Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Same Mission, Same Basic Message, New Century

About two thousand years ago my Lord gave orders to the eleven disciples. They hadn't yet filled the gap in their ranks left when Judas defected.
" '...Go, therefore, 12 and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. 13 And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.' "
(Matthew 28:19-20)
Quite a bit has changed since then: but the mission my Lord gave His followers hasn't.

By the way, Jesus gave those orders after He'd been killed - and subsequently stopped being dead. I think that had a great deal to do with the enthusiasm Peter and others showed for carrying out the great commission.

Yesterday the successor of Peter had a few words to say about our mission in the world, including this:
"...'proclaiming Jesus Christ, the sole Savior of the world, is more complex today than in the past, but our task continues to be the same as at the beginning of our history. The mission hasn't changed, just as the enthusiasm and courage that motivated the apostles and first disciples should not change.'..."
(Benedict XVI, May 30, 2011, via CNA) [emphasis mine]
I've put more excerpts from that CNA article at the end of this post.1 The only transcript of the Pope's remarks I found at the Vatican was in Italian. Here's a link, in case you understand that language: "Alla Plenaria del Pontificio Consiglio per la promozione della nuova Evangelizzazione, 30 maggio 2011, Benedetto XVI."

I recommend reading the CNA article:

Church on Sunday and 9 to 5

One point that jumped out at me was that it's necessary to live as if what we say and do on Sunday matters. (Which, in my considered opinion, it does.)
"...Pope Benedict observed a growing 'phenomenon' of people in modern society 'who wish to belong to the Church but who are strongly determined by a vision of life that is opposed to the faith is often seen.'

" 'It is important to make them understand that being Christian is not a type of outfit that one wears in private or on special occasions, but something living and totalizing, capable of taking all that is good in modernity.'...

"...The 'lifestyle of believers needs real credibility,' the Pope said, adding that Christians should be 'much more convincing' because the 'condition of the persons to whom it is addressed' is dramatic...."
(Benedict XVI, May 30, 2011, via CNA) [emphasis mine]
I'm looking forward to seeing what the 2012 Pontifical Council comes up with. Not that the results are likely to be easy reading.

Which brings up a point I make fairly often: I'm a Catholic layman. I've got the full authority of "some guy with a blog." I don't speak for the Church.

On the other hand, I try to be an informed Catholic layman. Which is why I make an effort to check out what the Holy See has to say about issues - not what some American editor says they say. And that's another topic.

Somewhat-related posts:
In the news:
Background:

1 Excerpt from CNA article on Benedict XVI's remarks:
"Pope Benedict stressed the urgency of evangelizing modern society, saying that Christians today face the task of reaching a world that grows increasingly apathetic to the message of the Gospel.

" 'The crisis we are living through,' he said, 'carries with it signs of the exclusion of God from people's lives, a general indifference to the Christian faith, and even the intention of marginalizing it from public life.'

"The Pope made his remarks on May 30 to members of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization, as they prepare for their upcoming synod in 2012....

"...Pope Benedict explained that 'the term "new evangelization" recalls the need of a new way of evangelizing, especially for those who live in a situation like today's where the development of secularization has left deep marks on even traditionally Christian countries.'...
(CNA)

Monday, May 30, 2011

Yoga, Ephesians, and Getting a Grip

My household has a Wii. Part of it belongs to #3 daughter, but we all use it now and then.

My wife, for example, uses the Wii Fit program for a series of exercises most mornings. One of the routines is a set of yoga exercises.

I could, taking my position as head of the household seriously, throw the Wii Fit DVD in a fire, smash the Wii, and forbid my wife ever to exercise again without my permission.

I could: but I think that would be a stupid thing to do. I've discussed Ephesians 5:21-30 before, by the way. (February 17, 20111)

Or I could, taking my position as head of the household seriously, see if there's a problem with regular exercise.

Is Regular Exercise Okay?

To begin with, the Church doesn't think that the physical world is evil, a product of the fall. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 285) That, in my opinion, at least hints that we shouldn't regard our bodies as something to ignore or neglect because they're not 'spiritual.'

There's that instruction to "heal the sick" (Catechism, 1509), so it looks like being sick isn't necessary for a Catholic - or desirable. The importance of maintaining good health is implied, at least, in the political community's duty to honor the family. (Catechism, 2211)

Since common sense seems to say that exercise - done regularly and in moderation - is good for a person's health, and that being healthy is not against Catholic teaching: My guess is that regular, moderate, exercise is something that a practicing Catholic may do.

Yoga - Definition Time

I think it's a good idea to know what words mean. Here's what a dictionary has to say about yoga:
  • Yoga
    1. Discipline aimed at training the consciousness for a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility that is achieved through the three paths of actions and knowledge and devotion
    2. A system of physical, breathing and meditation exercises practiced to promote control of the body and mind
    (Princeton's WordNet)

Sometimes "Yoga" isn't "Yoga"

Yoga, with definition #1 in mind, isn't, in my considered opinion, a good idea. It seems to fall under the heading of "Erroneous Ways of Praying" that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith wrote about, back in 1989.2

That's not what my wife is doing. Not even close.

"Yoga," as "a system of physical, breathing and meditation exercises practiced to promote control of the body and mind," is pretty close to what's on the Wii Fit's set of routines. The physical and breathing part, anyway. I suppose someone could cobble together an argument that any routine is a sort of meditation - but I'm not going to try.

Looks like I don't need to destroy that DVD.

"Yoga," Words, and Getting a Grip

Why explain my reasons for not having a fit because my wife does stretching and breathing exercises? I've run into folks who assert that yoga is bad: and something that Catholics shouldn't do. They're right, sort of, but often don't explain what they mean by "yoga."

That, I think, isn't a good idea. Particularly when someone who knows about yoga as a set of stretching exercises hears "the Church forbids yoga." The idea could register as 'proof' that Catholic faith is for folks who aren't reasonable - or particularly healthy.

Not, perhaps, the best message.

Then there's "meditation," which is something that I'm supposed to do, if possible, on Sunday. (Catechism, 2186) And that's another topic.

Slightly-related posts:

1 Here's the usual disclaimer: I've got the full authority of "some guy with a blog." I don't speak for the Church. I do, however, try to be an informed layman who follows the teachings of the Bible, Tradition, and the Magisterium.

2 See

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Listening to the Holy Spirit

Readings for May 29, 2011, Sixth Sunday of Easter:

Sixth Sunday of Easter 2011

By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas
May 1, 2011

As Jesus prepared His disciples for His physical absence, He gave them two assurances. First, He promised they would eventually be with Him in the eternal realm, or we may add in the real reality of heaven. Jesus said. "In my Father's house are many rooms, if it were not so, would I have told you I go to prepare a place for you?" Yet at the same time He assured them that they would experience His presence in the world. He would be present with them through His Spirit, and not only "with" them. but "in" them as well. Jesus said, "You will realize that I AM in the Father and you are in Me and I in you." What does this mystical sounding language mean?

I've been reading of late in an attempt to fill in the blanks, so to speak. For example, how can the horrific acts of human kind be used by God to further His Mission in the world. The Passion of His Son taking the lead. How can so Horrific an act of Cruelty contain in it Salvation for the whole world? Of course you and I know that the missing blank is LOVE.

In one sense, it's like great music, it isn't just the notes, it's the space between the notes, or in our written or spoken words the spacing gives body to the words. It's also something like the texting we sometimes receive from or young people, and as everything runs together that at least mentally we have to put in the spacing to make any sense of the message. Proof of this came to light one day when a young lady was applying for a job and the manager called her in to inform her that she wasn't to get the job but felt it necessary to tell her why. He said, you do not fill out an application forms using what you call texting. You want to guess why? Without the spacing the written material was left wanting and therefore incomplete.

My mediation of late has been of the space, what is there that isn't there. Maybe a better way of saying it is, what is there that we don't see but have to perceive. What does my Agnes now see that we can only perceive. It's also like when we ask the little ones about God. Who made you?, God did! Where is God?, God is every where! Where is Heaven?, where God is! We may add, God is in His heaven and all is well! So what is our problem? Simply our inability to see! Plus, the space in all of this is Eternity: so beyond our imagination to perceive, that an unending eternity will not be able to fill the space, between what we see and what we can perceive.

There is a story of a man who became blind at the age of 8. Being born in 1924 in France, he became active in the revolt against the Nazi occupation. Finally arrested by the Nazis and sent to Buchenwald - and of two thousand prisoners, he was one of thirty to survive. After the war he was a university professor until his death in 1971. In his memoir titled, "And there was Light," he explains the trauma of losing his sight: and then to find a magnificent reality. He assumed he would never see again, and then he discovered that what he had lost was of practical significance only. For he said: "I discovered inside myself everything which others described between objects. Everything was there, and movement as well." He said that when he said "within us," or "within me" he was not referring to a form, such as a shell or husk, with a space inside. Speaking of his own inner world, he said, "Things are there without space." Is that possible? he was asked. "How could I explain it to you? I hardly know what it is, myself. I know simply that things are there, are present without having to attribute to them a particular position in the world."

He goes on to say of the ultimate discovery within himself. "Having become blind," he wrote, "I had (already) discovered enchanted worlds within myself. I think you've felt them as well," he said. Then, "one beautiful day I recognized that it was not something I had fabricated, but that in fact it had all been given to me. And given by someone....who was very much inside of me, but who in another sense...was not me." Concerning this someone, he said, "linear space had no meaning whatsoever." He identified that someone as God, "that fountainhead at the bottom of us: I have called it someone watching deep within, also joy. Perhaps it is exactly the same thing," he said.

This story could be retold about most of us, using different terms, but the reality would come out the same. That space in our inner being is the voice of God. Cardinal Suenens once wrote, "I believe in the surprises of the Holy Spirit. The story of the Church is a long story, filled with the wonders of the Holy Spirit. Why should we think that God's imagination and love might be exhausted?"

Can you not see then, how important it is to see in the spaces of our lives a reality that causes us to search out the will of God. For it is in the spaces that we find time to hear the Holy Spirit giving direction in our lives of Faith!

This should be considered only the beginning of our mediation on space, for most can be learned by filling in the empty space in our lives. And therefore join the angles and saints in making beautiful music for the Lord. Instilling in us true happiness which come from God. A happiness that gives us the knowledge of who we really are in Christ Jesus. A knowledge of Love that cause us to Love God, to Serve God, knowing that we are to be with Him for all eternity. Amen.
'Thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.

More reflections:
Somewhat-related posts:

Saturday, May 28, 2011

News, Assumptions, and Getting a Grip

I've done a 'Memorial Day' post of sorts in another blog:
This post isn't so much about the American holiday we're observing, as it is a ramble about being a citizen in this country.

The 2012 presidential election is more than a year away, but campaigning has already started. I'm not looking forward to slogging through candidates' platforms and backgrounds. I can't loftily say "I take no interest in politics," either. Voting is part of the system in America, being an informed voter seems to be a basic civic duty, and being a good citizen is required by Catholic teaching. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2239-2242, for starters)

Issues will be on the ballot, too. Like the odd measure that San Francisco voters will be deciding this year:
I suppose choosing the best - or least-bad - way to vote is easy, sometimes. More often, it seems, things are a trifle complicated.

Take some of the news I've read, for example - - -

"Discrimination" is Always Bad: Right?

For most of my adult life, we've been told that "discrimination" is a bad thing. Sometimes, objectively, it is. Other times, discrimination can save your life:
  • Discrimination:
    1. Unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice
    2. The cognitive process whereby two or more stimuli are distinguished)
    (Princeton's WordNet)
Discrimination, the definition #1 sort, is not, I think, a good idea.

Definition #2? Someone who can't discriminate between a red and a green light at an intersection won't last long in most American communities.

One reason I think that discrimination (definition #1) is a bad idea is that I was raised in America. Another reason is that I'm a practicing Catholic. And, cherished assumptions of this country's dominant culture notwithstanding, the Catholic Church insists that I not treat others unfairly.
Here's what got me started on "discrimination:"
"Proposed bill would effectively ban US Catholic adoption agencies"
Kevin J. Jones, EWTN News (May 28, 2011)

"A proposal in Congress would ban Catholic adoption agencies and undercut the needs of children by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of marital status or sexual orientation, two legislative experts say.

" 'This legislation would prohibit adoption agencies and foster care agencies, including religious adoption agencies and foster care agencies, from providing services in many cases,' warned Lori Windham, Senior Counsel with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. 'They would have to choose between following their religious beliefs and shutting down.'..."
Yes, I know about pedophile priests. Moving on.

"Something For Life" Means a Group is Okay, Right?

There's much more going on in the following situation than simply one group being bad and another good. In my opinion, of course.

John Boehner is a Republican, representing Ohio, by the way.
"Critic Of Boehner's Catholic Credibility Faces Tough Questions Of His Own"
CNA (Catholic News Agency), via EWTN News (May 27, 2011)

"The lead author of a letter criticizing House Speaker John Boehner on 'matters of faith and morals' says the letter was a bid for dialogue, not a political stunt. But Dr. Stephen Schneck's own critics say he promotes a distorted version of Catholic social teaching.

"Professor Schneck, who directs the Catholic University of America's Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies, was the top signer of a letter protesting Boehner's May 14 commencement speech at the institution where Schneck works as a political scientist.

"Schneck told CNA on May 23 that he did not intend to cause the 'crazy media frenzy' that arose when the letter was made public three days before Boehner's address....

"...The signers charged the House Speaker, himself a Roman Catholic, with ignoring 'the teachings of your Church on matters of faith and morals as they relate to governance.' They said the speaker's voting record was 'at variance from one of the Church's most ancient moral teachings,' regarding the obligations of 'those in power' toward the poor and vulnerable...."
Applying various biases to the article so far, I could assume:
  • Boehner is bad, because
    • Politicians are bad
      • 'Everybody knows' that
    • Republicans hate poor people
      • 'Everybody knows' that, too
  • Schneck is bad, because
    • Professors are all
      • Liberal
      • Amoral
      • Anti-life
      • Anti-American
        • 'Everybody knows' that
Who the 'everybody' is wouldn't be the same for all those views - but I think I've come close to caricaturing what some vocal Americans believe.

Back to the article:
"...But this form of faith-based protest has opened up Schneck to criticism over his own approach to the Church's social teaching.

Professor Schneck is a member of the board of directors at Democrats for Life, an organization he describes as 'fundamentally and wholly concerned with trying to overturn Roe v. Wade.'


"He is also a board member of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. That organization has received funding from George Soros' Open Society Institute, which promotes abortion as a 'reproductive right.'

"Catholics in Alliance typically backs Democratic policies, presenting abortion as an issue that should be addressed by ending poverty. In 2009, Schneck joined a 'Catholics for Sebelius' initiative, supporting an Obama nominee whose bishop told her not to receive Communion over her abortion record...."
(CNA) [emphasis mine]
I've put more of the CNA article at the end of this post.1

My guess, based on years spent in American academia, that Schneck is sincere. And that he means well.

That doesn't mean that I think he's right.

Conservative? Liberal? Democrat? Republican? No, I'm Catholic

I've run into folks who seem convinced that "conservative" and "Catholic" mean the same thing. My guess is that there are some who sincerely believe that a 'good Catholic' must vote a straight Republican - or Democrat - ticket. Or at least be solidly conservative - or liberal. I don't agree. (November 3, 2008)

I'm also unlikely to describe myself as a "traditional" Catholic. And that's another topic. (July 31, 2010)

Back to that article, again. It's a longer-than-usual excerpt, but I think professor Krason made some important points.
"...Pelosi's 2007 commencement address at the Catholic University of San Francisco was not accompanied by a public protest akin to the Boehner letter.

"Professor Stephen Krason, a political scientist at Franciscan University of Steubenville and President of the Society of Catholic Social Scientists, disagrees with Schneck's stand against Boehner.

"Krason personally identifies himself politically as 'neither left, nor right, but Catholic.' He told CNA on May 24 that Schneck's letter to Boehner mistakenly identified Catholic teaching with leftist politics.

" 'I look at that letter and see them taking political positions, and trying to put them forth as the teaching of the Church - things which are in the realm of prudential judgment,' Krason said. 'They seem to identify these policies with Catholic social teaching.'...

"...Krason also questions whether the policies preferred by Schneck and his allies have actually worked to create their intended effects.

" 'They seem to identify these policies that are out there as policies which are good for the poor and disadvantaged,' he observed. 'I'm not sure that is historically and evidentially accurate.'...

"...Krason observed that by appearing to equate budget cuts with abortion, Schneck and the other signers were confusing what are essentially different issues.

" 'Things like abortion, embryonic stem-cell research, same-sex "marriage" - these things can never be permitted,' he explained. 'They're in opposition to natural law.'

"Krason offered advice to those who treat abortion as one issue among many, not as an assault on the foundation of all human rights. He suggested they consult Blessed John Paul II's social encyclical 'Sollicitudo Rei Socialis.'

" 'There's a hierarchy of rights that John Paul II talked about,' he said. 'Right there at the top of the hierarchy is the right to life.'...
(CNA) [emphasis mine]
I've posted about Pelosi, faith, feelings, and being Catholic, before:There's more in the article on the Boehner letter and the ideas behind it. I recommend reading it, for anyone planning to vote in this country.

AIDS

Unless something major has happened to American culture recently, in some circles 'everybody knows' about the Catholic Church and AIDS. 'Everybody' is wrong:
"Cardinal Bertone: Church on the front lines in fight against AIDS"
CNA (Catholic News Agency) (May 28, 2011)

"Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said the Catholic Church is on the front lines in the fight against AIDS. He explained that the Church not only has a health care network of 117,000 centers, but also generates 'invisible capital' by recognizing the fundamental dignity of every person.

"During a Vatican conference on AIDS prevention organized by the Good Samaritan Foundation..."
"Church operating 117,000 centers for AIDS patients worldwide"
CNA (Catholic News Agency) (May 27, 2011)

"The president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care reported that the Catholic Church is currently running 117,000 centers to care for AIDS patients throughout the world...."
I think one reason that so many folks seem convinced that the Vatican hates homosexuals and doesn't care about AIDS is that the Church won't approve of their preferences. There's also, I think, a tendency to confuse "love" and "approval" - and that's yet another topic.

I also think that it's easy to assume that Fred "God hates fags" Phelps, and other vocal preachers represent all Christian thought. I'm about as sure as I can be that Phelps, and others of his ilk, aren't representative of American Protestant belief. Let alone the Catholic Church.

And I've written about that before.

Somewhat-related posts:
In the news:Background:
1 Excerpt from "Critic Of Boehner's Catholic Credibility Faces Tough Questions Of His Own," CNA (Catholic News Agency), via EWTN News (May 27, 2011)
"...In his interview with CNA, Schneck said he saw the work of Democrats for Life and Catholics in Alliance as complimentary.

" 'I feel like it's both/and,' he said. 'I belong to an organization whose primary focus is advancing Catholic social thought, as well as an organization whose primary focus is to end abortion on demand. I don't see these, somehow, as really separate.'...

"...Schneck opposes the Democratic Party's commitment to legal abortion, a principle made explicit in the party platform. 'That's not where I am,' he said, 'and surprisingly, many other Democrats are with me.'...

"...Schneck pointed out that Democrats for Life had spoken out 'many times' against the party's abortion commitment. But he acknowedged[!] that 'Catholics in Alliance hasn't, so much.'

"That's because, Schneck said, 'it is more concerned with what are generally thought of as Catholic social thought issues - more concerned with issues like poverty and a living wage, and collective bargaining, those sorts of things.'

" 'I think that it would be nice if all of our groups embraced the whole range of Catholic social teaching, especially as it relates to the dignity of the human person,' he said.

"But 'for reasons of practicality,' he says it 'makes sense for some groups to focus primarily on the issue of ending abortion on demand, and other groups to focus on the environment or anti-poverty programs.'..."

"...[Franciscan University of Steubenville Professor Stephen] Krason said Schneck and the other signers were 'convoluting certain basic teachings of the Church, especially subsidiarity.'

"That principle of Catholic teaching, which the Boehner protesters invoke against budget cuts, favors smaller-scale action through local communities unless a problem demands a central solution.

" 'They're wanting to continue a kind of policy-from-the-center, policy from the highest level of government,' Krason pointed out. 'You only go to the highest level if there's a genuine need to do that. I don't know that they've made that case.'..."
(CNA) [emphasis mine]

Friday, May 27, 2011

Circumcision, San Francisco, and Getting a Grip

The idea of circumcision seems to get some folks upset. In a way, I can see why. Circumcision affects the appearance of male genitalia, what folks in America sometimes call our "privates."
"CIRCUMCISION: The rite prescribed in Judaism and other cultures which involves cutting off the foreskin of a male. Circumcision was a sign of the covenant between God and his people Israel and prefigured the rite of Christian initiation in Baptism. Jesus was circumcised eight days after his birth in accord with Jewish law (527)."
(C, Glossary, Catechism of the Catholic Church)
Quite a few folks have been circumcised, including my Lord,1 in obedience to the covenant.2

On a secular note, several years back I was told that doctors thought circumcision was 'hygienic.' Maybe that medical fashion has changed.

San Francisco's November 8 Election

This November, folks living in San Francisco will decide whether or not they'll allow Jews and Muslims to practice their religion within city limits.

A measure on the November ballot would ban circumcisions for anyone under age 18. I hope the measure would allow a Jewish family to go elsewhere to get their son circumcised.

There's no exemption for those religious people, by the way:
"...The initiative would ban circumcision for any male under 18 except in cases of medical necessity. It says that religious belief could not be used as an exception to the law and violators could be fined up to $1,000 and imprisoned for up to one year...."
(Archdiocese of San Francisco)
As I said, the idea of circumcision seems to get some folks upset.

The fellow who wants to ban circumcision explained why he pushed for the measure:
"...'Parents don't have a right to harm their child. They can only do what is in the best interest of their child. I can guarantee a child being held down and having their genitals mutilated is not a religiously uplifting experience for the child,' said Lloyd Schofield, the initiative's primary sponsor and part of a core committee of five working on the campaign.

"Schofield, who details arguments for the ban on the website sfmgm.org, said men who want to undergo the procedure removing the penis' foreskin may do so after they turn 18.

"Neither parental rights nor religious freedom is more important than stopping the practice, said Schofield. He said he was raised Lutheran but practices no religion and has no children...."
(Archdiocese of San Francisco)
Let's see what a Lutheran who didn't stop going to church has to say:
"...The Rev. James DeLange, a Lutheran pastor and chair of the San Francisco Interfaith Council, said in a statement that the ban 'would turn back the clock on a right that is fundamental to the founding of this country – the right to the free exercise of religion.

" 'People of all religions, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds have sought a new life in San Francisco to pursue religious liberty,' he said...."
(Archdiocese of San Francisco)

'My End of the Boat isn't Sinking'

I don't live in San Francisco. I'll be 60 this year. I'm a gentile.

In a way, whether or not San Francisco voters decide to ban circumcision makes no difference to me.

On the other hand, I'm a practicing Catholic. Which means that I have to support religious freedom. (Catechism, 2104-2109)

There's nothing I can do to directly affect San Francisco's November election. But I can add my voice to those who say that punishing folks for practicing their religion is a bad idea.

Related posts:
Background:

1 Circumcision of Jesus:
"Jesus' circumcision, on the eighth day after his birth,209 is the sign of his incorporation into Abraham's descendants, into the people of the covenant. It is the sign of his submission to the Law210 and his deputation to Israel's worship, in which he will participate throughout his life. This sign prefigures that 'circumcision of Christ' which is Baptism.211"
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 527)
And see Luke 2:21.

2 Signs of the covenant:
"Signs of the covenant. The Chosen People received from God distinctive signs and symbols that marked its liturgical life. These are no longer solely celebrations of cosmic cycles and social gestures, but signs of the covenant, symbols of God's mighty deeds for his people. Among these liturgical signs from the Old Covenant are circumcision, anointing and consecration of kings and priests, laying on of hands, sacrifices, and above all the Passover. The Church sees in these signs a prefiguring of the sacraments of the New Covenant."
(Catechism, 1150)

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Charity, Joplin, and This Weekend's Special Collection

I wrote about the situation in Joplin, Missouri, yesterday. (May 25, 2011) Besides praying for folks who died in the recent storms, and for survivors, I suggested donating to Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri:Again, no pressure. It's just a suggestion.

Special Collection This Weekend

Last Sunday I learned that Bishop John Kinney asked for a special collection this weekend. This week's bulletin reminded us that the local parishes - St Alexius in Westport, St. Paul here in Sauk Centre, and Our Lady of the Angels just down the street - will be collecting money "for those who have suffered from destructive storms and tornadoes recently in the United States."

The Joplin tornado hadn't hit when the announcement was made, but my guess is that at least part of the money collected will go there. If not, there's no shortage of folks affected by this month's storms.

My wife and I discussed the collection, and decided on an amount to give: simple routine for this sort of thing.

Charity: Where to start, Where to Stop

Could we have decided to give more? Yes. We could have decided to sell everything we have, and give the proceeds to this collection. That would have left the family in a pickle: and made it impossible for us to contribute anything to the next worthy cause.

That wouldn't, I think, have been a good idea.

Could we have decided to give less? Yes. We could have decided to ignore the special collection. Since we can afford to give something, that wouldn't have been very charitable,1 though.

Ignoring the special collection wouldn't, I think, have been a good idea either.

Charity is, I think, a good idea. It's also one of the theological virtues. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1822) The other two are faith and hope - and that's another topic. (Catechism, 1813) Then there's the obligation to tithe - yet another topic. It's connected to the seventh commandment. (Catechism, 2449)

As far as I know, there is no hard-and-fast rule in the Catholic Church that says we absolutely have to give 10 percent of our earnings to the Church and/or charity. But then, I'm "some guy with a blog," as I've said before.

Charity - Everybody Does It

I've noticed examples of folks acting charitably every place I've lived: and read about charity happening in many place I've never seen. (March 17, 2011)

That doesn't surprise me. It probably has to do with natural law, and that's yet one more topic. (Catechism, 1952-1960)

Related posts:
1 Charity:
"CHARITY: The theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God (1822)."
(C, Glossary, Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Joplin, Missouri, Tornado: Charity Opportunity; Prayer; and Common Sense

On the 'charity begins at home' principle, Catholic Charities in Missouri is asking for donations, so they can pay for goods and services that will help folks in Joplin and elsewhere:
Prayer couldn't hurt, either, in my opinion. No pressure, as usual.

Joplin, Missouri: Most Tornado Deaths Since 1953

I've posted about the May 22, 2011, tornado that went through part of Joplin, Missouri, in another blog:
We know about 125 people who died in Joplin's Sunday dinner-time tornado. Folks died elsewhere, too - including Minnesota: but Joplin's death toll is far and away the highest.

I put excerpts from today's coverage of the disaster at the end of this post.1 I think the experiences of a young Walmart employee, recounted in a Wall Street Journal blog, help illustrate what folks in Missouri and elsewhere went through.

What the Joplin Tornado Doesn't Prove

I'm about as sure as I can be, that the folks in Joplin, Missouri, didn't 'have it coming.' Neither, I think, did folks living in northeastern Japan, or in Haiti:

Prayer and Common Sense

I don't know how popular the 'prosperity gospel' is these days. Bottom line, it's a bad idea. I've mentioned it before. (January 27, 2009)

Much more to the point, the Holy See had a few words to say about the prosperity gospel, and related topics. ("Jesus Christ the Bearer of the Water of Life, A Christian reflection on the 'New Age,' " Pontifical Council for Culture/Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dailogue (February 3, 2003))

On the other hand, the Lord's Prayer includes "...give us this day our daily bread..." so I figure it's okay to ask God for material things. Within reason: Just before "give us," we say "...Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven...."

I've read Job, so I know better than to demand an explanation from the Almighty: or to understand what the great I AM has in mind when tornadoes rip through towns.

So, what's the point of prayer, if I can't ask for a vacation home and yacht - and get it?
" 'Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.'2 But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or 'out of the depths' of a humble and contrite heart?3 He who humbles himself will be exalted;4 humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that 'we do not know how to pray as we ought,'5 are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. 'Man is a beggar before God.'6"
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2559)
There's more. Quite a lot more, including these sections:

Tornadoes and Common Sense

I've spent most of my life in the upper Midwest - a trifle north or 'tornado alley,' but close enough to get practice heading for shelter. I have no problem asking my Lord for protection from the storm, but I also think it's prudent to use the brain He gave me. Which is why my household has a small room in the basement, with stone walls on three sides, as a designated storm shelter.

Finally, again:Prayer couldn't hurt, either, in my opinion. No pressure, as usual.

More-or-less-related posts:
News and views:

1Excerpts from news and views:
"Tornadoes death toll rises, more storms forecast"
Elliott Blackburn and others, Edition: U.S., Reuters (May 25, 2011)

"The death toll from a monster tornado that savaged Joplin, Missouri, rose to 125 on Wednesday and tornadoes overnight in nearby states caused at least 14 more deaths.

"Bulldozers pushed through rubble in Joplin and teams searched through the night over a six-mile-long path of destruction looking for survivors but found no one alive in the rubble, authorities said.

"At least 823 people were injured by the tornado that hit on Sunday at dinner time, and an estimated 1,500 remain missing....

"...The Joplin tornado on Sunday was rated an EF-5, the highest possible on the Enhanced Fujita scale of tornado power and intensity, with winds of at least 200 miles per hour.

"EF-5 tornadoes are rare in the United States but already this year there have been at least four. They are so destructive that experts said they can turn a house into a missile...."

"At Joplin Walmart, Death, Survival and the 'Best Soda I Ever Had' "
Amy Merrick, Dispatch, WSJ Blogs, Wall Street Journal (May 25, 2011)

"When Cameron Paul, a Walmart employee in Joplin, Mo., was growing up, he and his father would go storm-chasing. From what seemed to be a safe distance, Mr. Paul's father, a freelance photographer, would shoot pictures of funnel clouds. In southwest Missouri, there were plenty to keep them busy....

"...None of that prepared him for Sunday evening, when Mr. Paul, 19 years old, was working as a customer-service manager at a Walmart Supercenter in Joplin. The employees knew a storm was coming and herded customers to the back of the store, as they'd been trained. Mr. Paul and a co-worker stayed in front, hurrying more people inside from the parking lot. Some said they lived in mobile homes and came to Walmart to seek shelter.

"Shortly before the tornado hit, one woman left the building because she wanted to buy groceries and was told she couldn't until the storm passed. Mr. Paul doesn't know what happened to her. Some people who waited in their cars in the parking lot didn't survive....

"...He watched helplessly as a support beam fell onto a couple and their child only a few feet away, killing them. After that, he kept his head down.

"The tornado passed. Huge chunks of hail began to fall. Looking up, Mr. Paul saw a woman clutching a child near a shopping cart. He called them over and stood, holding one end of the broken piece of roof, so they could crouch beneath it. He held a milk crate over his own head to protect himself from the hail....

"...Several customers appeared to have broken backs, including a woman with three children. Mr. Paul and his co-workers carefully placed blankets around the injured adults. Another Walmart employee wrapped trash bags around the children to keep them warm...."

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Faith, Rules, and Knowing Why

Two of my favorite hymns were - and are - set to the same tune, Ebeneezer. One of them has a verse that goes like this, in part:
"By the light of burning martyrs, Christ, Thy bleeding feet we track....(Once to Every Man and Nation. Lyrics by James R. Low­ell, in the Bos­ton Cour­i­er, De­cem­ber 11, 1845. Music by Thom­as J. Will­iams)
The other hymn with the same tune has a quite different message - and that's another topic.

Easy to be Catholic? Yes and No

I've run into folks who seem to see Jesus as a thoroughly nice fellow, a sort of genial wimp whose ambition is to be inoffensive. Jesus is gentle, but there's much more to my Lord than that.1

Then there's the whole question of whether or not it's easy to follow Jesus:
" '... 17 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.' "
(Matthew 11:29-30)

"He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said 8 to them, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me...."
(Mark 8:34)
Easy? Denying ourselves?? The footnotes for each quote discuss that - one point is that the yoke is "...the yoke of the law, complicated by scribal interpretation...." The alternative my Lord offers is "...the yoke of obedience to His word, under which they will find rest...." (Footnote 17, Matthew 11)

Kids, Faith, and Respect

I recently signed up with Catholic Dads, an online community mostly for and about fathers who are Catholic: and who take our faith seriously.

As a practicing Catholic, I've got responsibilities: including showing my children what being Catholic is. Raising children in a way that doesn't conform to the local culture's customs and conventions doesn't let me just 'go with the flow,' and assume that they'll pick up whatever values they need on television and at school.

And it certainly, in my opinion, doesn't mean dumbing down Church teaching, or dropping the challenging bits.

Looks like I'm not the only dad who thinks this way:
"...So the great paradox is, the easier we make our Faith, the less commitment we generate. Consider all those who water down Catholic morality, because it is too hard...."
("Keeping Your Kids Catholic: A Great Paradox," Ben Trovato, Catholic Dads (May 23rd, 2011))
That's where the 'burning martyrs' thing comes in.

I think that my children - anybody's children - won't follow a faith that they can't respect.

Respect is Earned

I was one of 'those crazy kids' in the '60s, here in America. I never rebelled in the conventional way - I don't 'do' conventional - but I took a long, hard, look at what my parents had told me, what I was learning about American culture, and how my parents lived.

Happily, my parents were sensible folks with rock-solid dedication to principles and duty. I learned a lot from them - from what they said, and from what they did.

And I converted to Catholicism. Which wasn't, really, rejecting their faith: more like recognizing the logical consequences of their beliefs.

And respecting those beliefs because I'd seen their dedication.

Catholic, Yes: Old-Fashioned, No

Raising my children so that they would understand, and follow, Catholic teachings wasn't as hard as it might be for some in America.

Our home is in a small town in central Minnesota. Many if not most people here are members of a Catholic parish. My father-in-law became a deacon several years ago, and my wife is as serious as I am about understanding and following Church teachings.

That may not mean what you think it does.

My wife is the one with power tools in this household, one of her sisters took shop class in high school, and a brother took home ec. He was the only teenage boy in a classroom full of girls - and nobody's fool. I've posted about this before:We don't try to force our children to live the way Americans did in the 1940s or 1950s. And we certainly don't try to live the way Matthew did, two millennia back, or as Abram did when he moved out of Ur.

Actually, we do: but not the way folks who yearn for the 'good old days' seem to want.2

Unchanging Precepts of the Almighty, and Forks

I drive on the right side of the road, cut meat with a fork in my left hand, and speak English with an American accent: without guilt, to the best of my knowledge.

Because those are all rules and conventions imposed by my culture - which have very little to do with Catholic teaching.3

I've yet to run into someone who believes that a 30 mile an hour speed limit within city limits is one of the unchanging Laws of God. Or that only those who use forks shall enter the Heavenly Kingdom.

I have, though, tangled with some who apparently confused nostalgia with precepts of the Almighty. (September 26, 2009)

Following, and Understanding, Rules

Observing rules about fasting, our Sunday Obligation, and other Catholic practices is, I think, important.

I also think it's important for parents to understand why we do what we do. It's good for us; and our children will probably want to know.

Sort-of-related posts:From Catholic Dads blog:
1 See Luke 7:36-50; and "Suggestions for Preaching About Family Violence," Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

2 Ben Trovato, by the way, wrote "traditional practice" once: but didn't describe himself as a "traditional Catholic." He didn't rail against the new translation of the Mass - or the new one before that. He was discussing common sense: not nostalgia. My opinion.

3 On the other hand, following traffic regulations ties in with responsibilities imposed by the Church - and that's yet another topic. (Catechism, 2212-2213, for starters)

Monday, May 23, 2011

Love, Capital Sins, and Being Catholic

I ran into an online advertisement today that showed two cartoon characters talking. One said, "it must be hard to be Catholic and gay." The other replied, "it's easier than...." The rest had to do with the ad's sponsor.

If you're waiting for a rant: that's not gonna happen. The ad reminded me of something I haven't discussed for a while, and gave me a pretty good way to get started.

Capital Sins and Me

First, it's hard to be Catholic and be quite a few sorts of person. Including, but not limited to, a:
  • Cheating spouse
  • Mass murderer
  • Glutton
That last is uncomfortably close to home. If I lost a hundred pounds, I'd still be overweight by some standards. Does that mean I'm a glutton? Maybe. It certainly means that I need to lose weight to stay (or, rather, get) healthy. Which is a process that I started about a week ago.

Should I be worried about gluttony? Yes, I think so. My behavior - and physique - suggest that I act in a gluttonous manner. And gluttony is one of the capital sins:
  • Pride
  • Avarice
  • Envy
  • Wrath
  • Lust
  • Gluttony
  • Sloth
    • Also called Acedia
    (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 18661)
Why call them "capital" sins?
"...They are called 'capital' because they engender other sins, other vices...."
(Catechism, 1866)

Hating People Not Allowed

Do I hate myself because I'm fat? No.

I'm a Catholic, so I'm not allowed to hate people. (Catechism, 1033)

Since I'm a person, a human being, made in the image of God (Catechism, 1701-1709), I don't think it makes sense to hate myself. I'm not too crazy about some things I've been doing: but that's another topic.

Lust is a Sin? So, the Church is Against Sex??

Cultural assumptions notwithstanding: Lust is not sex; sex is not lust. (Catechism, 2351)

Sex is Okay?

Sex had better be okay. God told us to be fertile and multiply: and sex is the method He gave us to carry out that instruction. (Genesis 1:27) (also see Catechism, 2331, and following)

I realize that Genesis 1:27 involves a whole lot more personal responsibility than has been fashionable for a while: but I'm not going to tell God 'you can't do that.'

Don't Catholics Hate Gays?

Individual Catholics may hate homosexuals. Or adulterers. Or gluttons. That's not what the Church teaches, though. As a Catholic, I am not allowed to hate people. Period.

As for homosexual urges? The Catholic Church is pretty specific on this point:
"The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition."
(Catechism, 2358) [emphasis mine]

Hate the Sin - - - You Know the Rest

Maybe it's corny, but "hate the sin, not the sinner" makes a lot of sense. It's also what the Catholic Church teaches. (John 8:1-11; Catechism, 1465, 1846; for starters)
"...Teach us to hate sin, but not the sinner. Give us the strength to be your witnesses. Do not allow us to become vain, petty and barren...."
(Appendix / Prayers-Hymns, Program for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (January 18-25, 2002)

Behind It All: Love

The Catholic Church has a reputation for having rules. Lots of rules. There's something to that.

Over the past two millennia, the Church been dealing with folks who are not perfect. I think quite a bit of this apparent over-abundance of rules comes from efforts to explain, in detail, what a pair of very simple principles means: when applied to everyday life.

Somebody asked my Lord to name the greatest commandment. He named two: Love God, love your neighbor. (Matthew 22:36-40)

"Love," in this context, isn't the same as "approval." Which is what the 'friends don't let friends drive drunk' ads were about.

And I've posted about that before. (April 26, 2011)

Related posts:

1 What's with all those references to the Catechism? I've said this before: I've got the authority of "some guy with a blog." The Catholic Church operates under the authority of Peter, who got his commission from my Lord. (Matthew 16:18-19)

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Particular Judgment, Last Judgment, and Weekend Grilling

My household's had two breaks in routine this weekend: I didn't grill burgers; and today my oldest daughter and I went to watch Thor. We enjoyed the movie, by the way.

But we didn't have an earthquake, major or otherwise, over the weekend.1

Apparently nobody experienced a big earthquake yesterday. Which probably surprised quite a few folks who took Mr. Harold Camping, and Mr. Camping's 'May 21, 2011 is Judgment Day' prediction, seriously.

The latest 'End Times prophecy' gave me a reason to post about serious matters, like particular judgment, and the Last Judgment. I also wrote a little about the 'Rapture,' a 19th-century notion that's part of American culture: but which is very much not Catholic teaching.

Rapture Lite

I started running into 'End Times' predictions in my early teens, long before I became a Catholic. By the time I was in college, I recognized them as a sort of recurring silliness.

I'll grant the the notion of 'good Christians' being swept up to Heaven, followed by Jesus coming and making folks who didn't go to the 'right' church suffer, is dramatic. But being dramatic doesn't make something true: as the Terminator movies show.

When folks 'really believe' something that's overtly bogus, it's hard to keep a straight face. For me, at least. Which helps explain something I said during my college days:
"...Then, as now, End Times were nigh. There were signs and portents, and all that. During one rehearsal, when the topic came up again, I suggested that maybe the Rapture had already happened.

"And we were the ones left.

"My fellow-singers didn't like that too much...."
(May 20, 2011)
Quite a few folks made jokes about the latest Camping/Family Radio 'Rapture'/Judgment Day prediction. One of my favorites is a prank I wouldn't recommend actually doing:
"Rapture prank: On Sat. take your unwanted clothes, shoes, them on sidewalks/lawns around town. RT @webvixn"
(Steve Farnsworth, @Stevology, on Twitter (May 21, 2011))
Then there was a short list I found on another fellow's blog:Some of the jokes reminded me of the old "Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company" crack.2 And that's almost another topic.

I'm about as sure as I can be, that Heaven won't be filled with preachy, humorless, members of some exclusive club. And, although you may have run into a humor-deficient Catholic, the Church doesn't seem to have a problem with humor. St. Philip Neri, and all that. (March 15, 2011)

Moving on.

Particular Judgment, Last Judgment: They're Real

I've opined about the particular judgment - the serious face time with God we get at our death - and the Last Judgment. Much more to the point, I've posted links to discussions of each in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Plus supporting verses from the Bible:Bottom line, for me? I take the Bible seriously. I have to, I'm a Catholic. I also take Tradition and the Magisterium seriously, for the same reason. (October 2, 2008)

I'm a Catholic because I decided to join the Church my Lord established. And that's another topic.

Related posts:Post in another fellow's blog:
In the news:
1 There was an earthquake in (under, actually) Alexandria, Minnesota, a few weeks ago. Earthquakes in Minnesota are infrequent, but not unheard-of. See:2 The "Hell for the company" quote's connected with Mark Twain and Sir James Barrie. And a collection by Barrie. (September 11, 2010)

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Harold Camping, Family Radio, and Common Sense

I take Matthew 7:1 quite seriously. My job is not to judge others - thank God for that.

I think it's okay to note some of Mr. Harold Camping's track record and recent activities, though. Harold Camping and his Family Radio enterprise hit the 'silly side' news this week, with his latest prediction for End Times. Which were supposed to kick off today.

He's still got a few hours left, over by the International Dateline, so Mr. Camping may be right. I don't think so, though: and I've been over that before.

I ran into an interesting - and perhaps a trifle cynical - article in CNNMoney.com that I think sheds light on Family Radio, Mr. Camping, and part of American culture.1

Turns out, Mr. Camping said that End Times was coming, back in 1994. When the deadline passed with no fireworks, he kept plugging along with his non-profit outfit.

Non-profit, but apparently fairly lucrative.

I have no problem with an individual or organization being wealthy, by the way. What matters, I think, is what we do with what we've got. (September 27, 2010)

Back to Mr. Camping and Family Radio.

Some of his employees don't take his predictions seriously. Some do.

And, as has happened with other 'End Times' predictions, some folks took Mr. Camping seriously: and acted as if they didn't have to plan past today.

I think that "memento mori" - Latin for 'remember your death,' more or less - makes sense. If done with common sense. I've been over that before, too. (May 2, 2011) Basically, I think it's a good idea to remember that I don't have endless time to work with: but that I can't know how long I have left.

Sadly, some folks who think Mr. Camping is right have bought luxury cars, gone on fancy vacations, most likely because they figured they wouldn't have to pay for anything after today.

I think that was a mistake. A big one. But I also think that Mr. Camping is wrong about today being Judgment Day.

The odds are, I think, that folks who spent money like there's no tomorrow will have opportunities to contemplate the nature of wealth and wisdom. So in a way, Mr. Camping has done them a favor.

I think there are better ways of teaching, though.

As for what's going on inside Mr. Camping's head? I have no idea. I hope he sincerely believes what he's been saying, and I'll leave it at that. Matthew 7:1 and all that.

Related posts:
More:
In the news:

A tip of the hat to Steveology, for a reminder of Mr. Camping's 1994 prediction.

1Excerpt from this week's financial news:
"...Harold Camping and his devoted followers claim a massive earthquake will mark the second coming of Jesus, or so-called Judgment Day on Saturday, May 21, ushering in a five month period of catastrophes before the world comes to a complete end in October.

"At the center of it all, Camping's organization, Family Radio, is perfectly happy to take your money -- and in fact, received $80 million in contributions between 2005 and 2009. Camping founded Family Radio, a nonprofit Christian radio network based in Oakland, Calif. with about 65 stations across the country, in 1958.

"But not even all of his own employees are convinced that the world is ending on Saturday.

"In fact, many still plan on showing up at work on Monday.

"...'I don't believe in any of this stuff that's going on, and I plan on being here next week,' a receptionist at their Oakland headquarters told CNNMoney.

"A program producer in Illinois told us, 'We're going to continue doing what we're doing.'

"According to their most recent IRS filings, Family Radio is almost entirely funded by donations, and brought in $18 million in contributions in 2009 alone....

"...Camping first inaccurately predicted the world would end in 1994. Even so, he has gathered even more followers -- some who have given up their homes, entire life savings and their jobs because they believe the world is ending.

"Esther, the receptionist in the Oakland office, said some of her most extreme coworkers have recently driven up in fancy cars or taken their families on nice vacations as a last hurrah.

"But overall, she estimates about 80% of her coworkers don't even agree with Camping's May 21 forecast. She has stuck to her work as usual, booking appointments and filling up calendars for her coworkers well beyond the May 21 date.

"Meanwhile, some employees are questioning the meaning of Harold Camping's goodbye letter sent to the Family Radio mailing list last week...."
(CNNMoney.com)

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Marian Apparition: Champion, Wisconsin

Background:Posts in this blog: In the news:

What's That Doing in a Nice Catholic Blog?

From time to time, a service that I use will display links to - odd - services and retailers.

I block a few of the more obvious dubious advertisers.

For example: psychic anything, numerology, mediums, and related practices are on the no-no list for Catholics. It has to do with the Church's stand on divination. I try to block those ads.

Sometime regrettable advertisements get through, anyway.

Bottom line? What that service displays reflects the local culture's norms, - not Catholic teaching.