The following comes from an August 23 column by Archbishop Jose Gomez in the Los Angeles archdiocese paper, the Tidings.
I hope you all have been having a refreshing summer. I love the summer months because they are a time of renewal and a time of family and a little slower pace.
The Catholic School year began last week and in a week or so the new year will begin at St. John Seminary and our Catholic colleges and universities.
I had the privilege to start this school year by blessing a new Catholic school — St. Pius X/St. Matthias Academy in Downey.
This new academy brings together Catholic academic traditions that date back more than 60 years. It reminds us of the proud history of Catholic education in Los Angeles, and it is also a sign of hope for our Church and for all the children of Los Angeles.
Catholic education is the Church’s future. It’s also the key to our society’s future. As our Holy Father Pope Francis said this summer at World Youth Day: “Young people are the window through which the future enters the world.”
….The Church is committed to providing an education that goes far beyond facts and figures and information. Those things are important. But just as important are the virtues and values that make life “real” and truly worth living. The virtues and values that help our children grow up with a “transcendent” perspective. That help them to see with the eyes of Jesus.
In our culture in this time, this is perhaps the most valuable thing that Catholic education has to offer — the “Catholic vision” of life.
We are struggling in our culture to find the true meaning of life. What is happiness and what is success? What should we value? How do we define these things and how do we achieve them? There are so many false promises and crooked paths that are being offered to our young people.
So many of the problems in our homes and in our society can be traced back to the fact that we no longer have a clear idea of what it means to be a human person. The question from the Psalms is the question of our times: “What is man?”
The Catholic vision gives us the right answer and shows us the right path for our lives. Jesus showed us that we are creatures of great dignity, made in the image of God, redeemed by Jesus Christ, born for greater things — for beauty and goodness, for love and truth.
This is the foundation of Catholic education — to help our young people grow in the awareness of what St. Paul called “the glorious liberty of the children of God.” We are made for the glory of God.
That’s what a good Catholic education prepares for — a life of love and service to God and others. This is the life we pray about at the end of every Eucharist: “Go in peace … glorifying the Lord by your life.”
To read the entire story, click here.
Young people are like a clean blackboard; they are open to all ideas. That is why the Church has always been a firm believer in teaching the young about the Catholic faith and morality. For over a century now the devil has increased his attacks so he can win more souls for his kingdom of hell. From the very beginnings, Hollywood has been very much against God and religion. Many of the early films glorified adultery and pre-marital sex, and this was in the ‘silent movie’ era. The Hayes Office tried to keep the films clean, and this along with the Catholic Legion of Decency influenced the film studios not to glamorize sin, but to promote virtuous living. Society now is against morality, and is basically controlled by atheists and morally depraved degenerates. Look at the filth in the main stream media such as movies, television, music, magazines and books. It is all trash. Tattoos and body piercing are more common than not, churches are empty, bars, malls and sport stadiums are full. The Church seemed to abandon her divinely inspired mission to save souls and to teach her flock how to avoid sin and to gain heaven. With the IF IT FEELS GOOD, DO IT, and the I’M OK, YOU’RE OK attitude sin has disappeared, and no one dare condemns another’s behavior or lifestyle, as everything is relative. I just pray that the new evangelization will be successful, but then, under the old one, look at all the souls the Catholic Church has lost.
Father Karl what you say is very true…as I read your comments I cried. Just this morning before I got up from bed, I was reflecting on a lot of things. I kept asking Jesus to help me. I remember about 14 years ago or so, one of my sister’s friends came to visit, she had a lot of tattoos. I felt sad that she did that because she was so pretty and the tattoos were inappropriate. My kids were very young and I didn’t want them to think that tattoo’s were acceptable so I had to say something about it, and i said it with no ill intention more out of love and concern. I was looked down upon because they labeled me as being unjust and judging.
Father everything is backwards today. Sometimes I feel alone in my values. I was at the movies and there were those commercials right before the movie started and one almost showed naked people making out….I covered my kids eye’s and I was judged by a family member as being fanatic. My own extended family crucifies me for my values. My own siblings cause me grief sometimes too, one of them compared me to being as strict as Muslims, which is far from the truth. I let my kids wear short sleeves, participate in sports, I even listen to their music and welcome their friends. They are always here, hanging out and eating. I try to live my values. When my eldest rebelled, one of my siblings compared it to that show “leaving Amish”……as if my child was leaving our values, as if we’re sheltering our kids so bad as the Amish….wow….where is that reasoning. It was so insulting. Father Karl you sound like a very holy and knowledgeable priest, understanding what good families have to endure. I wish we had more good priests like you near me. You would be a blessing and may help us out of confusion. God bless you and thank you for your comments. It’s nice to read that more and more people see the reality of how things are and that we are not going crazy imagining things. Praise God someone who can reason and is decent, someone who thinks outside the box. I hate being forced into that ugly box. Best we think outside the box from these current times and return back to Christ’s way of thinking, being like minded in Christ.
I’m OK You’re OK has nothing to do with permissiveness or moral license. It’s about a psychoanalytic technique call transactional analysis.
I’m okay and you’re not, anonymous. That’s what it really means. Sorry.Maybe if you change your name to something with a little more substance? Also, I’m okay you’re okay has also become a code expression for vapid stupidity and a total want of discernment…or I”m okay you’re okay but are they okay who’s to say? goes deeper into an analytic form of transactional analysis wherein those who are not okay are subjected to pretty okay but not really substandardized personality disorder check lists just to make sure. Are you okay with that? Thanks. ” Only in California…’she muttered as she staggered off for a reviving cup of tea.
Dana you have good common sense! Bravo chica!
Why endorse anger? It is one of the 7 deadly sins.
I could be wrong, but my impression of La Raza (The Race) came from a magazine I once subscribed to and from which I quickly unsubscribed. The advertisement was sent to me as a good Hispanic magazine, but I found it very anti Catholic, anti clerical and just down right pagan. I do not remember its name, but it did mentioned a lot about La Raza. Some of the writers were constantly talking about the Azetec Empire rising again. I have no problem going to a Mexican Restaurant, etc. with the name Azteca or so forth in it or with such decorations within reason, but I do not want the sacrificial Aztec Empire to rise again, any more than I want to be ruled over by the Gods Thor, Jupiter (Zeus), Saturn or Mars or the goddesses Venus, Astarte, Athena, Eostre, or any others. Therefore I glanced through it, trashed it and did not resubscribe, and that was the end of that. As I started buying less secular magazines, the advertisements for such literature stopped.
I need to clarify that I do not like to go to Mexican restaurants that actually have Aztec god and goddess on their walls, and the ones I go to do not. I do not mind the pictures, though, of life of the people during the time of the Aztec Empire. Those can be very pretty and informative.
Archbishop Gomez talked about false promises and crooked paths. The false promises and the crooked paths that have been taken are the direct results of the “synthesis of all heresies.” Why then does Archbishop Gomez affiliate with the Marxist group known as La Raza? Archbishop Gomez personally told my friend that La Raza was not a Marxist group. That is not true. La Raza does promote false promises and crooked paths. This is sending very mixed messages which causes much confusion and enables error. Confusion is not a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Please see The Daily Vortex- Church Militant TV ‘ The Beast ‘
cont.
Modernism = “The synthesis of all heresies” = False promises and crooked paths!
“In a decree, entitled Lamentabili Sane Exitu[19] (or “A Lamentable Departure Indeed”), issued 3 July 1907, Pius X formally condemned 65 modernist or relativist propositions concerning the nature of the Church, revelation, biblical exegesis, the sacraments, and the divinity of Christ. This was followed by the encyclical Pascendi Dominici Gregis (or “Feeding the Lord’s Flock”), which characterized Modernism as the “synthesis of all heresies.” Following these, Pius X ordered that all clerics take the Sacrorum antistitum, an oath against Modernism. Pius X’s aggressive stance against modernism caused some disruption within the Church. Although only about 40 clerics refused to take the oath, Catholic scholarship with modernistic tendencies was substantially discouraged. Theologians who wished to pursue lines of inquiry in line with secularism, modernism, or relativism had to stop, or face conflict with the papacy, and possibly even excommunication.”
“Pius X reformed the Roman Curia with the constitution Sapienti Consilio, and specified new rules enforcing a bishop’s oversight of seminaries in the encyclical Pieni L’Animo. He established regional seminaries (closing some smaller ones), and promulgated a new plan of seminary study. *HE ALSO BARRED CLERGY FROM ADMINISTERING SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS.”* ..Wikipedia
(cont.)
“Activities for the United States -“In 1908, Pius X lifted the United States out of its missionary status, in recognition of the growth of the American church. Fifteen new dioceses were created in the US during his pontificate, and he named two American cardinals. He was very popular among American Catholics, partly due to his poor background, which made him seen as an ordinary person who was on the papal throne.”
“In 1910, the Pope REFUSED an audience with former Vice-President Charles W. Fairbanks, who had addressed the Methodist association in Rome, as well as with former President Theodore Roosevelt, who intended to address the same association.”….Wikipedia
Our shepherds send mixed messages by affiliating themselves with political groups that support racial violence or support politicians who legislate murdering children in the womb. Our shepherds laugh and dine for photo ops with a pro-abortion HEROD who is trying to destroy how the Catholic Church is perceived. Then our shepherds travel to high schools to tell the youth not to take crooked paths with false promises. Beloved spiritual physicians, Wake up and heal thyself! There is a reason that Pope Pius X is a saint. How many shepherds compromised their own souls as well as the countless souls of Catholics when they voted for Obama? How many are still traveling the crooked path affiliating themselves with social organizations that are full of false promises?
Our Lady of Akita asked our shepherds to STOP COMPROMISING!
Archbishop Gomez thank you for your words. I hope this means that the church will be that strong voice against the attack on chastity and values. Now more than ever we need a stronger voice. As much as I take pride in my faith and values, I am only human too and do need someone with authority to keep encouraging us in our values. What I find most tragic is when people cave in and say “heh that’s life, so we must just go along with it”. When families are being tested through trials, most often those things that are scandalizing can change people, it most often fractures their spirit and when they lose a small amount of hope to persevere…then it can suffer greater. During my most difficult times, I had non-Catholics who have helped me stay faithful. Yes, shocking as it may sound, but their biblical values that matched mine, they were outspoken and helped me stay strong on mine. I had very charitable Christians cross my path. For some reason, they had the right words and even the right actions that helped me persevere. There were a few good Catholic friends too but what I noticed is that some Catholics feel that they have to detach themselves from friendships that sometimes they seemed unfruitful and uncharitable. Well I am only speaking from my experience. and unfortunately, many of the Catholic friends I also know are very lukewarm too. So it took someone from a non Catholic Christian faith to lift me up. Depending on the sect, but many do join together to help one another in the word.
In the sixth paragraph, Gomez says “In our culture in this time….—the Catholic vision of life.”
Strange, Gomez has always been adamant that the LA Archdiocese is home to many cultures. So then I’m wondering, whose culture is he referring to here? Who is he speaking to? Is he addressing the “nativist”? If you read Gomez’s preceding four paragraphs, which were not published by CCC but can be found in the full Tidings story, he gives us a clue.
“Our Catholic schools are shaping this future. Forming our future leaders in the Church — and also the future leaders in our society and culture.
Our Catholic vision always calls us to see deeper — and to give more of ourselves in love. Our Catholic vision always calls us to see with the loving eyes of Jesus; with the eyes of God.”
“The love of Christ impels us,” as St. Paul used to say.
This is the foundation of Catholic education — to help our young people grow in the awareness of what St. Paul called “the glorious liberty of the children of God.” We are made for the glory of God.
So we are working hard, at great sacrifice, to make sure that our schools are open to every family and every child in our city. No matter who they are. No matter where they come from, or how they got here. No matter how much money they have.”
I wonder which “Catholic” colleges and universities Archbishop Gomez is referring to when he says they will be starting their new year in a week or so? Does he believe that all colleges and universities with a Catholic name are really Catholic? Are we suppose to excitedly support the many so called “Catholic” institutions which Gomez states are “shaping this future” and “forming our future leaders in the Church — and also the future leaders in our society and culture.”? Yikes! How about the many so called “Catholic” elementary and high schools which often are no different than their secular counterparts?
Tracy,
The archbishop probably does think everything with a Catholic name in really Catholic…just look at LMU and its history of defying the Magisterium. We had two Catholic high schools get into Dutch this past year (and these are the only ones that the press picked up on – and this is if you don’t count the party the Democrats had at one school). The REC hasn’t changed. The pseudo-Catholic politicians are still running around voting for abortion, birth control, etc. It’s nice to see the archbishop is/was back in town – his USCCB duties seem to have taken him out of town a lot.
I wonder how many of the bishops know what happened 129 years ago? (The Third Plenary Council of Baltimore stated that every Catholic child should be able to attend a Catholic school….they might want to work on that!).
I can think of no more a crooked path than allowing youth to observe “Catholic” politicians legislate abortion and sodomy during the week and receive the Body and Blood of Christ on Sundays, while the bishops look on from a distance, fiddling.
There was a song from the musical, CAREFULLY TAUGHT, and one of the lines was something like this, “Your children must be taught, before it’s too late, before they are six, or seven, or eight…they must be carefully taught.” Parents have NOT been teaching their children, society has. Neither has the Catholic Church lived up to her responsibilities. It is exactly as Hillary Clinton said, ‘It takes a society to raise a child.” And we see the results of that twisted, ungodly society. Ave Maria Purrissima!
I think she said it takes a village to raise a child Jesusita. It could be good or it could be bad. If you lived in very devout Catholic village…then that could be superb right?
I agree, Abeca…I think the ‘hil’ meant it in a communal/socialist way. No such thing as a nuclear family in socialism. That’s why that poor German family is fighting to stay here to home school their children…Germany prohibits home schooling and the parents face the loss of their children and imprisonment. Nice, huh? Let’s all join the EU and have Germany do to us what they tried to do in WWII. They all get big wages and long vacations…what’s not to like, right?
I feel for that family fleeing from Germany. Who would of thought, you have a happy couple with morals. They receive great news that they are expecting, then a few years more after that….you have your kids little and cute. You love them so much and raise them with love and you actually enjoy teaching them. Dad shows his boys how to ride their bike and shows his daughters how to hike safely etc…the mum cooks home cooked meals, has bday parties for them, the dad raises them to know God and read His word etc…..then all of a sudden they have their eldest child at an age where they have to attend public school…all of a sudden the reality is that school is not educating well the basics needed, there are many innapproiatpe behaiors from those in charge, it is the only school near by and you can’t afford private school…so you want to have fun and home school your child and go above and beyond than what the school is having to offer….BUT wait, the government tells you NO WAY, you are under arrest for wanting to home school…..WOW that is crazy….God have mercy and help that poor family….they committed no crime but their country says it is. It looks like, all it takes is for a law to outlaw what you hold dear to your heart morally and tell you how to live…..May God help that family you mentioned…..
Have you seen the Woman on the Beast on the Euro? The Protestant fundamentalist might be right about her being straight out of the book of Revelatiion. Who knows? but they are wrong about the Catholic Church, though — at least the faithful Catholics.
No I have not seen it Anne : )
Abeca Christian, the Euro is engraved with the picture of Europa riding a bull, which is actually the Roman god Jupiter in animal form. It is taken from the story of the rape of Europa by the god Jupiter. You can read the story on line under “The Rape of Europa”. Some Protestant fundalmentalists are connecting it to the woman riding the beast in the book of Revelation (Apocalyse), chapter 17. They are partially right about that one as the scarlet woman in Revelation (Apocalyse) does refer to the pagan empire, but they get very anti Catholic sometimes, and that is where they go wrong. It is really sad that in our society that is becoming more and more secular, pagan symbols are accepted, but Judeo Christians ones are not.
Oops! There is a movie by that name, and I did not even realize it. The story is on line under “Europa and Jupiter” or “The Rape of Europa by Jupiter”. I am sorry I even brought it up now as it can be most confusing, but my point was that the pagan gods of Europe and Latin America were not moral at all compared to Christ’s teachings, or even Biblical Jewish teaching.
Oops, again! It is easier found under Europa and Zeus; Zeus being the Greek name of Jupiter, and the story was first told around Greece.
One last warning; be careful what website you go on; some of them out there could be too graphic. Get on one that just tells the story.
Given his past comments, I generally wince when I hear the Abp say “our culture”—or even “our.” Actually, I cringe.