By Stephen K. Ryan

Author of “The Madonna Files”
comming soon

Peace – Not Politics – Confession Lines not Press Releases

In the United States an enormous battle has erupted over Obama’s new rule forcing Catholic Hospitals and Universities to offer contraception coverage in their health care plans.

We are not questioning the Catholic Church’s position on the matter and we understand the issue is about religious freedoms – but we sometimes grow weary how each day the Catholic Church seems to get more defined by issues relating to sex, cultural wars and political battles.

It seems the Catholic Church is morphing into a kind of of Christian right hybrid where ones passion and faith is defined by ones political positions.

Our Lady the Queen of Peace from Medjugorje has brought millions of Catholics and unbelievers back to the faith with her message of peace.   Medjugorje is also known as the “World’s  confessional” She talks of sin, and Satan and is not afraid to issue warnings. Our Lady is not a relativist or modernist, She is a traditionalist, but she leads us to Jesus with her message of love.

Our Lady encourages us to battle sin (the use of birth control for example) with her persistent call to Pray, pray, pray.

It seems to me our Church leaders want to battle sin with lawyers,court hearings, legislation, and media press releases.

I would like to see longer confessionals lines and less talk of sex.

The Queen of Peace at Medjugorje asks us to have “Peace in our hearts”
It seems too often our Bishops ask us to have Politics in our Heart. -not peace.

All I can say is thank God for Medjugorje – It seems to be the last place left where we can find the heart of the ministry of Jesus Christ. “Peace I give to you; peace I leave with you.

From an anonymous e-mail that was sent to minitryvalues.com (with permissions)
 Why the hyper-focus on the sins of sexuality at this stage of the game?’ unfortunately, i see many members of our church wrapped up in the American version of a pseudo-christian political right wing and try to identify or label the church in this same vein. In the past, the Catholic Church was good about staying true to our teaching, and keeping an arms length from the American political culture scene. Unfortunately, I think many bishops have involved themselves deeper into this picture due to pressure from powerful church members. they demand that the bishops make a stand, and force them to do so. 

For me, it all boils down to this struggle that is going on within the US and the catholic church here. It certainly does not seem to be a similar message that is happening with the church in other countries. in other words, i don’t necessarily see it as a ‘catholic’ problem as a whole, but an American-catholic one.

My feelings about this issue were best summed up by Pope Benedict XVI in his last trip to the US. When he was at a press meeting, being bombarded by political/social/religious questions from the media who were trying to pin the holy father into a right-wing political camp, he grew tired of the line of questioninng, responding simply and sadly that americans don’t really care about religion or morality, but merely about the ‘cult of politics’.

I don’t think Rome is happy that some american bishops are becoming so politically vocal, these bishops may think they are serving a greater good now, but in the end, they will have to be true to the church’s teachings on ALL issues and having so deeply aligned with one group will cause conflict later with issues that are contrary to the church’s teachings on other issues, such as social justice. as they say, you can’t serve two masters. It’s either the catholic church or the cult of politics–it can’t be both.