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| Fr. John Hardon, S.J. |
As an objective viewer looks at the modern world, what does he see? And this is especially in nations like our own. Speaking at the end of a special synod, again Pope Paul VI told the assembled bishops that the world today is in a large measure a Godless and Christless world.
Said the Holy Father, "In many parts particularly among the young the Christian faith is almost unknown." Why, because of the widespread dissemination of atheism.
Why because the process of secularization has gone so far that evangelization has to be begun all over again in nations that were once professedly Christian and even Catholic. But, "even where the presence of the Church has previously been very strong, only a small number take an active and full part in the life of the Church." John Paul II., December 1991.We don't begin to begin to understand how desperately faith in the Real Presence must be restored unless and until we realize how widely and deeply one once Christian nation after another has become de-Christianized. What are just some symptoms of this widespread de-Christianization? The almost universal legalization of the murder of the unborn, and not just of the unborn, but now as we know in our country, of those being born.
I never thought I'd live as a member of the Society of Jesus, to read of one of my own colleagues (Fr. Robert Drinan, S.J.) publicly at length defend what is being called partial birth abortion, but is shameless infanticide.
What are some of the symptoms of the secularization of our culture? The breakdown of family life to the point where in some countries divorce is automatic on the request of either one of the married partners. How do we know that one country after another is becoming paganized?
In the all but universal practice of contraception as an accepted way of avoiding the responsibilities of child rearing and, especially, in affluent nations like our own. In the growing practice of murdering the aged and those who are suffering physical pain.
All of this and much more gives us some idea of how widespread has been the secularization of the modern world.
Link (here) to The Real Presence
5 comments:
http://digital.library.fordham.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/VIDEO&CISOPTR=189
FORDHAM UNIVERSITY -- JESUIT EDUCATION:
Learning to Listen: Voices of Sexual Diversity and the Catholic Church Part 1
Is Fr. Hardon asking a question when he says: "As an objective viewer looks at the modern world, what does he see"?
Or is he saying he considers himself an objective viewer, and the rest of the post his his alleged 'objective' point of view?
I have much sympathy for men and women who become nuns and monks; considering the state of gender relations in the world. But I don't think their attachment to their ideology, and their attachment to fake PR pretence to passively aggressively manipulate conversions, contributes to a reality where they can honestly call themselves capable of being an 'objective viewer of the modern world'.
They could perhaps be an objective Jesuit; but an objective Jesuit, is a very different thing that an objective scientist.
That is not to say that an objective Jesuit's observations may not be accurate in certain aspects; only that in when it comes to true objectivity on any given issue; and scientific objective collides with obedience to jesuit objectivity dogma*; I doubt the jesuit would be able, or willing to follow the path of scientific objectivism. But that is only a working hypothesis and there may be, or have been, such jesuits.
* From the little of what I know about Jesuit history; I don't recall Jesuit dogma to be remotely orientated towards being objective; to the contrary their goals - far as I understand them - were highly catholic ideologically subjective. Defending the catholic faith to the ends of the earth, including any of its errors or possible errors. But then I don't think any of the monotheistic religions are or profess to be remotely focussed on scientific objectivity.
This has nothing to do with this story but just discovered that the kid Fr. Keith Pecklers abused is now a filmaker. The film is "Of God and Gucci" and tells the story in details. It will be screened in Jersey City, Pecklers hometown this coming weekend at the Golden Door International Film Festival. I quess Pecklers picked the wrong kid.
Blog about Fr.Keith Pecklers sex abuse case was the December 13,2010 Blog...Check it out.
What an odd assembly of comments, ha.
I remember Fr Hardon well: among his many apostolic works, he was a spiritual adviser to the Missionaries of Charity; I took the opportunity to discuss my vocation with him when he visited the MCs. He was a holy man, and an exemplary son of St Ignatius. Requiescat in pace.
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