Sign in with Facebook
“A man remains a Christian as long as he makes the effort to give the central assent, as long as he tries to utter the fundamental Yes of trust, even if he is unable to fit in or resolve many of the details. There will be moments in life when, in all kinds of gloom and darkness, faith falls back on the simple, ‘Yes, I believe you, Jesus of Nazareth; I believe that in you was revealed that divine purpose which allows me to live with confidence, tranquility, patience, and courage.’ As long as this core remains in place, a man is living by faith, even if for the moment he finds many of the details of faith obscure and impracticable.
Let us repeat; at its core, faith is, not a system of knowledge, but trust.”
―
Let us repeat; at its core, faith is, not a system of knowledge, but trust.”
―
“Christian charitable activity must be independent of parties and ideologies. It is not a means of changing the world ideologically, and it is not at the service of worldly stratagems, but it is a way of making present here and now
the love which man always needs. The modern age, particularly from the nineteenth century on, has been dominated by various versions of a philosophy of progress whose most radical form is Marxism. Part of Marxist strategy is the theory of impoverishment: in a situation of unjust power, it is claimed, anyone who engages in charitable initiatives is actually serving that unjust system, making it appear at least to some extent tolerable. This in turn slows down a potential revolution and thus blocks the struggle for a better world. Seen in this way, charity is rejected and attacked as a means of preserving the status quo. What we have here, though, is really an inhuman philosophy. People of the present are sacrificed to the moloch of the future-a future whose effective realization is at best doubtful. One does not make the world more human by refusing to act humanely here and now. We contribute to a better world only by personally doing good now, with full commitment and wherever we have the opportunity, independently of partisan strategies and programmes. The Christian's programme-the programme of the Good Samaritan, the programme of Jesus- is "a heart which sees." This heart sees where love is needed and acts accordingly.”
― Deus caritas est: Of Christian Love
the love which man always needs. The modern age, particularly from the nineteenth century on, has been dominated by various versions of a philosophy of progress whose most radical form is Marxism. Part of Marxist strategy is the theory of impoverishment: in a situation of unjust power, it is claimed, anyone who engages in charitable initiatives is actually serving that unjust system, making it appear at least to some extent tolerable. This in turn slows down a potential revolution and thus blocks the struggle for a better world. Seen in this way, charity is rejected and attacked as a means of preserving the status quo. What we have here, though, is really an inhuman philosophy. People of the present are sacrificed to the moloch of the future-a future whose effective realization is at best doubtful. One does not make the world more human by refusing to act humanely here and now. We contribute to a better world only by personally doing good now, with full commitment and wherever we have the opportunity, independently of partisan strategies and programmes. The Christian's programme-the programme of the Good Samaritan, the programme of Jesus- is "a heart which sees." This heart sees where love is needed and acts accordingly.”
― Deus caritas est: Of Christian Love
“The increase in diversified organizations engaged
in meeting various human needs is ultimately due to the fact that the command of love of neighbour is inscribed by the Creator in man's very nature. It is also a result of the presence of Christianity in the world, since Christianity constantly revives and acts out this imperative, so often profoundly obscured in the course of time. The reform of paganism attempted by the emperor Julian the Apostate is only an initial example of this effect; here we see how the power of Christianity spread well beyond the frontiers of the Christian faith. For this reason, it is very important that the Church's charitable activity maintains all of its splendor and does not become just another form of social assistance.”
― Deus caritas est: Of Christian Love
in meeting various human needs is ultimately due to the fact that the command of love of neighbour is inscribed by the Creator in man's very nature. It is also a result of the presence of Christianity in the world, since Christianity constantly revives and acts out this imperative, so often profoundly obscured in the course of time. The reform of paganism attempted by the emperor Julian the Apostate is only an initial example of this effect; here we see how the power of Christianity spread well beyond the frontiers of the Christian faith. For this reason, it is very important that the Church's charitable activity maintains all of its splendor and does not become just another form of social assistance.”
― Deus caritas est: Of Christian Love
“The Church's social teaching argues on the basis of reason and natural law, namely, on the basis of what is in word with the nature of every human being. It recognizes that it is not the Church's responsibility to make this teaching prevail in political life. Rather, the Church wishes to help form consciences in political life and to stimulate greater insight into the authentic requirements of justice as well as greater readiness to act accordingly, even when this might involve conflict with situations of personal interest. Building a just social and civil order, wherein each person receives what is his or her due, is an essential task which every generation must take up anew. As a political task, this cannot be the Church's immediate responsibility. Yet, since it is also a most important human responsibility, the Church is duty-bound to offer, through the purification of reason and through ethical formation, her own specific contribution towards understanding the requirements of justice and achieving them politically.”
― Deus caritas est: Of Christian Love
― Deus caritas est: Of Christian Love
“Let us go a step farther. From the crisis of
today the Church of tomorrow will emerge-
a Church that has lost much. She will become
small and will have to start afresh more or less
from the beginning. She will no longer be able
to inhabit many of the edifices she built in pros-
perity. As the number of her adherents dimin-
ishes, so will she lose many of her social privi-
leges. In contrast to an earlier age, she will be
seen much more as a voluntary society, entered
only by free decision. As a small society, she will
make much bigger demands on the initiative of
her individual members. Undoubtedly she will
discover new forms of ministry and will ordain to
the priesthood approved Christians who pursue
some profession. In many smaller congregations
or in self-contained social groups, pastoral care
will normally be provided in this fashion. Along-
side this, the full-time ministry of the priesthood will be indispensable as formerly. But in all of the
changes at which one might guess, the Church
will find her essence afresh and with full conviction in that which was always at her center:
faith in the triune God, in Jesus Christ, the Son
of God made man, in the presence of the Spirit
until the end of the world. In faith and prayer
she will again recognize her true center and ex-
perience the sacraments again as the worship of
God and not as a subject for liturgical scholar-
ship.”
―
today the Church of tomorrow will emerge-
a Church that has lost much. She will become
small and will have to start afresh more or less
from the beginning. She will no longer be able
to inhabit many of the edifices she built in pros-
perity. As the number of her adherents dimin-
ishes, so will she lose many of her social privi-
leges. In contrast to an earlier age, she will be
seen much more as a voluntary society, entered
only by free decision. As a small society, she will
make much bigger demands on the initiative of
her individual members. Undoubtedly she will
discover new forms of ministry and will ordain to
the priesthood approved Christians who pursue
some profession. In many smaller congregations
or in self-contained social groups, pastoral care
will normally be provided in this fashion. Along-
side this, the full-time ministry of the priesthood will be indispensable as formerly. But in all of the
changes at which one might guess, the Church
will find her essence afresh and with full conviction in that which was always at her center:
faith in the triune God, in Jesus Christ, the Son
of God made man, in the presence of the Spirit
until the end of the world. In faith and prayer
she will again recognize her true center and ex-
perience the sacraments again as the worship of
God and not as a subject for liturgical scholar-
ship.”
―
Dalton’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Dalton’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
745 books
|
118 friends
307 books
|
2 friends
119 books
|
9 friends
1,668 books
|
21 friends
92 books
|
87 friends
865 books
|
95 friends
483 books
|
57 friends
382 books
|
75 friends
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Art, Biography, Christian, Classics, Fiction, History, Humor and Comedy, Non-fiction, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, and Science
Polls voted on by Dalton
Lists liked by Dalton
