Abandoned By The Vatican

How does the Church function in the world? What is it called to do, and what does it actually do? Charles E. Curran explores the social mission of the U.S. Catholic Church from a theological perspective, analyzing and assessing four aspects: the importance of social mission, who carries it out, how it is carried out, and the roles that the Church and individual Catholics play in supporting these efforts. In the early and mid-twentieth century the Catholic Church in the United States tended to focus its social mission on its own charities, hospitals, and schools. But the Second Vatican Council called the Church to a new understanding of social mission, deepening its involvement in and commitment to civic, social, and political life in the United States and abroad. Curran devotes particular attention to three issues that have reflected the Church's strong sense of social mission since that time: abortion, war and peace, and labor. The Social Mission of the U.S. Catholic Church describes the proper role of bishops, institutions, and movements in the Church, but insists that the primary role belongs to all the baptized members of the Church as they live out the social mission in their daily lives.

The doctrinal and structural revolution currently underway in the Roman Catholic Church is alarming for several reasons, not least because of the arbitrary nature of its imposition and the absence of resistance it has encountered. The reluctance of many to challenge the authority of the pope, tied to the increasing personal veneration by the faithful of each successive incumbent of the Holy See, is arguably a symptom of unresolved unclarity surrounding the nature of authority in the Church dating back to the First Vatican Council. In Infallibility, Integrity and Obedience, John Rist unflinchingly exposes the developments that have bred this crisis of understanding - and the resulting rejection of tradition in the papal agenda - over the past hundred and fifty years. Reserving particular attention for the Roman Catholic dilemmas, political and theological, of the 1930s, the mid-twentieth-century debates on reproductive technology, and the advent of 'celebrity autocracy', he shows how a misapprehension of the nature and definition of papal infallibility is at the root of the major issues facing the Church today. Most importantly, he proposes how the conciliar and individual decisions that have led to the current situation might be reversed, and how the proper role of the Pope can be reclaimed for the good of the Church.

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The Vatican Assassin Trilogy under one cover - Vatican Assassin - Vatican Ambassador - and Vatican Abdicator - an original science fiction series by Mike Luoma! Follow the career of ""BC"" - Bernard Campion - from hit man for the Pope to the heights of human power - from holy killer to champion of all humanity... Kinda. In Vatican Assassin, it's 2109 and BC poses as a priest - But he's really an assassin for the New catholic Church. His assignment: assassinate Meredith McEntyre, Governor of Lunar Prime, the non-aligned city-state on the Moon. They tell him she's about to help the wrong side in an out of control interplanetary War between the west and Islam. BC's next move will change everything! In Vatican Ambassador, the old pope has died. Seemingly unaware of BC's role, the new one names BC acting Vatican Ambassador to Lunar Prime. Can BC handle it? And in the trilogy's finale, Vatican Abdicator, BC tries to help humankind survive in the face of a massive external threat!

In this powerful new autobiography, Cardinal Joseph Zen -- the outspoken former Bishop of Hong Kong -- reflects on his life in the Catholic Church in China during a time of intense persecution and suffering. In these revealing pages, Cardinal Zen spares no detail in in discussing his countless fights and struggles with the Chinese government as well as the Vatican in defense of his countrymen. You'll follow the life and spiritual journeys of one of the Church's most renowned cardinals as he travels between Catholic communities in Shanghai, Italy, and Hong Kong. You'll meet the holy men and women he worked with along the way who have valiantly defended the Church against those that would like to control her until her message. Here, for the first time ever, is Cardinal Zen's story of struggle, but also of gratitude for the Lord who has always helped him conquer a life-time of set-backs and disappointments.

Despite all the hoopla about Pope John Paul II, some believe he has been an unparalleled disaster in the history of the papacy and of the Church. In Crossing the Threshold of Confusion, author Andrew J. McCauley examines the record of this pope and discusses the harm he has done or has allowed to have happened not only to the Church but to Western civilization. McCauley uncovers countless faults many Catholic leaders have overlooked, including: - Pope John Paul II's failure to enforce discipline in the Church, especially against widespread sexual abuse by priests; - his statements alleging and implying universal salvation; - the destabilization of marriage caused by his theology of the body; - the conflicting messages that confuse the Church's position on capital punishment; - his stance on the nature of the Church as a result of Vatican II. This exploration of recent Catholic history studies the ideas, writings, and policies of Pope John Paul II, from his life a young priest to his final days as pope, and examines their compatibility with traditional Catholic doctrine and practice. Crossing the Threshold of Confusion presents a case against the canonization of Pope John Paul II and demonstrates how his record warrants condemnation.

Taking up where Christopher Hitchens' God Is Not Great left off, 24 Reasons to Abandon Christianity reveals Christianity's cruelty, dishonesty, fear-mongering, hypocrisy, misogyny, homophobia, dogmatism, and authoritarianism, and all of the misery, destruction, and death caused by these things. 24 Reasons to Abandon Christianity also reveals the roots of these characteristics, and why Christianity leads to all of these evils. While the book treats serious topics, its tone—much like Hitchens' book—is analytical, but also breezy and biting.