Francis Berger
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Sunday Mass "Compulsory" Again in Hungary

5/15/2021

8 Comments

 
Excerpted from this article: 

From now on, attending Sunday mass will “once again be compulsory” for Catholics, except for the elderly and the sick, who will continue to be exempt, the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference (MKPK) said on Thursday.

The general dispensation from attending mass prompted by the coronavirus epidemic has been discontinued, it said.

The decision was based on the opinion of epidemiologists, with the lifting of coronavirus restrictions and the high rate of the inoculated taken into account, the church leadership said.

At the same time, diocesan bishops have the freedom to introduce different rules based on local needs, the MKPK said. The bishops have asked the faithful to observe social distancing guidelines, wear masks and use hand sanitizers. 

None are safe until all are safe.

That they actually believe they still possess some semblance of spiritual and moral authority is beyond laughable. 


Note added: I regularly attend Mass at the small Roman Catholic church in my village. Last year, this small village church shut its doors and essentially abandoned its congregation for six months. The closing tested the faith of a few people I know, but it didn't test mine. I am and remain a Christian despite the Church rather than because of it.

8 Comments
Ingemar
5/16/2021 08:06:25

I know I have a reputation for being a stickler for religious orthodoxy, but my faith boils down to one thing:

I know God exists and that I am His.

Reply
Francis Berger
5/16/2021 09:48:50

@ Ingemar - Yes, that needs to be the foundation.

Reply
bruce charlton
5/16/2021 08:57:30

Things will never be the same again for the churches (Christian and other) - whatever their leadership may suppose.

It is now perfectly clear that 'spiritual' authority does Not lie with the bishops - who are merely doing what the secular authorities tell them: whether or not they are allowed to open the churches, or to practice their religion more generally, and dictating what happens inside churches.

There is indeed No spiritual authority in today's world. Spiritual authority has been actively rejected by Christian leaders - and they can't now pretend to take it back, just because the secular powers say it's okay now...

The bishops are revealed as just middle managers for The System.

Reply
Francis Berger
5/16/2021 16:43:59

Yes, that is spot on, Bruce. Your post from today really clarifies the whole issue concerning spiritual authority.

https://charltonteaching.blogspot.com/2021/05/the-system-antichrist.html

Reply
Andrew
5/17/2021 02:55:54

Our local Bishop (in the US) also lifted the exemption starting next week. Our Church has been more open than most, and we've been back to attending for about a year now.

We are blessed with an exception Catholic Church were almost nobody wheres masks.

Reply
Francis Berger
5/17/2021 08:46:48

@ Andrew - Specific circumstances may vary, but the overall theme remains the same. Christian institutions have surrendered their spiritual authority. See Bruce's post for the details.

Reply
buckyinky
5/18/2021 19:15:52

<i>That they actually believe they still possess some semblance of spiritual and moral authority is beyond laughable.</i>

They still possess the authority, but that doesn't preclude them from abusing it, or even from behaving themselves as if they have it not. Nor are the faithful excused to be "scandalized" (abdicate partially or wholly from the received Catholic faith) when they are conscious of what is happening. They are not excused to find their own path because many, even a vast majority, of the ones we rightfully expect to lead us on the true path have themselves by all appearances abdicated. That the true path is thus made more difficult to follow does not mean it is impossible.

I do not claim to be very learned, and maybe my own judgment is premature, but it looks very much as though you don't really know some basic things about that which you have passed judgment upon (i.e., the Catholic Church, particularly as she is manifested in her God-ordained pastors).

Reply
Francis Berger
5/18/2021 20:25:49

@ buckinky - Being learned has zero relevance here. This is about discernment; and all Catholics - even unlearned ones - are spiritually obligated to discern.

Discerning that the Church has surrendered its spiritual authority provides me with no pleasure or glee. And it's not just the Catholic Church that has lost its spiritual authority, but all Christian churches. If you can't see that in light of everything that has transpired in the past year, I don't know what to tell you.

But I'm not here to convince anyone. If you believe the Church still possesses spiritual authority, then good luck to you.

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