Scots Bishops Poll Parishioners…
Next year Pope Francis has called an “Extraordinary Synod” of Bishops from around the world to discuss the Church’s pastoral care for families and the challenges for the Church in responding to changes in family life.
The Holy Father is keen that as many Catholics as possible should have the opportunity to reflect on the issues and have their views and experiences heard by the bishops who will attend next year’s Synod in Rome.
The Archdiocese of Glasgow has prepared a questionnaire based on the Vatican’s own list of questions. Please consider responding.
You do not have to answer all the questions. Please feel free to skip those questions that you do not wish to answer – you can complete as much or as little of the survey as you want.
Thank you in advance for your contribution to this consultation. You are not asked to give your name in the survey, and the results will be collated and analysed before being added to feedback from other Scottish dioceses in the preparation of the final report to be sent to Rome. Source
Click on the picture to read (and respond to) the questionnaire
“Liberals” are quoting Cardinal Newman on “Consulting the Faithful” in an attempt to justify this worldwide survey of Catholic opinion, but we, at Catholic Truth, contend that the Cardinal would definitely NOT approve of consulting the faith-less. Asking dissenters for their views on contraception, cohabitation, same-sex marriage, divorce and remarriage is like asking the proverbial turkey for his views on Christmas.
So, what do you think – will this survey reveal a strong Catholic presence in Scotland – or the very opposite?
Comments (25)
Can anyone clarify? Has the arch diocese of Glasgow prepared this questionnaire on behalf of all the Scottish bishops or will Edinburgh and St Andrew’s diocese produce their own.
My parish priest said there are 25 questionnaires available ( but that he has amended the questionnaire “to make it a tick box answer” – and therefore “easier” to answer) at the back of church, but there were not any.
Are the bishops aware that by putting it on the internet all manner of people can give their own views – which will result in more drivel being taken into account?
Graeme Taylor,
It sounds like the questionnaire linked above is for the whole of Scotland but I could not agree with you more about putting git on the internet and getting all sorts of probably liberal responses. Being something of a cynic, I can’t help wondering if that is the idea, so they can say a majority of people want the divorced and remarried to get Communion etc? The whole thing is disgraceful.
Already the English bishops are crowing about the huge response to their questionnaire, if you read the Tablet which is full of it this weekend – they’re allowing free access to the whole mag, due to re-launching their website, so you can take a look without the conscience problem of paying for it.
I did it! I did it! Thankful I’ve got that out of the way.
Miles Immaculatae,
Approximately how long did it take you to complete the questionnaire? And feel free to share any of your responses here (the more polite ones, anyway!)
Josephine, thank you.
I agree the concern that all sorts of non christian non-sense will be collated and put to the bishops in Rome as the sense of the people, when surely everyone knows that will be based on lies.
My little country parish of 300 people have been told that there are 25 (ammended by the parish priest) questionnairs available at the back of the church (but they are not there) and that he ( the parish priest) wants them handed back to him by the first Sunday in Advent.
I am unsure of his motives and his apparant lack of expectations ( or maybe he is just being realistic?)
I agree that the vatican appears to be seeking legitimacy for (some?) of the their own apostate agenda. It really is too frightening to imagine, but imagine I am!
God help the Church. Amen.
Graeme Taylor,
If parish priests are permitted to amend the questionnaires, the whole thing will be every more of a mess than originally planned (and I do mean “planned”). I’d love to see a copy of your priest’s “amended” questionnaire, if you would be able to stick one in the post addressed to The Editor, Catholic Truth, 10 Sandyford Place, Glasgow, G3 7NB. I needn’t know the parish or your ID – it would just be interesting to quote from an “amended” survey to see the extent of the chaos caused by this pointless exercise. Of course, maybe your priest is trying to minimise the damage by removing some of the questions – I don’t know (so if you can find an envelope and a stamp, I’d appreciate that copy!)
I intend to make the point when I get around to responding, that most Catholics receive their “faith(less) education” from the media, so I doubt if most, if any, know what the teaching of the Church is on any of the topics surveyed, let alone the roots of that teaching in Scripture and Tradition. And as for the “what can we do about it” – PREACH ! will be my base starting point.
What a carry on. Imagine having to complete such a questionnaire just to make sure the “liberals” don’t have full free rein.
Speaking of which (“liberals”) has anybody else read Mgr Basil Loftus’s horrendous column in this weekend’s Catholic Times? Last week he was allowed to insult a fellow columnist in the letters page (totally unethical editor, clearly) while this week, in his yawn yawn column he insults Cardinal Ranjith.
And no, I’m not breaking the rules and going off topic – Mgr Loftus will be right there at the front of the queue with his responses to the questionnaire (I think priests are also being asked to respond) so I’m doing my bit by encouraging you all to do your best to offset the dreadful damage he has done, is doing and will continue to do to Holy Mother Church if he is allowed unfettered scope to peddle his Modernist Madness in this questionnaire.
Josephine, I just read the Tablet. Cardinal Marx of the pornography business fame. This so called prelate takes a very large cut from the pornography business ( the biggest in Germany) his arch diocese has 15%+ investment in – and he advises the Holy father??? On what?, one is left wondering.
The German bishops are clearly apostates ( in the main), and Marx and his wee pals are obviously in love with dress up, power and of course the money – but not,sadly with Our Lord and His Church.
Pornography? Please elaborate as I am concerned as to Card. Marx’s activities.
Why did you resign Benedict XVI?
Catholicconvert1, the German bishops soley own the publishing house (the biggest publisher in Germany)that produces hundreds of pornographic titles, their business takes over 1.8 billion euros a year. Many of the major arch diocese have large investments in this business ( where they produce, publish and sell their pornographic titles).
I should have added, that the same publishing house also produces hymn books and religious books as well as filth. But as I said it is solely owned by the German bishops ( but not all the German bishops are involved in this work of satan).
Are there any good German Bishops left? I have heard many positives concerning Cardinal Meisner, but if my memory serves me right he is not sympathetic to traditionalism. As for Robert Zollitsch he support women deacons and Rainer Woelki said the Church could recognise gay marriages.
Gimme strength!!!!
Editor, when I eventually can get my hands on a copy I will certainly post a copy on to you.
Do you know whether the Glasgow (on line) version is on behalf of all the Scottish bishops or should i seek the “original” from my own arch-diocese?
Many thanks.
Graeme Taylor,
Many thanks.
I have the impression that the Glasgow questionnaire is for all of Scotland. I could be wrong, of course (bound to happen one of these days!) but that’s how it looks to me.
And, of course, as you say, now that it’s online, anyone can submit their views. There’s no way of tracking who is saying what. Crackers!
Graeme Taylor,
Thank you for sending me a copy of the questionnaire handed out in your parish. It arrived yesterday, so I’ve had a chance to look at it.
It seems to be the questionnaire issued by the English Bishops, not personally amended by your PP. The only “tick box” answers are those given on the official questionnaire with the box underneath to expand on answers. The first page is omitted but apart from that it seems to be the English questionnaire which, I think I’m correct in saying, was issued before the Scots Bishops issued theirs, which is possibly why your PP used it – he must be an enthusiast for consulting the faithless (your good self not included, of course!)
The fact that this “consultation” is open to anyone and everyone who would care to respond shows either great stupidity or cunning on behalf of ++Tartaglia.
The data is not controlled or referenced (against a name etc) at all – and therefore any reasonable person could not regard it as anything other than worthless.
The slip-shod way the exercise is being conducted – a process full of holes and open to abuse – reminds me of how Vatican II was kicked off (they had no agenda or direction, having contrived to bin all of the pre-prepared schema documents which were supposed to guide discussion).
I’ve filled it in and clicked to send it off! As I don’t live in Scotland I’m wondering where it went???
The Archdiocese of Glasgow offices, I should imagine, Christina. I must get mine off soon, as well. I’m waiting for a clear spell of time to get down to it. This is something I want to really enjoy 🙂
I had look at the questionnaire and I know I shouldn’t be shocked at anything that happens in the modern church but it is absolutely appalling. I thought that the Church was here to teach us what we must believe and not to ask us for our opinion on what it teaches.
Didn’t Our Lord say to the apostles “Go and teach all nations baptising them ..”
I cannot take it seriously as the questions are so loaded and open. It is a nonsense and I agree with Greame Taylor that any Tom, Dick or Harry can write anything they like.
It is just a waste of time as no-one will go to the bother of reading the responses or give an honest account of the findings….. especially if one writes that all these questions are already answered in the Catechism and the commandments and laid out in the pre-Vat 2 documents of the Church.
St. Pius Xth pray for us.
I would hope we get to complete the original one that was sent from the Pope as opposed to a modified one which may shut down possible answers from Scottish catholics…..
Gabriel – that is worrying if anyone can answer it at all as it hardly needs explaining what that can lead to. We should have been given paper based version at church with perhaps a number code if we had wanted to fill it in online. Anyone with a basic knowledge of computing and IT could set up such a system.
J. Wilson,
Er… with all due respect, we shouldn’t have been given ANY version. We’re sick of “listening” popes and bishops – we want firm leadership. You know, the kind Our Lord was thinking of when He said: “Thou are Peter and upon this ROCK I will build my Church.”
It’s one thing for Cardinal Newman to point out that through history the Church has “consulted the Faithful” – clear explanation of what that means to come in our December newsletter, but there is no way in a million trillion years that Newman would approve of this enterprise, which is tantamount to “consulting the faith-LESS“.
With regards to ‘firm leadership’ Ed, you will doubtless be aware of the latest wheeze that has flown from the lips of the Supreme Pontiff. He wants to devolve power from the Vatican and reduce the power of the Papacy. So, it looks like we are going to turn into an Anglican style Church, with each local Church having autonomy, with the Pope only as a figurehead or symbol of unity, as we see with the Archlayman of Canterbury. He can’t reduce Papal supremacy because he is the Vicar of Christ on Earth and the Successor of St Peter to whom our Divine Lord granted Apostolic authority. I am seriously concerned, and it takes a lot to get me worried.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25102720
The Pope has also recently met and celebrated Mass with Fr. Gutierrez, the pioneer of Liberation Theology, which was repeatedly condemned by Benedict XVI, the greatest conciliar Pope.
http://ncronline.org/news/theology/pope-meets-liberation-theology-pioneer
As for your last statement dear Ed, ”but there is no way in a million trillion years that Newman would approve of this enterprise, which is tantamount to “consulting the faith-LESS“. This is what concerns me. What if Atheists, Protestants, non-Catholics and Lapsed Catholics respond to the quiz? There are no safeguards to stop these people filling it out and trying to destabilise the Church.
Catholic Convert,
The atheists etc on your list who may seek to destabilise the Church, as you put it, couldn’t do any better than Pope Francis himself is doing, so let’s just leave that side of things for the moment. The “liberals” at the Synod next year will certainly use the responses from these daft questionnaires to argue for all the changes they’d like to see but they are doomed to disappointment. Doesn’t mean a great deal of damage won’t be done in the meantime (is already being done) but they need to remember the old (Mexican, I think) saying: “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans” – in repeating that to a “liberal” Catholic cleric, I’d change it to: “If you really want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.” 🙂
Catholic Convert,
We now have a fresh thread devoted to the pontiff’s latest statements about the papacy in his apostolic exhortation, so please continue that discussion over there. Please and thank you!
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