Archbishop denounces “Catholics” who fight against Church teaching

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Aug 15, 2007 / 08:04 am

During a recent radio program, Archbishop Domingo Salvador Castagna of Corrientes (Argentina) denounced those who claim to be Catholic yet fight against the Church’s authentic teachings.

The Argentinean prelate referred to what he called “an enraged battle against the ecclesial principles of Catholic doctrine” that “has received an inexplicable amount of publicity.”  He pointed out that many who claim to be “Catholic, Apostolic and Roman” use the “fallacious excuse that the traditional teachings of the Church are the disputable opinions of her pastors, and therefore they oppose them and declare themselves to be exempt from having to follow them.”

“Nothing could be more deceitful, with tragic consequences for the honesty of persons and communities,” the archbishop said.  “It’s always the right time, and now it’s more urgent than ever, to definitively eliminate scheming and lying from our lives,” he continued.  “Jesus insists on transparency and truth,” the archbishop told his radio audience. 

He went to say that the proclamation of the Word of God is urgent in today’s world, in order to “overcome evil with good and get new and numerous converts to live in a Christian way.”  To live as Christians means exercising the Christian virtues, he said, and gaining knowledge of Church teaching and how to courageously apply it in “the most adverse circumstances.”

The archbishop noted that the “scandals created by Christian believers, especially by those in consecrated life, reveal the absence of the Spirit of Pentecost.  To not submit to the Holy Spirit is to reject Christ who gives it.” 

Therefore, he said, “it is timely that we examine and determine to what point Christ is rejected by many so-called Christians.”