Protesters Pray For The Future Of The Philadelphia Catholic Church

February 3, 2012 5:02 PM

Reporting Hadas Kuznits

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By Hadas Kuznits

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - With so much attention on the Catholic Church now following the death of Cardinal Bevilacqua, some folks are hoping to force the church to be more forthcoming.

Folks concerned about the future of the Catholic Church gathered in front of the administrative offices of the archdiocese of Philadelphia for a prayerful vigil. Nancy Mortimer O’Brien is one of the organizers asking the archdiocese for some accountability:

“People are just disenchanted. For years it was ‘Pay, pray and obey’ and they did it.”

And it’s not just the church sex abuse scandal they’re concerned about:

“There are other people who’ve been invited (to this vigil) who want to see the books,” said Sister Maureen Turlish, a former Catholic School teacher.

Protesters Pray For The Future Of The Philadelphia Catholic Church

(Credit: Hadas Kuznits, KYW Newsradio)

“The diocese says, ‘Well we can’t afford this and we don’t have money for that,’ but we don’t know what money the diocese has because they’ve never provided a full accounting!”

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Gloria Sullivan

Mary…if you don’t know what is the “truth,” how can anyone tell you?? “You will know them by their fruits” Are there any good fruits coming out of an institution that claims their clergy represent Jesus Christ here on earth.? NO!

I am 83 yrs old in Aug. and I was a convert to the rcc at 12. I know by where I speak..
If you want details of “Truth” , look in the paper, look on line, look in your Bible and you’ll find out more details than you need.

The KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOUI. No one can take that from you but you!

This institution is not the church. Jesus Christ said, “WE are the church”…. Yes that’s you an me, who believe in HIM and not persons who behave like demons….

You’ve been generationally “brain washed” as we all have been. Do not buy the lies of the devil in a “faux church “that has no visable fruits other than sour fruits of greed and sefishness…

Thank God for the media…It keeps people honest and reliable. Also all the bloggers who write every single day to say to people who have nothing but themselves on their minds, that there is a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY ,THAT IS BEING COMMITTED EVERDAY BY THE RCC. and you take no notice. Same on you!! .
I blast the “evil one” who resides in the rcc. IMHO . You should not denounce Christ by standing for the evil in your midst. .

Mary

Gloria – Your comment is insulting not only to me but to Jesus Himself. I am truly sorry that at 82 years of age you do not realize that Christianity is not about hate but about love. You have hate in your heart which has no place in Christianity. It is you that have have not read church history and you who have not interpreted the Bible correctly. Is the Catholic Church the only “institution” that has has sexual crimes against the youth? No! Read about the sex crimes l going on in the Orthodox Jewish Community. Fruits? I can attest to personal fruits. My husband is a convert to Catholicism from Judaism..Brainwashed? I don’t think so. After being away from the Church for many years I felt Jesus calling me back. I will be eternally grateful for that invitation. Every day of my life I see fruits in my life that attest to the miracle of God working in my life and the lives of my family and friends and parishioners.

Mary

@Gloria – Just exactly what is it that true that you have heard? The Church belongs to Christ and it is He alone who is holy. The rest of us have to try and we have failed many times. Just where do you propose we go before we lose our souls? Ignorant comments are annoying to say the least. The Catholic Church is the church founded by Christ. Read your history and you will see that I’m correct. Before you blast the Catholic Church please be sure to take an honest and thorough look at all religions that are replete with issues, the media just doesn’t publicize it because the media for the most part is anti-Catholic.
Gloria Sullivan

I just read a comment on my” kindle fire “,that was in support of the “one and only RCC” It’s not here on my pc. What happened. ?
I’d certainly like to answer that uninformed , misguided person whose head is still in the sand….. that ….. after 60 yrs in this church(?) we have found out that every thing we ever heard that was rotten(and never would believe it from the religious in our family) was true! True, , true, and more than that, was so disgustingly true we wanted to puke.

I pray there are no more future catholics, as it will be their downfall, if they get baptised into it. This institution has been or was taken over (from the very beginning) by the evil one and al his ambassadors..Get out while you still have your soul.
Kurt Gladsky

Skip the demonstrations. The Roman Catholic church will never be accountable. When you have built your church,not on the rock of God’d word, but the “infallibility” of wicked popes you will reap what you have sown. I am not a “survior” of sexual abuse. I am a conqueror in Christ Jesus.I am a bible beliving Christian. When I gave my life to Jesus Christ, {It was a consious decision I wasn’t baptized into it as an infant} my life radically changed. Now the worst thing that ever happened became the best thing that ever happened to me! I now know my life’s purpose.To share the Gospel of grace and redemption,and to trust Him and help others. For more info go to: http://www.calvaryftl.org Kurt Gladsky,Towson Maryland, Miami Florida.
Jeannie Guzman

The following are just random guesses on my part: Could it be that this group possibly wants to see how much Archbishop Chaput is paying his high-priced Denver lawyers and the lobbyists, which the Archdiocese has hired to keep the Statute of Limitations in cases of sex abuse from being extended? Maybe the group wants to compare the costs of keeping grade schools and high schools open in comparison to the Archdiocese’s legal bills, which aren’t paid with Hail Marys! Could it be that the education of future Catholic adults isn’t as important as paying lobbyists and attorneys? Golly, this is getting complicated!
Bill

They need to step INSIDE a Church!

Theresa

Bill-I do step inside my parish church-every Sunday and sometimes on weekdays. I also like to visit an adoration chapel at a nearby parish-since our parish doesn’t have one. I was also outside 222 N 17th Street on Friday and have been down there a couple other times in the past year on the first Friday vigils. I was there to support the victims and their families.In my vocation as a wife and mother I have followed the teachings of our church, even some tough teachings when faced with infertility, because I believe in them. If I can follow church teachings with regard to my vocation, the priests and in particular the bishops should have been able to follow church teachings. I am thinking of one in particular when Jesus said:

“At that time the disciples* approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,* you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. * And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

“Whoever causes one of these little ones* who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

Gloria Sullivan

When you step into the adoration chapel, what do you do there? Worship the Bread that is behind the glass? . No, you pray to Jesus who is the bread of Life. You make it REAL by your Faith in HIM, not by the(supposed) consecration from bread to Jesus that the priest does. No one has the ability to do that, other than you… You consecrate the bread and wine..no one other than you ,by YOUR Faith.

It is best to follow the teaching of the Bible, rather than a group of men who wish to give you ideas that were theirs, not of the Christ.our Lord and ?Savior. The rcc didn’t save you HE did.

Your quotes from the Bible are perfect. Keep reading. HE will reval HIMSELF to you in a special way.

Mary

The ignorance in these comments about Catholicism is astounding. How dare you insult Catholics in their belief on the Eucharist? Perhaps you should read, and re-read the bread of life discourse in the Gospel of St. John. Did Jesus say to his disciples that they were misinterpreting what he was saying? No! Why would St. Paul tello us to examine our conscience before we receive the Eucharist lest we bring condemnation upon ourselves? For just a piece of bread? Of course not! Read the early church fathers. St. Ignatius of Antioch in particular who was martyred for his faith and defended the Eucharist as he was being led to his death to be devoured by the lions. Ignorance is not bliss; it is just plain ignorance and hateful when used to attack others.