La Plata, Argentina, Aug 9, 2010 / 14:02 pm
The “post-Christian paganism fervently practiced by people who call themselves Christian,” is what makes people oblivious to the increasing inhumanity of society, said Archbishop Hector Aguer of La Plata, Argentina in a recent homily.
During an August 4 Mass at the archdiocesan seminary, the archbishop warned of a “common slip-up today” which consists of “being concerned about the social, cultural and political consequences of the faith, without asking oneself about the truth and credibility of the faith - which is taken as a given.”
“People of faith are here on earth to preach the faith, which centers around the death and resurrection of Christ, in order to show clearly its foundation and lead others to discover its harmonious beauty,” the archbishop said.
Archbishop Aguer also stressed the importance of strong preaching in response to the challenges of today’s culture. “According to Catholic tradition, man cannot permanently observe all the precepts of the natural law without the help of grace. In other words, only by entering into redeeming contact with Jesus Christ is complete fulfillment of human existence possible,” he declared.
“Without the faith, without the grace of redemption, man cannot reach the fullness of humanity,” he continued. He also denounced the country's recent legalization of same-sex marriage, which “lay bare the pathetic de-Christianization of Argentina, and most especially, the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of its leaders.”
“The lack of faith of so many baptized people, the depth of their religious ignorance and their indifference to the mystery of Salvation explains why these people cannot perceive the natural order of creation and its reflection in their consciences. It escapes them. The true humanity of man is hidden from them, leaving nothing more than a caricature in the secular religion of human rights,” the archbishop said.
He added that “it is a sort of post-Christian paganism fervently practiced by people who call themselves Christian.”
For this reason, priests must embrace their mission to reach out to all without exception. “This requires study, prayer, penance, great love that is patient and understanding, and perhaps the testimony of a moral martyrdom, the prelate concluded.