Thoughts on Social Problems
In his speech to the Conservative Conference today David Cameron spoke about solving the social problems of the nation. It was a touching speech and he obviously was sincere. What did he talk about. He was talking about children in care growing up almost inevitably to live in poverty, and so many committed suicide, while 70 per cent of prostitutes grew up in Childrens' Homes, you can add to his list drugs, failed relationships and single mothers if they are allowed to keep their offspring. It it just one terrible mess. Of course this is another group of people 'just outside the Church door' that few Church people give any attention to whatsoever. If you can't raise funds or sell cakes it seems in a Church without vision there is nothing we can do.
But yet again the answer was given by Jesus Himself and the answer is marriage and family. the moral teachings of Jesus are dismissed too easily these days as ideals we can forget about for they are too hard to live and Jesus will understand. I have a strange feeling though that perhaps he does not. Like the Jews who probably went off grumbling and 'hurt' after he talked about Divorce and Remarriage, the Catholic Church in England and Wales looks on with the same hardness of heart that Jesus condemned.
I have spoken in other posts of the unhappiness of children who are not raised in Childrens Homes but in broken families. How can we look on our society as Catholics and not ask ourselves why such things have happened. Why are so many children facing such misery? Perhaps it is because inside of us we already know the answer. We are tepid in faith and do not want to know the consequences of our actions. St Augustine who was an adulterer eventually found no happiness in his life and looked on in amazement at a Catholic Church who did not share the moral values of the society he live in. They were chaste before marriage which meant they were faithful after marriage. He was drawn to this way of life almost against his will because it was changing so many things for the better. Divorce was condemned although there were circumstances of a serious nature that could show that like today some marriages never really took place and could be annulled. But these were exceptions.
Can we bring back the Church of Augustine, the Church founded on the principles given it by Jesus, the Church that would help His 'will be done on earth as it is in heaven'. We can or Jesus would have wasted three years of teaching.
The challenge is for Catholics to cherish marriage even if they are divorced or separated. Of course it is a tough calling for someone who perhaps has suffered so much but for the sake of building the Kingdom and a happy future for their children they should heed His words "My yoke is light, my burden is sweet" and be celibate for the sake of marriage.
There are more intelligent people than myself working on this at the Synod on the Family. We hope the Holy Spirit will guide them as they have always guided the Church. No politician can solve moral problems it is for the Church to begin the work of changing society. And the Church is you and me.
But yet again the answer was given by Jesus Himself and the answer is marriage and family. the moral teachings of Jesus are dismissed too easily these days as ideals we can forget about for they are too hard to live and Jesus will understand. I have a strange feeling though that perhaps he does not. Like the Jews who probably went off grumbling and 'hurt' after he talked about Divorce and Remarriage, the Catholic Church in England and Wales looks on with the same hardness of heart that Jesus condemned.
I have spoken in other posts of the unhappiness of children who are not raised in Childrens Homes but in broken families. How can we look on our society as Catholics and not ask ourselves why such things have happened. Why are so many children facing such misery? Perhaps it is because inside of us we already know the answer. We are tepid in faith and do not want to know the consequences of our actions. St Augustine who was an adulterer eventually found no happiness in his life and looked on in amazement at a Catholic Church who did not share the moral values of the society he live in. They were chaste before marriage which meant they were faithful after marriage. He was drawn to this way of life almost against his will because it was changing so many things for the better. Divorce was condemned although there were circumstances of a serious nature that could show that like today some marriages never really took place and could be annulled. But these were exceptions.
Can we bring back the Church of Augustine, the Church founded on the principles given it by Jesus, the Church that would help His 'will be done on earth as it is in heaven'. We can or Jesus would have wasted three years of teaching.
The challenge is for Catholics to cherish marriage even if they are divorced or separated. Of course it is a tough calling for someone who perhaps has suffered so much but for the sake of building the Kingdom and a happy future for their children they should heed His words "My yoke is light, my burden is sweet" and be celibate for the sake of marriage.
There are more intelligent people than myself working on this at the Synod on the Family. We hope the Holy Spirit will guide them as they have always guided the Church. No politician can solve moral problems it is for the Church to begin the work of changing society. And the Church is you and me.
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