Differences In Ecclesiology And The Priesthood

As mature priests, these archetypal people can strongly argue their case and promote their particular definition and methods of serving a higher purpose by creating a strong understanding. As these priests age in their values, they give rise to the final stage of the “old

In addition, the pope highlighted the importance of missionary work to the life of the Church. He said it is not enough to just “try to keep one’s parish or diocese going” because being a Christian means

This is what “royal priesthood” looks like in the present time… as well what it means to reflect God’s character and actions to one another” (217). The differences in their telos and its outcome become evident in the differences in their understanding of

Deck’s theological works are often based on very practical matters, which is very common amongst Hispanic-American theologians and their works. He does not skirt around the facts in his works, instead he bluntly states them and uses them to form this works. He often notes that Latinos/Hispanics are quickly becoming the largest demographic amongst the Catholic Church in the United States; citing changing demographics in states such as Iowa, Alaska and North Carolina to show that the presence of Latinos is no longer a purely regional matter (A Latino practical theology: Mapping the road ahead, 274-275). With these observations in mind, Deck has identified several realities, issues and potential solutions relating to Hispanics throughout the Catholic Church in the United States. As touched on earlier, he has argued that the church leadership needs to add more Hispanic priests to its ranks to better tend to the unique cultural needs of its increasingly Hispanic membership. Fr. Deck also warns that, perhaps as a symptom of the previous issue, the clergy is turning its back on, or even actively shunning, popular religion while becoming overly professional and less close to the members of their respective parishes. Deck has expressed concern that these practices are directly harming and belittling the beliefs of Hispanics, who have always had popular religion popular religion play a central role in their religious lives, that by doing so the church may be alienating a large

Tested in Every Way: the Catholic Priesthood in Today’s Church, written by Christopher Ruddy, is a report and at the same time a reflection on the Seventh Annual Cardinal Bernardin Conference which was held in the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX in 2003 . Ruddy reports the voices of academic and pastoral expertise sharing about the challenges and the identity of being a priest. Besides of giving a report, the book opens up and finishes with the Ruddy’s insightful reflections.

The Roman Catholic Church was an extremely powerful organization during the middle ages and for the most part controlled all aspects of people’s lives. However, this organization does not last forever and over time begins to crack and crumble until a series of schisms split the church into multiple opposing sides. The Church’s message and authority was eventually undermined by corruption and the lay people demanding reform.

We called to dismiss the word Pope and look at the broader influence and work this man did for the church. Where protestants would argue with Pope Gregory in regard to the Sacraments and the works being aspect of salvation the focus needs to be on what he did for the larger church. Thus, the conclusion of this paper is the Pope Gregory is truly sitting in the presence of our Lord because of the work and faith he displayed on earth. Therefore, we will move past the argument of the Protestant and Catholic positions and look at the Gregory’s record in helping strengthen and solidify a heterogeneous church during great upheaval, and

The members of the Priesthood, Vowed Religious Brothers and Sisters, and the Diaconate take on a different, more difficult way of life to make it possible for the Church to exist. They all make vows, knowing they will be persecuted and made fun of for their beliefs more than laypeople. Yet, they all follow their vocations to express their love for God.

During the Medieval period the Roman Catholic Church was one of the most vital institutions in people’s everyday life and held influence over the affairs of everyone from peasants to monarchs. The Church played a central role in society with Bishops and Archbishops playing a major role in governments and the belief among citizens that the only way they could attain salvation was through the Roman Catholic Church. The Church’s religious ideals permeated society influencing the calendar, daily activities, monumental occasions in people’s life, and the teachings of the Church underpinned mainstream ethics and beliefs of people. The Church operated under a highly developed and sophisticated system of governance, law and economy that allowed it

Pope Francis was encountered with a church experiencing loss of client involvement, reduction in attendance, and in some marketplaces adverse business development. There

I, Eustathius, Bishop of Antioch come before you today to discuss the organization of the church. Before I begin my discussion I would like to provide a little background information on myself. I am the Bishop of Antioch, I was recently appointed to this position, and I have not physically been there yet. Prior to this appointment I was the Bishop of Syria. Since I am able to trace my lineage directly back to the apostles of Jesus, I am considered a metropolitan bishop. As a metropolitan Bishop, I believe that we know what is best for the church. What is best for the church is to allow the metropolitan bishops to be in charge. Metropolitan bishops should have full authority over the doctorine and the clergy in their proper providences. This can only be done by creating a hierarchy to organize the church as it

#276 “Christ’s resurrection is not an event of the past; it contains a vital power which has permeated this world. Where all seems to be dead, signs of the resurrection suddenly spring up.” In the world around us we there is much suffering, and at times we can focus on the crucifixion of the Lord and Christ’s suffering. We cannot focus on the crucifixion and not acknowledge the resurrection. The resurrection of our Lord is the basis of our faith. Without it, we would be lost! The good news is we win! When our pastor comes to our office after daily Mass, I always ask how it went and his response always is good news- we win! This is the basis of our joy and this joy can only be taken from us with our consent. If we become of the world, we find ourselves empty vessels constantly seeking ways to fill our lives, when the only thing that can fill us is our Lord. Our Parochial Vicar often reminds me to try to look at the world with sacramental eyes. “We recognize that the Sacraments have a visible and invisible reality, a reality open to all the human senses but grasped in its God-given depths with the eyes of faith.” - USCCB.org. I am blessed to have the wonderful spiritual direction to guide me along my journey. It wasn’t until I returned back to the Church that I heard the term spiritual director. As a cradle catholic and a product of 12 years of Catholic school, it is new for me to see priests as someone you go to seek guidance from outside of confession. I go to

The evangelical and Pentecostal mix of MKC at its establishment, less emphasis on ordination during persecution, and the current misperception of pastoral ordination as hierarchic among fulltime ministers and members led MKC to hesitate accepting the ordination of apostles which resulted in contention, division, and split within the church that needs to be addressed for the sustained unity and mission of the church. Hence the paper argues that the indecision of MKC on ordination of apostles could be solved by addressing the underlying fears through biblical and theological reflection.

It is necessary to keep in mind that, as priests, we are often the first person or fount to whom people come to looking for help or any advice. Their trust in the minister indicates that they see him as a sign of hope or solution for their difficult situation. They count on the priest for wise guidance and, for assurance of God’s unconditional love for them.

The problem under examination is the decline in church attendance in America, and the impact of that decline on our society. The purpose of the research was to ascertain the factors that contribute to the decline in church attendance. The research methodology that was used was the qualitative method. Empirical data from the scholarly research was closely examined and analyzed to determine the five main reasons for this decline. They are as follows: 1) Secularization of Society 2) Inability of the Organization to Adapt to ever-changing times 3) Failure to retain youth beyond Post High School years 4) Disenfranchised members 5) Lack of Zeal.