One thing Gus has talked about extensively over the last couple of years is the "rise of the nones"; that is, people who don't claim any religious affiliation whatsoever. It appears that many Catholics are leaving the Church and not replacing it with another church. Gus asks listeners to call in and give their opinion on why people are leaving and what can be done about it.
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Hi Gus,
I wrote to you earlier about this segment of the NONES.
I regarded this as an intentional rosary from the first moment I thought of it. Some people may take exception to this. I don’t desire to step on anyone’s toes.
I now realize that it may be a Rosary of Reparation. Other intentions may be added to it.
I just went on YouTube to search “Rosary of Reparation”. I had never heard of it before.
Just thought you might be interested.
Best of intentions and wishes to all… Steve
First time listener on SAT Ch 129 Thursday talking about “Nones”. (I’m and ELCA Lutheran.) I think the issue of declining numbers is related to stagnant churches vs. vibrant churches. Stagnant churches have people come in the door, sit and listen, receive communion and leave. Those people are the ones that are the most likely to disappear eventually. Vibrant churches have members who live as the body of Christ. They have a worship service, be it traditional or modern, be it led by a charismatic preacher or a dull one, but the parish members also belong to the other groups within the church. They help the congregation feed the hungry, clothe the poor, participate in the homeless ministry or the after school program. They belong to a hiking group that goes out the 1st Sat. of the month to hike and enjoy a picnic lunch together. They have an active youth group that goes on a summer mission trip and goes to Miracle Camp or Sky Ranch or someplace where the kids can have their own mountain top experience. And a vibrant church has eager, excited volunteer members that want to see that the ministry programs of the church get done. They round up Lectors, find greeters, help with the youth soup suppers, and on and on. I suspect these are the churches that are growing. The question remains about how to find people to step up and do the necessary ministries, but I’ll bet it is contagious. Loved your show. Will listen when I have the chance. ps—you know your phone number and you say it like you know it. I don’t know it so all I got was 888-something. Why not say it twice, once at your normal speed and a second time slower. Would love to have been able to call in sometime.
Hi Gus,
I don’t presume to have the answer as to what can be done about the rise of the NONES. We must trust, hope, have faith in, and love the Holy Will of God. He knows what will happen; and how the victory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary will be achieved. Mary will step on the head of the ancient serpent. I think she will be holding a Rosary when she does it!
Enemy armies of the past that greatly outnumbered the Christian armies were defeated through the Rosary. It is powerful through the meditations of Our Lords life, sufferings, death, and Resurrection, and the blessings Our Lord grants to those who pray it. It was a gift to St. Dominic and the world by the Blessed Virgin; and she has recommended it numerous times, as have many Popes.
The Holy Eucharist is the center of our faith. The Holy Eucharist is Jesus Christ. If the center of our faith is dismissed or ignored, people will move away from the faith.
The intentional Rosary is very important part of defeating armies, plagues, abortion, illness, etc. I think it is time to pray the intentional Rosary with the Holy Eucharist at the center of our intentions. Other intentions can be added together with our Eucharistic intentions.
Our Lady is often pictured holding the child Jesus and the Rosary. She is holding the Holy Eucharist and the Rosary. He is the Bread of Life come down from heaven.
I began using the following intentions after daily mass on the Feast of Pope St. Gregory the Great:
In Reparation for desecrated Hosts; In Reparation for sacrilegious receptions of the Holy Eucharist; In Reparation for unbelief in the real presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist—-especially among Catholic Christians; In Reparation for lukewarm receptions of the Holy Eucharist; and lastly—- for a great resurgence of belief in the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist and for a great increase of love for Jesus in this Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
I do not presume to tell others what to do. I know that the power of the Rosary is immense. Mary recommends it. Daily mass is even more important and powerful.
Steve
I think it’s mainly widespread education of the masses. Both my husband and I were raised Catholic. I’m a practicing Catholic, he is not. His reasoning is pretty simple: he doesn’t believe in the logic of it. He doesn’t believe in miracles, he doesn’t believe humanity has been saved by one man that was born 2,000 years ago, he doesn’t believe in magical beings, or the resurrection, etc etc. And I can’t fault him for that. He’s a practical person.
Yes,over the course of history the population was mainly working class. People weren’t educated on things like science, biology, evolution, etc. So they were much more prone to believe in the unseen to explain why things happened.
In other words, it’s just Progress. You can’t stop it. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle.
First time listener on SAT Ch 129 Thursday talking about “Nones”. I’m and ELCA Lutheran. I think the issue is really stagnant churches vs. vibrant churches. Stagnant churches have people come in the door, sit and listen, receive communion and leave. Those people are the ones that are the most likely to disappear eventually. Vibrant churches have members who live as the body of Christ. They have a worship service, be it traditional or modern, be it led by a charismatic preacher or a dull one, but the parish members also belong to the other groups within the church. They help the congregation feed the hungry, clothe the poor, participate in the homeless ministry or the after school program. They belong to a hiking group that goes out the 1st Sat. of the month to hike and enjoy a picnic lunch together. They have an active youth group that goes on a summer mission trip and goes to Miracle Camp or Sky Ranch or someplace where the kids can have their own mountain top experience. And a vibrant church has members that want to see that the ministry programs of the church get done. They round up Lectors, find greeters, help with the youth soup suppers, and on and on. I suspect these are the churches that are growing. The question remains about how to find people to help step up and do the necessary ministries, but I’ll bet it is contagious. Loved your show. Will listen when I have the chance. ps—you know your phone number and you say it like you know it. I don’t know it so all I got was 888-something. Why not say it twice, once at your normal speed and a second time slower. Would loved to have been able to call in.