XPost: alt.religion.christian.biblestudy, alt.religion.christian   
   roman-catholic, england.religion.misc   
   XPost: free.christians, hk.soc.religion.christianity   
   From: œ@att.net   
      
   This "outside" of the Church obviously can be imperfect-and has been,   
   through history. There have been times when it seemed that Jesus was   
   asleep in the boat (see Matthew 8:25) and the boat going down. There   
   have been "bad" popes, though relatively few. There have been   
   autocratic bishops and scandalous priests and parishes almost without   
   faith. But this must not obscure the fact that there have been   
   millions of holy people, generous love, heroic work for the sick and   
   poor, the oppressed and abandoned-even martyrdom for Christ.   
      
   Vatican II reminded us that there is only one holiness in the   
   Church-God's. "They are really made holy...All the faithful of Christ,   
   of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the   
   Christian life and to the perfection of charity" (Dogmatic   
   Constitution on the Church, #40). There are to be no second-class   
   citizens in the Church, as if clergy and religious were an elite. A   
   regular Joe or Mary is called to receive God's holiness just as   
   strongly as a Carmelite nun.   
      
   The greatest action we perform as Church is to celebrate the   
   death/resurrection of Jesus, which is made present in the Eucharist,   
   the sacrifice/meal we call "Mass." It is not just the living body and   
   blood of Jesus replacing the bread and wine: The actual   
   death/resurrection of Jesus is made present for us to enter into. The   
   "outside" of the Mass may sometimes be dull and boring-much of life   
   can seem that way too. But this is the heart of Catholic life-the   
   essential family gathering.   
   "The Roman Pontiff---the successor of St. Peter as the Bishop of Rome   
   and head of the Church on earth-has full and supreme authority over   
   the universal Church in matters pertaining to faith and morals   
   (teaching authority), discipline and government (jurisdictional   
   authority). The Pope's authority is on issues concerning faith and   
   morals."   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)