[Greek] παροικία (paroikia), [Latin] peregrinus, [German] pilgerin, [French] voyager: parishioners, alien residence, sojourning, non-citizens dwelling as residents, pilgrims on a journey; Act.13:17, 1Pet.1:17
Colorized image of newly arrived immigrants in New York City’ Lower East Side in 1900. This was of a time when immigrants LEGALLY entered into the United States.
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means alien, stranger, and foreigner.
- This term is derived from the Greek noun paroikos, meaning alien.
- This pertains to the stranger who lives in a place for a short period of time.
- The non-citizen (neighbor) may be a resident alien with few civic rights but living under the common protection.
- Resident aliens, outside the Greek cultural sphere, were often perceived as barbarians (foreigners).
Isocrates’ Panegyricus 4.162: “For since the barbarians are unequal to small divisions of the Hellenes, it is not hard to foresee what their plight if they should be forced into a war against our united forces.”
Thucydides’ The Peloponnesian War 3.93: “The Thessalians were afraid that it might prove a very powerful neighbor and continually harassed and made war upon the new settlers.”
Thucydides’ The Peloponnesian War 6.82: “Our kinfolk came against their mother country and chose to be slaves themselves.”
Old Testament: This term means sojourner or resident alien.
- The Hebrews (Israelites) themselves experienced exile and captivity.
- Such sojourners included the Israelites in Egypt and the wilderness, Abraham in Egypt and Gerar, Isaac in Canaan, and Jacob in Hebron.
- The Israelites have a relationship of sojourning with Yahweh.
- The Jews of the Diaspora, while retaining their Jewish ways, become resident aliens in foreign lands.
- The resident alien often forfeits both country and legal standing.
New Testament: This term means sojourn, sojourning, and alien residence.
- The New Testament era, in welcoming both Jew and Gentile, removes the ordinance of circumcision.
- Christians become fellow citizens of God along with saints and members of God’s household.
- Christians are still sojourners walking in the path of Jesus.
- The Church, as it spreads, becomes a diaspora in a general sense.
- The Christians, belonging to Jesus, also must sojourn in the secular and political world.
Scripture:
Acts 13:17: “The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt. With uplifted arm He led them out of it.” (God raised them up from out of bondage into freedom. The Israelites sojourned out captivity in Egypt.)
1Pet.1:17: “Now if you invoke as Father who judges impartially according to one’s works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning.” (This sojourning implies that the Christians are TRAVELING STRANGERS taking TEMPORARY RESIDENCE on earth. The sons and daughters of God have NOT yet found their permanent place in God’s domain.)
[Greek] παροικέω (paroikeō), [Latin] peregrinus, [German] pilgerin, [French] rester, [German] sich aufhalten: to dwell temporarily, to live as a foreigner, to migrate
Lk.24:18: “Cleopas said to Him in reply, ‘Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days.'” (Jesus appears as a stranger to the two travelers on the road to Emmaus. The despondent travelers later realized that the stranger was Jesus. The two travelers became energized in their faith.)
Heb.11:9: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go.” (Abraham sojourned as a stranger in a land of promise. Abraham placed his trust in God.)
Other scriptures supporting the notion that we are just temporary sojourners in this world.
Php.3:19-20: “Their end is destruction, Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. Their minds are occupied with earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Enemies of the cross:
- Failing to acknowledge the cross which Jesus bore
- Failing to take up our cross and follow Him.
- Becoming indifferent to the gospel message
- Living in the indulgence of sin (sinful life)
- Having a deeper interest in worldly affairs rather in the cause of Christ
- Being opposed to the doctrines of Christ
- Mixing and mingling the laws of the world with the laws of Christ
Their God is their stomach:
- They serve their own belly, not Jesus Christ
- They worship their own appetites
- They live for self-indulgence and self-gratification
- Their indulgences become mundane as food
Our citizenship is in heaven:
- Our temporary dwelling place is on earth
- “Our mind is on earth, our country is in heaven.”
- The Christians in Phillipi are now citizens of the city of heaven.
- The citizens in the world are governed by the laws of heaven.
Early 4th century:
- The diocese was a well-established term for an ecclesiastical district of jurisdiction.
- The Roman Empire was also organized by dioceses. The word diocese comes from the Greek verb dioikeo, meaning to govern.
- Doioikeo and paroikeo have the same rook oika, meaning house.
Early Church: Even after the New Testament era, the Church still regards itself as travelers and resident aliens. St. Polycarp, a 2nd century bishop, was a disciple of the Apostle John.
The Martyrdom of St. Polycarp (155 A.D): “The Church of God which sojourns in Smyrna, to the Church of God which sojourns in Philomelium, and to all the dioceses of the holy Catholic Church in every place.”
The Epistle of Diognetus 5:5 (130 A.D): “The Christians dwell in their own countries, but only as sojourners; they bear their share in all things as citizens, and they endure all hardships as strangers.”
What is primary supreme law of the Catholic Church? The SALVATION OF SOULS (salus animarum suprema lex) ===> BRINGING SOULS INTO HEAVEN. All other laws and regulations within the Church are ultimately intended to serve this overarching purpose of bringing souls to salvation.
What has been the result of Vatican II and Synodality? The Vatican and Synodality has brought in “fresh air” (worldliness) and inadvertently “the smoke of Satan” (spirit of undermining and rebellion) so that the Church can “get with the times.” SYNODALITY, SEEKING TO DOUBLE DOWN ON WHAT VATICAN II STARTED, seeks to create a worldly Church made in the image of man and his lived experiences.
What has been consequences of this? The Church is more focused on MAKING A BETTER WORLD/SEEKING FAVOR WITH THE WORLD rather than on its primary mission of bringing souls into heaven. The Church acts more like a United Nations NGO rather than a divine institution. The Church is less focused on following Jesus. The Synodal Church is more focused on watered-down Catholicism, politics, immigration, social justice, climate, and questionable ecumenism.
What are the Vatican’s and USCCB current questionable immigration efforts? doubling down on opposing the US government’s mass deportation efforts.
Does a nation have a right to control its borders?
“Can borders be controlled? Yes, each country has a right to control its borders, who enters and who leaves, and countries that are in danger of terrorism or the like– have more right to control them.” (Pope Francis’ interview with the Spansh newspaper El Pais on Jan. 17, 2017)
Does a nation have the obligation to accept immigrants?
“The exercise of such right [of the immigrant to enter a particular country] is to be regulated, because practicing it indiscriminately may do harm and be detrimental to the common good of the community that receives the immigrant.” (Pope John Paul II’s message for the 87th day World Day of Migration 2001)
Synodality ===> creating a new “listening” Church.
Their end is their destruction:
- They have no true religion. They will perish as with all sinners.
- Failing to follow Jesus’ teachings [to sin no more].
- Their ends will be according to their works, actions, and human traditions. (German Synodal Church leading to decline and heresy).
Their God is their stomach:
- They serve their own bellies (desires) rather than serving God.
- They worship their own appetites, indulgences, and self-gratifications. (The Church not following its own teachings against homosexuality.)
- Their self desires become as mundane as food. (Common prevalence of homosexuality in the priesthood.)
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
- Their hearts are set on worldly things and lived experiences.
- Lived experiences (tolerance, inclusion, false compassion) often take precedence over Church teachings. Synodality becomes an IDOL
- They may often ignore, refute, or pay lip service Church teachings.
- They may often ignore Jesus, Jesus’ statements on sin, and sinning no more.
- They are more concerned with following a “worldly “gospel” (MAKING A BETTER WORLD/SEEKING FAVOR WITH THE WORLD.
- They are more concerned with politics, immigration, illegal immigration, social justice, environment rather than with spiritual issues.
New Evangelization replaced by encountering and fraternity
The New Catholic Evangelization (1997: 12th WYD in Paris, France): [Pope John Paull II] “Dear young people, FOLLOW JESUS, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO DRAW NEAR TO HIM, to cross threshold of His dwelling to speak with Him, face to face, as you talk with a friend.”
Synodality: 2023: 37th WYD in Lisbon, Portugal: [Cardinal Carlos Auguiar] “WE DON’T WANT TO CONVERT THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO CHRIST OR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH or anything like that at all.”
Etymology:
- The Greek verb paroikeo means to dwell (-oikeo) beside (para-).
- The Greek noun paroikos means alien, stranger, and foreigner.
- The German noun pilger means pilgrim, one who travels to a destination.
- The Latin noun peregrinus means to be away (peri-) from the field (-ager). A peregrine is a falcon, traveler, wanderer, or foreigner.
Conclusion:
Parish, parochial peregrine, voyager, pilgrim, rest, parish
Update: It is always helpful to be reminded that we are all temporary sojourners in this world. We also need to conduct ourselves (both laity and clergy) with reverence.
The USCCB have found themselves to be financially entrenched in the world with UN agencies, charitable organizations, and govt. organizations involving social justice, immigration, and illegal immigration. This has resulted in questionable activities and inverted priorities (less focus on pro-life, abortion, and catechesis.)
Border patrol agents found that some Catholic clerics and charitable organizations were concealing their complicity with illegal immigration and child trafficking. (Refer to the attached below.)
The USCCB is now doubling down in its efforts to restore their money supply from the US government. This really sheds more light on these bishops’ priorities in “making a better world”. Let that sink in.
Inverted priorities: There will always be the poor. Yet, there seems to be an excessive focus on the illegal immigrants, rather than on helping the poor in their immediate spheres of influence.
Vatican II and Synodality have LOST THE PLOT about the Church (and Christians) being TEMPORARY SOJOURNERS in the world.
Synodality: journeying together transforming Jesus’ Church into a more worldly synodal and less Catholic Church. More concerned about MAKING A BETTER WORLD AND SEEKING FAVOR WITH THE WORLD.
Too many are unaware that Catholic social teaching states that international organizations and immigrants MUST RESPECT a nation’s border policies. Yet, this often seems to be overlooked. Shocker!
ICE is seeking to remove the worst of the worst of illegals from sanctuary cities. Yet, why are so many people protesting this? Let that sink in!
Political jerrymandering of jurisdictions seems to be a customary practice of the political parties in control of a state. This is done by both the Democratic and Republican parties.
The victims (recipients) of jerrymandering often receive less or no political representation in these adjusted districts. These victims may be likened to resident aliens having little or no voice in their state.
Depending on one’s political perspective, those Texas Democratic representatives may be seen as derelict fugitives or as persecuted officials exposing an injustice.
Quotes:
“Life is tough, pilgrim, It is even tougher if you’re stupid” John Wayne
“We are travelers, not yet in our native land.” St. Augustine