What does Universalism in Catholicism represent?
Kaminari “Danilee” Natsumi

    Catholicism is a universalistic branch of Christianity, derived from the Greek root [katholou] meaning “of the whole^1,2.” The organization of the catholic church embraces universal ideology and establishes its church [he katholike ekklesia] as an undivided, worldwide community².

    As such the Catholic church believes that God is found in everything, and attempts to make sense of our existence by all means, thus new scientific theories of the universe rarely conflicts with our tradition, nor are we quick reject unfamiliar philosophy due to our belief that the Lord is Truth, and Truth is found in everything³.

    An astounding example of Truth can even be found in the most adamant forms of pragmatic Atheism¹⁵. Catholics theorize that Atheism, the rejection of God^12,13,14, can arise from doubt, disappointment, and even contempt from profane injustice¹⁷. It would be factitious of Catholics to say they have never felt dreadful or outraged in the Lord’s name for any given reason¹⁸. A simple understanding allows us insight into an Atheist’s mind, heart, and perception of reality¹¹. While we can comprehend Atheist ideology when dissected from this disposition, we cannot solely accept it as Truth because it takes into account an extreme notion that there is no God from a violation of personalized ideas of fairness^4,16,17.

    Though we may not always agree with these theories wholly, we can always find the root of the Lord⁴ if given the time to contemplate, as seen with our unreciprocated catholic and baptized Christian relatives.

    A concrete example of this phenomenon has been recorded between the Roman Catholic Church and the Liberal Catholic Church. Liberal Catholicism emphases theosophy, a theology encompassing mysticism and new age free thinking⁸. This not only allows spiritual broadmindedness into its body, but elements of secular humanism that conflicts with Liturgical law^{8, 9, 10}. As a result, the Liberal Catholic Church is not in communion with the Roman Catholic Church⁹, though still respected as a branch of Christianity.

    These two examples paint a vivid picture of the Catholic churches view of universalism. We strive to make sense of the world by evaluating all theories in question, hence we are willing to accept outside ideology though we do not integrate it into our own. However, when discussion entities such as culture, Catholic universalism are very open to the idea of integration.

    While the Catholic church requires a series of procedures during Mass, practice of worship and celebration is open to variation^20,33. As a Universal organization, representatives from all of the Catholics churches world wide hold seats at Sancta Sedes^19,26 promoting diversity in practice and word. We have also, to this date, elected popes from a variety of countries including Italy, Greece, Netherlands, France, Northern Africa, Poland, Syria, Spain, Portugal, England and Germany²⁵.

    As a universal body who reaches to all of the churches in the communion, it is also our duty to maintain the spirit by protecting Catholics and Non-Catholics alike²⁷. We keep constant alignment with all of our churches with the Pope traveling the world throughout his reign for personalized visits and congregations³⁴.

    Catholic Missionaries world wide Evangelize and adapt to cultures, rather than impose their culture as witnessed with our protestant brothers and sister²³. Our mission is to baptize with consent ^21,24, and introduce to the Gospel. Our Protestant relatives took upon their cross with tremendous zeal, encouraging those they evangelized not only to accept Christ, but to convert to their culture and promoted agriculturalism²². While there has been overlap obverse the centuries, Catholics, believe all can be redeemed though action, have stressed less the conversion of culture and more directly on the gospel and the scripts²³ and emphasizing the role of charity to the poor²⁸.

    A modern day example of cultural adoption in the Catholic church recorded was the events of the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. When Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity in the mid 1940's, she exchanged her traditional Loreto habit for a white cotton sari with the permission of the Pope Pious XII in 1950³⁰. Hailing from Albania31, she was granted Indian citizen and has been remarked as “A true Indian in the Spirit of [their] Culture.²⁹”

    Such examples of religious diversity is the embodiment of the Holy Spirit. This is precisely why the Catholic church has always been a universal church that continues promote the religious agenda through localized cultural means, hence, the Catholic church is a universal organization for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. While it may be open to variation, this variation cannot transcend beyond Liturgical Law and will be rejected. Regardless, the Catholic church always gives though to outside ideology in order to find the Truth behind it. This is universalism in the Catholic Church.

Notes:

1. "Catholic". Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 2nd ed. 1989.

2.  Thurston, Herbert. "Catholic." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 11 Nov. 2010. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03449a.htm>.

3. Pope John Paul II. “The Uniqueness of the Catholic Church.” Catholic Answers. California: Catholic Answers, 2000. 11 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2000/0004trch.asp>

>  Papal Message for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
On Occasion of Plenary Assembly,
January 28, 2000

4. Shae, Mark. “What Every Catholic Needs to Know about the Church's uniqueness” Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly. Illinois: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing, 2010. 11 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.osv.com/tabid/7621/itemid/6731/In-Focus-What-every-Catholic-needs-to-know-about.aspx>

5. Boudinhon, Auguste. "Canon Law." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 11 Nov. 2010 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09056a.htm>.

6. The Vatican.
<http://www.vatican.va/>

7. Hagen, John. "Science and the Church." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 11 Nov. 2010
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13598b.htm>.

8. A Conference on New Age and Christian Spirituality. The Holy See. New Jersey: The Chesterton Institute. 12 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/cultr/documents/rc_pc_cultr_20010615_doc_ii-2001-not_en.html>

9. Rev. Alan Kemp, R. The Western Liturgical Tradition and the Rise of the Independent Catholic Church. 12 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.concentric.net/~Cosmas/indcath.htm>

10. Donovan, Colin B. “Liturgical Laws. Why they Matter.”
<http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/liturgical_laws.htm>

11. Pope Benedict XVI. “Spe Salvi - Encyclical Letter of His Holiness Benedict XVI on Christian Hope.” The Vatican Archives. 2007.
<http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi_en.html>

12. "Atheism." Encyclopadia Britannica. 2010. Encyclopadia Britannica Online. 12 Nov. 2010
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/40634/atheism>.

13. "Atheist". Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 2nd ed. 1989.

14. Aveling, Francis. "Atheism." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 12 Nov. 2010 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02040a.htm>.

15. Schafersman, Steven D. "Naturalism is an Essential Part of Science and Critical Inquiry". Conference on Naturalism, Theism and the Scientific Enterprise. Department of Philosophy, The University of Texas. February 1997.
<http://www.freeinquiry.com/>

16. Bacz, Jacek. “C.S. Lewis: The Problem of Pain.” The Newman Rambler (Spring 1999): 23-28. 12 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0032.html>

17. The Vatican. “The Problem of Unbelief and Atheism.” The Vatican Archives. 1985. 12 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/audiences/alpha/data/aud19850612en.html>

18. Packer, J.I. Knowing God. Inter-Varsity Press. 1993.

19. Philip Jenkins. The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity. Oxford University Press. 2002.

20. “Traditions from around the World.” Catholic Online, 2010. 12, Nov. 2010.
<http://www.catholic.org/clife/advent/advent.php?id=28>

21. Kennedy, Thomas. "Catholic Missions." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 12 Nov. 2010 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10375a.htm>.

22. “Missions and Missionaries.” Columbia River History. 2010. 12 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.nwcouncil.org/history/MissionsAndMissionaries.asp>

23. Kenneth Scott Latourette, A History of Christianity, rev. ed. (New York: Harper and Row, 1975), p. 1013

24. Andrew Seumois, "The Evolution of Mission Theology Among Roman Catholics", The Theology of the Christian Mission, Gerald H. Anderson, ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1961), p. 122.

25. "The List of Popes." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 12 Nov. 2010 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm>.

26. Saints. Saints and Sqpn.com. 2010. 12 Nov. 2010.
<http://saints.sqpn.com/>

27. BBC News. “Pope: Catholics around the Wolrd Must help Arab Christians.” BBC News Network Online 2008. 12 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope_catholics_around_the_world_must_help_arab_christians/>

28. Catholic Culture News. “Catholic Church Runs 25% of World Health Facilities” CatholicCulture.org Feb 2010. 12 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=5422&repos=4&subrepos=2&searchid=680430>

29. Narayanan, K. R. “Mother Teresa: What others have said about her.” 12 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.motherteresa.org/layout.html>

30. "Blessed Mother Teresa". Encyclopadia Britannica Online. Encyclopadia Britannica. 12 Nov 2010.
<http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9071751>

31. Nobel Lectures, Peace 1971-1980, Editor-in-Charge Tore Frangsmyr, Editor Irwin Abrams, World Scientific Publishing Co., Singapore, 1997.

32. Gary, Heather Grennan. "Can I pray to my deceased mom as I do to saints?(Glad you asked: q&a on church teaching)." U.S. Catholic Nov. 2004: 46.

33. Neuhaus, Richard John. "Pope Benedict's letter this past July to the Catholics of China is a development of potentially historic importance." First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life 176 (2007): 77.

34. Joyce, George. "The Pope." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 12 Nov. 2010 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12260a.htm>.

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Hallochen, meine Freunde ~

Favvo. I am new to this website, however, I wished to be of service to my religion, hence am going to post Catholic Apologetic Letters in the name of my club, DACatholics. I am not much of a blogger, I have never been on xanga, myspace, facebook, (myface? haha,) twitter, or whatever the popular sites are of this current generation. I decided to use bravenet because it is smaller. However, my claims may not be as precise as to that of an experienced blogger.

Until next time, my friends, I pray thee well.