Wednesday 1 April 2015

A Call To Action - what ARE they talking about?


I see that ACTA have made a response to Bishop Michaels Campbell's statement about them. As usual with dissent, the response is arrogant - "We're not going away" and deliberately vague. I notice it doesn't really answer any of the points made by Bishop Campbell and uses all the language of fuzzy doublespeak - admitting nothing and leaving open everything.  If dialogue is all that ACTA wants then what is the action their name implies? What is the purpose of the "dialogue? What are they talking about doing? The truth is that the dialogue is always about moving away from the teaching of the Church. 

Borrowing the political imagery of not being open to "dialogue" makes the deliberate suggestion of being closed and unreasonable. Bishop Michael is not being closed and unreasonable, he's just doing his job of being a bishop.  They compare themselves with the group of priests who recently signed the letter about the Synod. The difference is that those priests were simply putting their names to the existing teaching of the Church - ACTA's calls are for movement away from the existing teaching of the Church.

Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith makes this point with great clarity when he pinpoints their duplicity - that they proclaim to be "outwardly Catholic and hold what is in fact irreconcilable with Catholicism."  

Here is the great difference, I think, between those who hold to orthodoxy and those who don't. 

We all on occasion do, think and say things that are irreconcilable with Catholicism - we are fallen sinners in need of redemption.  

Some appear to think that our fallen nature should be "harmonised" with the Gospels and the teaching of the Church, with the challenge of the Gospel the primary target for change, modification, reduction evisceration. The end result being that the Church will look no different from the fallen world around it. Why should it, if we have no need of redemption. Lobbying to change the Church's Magisterial teaching, should not be seen as legitimate politics but rather, but rather, they go to undermining the whole purpose of the Church and of Faith itself.

To present as outwardly Catholic and deliberately hold what is irreconcilable with Catholicism is disingenuous, to say the least. I think Our Lord had one or two things to say about those who held themselves up as one thing but really had another agenda. Pope Francis is right about that sort of Christian.

Bishop Michael's words on his blog are very clear and direct. They strike me as the words of a father. The words of ACTA strike me as the words of politicians - and obfuscating ones at that.

6 comments:

Fr Dickson said...

ACTA have said, as quoted by the Herald article you link to, that "All we are after is to create forums for dialogue – to listen, to be heard and to be heeded." Well, if they seek to be heeded they are not seeking dialogue but acquiescence. Bishop Campbell is correct to call them out; would that more Bishops would do the same.
On that note, it concerns me that they say they hope the other bishops will 'catch up with him' which suggests to me they want the Bishops to rebuke him. I hope they follow his lead.

Genty said...

That's the problem with spiritual dementia. The poor old things get confused.

Anonymous said...

Well put Father! Thank you. And thank goodness for the faithful Bishop. We really appreciate it Bishop Campbell. I do hope some of the other Bishops respond to ACTA's hope that other Bishops 'catch up with him' He is certainly leading his family like a good father. Our Bishops would do well to 'catch up' with Bishop Campbell's lead and speak the truth about ACTA and all dissenting groups.

Anonymous said...

Dear Father,
Could I recommend that you put a link to the blog 'Torch of the Faith' on your sidebar. It's extremely good. I was taught once by this fantastic evangelist at Maryvale. He and his lovely wife are wonderful.

Fr Simon Henry said...

Dear Anonymous, If you go down the sidebar you will find it already there.

torchofthefaith said...

Dear Anonymous

Just noticed your very kind words.

Thank you and may you have a blessed Easter Triduum.

Thank you too Fr. Simon Henry for all you are and do.

In Christ
Alan and Angeline