Expert: Rick Jackson - 4/15/2007

Question
QUESTION: the catholic church holds assests, which i assume runs into the billions. you
surround yourselves in oppulance and material trinkets. my question is, how can
your church  in good concience, not put all your wealth in to helping all those
who live in desperate poverty. there are 18,000 children who die every day from
starvation. if you truly believe in what you preach, why do you not standup and
put your money where your mouth is?
ANSWER: 500 years ago, this was a very valid complaint.  Today it is unfounded.

I'm glad to see you use the term "I assume".  With all respect, your assumption is mistaken.

I encourage you to consider the source of your information when considering it's validity.

What is your source of this assumption that the Catholic Church is holding such assets that could/should be used elsewhere?

Look in your very own city and tell me that the Catholics are not quite active in a variety of charitable efforts...maybe more so than for other church groups.

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QUESTION: o.k. then you give me the real fiqure of your wealth. give me a number. you said
my assumtion was wrong, so common, give me the facts. you conveniately left
this out in your reply.
ANSWER: You made the claim, so the burden is on you.  I admit it: I have not seen an "operating statement" of the Roman Catholic Church.

Have you?

Again, you made the claim/accusation.  Is it facts that you base it on...or the claims of anti-Catholics?


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QUESTION: you said i was wrong. how do you know if you have not seen a statement.your
the expert! you have access. your response is weak. it is no less than i expected.
why all the secrecy? it is a simple question.
ANSWER: You make a claim without any substantiation then demand substantiation at my casting doubt on your claim?

That's absurd.

I'll play your way.  I retract my denial of your claim - and will reword it:

"I am not aware that what you say is true.  What is your evidence that it is true?"


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QUESTION: let's try this.    the artwork in the vadican alone would bring in hundreds of
millions of dollars. this alone could save thousands of lives. not to mention your
real estate holdings. you choose,.... trinkets or lives? comman sense tells me
what is right. where do you stand? what does your god tell you? does this not
trouble you?
ANSWER: To answer your question directly, no, it does not trouble me that our Church has valuable artwork.  I imagine that most Christian organizations have things of value.

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QUESTION: things of value?   how much is a life worth?  your choice is very illuminating.
ANSWER: And your judgments are illuminating too.  I guess we both have pre-conceived notions.

Are you a person of faith?  Do you belong to any organizations?  Can you assure me that every organization, religious or otherwise, that you have an affiliation with does not have assets that could be sold so that the money can be spent on what you see fit?

You seem so knowledgeable.  Is this because you are the one who dictates what some large organization does with it's assets and how it goes about it's charitable activities?

So many churches should be so lucky.

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QUESTION: i don't dictate to no one. i am only pointing out a misjustice. my personal beliefs
are of no factor, but i do have my priorities straight. i know what i value. it has
nothing to do with trinkets! ..... 18,000 dead children today. where is the
outrage from the pro lifers? the art would be quite safe with a private owner, and
thousands of beautiful children would be the benefactors. you have no
arguement. this is a no brainer. look to your base beliefs for some guidance.
ANSWER: Where is the outrage from pro lifers?  I'm not sure which rock you live under, but the Catholic Church is more involved in the pro life movement than any other Christian group.

Clearly you see a "misjustice"...I cannot argue with that.  I might only suggest that you look around you.  Are there any well known Protestants who agree with you on your position?  If so, who?

Hopefully, you might recognize some day that the absence of them means that you might be looking too hard to judge the Catholic Church.

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QUESTION: i was reffering to the living, not to some cells in a petrie dish. i not only
question the catholic position, but ALL organized religion. why you look to
the protestants and keep trying to deflect my simple questions is beyond me.
i am sure that somewhere within yourself you also see the injustice, and i
understand the anguish that you would suffer to admit it. i will not bother you
no more. i trust you are a good person, and you might reflect on our little
conversation. all the best to you, and i hope we can both work towards what
is right and just, in our own small way.      here's to the children.   terry
ANSWER: Terry it sounds like we both DO have the same goals.  Why you have the presumptions of inaction by the Catholic Church and it's members I will never know.

Yes, here's to the children.

Peace and Blessings, Terry.

Rick
www.catholictruths.com

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QUESTION: rick,  i would like to clear up one thing. i have the utmost respect for all the
good work that your members do, as well as those of other organizations. my
problem is with the priorities of the leadership.  we all have the right to
believe in what ever we like, as long as it is not detrimental to others. this is
where i have a problem. just think of all the death and destruction that has
been perpetrated by your religion and others in the name of your gods. this
has to change, and it will in time, in spite of your leaders. instead of working
things out with understanding, and respect  of other beliefs and customs,
religion chooses to convert by violence. i'm off on a bit of a tangent. sorry.  :)
i am an old man, and i have seen this happen over and over. i guess i am a
little frustrated that we haven't yet evolved past these childish endevers.
hopefully we will discover our comman thread and direct our energy's toward
the benefit of all.    the best to you.   peace   terry

Answer
I appreciate your words.  I did not recognize respect in your initial question.  

I wholeheartedly agree that there are things to be ashamed of in the history of the Christian faith in general:  As you say "death and destruction that has been perpetrated by your religion and others in the name of your gods" I agree.

But in saying this about today - and adding "instead of working things out with understand and respect of other beliefs and customs" I must disagree.  I don't see it.  In fact, I see the opposite.  I see a Church whose last leader openly recognized and apologized for the sins of our past.  Sure, words might seem weak, but we cant change the past.  We can, though, recognize the errors and resolve to not commit them again.

And as for working things out with understanding and respect of other beliefs and customs, I see the Catholic Church as the leader of "Religion" in pressing for this goal.

Thankfully, today's ecumenical movement is gaining popularity.  

In closing, let me cite some sections of our Catechism that might give you a bit of hope for the Catholic Church:

817 In fact, "in this one and only Church of God from its very beginnings there arose certain rifts, which the Apostle strongly censures as damnable. But in subsequent centuries much more serious dissensions appeared and large communities became separated from full communion with the Catholic Church - for which, often enough, men of both sides were to blame."269 The ruptures that wound the unity of Christ's Body - here we must distinguish heresy, apostasy, and schism270 - do not occur without human sin:

Where there are sins, there are also divisions, schisms, heresies, and disputes. Where there is virtue, however, there also are harmony and unity, from which arise the one heart and one soul of all believers.271

818 "However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with respect and affection as brothers .... All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church."

819 "Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth"273 are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: "the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements."274 Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him,275 and are in themselves calls to "Catholic unity."276

Toward unity

820 "Christ bestowed unity on his Church from the beginning. This unity, we believe, subsists in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose, and we hope that it will continue to increase until the end of time."277 Christ always gives his Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce, and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her. This is why Jesus himself prayed at the hour of his Passion, and does not cease praying to his Father, for the unity of his disciples: "That they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us, . . . so that the world may know that you have sent me."278 The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit.279

821 Certain things are required in order to respond adequately to this call:
- a permanent renewal of the Church in greater fidelity to her vocation; such renewal is the driving-force of the movement toward unity;280
- conversion of heart as the faithful "try to live holier lives according to the Gospel";281 for it is the unfaithfulness of the members to Christ's gift which causes divisions;
- prayer in common, because "change of heart and holiness of life, along with public and private prayer for the unity of Christians, should be regarded as the soul of the whole ecumenical movement, and merits the name 'spiritual ecumenism;"'282
-fraternal knowledge of each other;283
- ecumenical formation of the faithful and especially of priests;284
- dialogue among theologians and meetings among Christians of the different churches and communities;285
- collaboration among Christians in various areas of service to mankind.286 "Human service" is the idiomatic phrase.

822 Concern for achieving unity "involves the whole Church, faithful and clergy alike."287 But we must realize "that this holy objective - the reconciliation of all Christians in the unity of the one and only Church of Christ - transcends human powers and gifts." That is why we place all our hope "in the prayer of Christ for the Church, in the love of the Father for us, and in the power of the Holy Spirit."

841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."330

842 The Church's bond with non-Christian religions is in the first place the common origin and end of the human race:

All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city. . .331

843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life."332

844 In their religious behavior, however, men also display the limits and errors that disfigure the image of God in them:

Very often, deceived by the Evil One, men have become vain in their reasonings, and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and served the creature rather than the Creator. Or else, living and dying in this world without God, they are exposed to ultimate despair.

May the Peace and Joy of our Creator be with you,

Rick.