Tuesday, January 21, 2014

EXTERNAL CONCERNS !!

The comments on this blog from members of the Neocatechumenal Way have been highly instructive. They have given us great insight into what is actually being taught versus what we are told is being taught. Here is another such example.


On the post AND YOU WONDER WHY PEOPLE ARE MAD, the following matters are detailed and documented:

  1. The illicit manner of the distribution of Holy Communion practiced by "the Way".
  2. The refusal to obey the directive to change this practice as noted in the 12/1/05 letter from Cardinal Arinze, and reiterated by Pope Benedict the following month.
  3. The public criticism of the instruction by Archbishop Apuron on KOLG
  4. The explanation from an NCW priest as to why "the Way" had continued to ignore the pope's instruction, with the blatant admission that they will follow Kiko and not Rome

To this, an NCW member responds:
These are all external concerns, what happens in the heart and soul is more important, conversion to Jesus Christ who loved us until his death. Persecution and doubt among the disciples existed since then. And He clearly said you will be persecuted for following me. 
This comment is probably the greatest evidence yet that the Neocatechumenal Way is in fact what many suspect it is: a parallel church, if not a new protestant sect. Luther could have written this. 

The phrase "what happens in the heart and soul is more important" is the smoking gun. Of course, who can argue with that. It sounds true. But "more important" than what? According to the commenter, "more important" than what he labels "external concerns". And what are these concerns? Instructions from the pope himself.

Let us be reminded that the letter from Cardinal Arinze was not a personal note, but an official instruction from the Congregation for Divine Worship which began with the words "the Holy Father wishes you to know...". And let us be reminded that only a few weeks later, already aware that the Neocatechumenal Way had defied the instruction, Pope Benedict reinforced his directive to the leaders of the NCW saying: "I am sure you will attentively observe these norms that reflect what is provided for in the liturgical books approved by the Church."

So in one small phrase, "These are external concerns, what happens in the heart and soul is more important", the commenter essentially says what it took Luther 95 theses to say: "the pope and the church can go to hell, we'll damn well do whatever we please." And, in effect, the leaders of "the Way" give the pope and the Church the existential "finger":

The pope? The Congregation for Divine Worship? Instructions from Rome? Hell. Screw that. External concerns. I will decide what is right and wrong. I am the supreme arbiter of truth. My heart and soul knows better.

Here we have the triumph of the individual "heart and soul" over the Church which Jesus left us and to whom he granted Peter and his successors "all power on heaven and earth". 

Our non-Catholic Christian friends who read this blog will probably see no problem with this since they have no need of popes or sacred congregations. But at least they have the honesty to not pretend to be Catholic and to call themselves something else. 




5 comments:

  1. I'm beginning to think NCW stands for Non-Christian Worship.

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  2. or NCW and stand for Non-Compliant Worship.

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  3. The people in the way are constantly told that if others persecute you then it is a sign that you are in the right way. They quote bible scriptures to drill it into your head especially that of Jesus saying if the world hates you know it hated me first. The catchecists can tell you this themselves if they weren't so scared to speak up about it.

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    Replies
    1. WOW! Ric E you must be without sin! Oh, yes you want to defend the Church from these heretics (NCW), you are the defender of the Church.
      Maybe God is wiser enough not to defend himself. That's why Jesus Christ came. Everybody wants to be God, but nobody wants to imitate Jesus Christ.

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  4. The Tim R above is not me (Tim Rohr). I allowed the reply by Tim R to Ric E out of fairness. However, Tim R's comment does not address Ric E's accusation, Tim R only attacks Ric. It would be nice if NCW defenders actually just disproved the claims against the NCW. I won't allow this part of the conversation to go further. Try to respond to the content not the commenter.

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