Last month, four Massachusetts churches pulled their lawsuit against the state after they received religious exemptions from its transgender law.
“The government can’t encroach on the internal, religious practices of a church. The language revisions that our lawsuit prompted should ensure that doesn’t happen,” Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Steve O’Ban stated after the lawsuit was withdrawn.
“The comments of commonwealth officials gave these churches reason for great concern, and so we are pleased wording changes have been made to respect the constitutionally protected freedoms these congregations and pastors have,” he added.
In July, Massachusetts added “gender identity” to its list of classes protected against discrimination.
Then, the state’s attorney general and its anti-discrimination commission interpreted the law to say that everyone had to have access to facilities like bathrooms based upon the gender they presently identify with, and not upon their birth gender.
Church facilities that held any non-religious events like spaghetti dinners would be considered public accommodations and would have to comply, they said, despite their religious beliefs.
Churches also could have faced action by the government if their Pastors preached religious views on sexuality that opposed the gender identity anti-discrimination protection, Alliance Defending Freedom noted. Those not complying with the law could have been punished with $50,000 fines and up to a year in jail.
Four Christian churches challenged the action in a district court, in October. They said the state legislature and anti-discrimination commission “failed to provide an exemption for religious institutions” and did not clearly define the standard they would use to determine if a church would be exempt from the law – “other than the woefully inadequate and confusing ‘spaghetti supper’ test.”
Rather, the commission said they would judge religious exemptions “on a case-by-case-basis,” ADF claimed in its complaint, adding that thus, “a Pastor, other church leader, or a court must guess as to which of the church’s activities subject it to the severe sanctions of the Act.”
“All events held at a church on its property have a religious purpose, and the government has no authority to violate the First Amendment’s guarantees of freedom of religion and speech,” Christiana Holcomb, legal counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, stated.
Then in a November 7th letter, the state announced that it had changed its guidance on the rule and would not be including “houses of worship” among the “public accommodations” that would be subject to the law.
“Your lawsuit caused us to focus on these issues and to make this revision to our website. Thank you for bringing the issue to our attention,” the state attorney general’s office said in the letter to ADF.
“No church should fear government punishment simply for serving its community consistently with its faith,” Holcomb stated. “Massachusetts officials made the right decision to respect these churches’ freedom of religion and speech.”
Well, it appears that at least a tiny vestige of sanity remains in Massachusetts.
Gender identity is unadulterated boulder-dash! It is nothing other than cover-up for a deviant sexual disorder which politically active psychologists and psychiatrists (oftentimes themselves mentally disordered) have tried to pawn off on society at-large. as a genetic predisposition as normal as heterosexuality.
It should be obvious to anyone with any sense of intelligence and discretion that psychologists and psychiatrists are not practitioners of medical science but witch doctors who deal with myths, often treating their gullible patients by prescribing powerful mood altering medications with the reckless abandon of the worst drug pushers in our inner cities.
Let us remember who it was that told Bishops that Priest pedophiles, who had undergone psychological treatment programs (very expensive programs, I might add), could return to active ministry under their continuing supervision.
These misguided ministers of deception were never held accountable for their malpractice and incompetency, though the Bishops should have exposed their malfeasance for what it truly was.
For far too long, society has allowed these shamans to have a respected place in medicine that they simply do not deserve.
Finally, albeit much too slowly for me, some truly enlightened and brave souls are beginning to push back against this drivel.
The culture war continues, but what is encouraging is that those on the side of sanity have been given hope that, if they are committed and willing, they can turn back the tide of misguided and harmful social engineering and allow real science and commonsense to rule the day once again.
Three cheers to Alliance Defending Freedom and to its senior counsel, Steve O’Ban! Keep up the good work!
Friday, December 30, 2016
A SIGN OF THE TIMES....STILL
Pope Francis has broken with tradition yet again. For the first time in history, the Vatican Museums will be administered by a woman.
Barbara Jatta, 54, is an Italian art historian and graphic arts expert, who had been serving as vice-director of the museums since June of 2016.
The Vatican announced the appointment last month.
She will began her new role as director of the museums on January 1st of this year, replacing Antonio Paolucci, who had been director since 2007.
She began working at the Vatican in 1996 when she was hired to head the Vatican Library's departments of prints. In 2010, she was named curator of the artwork in the prints department at the library.
With degrees in literature, archive administration and art history, specializing in the history of drawing, engraving and graphic arts, Mrs. Jatta also has taught the history of graphic arts at the "Suor Orsola Benincasa" University in Naples. She is married and the mother of three children.
The real story behind this appointment is the fact that, still in 2017, women are being recognized for the qualifications and competence they possess and that this is considered to be newsworthy in itself.
One can only hope that, in the future, news stories will focus upon the unique talents which individuals bring to their appointed positions rather than upon their gender.
That will take place when the world and the Church along with it finally shatter the glass ceiling which far too long has been a barrier to women exercising and employing their God-given talents.
Congratulations to Mrs. Jatta as she takes over the reins at the Vatican Museum complex. Congratulations to Pope Francis for the wisdom and courage he manifests in making such a commendable appointment.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
POPE FRANCIS' SYNODAL VISION OF THE CHURCH
On December 7th, Pope Francis was interviewed by the Belgian Catholic weekly, Tertio. The Holy Father touched upon a number of topics, but his remarks about the Synodal Church perhaps were the most enlightening.
Pope Francis offered us a glimpse into his vision of the Church in general, and the Papal Office in particular.
He sees his approach as a continuation of Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, which picked up where Vatican I left off because of war, and articulated in a masterful way the nature of the office and ministry of the Bishop, as a member of the College and as the chief shepherd within his diocese.
It appears that Pope Francis understands that each and every Bishop must become the living guarantor of the priestly, prophetic and kingly character of the Church in his own diocese. And all together must cooperate collegially to enliven the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Christ.
This seems to be what Francis is saying, although he is not quite so definitive in its expression.
Pope Francis clearly hopes to see this synodal character within each diocese and the Universal Church, for he knows that Peter, and Peter alone, “is the guarantor of the unity of the Church.” Thus, he sees the Petrine office as one of accompaniment and listening to all the local churches.
He stated: “Therefore either there is a pyramidal Church, in which what Peter says is done, or there is a synodal Church, in which Peter is Peter but he accompanies the Church, he lets her grow, he listens to her, he learns from this reality and goes about harmonizing it, discerning what comes from the Church and restoring it to her.” For Francis, the Pope is "primus inter pares", that is, he is "first among equals".
He understands this will result in what he commonly refers to as “unity in diversity,” even should this diversity raise serious questions about principles of faith and morals among some of the Bishops.
Doctrinal and moral diversity, in the best sense, would consist in a variety of legitimate insights into Divine Revelation and the natural law, according to the genius of each time and place.
But doctrinal and moral diversity are a relatively new experience for a Church which had become fearful and intolerant of any nuances in matters of faith and morals under the staunch and rigid leadership of Pope St. John Paul II.
Francis is aware that he is ushering in a new era in the exercise of the Pontifical Office. He equally understands that it can take time for the intellectual dust of discernment and adjustment to settle. Yet, he appears to be perfectly at ease in his faith in the Holy Spirit to guide and protect the Church at every stage of her history and mission as She enlightens the world with the Light of the Gospel.
Let us share our Holy Father’s faith and pray to the Holy Spirit to shower His Sevenfold Gifts of Grace upon the Pope, the Bishops and all of us: the Gifts of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety, and a reverential fear of the Lord. In this as in all things, may we have the humility to submit ourselves to the Will of the Father and embrace the guidance He offers with tranquility and confidence.
Pope Francis offered us a glimpse into his vision of the Church in general, and the Papal Office in particular.
He sees his approach as a continuation of Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, which picked up where Vatican I left off because of war, and articulated in a masterful way the nature of the office and ministry of the Bishop, as a member of the College and as the chief shepherd within his diocese.
It appears that Pope Francis understands that each and every Bishop must become the living guarantor of the priestly, prophetic and kingly character of the Church in his own diocese. And all together must cooperate collegially to enliven the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church of Christ.
This seems to be what Francis is saying, although he is not quite so definitive in its expression.
Pope Francis clearly hopes to see this synodal character within each diocese and the Universal Church, for he knows that Peter, and Peter alone, “is the guarantor of the unity of the Church.” Thus, he sees the Petrine office as one of accompaniment and listening to all the local churches.
He stated: “Therefore either there is a pyramidal Church, in which what Peter says is done, or there is a synodal Church, in which Peter is Peter but he accompanies the Church, he lets her grow, he listens to her, he learns from this reality and goes about harmonizing it, discerning what comes from the Church and restoring it to her.” For Francis, the Pope is "primus inter pares", that is, he is "first among equals".
He understands this will result in what he commonly refers to as “unity in diversity,” even should this diversity raise serious questions about principles of faith and morals among some of the Bishops.
Doctrinal and moral diversity, in the best sense, would consist in a variety of legitimate insights into Divine Revelation and the natural law, according to the genius of each time and place.
But doctrinal and moral diversity are a relatively new experience for a Church which had become fearful and intolerant of any nuances in matters of faith and morals under the staunch and rigid leadership of Pope St. John Paul II.
Francis is aware that he is ushering in a new era in the exercise of the Pontifical Office. He equally understands that it can take time for the intellectual dust of discernment and adjustment to settle. Yet, he appears to be perfectly at ease in his faith in the Holy Spirit to guide and protect the Church at every stage of her history and mission as She enlightens the world with the Light of the Gospel.
Let us share our Holy Father’s faith and pray to the Holy Spirit to shower His Sevenfold Gifts of Grace upon the Pope, the Bishops and all of us: the Gifts of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety, and a reverential fear of the Lord. In this as in all things, may we have the humility to submit ourselves to the Will of the Father and embrace the guidance He offers with tranquility and confidence.
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE AWRY IN MILAN
Here's a story that appeared just before Christmas. It's out of Milan, Italy! It's almost unbelievable, but sadly true.
An Italian Priest decided against setting up the typical Nativity scene in his town’s cemetery this year. Father Sante Braggie was concerned that the display would offend Muslims, as well as atheists and people of other faiths.
Father Braggie serves as the chaplain of the Municipal Cemetery of Cremona and curate of the local parish in northern Italy. The Nativity was typically set up in the cemetery, and would have been visible from the part of the cemetery reserved for Muslim graves, he said. “A crib positioned within sight of them could be seen as a lack of respect for followers of other faiths, hurt the sensibilities of Muslims, as well as Indians and even atheists,” Braggie said, according to a translation published in Express. “In short, it would be a mess.”
Father Oreste Mori, former chaplain at the cemetery, said the move was unbelieveable. “We cannot renounce our culture and traditions. That would be an unpardonable weakness,” he said. “I am, for the time being at least, in Italy, not Saudi Arabia,” Fr. Mori added.
Happily, town officials successfully reinstated the Nativity display. Cristina Cappellini said the Nativity was a symbol “of our culture, of our traditions, of our Christian identity.”
Italy has a Muslim population of approximately 1.6 million people. More than half of all Muslims live in the north of the country. According to a study from the interior ministry study, the largest group of Muslims - approximately 120,000 - live in Milan, a city approximately 60 miles north of Cremona. Like the rest of Europe, Italy has experienced a sharp increase in Muslim and other refugees from the Middle East in the past two years.
Islam is not officially recognized in Italy.
Whether Islam is an officially recognized religion by the state or whether any religion should have official recognition is not the point.
The point is Father Sante Braggie lacks any sense of self-identity in his Priesthood or his Catholic Faith.
He certainly lacks any sensitivity to the people of his town whose beloved dead rest in the cemetery, dead loved ones they commended to the Lord at the time of their burial, loved ones they entrust to God as members of the Christian faithful. Giving expression to that faith and allowing its free expression is not an attack or insult against any other faith.
If Muslims are offended, they should understand they live in a country with an overwhelming Christian population and respect the traditions of that faith. Or, they should leave and go elsewhere, preferably back to their native lands and customs.
Unabashedly, I have no patience or tolerance for such politically correct nonsense at this or any other time of year anywhere.
Father Braggie needs to be officially reprimanded for his conduct and reminded that he is chaplain of the town cemetery where members of his pastoral family rest in the hope of the Resurrection promised by Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the World!
An Italian Priest decided against setting up the typical Nativity scene in his town’s cemetery this year. Father Sante Braggie was concerned that the display would offend Muslims, as well as atheists and people of other faiths.
Father Braggie serves as the chaplain of the Municipal Cemetery of Cremona and curate of the local parish in northern Italy. The Nativity was typically set up in the cemetery, and would have been visible from the part of the cemetery reserved for Muslim graves, he said. “A crib positioned within sight of them could be seen as a lack of respect for followers of other faiths, hurt the sensibilities of Muslims, as well as Indians and even atheists,” Braggie said, according to a translation published in Express. “In short, it would be a mess.”
Father Oreste Mori, former chaplain at the cemetery, said the move was unbelieveable. “We cannot renounce our culture and traditions. That would be an unpardonable weakness,” he said. “I am, for the time being at least, in Italy, not Saudi Arabia,” Fr. Mori added.
Happily, town officials successfully reinstated the Nativity display. Cristina Cappellini said the Nativity was a symbol “of our culture, of our traditions, of our Christian identity.”
Italy has a Muslim population of approximately 1.6 million people. More than half of all Muslims live in the north of the country. According to a study from the interior ministry study, the largest group of Muslims - approximately 120,000 - live in Milan, a city approximately 60 miles north of Cremona. Like the rest of Europe, Italy has experienced a sharp increase in Muslim and other refugees from the Middle East in the past two years.
Islam is not officially recognized in Italy.
Whether Islam is an officially recognized religion by the state or whether any religion should have official recognition is not the point.
The point is Father Sante Braggie lacks any sense of self-identity in his Priesthood or his Catholic Faith.
He certainly lacks any sensitivity to the people of his town whose beloved dead rest in the cemetery, dead loved ones they commended to the Lord at the time of their burial, loved ones they entrust to God as members of the Christian faithful. Giving expression to that faith and allowing its free expression is not an attack or insult against any other faith.
If Muslims are offended, they should understand they live in a country with an overwhelming Christian population and respect the traditions of that faith. Or, they should leave and go elsewhere, preferably back to their native lands and customs.
Unabashedly, I have no patience or tolerance for such politically correct nonsense at this or any other time of year anywhere.
Father Braggie needs to be officially reprimanded for his conduct and reminded that he is chaplain of the town cemetery where members of his pastoral family rest in the hope of the Resurrection promised by Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the World!
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
POPE FRANCIS' CHRISTMAS GREETINGS TO CARDINALS OF THE ROMAN CURIA, AND TO US ALL
On December 22, 2016, Pope Francis met with the College of Cardinals as well as the Prefects of Vatican Congregations and various other officials to offer his annual Christmas greetings.
The Holy Father spoke of their need to invest in the ongoing reform of the Roman Curia which he referred to as just not the rejuvenation of archaic structures but a process of profound personal conversion.
In his speech, Pope Francis put forth guiding principles geared toward an appropriate and long-lasting administration reset.
In the effort to reform the central administration and practices of the Curia, the Holy Father freely admitted his personal awareness of resistance to such changes. He indicated that certain pockets of resistance had come from a sense of care or fear for the good of the Church. He, likewise, stated with great sadness that some who have resisted have done so for personal and willfully misguided reasons.
"This last type of resistance hides behind justifying words and, in many cases, accusatory; finding refuge in traditions, in appearances, in formality, in what is known, or in wanting to bring everything on a personal level without distinguishing between the act, the actor and the action," the Pope said.
And yet, the Pope assured his audience that resistance to change is both necessary and understandable. Those who resist reform "deserve to be heard, received and encouraged because it is a sign that that the body is alive," Francis said. "The absence of reaction is a sign of death!"
What is equally necessary, Francis insisted, is that reform and renewal be accompanied by a commitment to dialogue and to prayer, “many prayers".
He then offered twelve guiding principles to which he intended to adhere in reforming the Roman Curia. These include the following:
(1) Personal conversion through spiritual renweal;
(2) Creation of an environment of pastoral service where “no one feels neglected and mistreated" and everyone can experience the care of the Good Shepherd;
(3) A Christ-centered evangelical spirit of fidelity to the mission of the Church;
(4) Humility in the recognition that no Curial Office or Officer is more imporant than another and the need to distinguish the individual competencies of each Office within the overall structure of the Curia;
(5) The need to streamline an Office’s specific mission by merging departments and cutbacks in staffing positions;
(6) A willingness to engage in the modern world and adapt to the needs of the present day Universal Church;
(7) A commitment toward simplicity in responding to immediate needs which need to be addressed;
(8) An eagerness to reorganize priorities and, if necessary, to shift responsibilities to another Office more suited to address a particular need;
(9) The Curia should reflect the universality and multi-cultural nature of the Church in its personnel especially recognizing the role of Permanent Deacons and women in the life and mission of the Church;
(10) Every office must adopt a policy of personal formation to avoid the "rust" and routine of functionalism, as well as putting a definitive end to the practice of "promoveatur ut amoveatur" ("removal by promotion"). "This is a cancer!" the pope exclaimed.
(11) Patience in taking the time to verify, correct and discern methods and policies which "allow the necessary flexibility to achieve a true reform";
(12) An eagerness to insure that "the heart and center of the reform is Christ."
From the very beginning of his ministry, Pope Francis has emphasized his desire to celebrate the humility of Christ Himself and create an atmosphere in the Curia and the Church at-large which rejects ambition, power, Phariseeism, and domination.
As he shepherds the People of God, it is clear that the Holy Father has integrated these principles into his administrative style and the substance of his many reforms.
Pope Francis is to be commended for his openness to the modern world and his keen desire to bring to it the reassuring love and mercy of Almighty God.
May Curial officials and all of us be inspired by his example and strive to implement the spirit of these guidelines into our effort to rejuvenate and enliven the gift of Faith entrusted to us by Christ Jesus.
The Holy Father spoke of their need to invest in the ongoing reform of the Roman Curia which he referred to as just not the rejuvenation of archaic structures but a process of profound personal conversion.
In his speech, Pope Francis put forth guiding principles geared toward an appropriate and long-lasting administration reset.
In the effort to reform the central administration and practices of the Curia, the Holy Father freely admitted his personal awareness of resistance to such changes. He indicated that certain pockets of resistance had come from a sense of care or fear for the good of the Church. He, likewise, stated with great sadness that some who have resisted have done so for personal and willfully misguided reasons.
"This last type of resistance hides behind justifying words and, in many cases, accusatory; finding refuge in traditions, in appearances, in formality, in what is known, or in wanting to bring everything on a personal level without distinguishing between the act, the actor and the action," the Pope said.
And yet, the Pope assured his audience that resistance to change is both necessary and understandable. Those who resist reform "deserve to be heard, received and encouraged because it is a sign that that the body is alive," Francis said. "The absence of reaction is a sign of death!"
What is equally necessary, Francis insisted, is that reform and renewal be accompanied by a commitment to dialogue and to prayer, “many prayers".
He then offered twelve guiding principles to which he intended to adhere in reforming the Roman Curia. These include the following:
(1) Personal conversion through spiritual renweal;
(2) Creation of an environment of pastoral service where “no one feels neglected and mistreated" and everyone can experience the care of the Good Shepherd;
(3) A Christ-centered evangelical spirit of fidelity to the mission of the Church;
(4) Humility in the recognition that no Curial Office or Officer is more imporant than another and the need to distinguish the individual competencies of each Office within the overall structure of the Curia;
(5) The need to streamline an Office’s specific mission by merging departments and cutbacks in staffing positions;
(6) A willingness to engage in the modern world and adapt to the needs of the present day Universal Church;
(7) A commitment toward simplicity in responding to immediate needs which need to be addressed;
(8) An eagerness to reorganize priorities and, if necessary, to shift responsibilities to another Office more suited to address a particular need;
(9) The Curia should reflect the universality and multi-cultural nature of the Church in its personnel especially recognizing the role of Permanent Deacons and women in the life and mission of the Church;
(10) Every office must adopt a policy of personal formation to avoid the "rust" and routine of functionalism, as well as putting a definitive end to the practice of "promoveatur ut amoveatur" ("removal by promotion"). "This is a cancer!" the pope exclaimed.
(11) Patience in taking the time to verify, correct and discern methods and policies which "allow the necessary flexibility to achieve a true reform";
(12) An eagerness to insure that "the heart and center of the reform is Christ."
From the very beginning of his ministry, Pope Francis has emphasized his desire to celebrate the humility of Christ Himself and create an atmosphere in the Curia and the Church at-large which rejects ambition, power, Phariseeism, and domination.
As he shepherds the People of God, it is clear that the Holy Father has integrated these principles into his administrative style and the substance of his many reforms.
Pope Francis is to be commended for his openness to the modern world and his keen desire to bring to it the reassuring love and mercy of Almighty God.
May Curial officials and all of us be inspired by his example and strive to implement the spirit of these guidelines into our effort to rejuvenate and enliven the gift of Faith entrusted to us by Christ Jesus.
Monday, December 26, 2016
IS SAN GENNARO TELLING US SOMETHING?
Here’s an interesting moment of note which is near and dear to my heart, having lived in Italy decades ago while I was still in seminary.
It’s a part of Catholicism some find humorous and others troublesome. In any case, I thought I would share it with you.
St. Januarius is the Patron of Naples, its Bishop and Martyr.
Known in Italian as San Gennaro, his bones and a reliquary of his blood are preserved in Naples’ cathedral. He is believed to have been martyred during the infamous persecution of Christians during the rule of the Roman emperor Diocletian, who retired in 305.
A reputed miracle is known and accepted almost throughout the world, even though it has not been the subject of official Church recognition. The liquefaction of the Saint’s blood in the reliquary vial is believed to happen at least three times a year: the Saturday before the first Sunday of May, Sept. 19, which is the saint's feast day, and Dec. 16, the anniversary of the 1631 eruption of the Mount Vesuvius volcano.
During the miracle, the dried, red-colored mass confined to one side of the reliquary becomes blood that covers the entire glass. In local lore, the failure of the blood to liquefy signals war, famine, disease or other disaster.
The blood did indeed liquefy on Sept. 19, 2016.
Historically, the vial has sometimes changed upon the visit of a Pope.
On March 21, 2015, Pope Francis met with priests, religious and seminarians at the cathedral and gave a blessing with the relic. Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe of Naples then received the vial back from the Pope and noted that the blood had partially liquified. The Cardinal remarked: “It seems that St. Januarius loves the Pope, because the blood is already half liquefied.”
Pope Francis quipped in response: “you can see that the saint only loves us a little. We have to convert more.”
The last time blood liquefied in the presence of a Pope was in 1848 when Pius IX visited. The phenomenon didn’t happen when St. John Paul II visited the city in October 1979, or when Benedict XVI visited in October 2007.
Unfortunately, the Saint’s blood did not liquify this past December 16th, an event customarily interpreted to be a portent of trial and difficulty for the people of Naples. Cardinal Sepe encouraged his people to take the opportunity of this moment to pray all the harder for the gift of conversion to the love and mercy of Jesus.
It seems that superstition remains very much a part of Catholicism in certain parts of the world.
But, it likewise appears that the Lord, in His Own, way can transform these odd observances into an opportunity for the encouragement of prayer and trust in His Providence.
To that extent, I think we can wink at these moments and accept them as part of the diverse peoples and customs which make up the Body of Christ around the world.
It’s a part of Catholicism some find humorous and others troublesome. In any case, I thought I would share it with you.
St. Januarius is the Patron of Naples, its Bishop and Martyr.
Known in Italian as San Gennaro, his bones and a reliquary of his blood are preserved in Naples’ cathedral. He is believed to have been martyred during the infamous persecution of Christians during the rule of the Roman emperor Diocletian, who retired in 305.
A reputed miracle is known and accepted almost throughout the world, even though it has not been the subject of official Church recognition. The liquefaction of the Saint’s blood in the reliquary vial is believed to happen at least three times a year: the Saturday before the first Sunday of May, Sept. 19, which is the saint's feast day, and Dec. 16, the anniversary of the 1631 eruption of the Mount Vesuvius volcano.
During the miracle, the dried, red-colored mass confined to one side of the reliquary becomes blood that covers the entire glass. In local lore, the failure of the blood to liquefy signals war, famine, disease or other disaster.
The blood did indeed liquefy on Sept. 19, 2016.
Historically, the vial has sometimes changed upon the visit of a Pope.
On March 21, 2015, Pope Francis met with priests, religious and seminarians at the cathedral and gave a blessing with the relic. Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe of Naples then received the vial back from the Pope and noted that the blood had partially liquified. The Cardinal remarked: “It seems that St. Januarius loves the Pope, because the blood is already half liquefied.”
Pope Francis quipped in response: “you can see that the saint only loves us a little. We have to convert more.”
The last time blood liquefied in the presence of a Pope was in 1848 when Pius IX visited. The phenomenon didn’t happen when St. John Paul II visited the city in October 1979, or when Benedict XVI visited in October 2007.
Unfortunately, the Saint’s blood did not liquify this past December 16th, an event customarily interpreted to be a portent of trial and difficulty for the people of Naples. Cardinal Sepe encouraged his people to take the opportunity of this moment to pray all the harder for the gift of conversion to the love and mercy of Jesus.
It seems that superstition remains very much a part of Catholicism in certain parts of the world.
But, it likewise appears that the Lord, in His Own, way can transform these odd observances into an opportunity for the encouragement of prayer and trust in His Providence.
To that extent, I think we can wink at these moments and accept them as part of the diverse peoples and customs which make up the Body of Christ around the world.
Sunday, December 25, 2016
POPE FRANCIS: A PASTOR OF SOULS
I celebrated another birthday recently, my 69th revolution around our sun (for heliocentrists) or the 69th revolution of the sun around the plane of our world (for flat-earthers)! Whichever physical construct of Creation is the most accurate, I am grateful to our Creator that He has been gracious and generous in affording me the opportunity of yet another year to “try and get it right” when it comes to incorporating the Gospel values into my life. Praised be the Lord now and forever!
Perhaps it is the blessing of another birthday which wells up so many memories within me.
Over the years, I have come to appreciate, in a way I never could as a young man, the wisdom and insight of the Professors under whose tutelage I was privileged to study the history and teachings of the Church. Their dedication and their care for those of us in Priestly formation went fairly unnoticed by us in the vigor and brashness for which youth itself is notorious. It is unfortunate that only now am I coming to realize how much I and my brother-Priests benefited from their wisdom and foresight.
I had the very good fortune to complete my theological studies in Rome at two most prestigious Pontifical Universities: the Gregorianum and the Angelicum.
The Jesuits at the Greg were merciless instructors who relentlessly insisted that we students get the facts right and learn the fundamentals of theological study and reflection. The Dominicans at the Angelicum were equally insistent that we assimilate what we learn in our studies and incorporate these truths in our preaching in a way in which ordinary people could understand and appreciate the depth of God’s love and mercy toward each and all of us.
To know the truths of faith (and the moral demands they make upon us) and to communicate those truths (in a way which inspires confidence in God’s merciful love): this is to be a Priest, a Pastor of souls.
Many times in the actual experience of Priestly service, I have found the two roles to be paradoxical.
As teacher, I was called upon to insist that the truths of faith are universal and apply to everyone equally in all circumstances. As Pastor, I was expected to communicate these truths in a way which never obscured or contradicted God’s mercy which puts the individual human person above any other consideration, even the moral expectations which flow from the Gospel itself.
I think it was Saint John Vianney who offered this counsel to Priests everywhere: “Be a lion in the pulpit, but a lamb in the Confessional.”
Whether or not I succeeded will be God’s judgment upon my life and ministry. The Lord knows I certainly have tried.
I know I’ve always admired those Priests who embodied both the gift of being brilliant scholars and humble ministers of God’s loving Grace. So many good men, wonderful Pastors, come to mind. I have been blessed to know them and be touched by their generous service and care.
This is my singular vision of Pope Francis. He is, first and foremost, a Pastor of souls.
This is what I understand Francis to be saying when he speaks about the Church and Priests “accompanying people” in the journey of faith. To be with them, accepting them as they are, calling them to noble and perfect life of charity, yet understanding that they, we, all of us, are frail souls wounded by sins of pride and self-absorption.
The Priest is to be with God’s people, not simply as mentor and judge, but primarily as a friend acting in the person of Christ Himself, the Perfect Friend who laid down His Life for us precisely in the moment that we rejected Him.
To some, this understanding of Priesthood will seem to be a sort of capitulation, a compromise of truth and moral order which deconstructs the elaborate truths of the Catholic Faith. For some, it is much easier to search for the purity of truth in the antiseptic atmosphere of academia, devoid of the messiness and complexities of real life. They will never fully comprehend that the affirmation of truth alone will never bring one to experience the profound conversion that comes when a soul shattered by despair experiences the acceptance and embrace of the Merciful Christ, the Shepherd who leaves the 99 sheep to rescue the 1 lost lamb.
It is because Francis understands what it means to be a Pastor that he rejects those in whom a fear of the world is so great that they retreat from a sinful world and its wounded sons and daughters.
As a Pastor, Francis inspires all of us to have confidence in the Holy Spirit and to trust Him enough to accompany each other in all the situations and circumstances of life and to be especially present and comforting in moments of weakness or failure.
I believe Pope Francis understands that, for many, it will be impossible to hold onto the hope and security which the Gospels offer even as they witness people whose lives deny or contradict the truths and moral precepts the Gospels communicate.
The Holy Father understands and accepts the fact that these people, who are good and decent human beings whose motives of preserving the integrity of the Faith are equally good and noble, are simply afraid to fully trust in the mercy of Christ.
It is clear that Francis is disposed to love and embrace them nonetheless, as he challenges the Church to foster and promote charity and mercy, perhaps even at the cost of finding comfort in the familiar disciplines and customs of the past. For this, conservative and fearful souls will resist and challenge him. Yes, in this his final role as Pastor, Francis models the “Suffering Savior Jesus”, our High Priest and Redeemer.
Let us pray for our Holy Father and for the Church. Even in these challenging times, may we trust in the Holy Spirit as our Guide and Consoler. Let no disagreement ever separate us from His Wisdom or from one another.
God bless us as we continue to rejoice in the Christmas Season!
Perhaps it is the blessing of another birthday which wells up so many memories within me.
Over the years, I have come to appreciate, in a way I never could as a young man, the wisdom and insight of the Professors under whose tutelage I was privileged to study the history and teachings of the Church. Their dedication and their care for those of us in Priestly formation went fairly unnoticed by us in the vigor and brashness for which youth itself is notorious. It is unfortunate that only now am I coming to realize how much I and my brother-Priests benefited from their wisdom and foresight.
I had the very good fortune to complete my theological studies in Rome at two most prestigious Pontifical Universities: the Gregorianum and the Angelicum.
The Jesuits at the Greg were merciless instructors who relentlessly insisted that we students get the facts right and learn the fundamentals of theological study and reflection. The Dominicans at the Angelicum were equally insistent that we assimilate what we learn in our studies and incorporate these truths in our preaching in a way in which ordinary people could understand and appreciate the depth of God’s love and mercy toward each and all of us.
To know the truths of faith (and the moral demands they make upon us) and to communicate those truths (in a way which inspires confidence in God’s merciful love): this is to be a Priest, a Pastor of souls.
Many times in the actual experience of Priestly service, I have found the two roles to be paradoxical.
As teacher, I was called upon to insist that the truths of faith are universal and apply to everyone equally in all circumstances. As Pastor, I was expected to communicate these truths in a way which never obscured or contradicted God’s mercy which puts the individual human person above any other consideration, even the moral expectations which flow from the Gospel itself.
I think it was Saint John Vianney who offered this counsel to Priests everywhere: “Be a lion in the pulpit, but a lamb in the Confessional.”
Whether or not I succeeded will be God’s judgment upon my life and ministry. The Lord knows I certainly have tried.
I know I’ve always admired those Priests who embodied both the gift of being brilliant scholars and humble ministers of God’s loving Grace. So many good men, wonderful Pastors, come to mind. I have been blessed to know them and be touched by their generous service and care.
This is my singular vision of Pope Francis. He is, first and foremost, a Pastor of souls.
This is what I understand Francis to be saying when he speaks about the Church and Priests “accompanying people” in the journey of faith. To be with them, accepting them as they are, calling them to noble and perfect life of charity, yet understanding that they, we, all of us, are frail souls wounded by sins of pride and self-absorption.
The Priest is to be with God’s people, not simply as mentor and judge, but primarily as a friend acting in the person of Christ Himself, the Perfect Friend who laid down His Life for us precisely in the moment that we rejected Him.
To some, this understanding of Priesthood will seem to be a sort of capitulation, a compromise of truth and moral order which deconstructs the elaborate truths of the Catholic Faith. For some, it is much easier to search for the purity of truth in the antiseptic atmosphere of academia, devoid of the messiness and complexities of real life. They will never fully comprehend that the affirmation of truth alone will never bring one to experience the profound conversion that comes when a soul shattered by despair experiences the acceptance and embrace of the Merciful Christ, the Shepherd who leaves the 99 sheep to rescue the 1 lost lamb.
It is because Francis understands what it means to be a Pastor that he rejects those in whom a fear of the world is so great that they retreat from a sinful world and its wounded sons and daughters.
As a Pastor, Francis inspires all of us to have confidence in the Holy Spirit and to trust Him enough to accompany each other in all the situations and circumstances of life and to be especially present and comforting in moments of weakness or failure.
I believe Pope Francis understands that, for many, it will be impossible to hold onto the hope and security which the Gospels offer even as they witness people whose lives deny or contradict the truths and moral precepts the Gospels communicate.
The Holy Father understands and accepts the fact that these people, who are good and decent human beings whose motives of preserving the integrity of the Faith are equally good and noble, are simply afraid to fully trust in the mercy of Christ.
It is clear that Francis is disposed to love and embrace them nonetheless, as he challenges the Church to foster and promote charity and mercy, perhaps even at the cost of finding comfort in the familiar disciplines and customs of the past. For this, conservative and fearful souls will resist and challenge him. Yes, in this his final role as Pastor, Francis models the “Suffering Savior Jesus”, our High Priest and Redeemer.
Let us pray for our Holy Father and for the Church. Even in these challenging times, may we trust in the Holy Spirit as our Guide and Consoler. Let no disagreement ever separate us from His Wisdom or from one another.
God bless us as we continue to rejoice in the Christmas Season!
A BLESSED AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO US ALL, MY DEARS
On this Blessed Christmas Day, I wish to extend to you, your family and loved ones my prayers and best wishes for a Merry and Happy Christmas celebration.
In the rich and glorious narratives of the Scriptures, in the representations of that Grace-filled moment which have been depicted by artists and artisans down through the centuries, in the music which captures the emotions of this wondrous miracle in the course of human history, we are powerfully reminded of the unfathomable Love of God for each and everyone of us.
No matter how frail our witness to the Lord, no matter how relentless and difficult our journey in faith, no matter how problems and challenges test our trust in God, Christmas is a time of rebirth for all of us as it invites to remember again that God keeps His Promises, that the Love of God never fails, that Redemption comes to us undeserved and as Pure Gift.
Thank You, Almighty Father, for the Love You show us in giving us Your Only Son to be Our Savior. Thank You, Father, for the forgiveness that comes to us in the Sacrifice of Jesus Who willingly takes upon Himself the just judgment of our sins.
When life is burdensome and all seems hopeless, help us to remember the lesson which Christmas teaches: Emmanuel has come and in Him truly “God is with us” each and every moment, in the good times and the bad, in moments of strength and weakness, from the first breath we take unto the last.
God’s Grace and Hope and Love is the breath of life for all who believe and trust in Him.
May the Love and Grace of Almighty God fill your hearts this Christmas Day. May that Love touch your soul and the souls of all those you love that they may know the Peace and Joy that only Jesus can bring to life.
A Merry Christmas! And as Tiny Tim of Dicken's, A Christmas Carol, observed: "God bless us all, everyone!"
Saturday, December 24, 2016
THE PAPAL BLESSING URBI ET ORBI
The Roman Catholic Church, by the willful grace and intent of the Pope grants a plenary indulgence, on the usual conditions, to those who "devoutly receive" the blessing that the Pope imparts Urbi et Orbi.
For any ordinary plenary indulgence, the "usual conditions" are:
Reception of sacramental confession through a Catholic priest within 20 days (before or after) performing the specific work;
Reception of Eucharistic communion within 20 days (before or after) performing the specific work;
Prayers for the intentions of the Pope designated for that particular month or occasion, usually at the same time the work is performed, though recitation some days before or after also suffices.
Gaining a plenary indulgence requires that a baptized Roman Catholic must also exclude any attachment to sin, even venial sin.
Since 1985, this indulgence is granted not only to the people in Saint Peter's Square, but also to those who though unable to be physically present, "piously follow" it by radio or television.
This is now extended to all who receive the papal blessing over the Internet ("the new communications medium"), since the blessing is preceded by an announcement: "His Holiness, the Pope, grants a plenary indulgence in the form laid down by the Church to all the faithful present and to those who receive his blessing by radio, television and the new communications media. Let us ask Almighty God to grant the Pope many years as leader of the Church and peace and unity to the Church throughout the world."
This Christmas, I encourage and invite Readers to receive this special blessing and join their prayers to those of the Holy Father that Christ Jesus be praised and that the world may know the joy of His Peace and Charity on this special day and always.
Merry Christmas! God's Peace and Love be yours always!
Thursday, December 22, 2016
THE MAN BEHIND THE STORY OF SANTA CLAUS
St. Nicholas was a Bishop who lived in the fourth century in a place called Myra in Asia Minor (now called Turkey). There are several legends about St. Nicholas, although we don't know if any of them are true!
The most famous story about St. Nicholas tells how the custom of hanging up stockings to get presents in started!
It goes like this:
There was a poor man who had three daughters. He was so poor, he did not have enough money for a dowry, so his daughters couldn't get married.
One night, Nicholas secretly dropped a bag of gold down the chimney and into the house (This meant that the oldest daughter was then able to be married.). The bag fell into a stocking that had been hung by the fire to dry! This was repeated later with the second daughter. Finally, determined to discover the person who had given him the money, the father secretly hid by the fire every evening until he caught Nicholas dropping in a bag of gold.
Nicholas begged the man to not tell anyone what he had done, because he did not want to bring attention to himself. But soon the news got out and when anyone received a secret gift, it was thought that maybe it was from Nicholas.
Because of his kindness Nicholas was canonized a Saint of the Church.
St. Nicholas is not only the Saint of Children but also of Sailors! One story tells of him helping some sailors that were caught in a dreadful storm off the coast of Turkey. The storm was raging around them and all the men were terrified that their ship would sink beneath the giant waves. They prayed to St. Nicholas to help them. Suddenly, he was standing on the deck before them. He ordered the sea to be calm, the storm died away, and they were able to sail their ship safely to port.
St. Nicholas was exiled from Myra and later put in prison during the persecution by the Emperor Diocletian. It is believed he died on December 6th in either 345 or 352.
In 1087, his bones were stolen from Turkey by some Italian merchant sailors. The bones are now kept in the Church named after him in the Italian port of Bari. On St. Nicholas feast day (6th December), the sailors of Bari still carry his statue from the Cathedral out to sea, so that he can bless the waters and so give them safe voyages throughout the year.
In the 16th Century in northern Europe, after the Protestant Reformation, the homage and reverence toward Saints became increasingly unpopular.
Accordingly, the legends and traditions about St. Nicholas waned.
Still, someone had to deliver presents to children at Christmas, so in England, he became 'Father Christmas' or 'Old Man Christmas', an old character from morality plays during the Middle Ages in England and parts of northern Europe.
In France, he was then known as 'Père Nöel'.
In some countries including parts of Austria and Germany, the annual giver of presents became the 'Christkind' a golden-haired baby, with wings, who symbolizes the new born baby Jesus.
In the Early American history, his name was 'Kris Kringle' (from the Christkind). Later, Dutch settlers in the America took the old stories of St. Nicholas with them and Kris Kringle and St Nicholas became 'Sinterklaas' or as we now say 'Santa Claus'!
Many countries, especially ones in Europe, celebrate St. Nicholas' Day on 6th December. In Holland and some other European Countries, children leave clogs or shoes out on the 5th December (St. Nicholas Eve) to be filled with presents. They also believe that if they leave some hay and carrots in their shoes for Sinterklaas's horse, they will be left some sweets.
St. Nicholas became popular again in the Victorian era when writers, poets and artists rediscovered the old stories.
In 1823 the famous poem 'A Visit from St. Nicholas' or 'T'was the Night before Christmas', was published. Dr Clement Clarke Moore later claimed that he had written it for his children. (Some scholars now believe that it was actually written by Henry Livingston, Jr., who was a distant relative of Dr Moore's wife.)
May St. Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Sinterklaas...however you imagine this jolly old elf continue to be a happy memory of those Christmases past spent surrounded by the love and care of family and friends.
Merry Christmas! God bless you!
The most famous story about St. Nicholas tells how the custom of hanging up stockings to get presents in started!
It goes like this:
There was a poor man who had three daughters. He was so poor, he did not have enough money for a dowry, so his daughters couldn't get married.
One night, Nicholas secretly dropped a bag of gold down the chimney and into the house (This meant that the oldest daughter was then able to be married.). The bag fell into a stocking that had been hung by the fire to dry! This was repeated later with the second daughter. Finally, determined to discover the person who had given him the money, the father secretly hid by the fire every evening until he caught Nicholas dropping in a bag of gold.
Nicholas begged the man to not tell anyone what he had done, because he did not want to bring attention to himself. But soon the news got out and when anyone received a secret gift, it was thought that maybe it was from Nicholas.
Because of his kindness Nicholas was canonized a Saint of the Church.
St. Nicholas is not only the Saint of Children but also of Sailors! One story tells of him helping some sailors that were caught in a dreadful storm off the coast of Turkey. The storm was raging around them and all the men were terrified that their ship would sink beneath the giant waves. They prayed to St. Nicholas to help them. Suddenly, he was standing on the deck before them. He ordered the sea to be calm, the storm died away, and they were able to sail their ship safely to port.
St. Nicholas was exiled from Myra and later put in prison during the persecution by the Emperor Diocletian. It is believed he died on December 6th in either 345 or 352.
In 1087, his bones were stolen from Turkey by some Italian merchant sailors. The bones are now kept in the Church named after him in the Italian port of Bari. On St. Nicholas feast day (6th December), the sailors of Bari still carry his statue from the Cathedral out to sea, so that he can bless the waters and so give them safe voyages throughout the year.
In the 16th Century in northern Europe, after the Protestant Reformation, the homage and reverence toward Saints became increasingly unpopular.
Accordingly, the legends and traditions about St. Nicholas waned.
Still, someone had to deliver presents to children at Christmas, so in England, he became 'Father Christmas' or 'Old Man Christmas', an old character from morality plays during the Middle Ages in England and parts of northern Europe.
In France, he was then known as 'Père Nöel'.
In some countries including parts of Austria and Germany, the annual giver of presents became the 'Christkind' a golden-haired baby, with wings, who symbolizes the new born baby Jesus.
In the Early American history, his name was 'Kris Kringle' (from the Christkind). Later, Dutch settlers in the America took the old stories of St. Nicholas with them and Kris Kringle and St Nicholas became 'Sinterklaas' or as we now say 'Santa Claus'!
Many countries, especially ones in Europe, celebrate St. Nicholas' Day on 6th December. In Holland and some other European Countries, children leave clogs or shoes out on the 5th December (St. Nicholas Eve) to be filled with presents. They also believe that if they leave some hay and carrots in their shoes for Sinterklaas's horse, they will be left some sweets.
St. Nicholas became popular again in the Victorian era when writers, poets and artists rediscovered the old stories.
In 1823 the famous poem 'A Visit from St. Nicholas' or 'T'was the Night before Christmas', was published. Dr Clement Clarke Moore later claimed that he had written it for his children. (Some scholars now believe that it was actually written by Henry Livingston, Jr., who was a distant relative of Dr Moore's wife.)
May St. Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Sinterklaas...however you imagine this jolly old elf continue to be a happy memory of those Christmases past spent surrounded by the love and care of family and friends.
THE LEGEND OF THE CANDY CANE: THE SWEET CATECHISM OF CHRISTMASTIME
Today we consider the history of the simple candy cane.
There are many legends surrounding the candy cane that is such a familiar part of the Christmas Season.
When the practice of using Christmas trees to celebrate the Nativity became popular in Europe, people began making decorations for their trees. Many of the decorations were food items including cookies and candy. The predecessor of our modern candy cane appeared at about this time in the 17th Century. These were straight, white sticks of sugar candy.
Part of the Christmas celebration at the Cologne Cathedral were pageants of living creches.
Around 1670, the Choirmaster there had sticks of candy bent into the shape of a shepherd’s crook and passed them out to children who attended the ceremonies. This became a popular tradition, and eventually the practice of passing out the sugar canes at living creche ceremonies spread throughout Europe.
The use of candy canes on Christmas trees made its way to America by the 1800’s; however during this time, they were still pure white. They are represented this way on Christmas cards made before 1900, and it is not until the early 20th century that they appear with their familiar red stripes.
Many people have given religious meaning to the shape and form of the candy cane. It is said that its shape is like the letter “J” in Jesus’ name. It is also in the shape of the shepherds’ crook, symbolic of how Jesus, like the “Good Shepherd” watches over his children like little lambs. It is a hard candy, solid like a “rock”, the foundation of the Church. The flavor of peppermint is similar to another member of the mint family, hyssop. In the Old Testament hyssop was used for purification and sacrifice, and this is said to symbolize the purity of Jesus and the sacrifice He made.
Some say the white of the candy cane represents the purity of Jesus and his Virgin Birth. The red color represents the Blood Christ shed on the Cross. The three fine stripes surrounding the single bold stripe are said by some to represent the Holy Trinity: Three Persons (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) in One God.
From its plain early beginnings to its familiar shape and color of today, the candy cane is a symbol of Christmas and a reminder of the meaning of the holiday.
How wonderful is it that the simple candy cane carries with it such powerful lessons of faith? May those lessons never be forgotten.
A Blessed and Merry Christmas! God bless you!
There are many legends surrounding the candy cane that is such a familiar part of the Christmas Season.
When the practice of using Christmas trees to celebrate the Nativity became popular in Europe, people began making decorations for their trees. Many of the decorations were food items including cookies and candy. The predecessor of our modern candy cane appeared at about this time in the 17th Century. These were straight, white sticks of sugar candy.
Part of the Christmas celebration at the Cologne Cathedral were pageants of living creches.
Around 1670, the Choirmaster there had sticks of candy bent into the shape of a shepherd’s crook and passed them out to children who attended the ceremonies. This became a popular tradition, and eventually the practice of passing out the sugar canes at living creche ceremonies spread throughout Europe.
The use of candy canes on Christmas trees made its way to America by the 1800’s; however during this time, they were still pure white. They are represented this way on Christmas cards made before 1900, and it is not until the early 20th century that they appear with their familiar red stripes.
Many people have given religious meaning to the shape and form of the candy cane. It is said that its shape is like the letter “J” in Jesus’ name. It is also in the shape of the shepherds’ crook, symbolic of how Jesus, like the “Good Shepherd” watches over his children like little lambs. It is a hard candy, solid like a “rock”, the foundation of the Church. The flavor of peppermint is similar to another member of the mint family, hyssop. In the Old Testament hyssop was used for purification and sacrifice, and this is said to symbolize the purity of Jesus and the sacrifice He made.
Some say the white of the candy cane represents the purity of Jesus and his Virgin Birth. The red color represents the Blood Christ shed on the Cross. The three fine stripes surrounding the single bold stripe are said by some to represent the Holy Trinity: Three Persons (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) in One God.
From its plain early beginnings to its familiar shape and color of today, the candy cane is a symbol of Christmas and a reminder of the meaning of the holiday.
How wonderful is it that the simple candy cane carries with it such powerful lessons of faith? May those lessons never be forgotten.
A Blessed and Merry Christmas! God bless you!
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM
At Christmastime each year, one of the most common questions concerns the “Star of Bethlehem” which guided the Magi to Bethlehem.
What does modern Biblical scholarship and astronomy have to say about this most popular Christmas icon?
Accordingly to Biblical analysis, it appears that the wise men were, in fact, astute and mathematically-adept astrologers. They also knew about the Old Testament prophecy that a new king would be born of the family of David. Most likely, they had been watching the heavens for years, waiting for alignments that would foretell the birth of this king. When they identified a powerful set of astrological portents, they decided the time was right to set out to find the prophesied leader.
Modern astronomy suggests that, if Matthew’s Magi actually undertook a journey to search for a newborn king, the bright star didn’t guide them; it only told them when to set out. And they would not have found an infant swaddled in a manger. After all, the baby was already 8 months old by the time they decoded the astrological message they believed predicted the birth of a future king.
By consulting astronomical charts, astronomers theorize that the heavenly event began on April 17 of 6 B.C. and lasted until December 19 of 6 B.C. By the earliest time the men could have arrived in Bethlehem, the baby Jesus would likely have been at least a toddler.
And so, Biblical scholars believe that Matthew wrote the story of the Magi and the Star of Bethlehem to convince readers that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah. Given the astrological clues embedded in his gospel, he must have believed the story of the Star of Bethlehem would be convincing evidence for many in his audience.
Whatever theory seems most reasonable to you, the fact that is most important is that of the Savior’s Birth, a moment which forever changed the course of human history, bringing with it the Promise of Charity and Peace among people of good will and the Hope of the Redemption by our Loving and Forgiving Heavenly Father.
Perhaps, instead of wondering about or searching the skies for the light of a Star, miraculous or real, we should search for the light of Christ’s love which truly brings light and salvation to all who bask in its glow.
God bless you. Merry Christmas!
What does modern Biblical scholarship and astronomy have to say about this most popular Christmas icon?
Accordingly to Biblical analysis, it appears that the wise men were, in fact, astute and mathematically-adept astrologers. They also knew about the Old Testament prophecy that a new king would be born of the family of David. Most likely, they had been watching the heavens for years, waiting for alignments that would foretell the birth of this king. When they identified a powerful set of astrological portents, they decided the time was right to set out to find the prophesied leader.
Modern astronomy suggests that, if Matthew’s Magi actually undertook a journey to search for a newborn king, the bright star didn’t guide them; it only told them when to set out. And they would not have found an infant swaddled in a manger. After all, the baby was already 8 months old by the time they decoded the astrological message they believed predicted the birth of a future king.
By consulting astronomical charts, astronomers theorize that the heavenly event began on April 17 of 6 B.C. and lasted until December 19 of 6 B.C. By the earliest time the men could have arrived in Bethlehem, the baby Jesus would likely have been at least a toddler.
And so, Biblical scholars believe that Matthew wrote the story of the Magi and the Star of Bethlehem to convince readers that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah. Given the astrological clues embedded in his gospel, he must have believed the story of the Star of Bethlehem would be convincing evidence for many in his audience.
Whatever theory seems most reasonable to you, the fact that is most important is that of the Savior’s Birth, a moment which forever changed the course of human history, bringing with it the Promise of Charity and Peace among people of good will and the Hope of the Redemption by our Loving and Forgiving Heavenly Father.
Perhaps, instead of wondering about or searching the skies for the light of a Star, miraculous or real, we should search for the light of Christ’s love which truly brings light and salvation to all who bask in its glow.
God bless you. Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
THE RELIC OF THE MANGER AT SAINT MARY MAJOR BASILICA IN ROME
Does the animal feeding trough where Jesus Christ “laid down his sweet head” still exist?
Both Origen in the 3rd Century and St Jerome in the 4th Century claimed they had seen the manger in Bethlehem’s Grotto of the Nativity, the place where Jesus was supposed to have been born.
The remains of what some Catholics believe was the manger of baby Jesus were brought to Rome from Palestine in 642 after Pope Theodore I was elected pontiff. The relic has been preserved for centuries in Rome’s St Mary Major basilica, encased in a silver and glass cradle-shaped container in a chapel under the main altar.
Made from the wood of a sycamore tree, the relics consist of five planks, two of which are nearly a yard long and upright in the form of an X.
Studies have suggested they were supports for the manger, which may have been made out of clay or limestone.
Below is a photo of the crypt under the Main Altar and the golden urn in which rests the icon which has been reverenced for centuries by pilgrims from the world over.
Both Origen in the 3rd Century and St Jerome in the 4th Century claimed they had seen the manger in Bethlehem’s Grotto of the Nativity, the place where Jesus was supposed to have been born.
The remains of what some Catholics believe was the manger of baby Jesus were brought to Rome from Palestine in 642 after Pope Theodore I was elected pontiff. The relic has been preserved for centuries in Rome’s St Mary Major basilica, encased in a silver and glass cradle-shaped container in a chapel under the main altar.
Made from the wood of a sycamore tree, the relics consist of five planks, two of which are nearly a yard long and upright in the form of an X.
Studies have suggested they were supports for the manger, which may have been made out of clay or limestone.
Below is a photo of the crypt under the Main Altar and the golden urn in which rests the icon which has been reverenced for centuries by pilgrims from the world over.
Monday, December 19, 2016
A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CHRISTMAS CRECHE
St. Francis of Assisi is credited with staging the first Nativity scene in 1223. The only historical account we have of Francis’ Nativity creche comes from The Life of St. Francis of Assisi by St. Bonaventure, a Franciscan monk who was born five years before Francis’ death.
According to Bonaventure’s biography, St. Francis received permission from Pope Honorious III to set up a manger with hay and two live animals—an ox and an ass—in a cave in the Italian village of Grecio. He then invited the villagers to come gaze upon the scene while he preached about the Nativity.
Soon, Nativity scenes became enormously popular.
Within a couple of centuries of Francis' inaugural display, Nativity creches had spread throughout Europe. It's unclear whether Francis used people or figures to stand in for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, or if the spectators just used their imagination, but later Nativity scenes included both live figures and dioramas, and the cast of characters gradually expanded to include not only Mary, Joseph and the Holy Infant, but sometimes entire villages.
The familiar cast of characters we see today—namely the Magi and the shepherds—aren't accurate according to the Sacred Scriptures. Of the four gospels in the New Testament, only Matthew and Luke describe Jesus’ birth, the former focusing on the story of the Wise Men’s trek to see the Infant Christ, the latter recounting the shepherds’ visit to the manger where Jesus was born. Nowhere in the Bible do the shepherds and Magi appear together, and nowhere in the Bible are donkeys, oxen, cattle, or other domesticated animals mentioned in conjunction with Jesus’ birth. But early Nativity scenes took their cues more from religious art than from scripture.
After the Protestant Reformation, crèches became more associated with southern Europe (where Catholicism was still prevalent), while Christmas trees were the northern European decoration of choice (since Protestantism—and evergreens—thrived there).
Each year, as I unpack the Christmas figures of the creche which I have used for over 40 years, it is very much as though I am greeting old friends and familiar faces for yet another celebration of the Birth of Our Savior.
I pray your enjoy your celebration of the Birth of Jesus with all the traditions which help make this time of year so beautiful and special. God bless you.
According to Bonaventure’s biography, St. Francis received permission from Pope Honorious III to set up a manger with hay and two live animals—an ox and an ass—in a cave in the Italian village of Grecio. He then invited the villagers to come gaze upon the scene while he preached about the Nativity.
Soon, Nativity scenes became enormously popular.
Within a couple of centuries of Francis' inaugural display, Nativity creches had spread throughout Europe. It's unclear whether Francis used people or figures to stand in for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, or if the spectators just used their imagination, but later Nativity scenes included both live figures and dioramas, and the cast of characters gradually expanded to include not only Mary, Joseph and the Holy Infant, but sometimes entire villages.
The familiar cast of characters we see today—namely the Magi and the shepherds—aren't accurate according to the Sacred Scriptures. Of the four gospels in the New Testament, only Matthew and Luke describe Jesus’ birth, the former focusing on the story of the Wise Men’s trek to see the Infant Christ, the latter recounting the shepherds’ visit to the manger where Jesus was born. Nowhere in the Bible do the shepherds and Magi appear together, and nowhere in the Bible are donkeys, oxen, cattle, or other domesticated animals mentioned in conjunction with Jesus’ birth. But early Nativity scenes took their cues more from religious art than from scripture.
After the Protestant Reformation, crèches became more associated with southern Europe (where Catholicism was still prevalent), while Christmas trees were the northern European decoration of choice (since Protestantism—and evergreens—thrived there).
Each year, as I unpack the Christmas figures of the creche which I have used for over 40 years, it is very much as though I am greeting old friends and familiar faces for yet another celebration of the Birth of Our Savior.
I pray your enjoy your celebration of the Birth of Jesus with all the traditions which help make this time of year so beautiful and special. God bless you.
Saturday, December 17, 2016
WHAT YEAR WAS CHRIST BORN?
With Christmas just around the corner, my posts from now until that Special Day will leave behind the controversies and squabbles of recent months and focus upon interesting facts and wonderful memories surrounding this miraculous moment in human history when Our Savior took on human flesh and dwelt among us to reveal the depth of God's love for us.
Scripture does not provide an exact date on which Christ was born.
In a previous post, I offered a number of popular explanations regarding the reasons why most of Christendom celebrates December 25th as the day of Christ's Birth.
The exact year in which Jesus was born in Bethlehem is open to conjecture, since it is not recorded in the Bible.
However, certain details of history narrow a determination of the year of Christ's Birth to a reasonable window of time.
The biblical details of Jesus’ birth are found in the Gospels. Matthew 2:1 states that Jesus was born during the days of Herod the king.
Now, since Herod died in 4 B.C., we have a parameter within which to work. Furthermore, after Joseph and Mary fled Bethlehem with Jesus, Herod ordered all the boys 2 years old and younger in that vicinity killed. This indicates that Jesus could have been as old as 2 before Herod’s death. This places the date of His birth between 6 and 4 B.C.
Luke 2:1-2 notes several other facts: “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.”
We know that Caesar Augustus reigned from 27 B.C. to A.D. 14. Quirinius governed Syria during this same time period, with records of a census that included Judea in approximately 6 B.C.
Some scholars debate whether this is the census mentioned by Luke, but it does appear to be the same event. Based on these historical details, the most likely time of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem is 6-5 B.C.
Luke mentions another detail concerning our timeline: “Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age” (Luke 3:23).
Jesus began His ministry during the time John the Baptist ministered in the wilderness, and John’s ministry started “in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas” (Luke 3:1-2).
The only time period that fits all of these facts is A.D. 27-29. If Jesus was “about thirty years of age” by A.D. 27, a birth sometime between 6 and 4 B.C. would fit the chronology. More specifically, Jesus would have been approximately 32 years old at the time He began His ministry (still “about thirty years of age”).
What is known is that biblical and historical details point to an approximate year of birth. Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea approximately 6-4 B.C.
Whatever exact date or year of Christ's Birth, the fact that the Word of God became Flesh has changed human history forever. May the celebration of His Birth rekindle the flame of faith in all our hearts. May we celebrate His Coming each and everyday by living lives of charity and mercy toward all our sisters and brothers.
Merry Christmas! God bless you!
Scripture does not provide an exact date on which Christ was born.
In a previous post, I offered a number of popular explanations regarding the reasons why most of Christendom celebrates December 25th as the day of Christ's Birth.
The exact year in which Jesus was born in Bethlehem is open to conjecture, since it is not recorded in the Bible.
However, certain details of history narrow a determination of the year of Christ's Birth to a reasonable window of time.
The biblical details of Jesus’ birth are found in the Gospels. Matthew 2:1 states that Jesus was born during the days of Herod the king.
Now, since Herod died in 4 B.C., we have a parameter within which to work. Furthermore, after Joseph and Mary fled Bethlehem with Jesus, Herod ordered all the boys 2 years old and younger in that vicinity killed. This indicates that Jesus could have been as old as 2 before Herod’s death. This places the date of His birth between 6 and 4 B.C.
Luke 2:1-2 notes several other facts: “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.”
We know that Caesar Augustus reigned from 27 B.C. to A.D. 14. Quirinius governed Syria during this same time period, with records of a census that included Judea in approximately 6 B.C.
Some scholars debate whether this is the census mentioned by Luke, but it does appear to be the same event. Based on these historical details, the most likely time of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem is 6-5 B.C.
Luke mentions another detail concerning our timeline: “Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age” (Luke 3:23).
Jesus began His ministry during the time John the Baptist ministered in the wilderness, and John’s ministry started “in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas” (Luke 3:1-2).
The only time period that fits all of these facts is A.D. 27-29. If Jesus was “about thirty years of age” by A.D. 27, a birth sometime between 6 and 4 B.C. would fit the chronology. More specifically, Jesus would have been approximately 32 years old at the time He began His ministry (still “about thirty years of age”).
What is known is that biblical and historical details point to an approximate year of birth. Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea approximately 6-4 B.C.
Whatever exact date or year of Christ's Birth, the fact that the Word of God became Flesh has changed human history forever. May the celebration of His Birth rekindle the flame of faith in all our hearts. May we celebrate His Coming each and everyday by living lives of charity and mercy toward all our sisters and brothers.
Merry Christmas! God bless you!
VATICAN III: THE CRISIS IN THE PRIESTHOOD -- PART THREE
Just as there was a longstanding, controversial proposal in response to the divorced and remarried issue (Cardinal Walter Kasper’s invitation to consider the Orthodox approach), a solution has been proposed to address the crisis of Priestless parishes.
What is this solution and who is its advocate?
During 50 years in South Africa, and traveling to many parts of the world, the now-retired German Bishop, Fritz Lobinger, observed how many Christian communities in remote areas have been led in practice by small groups of committed, mature lay people.
His proposed solution is to ordain them after a brief training, so that they can administer the Sacraments within that community alone.
These “locally ordained ministers” ( Lobinger says it is important not to call them Priests, even though it would involve precisely the same Sacrament of Priestly Ordination), would be a parallel Priesthood, complementary to the existing norm in the Latin Rite of a celibate, seminary-trained Priest sent by his Bishop as Pastors of parishes or missions.
Bishop Lobinger points to a precedent in the Acts of the Apostles 14:23 when St Paul and Barnabas appointed (or ordained) “elders” in the young Christian communities, the term referring not so much to the age of these ministers but their maturity or fitness for the task. These were teams of men who were not sent to their community but came out of it; who ministered to the community part-time, while continuing to work at their professions; and who had families.
Pope Francis has given many signals of his willingness to open up the question of ordaining married men, even encouraging local Churches to put forward proposals of their own.
Bishop Erwin Krautler, the Austrian-born bishop of Xingú, reported that, in a private audience with Francis in April of 2014, they had compared notes on how the Priest shortage affects the Church in Latin America. Bishop Krautler said Francis had cited a Mexican diocese - presumably San Cristóbal in Chiapas - where parishes were run by Permanent Deacons, who would need only to be ordained in order to celebrate Mass.
In that same discussion, Francis described Bishop Lobinger’s proposal as one of a number of “interesting hypotheses” and urged Bishop Kraütler to go off and build national bishops’ conference consensus for “bold, concrete proposals” which they should bring to Rome. “The Pope said he is open to the question, he wants to listen to local churches. But he said no local church, no national church, should go on its own,” the Bishop said.
What is noteworthy is that this was precisely the same message Pope Francis gave the German Church when it was talking in 2013 of readmitting divorced couples to Communion on a case-by-case basis.
Bishop Lobinger’s proposal has been developed further by a Brazilian theologian at the Pontifical University of Paraná in Curitiba. Father Antonio José de Almeida, recently published a book on the “new ministries.” He points to the 40,000 ‘Delegates of the Word’ in Honduras, or the 400 married indigenous Permanent Deacons in Chiapas, as signs of the emergence of ‘Presbyteral’ vocations rooted in the community of the sort referred to in the Acts of the Apostles. Father Alameida is in turn advising a Brazilian church commission reflecting on the question that includes two cardinals close to Francis: Claudio Hummes, the Archbishop emeritus of São Paolo, and Raymundo Damasceno Assis of Aparecida.
If they conclude that ordaining local elders is not just a solution for a shortage of Priests but a sign that the Holy Spirit is speaking to the Church, Pope Francis might decide that the Church may now be ready to confront the crisis with the prospect of reforming the Priesthood in a dramatic way, redefining both its mission and structure.
What structure would Francis likely employ for such a controversial matter?
Given the divisions sparked by the Family Synod discussions and Amoris Laetitia, I believe only an Ecumenical Council (the highest teaching authority of the Church) could provide the setting in which such a potential divisive issue could be addressed and resolved.
Could this be Vatican Council III which my Professor predicted would come to pass?
I believe so.
The critical shortage of Priests deserves the dignity of discernment and consideration that only an Ecumenical Council could provide.
Certainly, a discernment of this magnitude needs to take place in the esteemed and respected setting of an Ecumenical Council, whose judgment on the matter will bear the imprint of supreme magisterial authority to which every Catholic of good will be called upon to render obedient faith.
There will be many who will say that Francis would never convene an Ecumenical Council. They should be wary not to rush to that judgment, especially with regard to this Pope who seems not to be intimidated or fearful of taking on issues of great import and consequence to the People of God.
The Holy Spirit has been given to the Church by Christ as the source of Truth and Light in its mission to make disciples and teach nations. The Holy Spirit is aware of the crisis. Those willing to open themselves to the inspiration of the Same Spirit will hear the solutions He surely is eager to provide.
Is the Holy Spirit calling the Church to re-examine the Priesthood at this time? Will Francis be the Pope to heed the call?
Perhaps. It will be interesting to see to say the very least.
For our part, let us pray for our Church, our Holy Father, all the Bishops, and especially our Priests who are alter Christus (other Christs), allowing us to be touched by Jesus' Grace and Peace through the Sacred Priesthood they personally embody.
Tomorrow begins the fourth and final week of Advent, this marvelous time of preparation for the celebration of Christmas Day. And so, from now until Christmas, my posts will be much lighter in spirit in keeping with the joyfulness of the season. Lord knows, we all need a respite from the controversies and divisions of recent days.
God bless you. Please take time to prepare your mind and heart for the Glorious Miracle of the Nativity of Christ and the Promise of hope and salvation It inspires within us.
What is this solution and who is its advocate?
During 50 years in South Africa, and traveling to many parts of the world, the now-retired German Bishop, Fritz Lobinger, observed how many Christian communities in remote areas have been led in practice by small groups of committed, mature lay people.
His proposed solution is to ordain them after a brief training, so that they can administer the Sacraments within that community alone.
These “locally ordained ministers” ( Lobinger says it is important not to call them Priests, even though it would involve precisely the same Sacrament of Priestly Ordination), would be a parallel Priesthood, complementary to the existing norm in the Latin Rite of a celibate, seminary-trained Priest sent by his Bishop as Pastors of parishes or missions.
Bishop Lobinger points to a precedent in the Acts of the Apostles 14:23 when St Paul and Barnabas appointed (or ordained) “elders” in the young Christian communities, the term referring not so much to the age of these ministers but their maturity or fitness for the task. These were teams of men who were not sent to their community but came out of it; who ministered to the community part-time, while continuing to work at their professions; and who had families.
Pope Francis has given many signals of his willingness to open up the question of ordaining married men, even encouraging local Churches to put forward proposals of their own.
Bishop Erwin Krautler, the Austrian-born bishop of Xingú, reported that, in a private audience with Francis in April of 2014, they had compared notes on how the Priest shortage affects the Church in Latin America. Bishop Krautler said Francis had cited a Mexican diocese - presumably San Cristóbal in Chiapas - where parishes were run by Permanent Deacons, who would need only to be ordained in order to celebrate Mass.
In that same discussion, Francis described Bishop Lobinger’s proposal as one of a number of “interesting hypotheses” and urged Bishop Kraütler to go off and build national bishops’ conference consensus for “bold, concrete proposals” which they should bring to Rome. “The Pope said he is open to the question, he wants to listen to local churches. But he said no local church, no national church, should go on its own,” the Bishop said.
What is noteworthy is that this was precisely the same message Pope Francis gave the German Church when it was talking in 2013 of readmitting divorced couples to Communion on a case-by-case basis.
Bishop Lobinger’s proposal has been developed further by a Brazilian theologian at the Pontifical University of Paraná in Curitiba. Father Antonio José de Almeida, recently published a book on the “new ministries.” He points to the 40,000 ‘Delegates of the Word’ in Honduras, or the 400 married indigenous Permanent Deacons in Chiapas, as signs of the emergence of ‘Presbyteral’ vocations rooted in the community of the sort referred to in the Acts of the Apostles. Father Alameida is in turn advising a Brazilian church commission reflecting on the question that includes two cardinals close to Francis: Claudio Hummes, the Archbishop emeritus of São Paolo, and Raymundo Damasceno Assis of Aparecida.
If they conclude that ordaining local elders is not just a solution for a shortage of Priests but a sign that the Holy Spirit is speaking to the Church, Pope Francis might decide that the Church may now be ready to confront the crisis with the prospect of reforming the Priesthood in a dramatic way, redefining both its mission and structure.
What structure would Francis likely employ for such a controversial matter?
Given the divisions sparked by the Family Synod discussions and Amoris Laetitia, I believe only an Ecumenical Council (the highest teaching authority of the Church) could provide the setting in which such a potential divisive issue could be addressed and resolved.
Could this be Vatican Council III which my Professor predicted would come to pass?
I believe so.
The critical shortage of Priests deserves the dignity of discernment and consideration that only an Ecumenical Council could provide.
Certainly, a discernment of this magnitude needs to take place in the esteemed and respected setting of an Ecumenical Council, whose judgment on the matter will bear the imprint of supreme magisterial authority to which every Catholic of good will be called upon to render obedient faith.
There will be many who will say that Francis would never convene an Ecumenical Council. They should be wary not to rush to that judgment, especially with regard to this Pope who seems not to be intimidated or fearful of taking on issues of great import and consequence to the People of God.
The Holy Spirit has been given to the Church by Christ as the source of Truth and Light in its mission to make disciples and teach nations. The Holy Spirit is aware of the crisis. Those willing to open themselves to the inspiration of the Same Spirit will hear the solutions He surely is eager to provide.
Is the Holy Spirit calling the Church to re-examine the Priesthood at this time? Will Francis be the Pope to heed the call?
Perhaps. It will be interesting to see to say the very least.
For our part, let us pray for our Church, our Holy Father, all the Bishops, and especially our Priests who are alter Christus (other Christs), allowing us to be touched by Jesus' Grace and Peace through the Sacred Priesthood they personally embody.
Tomorrow begins the fourth and final week of Advent, this marvelous time of preparation for the celebration of Christmas Day. And so, from now until Christmas, my posts will be much lighter in spirit in keeping with the joyfulness of the season. Lord knows, we all need a respite from the controversies and divisions of recent days.
God bless you. Please take time to prepare your mind and heart for the Glorious Miracle of the Nativity of Christ and the Promise of hope and salvation It inspires within us.
Thursday, December 15, 2016
VATICAN III: THE CRISIS IN THE PRIESTHOOD -- PART TWO
Thus far, we have shown that the Church and its Priesthood are in crisis and the problem is becoming more acute with each passing year!
How are Bishops dealing with the critical shortage of Priests in their respective dioceses? In a variety of ways.
A practice known as "linking" has emerged, where two parishes share the same Priest but remain separate otherwise. Such was the solution applied to the parish from which I retired (Saint Jude Church) which was linked with a neighboring parish (All Souls Church), with one Priest serving as Pastor of the now-linked two parishes.
Some Bishops encourage parishes to hire a lay administrator. Churches are given guidelines on lay-led services. In some places, Mass at the local church is celebrated only every other week.
Some countries are importing Priests in large numbers from other nations. Priests in India have been saying Masses for people in the West and traveling to wealthier countries as temporary Pastors to help relieve the priest shortage in the West.
In some dioceses, there has been a growth in the number of men and women entering other forms of ministry in the church, such as Permanent Deacons and lay ecclesial ministers.
There has been a dramatic increase in the participation and activity of the laity in general. Canon law (CIC 517) does allow for a Permanent Deacon or lay ecclesial minister to be appointed as a de facto administrator of a parish, under the supervision of a Priest Moderator, in the absence of a qualified Priest. The problem remains, however, that parishioners do not have immediate availability to all the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick in these instances.
For their part, how are the Priests themselves coping with this crisis?
"The ever-increasing workload is threatening to turn aging, demoralized and declining numbers of Priests into Sacrament-dispensing machines who find pastoral work less and less satisfying," a co-founder of Ireland's Association of Catholic Priests has warned.
In his address to the association's annual general meeting, Fr. Brendan Hoban highlighted how suicide is on the rise among Irish Priests, a group he said was also increasingly prone to alcoholism and depression.
More and more, elderly diocesan priests are living increasingly isolated and lonely lives.
While the sense of isolation is not as acute among Religious Orders as among diocesan Priests, Religious Priests are as confused and demoralized as their diocesan counterparts about how to be a Priest in the modern world, and feel the scorn and ridicule of an entrenched secular outlook that pervades modern-day society.
The absence of a next generation of Priests means hope and energy are missing, and there is a gap in theology and ecclesiology between many newer recruits and the older generation, with the older generation sensing that the Church will move to past and failing strategies rather than courageously embracing more realistic and practical reforms.
And so, it seems the stage is set and the prophetic vision of my Dominican Professor may soon be come to pass. The Church must end its denial of the crisis and commit itself to addressing the problem.
In 2005, then-Cardinal Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires and the future Pope Francis,
attended the Synod on the Eucharist in Rome. He had seen how keen Bishops at that gathering were to discuss the access to the Sacraments of the divorced and remarried, only to have been put off by Vatican officials at the time.
In much the same way, in May 2007, when the Latin-American bishops met for their great pan-continental assembly at the Shrine of Aparecida, Brazil, the future Pope was again present. He would eventually write the Aparecida synod's concluding document. Once again, he took not of the considerable number of Bishops who wanted to discuss the painful question of the lack of access to the Sacraments because of the critical shortage of Priests. Once again, he noted that a Vatican representative assured them that it was neither the time nor the place to open such a discussion without approval from Rome.
The Bishops had been told at the time that the Synod as it was constituted was not the place for that discussion and then-Cardinal Bergoglio agreed . Perhaps that is why, after his election, Pope Francis introduced a new format that could enable such a discernment regarding Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics, a discernment around which vehement arguments continue to coalesce, to say the least.
Can the Church expect that Francis will convene a future Synod at which the topic if discernment will be the crisis in Priesthood and the Priestless parish?
It seems very likely.
Just as there was a longstanding, controversial proposal in response to the divorced and remarried issue (Cardinal Walter Kasper’s invitation to consider the Orthodox approach), there is an equally controversial proposal which has been around to address the crisis of Priestless parishes.
What is this proposal and who is its advocate? More in tomorrow's third and final part of this series.
How are Bishops dealing with the critical shortage of Priests in their respective dioceses? In a variety of ways.
A practice known as "linking" has emerged, where two parishes share the same Priest but remain separate otherwise. Such was the solution applied to the parish from which I retired (Saint Jude Church) which was linked with a neighboring parish (All Souls Church), with one Priest serving as Pastor of the now-linked two parishes.
Some Bishops encourage parishes to hire a lay administrator. Churches are given guidelines on lay-led services. In some places, Mass at the local church is celebrated only every other week.
Some countries are importing Priests in large numbers from other nations. Priests in India have been saying Masses for people in the West and traveling to wealthier countries as temporary Pastors to help relieve the priest shortage in the West.
In some dioceses, there has been a growth in the number of men and women entering other forms of ministry in the church, such as Permanent Deacons and lay ecclesial ministers.
There has been a dramatic increase in the participation and activity of the laity in general. Canon law (CIC 517) does allow for a Permanent Deacon or lay ecclesial minister to be appointed as a de facto administrator of a parish, under the supervision of a Priest Moderator, in the absence of a qualified Priest. The problem remains, however, that parishioners do not have immediate availability to all the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick in these instances.
For their part, how are the Priests themselves coping with this crisis?
"The ever-increasing workload is threatening to turn aging, demoralized and declining numbers of Priests into Sacrament-dispensing machines who find pastoral work less and less satisfying," a co-founder of Ireland's Association of Catholic Priests has warned.
In his address to the association's annual general meeting, Fr. Brendan Hoban highlighted how suicide is on the rise among Irish Priests, a group he said was also increasingly prone to alcoholism and depression.
More and more, elderly diocesan priests are living increasingly isolated and lonely lives.
While the sense of isolation is not as acute among Religious Orders as among diocesan Priests, Religious Priests are as confused and demoralized as their diocesan counterparts about how to be a Priest in the modern world, and feel the scorn and ridicule of an entrenched secular outlook that pervades modern-day society.
The absence of a next generation of Priests means hope and energy are missing, and there is a gap in theology and ecclesiology between many newer recruits and the older generation, with the older generation sensing that the Church will move to past and failing strategies rather than courageously embracing more realistic and practical reforms.
And so, it seems the stage is set and the prophetic vision of my Dominican Professor may soon be come to pass. The Church must end its denial of the crisis and commit itself to addressing the problem.
In 2005, then-Cardinal Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires and the future Pope Francis,
attended the Synod on the Eucharist in Rome. He had seen how keen Bishops at that gathering were to discuss the access to the Sacraments of the divorced and remarried, only to have been put off by Vatican officials at the time.
In much the same way, in May 2007, when the Latin-American bishops met for their great pan-continental assembly at the Shrine of Aparecida, Brazil, the future Pope was again present. He would eventually write the Aparecida synod's concluding document. Once again, he took not of the considerable number of Bishops who wanted to discuss the painful question of the lack of access to the Sacraments because of the critical shortage of Priests. Once again, he noted that a Vatican representative assured them that it was neither the time nor the place to open such a discussion without approval from Rome.
The Bishops had been told at the time that the Synod as it was constituted was not the place for that discussion and then-Cardinal Bergoglio agreed . Perhaps that is why, after his election, Pope Francis introduced a new format that could enable such a discernment regarding Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics, a discernment around which vehement arguments continue to coalesce, to say the least.
Can the Church expect that Francis will convene a future Synod at which the topic if discernment will be the crisis in Priesthood and the Priestless parish?
It seems very likely.
Just as there was a longstanding, controversial proposal in response to the divorced and remarried issue (Cardinal Walter Kasper’s invitation to consider the Orthodox approach), there is an equally controversial proposal which has been around to address the crisis of Priestless parishes.
What is this proposal and who is its advocate? More in tomorrow's third and final part of this series.
VATICAN III: THE CRISIS IN THE PRIESTHOOD -- PART ONE
Today, I begin a three-part series on the question of the crisis in the Priesthood. Will the Holy Father and the Bishops finally stop ignoring that the shortage of Priests to provide for the Sacramental care of the People of God is already acute and becoming more critical each day?
Let us consider the matter a bit more closely.
After earning the STB (Bachelor in Sacred Theology) Degree from the Gregorianum in Rome in 1973, I had one year of additional study available before returning home to St. Louis for Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood.
The “Greg” offered an STL (Licentiate in Sacred Theology) Degree program. The only problem was that it was a two year cycle to earn the Degree. The Angelicum, however, did provide a Master Degree in Pastoral Theology which required one year of study and the writing of a Master's thesis. I chose to enter that program and was awarded the Degree in 1974, the year of my Ordination.
During my courses at the Angelicum, I remember very vividly that one of my Dominican Professors made the following statement that none of us could have possibly understood or fully appreciated at the time. I recorded his words verbatim in my class notes which I continue to keep as personal treasures after all these years: “Vatican Council I elucidated the Office and Mission of the Supreme Pontiff. Vatican Council II did the same for Bishops, as a College and individually. Vatican Council III will redefine the Sacred Priesthood as we have experienced it since the 12th Century. And, with the coming crisis in Priesthood, this present generation of Catholics will live to see the convening of Vatican III.”
Prophetical words, to be sure!
I have been a Priest for 42 years. In so many ways, the Priesthood of today is hardly recognizable from that into which I was ordained almost a half century ago. Most especially shocking is our rapidly dwindling numbers in ministry.
Here are some figures taken from the latest available research compiled by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) in 2012.
Worldwide, the number of priests in 1970 was 419,728. In 2012, there were a total of 414,313 Priests. While the total number of Priests worldwide has therefore remained about the same since 1970, the Catholic population has nearly doubled, growing from 653.6 million in 1970 to 1.229 billion in 2012.
In 2012, the global number of candidates for the Priesthood also showed its first critical decline in recent years.
In the United States, where approximately one quarter of the population is Catholic, in 2012 there was one Priest per 1,500 Catholics.
In the United States the "Catholic Church is unique among eleven of the largest Christian denominations in several areas: the decreasing supply of Priests, the increasing number of lay people Per priest, the declining number of Priests per parish, and the increasing number of so-called “Priestless” parishes.
The number of parishes with no resident Pastor has grown from 39,431 in 1970 to 49,153 in 2012, almost 10,000 fewer Priests today!
Worldwide, the total number of priests has declined from 58,534 in 1981 to 38,275 in 2012 (a 33 percent loss between 1981 and 2012).
With the Catholic population increasing steadily and the number of Priests declining, the number of laypeople per Priest has climbed from 875:1 in 1981 to 2,000:1 in 2012 (a 130 percent increase).
The declining number of Priests in parish ministry is producing a marked increase in the number of “Priestless” parishes. In 1960, only about 3 percent of Catholic parishes had no resident Pastor. By 2003 it had risen to 16 percent.
Globally, the number of parishes with no resident Pastor has grown from 39,431 in 1970 to 49,153 in 2012.
Between 1965 and 2012, the number of USA parishes without a Priest climbed from 549 to 3,496, an almost 700 per cent increase.
In Europe, the figures are no less disturbing.
Germany, which used to send Missionary Priests to other countries, now has a shortage of new clergy. As a result, some German congregations have merged, and the church has recruited Priests from elsewhere. Approximately 10 percent of Catholic priests in Germany, about 1,300, are immigrants from foreign countries, with many hailing from India.
In Ireland, the decade from 2002-2012 saw the number of Catholic diocesan Priests drop 13 per cent, similar to the decrease in the number of Priests in Religious Congregations. And many Priests remaining are elderly and approaching retirement.
“The crisis is now mathematically certain. If we keep going the way we are, the future of the Irish Priesthood is now unsustainable,” noted Fr. Brendan Hoban, head of the Association of Catholic Priests.
In Spain, Catholic Church sources confirmed that the country is experiencing a critical shortage of Priests. Rural Priests are in some cases responsible for up to a half dozen parishes at a time. In an almost absurd situation, one Priest in Cantabria is responsible for 22 parishes. A study sponsored by the Church showed that in 2007, at least 10,615 of the 23,286 parishes in Spain had no priest in permanent residence, almost 50 per cent of all Catholic parishes in the country!
In 2009, only 90 Priests were ordained in the entire country of France. The Church's hierarchy is rightfully alarmed and has managed the problem thus far with recruitment from abroad. There are over 1,300 foreign priests in France; over 650 come from Africa, typically from poor African countries such as Togo, Madagascar and Burkina Faso, where churches have enough priests or simply cannot pay for more.
The region where Catholicism is experiencing its fastest growth is in Africa, and the number of Priests is not keeping pace with that growth. The Catholic population there has grown by 238 percent since 1980 and is approaching 200 million, thus far exceeding the growth in the number of Priests, which while up 131 percent in the same period, still represents an almost 60 per cent decrease in the number needed to serve the growing Catholic population.
Latin America has a worrying shortage of ordained Priests required for celebrating the Sacraments, the lifeblood of Catholic Christianity.
During his visit to Brazil, Pope Benedict XVI noted that the shortage of Priests in Latin America is a problem that the church hierarchy there describes as particularly acute.
At a time when the Catholic church is losing membership to Pentecostal churches, Evangelical Protestant preachers outnumber Catholic Priests 2 to 1. In 1980, nine of every 10 Brazilians self-identified as Roman Catholics, but that percentage has steadily dropped. By 2007 only two-thirds of Brazilians remain Catholics as the country struggles with a shortage of Priests.
In 2014, Bishop Erwin Krautler, a bishop who leads a geographically expansive diocese in the Brazilian rain forest met with Pope Francis to discuss how much the Priest shortage affects the Church in the Southern Hemisphere. Krautler’s diocese only has 27 priests for 700,000 Catholics. As a result, many Catholics might only have Mass celebrated for them a couple of times a year. Totally unacceptable.
In Asia, the situation is worsening. Until recently India had sufficient Priests but is now experiencing difficulty in recruiting seminarians. "Until some years ago, brighter young men willing to join the Priesthood were plenty in India. But now, for various reasons, as their preference is changing, it threatens to pose many crises for the community in the future," said Father Udumala Bala, the Deputy Secretary General of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI).
In the Philippines, the ratio of Priests to Catholics is approximately 1 to 8,000. But Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle says the ideal number should be one Priest per 2,000 Catholics. In Manila, the ratio is 1 Priest to 20,000 parishioners.
How are Bishops dealing with these alarming figures in their respective dioceses? More about that in tomorrow’s post.
Let us consider the matter a bit more closely.
After earning the STB (Bachelor in Sacred Theology) Degree from the Gregorianum in Rome in 1973, I had one year of additional study available before returning home to St. Louis for Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood.
The “Greg” offered an STL (Licentiate in Sacred Theology) Degree program. The only problem was that it was a two year cycle to earn the Degree. The Angelicum, however, did provide a Master Degree in Pastoral Theology which required one year of study and the writing of a Master's thesis. I chose to enter that program and was awarded the Degree in 1974, the year of my Ordination.
During my courses at the Angelicum, I remember very vividly that one of my Dominican Professors made the following statement that none of us could have possibly understood or fully appreciated at the time. I recorded his words verbatim in my class notes which I continue to keep as personal treasures after all these years: “Vatican Council I elucidated the Office and Mission of the Supreme Pontiff. Vatican Council II did the same for Bishops, as a College and individually. Vatican Council III will redefine the Sacred Priesthood as we have experienced it since the 12th Century. And, with the coming crisis in Priesthood, this present generation of Catholics will live to see the convening of Vatican III.”
Prophetical words, to be sure!
I have been a Priest for 42 years. In so many ways, the Priesthood of today is hardly recognizable from that into which I was ordained almost a half century ago. Most especially shocking is our rapidly dwindling numbers in ministry.
Here are some figures taken from the latest available research compiled by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) in 2012.
Worldwide, the number of priests in 1970 was 419,728. In 2012, there were a total of 414,313 Priests. While the total number of Priests worldwide has therefore remained about the same since 1970, the Catholic population has nearly doubled, growing from 653.6 million in 1970 to 1.229 billion in 2012.
In 2012, the global number of candidates for the Priesthood also showed its first critical decline in recent years.
In the United States, where approximately one quarter of the population is Catholic, in 2012 there was one Priest per 1,500 Catholics.
In the United States the "Catholic Church is unique among eleven of the largest Christian denominations in several areas: the decreasing supply of Priests, the increasing number of lay people Per priest, the declining number of Priests per parish, and the increasing number of so-called “Priestless” parishes.
The number of parishes with no resident Pastor has grown from 39,431 in 1970 to 49,153 in 2012, almost 10,000 fewer Priests today!
Worldwide, the total number of priests has declined from 58,534 in 1981 to 38,275 in 2012 (a 33 percent loss between 1981 and 2012).
With the Catholic population increasing steadily and the number of Priests declining, the number of laypeople per Priest has climbed from 875:1 in 1981 to 2,000:1 in 2012 (a 130 percent increase).
The declining number of Priests in parish ministry is producing a marked increase in the number of “Priestless” parishes. In 1960, only about 3 percent of Catholic parishes had no resident Pastor. By 2003 it had risen to 16 percent.
Globally, the number of parishes with no resident Pastor has grown from 39,431 in 1970 to 49,153 in 2012.
Between 1965 and 2012, the number of USA parishes without a Priest climbed from 549 to 3,496, an almost 700 per cent increase.
In Europe, the figures are no less disturbing.
Germany, which used to send Missionary Priests to other countries, now has a shortage of new clergy. As a result, some German congregations have merged, and the church has recruited Priests from elsewhere. Approximately 10 percent of Catholic priests in Germany, about 1,300, are immigrants from foreign countries, with many hailing from India.
In Ireland, the decade from 2002-2012 saw the number of Catholic diocesan Priests drop 13 per cent, similar to the decrease in the number of Priests in Religious Congregations. And many Priests remaining are elderly and approaching retirement.
“The crisis is now mathematically certain. If we keep going the way we are, the future of the Irish Priesthood is now unsustainable,” noted Fr. Brendan Hoban, head of the Association of Catholic Priests.
In Spain, Catholic Church sources confirmed that the country is experiencing a critical shortage of Priests. Rural Priests are in some cases responsible for up to a half dozen parishes at a time. In an almost absurd situation, one Priest in Cantabria is responsible for 22 parishes. A study sponsored by the Church showed that in 2007, at least 10,615 of the 23,286 parishes in Spain had no priest in permanent residence, almost 50 per cent of all Catholic parishes in the country!
In 2009, only 90 Priests were ordained in the entire country of France. The Church's hierarchy is rightfully alarmed and has managed the problem thus far with recruitment from abroad. There are over 1,300 foreign priests in France; over 650 come from Africa, typically from poor African countries such as Togo, Madagascar and Burkina Faso, where churches have enough priests or simply cannot pay for more.
The region where Catholicism is experiencing its fastest growth is in Africa, and the number of Priests is not keeping pace with that growth. The Catholic population there has grown by 238 percent since 1980 and is approaching 200 million, thus far exceeding the growth in the number of Priests, which while up 131 percent in the same period, still represents an almost 60 per cent decrease in the number needed to serve the growing Catholic population.
Latin America has a worrying shortage of ordained Priests required for celebrating the Sacraments, the lifeblood of Catholic Christianity.
During his visit to Brazil, Pope Benedict XVI noted that the shortage of Priests in Latin America is a problem that the church hierarchy there describes as particularly acute.
At a time when the Catholic church is losing membership to Pentecostal churches, Evangelical Protestant preachers outnumber Catholic Priests 2 to 1. In 1980, nine of every 10 Brazilians self-identified as Roman Catholics, but that percentage has steadily dropped. By 2007 only two-thirds of Brazilians remain Catholics as the country struggles with a shortage of Priests.
In 2014, Bishop Erwin Krautler, a bishop who leads a geographically expansive diocese in the Brazilian rain forest met with Pope Francis to discuss how much the Priest shortage affects the Church in the Southern Hemisphere. Krautler’s diocese only has 27 priests for 700,000 Catholics. As a result, many Catholics might only have Mass celebrated for them a couple of times a year. Totally unacceptable.
In Asia, the situation is worsening. Until recently India had sufficient Priests but is now experiencing difficulty in recruiting seminarians. "Until some years ago, brighter young men willing to join the Priesthood were plenty in India. But now, for various reasons, as their preference is changing, it threatens to pose many crises for the community in the future," said Father Udumala Bala, the Deputy Secretary General of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI).
In the Philippines, the ratio of Priests to Catholics is approximately 1 to 8,000. But Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle says the ideal number should be one Priest per 2,000 Catholics. In Manila, the ratio is 1 Priest to 20,000 parishioners.
How are Bishops dealing with these alarming figures in their respective dioceses? More about that in tomorrow’s post.