IS IT TIME THAT WE FORGOT ABOUT ROME AND ESTABLISHED NATIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCHES?

IS IT TIME WE FORGOT ABOUT ROME AND ESTABLISHED NATIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCHES?

AT THIS STAGE PERHAPS WE THINKING CATHOLICS FORGOT COMPLETELY ABOUT ROME AND ESTABLISHED OUR OWN NATIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCHES?

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH RECOGNISING THE PRIMACY OF THE BISHOP OF ROME - AS A "FIRST AMONG EQUALS"

BUT IT IS QUITE CLEAR FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT THAT JESUS DID NOT INTEND TO SET UP THE CORRUPT HUMAN EMPIRE THAT NOW SURROUNDS THE BISHOP OF ROME.

IN FACT JESUS MUST BE VERY UNHAPPY ABOUT THE WEALTH, POWER AND CORRUPTION THAT TYPIFIES MODERN ROME - WITH A CORRUPT BANK WITH A BLASPHEMOUS NAME - THE BANK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

WHILE JESUS DID NOT DIRECTLY INITIATE HOLY ORDERS LIKE BISHOP, PRIEST AND DEACON - THERE IS A STRONG ARGUMENT FOR SAYING THAT THIS MINISTERIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH WAS ACCORDING TO THE "MIND OF CHRIST" - AS LONG AS BISHOPS, PRIESTS AND DEACONS ARE SERVANTS OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD AND ABOUT SERVICE.

BUT THERE IS NO SCRIPTURAL OR PROPER ARGUMENT FROM "TRADITION" FOR TITLES LIKE POPE, PONTIFEX MAXIMUS, PATRIARCH, CARDINAL, ARCHBISHOP, METROPOLITAN, SUFFRAGAN, MONSIGNOR, ARCHDEACON, CANON ETC ETC.

CANON LAW ITSELF IS A CONTRADICTION OF SCRIPTURE. WHY DO YOU NEED A MAN MADE LAW WHEN YOU HAVE THE LAW OF CHRIST?

WHO DOES THAT VATICAN NEED TO BE AN INDEPENDENT STATE? JESUS WAS POWERLESS AND ADVOCATED POWERLESSNESS.

WHO DOES THAT VATICAN NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN AND INTERFERING IN WORLD POLITICS?  A CHURCH SHOULD BE ABOUT SPIRITUALITY - NOT POLITICS.

WHY DO YOU NEED PAPAL NUNCIOS - AMBASSADORS - TO STATES?

WHY DO THESE NUNCIOS PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE APPOINTMENT OF THE OVERSEEING PASTORS - THE BISHOPS?  

SURELY BISHOPS SHOULD BE APPOINTED BY THE LOCAL CHURCH - THE PEOPLE AND THE CLERGY?

THERE IS A STRONG ARGUMENT FOR A "TEACHING AUTHORITY" IN A UNIVERSAL CHURCH. THAT CAN BE ALL THE BISHOPS OF THE WORLD GATHERED WITH THE BISHOP OF ROME - AS ONE "BROTHER BISHOP" BEING THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE EPISCOPAL GATHERING.

WHY SHOULD THE BODY ASSISTING THE BISHOP OF ROME CONSIST OF CLERGY. WHY NOT PAY WELL QUALIFIED LAY PERSONS TO WORK AS ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS TO THE BISHOP OF ROME?

I THINK ITS TIME FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCHES. THOSE NATIONAL CATHOLIC CHURCHES WOULD LOOK LIKE THIS:

1. THE NATIONAL CHURCHES WOULD CONSIST OF BISHOPS, PRIESTS AND DEACONS CHOSEN BY THE PEOPLE OF GOD UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

2. THE NATIONAL BODY OF BISHOPS COULD MEET WITH THE INTERNATIONAL BODY OF BISHOPS UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THEIR "BROTHER BISHOP" BISHOP OF ROME - TO PERFORM TEACHING AND GOVERNING FUNCTIONS.

3. THE NATIONAL CHURCH WOULD HOLD THE SCRIPTURES AS THE PRIMARY LAW AND SOURCE OF INSPIRATION.

4. THE NATIONAL CHURCH WOULD PROTECT AND ADMINISTER THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS.

5. THE NATIONAL CHURCH WOULD BE GOVERNED BY THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE CLERGY.

6. THESE NATIONAL CHURCHES WOULD ORDAIN MEN AND WOMEN TO MINISTRY.

7. CLERICAL CELIBACY WOULD BE OPTIONAL.

8. THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH COULD BEGIN A SCRIPTURE BASED REAPPRAISAL OF HUMAN SEXUALITY BASED ON A SOUND MORAL THEOLOGY AND TAKING NOTE OF WHAT SCIENCE, MEDICINE ETC TELLS US ABOUT HUMAN SEXUALITY.

9. THE NATIONAL AND UNIVERSAL CHURCH WOULD OUTLAW THE CULT OF "CLERICALISM". 

10. THE NATIONAL AND UNIVERSAL CHURCHES WOULD REJECT CULTS LIKE THE LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST; THE NEOCATECHUMENATE; OPUS DEI; COMMUNION AND LIBERATION; SOCIETY OF ST PIUS X;FOCOLARE ETC.

11. ALL NATIONAL CHURCHES WOULD PUBLISH A FULL SET OF ACCOUNTS ANNUALLY.

12. CHILD PROTECTION AND THE PROTECTION OF VULNERABLE ADULTS WOULD BE AT THE HEART OF THE CHURCH.

13. EACH NATIONAL CHURCH WOULD HAVE A FULLY TRANSPARENT DUE PROCESS FOR HANDLING ALL ITS DISPUTES.

14. CLERGY WOULD HAVE A RETIREMENT AGE OF 65.

15. EACH PARISH OR COMMUNITY WOULD BE RUN ON DEMOCRATIC LINES AND NO CLERGYMAN OR WOMAN WOULD EXERCISE VETOES.

16. THE NATIONAL CHURCH WOULD PROMOTE THE NOTION OF SECULAR AND PLURALIST SOCIETY AND NOT SEEK TO EXERCISE SPECIAL INFLUENCE IN THE NATION.

17. THE NATIONAL CHURCH WOULD PROMOTE A "ONE FOR ALL" STATE EDUCATION SYSTEM WITH ACADEMIC AND HOLISTIC EXCELLENCE AT ITS CORE.

18. THE NATIONAL CHURCH WOULD NOT SEE STATE FINANCES FOR ITS EXISTENCE OR ACTIVITIES - SAVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH OBJECTIVE STATE CHARITY LAW.

19. WHERE THE NATIONAL CHURCH WISHED TO HAVE PAID CLERGY AND HAD THE RESOURCES TO AFFORD SAME - THERE COULD BE PAID CLERGY. THERE COULD ALSO BE UNPAID OR NON-STIPENDARY BISHOPS, PRIESTS AND DEACONS.

THESE ARE SOME THOUGHTS.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR RESPONSES.

Bishop Pat 12.8.2013.