Of courts and cowardice

No sooner does the Extraordinary Synod on the Family open in Rome than in Washington, D.C. the United States Supreme Court, in determining which cases it will adjudicate next Spring, decided to let lower court rulings on so-called "same-sex marriage" stand, thus effectively agreeing that state constitutional amendments defining marriage as the union between one man and one woman violate the equal protection clause of the fourth amendment of the U.S. constitution. As Rush sang in their song "Free Will"- "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." The lead-in of a post on The Economist's blog Democracy in America, ("Why did they take a pass?") hit the nail on the head: "NEVER has a US Supreme Court decision not to hear a case had such a quick and profound impact on the rights of so many Americans." I would certainly dissent from the use of the word "rights" in this context, but the high court's refusal certainly made "a quick and profound impact" on this country. It is also oddly incongruent to write about judicial fiat under the heading Democracy in America. A more appropriate heading would be Oligarchy in America. If there is any doubt now that our federal system retains any semblance of states rights, then the one making that assertion is simply out of touch with reality.

Inside the Supreme Court

The good news is that, try as you might, rulings, or non-rulings, cannot alter the fabric of reality. Of course, there can be no sour grapes. As many friends on either side of this divisive issue might tell me, "In the U.S. that's just the way the cookie crumbles." I have no choice but to agree, but not without noting there is nothing "just" about it, as well as pointing out that this non-ruling only demonstrates the dryness and staleness of the cookie.

This development only serves to highlight the importance of the deliberations and outcome of the 2014 and 2015 Synods. As Catholics we need to face the circumstances that are presented to us, fully embracing reality, not denying reality, or fleeing from it. In my view, the Church has a golden opportunity to clearly and unambiguously teach the truth about the human person, which is something the Western world is monumentally confused about presently, which confusion leads many people to live lives of hopeless desperation. Of course, the truth must be taught in love, which means to teach it clearly and unambiguously, even creatively, engaging with culture, with the understanding that without truth there can be no love.

Theologian Don Divo Barsotti made this observation about the post-conciliar writings of Swiss philosopher Romano Amerio as set forth in his great works Iota Unum and Stat Veritas (the latter of which has yet to be translated into English): "Amerio essentially says that the gravest evils present today in Western thought, including Catholic thought, are mainly due to a general mental disorder according to which 'caritas' is put before 'veritas', without considering that this disorder also overturns the proper conception that we should have of the Most Holy Trinity." Of course, living the truth in love was a leit motif of the papacy of Benedict XVI, who masterfully spoke to the challenges and provocations issued by Western culture.

Just last night I read a brilliant piece in First Things from back in January of this year: "Celibacy as Political Resistance: Explaining Johann Möhler’s political theology to subvert state domination." Towards the beginning his article, Kaplan makes a deeply insightful observation concerning the United States and the difficulties being American presents to Catholics:

Christians, however, have too often failed to recognize that we’re frequently swayed by the deep, romantic national identity that America fosters so well in its citizens. It and not the Church often sets the agenda. The calls for religious freedom very quickly focus on the rights of conscience, reinforcing an individualism that downplays the importance of the freedom of the Church to occupy public space on her own terms

Soon, how we live marriage, too, will become a way of resisting the state, especially as the pressure for the Church to "celebrate" same-sex marriages increases. Mark my words, such governmental pressure will increase and will eventually be brought to bear with the full coercive power of the state, as we have seen in the unjust outcomes of several legal cases brought against small business owners amply demonstrate. Also, prepare for the legalization of polygamy, despite whatever howling protests this might draw from those who support re-defining marriage to include unions between those of the same sex.

If how we dealt with the terribly unjust HHS mandate (a topic also taken up by Kaplan in his article), is anything to go by, we're in for trying times. In a recent column for his diocesan newspaper, "A tale of two churches," Francis Cardinal George also noted the fundamental dichotomy between the United States and the Catholic Church:

There was always a quasi-religious element in the public creed of the [United States of America]. It lived off the myth of human progress, which had little place for dependence on divine providence. It tended to exploit the religiosity of the ordinary people by using religious language to co-opt them into the purposes of the ruling class. Forms of anti-Catholicism were part of its social DNA. It had encouraged its citizens to think of themselves as the creators of world history and the managers of nature, so that no source of truth outside of themselves needed to be consulted to check their collective purposes and desires. But it had never explicitly taken upon itself the mantle of a religion and officially told its citizens what they must personally think or what “values” they must personalize in order to deserve to be part of the country. Until recent years.

St Peter's Basilica

At the end of his column Cardinal George also obliquely alludes to the fact that much of the Church may not be up to the challenges presented by the world: "Catholics do know, with the certainty of faith, that, when Christ returns in glory to judge the living and the dead, the church, in some recognizable shape or form that is both Catholic and Apostolic, will be there to meet him." In my view, there is more than a slight possibility that the shape or form of the Catholic and Apostolic Church may well look more like that envisioned by Robert Hugh Benson in his novel Lord of the World than the shape and form she currently has.

Fr Benedict Groeschel: Requiscat in pace

I am guessing that most of my readers are aware that Fr Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R., passed into eternity last Friday. It is fitting that he passed into eternity on the vigil of the liturgical memorial of St Francis of Assisi. I believe it was so he could celebrate that great feast in heaven. Like tens, perhaps even hundreds, of thousands of people, I thank God for life and ministry of Fr Groeschel. Words could not express my gratitude for his witness. I would be remiss not mark his passing.

To give some idea of the great wisdom Fr Benedict possessed, here's a quote about living life according to our destiny: "even when we do not choose evil, we choose the good so half heartedly and with so many qualifications that mediocrity becomes our canonized statis quo." May this not continue to be the case. Ultimately the good is not a moral choice, its ultimate value is in beauty. He used to also remind us all that the response to holiness, to our attempt to grow in holiness, is usually mockery.

In my view, his greatest achievement was founding the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal.

A few years ago, Fr Benedict prompted some controversy, for which he apologized and subsequently went into retirement due to age and health problems. I wrote about that episode (see "Praying for Fr. Benedict Groeschel"). Over the years I have recommended his book Arise from Darkness: What to Do When Life Doesn't Make Sense to many people in the midst of their suffering. I have given away copies of his book Praying to Our Lord Jesus Christ: Prayers and Meditations Through the Centuries to people desiring to grow closer to our Lord Jesus Christ. I am looking forward to reading his last book, published recently by Sophia Institute Press: When God is Silent: Finding spiritual peace amidst the storms of life. I found this video, made for the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood back in 2009, which I think powerfully conveys the spirit of this wonderful disciple of Jesus, this joy-filled friar, and faithful priest:

While Fr Benedict is one of those people that the world is surely worse off without, I feel quite certain he is there and ready to intercede for us now.

Extraordinary Synod: Articles worth reading

In light of the commencement of the Extraordinary Synod on Marriage and the Family, I do not mind in the least drawing attention to some items written by others that I find highly relevant and deeply insightful.

First is an article written by Karee Santos (full disclosure- she interviewed me for her piece) for Aleteia- "Why the Pope of the Poor Thinks Marriage Matters: And why this means the synod is unlikely to make major changes on hot-button issues."

Next comes an important open letter, sent back in June to the Holy Father and the members of the Extraordinary Synod, "Signed by 48 scholars and leaders from several countries, both Catholic and non-Catholic" as published by Zenit- "Marriage Experts Send Open Letter to Pope, Synod Members: Underline Challenges Facing Family, Timeless Truths About Marriage."

Another article written for Aleteia, this one by Susan Wills, for which she interviewed three people who are signatories to the open letter linked to above- "Experts Discuss Devastating Breakdown of Marriage, but Believe Church Can Turn It Around: Three marriage experts voice concerns and defend their proposed solutions."

As I am sure many others did, I found myself saying "Amen" to Mark Brumley's Crux article, "It's time for the full Gospel of the Family."

Finally, being provocative, here's a link to an article from The Remnant newspaper, whose editors, writers, and readership would surely consider me a "neo-Catholic": "Enforcing Sacrilege (What will the Church look like after the Kasper proposal?)."

Look for other articles by Karee, who is covering the Extraordinary Synod for Aleteia. I sent written replies to more interview questions this morning. Perhaps a few days after her next piece appears, I may post some or all of my written replies. I don't want to preempt her good efforts in any way.

UPDATE:

Full text of the Relatio ante disceptationem ("Report Prior to Discussion") by the General Relator, Cardinal Péter Erdő

Dr Ed Peters, a well-respected canon lawyer and professor of Canon Law, responds to Cardinal Wuerl's assertion in a recent interview that "The reception of Communion is not a doctrinal given, it’s a pastoral application of a doctrinal position" in a post entitled "Is reception of Communion doctrinal or disciplinary?" His Eminence's assertion poses an interesting question on a quite fundamental matter.

Full text of the General Secretary of the Synod's Opening Report, by Cardinal Baldisseri, in which he described how the Synod will proceed. In it His Eminence discloses what this Extraordinary Synod will produce (i.e., a document called the Relatio Synodi) and how it will be used: "Another novelty in synodal methodology is the Relatio Synodi, namely, the document summarizing this synod’s work, which, after opportune amendments from the Small Groups, will be presented in plenary session in a final draft for the approval of the Assembly. This means that there will be no 'Propositions' as in other synodal assemblies."

The Extraordinary Synod begins

The long awaited and much anticipated Extraordinary Synod of Bishops, called by Pope Francis, began yesterday, 5 October. While there is no indication that this convergence is in any way intentional, I find it most fitting that the Synod began on the liturgical memorial of St Faustina Kowolska, Apostle of Divine Mercy. Of course, yesterday being Sunday, the Church observed the Twenty-seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time. This is more than alright, it is right and just because without Christ's Resurrection there would be no saints whatsoever!

Pope Francis venerating an icon of the Holy Family during the Mass to open the Extraordinary Synod

As is his wont on these occasions, Pope Francis gave a relatively short homily at the Mass he celebrated to open the Synod. Here is what he said regarding the Synod in light of yesterday's Gospel reading: "We too, in the synod of bishops, are called to work for the Lord’s vineyard. Synod assemblies are not meant to discuss beautiful and clever ideas, or to see who is more intelligent… They are meant to better nurture and tend the Lord’s vineyard, to help realise his dream, his loving plan for his people. In this case the Lord is asking us to care for the family, which has been from the beginning an integral part of his loving plan for humanity."

In his opening address to the Synod, the Pontiff said, "This is a basic general condition: speak clearly. Do not say: I cannot say this, if I do they will think badly of me. Speak freely of everything you believe. Following the last consistory in February of this year in which we spoke about the family, a cardinal wrote the following: 'What a pity! Some cardinals did not dare to say some things in respect for the Pope, thinking that maybe he thought differently.' This is not alright.” Indeed, it is important to have a free-ranging discussion so that discernment on matters of fundamental importance not only for the Church and for the world, but for the salvation of souls, which ought to be the point and purpose of all the Church's initiatives and activities, can take place.

Do not be lured into thinking that this is the first time the Roman Pontiff has called for open and free expression at a Synod. In the first Synod of his pontificate, which took place in 2005 and was on the Eucharist, at which the matter of married priests was bravely broached and tepidly discussed, as was a proposal to reform formal annulment proceedings, Pope Benedict XVI, after the Synod's conclusion, kindly expressed some disappointment that the discussion seemed to him rather limited and shallow.

As Catholics we all have a duty to pray for the Extraordinary Synod. Duty aside, it should be our joy and privilege to do so. In addition to being a month during which the Church observes the feasts and memorials of so many dearly beloved members of the communio sanctorum (St Thérèse, St Francis of Assisi, St Faustina, St Teresa of Ávila, who, with the Little Flower, is a Doctor of the Church, St Ignatius of Antioch, St Luke the Evangelist, St Margaret Mary Alocoque, St Paul of the Cross, Apostles Sts Simon and Jude, etc) October is the month of the the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is tomorrow, 7 October. I urge everyone to pray the Rosary each day during the Extraordinary Synod with an intention for the Synod.

What is a Synod? Funny you should ask. Below is a video from the Holy See's Synodal webpage made to answer just that question:

Unsurprisingly, the topic of Pope Francis' Sunday Angelus address was the family. Specifically, he spoke of the need for families to read the Bible together. Holding up an edition of the Holy Bible made available for pilgrims in St Peter's yesterday by the Pauline Brothers, the Bishop of Rome said, "Today, as the Synod for the Family opens, with the help of the Pauline brothers there is a Bible for every family! Not to just put it on a shelf, but to keep it on hand, dip into it often, both individually and together, husband and wife, parents and children, perhaps in the evening, especially on Sundays. In this way the family will grow and walk in the light and the strength of God’s Word!" In his address he also stated, "For the family to be able to proceed well, with trust and with hope, it must be nurtured by the Word of God."

"And play upon her darkest fears"

In the early days of the Καθολικός διάκονος Friday traditio I would simply share the song I heard that week that "stuck" with me, made some kind of impression on my consciousness. Like most things that are institutionalized, over time more and more deliberation goes into such things resulting in what the German sociologist Max Weber dubbed "the routinization of charisma."

This week's traditio is my own version of ressourcement. Hence, Wang Chung's "Dance Hall Days" will suffice, more than suffice, for this first Friday in October. This song also has the extreme advantage of being made back when, at least in my opinion, making music videos was a legitimate art form:

Take your baby by the wrist
And in her mouth an amethyst
And in her eye two sapphires blue
And you need her and she needs you

Before the Extraordinary Synod begins

In the lead up to the Extraordinary Synod, which begins Sunday, 5 October, almost all of the discussion has focused on the possibility or impossibility of re-admitting divorced and civilly re-married Catholics to Holy Communion. Without a doubt this is a serious pastoral issue. But it is not the only pastoral issue arising from "Church" marriages that end in divorce. I am thinking particularly about those who, after being married in the Church, suffered through a painful divorce, and who believe their marriages, despite any apparent flaws, to be sacramentally valid, but whose former spouse petitioned for and received an annulment, and subsequently re-married. Of course, the annulment "cuts both ways," as it were, and applies to the aggrieved party as well as the one who petitioned, thus removing the canonical impediment for both them to be re-married and remain in Communion. But many people who have experienced this feel bound by conscience to their marriage and betrayed by the Church for finding it invalid. In most of these instances, the aggrieved person stops practicing his/her faith. For me this is no mere hypothetical. Over the past 10 years or so I have worked with a number of people who find themselves in just this situation.

Walter Cardinal Kasper

I have no idea the number of people who fall into either of these two categories, but when it comes to pastoral matters, it's not about quantity. Every person is significant, everyone matters. I believe the group of those who feel betrayed by the Church for granting an annulment is large enough to merit far more mention and consideration than they have received, especially as the Church ponders ways to make obtaining an annulment (in these matters we're dealing almost exclusively with formal cases, as opposed to Lack of Form or Pauline Privilege petitions) easier. In the United States one might even say, "especially as the Church ponders ways to make obtaining an annulment even easier."

Another category that merits some attention are those who were married in the Church, civilly divorced, and who are civilly re-married, but who have never bothered to submit a petition for an annulment. In my view, it is likely the case that this group is larger than that of those who married in the Church, divorced, civilly re-married, and have unsuccessfully petitioned for an annulment. This is the reason for recent pastoral initiatives, like the one taken by Bishop Richard Lennon of Cleveland, to do away with fees for submitting annulment petitions to Diocesan Tribunals.

There is yet another group of people, who comprise a subset of those who unsuccessfully petitioned for an annulment, who merit consideration: those who faithfully adhere to the Church's teaching. They assist at Mass every Sunday and Holy Day without receiving Holy Communion, participate in the life of their parish, as well as meet with and receive counsel from their pastor, without the benefit of absolution. How do you square the faithful and, frankly, inspiring witness of these wonderful sisters and brothers with a change in fundamental Church teaching on marriage?

In recent post on her blog at the Catholic Herald, "Saving Christian marriage is more pressing than the issue of Communion for the divorced and re-married," Francis Phillips sagely observed,

Surely the subject the media is obsessed with right now – the position of divorced and remarried Catholics with regard to the Sacraments – must be low on the scale of priorities facing the forthcoming Synod, when the institution of Christian marriage itself has been so disregarded and undermined that it is almost in need of life support?

In the end, I think everyone anticipating a showdown on the issue of communion for the divorced and civilly re-married is bound to be disappointed. I believe Pope Francis' formation of the commission of canonists to discuss and possibly present to him proposals for reforming the formal annulment process represents an effort on his part to prevent this Extraordinary Synod and next year's ordinary Synod, which will take up the work of the Extraordinary Synod and present the Holy Father propositions for his consideration, from being hijacked by the singular issue that has dominated the lead-up to it.

As the Instrumentum Laboris (i.e., the working document) clearly lays out, there are more important and fundamental matters that require attention and resolution. In my view, if the communion issue predominates the Extraordinary Synod, we're safe calling the gathering a failure.

Why so strident about all this? I believe we are in danger of losing sight of marriage as a sacrament, as a visible and tangible sign of Christ's presence in and for the world. We need to perhaps ask ourselves, "Are we really so concerned about our own personal happiness and contentment, seeking to save our lives rather than losing them for the sake of Gospel?" As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to cultivate, precisely through the concrete circumstances of our lives a selfless, self-giving attitude, which disposition is also key to remaining married for a lifetime.

Gerhard Cardinal Müller

At least for me, this is best expressed at the end of the fifth chapter of St Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, when, after citing Genesis 2:24, which is what I refer to as Scripture's "ur" verse on marriage, the same verse invoked by our Lord Himself when disputing with the Pharisees about marriage (see Matt 19:4-6 and Mark 10:6-9- if we're going sling about accusations of being Pharisaical, then keep in mind what the Pharisees are advocating here contra the Lord) we encounter- "This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church. In any case, each one of you should love his wife as himself, and the wife should respect her husband" (5:32-33).

I ran the previous two paragraphs by a close friend, who is a gifted priest and pastor. His comment was, "Not strident enough. To fail to do this is to fall into the trap of all Modernism, to change the Faith to fit us rather than allow the Faith to convert us to Christ."

Keeping a promise on the Memorial St Thérèse

Yesterday I finished my Novena to St Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower. My intention, in light of the suicide of a friend last summer, was for the repose of the souls of those I have known who took their own lives. My friend left me three things: a book, a statue of Our Lady (which I gave to another friend), and a statue of St Thérèse of Lisieux. It has been my intention since the day I received the statue of St Thérèse to place her in my garden on her feast day, which is today. Well, I wasn't able to do that until after 9:00 PM this evening, but she is in place:

As you can see, like Jesus Christ, whom she followed through death to life, the Little Flower is a light in the darkness

After setting her in, we celebrated the Order for the Blessing of Images of the Saints, which, as a deacon, I can do. After making the Sign of the Cross, and a holy greeting, the rite begins with this, one of those beginnings which the rubrics tell us can be said verbatim "or similar words," making it adaptable:

As we begin to celebrate this rite in praise of God on the occasion of the placing of this beautiful statue of St Thérèse for our veneration, we must be properly disposed and have a clear appreciation of the meaning of this celebration. When the Church blesses a statue and presents it for veneration by the faithful, she does so for the following reasons: that when we look at the representation of those who have followed Christ faithfully, we will be motivated to seek the city that is to come; that we will learn the way that will enable us most surely to attain complete union with Christ; that, as we struggle along with our earthly cares, we will be mindful of the saints, those friends and coheirs of Christ who are also our brothers and sisters and our special benefactors; that we will remember how they love us, are near us, intercede ceaselessly for us, and are joined to us in a marvelous communion

Lovely Little Flower, pray for us today and always. You know the intentions I bring to you. Pray for us, help us daily to follow your Little Way, seeking holiness through the ordinary circumstances of our daily lives.