What happened at the Transfiguration?

The Navarre Bible commentary for tomorrow's Gospel reading (Mark 9:2-10) provided by the Daily Word service gives us an explanation:

2-10. We contemplate in awe this manifestation of the glory of the Son of God to three of His disciples. Ever since the Incarnation, the divinity of our Lord has usually been hidden behind His humanity. But Christ wishes to show, to these favorite disciples, who will later be pillars of the Church, the splendor of His divine glory, in order to encourage them to follow the difficult way that lies ahead, fixing their gaze on the happy goal which is awaiting them at the end. This is why, as St. Thomas comments (cf. "Summa Theologia", III, q. 45, a. 1), it was appropriate for Him to give them an insight into His glory. The fact that the Transfiguration comes immediately after the first announcement of His passion, and His prophetic words about how His followers would also have to carry His cross, shows us that "through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).

What happened at the Transfiguration? To understand this miraculous event in Christ's life, we must remember that in order to redeem us by His passion and death our Lord freely renounced divine glory and became man, assuming flesh which was capable of suffering and which was not glorious, becoming like us in every way except sin (cf. Hebrew 4:15). In the Transfiguration, Jesus Christ willed that the glory which was His as God and which His soul had from the moment of the Incarnation, should miraculously become present in His body. "We should learn from Jesus' attitude in these trials. During His life on earth He did not even want the glory that belong to Him. Though He had the right to be treated as God, He took the form of a servant, a slave (cf. Philippians 2:6)" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 62). Bearing in mind WHO became man (the divinity of the person and the glory of His soul), it was appropriate for His body to be glorious; given the PURPOSE of His Incarnation, it was not appropriate, usually, for His glory to be evident. Christ shows His glory in the Transfiguration in order to move us to desire the divine glory which will be given us so that, having this hope, we too can understand "that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18).

E-mail Congress Now!

Join the USCCB's pro-life email campaign. It takes about 90 seconds.

WASHINGTON, D.C., MARCH 6, 2009 (Zenit.org).- U.S. bishops are encouraging Catholics to send e-mails to legislators in the second step of a national pro-life action plan.

The first step was a postcard campaign promoted by the U.S. bishops' conference throughout all the dioceses in January, in which citizens appealed to legislators for pro-life policies.

The e-mail campaign has the goal of urging Congress to "maintain widely-supported pro-life policies and to oppose the federal funding and promotion of abortion," a statement from the conference reported Wednesday.

Deirdre McQuade, assistant director for policy and communications at the conference's secretariat of pro-life activities, explained: "Tens of millions of cards have been distributed in parishes, schools, non-Catholic churches, and civic organizations across the country. The e-mail campaign will give even more citizens the chance to participate."

Voters are encouraged to send pre-written emails to their legislators asking them to oppose the Freedom of Choice Act, "the most radical and divisive pro-abortion bill ever introduced in Congress."

The e-mail states that "Americans should unite to serve the good of all, born and unborn" and asks legislators to "please retain existing laws against funding and promotion of abortion."

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On the Net:

Campaign information: www.usccb.org/postcard

Mainliner

Met a friend for lunch at the Frisch's Mainliner today. For the uninitiated, this is the flagship Big Boy restaurant in this part of town and has been around for ages. Holy Haddock! It was jammed with Lenten lunchers snapping up the fish specials. The Cod 'n Hush Puppies dish was delicious and small enough to keep me from violating my Wednesday/Friday fast.

Soaking Sophia

In the comment to this post, one of my readers suggested praying for a snowstorm to thwart a Lenten talk scheduled for tomorrow morning. Well, it's 75 and cloudy in Cincinnati right now -- a heavy downpour perhaps?

Enquirer: Adoption policy favors 'traditional' couples

Mock quotes around a word used to describe a marriage between a man and a woman must be a sign of the times. You can read a story in this morning's Cincinnati Enquirer about one county's outrageous decision not to join the lemming march off civilization's cliff.

Michael Henson wants a brother or sister for his 2-year-old daughter.

He's done everything he can to prepare for the new arrival.

His Liberty Township home has extra bedrooms and a large backyard. Cribs and playpens hide behind the closet doors, waiting to be pulled out with a moment's notice.

But there's one potential problem: He's gay.

Under a new and controversial policy in Butler County, "traditional" married couples are given preference over single parents, couples who co-habitate and same-sex couples looking to adopt children through the foster-care system.

The new rule, which was quietly adopted in December, would not exclude these groups from adopting, but it clearly states that when all other things are equal, married couples would be given the advantage. The agency is considering the same rule for foster placement.

Children Services Director Mike Fox said he knows he's bringing up a thorny topic that many people don't want to discuss. But in reality, he said, his agency is putting in writing one of many characteristics workers consider when placing children.

"When you strip away all the political correctness, just ask the simple question: If you had a choice for children to grow up in single-parent families or a traditional family, what would you choose?" Fox asked.

Fox says studies show children are more likely to succeed in "traditional" homes. ...

You can read a synopsis of current research here.

Public witness

This morning's Cincinnati Enquirer reports this piece of very good news:

The incoming head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati joined about 200 protesters outside a suburban Dayton abortion clinic and led them in prayers.

Archbishop Dennis Schnurr is scheduled to succeed Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk, who reaches the church's mandatory retirement age of 75 in August.

Schnurr's appearance outside the Dayton Women's Health Center in Kettering on Wednesday was part of a twice-a-year "40 Days of Life" anti-abortion observance. It is not sponsored by the church, but many participants are members.

And here's the account of the Dayton Daily News:

KETTERING — In one of his first public appearances in the Dayton area, Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr, who is to become the Cincinnati archbishop upon Daniel E. Pilarczyk's retirement, prayed the rosary with protesters outside the Dayton Women's Health Center abortion clinic on Wednesday, March 4.

"God's greatest gift is life and what God gives, only God has the right to take away," Schnurr said after his appearance, which was part of the twice-annual 40 Days of Life anti-abortion observance. "We have to be concerned with all life, especially the most vulnerable among us. We're praying for the conversion of hearts today."

About 200 people gathered outside the area's only abortion clinic, at 1401 E. Stroop Road. The event is not sponsored by the Catholic church, but most of the audience took part in the prayers, many of them holding crucifixes or fingering rosary beads.

"For a culture of life in this country, we pray the glorious mysteries," Schnurr said as he began leading the prayers.

The Vatican announced Oct. 16 that Pope Benedict XVI appointed Schnurr, formerly the bishop of Duluth, to succeed Pilarczyk. Pilarczyk will formally submit his resignation on his 75th birthday, Aug. 12, but the date of the transition isn't known, said Dan Andriacco, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The archdiocese serves nearly 500,000 Catholics in 19 counties, including the Miami Valley.

Pilarczyk attended the 40 Days of Life observance last fall.

Principal Tony Ferraro of Royalmont Academy in Mason brought more than 50 middle-school students to the event. "It's tremendous," Ferraro said of Schnurr's presence. "He's the head of the flock. It certainly affirms (the church leadership's) commitment."

To formally install Nancy

The irrepressible Dr. K asks a few questions about the forthcoming "Installation Mass(es)" for a pastoral administrator in the Diocese of Rochester. The installee has a familiar resume: female, lay homilist, member of the Women's Ordination Conference.

"You can be a church or a country club"

During a Q&A session last Thursday with a group of Italian priests, Pope Benedict explained "the meaning of a parish." As is always the case with this pontiff, his remarks are quotable:

He asserted, "A parish in which only games are played and drinks are shared would be absolutely superfluous."

"The meaning of a parish," he emphasized, should be "the cultural, human and Christian formation" of each personality, helping each person achieve maturity."

The games and drinks quip brought to mind what sociologist and historian Rodney Stark said in a recently available interview with Mike Aquilina on what made the early Church grow and thrive:

You say that Christianity succeeded in part because of its high moral standards. Today, however, many churches are lowering the bar to make religion more popular. How would you analyze their efforts?

RS: They're death wishes. People value religion on the basis of cost, and they don't value the cheapest ones the most. Religions that ask nothing get nothing. You've got a choice: you can be a church or a country club. If you're going to be a church, you'd better offer religion on Sunday. If you're not, you'd better build a golf course, because you're not going to get away with being a country club with no golf course. That's what happened to the Episcopalians, Methodists, Congregationalists, Unitarians and, indeed, to some sectors of Catholicism.

Sacraments for young people

An article in the Catholic Telegraph of Cincinnati on "keeping the meaning in a child's First Communion" includes this refreshing bit of good sense from the worship office:

One issue that Karen Kane, director of the archdiocesan Worship Office, says her office often addresses with parents that seems to distract them from the sacrament itself is "the desire on their part to 'involve' the children more in the Mass, for example singing a song after Communion or serving as lectors. In our diocesan sacramental guidelines (spelled out in the document Sacraments for Young People), and from from a Worship Office point of view, we strongly discourage these types of practices," she said. "The reception of Holy Communion should be the focus and should be where parents and catechists spent their time and energy in preparing the children. What is most important is helping the children understand what it means to receive the body and blood of Christ. That's the focus."

Bravo, Ms. Kane. In the apostolic exhortation Sacramentum Cartitatis, Pope Benedict writes, "It should be made clear that the word 'participation' does not refer to mere external activity during the celebration. In fact, the active participation called for by the Council must be understood in more substantial terms, on the basis of a greater awareness of the mystery being celebrated and its relationship to daily life" (par 52). He continues: "Clearly, full participation in the Eucharist takes place when the faithful approach the altar in person to receive communion" (par 55).

Politics, partisanship, and the personal

The entire front page of the current issue of the Catholic Telegraph of Cincinnati is dedicated to the nomination of Kansas Governor and Cincinnati native Kathleen Sebelius as Health and Human Services secretary. The story is mostly a reprint of an article produced by the Catholic News Service, but the CT's editors do add a few paragraphs about her Cincinnati connection:

Born May 15, 1948, in Cincinnati, Sebelius is the daughter of former Ohio Gov. John Gilligan, making them the first father-daughter team to serve as governors of U.S. states.

The Catholics for Sebelius site said she “received 17 years of Catholic education from the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur,” an education that showed her that women could be strong leaders and “instilled in her a lasting concern for the less fortunate.”

Sebelius’ pro-abortion rights stance has earned her criticism from her hometown as well. Summit Country Day, an independent Catholic school, withdrew an invitation for her to speak at its 2005 commencement ceremonies after receiving complaints about her views on abortion.

When Cincinnati Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk was contacted by school officials for his input on the controversy, he told them that if the school was an archdiocesan school, Sebelius would not receive the award.

Sebelius, a 1966 graduate of Summit, said at the time that she was “personally disappointed by the decision of some at not only my alma mater, but that (the alma mater) of my parents and siblings, regarding my long-scheduled speech to the student body there. It’s discouraging when politics and partisanship are allowed to intrude on something so personal as my relationship to a school that has given me so much.

“Regardless of this unfortunate decision, I will continue to remember my days at The Summit as some of the proudest of my life and most influential in shaping my values and principles as an adult and a public servant.”

You can also read George Weigel's "The Sebelius Challenge" here.

Thank you ...

... to everyone who has sent cards, offered prayers, dropped off food, helped with driving, and generally shown me and my family how members of the Church Militant take care of one another since the birth of our son last week. As I've written before, gestures like these always renew my appreciation for the Body of Christ. And I'm happy to report that our little man got a clean bill of health at his checkup today -- he's already gained nearly half a pound!

Love in the ruins

There's an upside to Sr. Joan Sobala's demolition of the once tradition-friendly St. Anne Church of Rochester: it has been a boon to other parishes. St. Anne's former choir director recently found a new home and promptly built a schola:

Schola Gregoriana is the only one of Liggett's four choirs that doesn't regularly sing for Mass at St. Mary. When Liggett arrived at the parish in the fall the pastor, Father Frank Lioi, told her some parishioners had expressed an interest in Gregorian chant, which is one of Liggett's specialties. She studied Gregorian chant at Westminster Choir College in New Jersey and in 1999 founded Schola Feminarum, a women's chant choir that is currently on hiatus. Liggett was pleased to be able to start another chant choir in Auburn.

"My goal is to offer the opportunity for people to sing chant. It's open to Catholics and non-Catholics, anybody who wants to sing Gregorian chant," she said.

The name "Schola Gregoriana" is Latin and means Gregorian chant ensemble, Liggett noted.

"It sounds like a fancy name, but it's really simple," she said.

Several members of Schola Gregoriana joined the ensemble because they enjoy the Latin language, while others joined because of the spiritual nature of Gregorian chant.

"Other people come because it's their Catholic heritage, and some people come because it's not a big commitment. It's not required that you come every week. Come when you can when it fits your schedule," Liggett said.

'Freefallin

DOR Catholic Mike has been tracking the cliff dive of Mass attendance figures for the Diocese of Rochester. The 2008 numbers are now available, and Mike shows the trend is continuing unabated.

DOR has now lost over one quarter (25.3%) of its weekend Mass attendees in a mere 8 years. Put another way, we have been losing an average of 3.58% of our Mass attendees year in and year out since 2000.

He notes that national attendance figures have held steady over the same period, and that the diocese's catechetically bereft Spirit Alive! initiative appears to have no effect.

"There is no just system without just people"

In a recent essay, Kishore Jayabalan, director of the Acton Institute's Rome office (I didn't even know they had a Rome office), offered his assessment of Pope Benedict's recent remarks about the economic crisis. The whole thing is worth reading, but here is his salient observation:

Rather than denounce an economic system that encourages people to follow their self-interest, the Pope denounces realities with more of a past and deeper effects - original sin, human greed and idolatry. He does not equate profit with greed, probably realizing that waging spiritual warfare against profits would mean losing the interest, attention and perhaps possible salvation of all who know anything about business and economics. And maybe most importantly, rather than tell us that we need a "new" system of producing and consuming, buying and selling, the Holy Father takes a more sober, realistic approach by reminding us that there is no just system without just people, and that sin is a permanent fact of life that we must learn to combat slowly, persistently and above all spiritually.

The idea that a free economy, like a free political system, reflects the moral condition of its participants is a point to remember as we debate policy solutions in the coming months and years. Also, Acton has also put together a useful web page with resources for understanding the economic crisis.

Indulgence available

If you need a reason to go to confession during this penitential season, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's e-pistle provides the following reminder:

In honor of the Year of St. Paul, the Holy Father has offered a plenary indulgence to those who make a sacramental Confession and Eucharistic Communion, offer prayers for the Holy Father and make a visit to one of the parish churches established by Archbishop Pilarczyk as a pilgrimage site: Sts. Peter and Paul, Reading; St. Paul, Englewood; St. Paul, Yellow Springs; Sts. Peter and Paul, Newport; St. Paul, Sharpsburg; and St. Teresa of Avila, Cincinnati. Persons wishing to make a visit should contact the parish. Learn more about the Year of St. Paul and the indulgence at www.catholiccincinnati.org/worship

It's mildly disappointing that none of the churches is very accessible to those who live on the East side of town. Also, Fr. Anthony Brausch of Mount St. Mary Seminary will give a talk tomorrow (Thursday) night at St. Cecilia Church on "The Eucharist: the Heart of Lent."

"Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded him"

Two weeks from today is the Feast of St. Joseph, patron saint of the universal Church and a favorite of Italian-American households. (We may try a baptism reception with a St. Joseph's Table theme later this month.) That gives you plenty of time to "study ahead" and learn a few things about this mostly silent figure in the Gospel. You might try reading Fr. Frederick L. Miller's new booklet for the Knights of Columbus and spending time with Pope John Paul II's apostolic exhortation Redemptoris Custos ("Guardian of the Redeemer.") Also, Joseph Fornieri, an Associate Professor of Political Science at the Rochester Institute of Technology in my hometown, has a terrific essay on the manly character of St. Joseph in the current issue of Touchstone magazine. Here's the concluding section:

For years, the entertainment industry has vividly portrayed the dark and ugly side of Italian-American manliness by catering to our never-ending fascination with the Mafia. I concede that Italian-Americans are themselves complicit in this. Evil is alluring. Perhaps we are fascinated by these figures because they provide a window, albeit a distorted one, into our culture, or because they reflect the dark side of ourselves.

I fear, however, that The Godfather and The Sopranos have become cultural myths for too many in the Italian-American community. The Sicilian-American soul was once formed by Joseph the Carpenter as its role model. Do we now see ourselves in the likes of Michael Corleone?

Perhaps a future poet will be able to capture St. Joseph’s extraordinary ordinariness in the context of our time. As assimilation to modern culture has taken place, devotion to St. Joseph among Sicilians, and Catholics in general, seems to have waned. With some exceptions, his feast day has become just another day. His statue no longer appears in my church. Mary often stands alone, apart from her husband and family.

In forgetting Joseph, we deprive ourselves of a manly Christian role model sorely needed today. If our loss of reverence for St. Joseph is related to the decline of manliness and fatherhood in our culture, perhaps a renewal of that reverence will helps us discern and cultivate what is truly best about ourselves as fathers and husbands.

Dude!

This must have seemed like a better idea at the time than it does in hindsight.

Via Media: Amy Welborn's new blog!

Go over and say hello:

This blog will hearken back to the Open Book days. I will be blogging frequently and on a wider variety of topics than I did at Charlotte. But even then - please don't take a lack of blog posts on any particular topic as a sign of disinterest or avoidance. I blog on topics about which I have some understanding and on which I have an interest in reading comments. I also refrain from blogging on topics about which every other blogger on the known Internet is feverishly posting, unless I have a spectacularly unique insight. Hah.

If you want to know the scope of what will happen here - take a look at the categories over there on the right. If you want to know a bit more about me, take a look at the bio. Beliefnet is my primary job right now, but when more of the personal business that descends at times like this is taken care of, will be returning to the novel I started last year and, I hope, finishing it. Publishing? Well, there's a challenge for you. We'll see.

Most posts will have comments and comments will, at least at first, be moderated. It's just for my sanity right now.

How free is your state?

Not very, if it's Ohio. That's the finding of a new libertarian-oriented study, which ranked the Buckeye state 38th out of 50. 'Not sure I buy into the wisdom of all of the ranking particulars, but it's interesting nonetheless. Here's a snippet:

With state lawmakers in Ohio considering tougher seat-belt enforcement for civilians and shorter prison stays for criminals as two ways to balance the $54 billion, two-year state budget, the question seems both relevant and timely.

Ohio was ranked 38th out of 50 states on the index of personal and economic freedom developed by the Mercatus Center of George Mason University. In other words, only 12 states are less free.

The study ranks New Hampshire, Colorado and South Dakota in a virtual tie for first place. It ranks New York and California among the least free.

The index is wide-ranging and comes from an individual rights perspective, which defies many philosophical boundaries of the mainstream Republican and Democratic party platforms.

For example, Ohio's prohibition against same-sex marriage is viewed as a wash in the study. Why? Because all marriage requirements amount to unnecessary government intervention. (As do blood test requirements and marriage license waiting periods, by their measure.)

Ohio's law allowing residents to carry concealed handguns? Good.

The state's relatively lax marijuana laws? Also good.

By the researchers' measure, seat belt laws and sobriety checkpoints "count as notable infringements on individual liberty." The index also issued freedom demerits for alcohol regulations, including "blue laws" against Sunday sales and taxes on beer, wine and spirits. Open-container laws and cell phone driving bans are viewed as minor nuisances.

Ohio's ranking in the study's so-called "paternalism" category would presumably only worsen if lawmakers pass legislation allowing primary enforcement of the state's seat belt requirement. As it is now, a driver can only be fined if pulled over for another offense.

State lawmakers in the past have been resistant to making the switch. But money talks, particularly in this historically bad economy, and Ohio can land $26 million in federal highway money if it complies.

A "yes" vote on primary seat belt enforcement might be offset on the freedom scale by allowing certain nonviolent offenders to do less time, earn early release credit faster, or serve time in community-based settings as opposed to prisons. These are among ways state prisons officials are proposing to cut costs and reduce overcrowding.

The Mercatus Center has a whole list of crimes that it views as "victimless" for which governments are penalized for imposing in the index. Those include many drug offenses for individuals over 18, violations of liquor laws, gambling and prostitution.

Also on their list of paternalistic government activities are: bicycle and motorcycle helmet laws, regulations requiring motorists to carry personal injury insurance, home- and private-school regulations, campaign finance rules and asset forfeiture laws that allow government to take property without a conviction of the owner.

Ohio is ranked 46th of 50 in the study's personal freedom ranking, above only Rhode Island, New York, Illinois and, the lowest, Maryland. Alaska, Maine, New Mexico, Arkansas and Texas offer residents the most liberties in this area, the study found.

New digs for the new shepherd

Let the hue and cry begin. The Archdiocese of Cincinnati spends $470,000 on a house in Anderson for Archbishop Schnurr. There's nothing wrong in principle with this decision; the man needs a place to stay. Yet I do think it's admirable that Archbishop Pilarczyk chose to live in a rather modest apartment above a downtown church (St. Louis.) But as is pointed out in the story, he has a large extended family that would be difficult to accommodate with smaller digs.

Despite rising costs and increasingly tight budgets, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati spent almost $470,000 last month to buy its new archbishop a house in Anderson Township.

Coadjutor Archbishop Dennis Schnurr, who takes over for Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk later this year, is expected to leave his temporary residence at Mount St. Mary's Seminary and move into the four-bedroom home within a few months.

The house is a new expense for the archdiocese because Pilarczyk has lived in a church-owned apartment above St. Louis Church in downtown Cincinnati for the past 26 years.

Archdiocese officials say buying the house was a necessary and fiscally responsible investment that does not conflict with recent efforts to cut costs, which have included eliminating jobs and closing parishes.

"We have a new coadjutor archbishop who needs a place to stay," said church spokesman Dan Andriacco. "This is nothing unusual. It's just unusual in Cincinnati because it's been a long time since we've had a residence for the archbishop."

Although practices vary from diocese to diocese, all dioceses provide housing to bishops and many own homes that are used exclusively as a bishop's residence.

The Diocese of Cleveland provides an apartment in a downtown cathedral, while the Diocese of Covington has owned a home valued at $365,000 in the Wallace Woods neighborhood for more than 30 years.

But some question the wisdom and timing of a purchase as large as the Anderson Township home, which is located in the Watch Hill area and was built in 1988. Property records show the archdiocese paid $469,718 for the house.

"I can't imagine this sitting well with people in the pews," said Kris Ward, the Dayton chairwoman of Voice of the Faithful, a group that advocates for more involvement by lay Catholics in church finances and policy.

"This kind of smacks of a Wall Street bonus, while Catholics are struggling to pay Catholic school tuitions and keep up their contributions to parishes," she said.

Schnurr declined comment, but Andriacco said the archbishop intends to use the 3,200-sqaure-foot house for church functions and as a "ministry of hospitality," which likely would include meetings with seminarians, priests and others.

He said Schnurr also has a large family, including five siblings and 15 nieces and nephews, and wanted a home larger than an apartment so he could accommodate frequent visits. He said Pilarczyk, an only child, didn't require that kind of space. ...

Behind the mic

Your host is profiled in the latest issue of the Sacred Heart Radio newsletter.

If you don't subscribe, hit the gang with a note.

Meltdown Monday

I just ordered a copy of Thomas Woods's new book Meltdown: A Free-Market Look at Why the Stock Market Collapsed, the Economy Tanked, and Government Bailouts Will Make Things Worse, which is out today. As you may know, Tom Woods is a Catholic and an economist of the Austrian school. Here's the transcript of an interview of Woods by the folks at the Vox Popoli blog:

Congratulations on "Meltdown: A Free-Market Look at Why the Stock Market Collapsed, the Economy Tanked, and Government Bailouts Will Make Things Worse" hitting the bestseller lists. The fact that you were the first to publish a book about the financial crisis so soon after the September crash indicates that you may have anticipated it. You're an Austrian economist, so did you find that your knowledge of Austrian theory helped you put the crises in context?

The book is in itself an Austrian analysis from start to finish. For anyone who doesn't know, the Austrian School of Economics is a free-market school of economics that includes luminaries such as Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich von Hayek, the latter of whom won the Nobel Prize in 1974. I would say the bulk of the economists who saw the crisis coming were Austrians. There is no economic school of thought from which a higher proportion of economists warned that the housing market was indeed experiencing a bubble, that it was going to burst and that the rate of home price increases was unsustainable. That was an Austrian warning. I wrote the book because I could not stand listening to the conventional wisdom, day in and day out, saying that this was all the fault of the free market so now we need the geniuses in Washington to fix everything for us. That is just an obscenity. ...

You can listen to an interview of Woods by Lew Rockwell here.

Proud papa

You can view a three-minute interview with former Ohio Governor Jim Gilligan on the pending appointment of his daughter, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, to run President Obama's Health and Human Services office. As most of you know, Sebelius is stridently pro-abortion, which created a minor local controversy a few years ago. Governor Sebalius, a native of Cincinnati, was invited to speak to her alma mater, Cincinnati's Summit Country Day School. When a Kansas pro-life group informed the school and the archdiocese about her abortion record, her invitation was rescinded. The controversy is mentioned in the video.

"We've all had to pinch ourselves"

On this morning's Son Rise Morning Show with Brian Patrick, we discussed Archbishop Chaput's recent speech about the Catholic political vocation. In the speech, Archbishop Chaput remarked, "But whatever [President Obama's] strengths, there's no way to reinvent his record on abortion and related issues with rosy marketing about unity, hope and change." Don't tell that to the head of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Office of African American Catholic Ministries. He's still "pinching himself" over last fall's election:

As America and the rest of the world prepared for the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States [President Barack Obama] on the twentieth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand and nine, we’ve all had to pinch ourselves to make sure that we’re not dreaming. Millions of Americans awoke from their slumber to actively participate in the political arena and to take hold of a new vision for the future. Though pressed on every side, this awakening was not dampened by the current economic crises nor the various military conflicts around the world. It became a movement to help satisfy the thirst and hunger for justice and peace.

Peoples of every race, ethnicity and culture were called forth to challenge Washington to hear the voice of the people - a people who sought and demanded change in the way America had treated its citizens. Their hopes were bound together through a simple yet profound acclamation, “Yes, We Can!” It was as if people were waiting for a leader whose presence, whose demeanor, and whose words summed up what we always knew – that America is in need of change.

The rhapsodic greeting is part of a collection of "reflections by African American and Protestant clergy," a link to which was included in an announcement on the archdiocesan website of an African-themed Mass scheduled for March 28 at St. Francis De Sales Church.

Archbishop Chaput tellingly reminded his audience that "in democracies, we elect public servants, not messiahs." And about the hope and "Yes, We Can!" meme, he had this to say:

[F]or Christians, hope is a virtue, not an emotional crutch or a political slogan. Virtus, the Latin root of virtue, means strength or courage. Real hope is unsentimental. It has nothing to do with the cheesy optimism of election campaigns. Hope assumes and demands a spine in believers. And that's why -- at least for a Christian -- hope sustains us when the real answer to the problems or hard choices in life is "no, we can't," instead of "yes, we can."

Deep roots

This morning's Cincinnati Enquirer features reporter Dan Horn's interview with Coadjutor Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr. His Excellency takes note of the deep roots of Catholicism in Cincinnati, where people still self-identify by their parish, and then shares his assessment of the current state of the laity, priestly vocations, finances, and the clergy abuse scandal. Here's a snippet:

Priest recruitment was a priority for you in Duluth, where the number of seminarians tripled on your watch. Will it be a priority here?

"I don't think the Archdiocese of Cincinnati is an exception. It's a very important concern for the church. There are many good programs in the archdiocese that relate to vocations (priest recruitment), but there are places we could have a little bit better approach."

Will you be actively involved in priest recruitment?

"I think it's very important for the archbishop to express an interest in the seminarians. The renewal I experienced from the seminarians in Duluth was nothing less than inspiring."

Why have some Catholics, especially young Catholics, drifted away from the church and from regularly attending Mass?

"What we are experiencing is in part due to the real confusion that followed the Second Vatican Council (a series of reforms in the 1960s). We didn't explain the changes that were taking place, so people became very confused. Because of that confusion, a lot of our Catholics, you might say, threw the baby out with the bath water."

What can you do to bring them back?

"You hear people say we have to establish a culture of vocations, and I agree with that ... The whole idea of God calling can't just be limited to the priesthood. Every single person has a vocation. Everyone has been called to a purpose. One of the most important questions we have to answer in our lives is, 'What has God called me to do?' Until you raise the question - Why did God create me? - there is no understanding and you're not going to pursue that purpose."

Angels at the Angelus

During today's Angelus address, Pope Benedict provided a brief catechesis on those neglected figures of Church dogma -- the Angels. The combination of cheesy TV shows and children's stories with bad theology has created a need for a dose of doctrinal reality. Here's the Holy Father:

In the brevity of the account, in the face of this obscure and darksome figure who dares to tempt the Lord, the angels, luminous and mysterious figures, fleetingly appear. The Gospel says that the angels "serve" Jesus (Mark 1:13); they are the counterpoint to Satan. "Angel" means "one who is sent." We find these figures throughout the Old Testament who help and guide men in the name of God. Just consider the Book of Tobit, in which the figure of the angel Raphael appears to assist the protagonist through many vicissitudes. The reassuring presence of the angel of the Lord accompanies the people of Israel through every event, good and bad. On the threshold of the New Testament, Gabriel is sent to announce to Zachariah and Mary the joyous happenings that are the beginnings of our salvation; and an angel, whose name is not mentioned, warns Joseph, directing him in that moment of uncertainty. A chorus of angels reports the glad tidings of Jesus' birth to the shepherds, as the glad tidings of his resurrection will also be announced by angels to the women. At the end of time the angels will accompany Jesus in his glorious return (cf. Matthew 25:31).

The angels serve Jesus, who is certainly superior to them, and this dignity of his is proclaimed in a clear though discreet way here in the Gospel. Indeed, even in the situation of extreme poverty and humility, when he is tempted by Satan, he remains the Son of God, the Messiah, the Lord.

Need more angelic discourse? Peter Kreeft tells us "the twelve most important things we need to know about them."

Some of our prayers were for them

Go read Rochester blogger Lee Strong's account of yesterday's pro-life prayer march from Our Lady of Victory/St. Joseph Church to Planned Parenthood.

(That's legendary Old St. Joe's in the background of the photo below.)

The mostly young - and largely male!? - group of about 30 were there to try to counter the more than 100 pro-life marchers who processed from Our Lady of Victory Church to Planned Parenthood through the cold (18-20 degrees) and the light snow of downtown Rochester in relative silence (well, as silent as you can get with a group that included children and people who actively greeted people on the streets). The march came after a Mass that packed the small church, and it ended with people praying the rosary and singing hymns.
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There were anti-religion and anti-Catholic type chants and stereotyping in some of the slogans the pro-choicers kept repeating as they tried to drown out praying pro-lifers. I wonder if some of them recognized that they were trying to overcome prayers.

Watch a brief video from RNews of the "confrontation" here.

Needs to be nuanced

In a recent issue of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's "Clergy Communications," the subject of the convalidation of RCIA catechumens in irregular marriages with Catholics was addressed. It comes as a slight surprise that someone needed to pose the question.

CONVALIDATION OF MARRIAGE AND THE SACRAMENTS OF INITIATION
On January 14, 2009 at the RCIA seminar at St. John’s West Chester, a question was asked whether the sacraments of initiation should be administered before or after the convalidation of a catechumen’s current marriage to a Catholic. The answer given was the convalidation should occur before the sacraments of initiation are administered. That answer needs to be nuanced. Ordinarily, the convalidation occurs before the sacraments of initiation are administered. However, there are instances, like the Pauline Privilege, where the sacrament of baptism must be administered before the convalidation. If there is a marriage case that impacts the initiation of someone, please follow the directives of the Tribunal regarding the order of the sacraments.

If by "nuance," the writer means the answer should reflect common sense and general sensitivity, then right on. But another definition of nuance, the one meaning "talk about doctrine in ambiguous terms so as not to offend," has helped get us to the point where so many convalidations are necessary. And one does wonder whether cohabitation, which I'll wager is far larger problem in RCIA than irregular marriages, was mentioned at the seminar at St. John's West Chester.

"Early Judaeo-Christianity believed in the divinity of Jesus"

At my Monday morning catechism group tomorrow, we'll be discussing Pope Benedict's general audience address on St. Paul and the importance of Christology, delivered 22 October 2008. The Holy Father includes a wonderful exegesis on one of my favorite readings from Scripture, the famous hymn in 2:6-11 of Paul's Letter to the Philippians:

In the famous hymn contained in the Letter to the Philippians (cf. 2: 6-11) a further development of this sapiential cycle sees Wisdom abase herself to then be exalted despite rejection. This is one of the most elevated texts in the whole of the New Testament. The vast majority of exegetes today agree that this passage reproduces an earlier composition than the text of the Letter to the Philippians. This is a very important fact because it means that Judaeo-Christianity, prior to St Paul, believed in Jesus' divinity. In other words, faith in the divinity of Jesus was not a Hellenistic invention that emerged much later than Jesus' earthly life, an invention which, forgetful of his humanity, would have divinized him; we see in reality that early Judaeo-Christianity believed in the divinity of Jesus [emphasis mine.] Indeed, we can say that the Apostles themselves, at the important moments in the life of their Teacher, understood that he was the Son of God, as St Peter said in Caesarea Philippi: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mt 16: 16). However, let us return to the hymn in the Letter to the Philippians.

This text's structure is in three strophes, which illustrate the high points on the journey undertaken by Christ. His pre-existence is expressed by the words: "though he was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped" (Phil 2: 6). Then comes the Son's voluntary self- abasement in the second strophe: "emptied himself, taking the form of a servant" (v. 7), to the point of humbling himself and "[becoming] obedient unto death, even death on a cross" (v. 8). The third strophe of the hymn proclaims the Father's response to the Son's humbling of himself: "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name" (v. 9). What is striking is the contrast between the radical humbling of himself and his subsequent glorification in the glory of God. It is obvious that this second strophe is in contrast with the claim of Adam, who wanted to make a God of himself, and in contrast with the act of the builders of the tower of Babel, who wanted to construct a bridge to Heaven and make themselves divinities. However, this initiative of pride ended in self-destruction: this is not the way to Heaven, to true happiness, to God. The gesture of the Son of God is exactly the opposite: not pride but humility, which is the fulfilment of love and love is divine. The initiative of Christ's abasement, of his radical humility, in stark contrast with human pride, is truly an expression of divine love; it is followed by that elevation into Heaven to which God attracts us with his love.

Pope Benedict authored another reflection on this hymn early in his pontificate.