Abbey-Roads2

American continuity. 

Chances are Hillary is going to be our next President, which means we will have another Clinton in the White House.  As Joanna Boggle once pointed out to me, we Americans have a sort of “royal family” dynasty thing going on in our politics - and it is just not the British who revere the continuity of their Royals.

It seems to be true however.  Beginning with our fascination of the Kennedy clan, we moved on to elect 2 Bush men (LOL!), and now we may be doing likewise with our little “Evita”, Hillary Clinton.  When you think about it, we aren’t electing anyone new then are we.  We aren’t moving forward, just round about in circles.

(Photo: Eva Peron.)

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The reason American’s should be pro-choice.

Excluding the basic principles of eugenics, is the main reason a woman’s right to choose an abortion summarized by this statement from Sen. Obama?

   “If the argument is narrow, oftentimes we lose,” he said. “But if you ask everybody, you ask the most conservative person, do they want their daughters to have the same chances as men? Most of them will answer in the affirmative.” - New York Times, 7/18/07 (Fr. Welzbacher has the entire article here.) 

(Photo: Margaret Sanger and founders of Planned Parenthood, El Paso, Texas.)

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The Catholic Apologetics Industry

I believe the term may have been coined by The Western Confucian, a very intelligent blog covering religion, economics, politics, and a lot more.  I perked up at his label,  “apologetics industry“, simply because it identified what I was attempting to editorialize in previous posts of my own, only I referred to it as, ”the God business”. 

Interestingly enough, it appears one of the reasons this is a growing business in Catholic circles, may well be attributed to the Evangelical converts to Catholicism whose popularity has raised the level of marketing sophistication in Catholic publishing, as well as the Catholic apologetics lecture circuit.  Media has played a big role in the phenomenon as well, such as EWTN and Relevant Radio, to name just two popular outlets.

Is it all about money?

As in politics, the entertainment industry, or any other business, the potential for the abuse of power and influence, along with the cult of celebrity and temptations to greed, can be an ‘accident’ waiting to happen in the Catholic apologetics industry.  (Although a marketing strategy is no accident.)  I found this article  on Christian celebrities at Charisma, a Protestant website.  It is rather interesting.

While doing research on a well known Catholic author/blogger, I came across an interview she did on one of her more ‘in the news’ topical books, which addressed one of the latest controversies of that moment.  Here is an excerpt:

IgnatiusInsight.com: If you had five minutes with Dan Brown, what might you say or do?

The Author: Ask him for some money.

Hey, why not? Maybe not for me, but perhaps for some of the thousands of institutions around the world – orphanages, schools, hospitals, old age homes, hospices - that are filled with people who’ve given their lives to sacrificially serving others in the direst of circumstances, inspired, called and nourished by the One whom Dan Brown continues to exploit, sitting up there in New Hampshire on his wads of cash. He should be ashamed. Perhaps, one day, he will be. - Ignatius Press 

Maybe I’m jaded.

Perhaps I’m too suspicious and critical when it comes to people who turn religion into a career or business opportunity.  (I suppose they have to profit from their otherwise useless, philosophy and theology degrees somehow.)  After all, one has to earn a living.  Nevertheless, I always roll my eyes and chuckle when the same people criticize Lourdes as too commercial because of all the religious shops, or complain about the cost of religious goods for Church or home, while religion has ‘kinda, sorta’ become their new business.

It is a strange time in the Catholic Church, when some Liturgists, Music Directors, DRE’s, and other parish employees earn higher incomes than the priest.  But then again, a priest has a vocation, not a career.  Let’s hope that never changes. 

[Art: “Money Changers in the Temple” - Tate Gallery] 
 

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“Many can never have enough of listening to counsels and learning spiritual precepts, and of possessing and reading many books which treat of this matter, and they spend their time on all these things rather than on works of mortification and the perfecting of the inward poverty of spirit which should be theirs.” - St. John of the Cross

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You say you want a revolution…

Everyone likes to blame the baby-boomers for all the liberalism we have become accustomed to in the Church today.  Few realize it all started long before the boomers were even capable of expressing a revolutionary thought.  How many young people today understand that the push for liturgical reform, modernizing the liturgy, and using the vernacular was a desire experimented with before the Council?  How many people realize that it was Pius XII who called for women religious to modify their habits to adapt to the demands of modern life, such as the nuns who drove cars or worked in medicine?  (Although later, many modified themselves out of the habit entirely.)

When I was in grade school, the nuns taught us - way back then - songs such as ”Kumbaya” - and we listened to the Congolese Missa Lubaand had to sing Negro spirituals.  (Although black kids in the class were disciplined until they spoke without an “accent”.)  I think it was probably the missionary sisters who came back to the motherhouse with stories of how fervent the African Catholics were, and how much the native people enlivened the liturgy with their exuberant participation and singing, which motivated the sisters to jump on board as regards the reform of the liturgy.  When Vatican II came along, it was a dream come true for a good share of them.

I di’n't know nothin’ ’bout Civil Rights.

Then in the very late 1950’s, early 1960’s the nuns began to get deeply involved in politics - in and through the Civil Rights movement.  (Of course, we had a Catholic President then as well.)  The nuns marched alongside priests and ministers, protesting segregation and demanding the right to vote for black people.  Without doubt it was a good thing, except, in the mid-’60’s the revolutionary spirit suddenly crept into the convent, along with a strong feminist understanding of power, individualism, and independence.  Which happens to be another reason why we have the American Catholic Church we have today.

“Yes Sister, whatever you say Sister!”

So don’t put all the blame on boomers - blame the Sisters of St. Joseph of Margaret Sanger, and the other storm trooperorders who taught us.  (After all, many of them were from the same generation as my parents and your grandparents.)  Funny, what they subsequently failed to realize, their habits spoke louder than words.

(Disclaimer:  The religious women who taught us are to be highly praised for their sacrifice and dedication, no doubt about it.  Just as they ought to be commended and honored for their heroic work in the Civil Rights struggle.  This has been my personal reflection on what, in part,  may have contributed to the decline of religious life in the U.S., as well as an offering towards understanding why the American Catholic Church got to be so liberal.) 

[Update: 7/31/07 - I just found a post at Cafeteria is Closed on this subject; an article by Benedict Groeschl in First Things, discussing the theological and psychological dynamics at work in the decline of established religious communities in the U.S..] 

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“The times, they are a’changin’!” - Bob Dylan

I wondered what everyone would blog about after the Motu Proprio, (Summorum Pontificum) had been released.  Just as I thought, the blogs are reporting upon the “dissidents” who disagree with it or seem to be protesting it…in great - and at times - tiresome detail.

Not everyone who disagrees is a dissident mind you, and disagreement doesn’t necessarily mean disobedience or prohibition.  There has to be a period of adjustment, especially for older priests, religious and some of their bishops who have been trained for the past 40 years to look with suspicion upon traditional minded Roman Catholics and those who favored the TLM.  They were trained and educated to believe anything pre-Vatican II was evil, suppressed, out of date, reactionary - all of that nonsense.  And it must be remembered, they passed this instruction along to countless school children, college students, their parents - in short, the average person in the pew.

“A long time comin’…” - Crosby, Stlls, and Nash

Not a few of these people would never even categorize themselves as dissident, much less liberal Catholics.  Many, in good faith sincerely accepted the newer theologies, exclusive (inclusive?) peace and justice theories, freedom of conscience misconceptions, and experiments in liturgy, as the force and focus of Catholic teaching.  For instance, many honestly and sincerely believe clerical clothing and religious habits are no longer relevant to contemporary culture.  They believe Kumbaya liturgies with dancers and sway-to-the-beat inspirational music is good liturgy.   Many really do see the presence of Christ in the poor and the marginalized more realistically than in the Eucharistic species.  Remember, this has been the evolution of training many received for over 40 years now.

“A long time gone…” - Crosby, Stills, and Nash

Not a few have been so spiritually hijacked, they have become scandalized by the beautiful patrimony and mysticism of Catholic tradition, which is entering into a renaissance, or ‘new springtime’ as JPII called it.  They need time to adjust, and see, unlike the reforms of Vatican II, the “reform of the reform” is not an imposition, rather an invitation to a greater and more active participation in the fullness of the Mystical Body of Christ and centuries of genuine piety and holiness.  Many have lost the concept, the experience of the sacred…hence, it is foreign and perhaps even fearsome for many of them.  It is going to take some adjustment, and we shouldn’t mock or deride them for it, constantly goading them in their bewilderment.

All of us must have patience and great charity.  I think we ought to carefully ponder the Lord’s words today in the Gospel.  When asked if the weeds that infected the field of grain ought to be pulled up, Our Lord says, “No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the grain along with them.” (Matt. 13)

After 40 years of bad habits, it will take time and patience, humility and charity, to repair what was lost.      

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Immaculate in thy conception. 

Thou art all fair O Mary, and the original stain is not in thee!  O Mary!  By thy holy and Immaculate Conception, make my body pure and my spirit holy!

Tradition hails Our Lady as Solomon’s Throne, the pure Ark of the Covenant, the Fair Rainbow, and luminous Burning Bush, which the patriarchs saw.  The Blessed Virgin is praised as Gideon’s Fleece, the blossoming Root of Jesse, the Star of Jacob, and Samson’s sweet Honeycomb.  The Immaculata is praised as the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of Israel, the highest honor of our race, and the advocate of sinners.

The Immaculate Conception is the garden of Paradise, the Gate of Heaven, the House of God. I can never find an image to satsify, nor words to tell, nor ideas or concepts to ponder, capable of expressing the greatness of the Blessed and Immaculate Virgin, the refuge of sinners.

In thy conception, O Virgin, thou wast immaculate!  Pray for us now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.   

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Of Motu Poo-poo-ers and non-Catholics.

Ray of Stella Borealis sent me a link to Fr. Debruycker’s 2 Cents column from the St. Joan of Arc bulletin.  I liked it.  I thought it contained a certain wisdom, and was rather restrained, even sage-like.  Father’s column really deals with the Vatican clarification of the Catholic Church as the true Church, rather than the recent Motu Proprio on the TLM.  (I just wanted to use my term, Motu Poo-poo!) 

So a priest and a rabbi…

“I have been discussing the Pope’s statement about the primacy of the Roman Catholic faith with a variety of different friends. I asked my old friend Rabbi Oelnik his thoughts about the subject. Now some people think Rabbi Oelnik is my invisible friend, but I can tell you Dumbledore and Gandalf would disagree.

“So rabbi what do you think?”

“I’ll tell you. I am not a Rabbi because I think I am wrong. I am a very nice fellow but I believe what the scriptures say: that the people of Israel are a people chosen. I believe there are laws set in the scriptures by which I must live my life - ways to pray, ways to dress, ways to eat, ways to act. When I disagree with these teachings - and there are exceptions in emergencies - I must be able to tell myself and my people with good reason why.”

“So, your Pope believes he is not wrong either; it’s nice to know he believes in what he stands for. He must want you to clarify your exceptions and tell him why you are still Catholic. There is nothing more dishonest than to pretend you agree when you don’t. How can you ever make true progress?” “ - Fr. DeBruycker (Read the whole article.) 

The great divide.

I think the rabbi presents a valid point of view.  However, the arguing and protests he recommends seem to me to be rather pointless.  One can’t expect to change the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church.  The discussion simply reinforces my view that the current Pope’s affirmation of Church teaching is a defining moment in Church history.  Some may see it as divisive, but Christ came for division (Luke 12:51), and those dividing lines seem to be in the process of being delineated by those opposed to Benedict XVI.  (Although, let me be quick to say, I don’t believe Fr. DeBruycker is opposed to B16.  He is a good priest.)

It seems to me the Holy Father is simply putting on the brakes, with regard to liberal interpretations of Vatican II and Church discipline, and some heads (ideas) may just go through the windshield.

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I don’t know what it is.

I’ve been obsessed with Our Lady for the past several weeks.  I keep thinking about her and the Rosary and her message at Fatima.  Ever since I was very little, I have been devoted to Our Lady of Fatima, I suppose because Our Lady appeared to such young children, she seemed to be much more accessible in some way.  I also grew up in an atmosphere of expectation regarding the Third Secret of Fatima, which most expected would be revealed in 1960.

Elena’s post at Tea at Trianon today, regarding my earlier specualtion that Pope Benedict XVI may be ‘the’ Pope of the prophecies, once again returned my attention to Fatima.   Many people continue to believe there is actually more to the Third Secret than the Vatican revealed, I still don’t think there is.  In her letter dated 12 May, 1982 to John Paul II, Sr. Lucy more or less provides evidence to that effect.

Sr. Lucia’s words.

Writing to John Paul II, Sister Lucia had already supplied an indication for interpreting the third part of the “secret” in the 1982 letter to the Holy Father:  (I’m convinced the details are in the actual vision, since Lucy here repositions the text of what we already knew Our Lady said.) 

“The third part of the secret refers to Our Lady’s words: ‘If not [Russia] will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated’ (13-VII-1917). 

The third part of the secret is a symbolic revelation, referring to this part of the Message, conditioned by whether we accept or not what the Message itself asks of us: ‘If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, etc.’. 

Since we did not heed this appeal of the Message, we see that it has been fulfilled, Russia has invaded the world with her errors. And if we have not yet seen the complete fulfilment of the final part of this prophecy, we are going towards it little by little with great strides. If we do not reject the path of sin, hatred, revenge, injustice, violations of the rights of the human person, immorality and violence, etc. 

And let us not say that it is God who is punishing us in this way; on the contrary it is people themselves who are preparing their own punishment. In his kindness God warns us and calls us to the right path, while respecting the freedom he has given us; hence people are responsible” - Fatima Secret - Message and Commentary.

We already know what we need to know.

It seems to me, and as I have frequently stated - although it is only my opinion, the essential Secret has always been known.  We were missing the visual aspect only, which can lend itself to various interpretations of course.  (Too bad Sr. Lucy had not left us her own interpretation of the vision, as Don Bosco had done in respect to his dream, yet Sr. Lucy left it up to the Church to interpret the vision, known as the Third Secret.)

Though it is obvious that Our Lady’s message has not been heeded completely - primarily by the faithful - nevertheless, Our Lady will ”save the day” as it were, as evidenced by her promise: “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph, the Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.”

Conversion as reunion.

Monsignor Georg Ganswein, the Holy Father’s personal secretary, recently responded to a question regarding the Pope’s desire for re-union with the Orthodox.  (This seems relevant to the Fatima prophecy, since I believe reunion with the Orthodox implies the “conversion of Russia”.)  Monsignor Ganswein stated:

“That’s nothing sensational, that’s always been the declared goal.  (Ed. note: Union with the Orthodox.) That a Pope who’s especially influenced this area theologically over the last years and decades formulates this explicitly should go without saying. Let’s not forget that the Orthodox Churches stand in Apostolic succession and therefore have a valid institution, the Eucharist and also the seven sacraments. What still needs to be clarified is the question of the primacy and the jurisdiction of the Pope. But it is a scandal that Christianity is still fractured. The restoration of the full unity of faith is certainly a great goal of the theologian-Pope.” - Interview; translated by Gerald at Cafeteria is Closed.  (Read the entire interview.)

The Catholic Church is One, Holy, Apostolic Church.  The recent reaffirmation of the Orthodox Church as Church seems to me to be a huge step forward in this Ecumenical dialog.  There is only one Church, the other communities are splinter groups, not independent “churches”, as the document made clear.  One must also understand that Sr. Lucy believed the ultimate meaning of ‘the conversion of Russia’ referred to the reunion of the Orthodox Church with Rome.

It seems to me, we can expect to see this reunion begin to take shape, perhaps relatively soon - most likely in Benedict XVI’s pontificate.  (Nothing is impossible with God!)  I’m convinced something is coming.  At the risk of sounding like Michael Chertoff, our Homeland Security Secretary, “I have a gut feeling” something is coming.  (Of course, I’m in charge of nothing and so I can talk about gut feelings all I want - Homeland Security guys probably shouldn’t.)

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