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Hi, Pete —
Thanks for the question:
I'd like to add to Paul's comments
but come at it from a slightly different
angle. It's absolutely true that
we ought to examine our conscience
and if we suspect we have committed
a mortal sin and have not confessed
it, we ought to abstain from receiving
Communion.
For any of us to look around at others
and presume to know or even guess
at the condition of their soul as
they receive Communion is another
issue.
Unless we know that the person is
openly in sin (i.e. a politician
who supports abortion), then it's
really none of our business.
Our business is to lead people to
Christ and His awesome Mercy and
Love. He died on the Cross for our
sins out of love so that men could
be saved, not so those of us who
think we are more Catholic than the
Pope or a Church Council can presume
to pass judgment the condition of
anyone's soul.
I'm certainly happy that you've returned
to the Church but I still notice
some sarcasm directed at the Church
regarding Vatican II.
- Tell me, have you bothered to
read the 16 documents of the Council?
Sadly, many heretical theologians
saw that the Church changed some
disciplines and they took this as
an opportunity or license to promote
their heretical ideas under the banner of "the
spirit of Vatican II". Nevertheless,
the Council condoned none of heresies
these guys were promoting.
Historically, it's not uncommon for
there to be a lot confusion for two
to three decades after major councils
of the Church. It's not any different
with Vatican II, and the problem
wasn't just the liberals and the
heretics on the "left" (for
lack of a better word). The problem
included those who went into schism
on the "right" because
they felt they were more Catholic
than the Pope of the Church Council.
A heretic is a heretic, whether he
is an ultra-liberal or an ultra-traditionalist.
Sorry if I'm being hard on you but
now that you've come home to the
Church, it's important that you actually
read the documents of Vatican II,
since that was the reason you left.
Obviously,
if you had read the documents
you would have known the Church never
changed any doctrines at
Vatican II because She can't. If
you knew that already, than the sarcastic
tone towards the Council is more
than a little problematic, if not
scandalous.
Again, It's not that I don't share
your concern about the lack of good
teaching in the Church but we have
to be careful that we don't cross
the line and start judging the condition
of other men's soul.
John
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