Shout out to Saint Jude, thank you for listening to my novena petitions you are an amazing worker for God. Pray for us, St. Jude!
Truth.
Dear Cissy,
I’m not sure if you know this, but I’ve been in a back and forth with our Auntie, Betty, because she has been peppering me with questions about Catholicism. I’m going to share with you the two posts I’ve shared with her on Facebook. The first letter was on truth.
Here goes:
Objective truth exists. This truth is found in the Catholic church and Her teachings.
I firmly believe that relativistic ideologies and the whole concept of “it is right for me, but I understand if it isn’t right for you” is just lunacy and is, in my opinion, the reason that our world is the way she is.
The Roman Catholic Church is the only empire, the only ideology, which is firmly rooted in natural law and has been teaching the exact same doctrine, unbroken, for 2000 years. She (the Church) even has an unbroken line of succession so that you are able to follow the teachings back to the founding of the Church with Christ.
Natural law is the intrinsic laws found in nature, designed by God. The concept of natural law goes back to the annals of philosophy and other craziness that I’m not super well versed in.
Natural law is an inherent dignity that governs all people regardless of civil law or moral law. I heard an Nigerian priest, or bishop, in a debate with Christopher Hitchens and Stephen Fry and he (the bishop) said that even before his father’s village was introduced to Christianity they had an understanding of the 10 Commandments and other Christian teaches because they flow from Natural Law. Aristotle, Plato, the Stoics, Aquinas, and so many other philosophers have discussed natural law and a way to govern morality and truth. The Catholic church is merely the protector and upholder to these truths. And it has done so for generations, (but it didn’t used to be standing up for these truths on Her own).
The truth that stems from the natural law is self-evident. The truths are ordered in a specific way and when things happen in a disordered fashion all hell breaks loose.
For example:
The Catholic Church has always told that contraception goes against nature because it acts against the inherent dignity of the persons involved. Contraception takes an ordered, unselfish natural act (procreative and unitive sex, as nature designed) and turns the sex act into one of impulsiveness, selfishness and immaturity that leads to further evils and assaults on human dignity, (abortion, the killing of a child which is the innocent and logical outcome of sex).
In Humanae Vitae (Pope Paul VI, 1968) posited that if contraception were to become widespread that cases of marital infidelity would rise because men would become so use to infertile sex that reverence for women would be lessened and as a result women would simply become a means to an end. He believed that divorces would rise, sterilizations and abortions would become widespread and society would start to crumble. Rather prophetic, don’t you think? The Catholic Church has always stood up for natural law, and I believe that on many occasions She has been vindicated. And I believe that this is going to continue to happen.
Why?
Because the Catholic Church has never taught anything that goes against the inherent dignity or rights of a person, I believe she speaks the truth for all. It isn’t just MY truth it is an objective, universal truth.
The Catholic Church teaches a truth that is contingent on natural law, equality and human dignity. These are truths that can speak to, and for anyone. But, the submission to authority is extremely difficult because it is entirely counter-cultural. That is why people try to take the self-evident truths of nature and the Catholic Church and distort them into something they are not.
In the bible Jesus said that the world would hate those who spoke the truth because they first hated Him, he also says that the gates of Hell will not prevail against his Church. So biblically, I believe the Catholic church is the true Church. No other Christian Church has lasted, unbroken, since the time of Christ.
God Bless,
Rebecca
Ps. Further reading can be found her:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_06081993_veritatis-splendor_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/leo_xiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_10021880_arcanum_en.html
Pornography Culture
Dear Cissy,
Do you know why I like you? Nay, love you?
Because you stand your ground and you are so committed. You believe that pornography is wrong and I am so happy for that.
But, your existence and your actions are the direct result of the pornographic culture. You believe pornography, in its “truest” form, is wrong.
So why do you buy into the objectification of women? Why do you let men reduce you down to nothing more than an object?
You are valued so much more than that and by altering your body with pills and looking for love through sex, you are living so far under your dignity. You are worth so much more.
I know you love Pope John Paul II, this is how he wants you to live:
“Thank you, every woman, for the simple fact of being a woman! Through the insight which is so much a part of your womanhood you enrich the world’s understanding and help to make human relations more honest and authentic.”
” Women’s dignity has often been unacknowledged and their prerogatives misrepresented; they have often been relegated to the margins of society and even reduced to servitude. This has prevented women from truly being themselves and it has resulted in a spiritual impoverishment of humanity. Certainly it is no easy task to assign the blame for this, considering the many kinds of cultural conditioning which down the centuries have shaped ways of thinking and acting. And if objective blame, especially in particular historical contexts, has belonged to not just a few members of the Church, for this I am truly sorry. May this regret be transformed, on the part of the whole Church, into a renewed commitment of fidelity to the Gospel vision. When it comes to setting women free from every kind of exploitation and domination, the Gospel contains an ever relevant message which goes back to the attitude of Jesus Christ himself. Transcending the established norms of his own culture, Jesus treated women with openness, respect, acceptance and tenderness. In this way he honoured the dignity which women have always possessed according to God’s plan and in his love.” — Letter of Pope John Paul II to Women
And, one last quote: ““Do not be afraid. Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
― John Paul II“
You are worth so much more than living in an “if you’ve got it, flaunt it” mentality. You have such great power in your womanhood that by neutering yourself in order to be an object of lust you are giving away everything and receiving nothing in return. All of the pleasures are fleeting.
I promise that if you give that up and reclaim your sexuality as something worth work, love, marriage and honour you will be so free.
God Bless,
Rebecca
Youth Ministry
Dear Cissy,
This letter is both unrelated, and completely related to you. And me too, a bit. The adults in our lives growing up did us a complete disservice. And I am not willing to let that happen again.
We were never taught the faith with any sort of absolutes, so we had to struggle to figure it out for ourselves. I was away from the church for almost 8 year. At least you still go at Christmas and Easter.
And that is the problem without being taught the absolutes. We don’t know what we are missing. And I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure the youth group I am involved in doesn’t fall into the same traps.
The Church isn’t made for comfort. To paraphrase Pope Emeritus Benedict 16 we weren’t made for comfort, but greatness. And that is what Catholicism provides.
I know sometimes she seems harsh and so rule orientated. But I promise, the rules make sense! It may not seem so at first, but they do and they are for our great benefit.
Once we submit fully to the church it is freeing. I’ve said it before and I will say it again.
I’m just so frustrated trying to plan this youth ministry with people who are trying to pander to teens. Who don’t believe in the absolutes, who don’t believe in Truth. It hurts me so much, because if we can fundamentally change just one teen, the ministry will be a success.
The won’t let the Catholic Adults group I’m a part of get too involved though. They feel we are too traditional. But they don’t realise we speak for the youth of the church. The youth of the church is angry that we missed out on the beauty of all it could be in all of the spirit of Vatican 2 craziness.
I’m not wanting to reverse vatican 2, but I am wanting to reverse some of the runaway fringe Catholics.
Women will never be priests. It isn’t in our nature.
Homosexuality will never be a valid nature. It goes against Natural Law.
Birth Control is always a grave evil. Humanae Vitae from 1962 was eerily prophetic on that.
Pornography objectifies women and ruins relationships. That is just a fact.
There is so much power in the unchanging absolutes of the Church and it makes no sense to me when people who will be dead in 30 years, feel the need to change something that has been very much alive for 2000 years.
Change yourself to fit the Church, not the Church to fit you.
God Bless,
Rebecca
Dear Cissy…
Dear Cissy,
I am starting this blog for you. All of the things I want to tell you, but I fear you are not yet ready to hear and listen. But, my dear, you have so much more to give and be.
But first, you must first reject the lie. The lie that teaches sex without consequences and the party girl fallacy, all of the carelessness. You are miserable and though you don’t act it I know. I know because you hurt yourself. I’ve seen the scars. You get used, you use others and you are hollow and empty. You are so much more than a means to an end, more than the sum of your parts.
You are my sister and I love you. But you have bought into the lie. And you are SO much better than it.
And I just wish you would listen, and hear, all that I wish to tell you.
Because, your existence will drastically alter and you will no longer look outward to fill the void in your heart. You will look upwards and it will be amazing.
I know that you love the idea of being Catholic and you claim to be Catholic.
But, you are not. You are a Catholic, in only the most shallow narrowest sense. And I wish that you come to the full understanding and into full communion with the Church. It is SO much better.
I know it may seem hard because it goes against so many of your gods and it demands so much. But, its power is infinite and fulfilling. And the things it teaches make so much sense, if you give a little time to listen. And its demands become so easy, the obedience become easier and the blessings pour down. And the freedom you feel is worth all of it.
And I promise that the pain you carry will disappear.
I promise that the guilts you feel will vanish.
All of the hurts that make you hate yourself and look for shallow fulfillment will leave you.
I promise you will not be sorry, you just need to listen. And accept that our Lord has more love, a deeper love, for you than any love you have ever experienced.
And, sweet sister, you are worth it. You are worth all of it. More than you know.
I hope one day, I show you this blog. When you are ready to listen, and He guides you to him, that the Holy Spirit moves in your hear and that His love overwhelms and envelopes you.
One day.
God Bless,
Rebecca
Letters to Cissy 