"Here is the resource you have been waiting for"

My Monday morning catechism group began meeting in the fall of 2007 to study the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. Since the fall 2008 we've been studying St. Paul to coincide with the Pauline Year. There's been a mild clamor for us next to pursue a course in apologetics. Frankly, I've been hard pressed to find a suitable text. Come late April, that problem is solved:

Handbook of Catholic Apologetics is full of the wisdom and wit, clarity and insight of philosophers Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli. This is an informative and valuable guidebook for anyone looking for answers to questions of faith and reason. Whether you are asking the questions yourself or want to respond to others who are, here is the resource you have been waiting for.

Topics include:

faith and reason the existence of God God's nature creation and evolution providence and free will miracles problem of evil Bible's historical reliability divinity of Christ Christ’s resurrection life after death heaven, hell, purgatory salvation Christianity and other religions objective truth the Eucharist Mary Communion of saints Catholic hierarchy

Theology of the Body for Teens

If you live in Cincinnati and have a teen-aged child, this is the program for you -- and them:

(click to enlarge and spread the word)

Springtime!

U.S. dioceses will welcome home 150,000 new Catholics next weekend:

The U.S. bishops' conference reported Tuesday that around 150,000 are scheduled to join the Catholic Church this Easter.

The press release noted that "the numbers show the growth and vitality of the Catholic Church in places where it has traditionally been a small minority."

The Archdiocese of Atlanta estimates that 513 catechumens, who have never been baptized, and 2,195 candidates, who were baptized in another Christian community and are seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, will enter the Church this year, not including infant baptisms.

Father Theodore Book, director of the office of Divine worship for the archdiocese, affirmed: "The Archdiocese of Atlanta is in a part of the country with a large non-Catholic population, and has been blessed with an authentic dynamism during recent years, which is perhaps best expressed in our annual Eucharistic congress, which draws some 30,000 participants.

"One of the many blessings that we have received from the Lord is the large number of individuals entering the Church."

The Archdiocese of Seattle expects 736 catechumens and 506 candidates to enter the Church, while the Diocese of San Diego will welcome 305 catechumens and 920 candidates.

The Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama, had to plan three different ceremonies for the Rite of Election, at the beginning of Lent, to accommodate the 445 people in process of becoming Catholic.

Rochester will receive 451 catechumens and candidates. Does anyone have the figures for Cincinnati?

Update. Cincinnati will welcome 1125 people into the Church -- a rather lackluster showing when one considers it's similar in size to Atlanta.

"The last priest we’ll ordain for our diocese until 2013"

In his current column, Bishop Matthew Clark sizes up the vocations situation in Rochester:

As I indicated to you not long ago, our vocation picture is brighter in the early stages than it has been in recent years. Our numbers are still small, but they are growing. No less important, those who are joining us are solid, gifted men. We have strong evidence that this good trend will continue.

I also have mentioned to you recently the darker side of the picture. That is, that barring the totally unforeseen, Brian is the last priest we’ll ordain for our diocese until 2013. It is clear that between now and then, we’ll have to make some significant adjustments.

In view of that, I pray daily:

* that all of us will pray for vocations to the diocesan priesthood

* that we will invite and encourage boys and young men who have a spirit of service and talents that we would like to find in our priests to consider priesthood as a possibility for themselves

* that such generous and gifted individuals would be open to the possibilities of a priestly vocation and would be willing to explore that possibility with the assistance of our Vocations Office.

The need is great. I know that your prayer and encouragement is essential to our ability to meet that need.

Pray, pray, pray for priestly vocations in Rochester.

Because we already have a sense of what the "significant adjustments" promised by Bishop Clark will look like.

Update, 4 April 2009. Rochester blogger Lee Strong believes more than prayer should be done:

I believe in the power of prayer, but I think we need to do more.

Increasing the number of priests will take leadership that inspires, that fires up young men - the way Pope John Paul II did. It will take priests who are willing to reach out and invite. It will take creativity.

I see those in short supply these days.

How about a regular vocations show on our Catholic radio station?

How about youth rallies? With music?

How about a Catholic family camp like the one Madonna House offers in Canada?

How about a youth theater group?

How about working with the Irenaeus Center?

How about a Diocesan Youth Day?

How about priests regularly visiting our Catholic schools and high schools?

How about priests being involved with the pro-life movement where there are many young people of faith?

How about ministry projects involving high school and college students like the ones Glenmary does in Appalachia?

That's all just off the top of my head. I'm sure wiser folks can come up with more.

One ordination and then a four year gap. God help us.

The Battle for Purity

What is the Ninth Commandment? What is its relationship to the Sixth? What does it forbid? Define concupiscence. From what does it stem? How does the Church define the “heart”? Why is it important? What is the difference between the body and the flesh? Does the Sixth Beatitude play a role? How important is it to be “pure of heart”? How does one reach it? What is modesty? Does modesty change from culture to culture? What are some practical helps for keeping the Ninth Commandment?

Join Brian Patrick and me at 8:10 am EST tomorrow on the Son Rise Morning Show as we discuss Chapter 33 of the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults: "The Ninth Commandment: Practice Purity of Heart."

Our participation in the Mass

One of the enduring postconciliar myths is that before the Council worshipers were mere spectators, watching the priest "perform" at the altar. As one catechetical text put it, worshipers were "not participants as much as watchers, separated by distance, architecture, and language." During a recent trip home, my mother gave me her Saint Joseph Daily Missal from 1959. The preface and introduction are chock full of quotes from Pope Pius XII's encyclical Mediator Dei about the importance of lay participation. They also contain useful suggestions for increased participation through prayer. At the very least, we should recognize that participation is not an invention of the Council and that efforts toward authentic liturgical catechesis were well underway before Vatican II. What's below is a chart from the missal showing how the laity can and should participate during the various parts of the Mass.

Sweet privilege

Father Dwight Longenecker put together a list of ten advantages of First Confession for young Catholics:

1. At an early age the child learns that he or she is not perfect
2. At the dawning of the age of accountability the child learns that he must be responsible
3. Right up front the child learns that God is loving and forgiving
4. The little child learns that when things go wrong forgiveness (not cover up) is the answer
5. The child steps up to the plate and does something difficult
6. In the self examination that is necessary the child begins the life long task of examining his life. (The unexamined life is not worth living)
7. He is introduced to the mystery of the sacramental life.
8. He begins to understand and accept the mysterious working of grace and providence.
9. The grown ups involved are reminded that unless they come like these little first communicants they cannot enter the kingdom
10. The little ones remind us that 'little' sins are not necessarily little in God's eyes.

For these advantages to be lasting requires follow through on the part of parents and parish leaders. Otherwise First Confession may seem like a special, one-time event. Take your children to confession with you when you go. This may require some effort and generally requires going during the standard 30-45 minutes on a Saturday afternoon offered by your parish. (Many adult penitents go during the week to parishes with reputations for generous sacramental service.) Catholic schools can play their part too. Our parish once excluded recent first penitents from student penance services, reasoning that "they'd already gone." Thankfully, our new principal overturned this policy. If communal penance services are the preferred way to offer the sacrament, then they ought to be held monthly -- both during school hours and at times convenient to parents and adults.

Good on doctrine, weak on liturgy

My brief review of the new Catholic Connections Handbook for Middle Schoolers:

While there is much to recommend in these pages, including an attractive design, fairly solid doctrinal content, and accessible but non-condescending language, the chapters on the liturgy are problematic. Much like the authors' The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, this book presents a discontinuous view of the liturgy and a false, externally oriented sense of participation. Pope Benedict reminds us that participation in the liturgy is primarily an internal event: "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" [Sacramentum Caritatis, 52.] Yet in this book's pages, middle schoolers are told that "Getting involved in liturgical ministries, like being a lector, can help you appreciate the richness of the Mass." Likewise, they are asked, "Have you ever been asked to bring up the gifts at Mass? It is an honor to represent the faith community in this way." No, it is an honor -- a privilege -- to receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of the Lord at Mass. Children should not be told that bringing up the gifts adds to that experience. Moreover, priests are frequently shown celebrating Mass with sacred vessels made of clay, an abuse of the liturgy specifically proscribed by the Holy See (see Redemptionis Sacramentum, 117), and wearing vestments that appear to have been borrowed from a production of Godspell or Jesus Christ Superstar. There is also a text box explaining the similarities between "The Dinner Table and the Altar Table." At a time when the Holy See is trying to remind Catholics of the majesty, dignity, and transcendence of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass after decades of bad liturgical practice and catechesis, this sort of comparison is a step in the wrong direction. As a parent I may use this book with my middle school children, but it will be with reservations and corrective comments once we reach the chapters on the liturgy.

The hits keep coming. Page 421 includes a lengthy text box on Cardinal Bernardin's "seamless garment," a polarizing, non-magisterial concept that for decades was used to throw a proverbial blanket over politicians sympathetic to abortion rights. What a shame. We desperately need solid material to fill the gap in catechesis for middle schoolers. This is not the book to do it. I may knock off an additional star from my review. Avoid this one, folks.

Not an April Fool's joke

From the website of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio:

Event Details

'Queer Week' presented by Xavier Alliance

Date:	Monday, March 30 — Friday, April 03
Location:	Throughout Campus
Contact:	xualliance@xavier.edu or call 513-807-3074
Description:	A week to embrace and celebrate the use of queer as an inclusive, unifying socio-political term for people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, straight, transsexual, intersexual, gender queer, or anyone else who supports the equality of all identities and expressions. Monday: 1:30 Distribution of ‘Gay, Fine By Me’ T-Shirts on the Greenspace 7pm Candlelight Vigil for Victims of Hate Crimes Tuesday: Queer Awareness Display and Tabling in Gallagher Wednesday: 7pm An academic performance by Kate Bornstein “On Women, Men and the Rest of Us” in Kelley Auditorium Thursday: 7pm Showing of ‘Milk’ with panel discussion in Gallagher Theater Friday: 4pm Same-Sex Hand Holding Day/Solidarity and Closing Ceremonies
	Save to calendar

“We don’t DO THAT in this community, okay?"

Over at Rochester Catholic, Gene Michael relays the experience of a tongue communicant at a local parish:

As per my usual, I genuflect before receiving, while the person in front of me, or 2 in front is receiving. This does not impede the flow of the communicants, nor does this slow the Eucharist down, as I usually finish by the time the person in front of me has said “Amen.”

After my genuflection, the priest said “We don’t DO THAT in this community, okay?” Now, I was a bit surprised at this—1) It’s a perfectly legitimate and reasonable way to receive, and 2) He apparently felt that his Spirit of Vatican II politics were more important, than say, the Eucharist. I would have been fine, however, if it had stopped there. It did not. I stood there, awaiting his “The Body of Christ,” hands folded. Understanding for what I was waiting, he said (Eucharist in hand, no less) “We don’t do THAT either here.” He then proceeded to try to place the consecrated host in my clasped hands. I shook my head once, then he finally placed it on my tongue, broke it in the process, without so much as a “Body of Christ.” Amen, apparently.

As I've said, the one parish in the diocese where you are certain not to receive this appalling treatment: Our Lady of Victory/St. Joseph. Which is why it is growing by leaps and bounds while the rest of the diocese implodes.

Funny, faithful, and fact-filled

Have you seen That Catholic Show?

It's a YouTube series on the basics of the faith that's funny, faithful, and fact-filled.

Each video is around 7 minutes long and features apologetic material and references to the Catechism.

Check out the episode for confession:

You can find links to others under "Related Videos" along the right bumper.

These episodes would be terrific "conversation starters" to kick off RCIA sessions.

(They certainly beat the dissentient Hill & Madges video series our parish uses.)

Called to echo the Truth

The Diocese of Madison has issued a press release explaining Bishop Morlino's dismissal of a pastoral associate from one its parishes. It boils down to catechesis. The Q&A-format release reads like a pastoral letter on the role of catechesis and catechists at the parish. Here's a key excerpt:

The bishop and, by extension, every priest, pastoral associate, coordinator or director of religious education, teacher, youth group leader, etc. is called, first, to be a catechist. And every person who is charged with teaching in the name of the Church, including the bishop himself, is necessarily held to a higher standard than the average Catholic. While any Catholic may, at times, question or lack a complete understanding of a particular Church teaching, it only makes sense to expect all catechists and parish leaders to faithfully impart the authentic, complete and integral teachings of the Church, avoiding any compromise due to one’s personal opinion. That demand upon the many men and women, priests and laity, who are charged with catechesis within our Church is difficult at times, but it is a demand made in love for Christ and to which catechists are called to respond in love and humility themselves.

Later in the release, catechesis is defined:

'Catechesis' derives from a Greek word meaning "to echo." Those who undertake this work are called to echo the Truth revealed by Jesus Christ and entrusted to the Apostles and their successors, the bishops. It is important to distinguish this from "theology," which is the study of God based on His revelation to us.

Within the parameters of established Church teaching, there is a time and place to speculate upon theological questions. But, the role of the catechist is to constantly endeavor to transmit (i.e. “echo”) the teaching of the Church by internalizing it through contemplation and prayer, exemplifying it in their behavior and associations, and enthusiastically teaching it in its fullness and splendor. Since those who present themselves to the Church have a right to this authentic teaching, it is the obligation of all catechists (bishops, priests, deacons, religious and lay people) to provide it.

Also discussed are dissident groups, excommunication, the Catechism, the four marks of the Church, and obedience -- enjoy!

"Father doesn't know best. Neither does mom."

First, twelve-hour baby slings, and now this ...

In the consensual living model, father doesn't know best. Neither does mom. Instead, parents and children are equal partners in family life, according to the principles laid out at consensual-living.com.

Founded in 2006 by a group of families in North Carolina, consensual living is gaining ground in alternative parenting communities and online, including a Yahoo group with about 900 members.

Devotees study books such as Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn and Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication, and they consider parenting based on punishment and reward structures to be "coercive."

In contrast, "consensual" parenting is non-hierarchical.

"When parents put themselves in the role as authorities, they may believe they are doing it 'for the child's good,' " writes one of the movement's co-founders, Anna Brown, "but they could be missing an opportunity to have more connected relationships with their children."

The radio, the memo, and the statement

This morning, I dialed in to the Mike McConnell show on Cincinnati's WLW while he was discussing Obama and Notre Dame. Callers were confusing the Church's teaching on various social doctrines, e.g., by stating that being in favor of the death penalty and abortion rights are for practical purposes indistinguishable positions, so I tried to present two Church documents that would be persuasive to reasonable listeners.

Unfortunately, I don't believe I did justice to either. A previous caller mentioned the USCCB statement "Catholics in Political Life," and my citations from the Ratzinger Memo were greeted with, essentially, "But Pope John Paul opposed the death penalty, George Bush supported it, and George Bush spoke at Notre Dame. Ergo, Obama should be able to speak there too."

In any event, here are the two statements I referenced ...

From the "Ratzinger Memo" (written by Pope Benedict in 2004 when he was still head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith):

3. Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia. For example, if a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the application of capital punishment or on the decision to wage war, he would not for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy Communion. While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.

From the USCCB's "Catholics in Political Life":

The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.

What sort of man was Pontius Pilate?

Canadian law professor Ian Hunter provides a provocative answer:

In Pontius Pilate we see not a stupid man (he asked the right question), not even a deluded man ("I find no fault in him"), but rather a cowardly man: a man who having glimpsed the truth (the prisoner's innocence) nevertheless yielded to political pressure. What will Herod think? What will the chief priests do? Will the mob riot if I don't give in? With such fears, rather than with the truth in mind, Pilate delivered up Jesus to be crucified.

How often we emulate Pilate, by preferring the politically correct to the true answer. Some churches even emulate Pilate. The church must not offend women; so hymnals and liturgies are ransacked in search of any word or phrase that might possibly give offence. The church must not offend homosexuals; therefore its historic teaching is suddenly stood on its head. The church must be open to change; and before long a new-age pantheism replaces worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

What sort of man was Pontius Pilate? An appeaser; a man who preferred avoiding trouble even if it meant avoiding the truth; a man, sad to say, much like me.

More than "a couple of bishops"

The Cincinnati Enquirer runs my letter to the editor:

In David Wells’ March 28 piece for the Enquirer about President Obama’s forthcoming trip to Notre Dame, he states that “there are a couple of bishops who have spoken against the invitation.” This creates the impression that most bishops don’t object to having the most pro-abortion president in American history deliver a commencement speech for and receive an honorary degree from what was once America’s premiere Catholic university.

Yet a key instruction in the statement “Catholics in Political Life” from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a bit more telling: “The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions." Nothing is more fundamental than the right to life, and Notre Dame's actions defy this instruction from the bishops.

The responses in the Enquirer combox are about what you would expect.

Bishop of Rochester to resign!

Get the scoop here.

Primer on the precepts

"What does it mean to be a practicing Catholic?"

At a minimum it means living by the Precepts of the Church.

Monsignor Vincent J. Grimalia's primer on the precepts helped guide my discussion with Brian Patrick on the Son Rise Morning show today.

(If you're a priest looking for a homiletic idea, this one 'ain't bad.)

We sometimes hear the question “what does it mean to be a practicing Catholic?”

The short answer to the question is people who are living in accord with the teaching and laws of the Church. To help develop that answer we can look to the precepts of the Church.

In a society that emphasizes rights, neglects responsibilities and avoids commitments, an understanding of these precepts is necessary. We live in a culture of entitlements, where there is an expectation that personal needs and preferences are to be met.

The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The five precepts of the Church are meant to guarantee for the faithful the indispensable minimum in the spirit of prayer, the sacramental life, moral commitment and growth in love of God and neighbor.”

The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults describes the precepts in these words: “These are rules set in the context of a moral life, bound to and nourished by liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by pastoral authority is meant to encourage on the part of the faithful the indispensable foundations for their lives as Catholics.” ...

We have heard much

As bishops around the country issue public statments concerning the Notre Dame-Obama scandal -- the latest comes from New York Archbishop-designate Timothy Dolan -- Cincinnati's Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk weighs in on ... climate change:

I am pleased to report to you that the Archdiocese of Cincinnati endorses A Catholic Climate Covenant: the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor. We have heard much on environmental stewardship from our Holy Father, Benedict XVI, through his public addresses around the globe. ...

And do read Fr. Martin Fox's comment about environmental follies in an earlier post.

Recovery expected

Pray for Columbus' Bishop Campbell tonight and tomorrow:

Columbus Bishop Frederick Campbell will have his left leg amputated below the knee Monday because of skin cancer, according to a letter released by the Catholic Diocese today.

Doctors have diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma in Campbell, 65. He also has osteomyelitis, an infection, in multiple bones in his foot, and an open wound that will not heal.

Campbell told clergy of his upcoming surgery in a letter mailed Thursday.

The bishop said in his letter that he expects to resume administrative duties soon after surgery and return to all his duties, including traveling the diocese, in about six weeks. He will be fitted with a prosthetic and is expected to walk again.

"He expects a full recovery and will not be stepping down as bishop," said Deacon Tom Berg Jr., vice chancellor of the diocese. ...

Climate covenant

In the event you're looking to inject a dose of partisan doctrine into your Palm Sunday celebration next weekend, the Catholic Social Action office for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati is sponsoring a symposium at ('natch) Xavier:

“The Catholic Climate Covenant: A Symposium on Climate Change and Catholic Social Teaching” will be conducted from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 5, on the campus of Xavier University. Dr. William Rauckhorst, professor of physics at Miami University, and Tony Stieritz, director of the Catholic Social Action Office of the Archdiocese, will offer keynote presentations. Following, participants may choose from a variety of workshops. The symposium is free of charge and open to all in the Archdiocese. See a brochure with more information at www.catholiccincinnati.org/socialaction/.To register, contact the Catholic Social Action Office, 513-421-3131 (x 2660). Co-sponsors are the Climate Change Task Force of the Catholic Social Action Office and the Ethics/Religion & Society Program of Xavier University.

The very necessary minimum

Join Brian Patrick and me at 7:35 am tomorrow (Monday) morning on the Son Rise Morning Show as we discuss the Precepts of the Church:

2041 The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:

2042 The first precept ("You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor") requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principal liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, in which the Christian community is gathered, and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days.82

The second precept ("You shall confess your sins at least once a year") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness.83

The third precept ("You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.84

2043 The fourth precept ("You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.85

The fifth precept ("You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church") means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.86

The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his own abilities.87