Cardinal Rumored to Take Ratzinger's Post Says its Time to Take a Fresh Look at the Liturgy Changes
From Zenit News Agency - The World Seen From Rome:
"'Forty years later, it is right to ask what the liturgical reform itself has represented for the renewal of Christian communities, to what degree the liturgy, reformed according to the indications of the council, is able to mediate between faith and life, so that it forms believers able to offer consistent evangelical testimony,' the cardinal said.
At the same time, 'it is useful to ask oneself with clarity and sincerity if the reform has experienced some weak point and where, and, above all, how it can be relaunched for the good of the Christian people,' he added.
According to the cardinal, the challenge the Church faces today is 'to translate the reform in the life of the believer, called to integrate himself in the communion that the Son desires to establish with each one, a communion that we celebrate constantly in the liturgy.'
Cardinal Sodano presented these questions to the participants in the Liturgical Week and asked them to give thoughtful answers. At the same time, he offered guidelines for their answers.
'Although it can rightly be said that the conciliar reform has been carried out, the liturgical pastoral program represents a permanent commitment which enables one to draw from the richness of the liturgy the vital force that is spread from Christ to the members of the Body, which is the Church,' he said. "
Sunday, August 31, 2003
Why the Left Hate the Church
An attempt at an answering the most baffling of questions. Why people who claim to love the poor hate the institution that does the most for the poor.
From FrontPage magazine.com:
So why do leftists hate the Church? In part, because they don’t really care about the poor. If they did, they’d support school choice, the Second Amendment, strict law enforcement in urban neighborhoods, and a restriction of mass immigration that savagely undercuts the wages of the native working class—to mention just a few policies the Left opposes with all the demagoguery it can muster.
No, the contemporary Left knows that fighting poverty isn’t a sexy issue anymore—that the suburban bourgeoisie which stuffs its coffers has pretty much given up on uplifting impoverished Americans, and retreated behind the walls of its gated communities. Instead, the Left has focused on issues which really appeal to its privileged constituency—namely, preserving and extending the sexual libertinism that became respectable in the 1960s. “Progressives” who’d never drop a dime in a beggar’s cup can be counted on to help keep abortion legal up through the ninth month—lest inconvenient pregnancies interrupt their daughters’ sojourns through Barnard, Bard, or Oberlin.
An attempt at an answering the most baffling of questions. Why people who claim to love the poor hate the institution that does the most for the poor.
From FrontPage magazine.com:
So why do leftists hate the Church? In part, because they don’t really care about the poor. If they did, they’d support school choice, the Second Amendment, strict law enforcement in urban neighborhoods, and a restriction of mass immigration that savagely undercuts the wages of the native working class—to mention just a few policies the Left opposes with all the demagoguery it can muster.
No, the contemporary Left knows that fighting poverty isn’t a sexy issue anymore—that the suburban bourgeoisie which stuffs its coffers has pretty much given up on uplifting impoverished Americans, and retreated behind the walls of its gated communities. Instead, the Left has focused on issues which really appeal to its privileged constituency—namely, preserving and extending the sexual libertinism that became respectable in the 1960s. “Progressives” who’d never drop a dime in a beggar’s cup can be counted on to help keep abortion legal up through the ninth month—lest inconvenient pregnancies interrupt their daughters’ sojourns through Barnard, Bard, or Oberlin.
Saturday, August 30, 2003
Are Attacks on The Passion Anti-Christian?
Turning the tables.
From WorldNetDaily: In defense of Mel Gibson:
"Nominally, we are supposed to be this Christian country, although even a glancing look over some of the media's recent treatment of religious themes in popular culture does make you wonder. Right now, Mel Gibson's getting it in the neck for, as Time Magazine of Sept. 1 refers to it, his 'eccentric film project' – the 'eccentric' project being of course, 'The Passion,' the filmed recounting of the last day in the life of Jesus Christ.
You get the feeling from the venomous tone of many of the articles written so far about the Gibson film (a number in the New York Times), many of those writing can't forgive him his Christian fervor, and his conservatism, which rather indeed sets him apart from many of his fellows in Hollywood. So they're having something of a field day, nailing him for 'anti-Semitism,' getting real picky about details such as whether the Roman soldiers spoke Latin or Greek in the Holy Land in Christ's day. People magazine after running a cute picture of him frolicking on the beach at Malibu with his youngest child (of seven) devotes two pretty nippy pages to him and 'The Passion.' "
Turning the tables.
From WorldNetDaily: In defense of Mel Gibson:
"Nominally, we are supposed to be this Christian country, although even a glancing look over some of the media's recent treatment of religious themes in popular culture does make you wonder. Right now, Mel Gibson's getting it in the neck for, as Time Magazine of Sept. 1 refers to it, his 'eccentric film project' – the 'eccentric' project being of course, 'The Passion,' the filmed recounting of the last day in the life of Jesus Christ.
You get the feeling from the venomous tone of many of the articles written so far about the Gibson film (a number in the New York Times), many of those writing can't forgive him his Christian fervor, and his conservatism, which rather indeed sets him apart from many of his fellows in Hollywood. So they're having something of a field day, nailing him for 'anti-Semitism,' getting real picky about details such as whether the Roman soldiers spoke Latin or Greek in the Holy Land in Christ's day. People magazine after running a cute picture of him frolicking on the beach at Malibu with his youngest child (of seven) devotes two pretty nippy pages to him and 'The Passion.' "
Problems of the Married Priest?
I found this interesting, please read the entire article by Father Wilson. But I did want to comment about some of the objections.
1)Living off campus. This already is happening in many dioceses in the US with the celibate clergy.
2) Office hours. Ditto and for some years. I remember when the pastor in my parish posted office hours in the 1970's people were scandalized. But now this is pretty standard. A married priest can respond to an emergency just as well as a celibate one. Do we think that parents don't respond to the emergencies of their children if they don't occur during "office hours." Ever hear of doctors, dentists, etc responding to emergencies. The fact is I know of plenty of cases where celibate clergy haven't been available in emergencies, have been impossible to reach (employing answering services off campus, etc.) This is a red herring.
3). Divorced Priests. Father mentions one that he thinks exists in TN. I wonder how many people are aware of the presence of not a few "celibate" priests who were once married and have divorced. There are divorced priests serving right now, a few have been very public about it, a pastor in a large Florida parish had an article written about his strange path to ordination a few years ago.
4) Compensation. Another red herring. Almost every parish in the country now employs a heft staff of married people to function as business managers, DRE's, Youth Ministers etc. The average salary of celibate priests is $18,000 including food and housing, plus stipends for weddings, funerals and other additional means. Parishes can afford and in fact do pay out a lot more than is commonly realized. Recently a "celibate" priest in Florida was jailed for having embezzled $400, 000 dollars over a period of three years in a rather small parish. This went unnoticed until an audit of the parish. If a parish of that size didn't miss that much money, I think it is clear that this is a non issue.
Father Wilson rightly notes that there have always been married clergy in the Church and that this is not an innovation. It is something that has been the exception in the West but it is nothing akin to other issues that it often gets lumped with that are clearly against the tradition of the Church.
Anyway give it a read.
From The Wanderer, Father Joseph Wilson:
"For one thing, Catholics would need to get used to their priests living off-campus (in the northeast at least, this is still unusual), away from the parish plant, and many priests serving in troubled areas would be living significantly far away in places where they could raise their families. Compensation would have to be looked at, stewardship and Catholics’ poor level of giving addressed. In Protestant congregations, typically far smaller than ours, individual parishioners know that if they do not give significantly, their churches will not be able to afford a full program and, likely, a pastor. Catholics who are members of large congregations can avoid feeling that same responsibility.
Catholics would have to get used to the fact that their priest would have something approaching 'business hours,' and live with the consequence of troubled clergy families if they didn’t. We’d also have to face the fact of clergy family divorce (there already is a divorced Catholic priest, I think in Tennessee — a married former Episcopal priest who divorced after being received into the Church and ordained)."
I found this interesting, please read the entire article by Father Wilson. But I did want to comment about some of the objections.
1)Living off campus. This already is happening in many dioceses in the US with the celibate clergy.
2) Office hours. Ditto and for some years. I remember when the pastor in my parish posted office hours in the 1970's people were scandalized. But now this is pretty standard. A married priest can respond to an emergency just as well as a celibate one. Do we think that parents don't respond to the emergencies of their children if they don't occur during "office hours." Ever hear of doctors, dentists, etc responding to emergencies. The fact is I know of plenty of cases where celibate clergy haven't been available in emergencies, have been impossible to reach (employing answering services off campus, etc.) This is a red herring.
3). Divorced Priests. Father mentions one that he thinks exists in TN. I wonder how many people are aware of the presence of not a few "celibate" priests who were once married and have divorced. There are divorced priests serving right now, a few have been very public about it, a pastor in a large Florida parish had an article written about his strange path to ordination a few years ago.
4) Compensation. Another red herring. Almost every parish in the country now employs a heft staff of married people to function as business managers, DRE's, Youth Ministers etc. The average salary of celibate priests is $18,000 including food and housing, plus stipends for weddings, funerals and other additional means. Parishes can afford and in fact do pay out a lot more than is commonly realized. Recently a "celibate" priest in Florida was jailed for having embezzled $400, 000 dollars over a period of three years in a rather small parish. This went unnoticed until an audit of the parish. If a parish of that size didn't miss that much money, I think it is clear that this is a non issue.
Father Wilson rightly notes that there have always been married clergy in the Church and that this is not an innovation. It is something that has been the exception in the West but it is nothing akin to other issues that it often gets lumped with that are clearly against the tradition of the Church.
Anyway give it a read.
From The Wanderer, Father Joseph Wilson:
"For one thing, Catholics would need to get used to their priests living off-campus (in the northeast at least, this is still unusual), away from the parish plant, and many priests serving in troubled areas would be living significantly far away in places where they could raise their families. Compensation would have to be looked at, stewardship and Catholics’ poor level of giving addressed. In Protestant congregations, typically far smaller than ours, individual parishioners know that if they do not give significantly, their churches will not be able to afford a full program and, likely, a pastor. Catholics who are members of large congregations can avoid feeling that same responsibility.
Catholics would have to get used to the fact that their priest would have something approaching 'business hours,' and live with the consequence of troubled clergy families if they didn’t. We’d also have to face the fact of clergy family divorce (there already is a divorced Catholic priest, I think in Tennessee — a married former Episcopal priest who divorced after being received into the Church and ordained)."
Terrorism Takes Many Forms
From The Mighty Barrister - Catholic Commentary Online:
"Terri was being 'housed' in a hospice in Florida, although hospice care in Florida is apparently intended for terminal patients only, not for long-term care. She was recently secretly moved to a separate hospital, and Michael Schiavo has instructed the hospital staff not to disclose her medical condition to her parents. The same judge who ruled to have the feeding tube removed just slapped Michael with an order that the hospital must disclose Terri's condition to her parents. However, the Florida Supreme Court recently ruled that Judge Greer must now set a date for a hearing on when to remove the tube, and that hearing is set for... ahem... September 11.
Yes, folks, terrorism can take many forms. "
From The Mighty Barrister - Catholic Commentary Online:
"Terri was being 'housed' in a hospice in Florida, although hospice care in Florida is apparently intended for terminal patients only, not for long-term care. She was recently secretly moved to a separate hospital, and Michael Schiavo has instructed the hospital staff not to disclose her medical condition to her parents. The same judge who ruled to have the feeding tube removed just slapped Michael with an order that the hospital must disclose Terri's condition to her parents. However, the Florida Supreme Court recently ruled that Judge Greer must now set a date for a hearing on when to remove the tube, and that hearing is set for... ahem... September 11.
Yes, folks, terrorism can take many forms. "
Friday, August 29, 2003
Joseph Dubruiel
Aquinas Thought of Everything
Below is a quote from Summa Contra Gentiles. I've been familar with the notion that St. Thomas said we'd all be 33 in Heaven regardless of when we died (before or after that age), but no one every seemed to know where he'd said it. Well here it is, along with an interesting discussion on the other qualities of the glorified body:
From Jacques Maritain Center: GC 4.88:
"STILL we must not suppose, what some have thought, that female sex has no place in the bodies of the risen Saints. For since resurrection means the reparation of the defects of nature, nothing of what makes for the perfection of nature will be withdrawn from the bodies of the risen. Now among other organs that belong to the integrity of the human body are those which minister to generation as well in male as in female. These organs therefore will rise again in both. Nor is this conclusion impaired by the fact that there will be no longer any use of these organs (Chap. LXXXIII). If that were any ground for their absence from the risen body, all the organs bearing on digestion and nutrition should be absent, for there will not be any use for them either: thus great part of the organs proper to man would be wanting in the risen body. We conclude that all such organs will be there, even organs of which the function has ceased: these will not be there without a purpose, since they will serve to make up the restored integrity of the natural body.*
Neither is the weakness of the female sex inconsistent with the perfection of the resurrection. Such weakness is no departure from nature, but is intended by nature.* This natural differentiation will argue the thoroughgoing perfection of nature, and commend the divine wisdom that arranges creation in diversity of ranks and orders. Nor is there anything to the contrary in the expression of the Apostle: Till we all meet and attain to the unity of faith and recognition of the Son of God, even to a perfect man, to the measure of the full stature of Christ (Eph. iv, 13). This does not mean that in that meeting in which the risen shall go forth to meet Christ in the air* every one shall be of the male sex, but it indicates the perfection and strength of the Church, for the whole Church shalt be like a perfect, full-grown man, going out to meet Christ.*
Again, all must rise at the age of Christ,* which is the age of perfect manhood, for the sake of the perfection of nature, which is at its best in this age above others.
Below is a quote from Summa Contra Gentiles. I've been familar with the notion that St. Thomas said we'd all be 33 in Heaven regardless of when we died (before or after that age), but no one every seemed to know where he'd said it. Well here it is, along with an interesting discussion on the other qualities of the glorified body:
From Jacques Maritain Center: GC 4.88:
"STILL we must not suppose, what some have thought, that female sex has no place in the bodies of the risen Saints. For since resurrection means the reparation of the defects of nature, nothing of what makes for the perfection of nature will be withdrawn from the bodies of the risen. Now among other organs that belong to the integrity of the human body are those which minister to generation as well in male as in female. These organs therefore will rise again in both. Nor is this conclusion impaired by the fact that there will be no longer any use of these organs (Chap. LXXXIII). If that were any ground for their absence from the risen body, all the organs bearing on digestion and nutrition should be absent, for there will not be any use for them either: thus great part of the organs proper to man would be wanting in the risen body. We conclude that all such organs will be there, even organs of which the function has ceased: these will not be there without a purpose, since they will serve to make up the restored integrity of the natural body.*
Neither is the weakness of the female sex inconsistent with the perfection of the resurrection. Such weakness is no departure from nature, but is intended by nature.* This natural differentiation will argue the thoroughgoing perfection of nature, and commend the divine wisdom that arranges creation in diversity of ranks and orders. Nor is there anything to the contrary in the expression of the Apostle: Till we all meet and attain to the unity of faith and recognition of the Son of God, even to a perfect man, to the measure of the full stature of Christ (Eph. iv, 13). This does not mean that in that meeting in which the risen shall go forth to meet Christ in the air* every one shall be of the male sex, but it indicates the perfection and strength of the Church, for the whole Church shalt be like a perfect, full-grown man, going out to meet Christ.*
Again, all must rise at the age of Christ,* which is the age of perfect manhood, for the sake of the perfection of nature, which is at its best in this age above others.
Book Recommendation--Required Reading
Romano Guardini remains one of the best modern classic writers to read. Here is a quote from him from the book linked below:
"the health of the spirit depends on its relation to truth, to the good and the holy. The spirit thrives on knowledge, justice, love, adoration--not allegorically but literally."
Romano Guardini remains one of the best modern classic writers to read. Here is a quote from him from the book linked below:
"the health of the spirit depends on its relation to truth, to the good and the holy. The spirit thrives on knowledge, justice, love, adoration--not allegorically but literally."
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