Catholic Faith and Reflections

Thirty-three years ago today, during his Sunday Angelus instruction, Pope John Paul I made is famous comment attributing maternal qualities to God’s love.

This caused quite a stir among many for reasons that, in all honesty, I think were misunderstandings of his teaching.

His comment, “He is our father; even more he is our mother,” was made in a certain context that is important to consider. He was identifying with the prophet Isaiah who said, “Can a mother forget her own child? But even if it should happen, God will never forget his people,” which refers to God’s undying love and his unshakeable benevolence toward us.

Here is the last half of his address that day:

“…He replied through Isaiah the Prophet — “can a mother forget her own child? But even if it should happen, God will never forget his people.” Also we who are here have the same sentiments; we are the objects of undying love on the part of God. We know: he has always his eyes open on us, even when it seems dark. He is our father; even more he is our mother. He does not want to hurt us, He wants only to do good to us, to all of us. If children are ill, they have additional claim to be loved by their mother. And we too, if by chance we are sick with badness, on the wrong track, we yet have another claim to be loved by the Lord.”

The beginning portion of his talk highlighted the ongoing peace talks between the Egyptians and the Israelis being brokered by President Carter at the time. Recall too that Luciani had said very early in his papacy that he would spend himself completely to unify the Church. So the theme of unity was running in his mind that day.

His comments about God as father and as mother speak to his desire to unify all and brings to my mind the words of St. Paul when he spoke of there being no longer male or female, Jew or Greek, slave or free… all are one in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Papa Luciani, pray for us!

Thirty-three years ago today, Papa Luciani spoke to the Roman clergy. He focused his comments on the theme of discipline.

Here are a few excerpts:

There is the “little” discipline, which is limited to  purely external and formal observance of juridical norms. I would like, on the contrary, to speak of the “great” discipline. The latter exists only if external observance is the fruit of deep convictions and the free and joyful projection of a life lived deeply in God. It is a question – Abbe Chautard writes – of the activity of a soul which reacts continually to master its bad inclinations and to acquire a little at a time, the habit of judging and behaving in all circumstances of life according to the maxims of the Gospel and the examples of Jesus. “To master inclinations” is discipline…. The “great” discipline requires a suitable atmosphere; and, in the first place, meditation…. and today it is the desire of many good faithful to feel their priest habitually united with God…. let the pastor avoid the temptation of wishing to be loved by the faithful instead of by God, or of being too weak for fear of losing men’s affection; let him not lay himself open to the divine reproach….. our presidency is just if it consists of service or take place for the purpose of service, with the spirit and style of service…. another element of priestly discipline is love of one’s job. It is not easy, I know, to love one’s job and stick to it when things are not going right, when one has the impression that one is not understood or encouraged…. Ascetical theology teaches: do not look at whom you obey, but for Whom you obey.

You can read the entire message in the Vatican’s English translation at: www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_i/speeches/documents/hf_jp-i_spe_07091978_roman-clergy_en.html

I can’t help but think of St. Terese of Liseaux when I read Luciani’s thoughts here. I especially like the point that we need keep our focus on Whom we obey, not “at whom”, meaning we must keep firmly in our minds (by meditation and prayer) that Jesus is our Lord and it is him we serve and obey when we serve the people around us.

Simple but beautiful asceticism united to a kind of mystical theology, I would say.

Papa Luciani, pray for us.

Thirty-three years ago today, Pope John Paul I in his Wednesday general audience had this to say about “Who is my neighbor?”

Then there is our neighbor… But our neighbor is at three levels: some are above us; some are at our level; some are below. Above, there are our  parents. The catechism said: respect them, love them, obey them. The Pope must instill respect and obedience in children for their parents….Heat and food are not enough, there is the heart; we must think of the heart of our old people. The Lord said that parents must be respected and loved, even when they are old. And besides our parents, there is the State, there are superiors. May the Pope recommend obedience?…..

Then there are our equals. And here there are usually two virtues to observe: justice and charity. But charity is the soul of justice. We must love our neighbor, the Lord recommended it so much. I always recommend not only great acts of charity, but little ones…..

Then there are those who are smaller than we are; there are children, the sick, even sinners. As bishop, I was very close even to those who do not believe in God. I formed the idea that they often combat not God, but the mistaken idea they have about God. How much mercy it is necessary to have! And even those who err… We must really be in place of ourselves….. the Lord loves humility so much that, sometimes, he permits serious sins. Why? In order that those who committed these sins may, after repenting  remain humble….. Lowly, lowly: this is the Christian virtue which concerns ourselves.

Read the entire message at: www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_i/audiences/documents/hf_jp-i_aud_06091978_en.html

Luciani taught us that obedience, justice with a charitable heart, and humility are the road to sanctity. He lived that life well. For that reason, I believe his sanctity is evident and should be held up for our imitation and veneration.

Papa Luciani, pray for us!

Thirty-three years ago today, Papa Luciani omitted the traditional crowning with the papal tiara and opted for a much simpler Mass of Installation at St. Peter’s Basilica. I have posted on this before (see series last year by clicking on the category Papa Luciani at lower right) especially my memories of that day, having been privileged to bear the processional cross and be seated within a few yards of the new pope throughout. I recall some temporary disappointments that were really quite selfish looking back…. how I wanted him to be crowned for the acolyte bearing the cross traditionally stood immediately to the pope’s left as that ritual was performed and I had anticipated being there in that way after Msgr. Noe selected me for the role….. how I at the beginning of the Mass had an unanticipated feeling of disappointment when I saw Luciani exit the basilica in a very ornate miter and then starting his homily in Latin for I wondered if we were on our way back to pre-Vatican II. I know now that all of these things happened because Luciani had an ardent desire to unite all people and to express a humility that the world so dearly needed. He even said in the homily that he began in Latin for is was a unifying language. Clearly, his refusal of the tiara was symbolic of his desire to work collegially with his brother bishops.

My underlying feeling, though, was perhaps rooted in something I wasn’t aware of at the time and only have come to be aware with the passing of years – Luciani was a remarkably orthodox prelate. He was rooted in the Church and her Tradition (Tradition with a capital “T”, not traditions) and his presence spoke of not only change but continuity. His name, John Paul spoke of the latter. His installation, his use of the common pronoun “I”, his use of the feminine to describe attributes of God, and his love of Vatican II spoke of the former.

The Church is both a “rock” (stability and continuity) and a “ship” (change and growth). Luciani embodied both aspects in his person and presentation.

Pray for us Papa Luciani!

On this day in 1978, only days after being elected pope, Papa Luciani spoke with the representatives of the international press corps in the Hall of Benediction at the Vatican.  Here is what he said, in part:

“… the means of social communications assume in the life of modern man a function that becomes ever more important. We are mindful of the risks of ‘massing’ and ‘levelling’ that the ‘mass media’ contain, the consequent threats to the interiority of the individual, to his capacity for personal reflection, and to his objectivity in judgment. But we also are aware of the new and joyous possibility that they offer to the man of today – the possibility of better knowing and of drawing closer together, the possibility of more closely understanding the desire for justice, for peace, for brotherhood, indeed for building up with one another deeper bonds of sharing,of understanding, of solidarity in view of a  more just and humane world…. We wish to arrive through ‘communication’ at a true and satisfying ‘communion’. As you well know, this a a goal towards which the heart of the Vicar of him who taught us to call God the unique and loving Father of every human being aspires….. at times you will have to comment on our humble ministry. We are confident that you will do so with a love of truth and with a respect for human dignity, because such is the scope of every social communications. We would also ask you to be willing to contribute to the safeguarding in today’s society of a deep respect for the things of God and for the mysterious relationship between God and each of us. It is this that constitutes the sacred dimension of human reality….”

I just love how Luciani speaks of how his “heart” aspired to use communication to accomplish a “true and satisfying ‘communion'”. If you listen to his talks, you clearly get a glimpse of this, i.e., his way of communicating with his listeners accomplished a communion, a union, with him. His style of communication was both verbal and non-verbal, and it beckoned us to be united as one, just as he had said the day before to the diplomats that his total energy would be spent to maintain and deepen the unity of all people.

Of interest to me also is his warning, which seems to be playing itself out thirty years later, that modern mass media and social communication (e.g. technology) threatens the interiority of the human person and his/her capacity for personal reflection and objectivity. There is little doubt in my mind that indeed this disturbance of the interiority of men and women, and the rise of subjectivity rather than objectivity, is on the rise with the increased use of the internet, cell phones and other forms of communication so prevalent in most people’s lives today.

Finally, on this day in 1978, Pope John Paul I officially proclaimed Our Lady of Good Journey as patroness of the city of Itabario, Brazil, and he elevated the shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Piacenza, Italy to a minor basilica. In my days in Italy, I never had the chance to go there. On my next visit, I hope to do so.

Papa Luciani, pray for us!

(During the upcoming days, I will be keeping all of us refreshed as to the happenings of the pontificate of John Paul I during his 33 day reign in 1978.)

On August 31, 1978, Papa Luciani gave an address to the diplomatic corps assigned to the Vatican. Here is an excerpt:

“…our activity, at the service of the international community is also — we would say, chiefly — situated on another level, one that could be more specifically called pastoral and which belongs properly to the Church. It is a matter of contributing, through documents and commitments of the Apostolic See and of our collaborators throughout the Church, to forming consciences — chiefly the consciences of Christians but also of those men and women of good will, and through these forming a wider public opinion — regarding the fundamental principles that guarantee authentic civilization and real brotherhood between peoples. These principles are: respect for one’s neighbor, for his life and for his dignity, care for his spiritual and social progress, patience and the desire for reconciliation in the fragile building up of peace; in short all the rights and duties of life in society and international life, as they have been set forth in the Council’s Constitution Gaudium et Spes and in so many messages by the late Pope Paul VI. Such attitudes, which in the logic of evangelical love the Christian faithful take or should take for their salvation, contribute to the gradual closer transformation of human relationships, the social fabric, and institutions. They help peoples and the international community to ensure more effectively the conditions for the common good and to discover the final meaning of their forward march….”

Luciani emphasizes the role of the Church in forming consciences and ensuring the common good in the modern world.

Sounds a lot like the man who followed him to the Chair of Peter, and who took Luciani’s name, Pope John Paul II, doesn’t it?

How I wish we could have had Luciani with us longer! But God has his plan which is far grander that anything I could wish……