The mission of the Catholic Church has been to go out and spread the Good News (Gospels) baptizing all nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. This has always been our mission. To go out and evangelize, not to stay comfortable in your home. Heaven is our real home. Some people complain about the priests going out to evangelize. They want the priests to stay only in Guam and minister to only the Catholics on Guam. This is not the plan of Jesus Christ. Christ instructed His Apostles to go out and to baptize all nations, all people...so that we all become one family of God. It is a good thing that the Catholic Church is turning toward evangelization for thi
The Way has already been in existence for 35 years. Today, the Neocatechumenal Way is extended to eight hundred dioceses, six thousand parishes, one hundred and five nations and seventeen thousand communities. Its members are estimated to be about one million. If God had not intended for the Neocatechumenal Way to exist, it would have fallen many years ago. If the Way comes from human, it will be destroyed, but if it comes from God, it will not be destroyed. As the Bible says:
Acts 5:38-39 So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this acitivity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God." They were persuaded by him.
It is not too difficult to enumerate the fruits of the Neocatechumenal Way; families who have reconciled and are open to life and are grateful to the Church, who offer to go and proclaim the Gospels to the ends of the earth, especially in the most dechristianized and poor areas. From these families are now arising a great number of vocations.
Like Opus Dei, the Neocatechumenal Way has been met with many controversies. In fact, there is a parallel between Opus Dei and the Neocatechumenal Way. Based on reports from Spain in 1866-1942, Opus Dei was considered to be "very dangerous for the Church in Spain." Father Wlodimir Ledochowski described it as having a "secretive character" and saw signs in it of a covert inclination to dominate the world with a form of Christian masonry. According to its founder, Josemaria Escriva, "Opus Dei is composed of ordinary lay Christians who are taking their baptism-based calling to become holy, as the first Christians did, without in any way being externally distinguished from other citizens of the Roman Empire." Sound familiar?
The Neocatechumenal Way is also composed of ordinary lay Christians who are taking their baptism-based calling to become holy as the first Christians did. The founder of Opus Dei was later declared to be a holy saint by the Vatican. Would Kiko Arguello also be declared a holy saint one day?
Many changes have been made in the Catholic church, MANY! and I am not proposing that change is needed. All Kiko has done is actually promote what the mission is. Many have taken it the wrong way because of assumption and misconception of his words. Many support him, and take make it obvious, the Pope himself supports him. I do not know why people question the Popes decision of continuing the way. If we abuse the liturgy, I am confident that Pope (the one who over sees the catholic church) would notice it and discontinue it. Some fail to realize the truth, and seem to assume what truth is.
ReplyDeleteDear David,
ReplyDeleteI agree. I trust the Pope's decision. and do not oppose it. After all, he is the Vicar of Christ and Successor of the Apostle Peter.
I heard the letter Clearly from POPE Francis from the Easter announcement. Pope Francis will defend this charism (NOT MOVEMENT).
ReplyDelete"If the Way comes from human, it will be destroyed, but if it comes from God, it will not be destroyed."
ReplyDeleteIglesia Ni Cristo, Mormonism, Jehovahs Witnesses, Seventh Day Advestist are all made up religions with human founders yet they have been thriving much longer than the NCW. Mormonism is in fact growing quickly right here in Micronesia.
And what of Satanic worshipers who live right alongside the rest of us? It is not of God but they exist in society without any impediments.
Per your analysis all these groups would cease to exist and will all be forgotten like an old memory because they are not of God.
God doesn't work like that. God gives us free-will to decide what path to take in life. He allows the rain to fall on the good as well as the bad. The sun shines on us all equally. He even allows the weeds to grow among the wheat.
Ria Camacho
Dear Ria Camacho,
DeleteI quoted what the Holy Bible says, and I trust the Holy Bible because it is the inspired word of God.
As for the Igesia Ni Cristo, Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, and even the Seventh Day Adventists, all of these come from Protestantism. And today, Protestantism is decreasing due to its fragmentation. Iglesia Ni Cristo, Mormonism, and the rest were part of that fragmentation. The Neocatechumenal Way on the other hand, is part of the Catholic Church, and the Catholic Church has withstood the test of time. The Way is Catholic because we have the support of the Pope, who is the Vicar of Christ. Protestantism does not have the support of the Pope. Protestantism came only in the 16th century. They increased for a while, but has been decreasing since the 1970s.
Dear David, then why are you ashamed of the Way? You showed true color on Tim Rohr's blog.
DeleteDear Zoltan,
DeleteI don't think David is ashamed of the Way. He did not say that he is. He is simply questioning what I quoted in the Bible.
It is from Tim Rohr's blog:
Delete"David G.April 25, 2014 at 6:49 PM
I am a member myself. Seeing these type of comments are embarrassing. They should all be ashamed."
He NEVER said he was ashamed of being in the Way. His comments clearly read that he also being a member of the Way, he is ashamed of the negative comments that the brothers have posted on Rhor's blog.
DeleteNegativity like that gives others who don't understand the Way more fuel to misunderstand.
Zoltan, you called him out, even on Rhor's blog without reading properly. (That gave Rhor the ammo to comment that you eat your own) David deserves an apology.
I also believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God and I have no problem with the biblical quote, but based on your analysis, I can very well say the same thing of Islam. In fact, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world.( http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9704/14/egypt.islam/)
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to say though. Protestantism is not on the decline. According to a report by USA Today, Seventh Day Adventist membership has reached the 18 million mark and is considered the fastest growing religion in North America. The Jehovahs are growing quickly as well.
These religions do not have the Pope's blessing and yet they seem to be thriving just as well .
Dear David,
ReplyDeleteI would think that one would be more concern with Islam since Islam has surpassed the number of Catholics for the first time in history. According to the Vatican, Catholicism accounts for 17.4% of the world's population while Islam accounts for 19.2%. However, the number of increase in Islam was due to the number of children being born into the religion. Catholics, on the other hand, went against the Church teaching on contraception. When one goes against Church teaching, is it any surprise that the population of Muslims were able to surpass us? The lesson one learns from the Old Testament is that when Israel did not remain faithful to the teachings of God, Israel did not prosper, but their enemies did. Paganism is not the true religion, and eventually Israel was able to overcome any obstacles once they remain faithful to the teachings of God.
Furthermore, although Islam may have grown due to the number of children they have, they have less converts than Christianity. It was reported that 10,000 Muslims in Indonesia have converted to Catholicism, but all these are taking place underground due to the fact that for a Muslim to change his religion would mean death for him/her. There are also reports of Muslims converting after having dreams about Jesus Christ. It is much easier for a Muslim to convert to Christianity in Europe and in the US rather than in the Muslim dominated countries in the Middle East. In fact, there are 15,000 Muslims in France who converted to Christianity...10,000 of them which became Roman Catholics. See the weblink below:
http://www.tldm.org/News12/MuslimsBecomeChristianInLargeNumbers.htm
As for Protestantism in America, their numbers have been on the decline since the 1970s. Many of them are turning away from religion and claiming to have no religion at all. Surprisingly, the Catholic Church in America has remained at a steady rate. I say "surprisingly" because I actually expected a decrease in Catholicism in America due to the sex abuse scandals there. But the percentage of Catholics in America have remained steady due to a number of reasons...1) the large number of Catholic immigrants from Latin America coming into the country, 2) the number of Protestants (although few) converting to Catholicism, and 3) a significant amount of reverts (former Catholics) returning to the Catholic Church. See the weblink below on the decline of Protestantism:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/10/us/study-finds-that-percentage-of-protestant-americans-is-declining.html?_r=0
Catholicism is actually increasing in Asia and Africa,,,,,,,continents that are largely pagan. Kiko's plan is to 1) re-evangelize Europe and 2) to spread the Gospel to China, the country with the largest population. He hopes that evangelization there would produce more priests as well especially since the population of men in China outnumbers the women.
From time to time, a certain Protestant denomination would increase, but in time even their numbers would decrease. As the Holy Bible says, the numbers of followers of those popular men have increased, but later on was destroyed or scattered.
That was not Davids comment at 4:23, it was my follow-up comment.
DeleteRia
Dear Ria,
DeleteMy apologies. You are correct. It was your comment, and I addressed it to the wrong person.
My response to Tim Rohr:
ReplyDeleteTim, I would not ignore criticism of cultural nature. You act like someone viewing himself in the helmet of the Inquisition. The people on tiny island has no real knowledge of the history of Catholic Inquisition, this shameful and murderous past of the Church that is better forgotten than reenacted. They don't know the pain and suffering that was inflicted on the faithful by self-appointed thugs in reverend, who took on the helmet of Inquisition against them, tortured and burned them alive. Are you proud of this past?
So it would be better if you do not try to implant the same self-appointed thug mentality here among unsuspecting people. Please acknowledge that the time of Inquisition, persecution and free murder by church capos is irrevocably over. You see, you raise a fringe Catholic group here, who think it is normal to spy on their Catholic sisters and brothers and accuse them with all different kinds of heresies with no reason. This is alien from this culture that has mutual respect and acceptance as its foundation. This is also alien from the Spirit of love who has a real presence in the communities of the Church.
If you have proof that the Catholic Magisterium rejected the Neocatechumenal Way, then please produce the document. Very simple. What holds you back. If you are unable to produce the document, then please do not act as a self-appointment inquisitor. Is this too much to ask for?
Dear Zoltan,
ReplyDeleteDo you still post on Junglewatch? I haven't been posting there at all. I would also prefer that all posting in Junglewatch stays in Junglewatch rather than spill over into my blogsite.
You are right. Let me announce that I officially quit JungleWatch at this very moment. Thanks for helping me to make this decision. You are a true sister in the Lord. Peace! ;)
Delete