Fellow Catholics?

Question

I saw a video on, I think it was youtube, and it depicted Catholics in South America undergoing some really harsh penance. These people were rather raw and bloody by the time they were done. I have heard of this being a Catholic in Florida with may immigrant friends, but until I saw it I didn't really thik much of it. What do you make of this sort of thing and how would you explain it to a Protestant or an un-believer?

Answer 1

There are militants and extremists in every religion. Don't judge all by the actions of a few weirdos.

Answer 2

That's a difficult one to answer considering many of the greatest saints in the Catholic Church practiced such types of penance (i.e. St. Francis).

Some people perform such penances/mortifications because they feel that the more they hurt themselves, the more they become attune to Christ's suffering, and therefore commit fewer sins. They figure it is better to harm their body, which will turn to dust eventually, than to hurt their everlasting soul.

I would tell a Protestant that some Catholics go overboard on this, but the idea of doing penance to prevent oneself from sinning is noble. And mortification should be done proportionately. Lashing oneself bloody because he stole or is tempted to steal a pencil from his office is ridiculous . But maybe not so much if he is seriously tempted to murder someone. But even then, mortification isn't the answer or the only answer. A good psychiatrist and confessor would be a good idea as well.

Pope John Paul II very wisely said in his "Letter to Priests" on March 24, 1986:

"But the Gospel insists especially on renouncing self, on accepting the Cross. Many were the crosses which presented themselves to the Cure of Ars in the course of his ministry: calumny on the part of the people, being misunderstood by an assistant priest or other confreres, contradictions, and also a mysterious struggle against the powers of hell, and sometimes even the temptation to despair in the midst of spiritual darkness.

"Nonetheless he did not content himself with just accepting these trials without complaining; he went beyond them by mortification, imposing on himself continual fasts and many other rugged practices in order 'to reduce his body to servitude', as Saint Paul says. But what we must see clearly in this penance, which our age unhappily has little taste for, are his motives: love of God and the conversion of sinners. Thus he asks a discouraged priest: 'You have prayed.... you have wept..., but have you fasted, have you kept vigil...?' . Here we are close to the warning of Jesus to the Apostles: 'But this kind is cast out only by prayer and fasting'".

Answer 3

This is one of those practices that is done by some radical Catholics but is not done as a church practice. Some people feel it is a show of devotion to mortify themselves as Jesus was mortified just before His crucifixion. The people who allow themselves to be crucified, carry a heavy cross, have themselves flogged, wear a crown of thorns are trying to be Christlike. It is a practice of certain cultures as in places in S. America, the Philippines and maybe a few other places. It is not required to be Catholic.

Answer 4

Sounds like the person is a part of Opus Dei. Even if I was still a Catholic I would think it is a cruel and useless tactic. After all the bible says that your body is a temple and you should treat it that way. Why would anyone want to harm themselves that way is beyond me.

Answer 5

Usual result of traditional beliefs.Thomas Cranmer (archbishop of Canterbury 1533 - 1556) wrote that we should "diligently search for the well of life in the books of the Old and New Testament and not run to the stinking puddles of men's traditions (devised by man's imagination) for our justification and salvation,"

Answer 6

Your body is a temple and you shouldn't pay bloody penance. South America is far from Rome so i doubt the papal approval of such penance...

Answer 7

there are Catholic people who are like that, but it has never been taught by the Catholic Church, so what they are doing is unnecessary.

just look at what the Catholic Church itself teaches, and not what the members of it do, and you can explain things to people who are interested to know what's really going on.

Answer 8

It is an ancient ritual of sacrifice. Your pain to show your dedication to Him or His cause.
They showed something similar on the Muslim Warriors on CNN. Beating their backs with chains

Answer 9

That results from the belief in imaginary Gods by people with over active imaginations. The same holds true with the holiness groups that play with snakes and end up getting bitten and then die.

Answer 10

Protestants do some weird sh*t as well. Ever heard of the church that plays with rattlesnakes?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=thk20h1lmVg