Exclusive to the Catholic Business Journal by Thomas Loarie, reporting from the Napa Institute.
Carly Fiorina, in conversation with Marjorie Dannenfelser of the Susan B Anthony List, stated that she hoped Donald Trump follows through on his vow to “blow things up in Washington D.C.,” adding “as nothing ever changes there.”
Fiorina went on to talk about her involvement in politics.
“There is a lot today to discourage anyone from getting into politics,” Fiorina said. “Politics is corrupting and corrupts. I got involved for four reasons: 1) politicians and politics affects everyone’s life profoundly; 2) there is a big disconnect today with politicians who have no experience doing the work of those they represent: 3) there is a need for transparency and credibility; and 4) change is hard and requires leadership.”
Don’t let yourself be held hostage by the status quo
The former presidential candidate went on to add that “politicians want us to believe that politics is a special endeavor requiring special skills. This is not true. We need to be involved but must be careful that we are not taken hostage by the status quo.”
“What we’ve learned,” Fiorni summed up, is that “If you have a big bureaucracy that gets more money, it will be ineffective, incompetent, corrupt, and will feed on itself. Human nature does not change. Power concentrated is power abused. Change is needed!”
The Church and Christ are ONE
Cardinal Timothy Dolan reminded the Napa Institute audience that Christ and the Church are one. The Church is the spiritual body of Christ. But today, he said, the problem is, “We want God. We want Christ, but we want nothing to do with the stupid church. I want the Lord to be my shepherd but I am the only lamb. What the church wants and Christ wants are one.”
“We are not just in a post-Christian era,” the Cardinal continued, “but in a post-ecclesial era. Many believe the Church is toxic to their spirituality. Belonging to the church today is viewed as being backwards.
“The conclave that elected Pope Francis wanted to revive the church as a bridge. Pope Francis is working hard to make the Church home. We need to look at the church as family. Let’s revive this idea! Being Catholic is like a birthmark. Jimmy Breslin once said, “we don’t leave the church, where only one chest pain away from going back.”
“Yes, the Church is not just a family but a dysfunctional family. Do you know a functional family? All other churches have the same flaws. But the Catholic Church is Divine. No institution with its imbecility would’ve lasted this long,” Cardinal Dolan noted.
Saint John Paul II and Pope Francis have both admitted flaws of the Church and have apologized for them. Yes, it can be tough to love the church due to her imperfections, but keep in mind that the Church is always Christ…the Church, as Christ, is always hanging between two thieves.
“Show me your wounds. We all have wounds. They can only be healed by Jesus.
In the end, the church is all we have. It is worth dying for, it is worth living for, Cardinal Dolan reminded us.
Free to Serve, Thank GOD!
Sister Constance of the Little Sisters of the Poor joined the Napa Institute to thank everyone for their support in the sisters’ recent U.S. Supreme Court victory over Obamacare HHS policy that put them at odds with Church teaching.
At first during their lengthy drawn-out fight, the Little Sisters wondered why they were the ones that had to stand up. Sister Constance then noted that Little Sisters’ roots were in the French revolution. It is in their DNA to stand up for what is right, she said. They have experienced forced persecution in France, China, and Spain since their order’s inception.
Sister Constance reminded attendees about the Communion of Saints, that when one suffers, all suffer. When one experiences joy, all experience joy. Sr. Constance (photo below) provided all who attended with a victory button (top left) with “Free to Serve, Thank God!”
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Thomas M. Loarie is a seasoned and pioneering CEO in the medical device field and a senior editorial advisor and columnist for Catholic Business Journal. For a more robust bio click here: http://catholicbusinessjournal.biz/content/thomas-m-loarie-0. He may be reached at TLoarie@CatholicBusinessJournal.biz