http://www.socon.ca/filipino-bishops-we-will-strip-catholic-status-if-schools-defy-church-teaching/ Confronting the culture of death Sat, 25 Aug 2012 20:05:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 http://www.socon.ca/filipino-bishops-we-will-strip-catholic-status-if-schools-defy-church-teaching/#comment-42327 Roberto Tue, 21 Aug 2012 13:23:36 +0000 http://www.socon.ca/?p=25313#comment-42327 I'm re-posting this comment from an article on "Dialogue" a little down the page. Perhaps it's equally a propos here: The problem with dialogue is that most people don't know what dialogue is. It is not simply "keeping the conversation going." This is a favourite phrase of the Ontario Catholic educational community, especially the trustees and the Institute for Catholic education: keep the conversation going among all the "partners", secular and in the Catholic community, and we'll survive and even thrive. Not really. Suzanne's point is important. Dialogue presupposes standing consciously in one's identity and faithfulness to that identity, which includes long held, time-tested beliefs and Tradition. When true dialogue of this kind takes place, people will respectfully agree to disagree, and sometimes resentment results - as Suzanne noted. That's okay. There are too many Catholics in positions of responsibility in Church-related organizations (e.g., Catholic education, even diocesan funded organizations), who are smugly convinced they know better than 2000 years of time-tested Tradition. The tragedy is that they're engaging in what they think is dialogue (but isn't) and selling the rest of us out in a slow, insidious progression of concessions. Well, this is bigger than all of us. It's right to bring it to light, but ultimately, God never loses, Christ triumphs, and the Holy Spirit continues to be the Spirit of Truth, bringing fruition to what has been divinely authored, in mysterious unforseen ways. These are our times, and John, you are right to turn to prayer as your consolation while engaging in this ministry against such forces that prey on ignorance and pride. We need to speak the truth, but to be detached from the outcome, which rests in God's hands. This is the way of the Saints. I’m re-posting this comment from an article on “Dialogue” a little down the page. Perhaps it’s equally a propos here:
The problem with dialogue is that most people don’t know what dialogue is. It is not simply “keeping the conversation going.” This is a favourite phrase of the Ontario Catholic educational community, especially the trustees and the Institute for Catholic education: keep the conversation going among all the “partners”, secular and in the Catholic community, and we’ll survive and even thrive. Not really.
Suzanne’s point is important. Dialogue presupposes standing consciously in one’s identity and faithfulness to that identity, which includes long held, time-tested beliefs and Tradition. When true dialogue of this kind takes place, people will respectfully agree to disagree, and sometimes resentment results – as Suzanne noted. That’s okay. There are too many Catholics in positions of responsibility in Church-related organizations (e.g., Catholic education, even diocesan funded organizations), who are smugly convinced they know better than 2000 years of time-tested Tradition. The tragedy is that they’re engaging in what they think is dialogue (but isn’t) and selling the rest of us out in a slow, insidious progression of concessions. Well, this is bigger than all of us. It’s right to bring it to light, but ultimately, God never loses, Christ triumphs, and the Holy Spirit continues to be the Spirit of Truth, bringing fruition to what has been divinely authored, in mysterious unforseen ways. These are our times, and John, you are right to turn to prayer as your consolation while engaging in this ministry against such forces that prey on ignorance and pride. We need to speak the truth, but to be detached from the outcome, which rests in God’s hands. This is the way of the Saints.

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