www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Catholic or Orthodox, I'm in distress!

Yes, I agree with the other posters here. We are all sinners. Which church would you join if you are disgusted with the Catholic Church? There is a web site for Orthodox who have been molested by the clergy.

According to the New England Journal of Medicine the largest professional group accused of incest are Protesant Ministers.

A Jewish rabbi was arrested in Miami a couple of weeks ago. A cantor in New York has been arrested for molesting his nephew, and a rabbi in South New Jersey is on trial for hiring a hit man to kill his wife. Why doesn't the media devote a large part of the new to the "Crisis in the Jewish Religion"?

Robert,

If your not Catholic or Orthodox yet, I understand your lack of *cultural* understanding - shall we say - of the significance of what is going on in the Church now. And I don't mean to insinuate your lack of understanding into some sort of insult. Really I don't. It can be a difficult thing even for those almost into the Church to fully grasp her culture and heartbeat.

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Head line page of the Milwaukee Journal this morning - Monday, March 25, 2002: "6 priests linked to abuse".

Archbishop Weakland top shepard of the catholic faithful in Milwaukee archdiocese is quoted as saying: Roman Catholics 'must face the pedophillia issue in the church with courage", Weakland said recent abuses by priests could set the stage for "the kind of breakthrough that will force us to move ahead in unexpected ways". Weakland's statement, sent by e-mail to priests in the archdiocese last week and distributed Sunday at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Milwaukee, said the option of a married clergy 'should be cooly analyzed and studied now'. - I Copied that word for word out of the paper.

Weakland is to appoint a five member task force. To handle Priest sexual abuse allegations and crimes. the task force will be 'led by a non-catholic, to help assure the faithful that church officials are acting accountable'.

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Archbishop Weakland is a good man I've met him and I know of some things about him that he is a good man deep down. But I don't agree with by Bishop on this one. I don't agree with calling for a married clergy of Priests or for puting non-catholics at the helm of overseeing our Priests, in a number of functions. Which by the way is philosophicaly a sort of thanks we have non-catholics isn't it? Thus in a real way theologicaly saying all are not "called" by God to be catholic or under any catholic Bishop - Latin or Eastern. Reminds me of the Catholics and Orthodox of the holy land who have to keep the keys to one of those Churches over there that they share in the hands of a Muslim family, who has the responsiblity to open the door for them because they can't trust each other --- LOL!

WEll I was Catholic and now Im Orthodox, but I still dont see why the whole Catholic Church has to go into a panic by catering directly into the hands of the scandle mongering media. I must ruthfully say that I havent followed up on the story that much but I still wanna know - did these priest actually confess to these crimes and, if not, how do we know that these kids or whatever age they are arnt lying for their own bennifit. Face it, these people know that in this day and age, all you have to do is cry ABUSE of some kind and everybody falls down to the ground and worships the claim as the absolute truth. Remember Cardinal Bernadine?
I dont know about anyone else, but If I was a Catholic, Id be less willing to apease the enemies of my Church by catering to their every desire. Id stand up and defend my Church from the assults of the secular world. THe issue, after all, should be dealt with internally and not through public speculation or examination. Lets give the Catholic Church back her dignity instead
of treating her to such shame and humiliation.
Robert K.

Catholic Servant,
I say stay Eastern Catholic now and help to educate Roman Catholics about who we are and help and support the reunification of the Orthodox and Eastern Cath. Churches. Education of the Romans is VERY important and can be done better while being Eastern Catholic, this is what I can tell from personal experience. Before you make any big desicion, study and pray. Read books and really prepare yourself before you change, that is if you do.
-ukrainiancatholic

Some words from a new member. [I have yet to learn the
Icon code]. For some years I used to visit a church Russian
Orthodox Church outside Russia. I so wanted to join them
but it would have meant rejecting western Christianity. I would
find it impossible to reject the Church of St Teresa of Avilla and
St Francis of Assisi. What really pains me about the Roman
Catholic world is the division in parishes. It makes it impossible
to have an experience of shared faith. It's fine until matters of
faith are discussed, then it is imposible to avoid arguing, such
is the level of division among western Catholics. Is the eastern
Catholic world generally united on the key tennets of the faith ?
Are there eastern rite Catholics that visit or are involved with
western Catholic groups such as Cursillo, SVP and KSC ? Do
Roman and Greek Catholics meet each other or do they
generally stay separate socially ?
My decision is to remain a Catholic and visit Greek Catholic
parishes in the south of England UK. There are few Greek
Catholic parishes and there is much to be done in presenting
Byzantine Catholicism as an alternative to Orthodoxy for those
who wish to remain Catholics. I pray vespers from Let us Pray
to the Lord Vol 1 and attend a monthly Byzantine Catholic
Liturgy in English. The eastern approach seems warm and
strongly rooted compared with increasing western intellectuallism
and muddle.

Nigel.

Just a few thoughts.
It's true that the scandals that have afected the Roman Catholic are very disturbing for catholics and non-catholics but certainly this hasn't been the first scandal in the history of the Church (all the church). In the past centuries the churches forgot their spiritual side because of the clergy's tides with the temporal power, the empires... and the moral life of the clergy was affected too... but after Trent the RC corected most of these abuses. A venerable Church cannot be guilty of the infamous acts of some bad elements (and those who protected them)...

SR's post is a very good one.

The church is an organization made up of individuals. Some are good; some bad; some outright horrid.

The key element is: "How am I doing?" Am I living the commandments of love of God and love of neighbor? While others may be doing bad stuff, I can't be held responsible for their actions. But, by virtue of remaining faithful to the Gospel, and adhering to my community of the baptized, I build up the church in contrast to those who are not quite living up to what is necessary.

So, unless one's life is personally affected by evil of one sort or another, then don't let the world around us drive us nuts. Keep on prayin'!!! [And let's not always bash the media as a whole. There are lots of good reporters and editors out there. And they report the news. The understanding of what constitutes the news is widely variable -- from the Wall St. JOURNAL to the National Enquirer (they have the largest circulation of any newspaper in the US -- people buy it!!). So, if I'm interested in what Jay-Lo wore at the Oscars, I'll read the Enquirer. (Barf! Yutz!!) If I want to learn what's happening in Europe or the Near East, then I'll read the New York TIMES or listen to the BBC. And if I need to know what is going on in Boston, then I'll read the GLOBE who broke the clergy story. Had they not done so, they'd be errant clergy still loose on the streets. And THAT is not good either for the kids or for the Archdiocese.]

So, keep praying; keep living a moral life; keep on holding a high moral standard and become a royal pain in the tush when others do not do so.

Blessings to all!

Christ is Risen!!!!