Obligation Catholic or Christ Centered Catholic?

A recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) revealed Catholics surpassed other Christians, and even the mainstream public, when it came to supporting homosexual unions, marital or civil.

The poll was broken down into 3 different groups of Catholics - those who attend mass weekly .. ie.. Sunday obligation Catholics - those who attend maybe once or twice a month - and those who attend less often .. probably not at all. The findings shockingly showed that even among weekly mass attendees, only 31% were against any legal recognition of legal unions for homosexuals.

The survey seemed to recognize a generational aspect to these opinions as well, with the younger Catholics being far more agreeable to any type of homosexual lifestyle tolerance. Mark M. Gray, Ph.D., director of CARA Catholic Polls and research associate for the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, stated, ""Over time there's been a growing percentage of people who agree specifically with the questions about civil unions and marriage." "A lot of it we see in generational differences."

Of course, the PRRI survey is primarily funded by the Arcus Foundation, which was founded by gay rights billionaire Jon Stryker. As such, these findings of Catholic acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle would be right up their alley.

Msgr. Charles Pope of the Archdiocese of Washington lamented, "In the Church I think we have to accept that a generational shift has occurred, both in the Church and in the culture. And it has happened on our watch." He was referring to the silence from the pulpits on matters of Church teaching and doctrine.

But I would put forth, that there has been another group of Catholics, who have slid under the radar of PRRI's survey. A 4th group of Catholics who do not fit in with any of the other 3 groups surveyed, They are not the "some time church attendees" .. or even the "Sunday obligation Catholics". I am speaking of those Catholics who truly live Christ centered lives; many of whom even attend daily Mass and Communion, as much as their schedule allows. They may even get in a Holy Hour or two during their week, along with all their other prayers and devotions. Most of all, their faith is not merely rote for them; they have a personal relationship with their Lord and Savior, and truly attempt to live according to the teachings of Christ in the gospels, as discerned through the teachings of His Holy Catholic Church.

I would suggest that if these Christ centered Catholics were ever polled, the surveyors might get a big surprise. Yes, the sad tragedy is that this last group of Catholics would be among the minority - a remnant, as they are oft times called. Nevertheless, Christ began His Church with only a scraggly group of 12 nondescript men.

The early Christians were willing to give their lives for their faith; much less would they have acquiesced to the pagan opinions of their day. What has happened to this type of Christian? Are they still around today? Would the pollers be able to find justificaiton for their immorality by polling Catholics such as those who were willing to be burned at the stake, rather than deny Christ?

At daily morning masses all across our nation, a faithful remnant, prayerfully and devotedly kneel at the foot of the cross, offering their lives along with their Lord and Savior, as He is crucified all over again in this modern day. In devout Catholic homes all across the country, mothers and fathers teach the virtues and the Beatitudes to their children through word and example. Their numbers may be low in the polls, but they are the living witnesses that the message of the gospels as preserved through Christ's Church, is still alive; and that Truth is not something which is subject to popularity in the polls.