Purity. Blessed are the pure in spirit.
Mary is in the centre of Christ’s fight against heresy. True Devotion to Mary - necessary for these times. https://www.ewtn.com/library/Montfort/TRUEDEVO.HTM
No, 4unborn, I'm not worried because Pope Francis was not calling Our Lady a postmaster. You have been badly influenced by the Medjugorje haters. In his comment from a year or two ago, Francis was pointing out that people were following false messages through curiosity. See my comment at: http://motheofgod.com/threads/the-upcoming-synod.6000/page-8#post-61910
There are many in the Church who are more conformed to the spirit of secularism than they are to the primacy of Gospel of Jesus Christ. [/QUOTE] The gates of hell will not prevail against the Church, but they are trying to be forced open with statements like "Who am I to judge?"
Our Lady appears at Medjugorje on a regular schedule like the post office. Pope Francis was using Medjugorje as an example of people following false messages through curiosity. Can you give me one example of the Pope specifically saying something positive about Medjugorje?
No, I cannot. As with Pope John Paul II who was stronly supportive of Madjugorje, Pope Francis is constrained by his position as Pope. The only evidence of his support I have been able to find can be seen at: http://crownofstars.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/pope-invites-medjugorje-promoter-to.html The daily apparitions of Our Lady can not be compared to the issuing of daily messages which is what Pope Francis was criticizing. By the way, I mistakenly wrote 'Medjugorje haters' instead of 'Francis haters' in my previous reply. You seem to have 'bought' the negative viewpoint of the traditionalists. You will not find any Medjugorje visionary being other than totally supportive of Pope Francis.
One example for unborn: How about this one...Our Holy Father hasn't officially shut it down. Thats enough proof. I would have because of the tradition that you stay as you are... once you are touched by God. If single, you stay single, if married, you stay married. I guess, if you really see Our Blessed Mother that should be your whole focus. You wouldn't have time for family, hotels, tourist attraction and other worldly adventures. But i understand the fruits, so i will go back to my cave. My aunt and grandmother were big believers. Who can go against grandma Brother al
Thank you for starting this thread Garabandal. I am sorry there was an attempt to derail it with unrelated nonsense. Bishop Schneider is wonderful! He is so loyal to God. A true gift to the Church in these troubled times. Mary truly is the answer for these times as St. Louis DeMontfort pointed out.
