Get Ready for the Vatican to Unleash Another Firestorm

According to a Catholic World News report, the Vatican is about to issue a new document on evangelization. It is due to be released on the 14th of December. & it looks like a biggie. The document is being released by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF). But, from who will be there at the news conference releasing it, this is clearly the work of more than the CDF.

The CDF prefect, Cardinal William Levada, will chair the conference, assisted by Archbishop Angelo Amato, the congregation's secretary. But he will be joined by Cardinal Ivan Dias, the prefect of the Congregation for Evangelization and Cardinal Francis Arinze, the prefect for the Congregation for Divine Worship. According to the CWN article, this appears to be a cooperative work of their 3 dicastries. This is definitely BIG!

The article goes on to say that according to their sources this document will build on 2 recent CDF documents that in themselveas created a lot of controversy, Dominus Iesus & Responses to Some Questions Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine of the Church. It says: "The new Vatican document is expected to carry the argument of Dominus Iesus a step further, explaining that because of the unique role played by the Church in the plan of redemption, Catholics have an obligation to spread the faith, thus offering others the best means of attaining salvation."

You know what? It sounds to me like once again the Church is merely restating what it has always taught, that the Church exists to evangelize. This is what Pope Paul VI said in his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Nuntiandi, & Pope John Paul the Great said in his Encyclical Redemptoris Missio.

But, given the reaction to the 2 recent CDF documents, I am safe in saying that this new document will bring more of the same. The "relativists" inside as well as outside of the Catholic Church will be screaming about how horrible this is, how antiecumenical it is, how can we claim to have the truth?, etc.

My response, "GET OVER IT!" Yes, there are absolute truths. They were revealed by Jesus, & are taught by the Church he founded, the Catholic Church. & the heart of that message is salvation is found alone in Jesus. His death & resurrection atoned of our sins. We need to repent & accept Jesus as Lord & Savior. As Mother Teresa put it, Jesus thirsts for souls. That was at the heart of her work. Everything she did was to bring people to Jesus, not merely feed them, clothe them & shelter them. Those actions were a God-appointed means to an end, not the end in itself as so much of the "social justice" crowd has made it. There is another group who will be screaming. Actually, I should say another segment of the relativists. Most of them would deny that there is any need for eternal salvation & that the Church should be a gigantic social work organization, concerned only with this life.

I will make 1 other prediction, most of the Main Stream Media won't get it either. They will see this as another controversy that shows how irrelevant Christianity & the Catholic Church in particular is in the(ir) world. But given how their world is relativistic as well as hostile to Christianity, this is no surprize. They will make the Vatican out to be the villians & the relativists to be the heroes. & among those leading the pack will be The National (anything but) Catholic Reporter. The media will "round up the usual suspects" & parade them far & wide. (With apologies to Captain Renault in Casablanca.) In fact, "realizing the importance" of this, I wouldn't be surprized if the MSM rounds up "twice the usual number of suspects."

As for those of us who are faithful to the Magisterium, this document will be warmly welcomed. It will reaffirm what we already know & are (hopefully) living out daily.

Source: New Vatican statement to address central doctrinal dispute