Dreaming of that life of ease and leisure? Read the Gospel of Luke.
Click here for five minutes (or less) of assorted wisdom from Father Joseph Fessio, S.J., founder of Ignatius Press in San Francisco.
Father Fessio studied with Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Henri De Lubac before returning to California where he began publishing these theologians and others – including Cardinal Pell, Cardinal Sarah, novelist Michael O’Brien.
Church liberal and popular writer Andrew Greeley, S.J. called Fessio “the most powerful man in the American Church.”
When the bishops stop living in palaces and asking for millions of dollars in annual appeals, maybe I’ll take this admonition more seriously.
Being a bishop seems a pretty easy gig. No real responsibility. You don’t have to produce anything. You don’t even have to succeed at anything. Most dioceses are in decline, and the bishops live as comfortably as ever. It’s like being prom king for the rest of your life, and everything you need is provided for you, and you are guaranteed a comfy retirement. Really… what do bishops do? Mine shows up to ceremonies and fundraisers. He writes a boring column in the diocesan newspaper every two weeks. They aren’t evaluated for performance. It’s like flying a plane on autopilot. You speak to the passengers on the intercom every now and then with a joke or reassurances, but you’re not really doing anything important. Can you tell I have a low opinion of bishops?
Why let bad bishops ruin your soul, and stand in the way of your salvation? Step around the bad clerics, ignore them, and follow Our Lord. Everyone deserves to seek Christ, and Eternal Life with Him in Heaven.
“No real responsibility. ..” Read Ezekiel 34. God holds shepherds to a very high standard and will deal severely with bishops such as you described in your post.
Those who seek God, and give their all for Him– will receive all from Him, in return– and will be blessed to end up living in the very fine Palace of God, in Heaven, in Eternal Life, someday.
Spare us the sanctimony, please. This ‘admonition’ isn’t specifically for bishops or anyone, but all Christians. Catholics are especially positioned by the grace of the Sacraments to heed. There will be time in Heaven to rejoice in the Divine Nature. Golf and fishing in exchange for Hell will be a cruel exchange. But if some are Hell bent for leather to hear the words “depart from me, I never knew you,” knock yourselves out. You’ve been given the Word. Take it or leave it. You’ll be in distinguished company either way…
Golf and fishing are not sins. You cannot go to hell for that.
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=7055
I think you are thinking of slothfulness. this discusses it.
Man was made for gardening.
There are times in life when so many people ask you the same question.
When are you going to get married?
When are you going to have kids?
When are you going to retire?
It is more than just rude. it is like they are saying “You are not doing what you are supposed to do.”
One should seek the will of the Lord.
Criticism and advice is never going to be right for every circumstance.
Life is the hunger games. Get what you can or others will take it from you.
No, it is not like that at all.
Change jobs. Change friends. Get some counseling.
Make amends to anyone you burned.
I have never been on a cruise ship, am terrible at gardening, but absolutely love golf. It is one recreation that one can enjoy in the later years if one has a modicum of fitness. When I hit a really good shot, I think along with Eric Liddell in the movie Chariots of Fire, “I feel His pleasure.” God is not a curmudgeon ready to stamp out all legitimate enjoyment of life. And how might golf be an illegitimate pleasure? When one obsesses over the game so that it becomes an idol. One can in fact turn a round of golf into a prayer. In younger years when I would walk the course, I would pull out a pocket New Testament or pocket Imitation of Christ and read as I walked, chanting psalms now and then. Golf is what you make it.
Fr. Fessio is right. And many countries in Western Civilization are notoriously, scandalously materialistic. Always give back to your society and help the needy. Don’t let materialism be an obstacle for you to get to heaven someday. Christ always warns about that. Instead of drowning your soul in materialism and luxuries– which you don’t need– give to the less fortunate.
I pay an exorbitant amount of money in taxes, which is wasted by my government. That’s all the giving back I need to do.
“Render unto Caesar.. ” The same question was put to Christ. Don’t be foolish, don’t lose your soul over such a dumb thing. Life is much shorter than you think. Turn to Jesus Christ. Love Him and your fellowman. Help the less fortunate, volunteer and give what you can, financially, with Christ’s Love. Paying your taxes hss nothing to do with anything.
Nobody’s going to care for me when I’m retired, I have to take care of myself. Taxes are my charitable giving. It’s way more than 10% of my income. So I more than tithe.
Taxes are not tithes, nor are they contributions to a Christian charity. As Christians, we have a responsibility to get our minds off ourselves– and seek to charitaby help others in need.
Taxes are indeed tithes. It’s wealth redistribution. Taxes fund charitable programs run by the government. It’s mandatory charity.
If you don’t save enough for your own retirement, you will be hungry and homeless. And with Bideninflation going the way it is, people had better sock away a lot of money for the future instead of giving it away today. Why become a charity case in your old age?
Taxes are not tithes.
A tithe goes to God.
The government ain’t God.
Tithes don’t go to God. He doesn’t need the money. Tithes are charitable contributions for the church or for people in need. A large portion of taxes are for social welfare. That’s for people in need. Taxes are thus tithes.
The government trusts God, as it says on the currency. So the government and God are on the same page.
You really are supposed to tithe from your gross income, before taxes.
The Catholic Church does not tell people that, though.
The Church doesn’t tell people that because it’s not true.
There is no such requirement.
Why don’t you read about the wastefulness in the budget bill that just passed the House and will pass the Senate and be signed by President Biden? Look at how your money is being misspent.
If my taxes weren’t so high, I could give to worthy causes that I select. If inflation weren’t so high, I could give instead of having to save for the future so that I don’t become a burden or destitute in my old age.
You need to look out for yourself. It’s prudent and wise. Charity takes a back seat. My charitable contributions are the taxes I pay. I’m by no means rich. I haven’t taken a vacation in over five years.
Too many people have been let into this country, creating a burden on the social welfare system.