In an interview with The Washington Times, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois says things are getting ugly in America right now for Catholics.
It’s a 15 minute interview and I know that’s a little long for many people but it’s worth it.
Here’s some highlights:
“We [Christians] find ourselves now – just in this short period of time – where the early Christians found themselves in the Roman Empire. So the church in 2,000 years, we started out as being a persecuted faith, with Constantine being an accepted established faith, then for centuries, kind of moving in that direction that had this close relationship between the secular world’s values and Judeo-Christian values,” Bishop Paprocki said. “And now I think we are moving in a direction that – not only is it more than secular – it’s a rejection. It’s an outright rejection [of Judeo-Christian values]. It’s a pagan kind of a culture.”
“The reality is that – ironically, it is becoming more like the Church was in the time of John Paul II in Poland under Communism where you [Christians] lived in a very hostile environment. We still have the First Amendment of our Constitution but that is being sorely tested. “
September 5, 2013 at 8:08 pm
In the secularists mind, history has made its decision against Christianity. We are entitled to our superstition as long as we "don't tell" anyone about it and keep it completely private. In no way are we allowed to act on it in our public life. Enlightenment morality as mediated by the new oracles of academia and infotainment is demonstrably superior and must be enforced against the recalcitrant, superstitious bigots but re-education if possible and otherwise at gunpoint. (Ooops, no guns. Sorry!)
September 5, 2013 at 8:16 pm
"We still have the First Amendment of our Constitution…"
Only on paper.
September 9, 2013 at 4:24 pm
Bishop Paprocki Warns Against Rise of Anti-Christian Bigotry
These are the challenging times and the world truly need Christianity to step up a bit to bring back what seem to have been lost somehow in society. Bishop Paprocki's warnings on the – Rise of anti-Christian Bigotry are valid and actions need to be taken to re-emphasis the actual God's work that need to be done. There is a huge role that Christianity plays in nation building and the re-education of such and the history need to be put out there for all to access.
A nation with no Christian values is bound to parish and the other forms of beliefs will start creeping in and take advantage. Catholic and Constitutional monarchy have the values that bring dignity and sense of belonging to the nation. Leopold Donchield Zu Leone II has a vision that one day Africa will realise that constitutional monarchy as an institution that acts as a supportive role to the government of the day, will be the way the governments are run. Catholic have even a bigger role to bring that dignity to society. With Catholic and constitutional monarchy system in place, the nation will prosper and attract investment and improve economic development.
http://www.leopolddonchieldzuleone-ii.blogspot.com
September 11, 2013 at 12:29 am
I find it somewhat peculiar that the first question right off the bat was about how the Church is often unjustly targeted with the bigot label in an effort to shut off debate about a given subject. The reason is many of Bp. Paprocki's brother bishops do just that when it comes to issues like illegal immigration and the death penalty.
For instance, you have then Archbishop Dolan pulling out the race/ethnic card when he falsely smeared the state of AZ over SB 1070:
http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=36322
Or when bishops like Abp. Chaput and several other bishops trot out the bogus claim that the death penalty unfairly targets minorites:
http://old.usccb.org/prolife/programs/rlp/Chaput05web.shtml
Besides the fact that the evidence proves the exact opposite when looked at in any honest way, it is absurd on its face in our hyper-sensetive deference to minority culture that any legal system in this country would use something like the death penalty against minorities. And it is Catholic bishops who are painting legitimately Catholic viewpoints in such a way. Why should we be surprised if the secular word, which is already has a hostile disposition toward the Church, doesn't take us seriously?
I think it would have been more than fair to ask the Bishop if this doesn't make our claims of being targets of bigotry lack the credibility they deserve.
Or, when in there Fortnight for Freedom statement they put immigration on the same level of as the HHS mandate in terms of religious liberty. A reason why I call it Operation Define Religious Liberty Down.
This is especailly germane question to ask when you consider it was the same Bishop Paprocki who, at last year's USCCB general meeting, said that not only should the bishops not speak on matters outside their competence, but lack the humility to do so.
I think the examples listed above (and there's more to be sure) are eaxamples that qualify for a lack of such humility.
Yes, the Church is the target of anti-Catholic bigotry and is in the fight for her life in this country. But we are fools if we think the bishops and the Catholic media types who softball them are part of the solution. They are part of the problem. And will continue to be such until they wake up to the fact.
Greg Mockeridge
September 11, 2013 at 12:57 am
The actual quote from Bishop Poprocki from the 2012 USCCB general meeting:
“I’m not sure that we have the humility yet not to stray into areas where we lack competence, and where we need to let the laity take the lead,” he added. “We need to learn far more than we need to teach in this area. We need to listen more than we need to speak. We already have an excellent, fine Compendium [on the Social Doctrine of the Church].”