Argentine cardinal: do not concede to the world

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio called on bishops in Argentina to serve as pastors but avoid the temptation of surrendering to riches, vanity, and pride.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

By CNA

Article Tools

Discuss

The Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, encouraged members of the Bishops’ Conference this week to serve the people as pastors, but to avoid falling into the temptation of the “prudence” of the world, “a prudence born of the surrender to riches, vanity and pride.”

During his homily at the opening Mass of the Argentinean Bishops’ Plenary Assembly, Cardinal Bergoglio called on the bishops to accept and fully receive the Holy Spirit in their hearts, in order to “allow ourselves to be introduced by Him into the Mystery, and to be sent by Him as witnesses, so that we may not be a Gnostic or a self-referential Church.”

He went on to note that the presence of the Holy Spirit “in our hearts dissipates the darkness of lies and the clouds of these pseudo-truths, these half-truths,” which are expressions of worldliness, where the Holy Spirit cannot enter.

“If this spiritual worldliness were to invade the Church and work to corrupt it, attacking her in her very beginnings, it would be infinitely more disastrous than any mere moral worldliness.

“Spiritual worldliness is nothing other than an anthropocentric attitude, a subtle humanism that is enemy of the living God—and, in secret, no less an enemy of man—which can take root in us through a thousand ways.”

“When a priest negotiates with this attitude, he ceases to be a pastor of the people and becomes a cleric of the state, an official,” the cardinal explained.

The Holy Spirit rescues us from this “spirit of the world,” he concluded.

Filed under argentina, catholic, christianity, theology, society

South America

Featured

Bloody piranha attacks in Brazil
Scores of victims resulted from piranha attacks in Brazil. more
Colombia: Narco violence especially effects Indigenous and Afro-Colombians
Armed attacks by FARC narco-terrorists in Colombian region bordering Panama may have been intended to draw attention away from a drug shipment. more
Brazilian evangelical church leaders cited for money laundering
Founded in 1977 in Rio de Janeiro, the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God has an affiliate church in Houston Texas. Its founder is charged with laundering millions of dollars of donations. more
Argentina: Christians presenting united front against abortion
At least 500,000 women per year have abortions in Argentina. It is believed 3,000 women have died as a result of abortion since 1983. The procedure remains illegal. more
Chile: Pro-family advocates rally to support embattled father
more
Brazil: Stranded Haitians on brink of humanitarian crisis
more
Bolivia: Catholic Church in solidarity with Indigenous peoples
more
Bolivia: Catholic bishop says indigenous people have a say in road development
more
Chile: Catholic bishops call for dialogue as violent demonstrations reach southern hemisphere
Students and universities continue to clash. more

Comments

Popular Right Now

Singer Whitney Houston, dead at 48
Sundered by drug abuse and a slumping career, the talented and once beautiful Whitney Houston has passed away.
Alyssa Bustamante, teen murderer, sentenced to life
The murderer faces the possibility of parole, and avoided confinement with adult criminals.
Life imitates art for drunken singer Randy Travis
Randy Travis, country crooner, sought solace at a local church following a fight with his girlfriend.
Teen murderer's diary reveals delight in killing nine-year-old girl
Alyssa Bustamante is awaiting sentence for the 2009 murder of a playmate.
Tone-deaf Obama reaps criticism for contraception mandate
Erstwhile Obama administration officials are holding back campaign support over the Chief Executive's decision to force Catholic hospitals to provide contraception for employees.

Popular Commentary

Obama adds insult to injury to Americans
Obama has put an end to the American Experiment
Hedonism has become America's official religion.
Obama has officially ended the American Experiment
Hedonism has become America's official religion.
On St Valentine's Day it is time to reflect on love
On St. Valentine's Day, let us examine our consciences and reflect upon our behavior towards others. Seek the source of Love.
Obamacare is about the lust for abortion
Obama would like nothing bettert than to force all religious institutions to provide abortion coverage. But the foremost issue is religious liberty.

New Reports

Singer Whitney Houston, dead at 48
Sundered by drug abuse and a slumping career, the talented and once beautiful Whitney Houston has passed away.
Growing tensions between Sudan and South Sudan
Obama may reach 'accomodation' over contraception mandate
Brazil to prosecute six men in connection with murder of native people
Guarani communities are frequently the target of Brazilian ranchers and foresters.
Vatican symposium on sexual abuse underscores reforms made by Pope Benedict

New World News

Singer Whitney Houston, dead at 48
Sundered by drug abuse and a slumping career, the talented and once beautiful Whitney Houston has passed away.
Pakistan: Short stories in Punjabi, to promote Christian values and common good
Fr. Mukhtar Alam has published a volume of stories of his mother. Stories that give "light" to those who are in the "dark" and teach the common good. At presentation, near the cathedral of Faisalabad, intellectuals, writers and leaders of the Church of Pakistan Muslim.
Hong Kong: Hong Kong, jobs emergency: workers shortage by 2018
One government study confirms need for 14 thousand workers by 2018 to maintain economic growth at current levels. Behind this there are restrictive policies on birth control imposed by Beijing and the decision not to give citizenship to those born in the Territory.
Myanmar: Monk Gambira, leader of the Saffron Revolution, free again
The authorities had yesterday detained him "for questioning". First released only a month ago, Gambira has spent the past three years in prison for leading protests by monks against the Burmese government.
India: Karnataka: Jesuits and schools targeted by Hindu nationalists
Three attacks since 2011 at St. Joseph's PU College, Anekal. The religious are accused of not having displayed the national flag on Republic Day, but the president has always denied this. Silence of police and authorities. Sajan George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC): ...

RSS

Twitter

Facebook

Google+
Submit a tip
Advertise
Terms of use
Privacy Policy
Contact