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BY OSCAR CRUZ
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Saturday, October 28, 2017
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GIVEN the disturbing signs of the times such as in terms of downright bloodshed all over the land, these and those criminal acts day in and day out, considering certain faulty understanding of the Catholic Faith in particular – with all the local Sects apparently being held exempted from the attacks and castigations of all those involved in the fray and contentions – it might be good and proper to proffer more basic and elementary truths based on reason and truth.
The recall of and attention to the following short and simple realities are but meant to put things in right order, to think objectively and thus speak correctly.
In secular parlance, it can be rightly said that there is a whale of a difference between the Church and Churchmen – some of the more glaring examples of which are the following:
- The Church is a foundation while Churchmen are but members or constituents thereof.
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The Church has Christ as her Founder while Churchmen are but followers of Christ.
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The Church is universal in reach and constituency while Churchmen are but here or there.
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The Church is more than 2000 years old and counting while Churchmen come and go but for some decades as a matter of fact.
The Church is holy in Her teachings, holy in her traditions, holy in her observances – such that She is called and referred to as “Holy Mother the Church” for being holy in her being, holy in her teachings, holy in her observances.
But there are certain Churchmen who either do nothing or do exactly the opposite of what they are supposed to do. So it is that while as a rule most of them observe the Commandments and keep their sworn to promises and commitments, it is not a secret that some of them do exactly the opposite.
In other words, quasi innumerable are the good, exemplary and holy Churchmen. Truth to say however, there are those who act and live otherwise. So it is that as there was a Judas among the Twelve Apostles of Christ, such a figure of disgust and distrust still exists in the Church somehow, somewhere.
Certain key conclusions come to order:
First, those who are angry at certain Churchmen for speaking the truth, for pointing out what is wrong, for teaching what is hard to do, let them castigate the former but not the Church.
Second, those who are scandalized by what this or that Churchman does or not do contrary to the dictate of faith and morals, against what is right and proper, let them talk and act against him but not against the Church.
Third, those who insist and perhaps even persist in attacking the Church per se, they better remember that in due time, for sure they be six feet below the ground while the Church is still around.
The above few and elementary statements, observations and conclusions are worth knowing and keeping lest we demonstrate our ignorance by “barking at the wrong tree” – the maxim goes./PN
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