UPDATED: The predictable provocations of the Pope of Rome

Predictably, much is being made of some comments made by Pope Francis regarding sexuality during his in-flight press conference on his way back to Rome from the Philippines. UPDATE: America magazine has published a complete, but unofficial, transcript of the Holy Father's presser. Here are the relevant parts:

But there was something more. The refusal of Paul VI was not only about the personal problems, that he then tells the confessors to be merciful, to understand if this is true, and then (he tells them) “you can be merciful, more understanding”. He was looking at the Neo-Malthusianism that was underway worldwide. What do you call this Neo-Malthusianism? Less than one percent of birth rate in Italy. The same in Spain. That Neo-Malthusianism that seeks to control humanity on behalf of the powers (that be).

This does not mean that the Christian must make children in series. I rebuked a woman some months ago in a parish who was pregnant eight times, with seven C-sections (cesareans). “But do you want to leave seven orphans? That is to tempt God! (Paul VI) speaks of responsible parenthood. What I wanted to say was that Paul VI was not antiquated, close minded. No,(he was) a prophet again who with this (encyclical) told us to watch out for the Neo-Malthusianism that is coming. This is what I wanted to say...

...That example i mentioned shortly before about that woman who was expecting her eighth (child) and already had seven who were born with caesareans. That is an irresponsibility (That woman might say) 'no but I trust in god' But God gives you methods to be responsible. Some think that, excuse me if I use that word, that in order to be good Catholics we have to be like rabbits. No. Responsible parenthood! This is clear and that is why in the church there are marriage groups, there are experts in this matter, there are pastors, one can seek and i know so many, many ways out that are licit and that have helped this. you did well to ask me this [end of UPDATE]

While firmly setting forth the inherent immorality of contraception, the Holy Father noted, in his characteristically frank manner, that Catholics are not required to breed "like rabbits." Rather, he insisted that Catholic couples should practice "responsible parenthood."

I am amazed at the number of Catholics who remain suspicious, or downright critical, of Humanae Vitae who have no familiarity with Bl Paul VI's encyclical. It may surprise many to learn that an entire section of this relatively brief encyclical is entitled "Responsible Parenthood." All Pope Francis did in his remarks was to clearly convey the teaching handed-on in Humanae Vitae to the effect that Catholic couples are not morally obligated to have as many children as they are physically capable of having.

Here's Paul VI from Humanae Vitae:

With regard to physical, economic, psychological and social conditions, responsible parenthood is exercised by those who prudently and generously decide to have more children, and by those who, for serious reasons and with due respect to moral precepts, decide not to have additional children for either a certain or an indefinite period of time (par 10)

In reality, Pope Francis was merely clarifying ends and means. How many children result from a particular marriage and how far those children are spaced are matters for the couple to decide. However, one may not employ immoral means to attain what may well be a moral end (i.e., one may not do evil that good may come of it). Probably the biggest myth about using the various forms of NFP is that it requires requires heroic virtue in terms of abstaining from marital relations for those couples who either temporarily or permanently do not aim to conceive. For the vast majority of couples, it simply does not.

It seems to me that Pope Francis has been very wise concerning sexual matters from the beginning of his pontificate by insisting the Church's teaching on various aspects of human sexuality need to be kept in context for a variety of reasons, not least among which is to avoid the absolutist tendencies of those on the polar extremes.

If I may be so bold, the vast majority of people in Western societies who tend to conduct their sexual lives "like rabbitts" (to use the Pope's phrase), most of whom are men (though not all), make use of contraceptives to constantly have available what they want and, failing that, abortion. Bl Pope Paul VI foresaw this back in 1968

Responsible men can become more deeply convinced of the truth of the doctrine laid down by the Church on this issue if they reflect on the consequences of methods and plans for artificial birth control. Let them first consider how easily this course of action could open wide the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards. Not much experience is needed to be fully aware of human weakness and to understand that human beings—and especially the young, who are so exposed to temptation—need incentives to keep the moral law, and it is an evil thing to make it easy for them to break that law. Another effect that gives cause for alarm is that a man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection (par 17)

Pope Francis, in his remarks, pointed to another aspect of Humanae Vitae, one that took aim at policies like China's "one child" per couple goal. His specific reference was to African bishops who pointed out that seeking to solve certain problems on that continent often amount to making contraceptives (i.e., condoms) widely available, what the Holy Father referred to as "ideological colonization."

Bl Pope Paul VI

Finally, careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands of those public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law. Who will blame a government which in its attempt to resolve the problems affecting an entire country resorts to the same measures as are regarded as lawful by married people in the solution of a particular family difficulty? Who will prevent public authorities from favoring those contraceptive methods which they consider more effective? Should they regard this as necessary, they may even impose their use on everyone. It could well happen, therefore, that when people, either individually or in family or social life, experience the inherent difficulties of the divine law and are determined to avoid them, they may give into the hands of public authorities the power to intervene in the most personal and intimate responsibility of husband and wife (par 17)

And the end of the day, the aim to preserve the humanity of this most human of acts, which is the meaning of chastity as defined by the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being. Sexuality, in which man's belonging to the bodily and biological world is expressed, becomes personal and truly human when it is integrated into the relationship of one person to another, in the complete and lifelong mutual gift of a man and a woman. The virtue of chastity therefore involves the integrity of the person and the integrality of the gift (par 2337)

As usual all this amounts to is the further confirmation that Pope Francis is Catholic. The pope being Catholic is hardly newsworthy. I urge you, especially if you have never done so, follow one of the links in this post and read Humanae Vitae.

MLK Day: A reflection on fragmentation

It seems that Western society is breaking apart fast. It seems to me like much of the progress we made 45-50 years ago is being been rolled back. Rather than building a civilization of love, which, by its nature brings people together, we've become more broken up than ever before, largely due to the identity politics that followed closely on the heels on the Civil Rights movement in the United States. I think it's a grave error to assert that our current state-of-affairs is the logical outcome of the Civil Rights movement. On the contrary, the breaking up of our society into various identity groups, which often falsely claim to be "communities," is the anti-thesis of what courageous people like Rosa Parks and Dr Martin Luther King, Jr were about.

Rosa Parks, mugshot 1955

In his magnificent "I have a dream" speech, Dr King said, "With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood." Human brotherhood, solidarity, the breaking down of what separates us one from another, these are the goals. Nonetheless, for the better part of the past 40 years we have been busy doing the opposite, especially as we exalt the individual, seeking to free her from all bonds, especially those of family, thus denying not only the importance, but the necessity of the common good for human flourishing.

Take for example the terroristic murders of 12 people in Paris and the reaction to it, which was nothing if not ironic. In the wake of this evil many people rallied in solidarity with those who were gunned down, even as the surviving contributors to Charlie Hebdo publicly despised people who claimed Je suis Charlie. While violence is never a justifiable response to the crude provocations routinely published in magazines like Charlie Hebdo we must recognize that such people scoff at the idea of the common good, at solidarity, at societal responsibility, and have little or no interest in building a harmonious society, which does not preclude the public discussion and debate of important matters, like the influence of religion on society, especially in a pluralistic society.

Let's not be blinded by ideology. It is possible, at one and the same time, to denounce and strongly oppose violence as the solution to pointless provocation and point out the puerile and destructive nature of certain kinds of discourse. In other words, let's be smarter than merely resorting to the employment of slogans. For me, Je ne suis pas Charlie. During his in-flight press conference on the way to the Philippines, Pope Francis said this about the Paris attacks, "There are so many people who speak badly about religions or other religions, who make fun of them, who make a game out of the religions of others. They are provocateurs."

Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.

Most people who reflexively buy into all the "I am Charlie" nonsense have no idea the level debasement Charlie Hebdo engages in, it is offensive to anyone with a civic sense whether they believe or not, whether they adhere to a religion or not. What they do facilitates nothing, it is not in the service of the common good, the reality of which they actively deny. Rather, it is all done in the service chimerical "individual liberty," which, at root, is nihilistic. As Pope Francis went on to say, violence is never an appropriate reaction to such provocations, but, as his example of someone making fun of his mother (i.e., our reflex is to punch), provoke people enough in terms of what really matters to them, seek to alienate, despise, dis-empower, and who knows what will happen?

The long and short of it is that you can't really pine away for a lost sense of community and human solidarity while actively supporting those whose self-determined mission it is to destroy community and exalt the individual. Somehow, I think the late editor of Charlie Hebdo could've managed not to live like a dog without publishing a cover of the Blessed Trinity sodomizing each other, or depicting the prophet Muhammad as a phallus. If what it means not to live like a dog is to treat those with whom you disagree in an inhuman manner, then you're simply confused.

Good Samaritan, by Aimé Nicolas Morot, 1880

All of this without even touching on Ferguson or New York City, which have been flashpoints of racial tension in the U.S. recently. Given all of the recent violence and racial tension here in the U.S. and abroad, given the atomization and fragmentation of Western society in general, given our natural propensity to stick with those who are like us in most every way, let's heed Jesus' healthy provocation, given in His parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), and truly embrace the spirit of this day in honor of all those who, often at great sacrifice, sought to break down these barriers.

"It's all I wanna sing to you"

Our Friday traditiois Aracely Bock's song "Say Your Name" from her 2013 album Let It Go. I chose this song to help us through what I find to be perhaps the most difficult month of the year- January.

I don't know about you, but 2015 is off to a rough start for me. Nonetheless, this is good news because the great need that constitutes both my humanity and my identity leads me to engage reality as it is, which leads me to acknowledge the need that I am. This rough beginning is what is preventing me from posting with more regularity. Nonetheless, as I have learned over time, when it comes to blogging as I practice it, quality trumps quantity.

A better way to phrase "the need that I am" is simply to acknowledge that I am beggar. To use the late Brennan Manning's descriptor, I am a ragamuffin. It also bears noting that the word "companion" refers to one with whom bread is shared.

My overarching resolution for 2015 is simply to draw closer Jesus Christ. All of my other resolutions are specific ways and means to this end, which only Christ Himself can really bring about. My part is but to cooperate.I am blessed because I feel that this is very much His initiative towards me. I am simply trying respond.

So, I am currently reading Dallas Willard's Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ. From there I'll move to Willard's The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives, then I plan to re-read Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, followed by Foster's Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home. An ambitious, but achievable and rewarding set of goals. After that, I plan on re-engaging with some of Eugene Peterson's writings, which means finally finishing Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology.

Why am I posting all of this? I can think of a couple of reasons. First, people are always asking me, "What are you reading?" This is my present answer to that question. Second, it helps to share resolutions in order to have some accountability. Third, to invite you to learn from these practitioners of The Way, who have taught me so much (not that any of them would likely relish the thought of claiming me as a student).

I suppose it may strike some as odd that none of these guys are Catholics. If you're familiar with their work, however, the seeming oddness dissipates. I agree with the late Dallas Willard that Christians today simply lack sound spiritual formation. Lack of spiritual maturity is what ails the Church (I refer here to "Church" in the broadest possible sense) most in every age. If we don't take seriously being conformed to the image of Christ, then it is no exaggeration to say that everything else we do is kind of pointless. Practicing the spiritual disciplines is what makes us Jesus' disciples.

Aracely's song reminds us that Christ does, indeed, play in ten thousand places, Gerard Manley Hopkins so powerfully observed in his poem "As Kingfishers Catch Fire." We need each other to be transformed, especially those closest to us. It's the grace of God working in us and through us that make our relationships perhaps the primary means of being transformed into Christlikeness.

God's grace, our response

The late Dallas Willard wrote- "Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action."

Therefore, the spiritual disciplines, practiced with the proper attitude, constitute the effort, that is, our cooperation with God's grace. James Kushiner stated this very well when he observed, “A discipline won’t bring you closer to God. Only God can bring you closer to Himself. What the discipline is meant to do is to help you get yourself, your ego, out of the way so you are open to His grace."

It is silly to believe that you "do" something for God so that God will give you something (i.e., what you want) in return. Such an approach would constitute an attitude of earning. Besides, the idea that God will ever be in your debt is beyond ridiculous. Think on it - What else could God do for you that He hasn't already done in and through Christ Jesus?

"Whate'er the cost I’ll bear the cross"

Even with everything going on in the world, I am ushering in the New Year by letting things lie fallow. Plus, I've started 2015 with the flu, which turned into some serious sinus issues, all of which has left me feeling pretty tired and overwhelmed. In other words, things don't stop when you are ill and wait for you to get better, but such is life! I am blessed and not complaining.

Towards the end of my illness last Saturday, I discovered cartoonist Kevin James' "The Oboe Blog: For Anyone Who Still Remembers." I am happy to say that I am someone who remembers Oboe, Claymore, Eugene, Gloria, Alice, Apoplexy, Margo, Bill, Tuber and the band, Pastor Neil, et al. "Oboe Jones" was published in the magazine of Jesus People USA, Cornerstone. Here's the strip that perhaps best describes my existence lately, "The 6 o'clock Snooze." All of this produces in me a longing for discipleship, for community, for life, which, at least in my view, means it is good.

Reading through "Oboe Jones" this past week also had the benefit of reminding me of a lot of the really fantastic artists who currently or formerly recorded with JPUSA's Grrr Records, like The Crossing, whose song "The Stirrup Cup," is our Friday traditio:

"O magnum mysterium"

I can think of nothing more fitting for the first Friday traditio of 2015 than "O Magnum Mysterium." This is from Night Prayer, or Matins, for Christmas. This setting is by U.S. composer Morten Lauridsen and beautifully sung by Kings College Choir in Cambridge, England

Virgin Mary, by El Greco, ca 1585

O great mystery,
and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the new-born Lord,
lying in a manger!
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear
Christ the Lord.
Alleluia!

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

So today begins a new year. Philosophically-speaking, time is a function of change. Particularly as I get older I realize that time is of limited quantity, which means opportunities to change, or let myself be changed, are limited too. We're reminded of this in the liturgy throughout Advent, when kept hearing St Paul tell us to awake from our slumber, to start living the new life, the eternal life, given us by God, through Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit through our baptism and strengthened through confirmation. I hope among the resolutions most of us have made spending more time in prayer, doing some form of fasting, of self-denial, on a consistent basis, attending Mass more regularly, and going to confession with some, or greater, regularity are included.

I don't start 2015 here on Καθολικός διάκονος with anything terribly profound, or earth-shattering. I will turn 50 later this year, which is a sobering thought for me.

Today's lovely solemnity, the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, the day which the church, at least for the past forty-eight years, also observes our annual World Day of Peace. It is customary for the Supreme Pontiff to issue a message for the World Day of Peace. This year is no different. In his message for this year, entitled "No longer slaves, but brothers and sisters," Pope Francis, who has proven a tireless advocate for peace since becoming pope. The title comes from St Paul's wonderful, if very short, Letter to Philemon (see 1:16).

In his message, Pope Francis challenges us to reach out to one another, to overcome those things that separate us:

In the light of all this, I invite everyone, in accordance with his or her specific role and responsibilities, to practice acts of fraternity towards those kept in a state of enslavement. Let us ask ourselves, as individuals and as communities, whether we feel challenged when, in our daily lives, we meet or deal with persons who could be victims of human trafficking, or when we are tempted to select items which may well have been produced by exploiting others. Some of us, out of indifference, or financial reasons, or because we are caught up in our daily concerns, close our eyes to this. Others, however, decide to do something about it, to join civic associations or to practice small, everyday gestures – which have so much merit! – such as offering a kind word, a greeting or a smile. These cost us nothing but they can offer hope, open doors, and change the life of another person who lives clandestinely; they can also change our own lives with respect to this reality

Despite myself, I still find New Year a time of hope, a time of new possibility, a time to wake from my slumber. Holy Mary, Mother of God, as we embark on this New Year, pray for us, pray for peace among us.