By: Bruce Jones

Bruce Jones — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 00:21:09 +0000

There is a difference between contemplation and infused contemplation, between acquired morality and infused morality. The infused implies the object is supernatural, namely Almighty God, to whom all worship is due. Acquired is a natural object, rules or habits in the community.
Catholics have for too long been content with fitting into parochial life without being concerned about the reality of a personal Jesus among them. If you examine the recent Catholic Catechism you will find there is mention of “contemplation” but not “infused contemplation”. This difference should be made known and people seek a risen Christ who from time to time appears to his disciples or makes his presence felt. There is a distinction, and it must be understood properly.
Pope Francis can speak from experience as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires who directed that the miracle of Buenos Aires be investigated- and like the rest of the miracles of the Eucharist become known. So here then is the personal Jesus he is speaking about. But it goes even deeper. More than mere miracles there is an indwelling sanctifying Holy Spirit who arrives as a personal Jesus is served- as Sr Briege Mckenna OSC has shown in her miraculous recovery, and her book “Miracles do happen”, a must-read for all Catholics, in which she recounts many instances where this personal Jesus touches her life and her inmost being.
The desert experience is a common feature for religious folk, and priesthood need our prayers, for they have their own challenges and hardships which is overcome when the Divine taps into their lives in an obvious way. Every priest can accept Pope Francis invitation, as the Holy Father of all, particularly priesthood, and in so doing priesthood come to experience the touch of the good Lord as He alone can touch with His Divine love, His immeasurable mercy, immeasurable forgiveness, His immeasurable compassion for all and particularly for those priests who have a calling to continue.
Jesus is real, not a statue, not just a historical Christ, not just in scripture, but a living presence to be embraced as many times as Catholics can, and particularly in their encounters with the priesthood.

By: Tony Broad

Tony Broad — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 04:42:55 +0000

The Pope talks about “establishing a personal relationship with Christ”. That is a very Protestant sound-bite. Not very Catholic. Catholics have a personal relationship with Christ from baptism, when they become a child of God. And every Mass (or rather every reception of the consecrated Host) we consume the Body and Blood of Christ. You can hardly get a more personal relationship that that! It is quite condescending of Francis to exhort the establishment of a personal relationship to these men who act in persona Christi and confect the Blessed Sacrament on the altar every day. It would have been better for him to conclude his allocution with a hearty mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa for his own personal involvement in sex abuse scandals – instead of using the airy-fairy “outrage at what has happened” out there somewhere not connected with him.

Comments on: In letter, pope encourages priests dejected by abuse crisis

By: Bruce Jones

By: Tony Broad