This Week's Headlines

As another week comes to an end, this is your chance to top off your glass with a final helping of news, current events, and just plain interesting stuff that may not have made into the mainstream media. A chance to linger for a few more moments before we close the door on the week. Below are some links to articles, blogs, and miscellaneous happenings that caught my eye over the past few days. Sample what you like - I'll serve up more next Friday...

Little by Little, the Tide Is Turning - "Most of you probably heard of the Gallup Poll released yesterday that showed that 61% of Americans want all, or most abortions, to be declared illegal."

Historic Gallup Poll: Majority of U.S. Supports Gay Marriage  - [Given the news about abortion (see article above) this statistic is indeed sad.]

Awesome! Pro-lifers Take Over NARAL Site - "And here's the thing -as much fun as it is just to mess with them it's also about the fact that you never know who's going to look at it. You never know if your message is going to be the one to turn a heart around."

T-minus six months and counting to the revised Roman Missal! - "Have you begun to prepare for the changes coming Nov. 27, the first Sunday in Advent? Here are some simple ways to welcome the revisions."

Germans present Pope Benedict with his own papal crown - "...from my personal view I would be very happy if we had a Pope who was crowned again like a king or a queen of any other country..."
 
Church of England tied in knots over allowing gay men to become bishops - [This is why we have the Ordinariate...]

14 Steps to a More Self-Centered Church - [Great satirical piece on just about everything that's gone wrong with the post-Vatican II Mass.]

Advocates press Archbishop Sheen sainthood cause at Vatican - "The canonization of Archbishop Fulton Sheen moved a step closer today as the official document outlining his cause – known as a 'positio' - was presented to Pope Benedict XVI."
 
POLL: Nearly 1/3 of Russians believe historic division of Christians to be a mistake - "The Russian news agency Interfax reports today on a recent religion survey that may offer new reasons for hope that there can somehow be a reunion between the Catholic Church and (at least) the Russian Orthodox Church."


Rome's New UGLY John Paul II Statue - "The placement of the statue outside Rome’s main train station—the Termini—is particularly unfortunate, because it ensures a large number of people will see the thing."
 

Catholic scholar dismantles May 21 Judgment Day claims - [I know this is old news...but this is a great opportunity to provide a lesson on Catholic teaching regarding End Times.]

Endtimes, Millennium, Rapture - "As Cardinal Ratzinger recently pointed out (in the context of the message of Fátima), we are not at the end of the world. In fact, the Second Coming (understood as the physical return of Christ) cannot occur until the full number of the Gentiles are converted, followed by 'all Israel.'" 

Rapture Theology’s Ominous Origins  - "Regardless of whom one regards as the originator of the teaching — whether Ribera, Lacunza, Irving, Darby, or Margaret MacDonald – one thing is obvious; the 'rapture' theory is of recent heterodox origin, has no basis in Scripture, the Fathers, is mentioned nowhere in antiquity, nor was it ever a teaching of the Christ, or His Apostles."

The Rapture and the Latin Vulgate - "We Catholics don't believe in the rapture. The "rapture" is a term created by 19th century Protestant dispensationalists who held that God would 'rapture' all faithful Christians from the earth before the tribulation period of the Antichrist."

Raptured or Not? A Catholic Understanding  - "Will Catholics be raptured? No, of course not, but then neither will be anyone else."

Rev. Sirico: Change thinking on poverty - "Vast amounts of state aid and governments imposing endless regulations are not the way to solve global poverty; rather it will be done through trade, private enterprise and helping populations in poor countries to contribute to their own prosperity."

Boehner’s Critics Misrepresent Catholic Social Teaching - "Catholic social teaching stresses a “preferential option for the poor,” but addressing the problems of poverty involves a heavy dose of prudential judgment. The social encyclicals make clear that the Church offers no political or economic program, that within Catholic orthodoxy many different approaches may be undertaken to achieve the principles and moral teachings that are set out."
  
'Til Debt Do Us Part - "As predicted, the American government this week reached its $14.3 trillion debt limit...One thing’s for certain: There’ll be no fixing this without significant discomfort on everyone’s part.  The sooner we accept that, the sooner we can get to work fixing this problem." 
 

Mother of Aerosmith Singer Steven Tyler’s Aborted Baby Now Pro-Life - [This is a follow-up to a piece I posted a week or two ago.]

An Anti-Israel President - [This was the man who received the Nobel Peace Prize?]

Book Review: The Sacraments: A Continuing Encounter with Christ

The "seven holy signs of God's grace"

The year 1976 saw the publication of a book entitled The Teaching of Christ, which presents a thorough overview of the Catholic faith. Several editions of this work have been printed over the years. It has been translated into more than thirteen languages and distributed around the world. The Teaching of Christ has inspired many conversions to the Catholic religion, and has served to deepen and strengthen the faith of those who are already members of the Church. Thirty-five years later, Our Sunday Visitor, the publisher of The Teaching of Christ, has selected and published material from this larger work focusing specifically on the seven Sacraments and presented it in a smaller volume entitled The Sacraments: A Continuing Encounter with Christ.

The arrangement of this book would function well in a classroom or study-group setting. There are individual chapters devoted to each the seven Sacraments, with an introductory chapter on Liturgy. The text of each chapter is further divided into brief sections conveniently labeled with multiple headings and subheadings for easy reference. The entire book is just over 150 pages – just enough space to adequately introduce someone to basic Catholic sacramental theology without overwhelming those who are new to the subject. Scattered throughout are sidebars that serve to clarify terms or to flesh out certain ideas and to give additional background information. While the format is very much like a school text book, the authors avoid the clunky, utilitarian feel that this format can sometimes yield. It is a surprisingly enjoyable read.

My only complaint (if I can call it a “complaint”) is that I did not have access to the larger work from which this book was excerpted. This volume gives the reader a glimpse at why The Teaching of Christ has endured for so many years as a source of inspiration and education in the faith. The writing style is both faith-filled and informative, touching both the heart and the mind - just as the Catholic faith itself does. Reading The Sacraments proved to be a more spiritually rewarding experience than one might expect from a book that at first glance seems like a condensed text book. I can only assume that the full text of The Teaching of Christ contains more of the same solid and inspirational writing.

This smaller book would be ideal for use in a group study on the Sacraments aimed at adult or high school level participants. The material is presented in a simple, easy-to-read style. However it does require at least a basic working knowledge of some theological and technical terms, (though many of these terms are clarified within the text). The Sacraments: A Continuing Encounter with Christ provides a solid, well written introduction to the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church. If one is searching for a treatment of other areas of the Catholic faith (perhaps a candidate enrolled in RCIA wanting a complete review of Catholic teaching) the more comprehensive The Teaching of Christ might prove to be a better choice. But as a mini Catechism of the Sacrament this would serve well in a group or for personal use. I would definitely loan this book to those interested in deepening their understanding of the Sacraments without delving into a more complex theological treatise.

As Archbishop Donald Cardinal Wuerl notes in the introduction, the Sacraments are the most visible, outward signs of what it means to be Catholic. They are the tangible realities in which we encounter Christ. When we think of Catholicism, we think of the Mass, of Baptism, of the Liturgical celebrations of the Church. We are introduced to Christ and His Church through the Sacramental signs, words, gestures, and symbols, and these become for us the reality of Christ Himself present to us in the physical world. How fitting it is then that this book, The Sacraments: A Continuing Encounter with Christ, provides an introduction to the larger work, The Teaching of Christ, just as the Sacraments themselves open up to us the reality of the Church. It becomes a point of contact, a doorway through which we may pass to a broader understanding of the faith. With updated references to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and ample lists of additional materials for further reading, The Sacraments provides a wonderful foundation on which to build a continuing encounter with Christ.

[This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on The Sacraments: A Continuing Encounter with Christ. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.]

This Week's Headlines

As another week comes to an end, this is your chance to top off your glass with a final helping of news, current events, and just plain interesting stuff that may not have made into the mainstream media. A chance to linger for a few more moments before we close the door on the week. Below are some links to articles, blogs, and miscellaneous happenings that caught my eye over the past few days. Sample what you like - I'll serve up more next Friday...

  
Holding Hands During the Our Father, and Other Liturgical (or Not So Liturgical) Calamities - "What I find out there sometimes sets my blood boiling, and at best leaves me scratching my head, and at its worst, leaves me poorly disposed to receive Our Lord in the Eucharist."


Solemn Pontifical Mass at the Altar of the Chair, St. Peter's Basilica, Rome - Mass in Latin said for the first time in decades at St. Peter's in Rome


Sola Scriptura and the Authorship of the Gospels - "...to the extent Evangelicals reject the Church Fathers, they're cutting of the branch on which they're sitting. Without the Fathers, you can't say who wrote the Gospels, or whether the Gospels were considered orthodox by the early Christians, or whether they were considered inspired Scripture."
 
Serfs of the State Welfare Plantation - "...in the hands of some Catholics, Catholic social thought has been reduced to another argument for what Blessed John Paul II criticized, in the 1991 social encyclical Centesimus Annus, as the Social Assistance State—what Americans more familiarly call the Nanny State."
 

Speaker of the House Delivers Address on Humility, Patience, Faith - "Commencement speeches should be about sharing a little wisdom. Here you have the most basic and essential. Delivered with not just talk of humility, but a demonstration of it — in speaking of the source of real power, in speaking of one of his own political falls."

An exchange of letters on the House budget between Paul Ryan and Archbishop Dolan - "Ryan is a Catholic, and the author of the House GOP budget. Dolan is the current president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and the former Milwaukee archbishop."
 

Breaking Stained Glass Windows - "When the Church teaches that we must offer a “preferential option” for the poor, does she really mean that, in every case where a person wants something funded by someone else who has more money, the former should get it? That is what some Catholic writers seem to think."

 

Is Multiculturalism Just Another Form of Multiculturalism? - "...historically western culture has produced the highest standard of living, had the most stable economies, produced the most just and equitable forms of democratic government, has a rich deposit of learning, and brought forth a great expression of the dignity of the individual."

The Other Gay Marriage Debate - "I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the demand for gay marriage has followed closely on the heels of our culture’s widespread acceptance of contraception, and the radical re-thinking of the purpose of marriage and human sexuality that came with it."

What the Church Has Given the World - "Without the Roman Catholic Church there would be no Western Civilization."

The "experience of the heavenly liturgy has been lost since Vatican II."   - "Our current translations treat the liturgy basically as a tool for doing catechesis. That’s why our prayers so often sound utilitarian and didactic; often they have a kind of lowest-common-denominator type of feel."

Pope's 'reform of the reform' in liturgy to continue, cardinal says - "The pope's long-term aim is not simply to allow the old and new rites to coexist, but to move toward a "common rite" that is shaped by the mutual enrichment of the two Mass forms..."


Who Would Jesus Whip? - "Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans said that a local Catholic school must permanently ban corporal punishment for student misbehavior, even though many parents and alumni support the practice..."

Bishops of England and Wales Re-establish Fish of Fridays - "The decision will go into effect on September 16, the first anniversary of Pope Benedict’s visit to Scotland and England."

The restoration of the Friday fast is a historic day for English and Welsh Catholics - "The bishops might now turn their attention to building on their achievement: what about restoring our midweek Holydays of Obligation?"

As new round of Anglican-Catholic talks begin, some question the purpose - "William Oddie, a former Anglican vicar and journalist from England who converted to the Catholic Church, says the problem with ARCIC is that only the Catholic side of the table represents a clear, collective viewpoint." 
 

The First Mass for Artists - Must see images of gorgeous church in New York. Surprisingly the breathtaking artwork is recent.

  
Inside story of Marian mosaic told on Bl. John Paul II's birthday - "After the assassination attempt on May 13, 1981, Vatican officials were evaluating the possibility of placing a plaque, or some visible sign, in St. Peter’s Square in the area where the Pope had been shot..."
 

Rome’s exorcist finding Bl. John Paul II effective against Satan - "I have asked the demon more than once, ‘Why are you so scared of John Paul II and I have had two different responses, both interesting."

Deconstructing Truth

It was announced last week that the Presbyterian Church U.SA. will allow the ordination of practicing homosexuals. (Read the details here.) Understandably this development has been met with mixed reviews from the average Presbyterian in the pew. Some are ecstatic that their denomination has taken this step toward greater inclusivity. Others are heartbroken that their spiritual leaders have voted against Biblical moral truth in favor of secular moral relativism.

Obviously as a faithful Catholic I am in solidarity with the latter group. It saddens me when any Christian denies the Word of God. Yet I am not surprised by this recent event. Presbyterianism (and Protestantism as a whole) is founded upon the deconstruction of Truth. For example, the principle of Sola Scriptura (Bible Alone) came about by rejecting Sacred Tradition. And Sola Fide (Faith Alone) came about by rejecting the merits of our Good Works. The entire Protestant form of Christianity is predicated on the idea that the Catholic Church had gotten it wrong and certain things needed to be removed from the faith in order to set things right. But once the idea of “removing” is adopted where does this end? Where do we draw the line? And in the end, if one of the things we “remove” is the authority of an infallible Church, then it is anybody’s guess what Truths will be protected. It will be left up to the whims of the people and pressures from outside like the pop culture.

And so, here we are, with active homosexuals joining the ranks of clergy in the Presbyterian Church. But this is only the latest in a long line of deconstructions given to us by Protestantism. Eventually they may deconstruct themselves entirely and see Protestantism for the failed experiment it has truly been.

This Week's Headlines

As another week comes to an end, this is your chance to top off your glass with a final helping of news, current events, and just plain interesting stuff that may not have made into the mainstream media. A chance to linger for a few more moments before we close the door on the week. Below are some links to articles, blogs, and miscellaneous happenings that caught my eye over the past few days. Sample what you like - I'll serve up more next Friday...

RELEASED: Instruction “Universae Ecclesiae” – the text and my initial observations - From Fr. Z's blog: "Here are some rapid points to help you read the document on your own.   The document is not so hard that it needs a great deal of interpretation.  But some points will need some extra light."

New Guidelines for Tridentine Mass - Ten Key Facts


Our Lady of Fatima - Feast Day May 13


10 Reasons Why Pro-Lifers Will Eventually Win - "#4 We are out-babying the other side. They think babies are a burden. We see them as gifts from God. Our numbers go up while their numbers go down."


Private Charity Versus Government Welfare - "Along with solidarity, Benedict — and indeed all of his predecessors who taught on human development and the justice of economic systems — insists on the principle of subsidiarity."


Does the Church Condemn Capitalism? - "Capitalism, like a handful of other words common in contemporary social and political discourse — rights, liberalism, and religion come to mind — has come to mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people."


Minimum Wage's Discriminatory Effects - "...study demonstrates that increases in the minimum wage at both the state and federal level are partially to blame for the crisis in employment for minority young adults."


Boehner's Catholic Critics Rush to Defend Welfare State - "It appears then that these Catholic academicians who have written to Speaker Boehner do not understand the distinctions the Church herself makes between fundamental, non-negotiable dogmas and doctrines, and the prudential and debatable give and take when it comes to applying the principles of Catholic social teaching."


PCUSA Drops Sexuality Standard - "...the ambiguity introduced by this latest amendment will allow PCUSA bodies so wishing to ordain ministers, elders, and deacons involved in same-sex or opposite-sex relationships outside of marriage." See also: Presbyterians Welcome Gay Clergy
 

Our Father hand-holding - "I cannot see this hand holding stretch exercise as nothing but contrived sentimentalism which distracts us from the transcendent nature of God Almighty and the meaning of the petitions in the Our Father."

It's Never a Good Time to Have Kids - "Obviously, there are good reasons out there to avoid pregnancy, financial ones included. But what troubles me is this increasingly popular idea that there is such a thing as the perfect time to have a new baby. There’s not."

Better to Stay in a Bad Marriage? "...the children in stepfamilies were over twice as likely to be reported as having behavior problems compared to children living with their own married parents. The children in a cohabiting step arrangement [a mother living with her boyfriend] were almost three times as likely to have these problems."

Offering It Up - "Our enlightened era looks with skepticism on penance, and believes pain is valueless and must be instantly vanquished. Coupled with a prayer of surrender to the cross of Christ, however, they are enjoined to the power of creative and healing love. And then, penance, pain, prayer—it is all privilege."

Mitch Daniels: Words & Deeds - "Deeds matter.  Words matter.  We are used to politicians who promise everything and deliver nothing.  Governor Daniels seems to want to promise nothing but perhaps he might be the guy to deliver."


Life doesn’t have to be easy to be joyful - "Joy is something different than happiness, and it’s a whole lot different than surface-level pleasure or physical comfort. It’s something divine in origin, not subject to the ups and downs of human emotions..."
 

Aquinas and Horses - "Wyoming Catholic College will celebrate its first commencement on May 14..." [I know a little bit about this college from some mailings I've received. It seems to be a topnotch Catholic institution. They deserve our support.]
 

‘Stop thinking of her as a person’: a page from Planned Parenthood’s dating playbook

Pastor Uses Jesus Parable to Defend Abortion - "Rev. Westfox would seem to be arguing that only in those cases where everything is perfect should we accept life into the world."

Defending the Speaker

Representative John Boehner of Ohio, Speaker of the House and a professed Catholic, has been selected to give the commencement address this year at the Catholic University of America in Washington D. C. In response to this honor bestowed upon Boehner, a letter has been issued, signed by Catholic college and university faculty from across the country, which states that Boehner's record as a legislator “is at variance from one of the Church’s most ancient moral teachings." Specifically the letter points to the Church's preferential option for the poor and Boehner's conservative stance on "social justice" issues.

This is a bold assertion given the tendency of these same 'Catholic' academics to ally themselves with the dark forces of the "culture of death" simply to advance their Statist agenda of ever-expanding bureaucracy. Many in prominent positions at Catholic institutions of higher learning are willing to support politicians who turn a blind eye to the killing of innocent babies in the womb and the destruction of family and marriage, as long as these elected officials will grow the size of government in the name of "social justice." How can they criticize Boehner (or anyone with such a solid record supporting Church teaching on these moral issues) when their own record is so deplorable?

In response to this letter of attack against the Speaker, Rev. Robert Sirico, the president and co-founder of the Acton Institute, writes succinctly concerning the difference between issues of "life and family"  and economic or "social justice" issues when it comes to judging a politician's record from a Catholic perspective:

"It appears then that these Catholic academicians who have written to Speaker Boehner do not understand the distinctions the Church herself makes between fundamental, non-negotiable dogmas and doctrines, and the prudential and debatable give and take when it comes to applying the principles of Catholic social teaching. Here Speaker Boehner need only consult the text of the Compendium of Catholic Social Teaching, which the authors of the letter say they have delivered to him, wherein he will read: 'The Church’s Magisterium does not wish to exercise political power or eliminate the freedom of opinion of Catholics regarding contingent questions.' (no. 571)

"The specifics of the 2012 Budget proposed by the Speaker and his colleagues are, the letter’s authors contend, the result of either ignorance or 'dissent.'  I think they are neither; they simply reflect a different, and in many people’s estimation, more accurate and economically-informed way, of proposing how we achieve worthy goals. Indeed, it could be said that what these Catholic academicians are proposing is not a 'preferential option for the poor,' but rather a preferential option for the State. They make the unfortunately common error of assuming that concern for the economically weak and marginalized must somehow translate into (yet another) government program.

"That assumption is wrong, and flies in the face of another principle of Catholic social teaching — the principle of subsidarity. With good reason, this is something the Catholic Left — or whatever remains of it these days — rarely mentions or grapples with, because they know that it would raise many questions about the prudence of any number of welfare programs they support.

"Indeed, what strikes me about this letter to Speaker Boehner is how reactionary it is. Instead of seeking to contribute to a creative discussion about how we best meet the needs of the poor in a time of economic difficulty, its authors cannot even begin to contemplate that there may be better ways to address such problems than government welfare programs. For a group of people who, I suspect, pride themselves upon having 'progressive' views, their attachment to broken models from the past is rather perplexing and frankly, tiring."

Read the entire commentary by Rev. Sirico here.

See also this piece by Kathryn Lopez at catholicvote.org

Mother's Day and May Crownings

I realize that Mother’s Day has come and gone, but I thought I would post a quick thought about this holiday…

Mother’s Day is not a Christian holiday, which is to say, it is not a part of the Liturgical Calendar. At our parish we did hear a brief mention of Mother’s Day and the mothers in the congregation stood to receive a blessing, but otherwise the Mass was centered on the commemoration of the Third Sunday of Easter. The prayers and readings reflected this liturgical theme. This is as exactly as it should be. Our liturgical celebrations come from 2000 years of lived Christian Tradition, not from ideas borrowed from secular sources like Hallmark greeting cards.

That’s not to say that Mother’s Day should not be celebrated by Christians outside of the liturgy. As a family, we had a wonderful day enjoying the nice weather and making sure that ‘Mom’ received special treatment out of appreciation for all of her hard work.

But our family also marked the occasion in a particularly “Catholic” way by having our own May Crowning. May is traditionally a month dedicated to Mary. Usually on May 1 a statue of Mary is ceremoniously adorned with a crown or wreath of flowers signifying her status as Queen of Heaven. In the United States the May Crowning is often held on Mother’s Day to remind us of Mary’s special role as mother. As the mother of Jesus she is the spiritual mother of all Christians and thus Mother of the Church.

This is the first year that we held this event in our family, so it was very modest to say the least. Our son suggested that we say three Hail Mary’s (just like we do when beginning a rosary) and then place the crown on Mary’s head. And that was pretty much the entire ceremony. The “crown” was a simple wreath of silk flowers we wove together the day before. Perhaps next year we will research other activities we can do, more elaborate prayers, maybe some other customs we can incorporate into the day. Nonetheless, it was a great beginning to a family tradition.

Hopefully our May Crowning will prove to be a great example for our children, teaching them the importance of faith in everything they do. As we see other Christian denominations attempting to fit Mother’s Day (and for that matter, other secular holidays) artificially into their worship, we do well to realize an important truth. Rather than drag Mother’s Day into the Church and attempt to shape the faith around this secular observance, we should instead bring the faith into our secular culture and shape the world to the Truth taught in Christ. Certainly mothers should be celebrated. And the secular world should be applauded for doing so. But rather than push this secular observance into the Church, why not draw on our rich Christian heritage and Christianize what might otherwise be a secular holiday.