Showing posts with label priests. Show all posts
Showing posts with label priests. Show all posts

Sunday, June 29, 2014

'Just Routine, Nothing Special' — Thank You, Father Statz

Quite a lot has happened, since Father James Statz came to the Our Lady of the Angels parish here in Sauk Centre, Minnesota. Most of it's routine, like the annual cycle of the liturgical year, some hasn't.

Today is the last time Father Statz celebrates Mass as our parish priest. I'm sorry to see him go, but very glad that he has been here.

Remembering, Mostly 2003


Some of it hasn't been routine, like when the Christmas tree — over a dozen feet tall — fell over behind him. That was in 2003.

I took that photo before the excitement. The choir director had told us that the last song would be "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" when the Christmas tree fell over.

Over a dozen children on the near side of the altar, and probably a few other folks, said "eee!" The tree fell neatly on the altar's far side.

Then we sang "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." Nobody was hurt, much, although Father Statz got clipped as the tree went past him, and the deacon was hit by the star.


(Procession of the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Fr. Statz. Sauk Centre, 2013.)

A Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe came to our area in June of 2003. The image is a full-size replica of Juan Diego's tilma.

The Image's arrival gave the two parishes in Sauk Centre a good reason for our first procession since I'd arrived, back in the '80s. That's Father Statz in the photo, just before we went into St. Pauls that day. More about the procession, and the Missionary Image:
Our Lady of Angels has become a bit more obviously Marian in the years Farther Statz has been here. The most obvious changes are a mural inside, and a garden.

Tom Kane used Tiepolo's Immaculate Conception as a model for a mural on the half-dome over our altar.

The Marian Garden, between the parish church and rectory, is a restful spot, and new since Father Statz came. I'll probably make it a destination for walking again this summer. (August 18, 2013)


(Marian Garden between Our Lady of Angels and the Rectory, July 2013.)

A less happy break in routine was when Father Statz returned to duty after a stroke could have killed him — but didn't. I was very glad indeed that he survived: and that he could stay with this parish as long as he has.

Lenten Chaplet



(Lenten Chaplet, introduced to our parish by Father Statz.)

This chaplet got started in Venezuela. Father Statz and Father Todd, who have been parish priests here in Sauk Centre, were in Venezuela when they developed this chaplet as a way to encourage prayer during Lent.

The original prayer cords had wooden crucifixes, carved from a sort of tree that grows in Venezuela. The cords were woven from fibers the folks got from the leaves of that tree.

In central Minnesota, our crucifixes have been metal and the cords some synthetic fiber: which is consistent with how our regional culture makes things. Around here, Venezuelan wood and hand-woven cords would be exotic.

As far as I know, what the cord and crucifix are made of doesn't matter, as long as the materials are sturdy and flexible enough to be worn and used for a minimum of 40 days.

There isn't a 'right' kind of crucifix, again as far as I know: the style here has been a little different each year, probably depending on what was readily available at the time.

Knowledge and Comfort When We Needed It


Father Statz talked with me and my wife, after we lost another child.

Miscarriage: Joy

We'd lost one child, several years ago, very early in the pregnancy. The best guess we have is that something went very, very wrong with some basic function in Joy's body. The human body is a wonderfully complex thing: Which means there's a great many things that can go wrong. This isn't a perfect world.

My wife and I sealed the results, for testing: but saw to it that Joy was buried, informally and briefly, in hallowed ground. I wasn't sure if that was quite what we're supposed to do, but I figured that 'it's easier to get forgiveness, than permission.' Testing showed no problems, aside from the miscarriage. As the years passed, two more children joined the two we'd been blessed with before Joy.

Stillbirth: Elizabeth

There was no reason to assume that our sixth pregnancy wouldn't end in a normal delivery. This baby was doing fine. We, and our four surviving children, were looking forward to seeing the newest member of the family.

When the contractions started, they weren't quite what we expected, but as I recall they were inside the 'normal' range. When it was "time," my wife and I headed for the hospital.

As nearly as I can tell, Elizabeth died as we were approaching the Interstate exit nearest the hospital. My wife told me that the baby was very active: and then completely still. At the hospital, the nurses could detect no heartbeat. And the delivery was not going well. At all.

Later that night I followed the ambulance carrying my wife to another hospital, about 45 miles away. And was with her when Elizabeth was delivered: beautifully formed; and quite dead. My wife and I took turns holding Elizabeth, as warmth left her body. Later, we learned that the center of the placenta had given way. The medical folks say if the failure had happened near the edge, my wife would have bled to death.

We have photos of Elizabeth, and of an ultrasound: but I haven't looked at those for quite a long time. There's no need. I remember what she looked like, the weight of her body in my arms: and I'm not likely to forget. Besides: God willing, I'll meet her, and Joy, in a few decades.

'Why be miserable?'

Talking over Elizabeth's death with my wife, and how we feel about it, she summed up the situation with something like "why be miserable?" She's a very practical woman. And, I think, she's right.

If I seem 'upbeat' about losing 1/3 of our children: It helps that Elizabeth died eight years ago. I've gone through the 'stages of grief,' more or less. Don't let anybody kid you: it's not an easy process. Knowing what was behind a nervous tic and auditory hallucinations helped me get through those years: but I'd just as soon not repeat the experience.

There will always be an 'Elizabeth size' hole in my heart — matching the one for Joy. But I've gotten used to the situation: just as people get used to their children living thousands of miles away. Besides, being dead doesn't make them less a part of the family. I still wish Elizabeth and Joy a 'good night,' every night, as I do for all our children.

'It's not fair.' So?

Being born with deformed hips gave me opportunities to think about — and meditate on — whether or not expecting life to be "fair" by American standards is reasonable.

I'm convinced that God is just, and that He is merciful: and that I wouldn't understand why things happen, even if He explained His Will to me. So I'm not going to demand an explanation. I've read the book of Job

Hey! This is about Father Statz!

After my wife and I got back to Sauk Centre, Father Statz spoke with us. Nothing earth-shattering, no dramatic revelations. Just words of sympathy and assurance. He also explained the idea of "baptism of desire." (It's nothing new: Thomas Aquinas and the Council of Trent mentioned it.) And, of course, Father Statz was there when we buried Elizabeth.

Some of the breaks in Father Statz's routine have been good news, like the new Marian garden between the church and the rectory.

Mostly, though, Father Statz has been 'just going through the routines:' celebrating Mass, hearing confessions, anointing the sick, that sort of thing.

He's just an ordinary priest, standing in for Jesus in a small central Minnesota town.

Which, when you think about it, is a pretty big deal.

Vaguely-related posts:
Background:
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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Preventing Sexual Abuse: "...A Race Without a Finish..."

Civil authority comes with responsibility. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1897-1904)

The stakes are much higher for priests. (Catechism, 553, 1348, 1448, 2686)

One of the world's 407,000 or so Catholic priests misusing their position and authority would be one too many. That said, the recurring pedophile priest story, as presented on old-school news media, is a trifle - - - imaginative.

Sex, Love, and Neighbors

"Abuse report finds few allegations against clergy in 2012"
CNA (May 11, 2013)

"The latest report on child protection in the U.S. Catholic Church found a total of 11 credible allegations of abuse of minors by diocesan clergy in 2012, with a 20 percent decrease in the numbers of new credible abuse allegations about incidents in the past 60 years...."
Since some American subcultures have odd notions about Catholics or religion in general, and sex, here's a quick look at what the Catholic Church says:1
Maybe you know a Catholic who says sex is icky, that hating some group of people is okay, or has other goofy ideas. Some of the billion or so living Catholics don't know our faith very well: a sad situation, but all too real.

Finally, about rape: Forcing someone to have sex is bad; someone who is responsible for children raping those children is really bad. (Catechism, 2356)

Cleaning up a Mess: Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People (CPCYP)

"Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, the U.S. bishops' conference president, said in reaction to the report that Catholic bishops renew their 'steadfast resolution' not to lessen their commitment to protect children and young people.

" 'We seek with equal determination to promote healing and reconciliation for those harmed in the past, and to assure that our audits continue to be credible and maintain accountability in our shared promise to protect and our pledge to heal,' Cardinal Dolan said May 10, the U.S. bishops' conference reports.

"The 2012 report on the implementation of the U.S. bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People was authored for the National Review Board and for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops by the bishops' Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection...."
(CNA)
Again, one rape is bad: one too many. Some priests really did force children, youth, and adults, into sexual acts. One incident like that would be one too many.

Despite culturally-normative assumptions in my native land, the Catholic Church does not promote rape, prostitution, or adultery. We do organize Bingo games, and that's another topic. (November 18, 2012)

Abuse, Yes; Widespread, No; Recent, Not So Much

"...The report, drawing from the Georgetown University-based Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, found 11 credible allegations that diocesan clergy and one credible accusation that a member of a religious order or institute committed offenses against minors in 2012. This represents a slight increase from the seven credible abuse allegations concerning the years 2010-2011...."
(CNA)
About 59 hundredths of one percent of the 53,000 Catholic priests and deacons in America were accused of sexual abuse in 2012. Yet again, one such incident would be one too many.

Many of those individuals will not be punished, either by American courts or by the Catholic Church: because they're dead. That's not too surprising, since most of the alleged incidents happened in the '70s and '80's: three or four decades ago.

Yes, there were worse things than Disco.2

Dead Abusers, Living Victims

That CNA article includes quite a few statistics. That sort of thing fascinates me, your experience may vary.

Here's a sort of summary of what that CPCYP report says about reporting dioceses and eparchies3 in America:
  • There are more than
    • 38,000 priests
    • 15,000 deacons
  • During 2012
    • 390 new credible allegations
      • Made against 313 diocesan priests or deacons
        • Mainly concerning claims from the seventies or eighties
      • One percent of the allegations concern permanent deacons
      • About 60 percent of accused perpetrators had prior allegations against them
      • Most of the accused have
        • Died or
        • Been removed from ministry
    • In diocesan allegations
      • About 84 percent of abuse victims were male
      • Abuse disproportionately began when victims were aged 10-14
      • Only about one in ten allegations were
        • Considered unsubstantiated or
        • Determined to be false
      • Costs totaled almost $113 million
        • Legal settlements
        • Attorney fees
        • Therapy for victims
        • Offender support
    • Religious orders and institutes
      • 74 new credible abuse allegations reported
        • About half were made against someone who had been accused earlier
      • financial costs of abuse totaled $20,100,000
  • People who have undergone safe environment training
    • Over 99 percent of priests, deacons and educators at Catholic institutions
    • Close to 98 percent of candidates for ordination
    • Almost
      • 98 percent of church volunteers
      • 97 percent of church employees
The report covers years from 2004 to 2012. Of those nine years, cleaning up the mess left by abuse was least  expensive in 2012; most expensive in 2007, at $500,000,000 for that year.

Suspicion and Burning Crosses

That's more of an estimate, than a solid number, since child protection programs have a lot of staff turnover. Worse, most diceses and eparchies weren't willing to let Stonebridge Business Partners do on-site audits. Considering America's tradition of anti-Catholicism, I think I understand their diffidence, and that's yet another topic.

Still, expecting the auditors to work only with what dioceses and eparchies tell them allows too much room for suspicion. My opinion.

Then there's flat-out refusal to cooperate:
"...The Diocese of Lincoln and five Eastern Catholic eparchies have refused to be audited and are not in compliance with the bishops' charter for child protection. The Dioceses of Lake Charles, La., Tulsa, Okla. and Baker, Ore. were each found non-compliant with one requirement of the charter...."
(CNA)
Although it's been a century or more since killing Catholics, burning our property, or planting a burning cross in front of a Catholic Church were popular pastimes among some American subcultures: that sort of thing tends to leave an impression. Even so, I hope those dioceses are doing an extremely good job of policing their own folks.

I suspect that one reason for the Catholic Church apparent inaction on claims of sexual abuse was that it was hard to tell the difference between sincere allegations and the sort of weird Maria Monk stories and Thomas Nast attitudes. (September 26, 2008)

Now that we know the problem is real, there's work to be done. Lots of work.
"...Al J. Notzon, III, chairman of the National Review Board overseeing the audit, stressed the importance of keeping good records and involving parishes in the auditing process.

" 'Abuse happened in the parishes where our children learn and live their young, growing faith,' Notzon said. 'What we have come to see is that protecting children from sexual abuse is a race without a finish and more rather than less effort is necessary to keep this sacred responsibility front and center.'"
(CNA)
Related posts:
1 Background:
More, about Social Justice
2 I have nothing against Disco as music, but I was there in its heyday: and remember hearing disco over and over and over again. After a while, the appeal of its boom-boom beat fades a trifle.

3 An eparchy is a diocese of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
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Friday, January 6, 2012

My Take on the News: Sex; SNAP; and Slurs

A Los Angeles Bishop who fathered two children is in the news again. So is the 'pedophile priests' story. Closer to home, a judge in Minnesota is dealing with a memo that 'exposes' the Catholic Church as the force behind the slave trade, WWII, and the sinking of the Titanic.

No kidding.
  1. Los Angeles Bishop: Bad Behavior; Bad Example
  2. Different Rules for Special People?
  3. Catholics Sank the Titanic?
My faith isn't shattered by a misbehaving bishop, or accusations of skullduggery, malfeasance, and conspiracy. I became a Catholic when I learned that it's the outfit my Lord founded. I'm not likely to quit because some priests and bishops demonstrated that humans are able to sin.

1. Los Angeles Bishop: Bad Behavior; Bad Example

"Pope accepts resignation of LA bishop who fathered two children"
Marianne Medlin, CNA (Catholic Network Agency) (January 4, 2012)

"Pope Benedict publicly accepted the resignation of Los Angeles auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala on Jan. 4, after the bishop admitted to fathering two children.

"Archbishop Jose H. Gomez called the news 'sad and difficult' in a Jan. 4 letter to the faithful, explaining that Bishop Zavala informed him in early December that he is of the father of two teenage minor children who live in another state with their mother.

"Since 60-year-old Bishop Zavala submitted his resignation to the Pope, he 'has not been in ministry and will be living privately,' Archbishop Gomez said. Bishop Zavala oversaw the San Gabriel Pastoral Region, which is one of five in the archdiocese...."
The Vatican's reputation as a house of ill repute seems to come from some historical incidents - and America's solidly anti-Catholic cultural heritage. There really were stories about Popes who behaved badly. Some of them were true. Considering that we've had 266 Popes so far, that shouldn't be surprising. All priests and bishops are human beings; we're a fallen race, dealing with original sin; and that's another topic.

Here's some background:
"...[people born out of wedlock] were then, sometimes, debarred from ordination, but only because of a real or supposed depravity of life. Pope Urban II (1088-99) prohibited the ordination of the illegitimate offspring of clerics, unless they became members of approved religious orders. The Council of Poitiers, under Paschal II (1099-1118), extended this prohibition to all persons of illegitimate birth. These regulations were later approved by other popes and councils...."

"...the Council of Trent (Sess. 25, c. 15 de ref.) Decreed that the illegitimate children of clerics should be incapacitated from obtaining any kind of a benefice in the Church where their fathers held one; from rendering any service in said church; and from receiving any pensions on the revenues of the paternal benefice. This law is not established and laid down as a punishment for the person to whom it is applied. It safeguards the honour and dignity of Holy orders...."
("The Defect of Birth (illegitimacy)," The Catholic Encyclopedia, via NewAdvent.org (1907))
Maybe those decrees by the Council of Trent (December 3, 1545 - December 4, 1563) decrees about children of priests and bishops seems harsh. As the Catholic Encyclopedia article points out, it's not a punishment for someone born out of wedlock. On strictly practical grounds, it prohibited priests and bishops from starting a sort of personal dynasty within the Church. Another point: that "defect of birth" is, if anything, a criticism of the unmarried parents. And that's yet another topic.

Popes with one or more illegitimate children:
  • Pius II
    (Pope 1458-64)
    • Two
    • Before receiving Holy Orders
  • Innocent VIII
    (Pope 1484-92)
    • Two
    • During a "a licentious youth"
    • Before receiving Holy Orders
  • Alexander VI
    (Pope 1492-1503)
    • At least one
    • Before becoming Pope
    • Married his illegitimate daughter to Alfonso I d'Este
That's right: the Lucrezia Borgia. Alexander VI was Rodrigo Borgia before he became Pope, and "...Alexander continued as Pope the manner of life that had disgraced his cardinalate (Pastor, op. cit., III, 449 152)...." (Catholic Encyclopedia)
  • Did I miss some of the misbehaving Popes?
    • Quite possibly
  • Is their misbehavior okay?
    • No
  • Does it shake my faith?
    • No
As I've said before, considering the sort of miserable leadership we've had occasionally over the last two millennia, it's a wonder that the Catholic Church is still here. Applying Occam's Razor, I think the simplest explanation is what the Church says: the Holy Spirit is holding us up. And that's yet again another topic.

Do the actions of the Borgia Pope and a bishop in Los Angeles mean that the Catholic Church is always doing bad things? I don't think so, but not everybody shares my view:

2. Different Rules for Special People?

Yes, I know about the pedophile priests. Here's more of the same:
"SNAP refuses to obey court order for abuse documents"
Michelle Bauman, CNA (Catholic Network Agency) (January 4, 2012)

"A group claiming to advocate for clergy sex abuse victims says it will not comply with a court order asking it to turn over documents, amid concerns that it had received information in violation of a judge's gag order.

"The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, has said that it will refuse to submit to a judge's request for information involving allegations of sexual abuse against a Missouri priest.

"SNAP director David Clohessy told CNA on Jan. 3 that his organization should be held to a 'different standard' of transparency than Church leaders and dioceses, which he described as 'organizations that enable and conceal thousands of pedophiles to rape tens of thousands of kids.'..."
And there you have it: Catholic dioceses are "organizations that enable and conceal thousands of pedophiles to rape tens of thousands of kids."

Since SNAP are the 'good guys' and the Catholic Church are the 'bad guys' - from SNAP's point of view - it makes sense that 'good guys' shouldn't have to follow the rules. Again, from SNAP's point of view.

Moving on.

3. Catholics Sank the Titanic?

I am not making this up. According to a memo being processed by Minnesota courts, the Catholic Church was behind:
  • The slave trade
  • The sinking of the Titanic
  • World War II
  • The Holocaust
  • U.S. involvement in the war in Vietnam
I don't take that seriously, but then: I'm a Catholic. And, if this outfit's beliefs run along the same lines as others, I'm either a dupe or part of the vast conspiracy.

Maybe that's part of the appeal of conspiracy theories: lack of evidence is 'proof' that the conspiracy exists, since 'they' must have destroyed the evidence. You can't argue with logic like that.

I suppose it's no surprise that a "Catholic Knight Witch Hunter" ordered the arrest of one of the attorneys involved:
"Judge orders Minnesota attorney arrested for slurs"
Steve Karnowski, Associated Press, via Chicago Tribune (January 4, 2011)

"A judge ordered the arrest of a Minnesota attorney with a small Wisconsin-based religious group who repeatedly made anti-Catholic slurs in court filings and failed to show up for a Wednesday hearing on whether she should be sanctioned for her statements.

"U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Nancy Dreher held Naomi Isaacson in contempt for her absence. Isaacson was already in contempt for failing to turn over documents in a long-running bankruptcy case involving a subsidiary of the Shawano, Wis.-based group, the Dr. R.C. Samanta Roy Institute of Science and Technology. Dreher said Isaacson will remain jailed until she produces the documents or gets someone else to do it...."
Bankruptcy, or anything to do with failing finances, is likely to be stressful for those involved. I've posted about emotions, reason, and how our brains are wired before:

Bankruptcy, Bias, and - Conspiracy?

Bottom line, emotions and reason don't play well together. That's why I think the judge's decision to wait until folks cooled down was reasonable. But I'm getting ahead of the story:
"...Dreher had ordered them to appear Wednesday to show cause why she should not sanction them for a memo they filed in November that the judge said was 'replete with unsupported and outrageous allegations of bigotry, deceit, conspiracy and scandalous statements against this court ... and bankruptcy courts in general.'

"The memo repeatedly referred to 'Nancy Dreher, the Catholic judge' and called her a 'black-robed bigot' and 'a Catholic Knight Witch Hunter.' It also called one trustee in the bankruptcy case a 'Jesuitess' and another trustee a 'priest's boy' and accused them of conspiring against the group, known as SIST.

"Ex-members describe the group, which is led by an Indian immigrant who goes by the name Avraham Cohen, as a cult. Its bankrupt subsidiary, Yehud-Monosson USA Inc., used to own gas stations and convenience stores...."
(Chicago Tribune)
I think it's possible for a judge, or anyone else, to be biased against some ethnic or religious group. But that doesn't mean that every judge trying a case involving someone from another ethnic group is a bigot. I've posted about over-generalization before.

"Catholic Beasts," "the Sword of the Church," and 'the Good Old Days'

In a way, the memo in question reminds me of 'the good old days' of anti-communist goofiness, and the radio preachers of my youth:
"...'Across the country the court systems and particularly the Bankruptcy Court in Minnesota, are composed of a bunch of ignoramus, bigoted Catholic beasts that carry the sword of the church,' the memo said.

"Dreher was indignant as she read aloud from that document and from the replies Isaacson and Nett filed last month in response to her threat of sanctions.

"Isaacson, who identifies herself as chief executive of SIST and president of Yehud-Monosson, wrote that the attorneys weren't calling Dreher a member of the Roman Catholic Church when they called her a Catholic judge.

" 'It is referring to a mentality and an adherence to a universal creed of White Supremacy,' she wrote...."
(Chicago Tribune)
"White Supremacy?" Given what these folks believe, that actually makes sense:
"...The response from Nett, who represents Yehud-Monosson, took a similar tone, alleging that Catholics and the Jesuit order were behind the slave trade, the sinking of the Titanic, World War II, the Holocaust and U.S. involvement in the war in Vietnam...."
(Chicago Tribune)

'I am Not Now, Nor Have I Ever Been, a Catholic?'

I remember the 'good old days' when America was flushing McCarthyism out of its system. The often-spoofed "I am not now, nor have I ever been - - - " is an echo of a Congressional committee's all-too-familiar question: "Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party of the United States?"

That's one reason I'm glad 'the good old days' aren't coming back, and that's almost another topic. On the other hand, swap out some other term for "communist party," and this response looks rather familiar:
"...[judge] Dreher wrote in an order last month that she has never been Catholic and is 'not of any particular faith.' She said Wednesday in court that her religious views are not relevant to the case.

"The judge did not order Nett jailed, though she said Nett had made no effort to determine whether any of the accusations made against her or other court officials were accurate. And she pointedly noted that Nett had not apologized in writing or during her oral remarks in court.

" 'Sometimes that is really important,' Dreher said.

"Nett told her the November document was an 'emotional outburst' written by Isaacson and she 'wasn't trying to condone that' when she filed it on behalf of the company. She argued against disciplinary action, saying sanctions are meant to prevent a repeat of similar actions in the future.

" 'This is a one-of-a-kind case, and I don't see this happening again ever,' she said...."
(Chicago Tribune)
I think Nett may be overly-optimistic about this being "a one-of-a-kind case."

"Army of Oppression" and All That

The notion that the Catholic Church runs governments or industries, and is responsible for all that is icky, is fairly common. Take the crackpot-Protestant elements out, and you've got something that's pretty close to political correctness. I've been over this before:

Conspiracy Theories and the Archivum Secretum Vaticanum - Online

Sincere, intense, anti-Catholic views are part of American culture. I suspect that as long as human beings are the way we are now, some folks will probably believe that 'Jesuit Ruling Priests of Baal,' or some other 'conspiracy,' are behind whatever they don't like.

I think today's information technology, and so many folks having access to so much information, makes it harder to paint the Catholic Church as some mysterious menace.

Between the Vatican's Archivum Secretum Vaticanum (Secret Archives) having its own website (asv.vatican.va), broadcasts in Radio Vaticana's 38 languages, and folks having direct access to many Catholic documents online - someone who is seriously curious about the Church can learn quite a great deal.

Granted, not all documents archived at the Vatican are in a searchable database: yet. We've been around for about two millennia, with a written tradition that goes back to around the time writing was invented: and the Internet is no more than a few decades old.

Give us time, though - - - and that's still more topics.

Fulton Sheen, on Hating the Catholic Church

"There are not a hundred people in America who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions of people who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church - which is, of course, quite a different thing."
(Bishop Fulton Sheen, Foreword to Radio Replies Vol. 1, (1938) page ix, via Wikiquote)
Related posts:
Background:
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Sunday, December 11, 2011

Vocations for Everyone

Update (December 16, 2011)

An excellent video:
A tip of the hat to thomaspringle, on Twitter, for the heads-up on the "Vocation 101" video.
"Vocation" can mean several things, depending on what you're talking about:
  • Career, calling
    • The particular occupation for which you are trained
  • Occupational group
    • A body of people doing the same kind of work
    (Princeton's WordNet)
  • Priesthood, diaconate, consecrated life
    • The calling or destiny we have in this life and hereafter
    (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Glossary; and see
    "Clergy Consecrated Life and Vocations," United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
I'm a practicing Catholic, so if someone asks me what my vocation is, I'm likely to say that I'm married. Which isn't a way of saying that I don't have a vocation.

Vocations for Everyone

When I hear or read about the need for "vocations," the odds are pretty good that the vocations being discussed are in the hierarchy. As usual, though, it's not that simple:
  • Everybody has a vocation
    • A "calling or destiny we have in this life and hereafter"
      (Catechism, Glossary)
  • There's more than one sort of vocation
    (Catechism, 871-873)
    • Hierarchy
      • Ordained
        • Pope
        • Bishops
        • Priests
        • Deacons
        (Catechism, 874-896)
      • Vowed
        • Folks in religious orders
        (Catechism, 925-927)
    • The Lay Faithful
      (Catechism, 897-913)
      • Definition of laity:
        "all the faithful except those in Holy Orders and those who belong to a religious state approved by the Church"
        (Catechism, 897)
        • Married
          (Catechism, 1603)
        • Single
          (Catechism, 1658)
      • Vocation of lay people
        (Catechism, 898-900)
        • To seek the kingdom of God by
          • Engaging in temporal affairs
            • Directing them
            • According to God's will
          (Catechism, 898)
That list leaves out secular institutes (Catechism, 928-929), societies of apostolic life (Catechism, 930), and quite a few other ways to follow Jesus. Which shouldn't be a surprise: The Catholic Church has been around for about two millennia, drawing folks from around the world.

New Century, Same Mission

Our basic mission hasn't changed since my Lord gave those famous marching orders. Cultures have changed, though, and so have the ways we "make disciples of all nations." As the centuries rolled by, new generations took a fresh look at Matthew 28:18-20: so by now we've worked out quite a few variations on the basic vocations.

"Some Guy With a Blog"

By the way: I'm not sure how 'official' the terms "ordained" and "vowed" are, as I used them in that list. Those two terms came up when I talked about vocations with someone whose opinions and knowledge I've learned to trust. Remember: I've got the authority of "some guy with a blog," so if you want more - follow those links.

Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R.

I got started thinking about vocations last Sunday, when my home parish was visited by Franciscan sisters from Ohio. They were here to remind us about:
  • What they do
    • "Make known God's merciful love"
  • Who can join
    • Women
      • Age of 20 to 35 years
      • In good health
        • Physically
        • Psychologically
      • With "a generous heart to serve Christ and others" (Vocations, The Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R.)
"T.O.R.?" That stands for Third Order Regular. The flier we got says that this particular outfit is "a Franciscan contemplative-active religious community founded in 1988, to renew the emphasis on prayer, uniquely blending prayer with works of mercy...." There's more about them online:

"Brother Brian?"

So, am I all fired up and inspired to chuck my family obligations and become "Brother Brian" somewhere? Not likely.

For starters, I'm about as certain as I can be that I'm following my vocation right now, and have been for about a third of a century. I'm married: and that's a vocation. (Catechism, 1603) It's not the only one, of course: but it's the one I realized I wanted, somewhere in my late teens or early twenties. I thought of it as "domesticity" then, and that's almost another topic.

For another, marriage a rather firm commitment. 'I feel like it' isn't a reason for weaseling out on my marriage vows. (Catechism, 1644-1645) My Lord seems to think marriage is important. (Matthew 19:6, 8-9, 11-12; John 2:1-11; Ephesians 5:25-26, 31-33; Revelation 19:7, 9; Catechism, 1612-1617)

On the whole, I don't think it would be prudent to disrespect my Lord's wishes by treating my marriage in an 'up-to-date' way.

Ephesians?! Isn't That Oppressive?

The verses from Ephesians I linked up there to come after Ephesians 5:22: that "be submissive" thing that some men think gives them the right to lord it over their wives. Incredibly, some women seem to think that's what it means, too.

Maybe they didn't keep reading that chapter. Ephesians 5:25 and following is pretty clear about what my responsibilities are. And I've been over that before. (August 22, 2009) And that is definitely another topic.

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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Bishop's Orders about Deacons Preaching: My Take

A bishop has ordered that deacons not preach at Mass - not regularly, anyway.
"...Deacons should preach the homily at Mass 'for some identifiable advantage for the faithful in the congregation, but not on a regular basis,' the bishop wrote...."
(CNA1)
Lately, I've been adding a guest post to this blog each month:
Each of those "reflections" is what a deacon preached at the parish church, down the street here in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

Which is exactly what a bishop said deacons mustn't do.

Does this mean that
  • I go to a heretic church?
    • Defying the authority of Rome?
    • And being pretty much wrong-headed?
  • The Catholic Church is in utter disarray?
    • Shattered by
      • Chaos?
      • Dissension?
    • Doomed!
    • DOO-OO-OOMED, I TELL YOU!!!
  • All is lost
    • "...the center cannot hold;
      mere anarchy is loosed upon the world....      "?
      (Yeats)
No.

That's partly because I know a little about what kind of authority is behind the Catholic Church - and how the Church is organized.

Authority, being Catholic, and Getting a Grip

Some folks, understandably upset by 'in the spirit of Vatican II' weirdness, apparently decided that
  • The Pope had gone crazy
  • The Cardinals were plotting to destroy the Real True Catholic Church
    • Which was their little circle of friends and neighbors
  • And - again apparently - believed that the Holy Spirit had
    • Left Rome
    • Moved to their area
    • Was on speaking terms with somebody who agreed with them
      • And nobody else
Okay: 'traditional' Catholics who want everything the way they think it was in the 'Good Old Days' aren't always quite as wackadoo parochial as that.

And they're not just in America. I ran into this a couple of months ago, describing someone's run-in with a British Catholic blogger:
"...He and others of his mindset describe themselves as 'traditional Roman Catholics' who, as one put it recently without any apparent recognition of the irony, believe in being 'loyally obedient to the Pope's authority when that authority is exercised in conformity with the Faith.'..." (Austen Ivereigh1) [emphasis mine]
I'm a practicing Catholic, by the way - so I have to take Tradition seriously. That's Tradition with a capital "T." I've discussed Tradition, the Magisterium, and authority before. (October 2, 2008) Fairly often, actually, judging by what I got by clicking "authority" in the label cloud.

Speaking of authority, I've got the full teaching authority of "some guy with a blog." I don't speak for the Church.

Hundreds of Popes - Some Good, Some Not So Much

The Catholic Church has had hundreds of popes since my Lord appointed Peter. (Matthew 16:17-19) (June 15, 2011)

A big reason I converted to Catholicism is that I knew Church history: and what lousy leaders the Church has had from time to time. It just didn't seem reasonable that a human institution - no matter how well-organized - could have endured that sort of mismanagement.

I also learned just what 'papal infallibility' was.2 Applying Occam's Razor, the simplest explanation was that what the Catholic Church has been saying for about two millennia is true: the Holy Spirit is behind it.

With backing like that, I figured it made sense to sign up. Join. Convert. Whatever.

Where was I? Authority. The Catholic Church. Right.

Obedience, Hierarchy, and Other Counter-Cultural Stuff

I think quite a few Americans have trouble with the idea of obedience to authority, and being part of a hierarchical structure. It's probably a cultural thing.

I'm not all that enthusiastic about taking orders from somebody else - although my wife pointed out that it's not authority I have trouble with. It's pompous nitwits who think they speak with authority. (March 30, 2011)

When it comes to the Catholic Church, I don't have a problem - like I said, I know Who is backing it, and where the authority comes from. God, I can respect.

Being part of a hierarchy - pretty much at the opposite end from the Pope - has taken a little getting used to, and that's another topic.

Sauk Centre and Marquette: Same Church, Same Country; Different Dioceses

The Bishop of Marquette, Michigan, gave that order about deacons preaching. the Diocese of Marquette is in - of course - Michigan. Sauk Centre is in the Diocese of St. Cloud, Minnesota. We're not even in the same region as Michigan dioceses.

We're all Catholics - but Bishop Alexander Sample's authority is, as far as I know, only over the Diocese of Marquette, Michigan. Not Minnesota dioceses. If Bishop John F. Kinney, of St. Cloud, Minnesota, orders priests in this diocese to stop asking their deacons to preach at somewhat-predictable intervals - we're Catholics, and we follow orders.

With some spectacular exceptions - and that's yet another topic.

Universal Church, Local Awareness

Just how many dioceses are there?
"...The Roman Catholic Church in its entirety contains more than 3,000 ecclesiastical jurisdictions, including over 600 archdioceses as well as military ordinariates, apostolic administrations, apostolic prefectures, apostolic vicariates, territorial and personal prelatures, and missions sui juris around the world...."
"List of Roman Catholic dioceses (structured view)," Wikipedia)
As I've said before, the Catholic Church is huge, and - literally - universal.

Having thousands of dioceses helps bishops deal with local cultures and circumstances. Liturgical dance, for example, is forbidden - and encouraged - by the Catholic Church. It depends on where you are.

Obedience and Me

Bishop Sample explained why he'd given the order - and it makes sense. There's more at the Diocese of Marquette, Michigan's website, www.dioceseofmarquette.org.

If Bishop Kinney decides to follow Bishop Sample's example - well, I'll miss the deacon's reflections, and getting those guest posts. But like I said: we're Catholics, and we follow orders.

But not blindly. And that's yet again another topic.

Sort-of-related posts:
1 News and views:
Background:
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Thursday, June 9, 2011

Married Priest: It's Not What You May Think

Pretty soon there'll be a Catholic priest in England who has nine kids.

The explanation isn't what some might assume - and yes, I know about the pedophile priests. Moving on.

Here's part of what I read in today's news:
"Father of nine preparing to be ordained Catholic priest"
David Kerr, CNA (Catholic News Agency)/EWTN News (June 9, 2011)

"There can't be many Catholic priests who have a wife and nine children present at their ordination. But that's exactly what awaits Deacon Ian Hellyer next week.

" 'I'm currently experiencing a funny combination of peace and excitement - with just an occasional moment of fear,' says the 44-year-old from Devon in England who, until a few months ago, was the Anglican vicar of five rural parishes. ..."

But, He Can't Really Be a Priest?!

This ordination seems to be about as 'official' as it gets:
"...Hellyer is just one of 68 former Anglican clergymen being ordained this month into the Catholic Church's Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham. It was established by Pope Benedict XVI earlier this year as a 'Roman home' for Anglican converts within the Catholic Church...."
(CNA/EWTN News)
I'm not one of the folks who decided that Vatican II was some kinda plot - and that's another topic.

The point is that, yes - there's every indication that Vicar Hellyer will shortly be Father Hellyer.

Sincere? I Think So

As for whether or not his conversion is sincere? If it's not, something very odd is going on.

Raising children isn't, really, as ridiculously expensive as 'experts' say now and then. There's economy of scale involved as families grow - and many folks don't need the high-end items and services that tend to be listed as 'necessities.' Yet another topic.

Still, children eat food, wear clothes, and need shelter during at least part of the day - so a family of nine does take resources.

Mr. Hellyer doesn't seem to be 'in it for the money:'
"...For Hellyer, though, that decision has meant more than simply a change of religion. It also means giving up a salary, a house and a pension plan. The sacrifice of the move is made all the more obvious by the size of his family: he has a 3-month-old baby girl, four other daughters and four sons...."
(CNA/EWTN News)
And, the assumptions of "Jesuit Ruling Priests of Baal"1 claims notwithstanding, Catholic priests aren't necessarily rich. I've opined about poverty, wealth, and the Catholic Church before. (February 4, 2010)

He Reminds Me of Me

I've never been a deacon, vicar, or anything particularly 'churchy,' apart from singing in the choir. Unlike my father, who was a lay minister for a while - and that's yet again another topic.

Still, Mr Hellyer's career track reminded me of mine. Vocational track, more precisely, in the Catholic sense of the word:
"...Interestingly, all of Hellyer's children are already being raised Catholic since his wife is a cradle Catholic...."
(CNA/EWTN News)
I'm a convert, too, and had to agree that our children would be raised as Catholics. Church rules.

I agreed - after doing some intense research into the Catholic Church's history and teachings. And that's - you guessed it - another topic.

As for the priestly celibacy angle - this isn't the first time I've run into a married priest. He was a convert, too, had kids, that involves sex: you do the math.

Not-entirely-unrelated posts:In the news:
1 I am not making that up. (November 12, 2008)
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Saturday, May 7, 2011

Parish Priest: Loud Accusation, Quiet Exoneration

Father Mohm, of Osakis, Minnesota, served as a priest for many years. I doubt that he's particularly well-known outside the parts of central Minnesota where he served: except, possibly, for a postmortem accusation of sexual misconduct.

Given America's cultural climate, I'd better repeat my opinion of priests betraying their vocation:
"Pedophile Priests, Ephebophilia, and Facing Facts"

"You've probably heard about those pedophile priests. What some priests have done over the last half-century was very bad. It hurt innocent people. It was not good.

"That said, I'm not going to leave the Catholic Church because a few guys had zipper issues...."
The rest of that page is a link-list of posts in this blog, dealing with the 'pedophile priest' situation.

Requiescat in Pace, Father Mohm

As I said, Father Mohm served central Minnesota as a priest for many years. Then he died.

After that, someone accused him of sexual misconduct. An investigation team descended on the small parish where Father Mohm had served. It was, for this area, a fairly high-profile affair.

No question about it: Father Mohm was accused of sexual misconduct.

For what it's worth, I think it's quite likely that whoever made the accusation believes that it's true.

Like I said, representatives from the diocese - and investigators who weren't with the diocese - investigated Father Mohm's life.

Because he had been accused of sexual misconduct.

Apart from investigation being perhaps a trifle over-zealous: so far, I don't have a problem with responses to the accusation. Accusations of misconduct need to be dealt with.

Then, after stirring the community with a stick, the investigators left.

Time passed.

Finally, a very brief statement appeared in the parish bulletin. There was no basis for accusations against Father Mohm. He was exonerated.

Investigation is Good: So is Exoneration

I learned about Father Mohm's name being cleared at a family get-together today. One member of the family had seen the notice - and had told another who was not aware of what the investigators found.

I think, and hope, that word will get around: and that folks who didn't happen to see the small, terse, message in the Sunday bulletin will learn that the accusation against Father Mohm was shown to be false.

I think that it was proper to follow up on an accusation of sexual misconduct. Albeit one made after the death of the accused.

I also think that, particularly given the efforts that went into publicizing the accusation against Father Mohm, it would have been proper to give his exoneration more attention than a brief message in a parish bulletin.

'Just Routine, Nothing Special'

Priests are human beings. Some - a few - have done bad things. Most haven't: and generally get as little recognition as Father Mohm's exoneration. No surprises there.

I think it's the - colorful? - folks who tend to get the most attention.

About a year ago, I wrote an open letter to our parish priest, for Letters to Priests (letterstopriests.com). I focused on how he helped my wife and me after another of our children died, just before birth.

The letter is about one priest - but I think it applies to all men who faithfully called God's call to priesthood.
"...After my wife and I got back to Sauk Centre, Father Statz spoke with us. Nothing earth-shattering, no dramatic revelations. Just words of sympathy and assurance. He also explained the idea of 'baptism of desire.' (It's nothing new: Thomas Aquinas and the Council of Trent mentioned it.) And, of course, Father Statz was there when we buried Elizabeth.

"Some of the breaks in Father Statz's routine have been good news, like the new Marian garden between the church and the rectory.

"Mostly, though, Father Statz has been 'just going through the routines:' celebrating Mass, hearing confessions, anointing the sick, that sort of thing.

"He's just an ordinary priest, standing in for Jesus in a small central Minnesota town.

"Which, when you think about it, is a pretty big deal.

"Brian H. Gill"
("Just Routine, Nothing Special"
Letters to Priests (letterstopriests.com)
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Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Rich in Vocations: It Could Happen Here

A stock character in American fiction of the 20th century was the Irish priest: lovable, curmudgeonly, or whatever, according to the needs of the story, but Irish. Sometimes Italian.

I haven't made a thorough study of it, but I suspect that was partly because quite a large fraction of priests in America were, in fact, Irish. Or Italian. And that could get me into the politics, social history, and economics of the last three centuries - which are other topics.

Almost.

Father O'Malley, Schmaltz, and a Universal Church

The point is that for quite a while, many priests in America came as immigrants - or missionaries - and that many of those were Irish. The stock 'Irish priest' is a reflection, however distorted, of that reality. Like Father Chuck O'Malley in Going My Way" (1944). Nice movie: schmaltzy, maybe, but a little schmaltz won't hurt you. My opinion.

Try building a theology on schmaltz - and that's yet another topic.

It would be a mistake, though, to assume that priests had to be Irish. Or Italian. Or any given nationality or ethnic group. The Catholic Church is literally universal. Which I've written about before:

Worship Universally, Act Locally: Sort of

Being part of a international - literally universal - organization doesn't make me less of a citizen of the country I live in. The Catholic Church teaches that the "Honor your father and your mother" commandment (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16), although specifically directed at the family, has wider implications:
"...This commandment includes and presupposes the duties of parents, instructors, teachers, leaders, magistrates, those who govern, all who exercise authority over others or over a community of persons."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2199)
Those duties aren't the sort of 'God says you have to obey me' thing that control freaks, from the domestic to the national sphere, have claimed. What the Church is talking about is good citizenship:
"As far as possible citizens should take an active part in public life. The manner of this participation may vary from one country or culture to another. 'One must pay tribute to those nations whose systems permit the largest possible number of the citizens to take part in public life in a climate of genuine freedom.'32"
(Catechism, 1915)

Regarding Authorities as Representatives of God - and When to Revolt

I think it's important, by the way, to read all of what the Church has to say about any given teaching. The Holy See isn't, putting it mildly, given to 'sound bite theology,' or the sort of simplified exhortations you see in motivational posters.

Like this other section on citizenship. I'll pick up where it says:
"Those subject to authority should regard those in authority as representatives of God, who has made them stewards of his gifts:43"
(Catechism, 2238)
Sounds like Catholics are supposed to mindlessly do whatever some boss says? Hardly. I've already quoted part of paragraph 1915 in the Catechism.

Then there's what comes a bit after that "regard those in authority" thing:
"Armed resistance to oppression by political authority is not legitimate, unless all the following conditions are met: 1) there is certain, grave, and prolonged violation of fundamental rights; 2) all other means of redress have been exhausted; 3) such resistance will not provoke worse disorders; 4) there is well-founded hope of success; and 5) it is impossible reasonably to foresee any better solution."
(Catechism, 2243)
I'm profoundly glad that I live in a country where the custom is to decide, every few years, which leaders we'll swap out and replace with ones who might the job done, and which we don't want any more. Political campaigns and the squabbling afterward are, for me, somewhere between funny and embarrassing: but one of the alternatives is the sort of situation Libyans are dealing with. (Another War-on-Terror Blog (February 28, 2011) On the whole, I prefer election-year lunacy to civil war.

I think this is a pretty good summary of what's expected of a Catholic citizen:
"It is the duty of citizens to work with civil authority for building up society in a spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom."
(2255)
I've written about being an American citizen and a practicing Catholic before, including these posts:

The Catholic Church in Kenya

I grew up in America, and absorbed much of this country's culture. Including the 'Irish priest' stereotype. As I learned more about the universal church, I realized that being Catholic wasn't about any particular nationality or ethnic group. I've discussed my conversion before.

What got me started thinking about Irish priests, the Catholic Church, and all that, was this article:
"As Kenya's Catholic Church grows, it works to stand on its own"
Barb Fraze, CNS (Catholic News Service), via USCCB (March 1, 2011)

"When 33-year-old Father Moses Kago was a teen and considering becoming a priest, he thought that he would have to have surgery to make him a white man.

"As he recently recounted that story at his home parish about 60 miles north of Nairobi, he told the congregation members they lived in a different church. He had not seen an African priest; they have seen many.

"The Kenyan church, which just 100 years ago was in the early stages of evangelization, is trying hard to stand on its own.

"Vocations are flourishing, and many African priests use Pope John Paul II's saying that no one is too poor to give something and no one is too rich to receive. The description on the gate of the secondary school across from Father Kago's home parish in Mutunguru includes the saying 'to mold an all-rounded person who is disciplined, self-reliant ....'

" 'Encouraging self-reliance of the faithful is one of the priorities of the church,' to 'wean off the sense of dependence,' said Bishop Anthony Muheria of Kitui....

"...'...We are receiving a lot of help from our sister churches ... but there is also the sense that we must also feel the responsibility to support the church in other areas.' He noted a steady growth in contributions 'in supporting the church in other places.'..."
One of the places that Catholics in Kenya are supporting their fellow-Catholics is the parish my household is part of, here in central Minnesota. I've mentioned Our Lady of the Angels' sister parish before. (September 19, 2010) You'll get a more first-hand discussion from one of the Minnesotans who lived in Migori for a while. (guest post (July 19, 2009))

Back to that CNS article:
"...Bishop Anthony Ireri Mukobo of Isiolo, chairman of the Kenyan bishops' commission for missions, told Catholic News Service that some Kenyan dioceses can actually send some of their own priests to other parts of the country to help run parishes.

"The Archdiocese of Nairobi 'can take care of its own internal expenses ... and also personnel,' as can the Nyeri Archdiocese and several others.

"But in some areas, he said, 'This is the first evangelization.'

"Many areas cannot take care of their own resources yet "because of the natural calamities of the areas," he added.

"However, he pointed out, there is no church in the world 'in which you can walk by yourself.' The Americans are rich in materials, but the Kenyans are rich in vocations, he said...."
(CNS, via USCCB)
I think - and hope - and pray - that as Catholics who live in America sort out what the Holy See teaches from what America's dominant culture says 'those Catholics' believe, we'll start seeing more vocations in America.

Until then, I'm very glad that we've got the folks in Kenya with us. Another generation or two, and we might be seeing stories about the likes of Father Faraji: and having youngsters who learn that you don't have to be African, to be a priest.

As I've said before, change happens. And that's yet again another topic.

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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.