Spiritual Blindness

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Deacon Bob

It seems to me that in many ways, the Church and those who give witness to her teachings on important issues such as abortion, euthanasia, the dignity of marriage as the union of a man and a woman, the injustice of war, and so many other matters, they are fighting spiritual blindness that is prevalent on our society.

So many people who are stridently pro-choice, or who want to enshrine in law same-sex “marriage” seem completely unable to see the truth when it is presented to them. They actually cannot see it in contrast to being unwilling.

Why the spiritual blindness?

There is only one thing I know of that blinds someone spiritually, and that is sin. Please don’t get upset with me right away now. I am not suggesting that all those people are outright sinners doomed to damnation. No. What I am thinking though is they are so surrounded by sin that they have become blinded. 

This is why it is so important to expose yourself to the truth and surround yourself with goodness. That is why it is so important to educate our children in how to discern truth from fallacy, goodness from pleasure, love from self-indulgence, light from darkness. That is why it is so important that everyone – in some fundamental way – be able to discern good from evil.

Our world, even in its sincere efforts to secure justice and right for others, is surrounded not by truth, but by falseness; not by light but by darkness; not by love but by self-concern. Because of this, much of our world is spiritually blinded by sin.

Sin is what blinds us. It renders us unable to recognize God.

Let us surround ourselves by that which is true, that which is truly human, that which brings light into our lives.

Let us surround ourselves by God’s truth.

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Here’s How the Voting Goes

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Deacon Bob

(Ever wonder what happens inside the conclave? What the voting procedures are?

I have copied below the rules in place governing the voting process. These were spelled out in John Paul II’s Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis. Please note that Benedict XVI revoke the provision that in the case of a deadlock the pope could be elected by a simple majority. He reestablished that a 2/3rds majority is required.)

62. Since the forms of election known as per acclamationem seu inspirationem and per compromissum are abolished, the form of electing the Roman Pontiff shall henceforth be per scrutinium alone.

I therefore decree that for the valid election of the Roman Pontiff two thirds of the votes are required, calculated on the basis of the total number of electors present.

Should it be impossible to divide the number of Cardinals present into three equal parts, for the validity of the election of the Supreme Pontiff one additional vote is required.

63. The election is to begin immediately after the provisions of No. 54 of the present Constitution have been duly carried out.

Should the election begin on the afternoon of the first day, only one ballot is to be held; then, on the following days, if no one was elected on the first ballot, two ballots shall be held in the morning and two in the afternoon. The voting is to begin at a time which shall have been determined earlier, either in the preparatory Congregations or during the election period, but in accordance with the procedures laid down in Nos. 64ff of the present Constitution.

64. The voting process is carried out in three phases. The first phase which can be called the pre-scrutiny, comprises: 1) the preparation and distribution of the ballot papers by the Masters of Ceremonies, who give at least two or three to each Cardinal elector; 2) the drawing by lot, from among all the Cardinal electors, of three Scrutineers, of three persons charged with collecting the votes of the sick, called for the sake of brevity Infirmarii, and of three Revisers, this drawing is carried out in public by the junior Cardinal Deacon, who draws out nine names, one after another, of those who shall carry out these tasks, 3) if, in the drawing of lots for the Scrutineers, Infirmarii and Revisers, there should come out the names of Cardinal electors who because of infirmity or other reasons are unable to carry out these tasks, the names of others who are not impeded are to be drawn in their place. The first three drawn will act as Scrutineers, the second three as Infirmarii and the last three as Revisers.

65. For this phase of the voting process the following norms must be observed: 1) the ballot paper must be rectangular in shape and must bear in the upper half, in print if possible, the words Eligo in Summum Pontificem, on the lower half there must be a space left for writing the name of the person chosen, thus the ballot is made in such a way that it can be folded in two, 2) the completion of the ballot must be done in secret by each Cardinal elector, who will write down legibly, as far as possible in handwriting that cannot be identified as his, the name of the person he chooses, taking care not to write other names as well, since this would make the ballot null, he will then fold the ballot twice; 3) during the voting, the Cardinal electors are to remain alone in the Sistine Chapel, therefore, immediately after the distribution of the ballots and before the electors begin to write, the Secretary of the College of Cardinals, the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations and the Masters of Ceremonies must leave the Chapel. After they have left, the junior Cardinal Deacon shall close the door, opening and closing it again each time this is necessary, as for example when the Infirmarii go to collect the votes of the sick and when they return to the Chapel.

66. The second phase, the scrutiny proper, comprises: 1) the placing of the ballots in the appropriate receptacle; 2) the mixing and counting of the ballots; 3) the opening of the votes. Each Cardinal elector in order of precedence, having completed and folded his ballot, holds it up so that it can be seen and carries it to the altar, at which the Scrutineers stand and upon which there is placed a receptacle, covered by a plate, for receiving the ballots. Having reached the altar, the Cardinal elector says aloud the words of the following oath: I call as my witness Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected. He then places the ballot on the plate, with which he drops it into the receptacle. Having done this, he bows to the altar and returns to his place.

If any of the Cardinal electors present in the Chapel is unable to go to the altar because of infirmity, the last of the Scrutineers goes to him. The infirm elector, having pronounced the above oath, hands the folded ballot to the Scrutineer, who carries it in full view to the altar and omitting the oath, places it on the plate, with which he drops it into the receptacle.

67. If there are Cardinal electors who are sick and confined to their rooms, referred to in Nos. 41ff of this Constitution, the three Infirmarii go to them with a box which has an opening in the top through which a folded ballot can be inserted. Before giving the box to the Infirmarii, the Scrutineers open it publicly, so that the other electors can see that it is empty; they are then to lock it and place the key on the altar. The Infirmarii, taking the locked box and a sufficient number of ballot papers on a small tray, then go, duly accompanied, to the Domus Sanctae Marthae to each sick elector, who takes a ballot, writes his vote in secret, folds the ballot and, after taking the above-mentioned oath, puts it through the opening in the box. If any of the electors who are sick is unable to write, one of the three Infirmarii or another Cardinal elector chosen by the sick man, having taken an oath before the Infirmarii concerning the observance of secrecy, carries out the above procedure. The Infirmarii then take the box back into the Chapel, where it shall be opened by the Scrutineers after the Cardinals present have cast their votes. The Scrutineers then count the ballots in the box and, having ascertained that their number corresponds to the number of those who are sick, place them one by one on the plate and then drop them all together into the receptacle. In order not to prolong the voting process unduly, the Infirmarii may complete their own ballots and place them in the receptacle immediately after the senior Cardinal, and then go to collect the votes of the sick in the manner indicated above while the other electors are casting their votes.

68. After all the ballots of the Cardinal electors have been placed in the receptacle the first Scrutineer shakes it several times in order to mix them and immediately afterwards the last Scrutineer proceeds to count them, picking them out of the urn in full view and placing them in another empty receptacle previously prepared for this purpose. If the number of ballots does not correspond to the number of electors, the ballots must all be burned and a second vote taken at once, if however their number does correspond to the number of electors, the opening of the ballots then takes place in the following manner.

69. The Scrutineers sit at a table placed in front of the altar. The first of them takes a ballot, unfolds it, notes the name of the person chosen and passes the ballot to the second Scrutineer, who in his turn notes the name of the person chosen and passes the ballot to the third, who reads it out in a loud and clear voice, so that all the electors present can record the vote on a sheet of paper prepared for that purpose. He himself writes down the name read from the ballot. If during the opening of the ballots the Scrutineers should discover two ballots folded in such a way that they appear to have been completed by one elector, if these ballots bear the same name they are counted as one vote, if however they bear two different names, neither vote will be valid, however, in neither of the two cases is the voting session annulled.

When all the ballots have been opened, the Scrutineers add up the sum of the votes obtained by the different names and write them down on a separate sheet of paper. The last Scrutineer, as he reads out the individual ballots pierces each one with a needle through the word Eligo and places it on a thread, so that the ballots can be more securely preserved. After the names have been read out, the ends of the thread are tied in a knot, and the ballots thus joined together are placed in a receptacle or on one side of the table.

70. There then follows the third and last phase, also known as the post-scrutiny, which comprises: 1) the counting of the votes, 2) the checking of the same, 3) the burning of the ballots.

The Scrutineers add up all the votes that each individual has received, and if no one has obtained two thirds of the votes on that ballot, the Pope has not been elected; if however it turns out that someone has obtained two thirds of the votes, the canonically valid election of the Roman Pontiff has taken place.

In either case, that is, whether the election has occurred or not, the Revisers must proceed to check both the ballots and the notes made by the Scrutineers, in order to make sure that these latter have performed their task exactly and faithfully.

Immediately after the checking has taken place, and before the Cardinal electors leave the Sistine Chapel, all the ballots are to be burnt by the Scrutineers, with the assistance of the Secretary of the Conclave and the Masters of Ceremonies who in the meantime have been summoned by the junior Cardinal Deacon. If however a second vote is to take place immediately, the ballots from the first vote will be burned only at the end, together with those from the second vote.

71. In order that secrecy may be better observed, I order each and every Cardinal elector to hand over to the Cardinal Camerlengo or to one of the three Cardinal Assistants any notes which he may have in his possession concerning the results of each ballot. These notes are to be burnt together with the ballots.

I further lay down that at the end of the election the Cardinal Camerlengo of Holy Roman Church shall draw up a document, to be approved also by the three Cardinal Assistants, declaring the result of the voting at each session. This document is to be given to the Pope and will thereafter be kept in a designated archive, enclosed in a sealed envelope, which may be opened by no one unless the Supreme Pontiff gives explicit permission.

72. Confirming the dispositions of my Predecessors, Saint Pius X,20 Pius XII21 and Paul VI,22 I decree that—except for the afternoon of the entrance into the Conclave—both in the morning and in the afternoon, after a ballot which does not result in an election, the Cardinal electors shall proceed immediately to a second one, in which they are to express their vote anew. In this second ballot all the formalities of the previous one are to be observed, with the difference that the electors are not bound to take a new oath or to choose new Scrutineers, Infirmarii and Revisers. Everything done in this regard for the first ballot will be valid for the second one, without the need for any repetition.

73. Everything that has been laid down above concerning the voting procedures must be diligently observed by the Cardinal electors in all the ballots which are to take place each day, in the morning and in the afternoon, after the celebration of the sacred rites or prayers laid down in the Ordo Rituum Conclavis.

74. In the event that the Cardinal electors find it difficult to agree on the person to be elected, after balloting has been carried out for three days in the form described above (in Nos. 62ff) without result voting is to be suspended for a maximum of one day in order to allow a pause for prayer, informal discussion among the voters, and a brief spiritual exhortation given by the senior Cardinal in the Order of Deacons. Voting is then resumed in the usual manner, and after seven ballots, if the election has not taken place, there is another pause for prayer, discussion and an exhortation given by the senior Cardinal in the Order of Priests. Another series of seven ballots is then held and, if there has still been no election, this is followed by a further pause for prayer, discussion and an exhortation given by the senior Cardinal in the Order of Bishops. Voting is then resumed in the usual manner and, unless the election occurs, it is to continue for seven ballots.

75. If the balloting does not result in an election even after the provisions of No. 74 have been fulfilled, the Cardinal electors shall be invited by the Camerlengo to express an opinion about the manner of proceeding. The election will then proceed in accordance with what the absolute majority of the electors decides.

Nevertheless, there can be no waiving of the requirement that a valid election takes place only by an absolute majority of the votes or else by voting only on the two names which in the ballot immediately preceding have received the greatest number of votes; also in this second case only an absolute majority is required.

76. Should the election take place in a way other than that prescribed in the present Constitution, or should the conditions laid down here not be observed, the election is for this very reason null and void, without any need for a declaration on the matter; consequently, it confers no right on the one elected.

77. I decree that the dispositions concerning everything that precedes the election of the Roman Pontiff and the carrying out of the election itself must be observed in full, even if the vacancy of the Apostolic See should occur as a result of the resignation of the Supreme Pontiff, in accordance with the provisions of Canon 333 § 2 of the Code of Canon Law and Canon 44 § 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches

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New Chalice-Urns for the Conclave

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Here is an interesting article fromt he Vatican News Service regarding the urns into which the ballots are placed during the conclave.

As you may know, each time the cardinals cast their individual vote in conclave, they approach the front of the Sistine Chapel, standing before the crucifix and the frescoe of the Last Judgment and swear that they are voting for the man with a clear conscience. They then place the folded ballot into a chalice-urn and a plate is put over it.

 

NEW CHALICE-URNS FOR ELECTION OF POPE

Vatican City, 5 March 2013 (VIS) – On a tapestry hanging in the eponymous gallery of the Vatican Museums, we find one of the oldest witnesses of the chalice-urns that served to gather the ballots of the cardinals voting in the election of a new pontiff.

 

The tapestry relates an episode narrated in the chronicles of the election of Pope Urban VIII (1623-1644). In the final scrutiny, during the counting of the ballots, one ballot was missing. On the right-hand side of the tapestry, one can see a scrutineer who is looking inside a large chalice with attention and interest, as if to verify the presence of the lost ballot.

 

A chalice that is very similar to the one seen in the tapestry and a pyx (ciborium) are preserved in the pontifical sacristy of the Sistine Chapel. This chalice and pyx have been used to gather the voting ballots in the conclaves of the last century, up to the election of John Paul II.

 

With the promulgation of the Apostolic Constitution “Universi Dominici Gregis” concerning the period of Sede Vacante of the Apostolic See and the election of the Roman Pontiff (John Paul II, 22 February 1996), the need arose to adapt the urns to the new norms. It was necessary to add a new urn to the chalice and pyx called for in previous regulations, in order to receive the votes of any cardinals having the right to vote but who were impeded through illness from leaving their room to be present for the voting process in the Sistine Chapel. Rather than creating another urn, three new ones were designed during John Paul II’s pontificate, principally to make them more functional for the intended use, but also to make them uniform.

 

The function of the urns is described in Chapter V of the Constitution, which also speaks of a plate to be placed on top of the first urn. Every cardinal, in fact, must “place his ballot on the plate, with which he drops it into the receptacle beneath.” The second urn will be used only in the case of the presence in the Conclave of cardinals impeded by illness from leaving their rooms and the third urn will be used to gather the ballots after the scrutiny, before they are burned to produce the traditional smoke announcing to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square either the non-election (black smoke) or the election (white smoke) of the new Pontiff.

 

The urns are the work of the Italian sculptor Cecco Bonanotte, already known for the new entrance doors of the Vatican Museums that were inaugurated on the occasion of the Jubilee Year 2000. They are made of silver and gilded bronze and their iconography is linked to two fundamental symbols: the first is that of the Good Shepherd and the second of charity. The symbols chosen by the artist for the three urns—a shepherd and his sheep along with more subtle birds, grapes, and ears of grain—are united in a simple and direct way to the meaning that the person of the Pope has in the Church: the shepherd, indeed the Good Shepherd who, in the name of Christ, has the duty of “confirming his brothers” (Luke 22:31) in the faith.

 

The symbolism of the Good Shepherd, however, also underlines the style of exercising this primacy, which is indissolubly linked to charity. This idea is clearly expressed in the Gospel of John (21:15-25) where “feeding” the flock is joined inseparably to loving care: “Simon of John, do you love me?…” Peter tells him: “Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you: “Feed my lambs.” The relationship of love between Jesus and Peter, and as a consequence between the Pope and the Church, is emphasized in the other symbols used to decorate the urns: the birds, grapes, and the ears of grain. Eucharistic bread and wine, which are Christ, accentuate the idea of charity underlined by the sharing of this very bread and the chalice.

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There are some who think this is the way to choose a pope

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Deacon Bob

A bit of humor here.

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Quote for the Day

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Deacon Bob

“No one deserves to go hungry, and there is no ecological reason for people to be hungry today. People are hungry today soley because of the social and economic structures of sin: greed, pride and lust for power.” — Br. Keith Warner, OFM

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Benedict’s Final Words as Translated by Vatican Radio

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Here are the final words of Pope Benedict XVI to the cardinals of Rome. It is my understanding that they are the last official words of the Holy Father before his retirement takes effect in five hours.

Radio Vatican’s English translation:

Dear beloved brothers

I welcome you all with great joy and cordially greet each one of you. I thank Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who as always, has been able to convey the sentiments of the College, Cor ad cor loquitur. Thank you, Your Eminence, from my heart.

And referring to the disciples of Emmaus, I would like to say to you all that it has also been a joy for me to walk with you over the years in light of the presence of the Risen Lord. As I said yesterday, in front of thousands of people who filled St. Peter’s Square, your closeness, your advice, have been a great help to me in my ministry. In these 8 years we have experienced in faith beautiful moments of radiant light in the Churches’ journey along with times when clouds have darkened the sky. We have tried to serve Christ and his Church with deep and total love which is the soul of our ministry. We have gifted hope that comes from Christ alone, and which alone can illuminate our path. Together we can thank the Lord who has helped us grow in communion, to pray to together, to help you to continue to grow in this deep unity so that the College of Cardinals is like an orchestra, where diversity, an expression of the universal Church, always contributes to a superior harmony of concord. I would like to leave you with a simple thought that is close to my heart, a thought on the Church, Her mystery, which is for all of us, we can say, the reason and the passion of our lives. I am helped by an expression of Romano Guardini’s, written in the year in which the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council approved the Constitution Lumen Gentium, his last with a personal dedication to me, so the words of this book are particularly dear to me .

Guardini says: “The Church is not an institution devised and built at table, but a living reality. She lives along the course of time by transforming Herself, like any living being, yet Her nature remains the same. At Her heart is Christ. ”

This was our experience yesterday, I think, in the square. We could see that the Church is a living body, animated by the Holy Spirit, and truly lives by the power of God, She is in the world but not of the world. She is of God, of Christ, of the Spirit, as we saw yesterday. This is why another eloquent expression of Guardini’s is also true: “The Church is awakening in souls.” The Church lives, grows and awakens in those souls which like the Virgin Mary accept and conceive the Word of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. They offer to God their flesh and in their own poverty and humility become capable of giving birth to Christ in the world today. Through the Church the mystery of the Incarnation remains present forever. Christ continues to walk through all times in all places. Let us remain united, dear brothers, to this mystery, in prayer, especially in daily Eucharist, and thus serve the Church and all humanity. This is our joy that no one can take from us.

Prior to bidding farewell to each of you personally, I want to tell you that I will continue to be close to you in prayer, especially in the next few days, so that you may all be fully docile to the action of the Holy Spirit in the election of the new Pope. May the Lord show you what is willed by Him. And among you, among the College of Cardinals, there is also the future Pope, to whom, here to today, I already promise my unconditional reverence and obedience. For all this, with affection and gratitude, I cordially impart upon you my Apostolic Blessing.

Posted in Church History, Popes | 1 Comment

Benedict’s Final Blessing

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Deacon Bob

The Holy Father gave his last blessing to the public this afternoon. The Vatican’s you tube channel has provided this video clip.

Click on this link.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/SNf9U9x0pUc”

God bless you too, Holy Father!

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His Holiness Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Deacon Bob

So it will be as of 8 PM Rome time this Thursday. The Vatican has announced that Pope Benedict will  be called His Holiness Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus following his resignation from the papacy. He will give us his red shoes and his fisherman’s ring, but retains the title of pope.

Strikes me as kind of odd, perhaps confusing. There will be two men with the title of pope, but only one with papal authority. A pope without authority and another with.

I can see why Benedict has decided to withdraw from the public view immediately upon the hour of his resignation.

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American Seminarians’ Thoughts about Benedict

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Here is a nice short video from the Catholic News Service in which several seminarians at the North American College in Rome reflect on the Holy Father’s papacy.

Worth your time to view. Click on the link, then scroll down to the video which will automatically play.

http://bcove.me/i4dz41pt

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Pope will change rule for conclave date tomorrow :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Check out this article from the Catholic News Agency. Looks like the conclave will happen early in March. Who knows, we may have a new pope in a couple of weeks!

Pope will change rule for conclave date tomorrow :: Catholic News Agency (CNA).

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Quote for the Day: Pope Benedict will “Climb the Mountain”

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Here is a part of Benedict’s last Angelus address this Sunday noon. It is the quote for the day.

“Dear brothers and sisters, I feel that this Word of God is particularly directed at me, at this point in my life. The Lord is calling me to “climb the mountain”, to devote myself even more to prayer and meditation. But this does not mean abandoning the Church, indeed, if God is asking me to do this it is so that I can continue to serve the Church with the same dedication and the same love with which I have done thus far, but in a way that is better suited to my age and my strength. Let us invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary: may she always help us all to follow the Lord Jesus in prayer and works of charity.”

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Deacon Bob’s Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Lent, Cycle C

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Here is the audio of my homily for this weekend. God bless you all!

2nd Sunday of Lent – Cycle C, 2013

Here is the text: Second Sunday of Lent. 2013

Second Sunday of Lent – Cycle C

February 23/24, 2013

Gen. 15:5-12, 17-18; Phil 3: 17- 4: 1; Luke 9: 28b – 36

You may wonder why we hear the Gospel account of the Transfiguration at the beginning of Lent. It doesn’t really seem to have all that much to do with Lent, does it? Lent is meant to be a time of conversion, of repentance, of forgiveness, but here we are given the account of Jesus revealing his divinity and splendor to only three men: Peter, James and John.

Just three men, no more; certainly not to the entire world and not only that but those three men kept it to themselves.  Jesus must have wanted it to be a private revelation for some reason.

So, why do we hear of the Transfiguration early in Lent, and why was Peter, James, and John to keep quiet about it?

The Church traditionally has believed that the Transfiguration occurred forty days before Good Friday, before the crucifixion. That is one reason why the Church gives us this reading early in Lent, about forty days before Good Friday. There is another reason, which I will get to later.

Peter, James, and John kept quiet about the Transfiguration, about their private mystical experience of Jesus’ divinity, for two reasons.

First, it was meant for them at that time because they were going to need to recall the Transfiguration in order to strengthen them and help them understand what the Crucifixion was all about when it happened, that death never has the last say on things, that although Jesus would die in the flesh, he remained the Son of God who came to give his life for the entire world and he lives forever as God and man.

Second, the Transfiguration, as splendid, beautiful and miraculous as it was for Peter, James and John, even to the point where Peter didn’t want it ever to end but rather that tents be erected so they could stay there and never leave, this heavenly experience would be eclipsed by miracle of the Cross.

Yes, even today we marvel at miracles, don’t we? When we read the Scriptures, we are enamored by miracles like the feeding of the five thousand, the raising of Lazarus, the healing of the lepers, the curing of the man born blind, changing the water into wine, and so many more. Yes we marvel at them and we sometimes pray for a miracle in our own lives, hoping God will give us some special grace or personal healing, or maybe some unique wisdom.

People flock to shrines and holy places around the world hoping to see a miracle, to be cured or relieved of some burden. They go to Lourdes, to the Holy Land and to Rome, hoping for something extraordinary.

These kinds of miracles are indeed wonderful and each of them are meant to bring us to a deeper faith in God and his mercy. They are like “transfiguration moments” for those to whom God gives them, just like he did with Peter, James and John.

But the greatest miracle the world has ever seen, and will ever see is the Cross – the dying of the Lord Jesus to redeem us from sin and death. This, the greatest of all miracles, will never be repeated. It is the most wonderful of all miracles because it is given to all people from all times, to all men and women who have lived since the beginning of history and it extends to all people until the end of time. It is a miracle given to all men and women, not just a few.

This point was driven home to me while I was a student in Rome. All our final exams were oral exams done privately with the professor. In one class, Christology, Fr. Jean Galot, SJ, a French Jesuit asked me the question, “When was Abraham saved?” I was unable to answer his question. So he explained to me that Christ’s death on the Cross merited salvation for all mankind from the beginning of time until the end of time, that once Jesus died, time no longer bound him so the graces of his sacrifice on the Cross were effective in Abraham’s life some 3000 years before, and will be effective in the lives of men and women however many years in the future.

What Fr. Galot was trying to tell me was that the Cross of Christ is the miracle of human history.

Not only has the Cross impacted every human being who has ever lived or ever will live, it transforms all of creation.

Yes, all of creation. We will hear in the reading of the Passion how the earth shook, the sun was darkened and heaven itself was opened when Jesus died on the cross. Yes, creation itself was reordered and reclaimed.

My friends, we sometimes put more stock in our personal spiritual experiences that God allows us – our personal transfiguration moments – than we do in the Crucifixion. God may give us our personal revelations like he did for Peter, James and John, but he does so only to prepare us, to strengthen us for what lay ahead, for the times of trouble and trial in life, to prepare us to give witness and testimony to the death and resurrection of Jesus, just like he did with Peter, James and John.

God gave the entire world his Son Jesus, and his death on the Cross was and is a sign to all of us that God has renewed all things in Jesus’ death and resurrection. In Jesus all of humanity, all of creation is “recapitulated” as the ancient Church Fathers said, in other words, brought back to original dignity and purpose and order.

We hear of the Transfiguration early in Lent because it points us toward the Cross, it points us to redemption.

There is the greatest of all miracles! Look at the Cross of Christ! See there the love of God outpoured! Look at the Cross with faith and you will see your salvation!

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Quote for the Day

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Deacon Bob

“How marvelous is divine wisdom, for it brought salvation through the cinders of humility.” — St. Bonaventure, OFM

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The Church Divested of Material and Political Burdens – Pope Benedict’s Thoughts

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Deacon Bob

To continue with some of the thoughts I had in my last post, I am posting Pope Benedict’s thoughts about the Church’s need to be liberated from material and political burdens. The following in an excerpt from an address he gave on September 25, 2011 to a meeting Lay Catholics Engaged in the Church and Society at Freiburg, Germany. It is the Vatican’s official translation.

History has shown that, when the Church becomes less worldly, her missionary witness shines more brightly. Once liberated from material and political burdens and privileges, the Church can reach out more effectively and in a truly Christian way to the whole world, she can be truly open to the world. She can live more freely her vocation to the ministry of divine worship and service of neighbour. The missionary task, which is linked to Christian worship and should determine its structure, becomes more clearly visible. The Church opens herself to the world not in order to win men for an institution with its own claims to power, but in order to lead them to themselves by leading them to him of whom each person can say with Saint Augustine: he is closer to me than I am to myself (cf. Confessions, III,6,11). He who is infinitely above me is yet so deeply within me that he is my true interiority. This form of openness to the world on the Church’s part also serves to indicate how the individual Christian can be open to the world in effective and appropriate ways.

You can read the address in its entirety at:

 http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2011/september/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20110925_catholics-freiburg_en.html

Posted in Ecclesiology, Evangelization, Popes | Comments Off on The Church Divested of Material and Political Burdens – Pope Benedict’s Thoughts

Random Thoughts on Benedict’s Example

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Deacon Bob

Yesterday, I conducted a Lenten Day of Reflection for the diaconal community of the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin. We reflected on Evangelization, the New Evangelization, and the Transmission of Faith. I couldn’t help but think if the topics would be ones that the new Holy Father, whoever he might be, will pick up and centralize in his papacy. As I was preparing and delivering the three conferences, I had a strange feeling that perhaps these themes may fade away in the near future with whoever becomes the 266th successor to the Chair of Peter. On an obvious level, Evangelization and the New Evangelization – and most certainly the transmission of our faith – can never but be forefront in our lives because it is for this that the Church lives in our modern world, i.e., to present the person of Jesus  to an unbelieving culture. On a less obvious level though, I wonder if the new pope might steer us into a new direction by way of emphasis. Pope John Paul I called for the new evangelization of the baptized the day he died, and Pope John Paul II took up that call and carried it forth as has Pope Benedict XVI. I have a sense that the next pope will take this momentum of energy and focus and hone it down to something more specific, if you will, something incisive. Perhaps the reconciliation of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches after a 1000 year schism. Perhaps a kenosis in the Church where the riches of the Church are dispersed among the poor.

Regarding reconciliation with the Orthodox, I have no doubt that a lot of work has been done and is being accomplished to bring this about. My own thought is I don’t know how we can effect unity among other Christian communities, such as the Lutherans, Methodists,  Baptists, etc., if we are not united with the Orthodox who share with us a common faith, common understanding of the sacraments, valid orders and sacraments, a history extending 2000 years. We remain split because of an unwillingness to come to consensus about Apostolic Authority and a word or two in the Creed (on a theological level) and perhaps more importantly by old ecclesial wounds that have in the centuries past spilled over into politics and nationalism (my opinion only).

Regarding ecclesial kenosis, have you ever wondered what would happen if a pope were to divest the Church of any and all material wealth? It nearly happened in the 19th century when the Church gave up the Papal States and retreated to the Vatican. Another withdrawal from earthly attachments  could happen again, a voluntary renunciation.

These are only my random thoughts, but maybe what Benedict XVI is showing us by his resignation and renunciation of papal responsibilities and power – and his willingness to become withdrawn from the world’s view – is how the Church is to live in the future. Perhaps he is demonstrating to us where the Church can now proceed, i.e., to focus all its energies on engaging the world of today by detachment from that which is burdens it from doing so.

I think Pope John Paul I was intending to do just that – again just my thoughts – but God must have know Luciani was there to just plant the seed and JPII and BXVI would cultivate and water that seed and whoever succeeds Benedict will see it to fruition.

To divest oneself of power is an act of extreme bravery and faith. This is what Benedict is doing. To give away one’s material wealth (for that is what gives us power in the secular world) is also an act of faith and bravery. Go ahead and try to do so in a substantial way in your own life and you will experience this fear. For the Church to do so would be an act of martyrdom, a giving of herself so others may live freely.

Let us all pray that the needs of the poor, needy, marginalized, oppressed, and persecuted in today’s world be known to the Cardinal electors as they deliberate and select for us our new pope.

Posted in Church News, Ecclesiology, Evangelization, Papa Luciani (Pope John Paul I), Popes | 3 Comments