Catholic Social Doctrine: The Commitment of the Laity

Posted on October 30, 2011 by Deacon Bob

The essential nature of the laity is their secular identity, that is, their living of the faith in the world. This identity is born and nourished by the sacraments, especially Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist, and is renewed by the sacrament of Penance, for by these sacraments God forms the image of his Son, Jesus. The laity share in the three-fold munus (gift/duty) of Christ as priest, prophet and king.

It is proper for the lay person to proclaim the Gospel by the witness of their lives, lives that are rooted in the temporal world. All secular human realities are the context in which the lay Christian lives and works. The witness or the lay person is born from grace. It is to be nurtured and brought to maturity. It is to have its proper spirituality that is immersed in both the mystery of God and inserted in society. It is the duty of the laity to strengthen their spiritual and moral lives.

This life requires prudence, the virtue that allows moral principles to be applied correctly to particular circumstances. This virtue needs to be inculcated in our young so they may be able to navigate that complex realities in today’s world by reflecting, analyzing and judging properly. Prudence makes it possible to make decisions that are consistent and realistic with a sense of responsibility for one’s actions and their consequences.

The Church’s social doctrine must become a part of the ongoing formation of the laity. This is can be accomplished within lay ecclesial associations. These associations gather people together in the name of their Christian vocation and mission within a particular professional or cultural field, such as Catholic associations of doctors, biologists, other sciences, law, social services and others.

The laity bring to society the Christian presence of service which is the sign and expression of love. This service is first and foremost to the human person. This cannot be accomplished without first of all renewing oneself interiorly for it is from a conversion of heart that arises the concern for others. This interior conversion must work at the same time for an improvement of social structures. We see this most evidently in promoting human dignity by affirming the right to life from conception to natural death, the defense of the right to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, and the defense of marriage and family.

For a more detailed discussion of this, refer to the  Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, nos. 541-553.

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Church of the Week

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Deacon Bob

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church

Leroy, Minnesota

 

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A Re-Wording of the Spirit of Vatican II

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Deacon Bob

I was listening this morning to a Catholic talk radio station. The host was interviewing someone who described the effect of Vatican II with a term I have not heard before used in this context: Protestantism.

At first, I thought I had misunderstood what he said, but he repeated the word. He said that the reforms of Vatican II were attempts to return the Church to its more ancient roots which he likened to the reforms of protestantism.

I have to disagree with all due respect to the radio guest.

Vatican II was a thoroughly Catholic event under the guidance of two Popes, John XXIII and Paul VI. Both were vicars of Christ. The Holy Spirit guided the workings of this council as He has done in previous ecumenical councils. Of this, there can be no doubt unless one apostasizes from the one true faith. One may have some thoughts about how the reforms of the liturgy, ecumenism, religious liberty, etc. were operationalized, (and in fact we are updating the language of the Eucharistic liturgy – another reform resulting from Vatican II, not in a break from it or in opposition to it) but I don’t think one can accurately describe the results of Vatican II as protestantism.

The protestant reformation was a very different occurence, and sprang up in opposition to papal authority and Church Tradition (capital “T” not small “t” tradition).

Let us be careful with the words we are using to describe the influence of the Holy Spirit in the Catholic Church.

Posted in Church History, Ecclesiology | 3 Comments

“Essence” Is It A Noun or a Verb?

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Deacon Bob

I am attending a day long seminar today on Narrative Therapy which is a form of psychotherapy in which the patient/client defines the problem which afflicts them in terms meaningful to them and separates themselves from the problem, thus making the therapy relational. The therapist then assists the client/patient in developing their “story” of how the problem entered their lives and the influence it has had. This form of therapy presumes, in a certain sense, that the reality is created by the teller of the story, i.e., the patient/client.

The presenter of the conference stated that this way of thinking about doing therapy is really about changing systems and is a political stand aimed at deconstructing culture.

Rather radical statements, it seems. The presenter would not disagree with that characterization.

He said, “Essence is a verb, not a noun.” This is more than a catchy comment. It is points to his philosophy and his socio-cultural aims.

Essence is a philosophical term reaching centuries back in western civilization. It means that there are somethings constant and constituitive to that which exists. It is descriptive of someone or something in terms of setting limits as to who one is or what something may be, vis a vis the rest of the world without, in another sense, completing the identity of that person or some other reality. For instance, it would say that there is something persistent throughout time and culture that all human beings share that defines them and distinguishes them from animals or plants or inanimate objects.

The presenter today is saying that there is no such essential nature; rather, he would assert that who we are is created by us in our telling and recounting of our life’s story. That is a philosophical assumption he asserts as underpinning the narrative therapy approach. He uses it to deconstruct what he view as oppressive cultural structures, including the Catholic Church, psychoanalysis, and history as told by men.

I find myself thinking that there is a real disconnect between what sounds like a wonderful way to do therapy with people with serious problems in life, a therapy that could free them from futile ways of thinking and ineffective ways of approaching self-understanding…. a disconnect between that and this whole notion of their is no real essence or definition common to us all.

I don’t think psychotherapy is a political activity.

I do think a correct understanding and appreciation of our human “essence” gives us a sense of continuity, stability and community with all our brothers and sisters throughout the world and history.

Essence is a noun, not a verb, say I.

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Gadhaffi’s Death and War

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Deacon Bob

I found myself aghast and sick to the stomach yesterday and the day before after learning of Gadhaffi’s death in Libya. I find no joy in his death and most especially the manner in which it seems he was killed.

He was a dictator, and a perpetrator of atrocities of his own, but no man deserves to die at the hands of a mob or the revelling victors of war.

Why is it we found it so necessary to engage in war in Libya? Why is it so many rejoice at the death of another?

Are we to be now at war continually as far as the eye can see?

War is not the answer, and the bloody public execution of a man even less so.

Let us pray for peace. Pray hard, folks.

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Church of the Week

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church

Harmony, Minnesota

 

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New Nuncio for the United States

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Deacon Bob

The Holy Father recently named Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano nuncio to the United States. Archbishop Vigano, age 70, replaces Archbishop Pietro Sambi who recently died from complications from surgery.

The nuncio is a Vatican representative to the American bishops and has the rank of an ambassador. Because of this rank, he also has responsibilities to the American government in the Vatican’s behalf. He has previously served as ambassador for the Vatican to Iraq and Great Britain. He has served Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI in various diplomatic and governmental positions. 

We wish him all the best in this most important work in the Church and our country.

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Thinking In Front of a Borrowed Computer

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Deacon Bob

It is striking to me in these past years to read about old colleagues from my years in Rome. When I read of the challenges that they have been given in life I realize how little we really can prepare for our lives, how much we must accept with faith and courage, adhering to our primary love for God and holding on to the perspective that humanity is essentially good.

Some of the men to whom I am referring are Bishop Robert Finn, Bishop Tony Taylor, and Archbishop J. Peter Sartain. Then there are of course many others who are now priests or who are married men with families. I recall them all as young men with enthusiasm all of whom have had significant hurdles in life.

The priest at the local parish here in California this past Sunday preached a brief homily the Gospel reading of the two great commandments: Love God and love your neighbor. From what I know, he is beset with challenges too. One of his main points was that unless we really do fervently love God as our primary purpose in life, we will succumb to life’s difficulties, we will burn out and become embittered by the pain others can cause us. A simple enough point, but he said it in a way that struck home. How true it is. We need only look to Jesus and his ability to endure the cross to see this preeminently displayed for our imitation.

St. Maximillian Kolbe has been popping into my thoughts off and on these past weeks too. You remember, of course, that he was the priest who took a married man’s place in the death cell at a Nazi concentration camp. I wonder to what extent his actions were the result of an unplanned impulse, a spur of the moment thing, and whether he was left thinking, “What did I just do?” Perhaps martyrs die in that way, but I tend to think they prepare in advance for such self-giving, such confrontation with the fear of death out of love for God and neighbor.

Finally, our trip to California reinforces my belief that people are good in their core. Everyone I have met in this trip has been pleasant. Yesterday, I spoke with three young men, tattooed and wearing “caps at an angle” at the paddle board rental place at Lake Tahoe. They were friendly, polite and helpful. They were grinning (wouldn’t have you) when they saw me walk in and inquire about paddle board rental…. a white beard from Minnesota wanting to get on one of those boards. (If you don’t know what I am talking about,  paddle boards are a wide surf board that you stand or kneel on and paddle yourself around slowly. It is a test of your balance, and quite popular around here.) Meeting people like them is very good thing. Glad to have briefly known them. A diaconal blessing on all three of them.

I hope all of you have a good day. Let us pray for one another.

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Check It Out

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Deacon Bob

There is a great website dedicated to Pope John Paul I filled with pictures and information about Luciani. I encourage you to take a look at what it offers.

Here is the link: www.fondazionepapaluciani.com

Even though the address is in Italian, the site is in English.

Papa Luciani, pray for us!

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If Only We All Were So Aware

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Deacon Bob

I was at daily Mass yesterday in a parish at which I had never previously been present. At the sign of peace, I turned to glance over my right shoulder and saw a disheveled man standing in the back with his arms upraised and his head tilted to the left. It seemed pretty clear he was homeless by his appearance, and I wondered about him.

As we approached the altar for communion, he took the final position. I watched him receive the Body of Christ and then the Precious Blood. He was very reverent. Then he took a place in a nearby pew. He remained standing with his arms upraised, head tilted to the left, until the priest said, “Let us pray.”

I was puzzled for a few minutes by the man’s behavior and assumed he was mentally ill. He may have been, but I was missing the point until I felt a prompting within me to recognize what was so obvious, i.e., the man was assuming the posture of Jesus on the Cross high above the altar. He was uniting himself with Jesus, and he was very aware of what had just happened on that altar.

He moved me.

If only we all were so aware as was that saint.

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Random Thoughts About California

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Deacon Bob

California is a wonderful state. Here in the valley west of San Francisco and south of Sacramento there are vineyards everywhere. In the county surrounding where I am staying, there are over 100,000 acres of grape vines. From what I have been told, the sky has been cloudless for months.

People are pretty friendly. The ladies down at the Chamber of Commerce were wonderful, and zealously promoted their city. The streets are lined with small restaurants serving great food.

Chinatown was a new experience for me. Beware! If you order “spicy beef soup” from a real Chinese restaurant, you palate will burn. And you will sweat profusely.

The tap water is terrible. The served water at eating establishments is delightful.

Of course, there is nothing comparable to the Pacific Ocean. Something visceral happens when you stand there and take it all in. Something primordal.

Looking forward to venturing into the mountains tomorrow or Saturday.

Praying for all of you.

Deacon Bob

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On Vacation

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Deacon Bob

I will probably be not posting much in the next week, as I am on vacation. If something of note pops in my mind, I will find a computer and write about it.

By the way, northern California is beautiful this time of year. San Francisco has a couple of nice parishes downtown, one in memory of St. Francis of Assisi, the other in memory of Sts. Peter and Paul.

Blessings to all of you.

 

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Quote for the Day

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Deacon Bob

“To think of Jesus is like a breath of new life. His kindness fills one to the brim. His sweetness is in overflowing measure.” — St. Clare of Assisi

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Funeral Homily for Papa Luciani

Posted on October 16, 2011 by Deacon Bob

I said a while back that I would post on Papa Luciani’s funeral. I was there, in the cool rain. I have always found that confounding in a way, i.e., why the good Lord saw fit to have a cloudy rainy day for Luciani’s funeral rites. The thought that has risen, though, when I think of this is that the Lord himself, on the day of his death and burial, had a day of rain and storms. So, I suppose it was fitting that Luciani, who reigned for 33 days (reminiscent of our Lord’s 33 years of age when he was crucified) should imitate at the very end the Lord in another way — his body would lay in the rain and the clouds as did our Lord’s on the cross.

There are so many ways that Luciani imitated our Lord Jesus. Jesus’ stepfather was a common man who did common labor. Luciani’s father was a common man who stood with the poor. Luciani continually spoke of his own mother’s holiness; Jesus never lost sight of his mother and spoke of her in his dying breath. Luciani spoke in parables as did our Lord. Jesus spoke simply and especially to children; Luciani did the same. Luciani’s heart gave way under the strain of his office; Jesus’ heart was heavy with the sins of us all, and his heart was pierced with a lance. Luciani never travelled far from his native Italy yet reached the hearts of all in only a month; Jesus never travelled more than a few score of miles from his birthplace, yet changed the world. No one expected Luciani to be elected the Vicar of Christ; Jesus came from Nazareth, from whence no one expected anyone of importance to come.

In the funeral homily, Cardinal Carolo Confalonieri said this, in part:

“No one could have thought that, in less than two months since the funeral rites in the St. Peter’s Square for the deceased Pope Paul VI that we would find ourselves again here, to give our last respects to his successor, Holy Father John Paul I, suddenly dead after only 33 days as pope.

We ask, ‘Why so soon?’ …. the unfathomable mysteries of life and death.

We had barely time to see the new Pope; one month was enough though because he conquered our hearts, and in one month we loved him intensely…..

He passed by like a meteor that suddenly lights up the sky and disappears, leaving us astounded and amazed….

He let us see the great themes that would have been the program of his pontificate: the genuineness and integrity of the faith, the perfection of the Christian life, love of the great discipline in the many activities toward the building of the Kingdom of God and the spiritual and material prosperity of all humanity…

He was the perfect teacher…. He spoke to the little ones so that they might come to know great things…

Pope John Paul was himself, personally, a message of peace….

He said that man must progress, progress always, in all that is good, to perfection, such being the law that brings us life; and first of all he must grow in love of God and love of neighbor. It was his testament. It was the testament of the Divine Teacher, Christ Jesus. Amen.” (Italics mine.)

Yes, that was the other way Luciani imitate our Lord…. he taught the law of love so well, in all humility.

Papa Luciani, pray for us.

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Rome in Flames

Posted on October 16, 2011 by Deacon Bob

I don’t know if you kept abreast as to the demonstrations occurring in many parts of the world yesterday. It is all part of what we in the US are calling “Occupy Wall Street”.

Yesterday, in Rome, there was bedlam to say the least. It all turned violent on the Via Cavour and also in front of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of the diocese of Rome. People began to vandalize buildings and cars.

Chiesa Santi Marcellino e Pietro

There is an 18th-century church right next to John Lateran named the Church of Saints Marcellino and Peter. The mobs vandalized it. They smashed in the front door, took a large statue of the Virgin Mary and smashed it in the streets, broke into the sacristy door and vandalized a large crucifix, according to Fr. Giuseppe Ciucci, pastor of the parish.

The Vatican has condemned the violence.

Sanctuary of the Chiesa Santi Marcellino e Pietro

I have been to John Lateran on several occasions, and am familiar with the environs of that basilica. I am so glad that it was not vandalized, even though I am stunned that the crowds in some way thought to desecrate a church.

I don’t see the connection between what they are protesting — economic policies and, in Italy’s case, the recently narrow endorsement of Berlusconi’s government — and a Catholic church.

What is clear is that there is a great deal of unrest among the common person in today’s economic times. Rome has always been a place where large manifestazioni have taken place, but usually they are just noisy events without violence. When I lived there over 35 years ago, I had no fear walking the back streets of that city even at night. I don’t think I would do so today.

You can read a report of this at: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/77241/vatican-condemns-attack-on-rome-church-during-protest

Let us pray for peace and a more just world.

 

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