Hello, again...

Good evening, Church...

Posting from Snow Lake, MB at Our Lady of the Snows Parish.  What do you know? There is actually snow in Snow Lake.


It has been a long few weeks and I apologize for the lack of posts.  This blogging can get away from a guy fairly easily.

I had the pleasure of company the last couple of weeks.  Three friends from Dundas, ON: Father James Curtin, Nikki Sjoblom and Gina Furlong.  It was a great visit with a great deal of driving (as is the norm for these parts) and I just dropped them back in Winnipeg for their flight home.


I celebrated our weekly Sunday mass at St. Ann's in Flin Flon this morning and then traveled to Cranberry Portage for 2 pm mass.  I'm rounding off the day with an evening mass here at 7 pm and then hopefully a quiet evening with a good book.

I hope to catch you up with some news of the new liturgy over the next couple of days and please know that I continue to keep you all in prayer.

Blessings on your weekend (what's left of it),

Father Paul

Laughing at Ourselves

If I were given the opportunity to present a gift to the next generation it would be the ability of each individual to learn to laugh at himself.
--Charles Schulz

 

At times in life we learn to laugh at the people we once were. This is a healthy kind of self-ridicule. Above all, we laugh at the person we never again have to be if we learn from the mistakes of our past. To blot out the "me" of yesterday, we have only to follow some very simple guidelines.

At times, obeying the principles, which have been set down for us, may not be easy. But with our realization that we have chosen to stop playing God comes the awareness that difficulties need not be disastrous. If everything in life came easily, we would lack sparkle in our lives.

I am thankful my sense of humor has found freedom. Now I am able to laugh at myself, which is the height of self-conquest.

Pope Warns of 'Virtuality' Overtaking 'Reality'

Human beings need to "expose themselves to reality," says Benedict XVI. And he encouraged silence and solitude as a way to do this.

The Pope spoke Sunday of the need for silence when he addressed a group of Carthusian monks during a one-day trip to southeastern Italy.

The Holy Father noted that in today's world, media has developed to such a point that "virtuality" "risks getting the upper hand over reality."

In a world where people are immersed in an audio and visual dimension from morning till night, the youngest "seem to want to fill every empty moment with music and images," he said, adding that it's almost as if they fear the "emptiness" of silence and solitude.

The Bishop of Rome suggested this trend has reached such a level as "to give rise to talk about anthropological mutation."

"Some people are no longer capable of remaining for long periods in silence and solitude," the Pontiff observed.

In this context, he said the monastery is a "precious gift for the Church and for the world, a gift that contains a deep message for our life and for the whole of humanity."

"I shall sum it up like this," the Pope said. "By withdrawing into silence and solitude, human beings, so to speak, 'expose' themselves to reality in their nakedness, to that apparent 'void,' which I mentioned at the outset, in order to experience instead Fullness, the presence of God."

Vocations

Benedict XVI went on to clarify that a monk does not learn to be in God's presence just by going into the monastery.

The monk's "risk," exposing himself "to solitude and silence in order to live on nothing but the essential," requires development, the Pope reflected. "This vocation, like every vocation, finds an answer in an ongoing process, in the searching of a whole life.

"Indeed it is not enough to withdraw to a place such as this in order to learn to be in God's presence. Just as in marriage it is not enough to celebrate the sacrament to become effectively one but it is necessary to let God's grace act and to walk together through the daily routine of conjugal life, so becoming monks requires time, practice and patience."

The Pontiff said the beauty of every vocation consists in this, "giving God time to act with his Spirit and to one's own humanity to form itself, to grow in that special state of life according to the measure of the maturity of Christ."

"In Christ there is everything, fullness; we need time to make one of the dimensions of his mystery our own," he continued. "We could say that this is a journey of transformation in which the mystery of Christ's resurrection is brought about and made manifest in us. (...) The Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead and will give life even to our mortal bodies is the One who also brings about our configuration to Christ in accordance with each one's vocation. (...) In the world's eyes it sometimes seems impossible to spend one's whole life in a monastery but in fact a whole life barely suffices to enter into this union with God, into this essential and profound Reality which is Jesus Christ."

On Conscience

A truly excellent article on forming our 'conscience' as Catholic Christians.  The article is presented by Fr. Juan Velez who has written "Passion for Truth: The life of John Henry Cardinal Newman," to be published in the Fall by TAN Books. He is co-author of "Take Five, Meditations With John Henry Cardinal Newman." It is lengthy but a great read, have a look:

Many people consider there is little more to life than thinking as they wish and doing as they feel. They speak of "my truth" and "my conscience," refusing to acknowledge an objective moral order. 

Unfortunately, this cultural relativism is also prevalent among Catholics, who often wish to act according to their subjective beliefs rather than the objective teaching of the Catholic Church.

Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman

Catholics who disagree with Church teaching often attempt to find a basis for their arguments in the teachings of Blessed John Henry Newman, who was beatified by Benedict XVI last Sept. 19, and whose feast day is Oct. 9. This great teacher on moral conscience wrote, among other things, on the development of Christian doctrine, the consent of the faithful in matters of doctrine, and on the supreme role of the moral conscience.

Those who question objective truths or the Church's capacity to command obedience to these truths often misunderstand the context and content of his teaching. In particular, Cardinal Newman's notion regarding the "freedom to follow my conscience" is invoked to sanction disagreement with the Church's teaching on obedience to the Pope, artificial contraception, the question of "divorce and remarriage," ordination of women and the practice of homosexuality.

What is conscience?

Conscience is a natural faculty by which man applies what he knows of natural law and revelation to decisions regarding his choice of actions. In the Letter to the Duke of Norfolk, Cardinal Newman explained that together with revelation -- an external witness to God that comes to us through the teaching of the Pope and the magisterium -- we have conscience, an internal witness which commands man to fulfill his duty. He described conscience as a messenger from God, an internal witness of God's revelation, which like a high priest, is able to command, to judge and to bless.

The following is Cardinal Cardinal Newman's description of conscience: "The rule and measure of duty is not utility, nor expedience, nor the happiness of the greatest number, nor state convenience, nor fitness, order, and the pulchrum. Conscience is not a long-sighted selfishness, nor a desire to be consistent with oneself, but it is a messenger from him, who, both in nature and in grace, speaks to us behind a veil, and teaches and rules us by his representatives."

Conscience is not the "self" speaking; it is the voice of God. Cardinal Newman explains that conscience is like a messenger of God speaking to us behind a veil. He even goes as far as to call it the original Vicar of Christ, attributing to it the offices of prophet, king and priest.

"Conscience is the aboriginal Vicar of Christ, a prophet in its information, a monarch in its peremptoriness, a priest in its blessings and anathemas, and, even though the eternal priesthood throughout the Church could cease to be, in it the sacerdotal principle would remain and would have a sway," said Cardinal Newman.

Father German Geissler comments on Cardinal Newman's words: "Conscience is a prophet because it tells us in advance whether the act is good or bad. It is a king because it exhorts us with authority: 'Do this, avoid that.' It is a priest because it blesses us after a good deed -- this means not only the delightful experience of a good conscience, but also the blessing which goodness brings in any case to people and to the world -- and likewise: 'condemns' after an evil deed, as an expression of the gnawing bad conscience and of the negative effects of sin on men and their surroundings. It is a principle that is written in the being of every person. It asks for obedience and refers to one outside of itself: to God -- for one's own sake and the sake of others."

Thus Cardinal Newman argues against conscience as a license for one's own utility or pleasure. Conscience is always bound to the truth. It should never be used as a justification for a self-referential interpretation of what is good and evil which cuts man off from God and his Revelation. No one can rightly say: "my conscience tells me this" in contradiction to that which God reveals in an external manner through Revelation and entrusts to the judgment of the Church.

For, instance, it is wrong to claim that "my conscience tells me the use of artificial contraception is acceptable" when God mandates in the Scriptures that sexual love is to be fruitful, and when the Church authoritatively teaches this doctrine. To sanction this choice under the notion "freedom of conscience" would be to make God's internal and external witness contradictory.

Conscience does not to decide on the truth about Natural Law or Revelation. Writer Jeff Mirus explains, "Conscience is a moral compass, not an intellectual one." It acts upon revelation and is subordinate to it. However, like Adam and Eve, men and women often wish to establish what is good and evil. Man can and does err in his moral judgments when his conscience ignores revelation.

Judgments and authority

Catholic Tradition has taught of the importance of forming one's conscience; people have the obligation to learn the truths of natural law and those revealed by God and taught by the Church. As Pope John Paul II taught in "Splendor Veritatis," there are objective moral norms that always apply. There are some negative precepts that admit of no exceptions. No "conscience" can rightly justify them.

Otherwise, a person acts on what is called "a poorly formed," or at times "deformed," conscience. The same can be said about education of children; they need to be formed at an early age in the truths of the faith, and the best source for instruction and formation in conscience is the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Cardinal Newman's teaching on conscience is found in his sermons and other works, but especially in his Letter to the Duke of Norfolk (1875), a response to his friend, William Gladstone, the prime minister of England. It was a brilliant defense of Catholic citizens in which Cardinal Newman asserted that they are loyal citizens of any just state. He explained that the Catholic religion does not keep Catholics from fulfilling their obligations as loyal citizens, and that the Holy See does not have the custom of interfering in their civic duties.

Cardinal Newman repeated the teaching of the constitution "Pastor Aeternus" of Vatican Council I, which asks Catholics for obedience to the Pope only in matters of faith and morals, and in matters of discipline and ecclesiastical government. Cardinal Newman explained that by obeying the Pope in such matters, the moral conscience is neither eliminated nor substituted by the Pope's authority.

Papal infallibility

As Vatican I asserted, the Pope's authority extends only to matters of doctrine and morals. We are obliged to believe, for example, what he teaches about the Holy Eucharist or marriage. His teaching does not extend on how to organize the water supply of a city, raise taxes, run elections, etc.

Cardinal Newman explained to his fellow Englishmen, who out of prejudice considered the teaching of the Pope's infallibility as a threat to English government or sense of pride, that this doctrine does not make Catholics puppets: did the Pope speak against Conscience in the true sense of the word, he would commit a suicidal act. He would be cutting the ground from under his feet. His very mission is to proclaim the moral law, and to protect and strengthen that "Light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world." On the law of conscience and its sacredness are founded both his authority in theory and his power in fact…I am considering here the Papacy in its office and its duties, and in reference to those who acknowledge its claims.

Cardinal Newman pointed out that so many types of acts by a Pope, such as the excommunication of a person in error or the Pope's blessing of the Spanish Armada, are not a matter of exercising his pontifical authority in an infallible manner, which would bind the faithful in conscience. Cardinal Newman wrote that Catholics are not bound by the Pope's personal character or private acts, but by his formal teaching (although it should be pointed out that, in the case of a person excommunicated, that is a canonical act that is indeed binding, whether or not it is infallible).

Difficult cases

If a scholar were to disagree with a doctrinal or moral teaching of the Church he should submit his judgment to the Church's teaching out of humility and obedience. Here too Cardinal Newman offered advice and good example. A theologian or for that matter a pastor should not create unrest among the faithful, much less confusion. Such a person should have the humility to admit that his opinion is likely mistaken, especially if the magisterium has already pronounced on the matter.

Upon being received in the Church Cardinal Newman accepted all its teachings, including the ones he did not fully understand. As the declaration of papal infallibility drew near, Cardinal Newman accepted this teaching, even if he thought that despite its truth it was not an opportune moment to make it. The English hierarchy had only just been restored in England in 1850, and there was a lot of prejudice against Catholics in England. In that country the so-called Ultramontane Catholics who advocated a temporal power by the Pope were making matters worse. In sum, Cardinal Newman thought this was not the best time for such a declaration, but he submitted to it.

Developing doctrine

"Development of doctrine" is one of Cardinal Newman's great contributions to theology. He argued that over time Catholic doctrine grows; it is explained better and conclusions are drawn from truths known earlier in time. At a cursory glance development of doctrine seems to imply that what was once held may now be shown not to be true. It would seem to undergird the idea that one can object in conscience to beliefs that later on may be shown to have been wrong in the first place. Cardinal Newman's seminal work which, in fact, actually led to his conversion on Oct. 9, 1845, argues the contrary. Cardinal Newman put forth safeguards for reaching the conclusion that a development is a true development. One of the main safeguards is, precisely, that it does not contradict earlier teaching, and another is that the new teaching was already implicit in earlier teaching. In sum development of doctrine does not support the claim the truths are subjective and therefore can be accepted or rejected by a Christian based on his own conscience.

A toast

Cardinal Newman noted that on rare occasions a person's conscience may collide with the Pope's teaching, for two reasons: 1) the Pope is attempting to teach in an area that does not really pertain to faith and morals as such, or 2) the person's conscience has not been formed properly. Cardinal Newman laid out the Church's long-standing teaching that on such occasions that person must obey his conscience, even if it is in error. Naturally, however, the person is obliged to seek the truth about the matter in question; and once he discovers the error, he must re-evaluate his position.

After providing some examples of papal statements or actions that are not infallible Cardinal Newman proceeded to make an affirmation which is often quoted to justify dissent from Church teaching: "Certainly, if I am obliged to bring religion into after-dinner toasts, (which indeed does not seem quite the thing) I shall drink -- to the Pope, if you please -- still, to conscience first, and to the Pope afterward."

Out of context, this casts doubt on all that Cardinal Newman taught, but properly examined, we understand that there should very rarely be opposition between conscience and the Pope. Since a well-formed conscience is God's voice, Cardinal Newman naturally would give it preference in a toast.

A Worthwhile Meditation: On Change

Good Morning, Church

Just a momentary reflection to begin the day....I stumbled across the following meditation in my morning prayers this morning.  I think it is worthwhile to share:

The Unseen God can help to make us truly grateful and humble.  Since we cannot see God, we must believe in Him without seeing.  What we can see clearly is the change in a human being, when one sincerely asks God for the strength to change. We should cling to faith in God and in His power to change our ways. Our faith in an Unseen God will be rewarded by a useful and serviceable life. God will not fail to show us the way we should live, when in real gratitude and true humility we turn to Him.

 Prayer for the Day:

I pray that I may believe that God can change me. I pray that I may be always willing to be changed for the better.

Cardinal Piacenza on the 21st Century Priest

The Church's real battlefield is the "secret landscape of man's spirit," and there, priests are invited to enter, with tact and compunction, counting on the grace of state that comes with ordination.

This was one of the observations offered Monday by Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, at a meeting with priests of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

That city's Archbishop José Gómez invited the cardinal to participate in an annual conference for Hispanic priests serving in the United States.

The cardinal's poetic address offered a profile of the priest of the 21st century.

"It is right that the priest insert himself in the ordinary life of men, but he must not yield to the conformisms and compromises of society," he said.

The priest "is not like 'others.' What people expect from him is, in fact, that he not be 'like others.'"

Cardinal Piacenza said a priest "will not hesitate to give his life, either in a brief but intense period of generous dedication without limits, or in a daily, long donation in the drop-by-drop progression of humble gestures of service to his people, tending always to the defense and formation of human greatness and of the Christian growth of each of the faithful and of the whole of his people."

"A priest must be simultaneously little and great, noble in spirit as a king, simple and natural as a peasant," the Vatican official continued. "A hero in overcoming himself, sovereign of his desires, a servant of the little ones and weak ones; who is not humbled in face of the powerful, but who bends down to the poor and the little ones, a disciple of his Lord and head of his flock."

He added, "No more precious gift can be given to a community than a priest according to the heart of Christ."

On Laughter...

The most wasted day of all is that on which we have not laughed.
--Sebastien R. N. Chamfort

Learning to laugh is part of our growth. It recognizes our shared experiences and helps us feel closer to one another. It also reminds us we are able to smile again, and that a better perspective on life is able to be enjoyed.

We only have today to live, and we are getting better today, so why not smile and enjoy it? Why not open ourselves up to a good laugh and let it push our pain or sorrow out? Let us choose to opt for joy, not sadness.