It appears that the Episcopal Church in New Jersey is reaching out to and proselytizing Roman Catholics (and other Catholics). The simple message: Be and believe whatever you judge to be right. You decide what is best for you.

Of course if you are looking for a church that lets you do your thing I would agree, TEC is the way to go. You don’t believe the whole creed but do like saying it —“ no problem, just cross your fingers during the parts you don’t believe. Believe in the Eucharist – kind of (or not at all) – no problem. No such thing as sin, but the U.N. has identified all of the world’s problems – you’ll fit right in.

The message from Grace Church in Newark (Episcopal) states in part:

A Message to Disaffected Roman Catholics From the Clergy and People of Grace Church in Newark (Episcopal)

Some Roman Catholics whose spiritual lives are grounded in the Mass and in the sacraments are, nevertheless, unable to concur with the Vatican’s position on issues such as the role of women in the church, contraception, remarriage of divorced person, homosexual relationships, or abortion. They have become increasingly disaffected as the hierarchy’s response to dissent has grown more strident and authoritarian.

If you are among them, you may find a comfortable spiritual home at Grace Church in Newark…

They then blather on about how they are really Catholic not Protestant and how their Church rests on the shoulders of St. Augustine of Canterbury.

Uh, yeah.

It looks like the Episcopalians of Newark are so desperate (because the entire Church’s membership has dropped precipitously) that they’ve turned into vagantes, going on and on about how they are really Catholic with valid orders and bishops and all. But we are Catholic, we are, see… we have bishops and music and mass.

In addition, I knew that as Catholics we all missed the point about Jesus’ message to the rich, to the Pharisees, and to all of us sinful folk. I knew that He was wrong when he talked about repentance, conversion, the narrow path, the tough choices, denying oneself, and the cross.

Thankfully Grace Episcopal has straightened it all out. It is really about being comfortable. Jesus’ real message was I’m ok, you’re ok (or was that Eric Berne?)

I also didn’t know that when St. Augustine went to England he was really there to tell the pagans that whatever they believed was ok. It was all a vacation for him and a chance to enjoy the comforts offered by King AEthelberht…

No, being a follower of Christ is demanding, painful, and not at all easy. It requires a complete conversion of heart —“ something we are outfitted to accomplish, but something that will not be easy nor ‘comfortable’.

You can take the wide and easy road. I, and no clergy, bishop, or pope can stop you, but before you do consider what the blogger over at Impassioned Imperfections asks in The Normal Christian Life:

Is It Possible?

It is easy to look at the book of Acts and remain in wonder at what the believers accomplished. It is another thing to truly ask oneself if such a life is possible, and something even deeper to ask if such a life is normal to the Christian. The book of Acts makes it apparent that there was no secret to such a life other than a genuine submission to the plan and purpose of God. The Holy Spirit was the driving force of the believers as recorded in the book of Acts. The Bible does not seem to imply that the experiences of the Early Church were just exclusively for them. Therefore we can conclude that such a life is allowed, possible, and even normal for the Christ-follower. The normal Christian life is an all-encompassing love relationship with the Master, and a principle-driven love relationship with the Church. The Christian life is all about dying to self and living for God, and learning to reach to others as we grow together in community.

Dead In Christ —“ A Revolutionary Approach To Living

—…We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. — Romans 6:2-4 (NIV)

Living for Christ is one thing, but dying to ourselves something that many of us would rather not do. For us to live the Christian life, and I mean truly live, we must learn the art of dying to ourselves. We need not look further than Christ Jesus Himself, who died willingly upon a cross that deserved Him not. Dying to yourself is a God thing…

If you need more check out Huw Raphael’s Viva La Difference! which begins:

A DEACON Once asked me if I thought I was “different” from him because of my self-identified gayness. I promptly and without hesitation replied “I don’t know.”

All of us struggle with issues – and all are called to conversion.

Fr. Martin Fox also makes a great and very ecumenical proposal in A Message to Episcopalians in Newark:

If you want to be part of the Church Jesus Christ founded, feel free to check out either the Catholic Church, in her various rites, or the Orthodox Church, in her various rites, or one of the Ancient Churches of the East [or the Polish National Catholic Church].

Come as you are, but don’t expect to stay that way…