Francis, Week Two: or, "Living Stones" aren't Squishy Rocks

Pope Francis has 'recycled' the motto he'd chosen as bishop, talked about Saint Joseph, and put World Youth Day 2013 on his schedule.

He also opened his papacy with a friendly gesture: a sort of 'papal hi.'

I'll be back in an hour or so, with something else: but figured this was enough for one post.

1. A Recycled Motto, and Papal Symbols
   • Tuxedos, Casulae, and Regional Culture
   • 'Out of Step:' Two Millennia and Counting
   • Symbols, Authority, and History
   • 'Out of Step:' Two Millennia and Counting
   • Symbols and History
   • Authority, Nitwits, and Me
2. Saint Joseph: Protector
   • "Living Stones," Squishy Rocks, and Getting a Grip
3. World Youth Day and Continuity

---

1. A Recycled Motto, and Papal Symbols

"Pope Francis : 'Miserando atque eligendo'..."
Vatican Radio. via NEWS.va (March 19, 2013)

"Pope Francis has chosen the motto 'Miserando atque eligendo', meaning lowly but chosen; literally in Latin 'by having mercy, by choosing him'.

"The motto is one the Pope had already chosen as Bishop. It is taken from the homilies of the Venerable Bede on Saint Matthew's Gospel relating to his vocation: 'Jesus saw the tax collector and by having mercy chose him as an Apostle saying to him: Follow me.'

"This homily, which focuses on divine mercy...."

I think "Jesus saw the tax collector" is a reference to Mathhew 9:9, and that's almost another topic.

I decided to become a Catholic after I learned who currently holds the authority my Lord gave Peter. (Matthew 16:17-19) (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 551-553) Colorful traditions and rich symbolism developed over the last two millennia were a sort of bonus: which, sadly, aren't always appreciated.

Tuxedos, Casulae, and Regional Culture

The Pope 'dresses funny,' by contemporary Western standards. That's a perennial source of amusement, with jokes of the 'he wears a dress' variety.

I don't particularly enjoy that sort of humor, particularly when it's accompanied by all-too-familiar assumptions about Catholic Church: but I generally don't rant and rave in response.

Experience suggests that emotional meltdowns do more harm than good.

Besides, I grew up in this culture, and see their point. I also realize that our clergy's formal wear predates tuxedos, breeches, and chaperons.

For example, we call casulae a "chasubles" these days, but the basic style goes back when Caesars were still running Rome. Time passed, a few other empires rose and fell, but there hasn't been a good reason to make more than a few changes in clerical vestments.

'Out of Step:' Two Millennia and Counting

Our vestments would look out of place in most American offices. That's hardly surprising, since they predate the current iteration of Western civilization.

A three-piece business suit might look just as odd a dozen centuries or so from now.

I don't expect an outfit that's endured for millennia and is literally καθολικός, universal, to follow one region's current fashions.

As for being 'out of step' with today's fashionable clothing, and ideas?

Even when the casula was street wear, the Church was 'out of step' with contemporary mores: and I'm okay with that.

"...I'm content to be 'out of step' with whatever philosophies are popular today. I think it's more important to be in step with my Lord. That's why I became a Catholic. I'm content to be part of the Church that's rooted in eternity, under the authority my Lord gave Peter,³ marching through time toward a city that hasn't been built yet...."
(April 1, 2012)

Symbols and History

A few years ago, I asked my wife about the symbolism behind colors in votive candle holders. Apparently the clear, red, green, blue, and other colors are simply there 'for pretty:' at least in the local culture.¹ Not everything in a Catholic church is fraught with symbolism.

On the other hand, quite a bit of the Pope's 'full dress uniform' says something: for folks who understand the visual language:

"Francis' papal symbols linked to past Popes"
David Uebbing, CNA/EWTN News (March 19, 2013)

"When Pope Francis was installed as Bishop of Rome today, the two major symbols of the authority he received were connected to previous Popes.

"The inauguration ceremony began with Pope Francis visiting the tomb of St. Peter. He then processed out to the square, with the patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic Churches carrying the Book of the Gospels, his pallium and the Fisherman's ring....

"...the papal ring and the pallium - a circular stole of white wool that symbolizes Francis' role as the chief shepherd of the Church - are connected to Paul VI and Benedict XVI, respectively.

"The ring, known as the Fisherman's ring because Jesus made Peter a 'fisher of men,' has a unique and circuitous history....

"...The pallium is made from lamb's wool and has five red crosses on it to recall the five wounds of Christ. Major archbishops also wear palliums signifying their roles as shepherds, but their crosses are black...."

Authority, Nitwits, and Me

Spending my teens in the '60s encouraged me to see my attitudes in a particular way. I thought I didn't like authority, until my wife pointed out that I was just fine with authority: it was pompous nitwits that I have trouble with. (March 30, 2011)

We've had pretty good popes during my life, but that hasn't always been the case. The 11th, 12th, and 14th centuries were particularly rough patches.

I think Francis will be another 'good pope,' but that isn't why I am still in solidarity with the Holy See.

I am a Catholic because the authority my Lord gave Peter rests with the current Pope: no matter what sort of person he is.

If anything, the Church's survival despite occasionally regrettable leadership convinced me that this really is the Bark of Peter. (December 7, 2010)

---

2. Saint Joseph: Protector

"Pope: Homily for inaugural Mass of Petrine Ministry [full text]"
Vatican Radio. via NEWS.va (March 19, 2013)

"Homily of the Holy Father at the Inauguration of his Papal Ministry 19 March 2013:

"Dear Brothers and Sisters, I thank the Lord that I can celebrate this Holy Mass for the inauguration of my Petrine ministry on the solemnity of Saint Joseph, the spouse of the Virgin Mary and the patron of the universal Church...."

The transcript is available in English on the Vatican's website, too:

• "Homily of the Holy Father Pope Francis"
  Francis I (March 19, 2013)

Francis I had quite a bit to say, including this bit about "living stones." If I thought God wants to literally make me into a chunk of structural material I'd be worried, to say the least. That's not what 1 Peter 2:4-5 means.

"...God does not want a house built by men, but faithfulness to his word, to his plan. It is God himself who builds the house, but from living stones sealed by his Spirit. Joseph is a 'protector' because he is able to hear God's voice and be guided by his will; and for this reason he is all the more sensitive to the persons entrusted to his safekeeping. He can look at things realistically, he is in touch with his surroundings, he can make truly wise decisions. In him, dear friends, we learn how to respond to God's call, readily and willingly, but we also see the core of the Christian vocation, which is Christ! Let us protect Christ in our lives, so that we can protect others, so that we can protect creation!..."
(Francis I (March 19, 2013))

I recommend reading the entire transcript: it's not all that long.

"Living Stones," Squishy Rocks, and Getting a Grip

I can be quite certain that following my Lord doesn't involve becoming squishy rock. For one thing, 1 Peter 2:5 says "...like living stones, let yourselves be built...." It's a metaphor, like calling baptized Christians "living stones." (Catechism, 1268) I wouldn't expect to convince a literalist, and that is another topic.

---

3. World Youth Day and Continuity

"Pope Francis will attend World Youth Day, officials confirm"
CNA/EWTN News (March 19, 2013)

"The president of the Brazilian bishops' conference, Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis, has confirmed that Pope Francis will travel to Brazil in July to participate in World Youth Day 2013.

"The statements by the Archbishop of Aparecida concur with recent statements by the Archbishop of Rio, who said Benedict XVI told him that either he or his successor would be present for the event...."

This is good news for folks in Brazil, and everyone who plans to attend World Youth Day 2013. I think it also show that Popes come and go: but the Church goes on.

Related posts:

• Living with change
  • "Prayer, Technology, and Looking Ahead"
    (February 24, 2013)
  • "Becoming Something New"
    (October 14, 2012)
  • " 'The World is On Fire' - Again: Saint Teresa of Avila and the New Evangelization"
    (July 22, 2012)
  • "Taking Life a Thousand Years at a Time"
    (June 10, 2012)
  • "Ancient Style and Today's Discussions at the 'Vatican Science Academy' "
    (October 2, 2011)
  • "Horses, Gothic Cathedrals, and a Faith That Matters"
    (July 9, 2011)
• Pursuing the goal
  
  • "Prayer, Technology, and Looking Ahead"
    (February 24, 2013)
  • "An Eternal Life I can Live With"
    (August 27, 2011)
  • " 'If Necessary, Use Words' "
    (November 25, 2012)
  • " 'I Love Humanity - - - ' "
    (October 15, 2012)
  • "Hope, Joy, and Working for a Better World"
    (September 13, 2011)
• Authority
  • "Gratitude, Authority, and Duty"
    (December 2, 2012)
    Particularly
    • Authority: Legitimate and Otherwise
  • "Obedience, Yes: Blind Obedience, No"
    (March 12, 2012)
  • "Authority: My Wife's Right"
    (March 30, 2011)
  • "The Village, the Fence and the Sign"
    (December 5, 2010)
    A fable
  • "The Catholic Church: Authoritarian, Which Isn't Necessarily a Bad Thing"
    (October 2, 2008)

---

¹ As usual, it's not that simple. Sometimes colored glass in votive candle holders does mean something. For example, I've seen a bank of candle holders arranged so that one color makes a capital "M:" Quite appropriate in the Our Lady of Angels parish church.

We think quite highly of Mary, but don't 'worship' her, and that's another topic or two:

• "Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary: It's a Big Deal"
  (December 9, 2011)
• " 'Do Whatever He Tells You' "
  (March 20, 2011)
• "Mary, Mother of Jesus: Reading Glasses for Catholics"
  (August 15, 2010)

Why I Don't Go Ballistic Over Xmas

When I refer to the religious festival, secular holiday, or commercial bonanza that happens this time of year, I write "Christmas." Not "Xmas." That's because I'm fairly fast at key-entry, like the 'sound' of "Christmas," and don't want to upset folks who feel bad when they see "Xmas."

Counting the title, I've written "Xmas" three times so far in this post. Four with that last sentence.

Not because I'm trying to make anybody feel bad, but because I've seen discussions of "Xmas" in various places. Some apparently more informed than others.

I've run into a few explanations for why some folks write "Xmas" when they mean "Christmas:"

• People are lazy
• It's an attack on Christianity
• The X in Christmas is
  • St. Andrew's Cross
  • The Greek Letter Chi, expressed in our Latin-derived alphabet

I don't doubt that some folks, when they write "Xmas," intend to 'attack' Christianity. Or at least are trying to annoy tightly-wound Christians. Some folks may write "Xmas" in an effort to avoid writer's cramp. The version I heard first, and give some credence to, is that the "X" is a reference to St. Andrew's cross. Which, by tradition, was shaped more-or-less like an "X." (More about that in the background articles, at the end of this post.)

I won't insist on that explanation, since I haven't verified it. The 'X means Chi' explanation makes sense to me, too: but again, I haven't thoroughly researched the matter.

Again, I prefer to write out "Christmas." But, like I said in this post's title, I don't go ballistic when I see "Xmas." There are many possible explanations for why a particular person might use that abbreviation. And besides, if I must get upset: I'd rather pick a less ambiguous target.

Which reminded me (ADHD, remember?):

We Worship the Post Exchange?!

Considering how many Christian churches have a labarum, or chi-rho symbol, prominently displayed in the sanctuary, I'm a little surprised that I haven't run into someone claiming that 'those people' worship a Post Exchange, sometimes referred to as the PX. (See AAFES/Post Exchange (Mini-Mall): "The Post Exchange (PX) is a modern self-service shoppette....")

Colorful as the idea of people worshiping a PX is, the Chi-Roh symbol predates the American military, the Norman Invasion, the fall of the Roman Empire, and the conversion of Emperor Constantine.

The labarum, or chi-rho, been a Christian symbol for a long time, and represents the first two letters of my Lord's title, Christ, as expressed in the Greek language (Catholic Encyclopedia) - and subsequently picked up by barbarians who were using variations on the Latin alphabet. A lot can happen in two millennia. And has. And that's another topic.

Almost-related posts:

• "Demons aren't Dull"
  (November 30, 2010)
• "When 'Secret' Doesn't Mean 'Secret:' The Vatican Secret Archives"
  (November 12, 2010)
• "Halloween, Emperor Palpatine, Electric Eyeballs, and Getting a Grip"
  (October 29, 2010)
• "Apathy is Rampant, But Who Cares?"
  (October 4, 2010)
• "God's Creation: He Seems to Think Big"
  (September 23, 2010)

Background:

• "Andrew, the Protoclete"
  Benedict XVI, General Audience (June 14, 2006)
• "St. Andrew"
  Catholic Encyclopedia, via New Advent
• "Labarum (Chi-Rho)"
  Catholic Encyclopedia, via New Advent

Tartans, Scotland, the Pope, and a Universal Church

If you live in the English-speaking world and are Catholic, you probably know about the Pope's trip to the United Kingdom. I've got an additional reason for being a bit interested, since I'm half Irish.

Well, half Irish and a bit more from the north end of the British Isles. Some of my "Irish" roots are in Scotland: I'm descended from the clan Campbell, which I wouldn't be too eager to mention if I ever traveled in the highlands. That's another topic. I see I've mentioned this before, in another blog - along with being in line for the thaneship of Cawdor. Which is yet another topic.

Wrenching this post back on-topic, the Pope's expected to arrive in Scotland on the feast day of Saint Ninian, a missionary who arrived in Scotland at Galloway some 1,600 years ago.

Along with other items on his itinerary, the Pope will - if everything goes as expected - receive a tartan created particularly for his visit.

Tartans in Scotland go back at least a few centuries before St. Ninian arrived. They were associated with clans - sort of - by the time the 18th century came around: and were banned - to a certain extent - after a particularly lethal difference of opinion. The ban was lifted after 36 years: and that is definitely another topic. (see Scottish History Online)

Today the tartan - which does not mean the same thing as "plaid" - which is pronounced "plaide" (Margaret Frost) - is a potent symbol of Scotland.

Tartans, Animal Skins, Roman-Era Attire, and the Catholic Church

Catholic vestments have changed a bit over the last couple thousand years. Part of what we see during Mass started out as secular clothing in the Graeco-Roman world. I don't think it's such a stretch to think of them as the Roman-era equivalent of a business suit, with features added for symbolic and other purposes. (see The Catholic Encyclopedia)

The Pope's uniform is the most elaborate of the lot - and sometimes has add-ons. I've seen a Pope, in uniform, with an animal skin on his back. Leopard, I think. In the part of the world he was visiting, that was a symbol of high authority - and the Catholic Church is, literally, universal. We work with local cultures. I've mentioned this before. Often.

I don't know if Pope Benedict XVI will wear that tartan - but I'm glad he's getting a sort of memento like that on his visit to one of my ancestral homelands.

Here's an excerpt form the news article that got me started on this post:

"Custom Scottish plaid created to celebrate papal visit"
Catholic News Agency (September 9, 2010)

"A traditional plaid Scottish design, or tartan, has been created to commemorate the Pope's visit to Great Britain this month. The North Carolina creator of the design said the interlocking pattern of stripes tells the story of the Catholic Church in Scotland while interweaving elements of next week's trip.

"With just a week remaining before the Holy Father's arrival to the nation's two major cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, the Scottish Church announced the novelty of the first ever papal visit tartan on Thursday. Matthew Newsome, director of the Scottish Tartans Museum in Franklin, North Carolina, drew it up especially for the Sept. 16 occasion...."

"...The tartan's 'white line on blue field draws upon Scotland's national colors while the green reflects the lichens growing on the stones of Whithorn in Galloway,' he [Matthew Newsome] said, explaining that it was there that the missionary St. Ninian arrived 1,600 years ago.

"St. Ninian's feast day will be observed in a very special way this year as it coincides with the arrival of the Pope in Scotland.

"Red lines also accompany the white lines, said Newsome, which is in remembrance of the colors of Cardinal John Henry Newman's crest, and thin yellow lines were also put alongside the white to reflect the colors of the Holy See.

"He added, '(i)n terms of the weaving, each white line on the green contains exactly eight threads, one for each Catholic diocese in Scotland. There are 452 threads in the design from pivot to pivot, representing the number of Catholic parishes.'..."

Members of the Scottish parliament - all 129 of them - received a tie or scarf with this design on Thursday. The Pope's getting a tartan in this pattern, too, according to the article, when he arrives in Scotland.

Vaguely-related posts:

• "Unity, Diversity, and Being Catholic"
  (August 26, 2010)
• "Catholic Vestment Colors: Symbols of Our Beliefs"
  (July 23, 2010)
• "Indigenous Cultures, Keeping Up, and Being Catholic"
  (May 24, 2010)
• "'Cafeteria Catholics' and a Diverse Church"
  (June 8, 2009)
  Particularly
  • Catholic Beliefs and Practices: And Diversity?!
• "The Pope Shouldn't Wear a Cross: Who Knew?"
  (March 17, 2009)

More:

• "Benedict XVI | General Audience"
  Paul VI Hall, the Holy See (September 8, 2010)
• "History of the Tartan"
  Margaret Frost, Scottish American Society (14th of January 2007 January 14, 2007)
• "The History of Scottish Tartans & Clan Tartans"
  Scottish History Online
• "Vestments"
  The Catholic Encyclopedia, via New Advent

Catholic Vestment Colors: Symbols of Our Beliefs

Color matters. There's a reason why you're not likely to find a lot of bright red and yellow in an investment company's advertisement - or deep greens and rich browns on the sign of a fast-food joint.

Or people wearing white armbands at a funeral. Actually, in some parts of the world: you might. What colors mean is at least partly a matter of culture.¹

Here in the West, the Catholic Church's color for (most) funerals was black. Now, it's black or white. I mentioned that yesterday.

Catholic Vestment Colors Mean Something

There's a reason for the priest celebrating Mass in a different color on different days - and it's not because he got bored with green. All those colors mean something: white; red; green, violet, black, and (around here) rose.

I didn't mention blue. That's because this blog is about a Catholic's experiences and outlook in America. Blue is an important color for vestments in some places: but not in this part of the world.² Not yet, anyway.

The symbolism of vestment colors in America is also what I could check on personally, without making a long-distance call. I'll get back to that.

The Catholic Church has a rich heritage of symbols - which I think could be discussed more often. But that's another topic. Here in the West, about a century back, these were what vestment colors meant:

• White
  • Light
    • Innocence
    • Purity
    • Joy
    • Glory
• Red
  • Fire and blood
    • Burning charity
    • Martyrs' generous sacrifice
• Green
  • Plants and trees
    • Hope of life eternal
• Violet
  Gloomy cast of the mortified
  • Affliction and melancholy
• Black
  • Mourning
    • Sorrow of death
    • Sombreness of the tomb
  (Source: "Liturgical Colours," The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908), via New Advent)

About 50 years after that, this was the symbolism attached to the colors of vestments:

• White
  • Purity of soul
  • Holiness
• Red
  • The shedding of blood
  • Burning love
• Green
  • Hope
• Violet
  • Penance
  Black
  • Mourning
• Rose
  • Joy in the midst of penance
• Gold
  • Used on solemn occasions in place of white, red, or green vestments
  (Source: "Baltimore Catechism," Lesson 27, via EWTN.com)

Less than an hour ago, I called a deacon whose knowledge of the Church I've learned to trust: and he tells me that the colors mean the same thing now.

American English has shifted a little during the last century, but that seems to be the most significant change in discussion of vestment colors mean.

Related post:

• "Colorful Catholics: Vestment Colors For Every Season"
  (July 22, 2010)

---

¹ Posts about color, in another blog:

• "Color, Psychology, Emotions and Mood"
  Apathetic Lemming of the North (January 30, 2010)
• "Are Moods Really Blue? Color, Psychology, and Culture"
  Apathetic Lemming of the North (May 21, 2008)

² Catholics live and worship in Spain, Portugal, Mexico, South America, the Philippines, and many other places: but the American experience is what I know about first-hand.

Colorful Catholics: Vestment Colors For Every Season

A priest in the Netherlands got in trouble with his superiors recently, apparently for wearing orange vestments - that uniform worn by priests during Mass. ("Dutch Catholic Priest Suspended for Liturgical Abuse," Christopher's Apologies (July 20, 2010))

He was showing great team spirit, since orange is the color for his country's team in the soccer World Cup. Problem was, this was a Mass.

Team spirit's okay: As long as you remember which team you're on. Those orange vestments made it look like the priest might be putting allegiance to a sports team ahead of allegiance to the Lord of Hosts. I trust that's not what he had in mind - but symbols matter.

The Catholic Church uses lots of symbols: including what colors are on the vestments worn by priests at Mass. That orange outfit roused my curiosity, so I dug around a little. Here's what the uniform colors are in America:

• White
  • Offices and Masses during the Easter and Christmas seasons
  • Celebrations of
    • The Lord other than of his Passion
    • The Blessed Virgin Mary
    • The Holy Angels
    • Saints who were not Martyrs
    • The Solemnities of All Saints (1 November)
    • The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist (24 June)
    • The Feasts of Saint John the Evangelist (27 December)
    • The Chair of Saint Peter (22 February)
    • The Conversion of Saint Paul (25 January)
• Red
  • Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion
  • Good Friday
  • Pentecost Sunday
  • Celebrations of the Lord's Passion
  • The feasts of the Apostles and Evangelists
  • Celebrations of Martyr Saints.
• Green
  • The Offices and Masses of Ordinary Time
• Violet or purple
  • Advent
  • Lent
  • It may also be worn in Offices and Masses for the Dead
    • See White or black
• White or Black
  • Vestments of these colors may be worn at funeral services and at other Offices and Masses for the Dead in the Dioceses of the United States of America.
• Rose may be used, where it is the practice, on
  • Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent)
  • Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent)
• On more solemn days, sacred vestments may be used that are festive, that is, more precious, even if not of the color of the day.
• Gold or silver colored vestments may be worn on more solemn occasions in the dioceses of the United States of America.

(adapted from "The Requisites for the Celebration of Mass," Chapter VI, section IV, paragraph 346)

Those colors mean something: but it's getting late in my time zone, and that'll have to wait for another day.

Posts about symbols:

• "Public Displays of Devotion, a Diverted Flight, and Me"
  (January 21, 2010)
• "Christmas Nativity Scenes and St. Francis of Assisi"
  (December 24, 2009)
• "Swine Flu and Mexico City: No Baptisms, No Confirmations, No Mass - But Plenty of Faith"
  (April 29, 2009)

More:

• Chapter VI
  "The Requisites for the Celebration of Mass," Committee on Divine Worship, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

---

Update (July 23, 2010)

Vestment Colors, continued:

• "Catholic Vestment Colors: Symbols of Our Beliefs"
  (July 23, 2010)

Anger, Hate, Love, Prayer and Trashing a Maywood, California, Catholic School

One of the challenges - and opportunities - for a practicing Catholic living in America involves what we're taught about hate. I'll get into more detail a little later in this post, but the short-short version of Catholic teaching on hate is that we're not supposed to hate people. Any people. Any group of people.

You've probably run into someone who insists that he or she is Catholic, and is a sort of poster child for some sort of hatred. What can I say? Some people are jerks, and some jerks are Catholic. And we all can use prayer. More of that later, too.

Since Catholics who understand and practice their faith are neither part of America's dominant culture, nor inclined to support all of its policies, it's easy for us to feel a bit persecuted. Sometimes, I think, with some reason.

But that's no excuse for hating people. At all.

Isn't Religion All About Being Angry?

In my adolescence, I came up with "First Church of Holy Hate," to describe what I was hearing on the 'good Christian' radio programs, and from other sources. That was the sixties, and some of the older generation were going through a very rough time. (May 25, 2010)

But, despite the impression some Christians give, Christianity isn't all about hating people. Yes, you'll run into the 'good Christian' who explains why the Bible is against everything he doesn't like. But that joker isn't necessarily a 'typical' Christian leader. Despite what you'll read and hear in the more 'sophisticated' American enclaves. Actually, it's hard for me to see any of the world's major religions as particularly hate-filled.

Try to imagine the Dalai Lama throwing a Molotov cocktail, and you'll see what I mean. On the other hand, maybe using the Dalai Lama as an example isn't a good idea. As I wrote in another post:

"...I don't know it this is still the case, but back in the day, people who were convinced that religion was bad and that religious beliefs made people do bad things - also thought the Dalai Lama was a nice guy.

"But that wasn't a contradiction, since the Dalai Lama wasn't religious.

"Can't argue with logic like that...."
(April 12, 2010)

Don't let that 'open-minded' approach fool you. I'm not one of those well-meaning folks who think that all religions are pretty much the same. But I try not to be the sort of chauvinist who says, in effect, "I'm right, and anybody who doesn't agree with me is a doo-doo head." (May 16, 2010)

What's Wrong With Being Angry?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church doesn't discuss hate all that much: but there's quite a bit about what fuels hate: anger.

"...Anger is a desire for revenge. 'To desire vengeance in order to do evil to someone who should be punished is illicit,' but it is praiseworthy to impose restitution 'to correct vices and maintain justice.'⁹⁵ If anger reaches the point of a deliberate desire to kill or seriously wound a neighbor, it is gravely against charity; it is a mortal sin. The Lord says, 'Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment.'⁹⁶..."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2302)

Anger and Decisions to Hate, Decisions to Love

Keep reading the Catechism, and other Catholic works, and you'll learn that anger, by itself, isn't good. It isn't bad, either, by itself. What's good or bad is what we decide to do about the anger. Hate isn't necessarily bad, either - but that'll take a bit more explaining.

The seven capital sins, by the way, are pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth or acedia. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1866) "Wrath" is what's often called "anger:" and those two words don't mean quite the same thing.

I'm getting off-topic.

This is Not a Hate Crime

(from PZ Myers, Pharyngula (July 24, 2008), used w/o permission)

This photo is an example of academic freedom and self-expression, as practiced by an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris, a few years ago. Some Catholics here in Minnesota raised a modest fuss about the gentleman's decision to drive a nail through a consecrated Host; throw it, along with a pages ripped from the Quran and an atheist's book, in the trash; photograph the lot; and post the photo, along with an explanation for his inquiring, open-minded action.

The University of Minnesota, Morris, was nice enough to remove some of their website's links to this bit of self-expression, but explained that the sacrilege was perfectly okay. The assistant professor, you see, has "academic freedom:" which includes the right to do outrageous things like that, without experiencing consequences. While my tax dollars help pay his salary.

I am not happy about that.

The academician's act certainly was not a hate crime, in the American sense of the word.

Still, it was a horrific act of sacrilege.

In fairness, I rather doubt that the learned associate professor realized quite what he was doing. Non-Catholics in this country may have a vague impression that Catholics believe in a 'magic cracker,' as one wit put it: but probably know little if anything about the Real Presence. Even a distressing number of Catholics, at least here in America, are clueless as to what - and who - a consecrated Host is. (Catechism, 1378, 1379) I hope the fellow who pushed a nail through that Host didn't know what he was doing.

This Might be a Hate Crime

(from the Maywood, California, Police Department and Jeff Allen (Flickr); via catholicnewsagency, used w/o permission)

That's a frame taken from a Catholic News Agency's video about a particularly nasty bit of vandalism done at a Catholic school associated with this church:


(from the Maywood, California, Police Department and Jeff Allen (Flickr); via catholicnewsagency, used w/o permission)
St. Rose of Lima, Maywood, California

At least two people broke into the school, wrote "666" as a way, I presume, of expressing their feelings, and stuck a cross - upside down - in a stove. I don't think that was very nice.

Maywood Vandalism: Nothing New Here

I'm not, however, all that surprised that the crime was committed. Disgusted, revolted, angry, almost nauseated: yes. Surprised, no. The attitude toward 'those Catholics' is, in several American subcultures, bitterly negative at best. It's hard to shake the impression that many Americans, from the distributors of that "Death Cookie" comic to the editors of The New York Times, see the Catholic Church in much the same way that American organizations like the KKK did, back in the 'good old days.'

And, no: I do not see any evidence that the Klan is involved with this vandalism. I do, however, think its quite likely that a 'klannish' sort of festering hatred is involved in the motive.

Oh, Come On: How Bad Can It Be?

I first learned about the Maywood Catholic school incident through cnalive, the Catholic News Agency's Twitter account. Here are a couple more frames from a Catholic News Agency video, and the video itself:



(from the Maywood, California, Police Department and Jeff Allen (Flickr); via catholicnewsagency, used w/o permission)

(The CNA video has been reduced in size to fit this blog's format. If it doesn't display properly, you could follow the link to the YouTube source.)

"Vandals attack St. Rose of Lima Catholic School"

catholicnewsagency, YouTube (May 25, 2010)
video, 1:16

"In an apparent hate crime, vandals broke into the kitchen of St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Maywood, Calif. desecrating an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe and a cross and spilling foodstuffs everywhere."
(catholicnewsagency, YouTube)

St. Rose of Lima is a "bilingual community," according to the Catholic News Agency video: which raises the possibility that hatred toward Catholics and Catholicism wasn't the only - or even the primary - motive.

Whatever the motive: How bad can it be? Quite bad.

The good news is that nobody was hurt or killed. For that we should all be grateful.

How People Respond to a Hateful Act

I've got very strong feelings about what happened at the Maywood Catholic school. But I've learned that reason is a more reliable tool than emotion, when it comes to evaluating facts. If this post seems cold, or uncaring: maybe it's because I want to stick to what's real: and giving in to an emotional flood wouldn't help me achieve that goal.

Reader comments following one article, "Los Angeles Catholic school vandalized, religious items desecrated," Catholic News Agency (May 25, 2010), display an - interesting - range of attitudes. As usual in cases like this, they were displayed in reverse chronological order, withthe most recent comment on top:

"Subscriber comments:
"Published by: Hera
"Kenya 05/26/2010 09:26 AM EST
"The US government & the EU & are so PROMPT to attack & condemn the laws of countries when Homosexuals are incacerated [!] or face a death sentence. But they have NOTHING to say whatsoever in the desecration of a Christian Churh. [!] And BBC who is alwyas [!] at the forefront at dennouncing the homosexual 'persecution' as a priority news item NEVER bring up this persecution of the Church when it happens in the 'free & rights based' America but never tires to do so in Muslim countries as though it is OK for Americans & not so for Muslims. Yet,ironically many in the Obama administration claimed to be Christian during their campaigns."

"Published by: Darla Lucas
"Springdale, AR 72764 05/26/2010 09:18 AM EST
"In circumstances where the hatred is so obvious, there is nothing more powerful than prayer.

"Published by: GerryL
"Land O Lakes, FL 05/25/2010 11:23 PM EST
"Lord, forgive them for they do not know what they do.
"Published by: Lynn
"So. Illinois 05/25/2010 10:03 PM EST
"The above commenter is truly perceptive and a discerner of spirits. We must pray to appease Our Lord & Lady concerning this evil attack. I have a newspaper clipping of a similar IL. vandalism where the boys spraypainted Our Lady of Grace's face with a Swaztika [!] symbol. One boy has repented of his actions and made some type of reparation. Praise God."

"Published by: Tim Henning
"Pasadena, CA, USA 05/25/2010 08:09 PM EST
"It is a sad day when people behave so much worse than any animal. This is a case of extreme selfishness, immorality and cowardice--the kind of act that resembles terrorism. We should reflect on what happened to our society that we could have such things happen."

"Published by: Nate
"Minnesota 05/25/2010 08:07 PM EST
"The only way one will not see any of the 'mainstream media condemning this' is if one refuses to pay attention to the mainstream media; the L.A. Times reported on this. The ideology of advocating for the oppressed and the poor (the ideology of the ACLU) is the ideology of Christ. Accusing 'liberal organizations' of tyranny and of being enemies of 'Our Lord and his Catholic Church' does nothing to bring about reconciliation. Please refuse to engage in the polarizing rhetoric of hate, and instead engage in the life affirming rhetoric of peace, love and justice."

"Published by: Nate
Minnesota 05/25/2010 07:20 PM EST
Francis, let's not respond to hate with more hate. This vandalism is deplorable. Why do you feel the need to label and grumble against organizations and people that are utterly blameless in this crime. Creating false dichotomies only escalates hatefulness and division. Let us work toward reconciliation, peace and unity through charity and humility."

"Published by: Francis
"Wareham Ma 05/25/2010 04:24 PM EST
"You won't see any of the leftwing, marxist, masonic and liberal organizations and people like the ACLU, the 'Southern Poverty law center', the ADL or the mainstream media condemning this. Our Lord and his Catholic Church are fair game to these people because Our Lord and his One True Church are considered the enemy and stand in the way of the people that I mentioned above from bringing their ideology and tyranny to the masses."
(CNA)

I sympathize - a little - with Francis. There have been times when America's old-school news media decided that a particular bit of news wasn't "fit to print" - perhaps because they didn't have room in the paper, or perhaps because they couldn't imagine that anyone would, for example, really burn down a construction project in the name of conservation.

That doesn't happen very often, though: not now, anyway. That's why I always check before claiming that journalism's old guard has suppressed a story. Generally, I find some sort of coverage: although sometimes off in a specialized department.

That's yet again another topic.

The point is, Francis failed to notice the CBS and other articles on the Maywood vandalism - and also made some fairly wild charges about organizations that have no apparent connection with what happened in Maywood. I suppose the same charge could be leveled at me, for introducing the KKK. But note: I was careful to use the Klan as an example, not as an active agent in this week's crime.

The bottom line is that assumptions are assumptions: and it's not a good idea to present them as facts, unless you've done your research.

I'd have more sympathy for Nate, if my background didn't encourage me to see phrases like "polarizing rhetoric of hate" as ways to describe any statement that is not supportive of the day's politically correct view. Nate has a point though: it's best to restrict confrontations to topics that really matter. At least, I hope that's what he meant.

"Reconciliation" sounds nice, and so does "life affirming rhetoric of peace, love and justice." The latter reminds me of the groovy days of my youth. I've also lived in a subculture where phrases like that mean, "sit down and shut up if you don't agree with us." But then, Nate is convinced that the ideology of Christ is the ideology of the ACLU - which sounds an awful lot like the old "Jesus is an American" sentiment of the wacky right.

Oh, well.

Back to Anger

As I wrote before, anger isn't good, and it isn't bad. That's not my opinion, by the way:

"The term 'passions' refers to the affections or the feelings. By his emotions man intuits the good and suspects evil.

"The principal passions are love and hatred, desire and fear, joy, sadness, and anger.

"In the passions, as movements of the sensitive appetite, there is neither moral good nor evil. But insofar as they engage reason and will, there is moral good or evil in them.

"Emotions and feelings can be taken up in the virtues or perverted by the vices.

"The perfection of the moral good consists in man's being moved to the good not only by his will but also by his 'heart.' "
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1771-1775)

There's more: 1765-1766, for example.

So, am I angry? Yes, I am angry that someone decided to trash a school - and I'm particularly angry about what was done with the cross, and that stab in the eye of a picture.

Sure: 'it's just a picture.' But let's say that, instead of a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe, it was a photo of a prominent figure like Martin Luther King. A picture of a person isn't 'just a picture.' It is a representation, a symbol, of that person. Hurting the picture does no direct harm to the person: but it is a powerful symbol of the intent or desire to hurt the person.

I don't know what the point of stabbing her right eye was, but I recognize that quite a few non-Catholics, and some Catholics, don't understand Mary. ("Our Lady of Guadalupe: Empress of the Americas" (August 11, 2009))

How Do I Really Feel About the Maywood Vandalism?

If I let go, I'll be gut-wrenching furious about what vandals did in that Catholic school. That wouldn't do me any good, and would serve no useful purpose.

I'm not trying to understand what sort of warped motive led people to commit those acts. Right now, that would help feed a rage that - again - would serve no useful purpose.

I do intend, as soon as I wrap up this post, to pray for whoever committed these acts. Not pray that they burn in everlasting fire! That kind of trouble I do not need. Like Matthew wrote:

" 'Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you...'...."
(Matthew 7:1-2

What I plan to do is pray that the people who committed those crimes decide that what they did was wrong, and re-evaluate what they believe. And, I'm going to ask for help in cleaning up my own mind.

No pressure, but it wouldn't hurt if you prayed for those folks too. And, the parishioners at St. Rose of Lima in Maywood. They're hurting now, I suspect.

Related posts:

• "Assumptions About Religion, and American Rules of Etiquette"
  (April 14, 2010)
• " 'God, Please Kill That Guy I Don't Like' - Very Much Not Smart"
  (April 13, 2010)
• " 'Death Cookie' Comic: Seemed Like a Good Idea At the Time?"
  (March 5, 2010)
• "Religion Doesn't Cause Intolerance?!"
  (February 27, 2010)
• "Hating People: Not a Good Idea"
  (January 22, 2010)
• "The Manhattan Declaration: Hateful? - Who Knew?"
  (November 21, 2009)
• " 'I Hate Barack Obama' - Maybe Not the Best Message from a Pulpit"
  (September 1, 2009)
• "The Catholic Church and Homosexuals: Harsh and Soft, Judgmental and Understanding"
  (March 13, 2009)
  Particularly
  • Hate the Sin, Not the Sinner
    

In the news:

• " Vandalism of a heinous nature' "
  California Catholic Daily (May 26, 2010)
• "Police seek leads in hate crime at Maywood Catholic Church"
  LA Now - Southern California - This Just In, Los Angeles Times blog (May 24, 2010)
• "Police: Vandalism At Catholic Church 'Heinous' "
  CBS News (May 26, 2010)
• "Search is on for church hate crime vandals"
  ABC7 News(May 25, 2010)
• "Los Angeles Catholic school vandalized, religious items desecrated"
  Catholic News Agency (May 25, 2010)
• "Catholic Church School In Maywood Vandalized"
  CBS News (May 24, 2010)
• "Human Feces Involved in Maywood Church Vandalism"
  KTLA (May 24, 2010)

---

A tip of the hat to cnalive, for the heads-up on their article.

Wealth, the Vatican, the White House, Corporate Headquarters, and Cultural Values

I ran into it again this month, someone complaining that the Catholic Church should use all its wealth to help the poor. In this case, the folks in Haiti.

A couple Sundays ago, my family gave something extra at a second collection for Haiti relief efforts. The special collection had been announced well in advance, so that people would be prepared to give something extra. What my household gave wasn't much: and this town of 4,000 souls in central Minnesota isn't known for extreme wealth, so the entire collection probably won't be enough to satisfy the needs for more than a few people.

But there are something like 1,000,000,000 Catholics around. If each of us gives, a little: it adds up.

Doesn't the Church Teach Poverty?

The Catholic Church does teach poverty. Sort of.

But wealth isn't a bad thing. Take Saint Louis the Confessor, King of France, for example. If having wealth is bad - by itself - he was a hypocrite, and the Catholic Church is worse. As a feudal king, he owned France. Even in the 13th century: that was a lot of wealth. And he's recognized as a saint, for the way he used the hand he was dealt. (He wasn't perfect, by the way: Saints aren't perfect, they're heroic. (February 14, 2010))

It's okay to be wealthy: what matters is what you do with it.

It's also okay to be poor. If fact, we're called to be poor. Sort of.

Let's see what the Church has to say about poverty:

" 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, ⁴ for theirs is the kingdom of heaven....' "
(Jesus, Son of God, quoted in Matthew 5:3)

"The kingdom belongs to the poor and lowly, which means those who have accepted it with humble hearts. Jesus is sent to 'preach good news to the poor';²⁵³ he declares them blessed, for 'theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'²⁵⁴ To them-the 'little ones'-the Father is pleased to reveal what remains hidden from the wise and the learned.²⁵⁵ Jesus shares the life of the poor, from the cradle to the cross; he experiences hunger, thirst, and privation.²⁵⁶ Jesus identifies himself with the poor of every kind and makes active love toward them the condition for entering his kingdom.257"
(Catechism of the Catholic Chrurch, 544)

"Love for the poor is incompatible with immoderate love of riches or their selfish use:

"Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have killed the righteous man; he does not resist you.²³⁸"

(Catechism, 2445)

There's more about poverty: Catechism, 915, 2443, for starters.

And, no: I didn't miss the part about people who have "lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure...." I'm getting to what the Church has to say about wealth.

Now, if the Church is so concerned about the poor, why doesn't the Catholic Church step in, support the people's international movement against oppressor classes, and force compassion down the throats of those greedy monsters?

For starters, revolutions - any sort of war - tend to be a bit hard on the people involved. Which is a whole different topic. (see "About the Just War Doctrine" (June 7, 2009))

Wealth? The Church Says 'Don't Idolize Wealth'

Wealth isn't, as far as I can tell, considered a vice in the Catholic tradition. Idolizing wealth, or anything other that God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is.

"The beatitude we are promised confronts us with decisive moral choices. It invites us to purify our hearts of bad instincts and to seek the love of God above all else. It teaches us that true happiness is not found in riches or well-being, in human fame or power, or in any human achievement-however beneficial it may be-such as science, technology, and art, or indeed in any creature, but in God alone, the source of every good and of all love:

"All bow down before wealth. Wealth is that to which the multitude of men pay an instinctive homage. They measure happiness by wealth; and by wealth they measure respectability. . . . It is a homage resulting from a profound faith . . . that with wealth he may do all things. Wealth is one idol of the day and notoriety is a second. . . . Notoriety, or the making of a noise in the world-it may be called 'newspaper fame'-has come to be considered a great good in itself, and a ground of veneration.²⁴"

(Catechism, 1723)

"On coming into the world, man is not equipped with everything he needs for developing his bodily and spiritual life. He needs others. Differences appear tied to age, physical abilities, intellectual or moral aptitudes, the benefits derived from social commerce, and the distribution of wealth.⁴¹ The 'talents' are not distributed equally.⁴²"
(Catechism, 1936)

The way I've explained it to my kids is that life is a little like a card game. We all have a hand to play: and nobody has the same set of cards. If it looks like the deck is stacked, well: The dealer is God, and I'm not going to argue with the Lord of Hosts.

So: Poverty is Okay, Wealth is Okay: Why is the Pope's House So Fancy?

The Holy Father, the Pope, is head of the Catholic Church: the vicar of Christ.

He lives in a house that's so big, you could fit mine into one of the rooms. And he's got a fancy hat. Several of them. This is one he doesn't even wear:


(from Holy See Press Office, used w/o permission)

" The Triregnum (the Papal Tiara formed by three crowns symbolizing the triple power of the Pope: father of kings, governor of the world and Vicar of Christ) from the XVIII Century, with which the bronze statue of Saint Peter is crowned every June 29^th, the feast day of the Saint.

"Use of the Tiara, a ritual during solemn ceremonies, was abandoned during the Papacy of Paul VI."

Pope Paul VI's papacy was 1963-1978. Quite a few things changed around that time.

Like wearing that fancy hat. That sort of thing changes as the millennia roll by. But the Church doesn't change its message: the Pope doesn't have the authority to do that. But the Church does accommodate local cultures. That's why there was an evergreen tree in Our Lady of the Angels church, down the street, around Christmas; and why liturgical dance is forbidden in Western cultures - and (now) tolerated or encouraged in some Eastern cultures.

So, why does the Holy Father wear fancy clothes and live in a big house?

It Goes With the Job

Here's my take on the question: The Pope wears uniforms for the same reason that generals do. It's a sign of rank and position. It helps identify the Holy Father as the head of the Church here on Earth.

About the Pope's big fancy house?

The American White House, England's Buckingham Palace, Liberia's Executive Mansion, and the residences of other heads of state are not, as a rule, particularly mediocre. People around the world seem to expect their leaders to live a bit better than they do.

I see it as a sort of status. After all, who wants 'foreigners' to think that the best we can afford for the [baron, king, president, whatever] is the same sort of place the rest of us live in?

Besides, that cluster of buildings on the Vaticanus Mons doesn't belong to the Pope. It's the official residence of the Holy Father, whoever he is at the moment. Like the uniforms, it goes with the job.

I wouldn't expect the President of this country to live in the sort of house I do. There wouldn't be room for the staff needed by this country's chief of state, for starters.

Considering that the Pope is the current spiritual leader of a little upwards of a billion people: I really don't think his official residence is all that fancy. And with the sort of economic clout you get when you can call on about 1/6 of humanity for help: I think we Catholics can pay the Holy Father's household expenses and help Haiti, too.

Speaking of which:

A list of charities you've probably heard about already, with links and some contact information:

• "Haiti: About the Earthquake, Relief, and Related Topics"
  Apathetic Lemming of the North

Also a list of posts in this, and two other blogs, about Haiti.

Related post:

• "Accommodating Indigenous Cultures: Including Ours"
  (January 10, 2010)

Public Displays of Devotion, a Diverted Flight, and Me

I've been wearing a crucifix around my neck for some time now. Since last Lent, if memory serves. It's not particularly large - a bit over an inch and a half high - but hard to miss. The priest with Our Lady of the Angels parish, here in Sauk Centre, recommended that we wear these, praying each day during Lent, then giving the chaplet (the crucifix plus the knotted cord it's attached to) to the person we were praying for. I gave mine to my father: the one I'm wearing now is an 'extra' the household had.



For me, that crucifix isn't a fashion statement. The jewelry I wear are functional, meaningful symbols: a ring to show that I'm married, a bracelet that identifies me as a diabetic - and now this crucifix, which identifies me as a Catholic.

At least, that's the idea.

One of the problems with the display of symbols to communicate is that not everybody knows what the symbols mean.

Like a passenger on USAir Flight 3079, run by Chautequa Air, here in America:

"Religious item led to false bomb scare on US plane"
Reuters (January 21, 2010)

"A bomb scare that led to the diversion of a US Airways (LCC.N) flight to Philadelphia on Thursday was caused by a mistaken belief that a religious item was a bomb, Philadelphia police said...."

"...A passenger was alarmed by the phylacteries, religious items which observant Jews strap around their arms and heads as part of morning prayers, on the flight from New York's La Guardia airport heading to Louisville...."

"Flight Diverted To Philly After Incident"
myFOX New York (January 21, 2010)

"A plane made an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport on Thursday morning after an apparent misunderstanding over a man using a Jewish prayer device. There were fears the device was a bomb.

"The plane was headed from LaGuardia Airport to Louisville. The plane was USAir Flight 3079 run by Chautequa Air. The plane was described as a small commuter plane that holds 50 passengers. It's unknown how many people were on the plane.

"Sources now tell Fox News that a man on a plane was using a teffilin, a leather box worn on the arm and head during certain Jewish services and he was praying on the plane. Teffilin are a set of small cubic leather boxes painted black, containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Bible...."

Not All Phylacteries are Teffilins

In one sense, I'm wearing a phylactery, sort of, right now. It's a generic term that's gotten to have a very specific meaning in American English: "phylactery, tefillin ((Judaism) either of two small leather cases containing texts from the Hebrew Scriptures (known collectively as tefillin); traditionally worn (on the forehead and the left arm) by Jewish men during morning prayer) " (Princeton's WordNet) Merriam-Webster Online does a better job:

• phy·lac·tery
  • "Pronunciation:
    • \fə-ˈlak-t(ə-)rē\"
  • Etymology:
    • Middle English philaterie, from Medieval Latin philaterium, alteration of Late Latin phylacterium, from Greek phylaktērion amulet, phylactery, from phylassein to guard, from phylak-, phylax guard
  • 1
    • "either of two small square leather boxes containing slips inscribed with scriptural passages and traditionally worn on the left arm and on the head by observant Jewish men and especially adherents of Orthodox Judaism during morning weekday prayers"
  • 2
    • "amulet"
    (Merriam-Webster Online)

Today's passenger was wearing a tefillin. In American English, we call a tefillin a "phylactery."

Which, according to Merriam-Webster, is a sort of amulet.

Let's see what Merriam-Webster has to say about "amulet:" "a charm (as an ornament) often inscribed with a magic incantation or symbol to aid the wearer or protect against evil (as disease or witchcraft)". (Merriam-Webster Online) It's also the name of a hardcore punk band - but that's an entirely different topic.

Phylacteries? Amulets? How Superstitious Can You Get?

I can see where a nice, normal, all-American might assume that the crucifix I'm wearing is an amulet, sort of, in the Merriam-Webster Online sense of the word.

It's got inscriptions on it: "INRI" on the front and "Italy" on the back. Actually, the one I have has "INR" - the last "I" either got worn off - or didn't make it through the manufacturing process.

"Italy" is there, because that's where the pieces of metal were formed into their present shape. Nothing particularly magical there.

"INRI" - that's an acronym, standing for "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum", the Latin part of the sign on my Lord's cross. In English, it'd read "Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews." (John 19:19)

Nothing particularly magical about that, either: important, pivotal, vital, earthshaking (literally); but not magical. Except, maybe, in one of the definitions given by Princeton's WordNet: "...possessing or using or characteristic of or appropriate to supernatural powers..." (Princeton's WordNet [emphasis mine]) But, in my opinion, that's a stretch.

My Lord, Jesus? Yeah: as the Son of God, he's supernatural. in the sense of being above nature.

For that matter, I'm supernatural, too: and so are you. Every human being is a material body and a spiritual soul: both of which have a supernatural destination. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 360, for starters) Which is a whole different topic - and one that books have been written about.

But my crucifix isn't magic. Yes, it's been blessed: but that doesn't mean it's magic. It won't protect be from falling rocks, or keep me from getting caught if I decide to rob a store (I won't by the way).

On the other hand, it's pretty good for reminding me of who my Lord is; and what he did for me and all other people. (As I understand it, Jesus died for the salvation of all people - whether we take him up on his offer is up to each one of us.)

Who Told That Man to Wear a Phylactery?

Immediately, my guess is that the man on that airplane learned about wearing a teffilin from his father. The orders though, go back to God, as received by Moses.

"On this day you shall explain to your son, 'This is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.' It shall be as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead; thus the law of the LORD will ever be on your lips, because with a strong hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt."
(Exodus 13: 8, 9)

I think it's possible that some of the sons of Abraham have taken a metaphorical statement 'way too literally: but I've been wrong before.

Who is To Blame For Today's Incident?

Nobody, in my opinion.

USAir Flight 3079 would have gone more smoothly, if that passenger had recognized the teffilin for what it is. But not everybody is up to speed on the customs and observances of Judaism. And American culture isn't geared, again in my opinion, for understanding visual religious symbols.

After 9/11, and the attempted downing of an American airliner over the Christmas holiday: air travelers are going to be acutely aware of possible threats. (December 27, 2009, in another blog) It'd be nice if that were not the case - but it is.

I don't blame the man who was preparing for prayer for doing so.

I don't blame the passenger for being apprehensive and perhaps a trifle ignorant. Or extremely cautious.

Let's remember: it's possible to reschedule your itinerary, and apologize to someone for mistaking a pious symbol for a lethal threat. Raising a planeload of people form the dead? Not even the Supreme Court of the United States of America can do that.

It's a cliche, but "better safe than sorry" seems to apply here.

Still, I think there's room for improvement, in terms of Americans' knowledge of religious observance. Just a thought.

Accommodating Indigenous Cultures: Including Ours

This is the last Sunday of Christmas. The tree and everything else will be coming down. The next major stop on the Church calendar is Ash Wednesday: February 17, this year.

In today's announcements, Father Statz said that folks who donated poinsettias could pick them up in the basement, starting Monday.


Before Mass at Our Lady of the Angels, Sauk Centre. January 10, 2010.

I've written before, about how the Catholic Church is literally "catholic" - universal.

I'm one of about 307,000,000 citizens of a country called the United States of America, that's been here on the North American continent for 234 years, come July 4 this year.

I'm also one of upwards of 1,000,000,000 living Catholics. The Catholic Church has been around for almost two thousand years, with these standing orders:

"¹¹Then Jesus approached and said to them, 'All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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 28:18-20)

"All the nations" covers quite a lot of ground today, and we're still working at the Great Commission.

I've written before, about the Church's history of accommodating local cultures. We don't 'change the rules,' but we do recognize that not everybody expresses ideas quite the same way. Which is why a Catholic church near the center of North America has a tree near the altar this time of year, and why the Pope wore an animal skin on top of his usual uniform, when he was visiting a place in Africa (October 2, 2008)

Trees were a pretty big deal for many of my ancestors, and that animal skin is a symbol of authority where the Pope was visiting. It would have looked odd, considering his position, if he hadn't worn it.

Dance? In Church?!

You're not likely to see dance as a part of Mass in a Catholic Church. If you live in the United States of America. Today.

Does the Catholic Church Allow Dance During Mass?

There's a definite answer to that question:

• Yes!
• No!

It depends on where you are.

The Church doesn't waffle on the rules, and it's not inconsistent.

We've been around for almost two millennia, and have worked with a whole lot of cultures. What changes is what I'd call the surface detail. Like allowing - or forbidding - liturgical dance.

This may explain what's going on, better than I could:

"...Dance and the Liturgy

"In the course of their meeting on June 17-18, 2003, the Bishop members, consultants, and advisors of the Committee on the Liturgy considered the question of dance and the Liturgy.

"Recalling the recently revised General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), the Committee was conscious of the need to take 'due regard for the nature and the particular circumstances of each liturgical assembly, [so that] the entire celebration is planned in such a way that it leads to a conscious, active, and full participation of the faithful both in body and in mind….' (GIRM, no. 18) Particular note was taken of the attention paid by the new Roman Missal to gestures and movements at the Mass, which 'ought to contribute to making the entire celebration resplendent with beauty and noble simplicity, so that the true and full meaning of the different parts of the celebration is evident and that the participation of all is fostered.' (GIRM, no. 42)

"The 'nature and the particular circumstances' (GIRM, no. 18) of certain ethnic communities was also considered, particularly by Catholic immigrants from Zaire, where dance has been approved as a part of the liturgical books of their native land. The importance of a careful observance of the rubrics of such books in regard to the quality and role of dance in the Sacred Liturgy was emphasized by several of the Bishops.

"The place of dance in the liturgy in other parish Masses, however, was examined in the light of the 1975 'qualified and authoritative sketch' published by the Holy See in the journal Notitiae. The article prescribes that in western cultures, dance 'cannot be introduced into liturgical celebrations of any kind' and that when dances outside of the liturgy are envisioned, they may take place only 'in assembly areas that are not strictly liturgical.' ..."
("National Meeting of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions," BCL Newsletter (August 2003)
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) [emphasis mine]

Note: Dance during liturgical celebrations of any kind is out of the question "in western cultures".

I'm a little disappointed: liturgical dance would add, I think, a dimension to worship that could be very valuable. But, disappointed or not, I'm a Catholic, living in a western culture. Dance during Mass is verboten here. So be it.

Reminiscence From the Odd Side

I belonged to a mainstream Protestant church before I converted to Catholicism. There was a (short) time when the church I went to experimented with liturgical dance.

If I had to choose one word to describe the experience of seeing a dozen teenage girls dancing their way through the sanctuary, it would be "weird." Also very distracting. The gowns they wore were white, voluminous, opaque: and had very wide sleeves. Since the young ladies held their arms straight out quite a bit, you could often see all the way through.

Like I said, distracting.

Back to Liturgical Dance and the Catholic Church

If I lived in Zaire, dance would be part of Mass, because the culture I was living in viewed dance as something that was meaningful in worship.

I live in Minnesota, one of the 50 American states. In this culture, today, dance means something: and it isn't liturgical.

A hundred years from now, that may change. Right now, Dance is on the 'don't' list.

Here.

Now.

Dance in Oceania

Zaire isn't the only part of the world where liturgical dance is part of Catholic Worship:

"...Referring to the question of inculturation, many responses describe the various ways and forms in which the indigenous cultures have enriched the liturgy and devotional practices of the Church in Oceania. ... Under the pastoral authority of the bishops, the liturgy has been enriched through the introduction of local languages in prayers and readings. Rituals have become more meaningful through adopting common gestures, dances, music and songs, traditional and newly-composed...."
("Special Assembly for Oceania | Jesus Christ and the Peoples of Oceania: Walking His Way Telling His Truth and Living His Life | Instrumentum Laboris," Vatican City (1998))

East Asia in general seems to regard dance as a natural part of worship, judging from what I found on the Vatican website.

What Got Me Started on This?

After Mass, I saw this card on the bulletin board:

Save a soul - in three seconds. January 10, 2010.

I hope and assume that Catholics around the world want to save souls.

It struck me that America may be one of the few places where the most important point would be saving a soul fast. In a specified number of seconds.

And that got me thinking about Catholicism, culture, and - eventually - liturgical dance.

About That Card

I have no idea who put the "Save a Soul From Hell in Three Seconds" card on the bulletin board. And, more to the point, I haven't checked out the assertions about the prayers. It strikes me that there may be an issue with free will - but that's another topic.

The prayers themselves are, in one case, familiar to me: and in the other case is similar to a prayer I'm familiar with.

With those comments and disclaimers, here's a transcript I made of the side of the card I could see:

Save a Soul From Hell in Three Seconds

Each time you pray the prayer below, you will prevent a person from going to eternal damnation. You can save sixty souls from Hell in the time it takes to boil a three-minute egg.

"Jesus, Mary, I love you, save souls."

Prayer of St. Gertrude The Great

Our Lord told St. Gertrude The Great that the following prayer would release 1,000 souls from Purgatory each time it is said. The prayer was later extended to include living sinners as well.

"Eternal Father, I offer thee the most precious blood of thy divine son, Jesus, in union with the the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen."

When they are fully released from their pains and enjoy the beatitude of Heaven, far from forgetting their friends on Earth, their gratitude knows no bounds. Prostrated before the Throne of God, they never cease to pray for those who helped them. By their prayers they shield their friends from the dangers and protect them from the evils that threaten them (over)

Goodnight, and may God bless you.

A Few Thoughts, After Leaving my Brain in Neutral

I've been reflecting silently (no small feat - I love to talk), cultivating my mind and meditating in an effort to further the growth of my interior life.

Sounds rather grand, doesn't it? I wrote about that sort of thing Saturday. ("Working on Sunday: At Growing the Christian Interior Life" (January 2, 2010))

Anyway, I managed to stay 'on task' for a while. The only measurable bit of progress was finishing more of a sort of workbook I'm using to debug my mind: the six-syllable phrase is 'cognitive therapy.' Which is leading me into another topic.

Sometime around mid-afternoon, I let my brain go into 'neutral,' and remembered something I was going to look up, for a story that's been on the back burner for years. (Yet another topic.)

I found an interesting, if ill-constructed, page on Japanese mythology, made a few notes, and posted them in another blog. ("Well, That's Interesting: Japanese Mythology," Drifting at the Edge of Time and Space (January 3, 2010))

A Myth-taken Meaning of "Myth"

Quite a few people use the word "myth" when they mean "something that's not true." Okay - that's how some people use the word. The 'dictionary' meaning of "myth" is: "a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people" (Princeton's WordNet)

I think the idea that "myths" aren't "true" comes from the profound lack of appreciation for poetry and metaphor in contemporary western thought. Yet again another topic. Getting back on track -

Japanese Creation Myth, a Fire God, the Netherworld, and Persephone

One of the Japanese creation myths was about Izanagi and Izanami. Izanami died after giving birth to the fire god Kagutsuchi. I was struck by similarities to a myth involving Persephone. You remember Persephone? Greek Goddess? Embodiment of fertility? Queen of the Underworld? That Persephone.

Shouldn't I Start Ranting Now?

I certainly do not think that 'it doesn't matter what you believe, as long as you're sincere about it.' (Remember Linus and the Great Pumpkin, in Peanuts?)

On the other hand, I think that there's something to be learned by studying the myths people have developed around the world.

One of the fairly obvious points seems to be that people aren't all that different around the world: although details vary. Mythologists and folklorists have written books about the common themes and characters which show up in various cultures.

Like the trickster. Depending on where you take your stories, he's Loki, or Coyote, or Brer Rabbit, or the tengu, or Bugs Bunny.

Smiting the Unbeliever, the Demonic Mr. Ed, and Talking Sense

Taking a line through the likes of Tony Alamo or Steven Anderson, I could take the myth of Izanagi and Izanami as the starting point of a rant against the evils of the unbeliever; the terrible dangers of that demon-horse, Mr. Ed¹; and how something I don't like is the work of the devil.

Not gonna happen.

It's not that I'm above such things: but if I go off the rails, it'll be in another direction. And, God willing, I won't. Go off the rails, that is.

Where was I? Right. Trying to talk sense. Write, actually.

Izanami, Persephone, Osiris, and All That

Quite a few people have lived in parts of the world with distinct growing seasons. Often, their ancestors have lived there long enough to have very old stories about why seasons happen. These days, that's a fairly widely-accepted explanation for things like the myth of Persephone, Izanami (maybe), and Osiris.

Osiris is that green god of Ancient Egypt who got cut up and re-assembled. Quite a story.

Someone in an online community I'm interested in, brought up an Osiris-Jesus connection.

True enough: Jesus died and rose from the dead. But, "just like Osiris?" I think not. The resurrection of my lord is something that happened not quite 2,000 years back - and isn't a symbol of green growing things coming back each year.

"Jesus, the Son of God, freely suffered death for us in complete and free submission to the will of God, his Father. By his death he has conquered death, and so opened the possibility of salvation to all men."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1019 - I recommend reading the whole section, 988-1019)

The Persephone thing, though? It's hard to not start seeing similarities in stories people tell about the cycles of nature. Where I draw the line is trying to compare fairly straightforward nature myths with something that - isn't.

And, getting back to what I was starting out with in this post, I think there's something to be learned by studying the culture and beliefs of people. What strikes me is not so much how we're all alike, as how we're going roughly the same way.

As groovy as the the idea of unity through conformity is, I don't buy it. Reminds me of the sixties: throngs of people; all about the same age; all wearing jeans; all with long hair; all saying "I am an individual!"

The story of Izanagi and Izanami is not 'just like' the story of Persephone. There are similarities, sure: but each story has a style, a tone, all its own. The Aegean is not Japan is not Kenya is not Scandinavia.

What I find interesting is that people in widely separated parts of the world wove tales to explain the world - which seem to point in pretty much the same direction.

Which is about as far as I've gotten with that thought.

---

¹ Decades back, a preacher got his 15 minutes of fame by declaring that Mr. Ed was possessed.