Carl E. Olson's Blog, page 267

Brumley & Olson Talk Faith, Politics, and Books

Brumley & Olson Talk Faith, Politics, and Books | Mark Brumley & Carl E. Olson | November 7, 2011 | Ignatius Insight

Mark Brumley, President of Ignatius Press, and Carl E. Olson, editor of Ignatius Insight, talk about the decision to discontinue the print editions of Catholic World Report and Homiletic & Pastoral Review and publish them online exclusively, beginning in January 2012.

They also discuss the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace document, "Towards Reforming the International Financial and Monetary Systems in the Context of Global Public Authority", which has created quite a stir among many Catholic (and non-Catholic) commentators.

They conclude by talking about several new Ignatius Press books, including Extreme Makeover: Women Transformed by Christ, Not Conformed to the Culture, by Teresa Tomeo, The Song at the Scaffold, by Gertrud von le Fort, Ida Elisabeth, by Sigrid Undset, A Bitter Trial: Evelyn Waugh and John Cardinal Heenan on the Liturgical Changes, In Defense Of Sanity: The Best Essays of G.K. Chesterton, Mother Teresa: A Personal Portrait: 50 Inspiring Stories Never Before Told, by Msgr. Leo Maasburg, and Ten Universal Principles: A Brief Philosophy of the Life Issues, by Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J.

Listen to mp3 audio file (58:00):










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Articles, links, and books mentioned in this conversation:

• www.CatholicWorldReport.com | Website for Catholic World Report

• www.HPRweb.com | Website for Homiletic & Pastoral Review

• "Towards Reforming the International Financial and Monetary Systems in the Context of Global Public Authority" | Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (Vatican News)

• On Going the Way of World Government | Mark Brumley on the recent and controversial document issued by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace on the global economic crisis (Catholic World Report).

• The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace steps to the plate, swings, and ...? | Carl E. Olson (Insight Scoop)

• Charity and Unity | Douglas Farrow (First Things, Oct. 2009)

• Extreme Makeover: Women Transformed by Christ, Not Conformed to the Culture, by Teresa Tomeo.

• The Song at the Scaffold: A Novel, by Gertrud von le Fort.

• Ida Elisabeth: A Novel, by Sigrid Undset.

• In Defense Of Sanity: The Best Essays of G.K. Chesterton, edited by Dale Ahlquist, Joseph Pearce, Aidan Mackey.

• A Bitter Trial: Evelyn Waugh and John Cardinal Heenan on the Liturgical Changes, edited by Dom Alcuin Reid. Foreword by Joseph Pearce; Afterword by Clare Asquith, Countess of Oxford.

• Mother Teresa: A Personal Portrait: 50 Inspiring Stories Never Before Told, by Leo Maasburg.

• Ten Universal Principles: A Brief Philosophy of the Life Issues, by Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J.

Pastoral Authority and Spiritual Warfare

Pastoral Authority and Spiritual Warfare | Deacon James Keating | Homiletic & Pastoral Review | November 2011

In sharing in the priesthood of Christ, the pastor upholds his own fatherhood (governing), receives his teaching authority, and can uphold his own ministry of healing and holiness (sanctifying).

"Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens." (Eph 6:10-12)

Christ wants to share his authority over malevolent powers with his priests. He wants to encourage and teach a man how to be with a person when that person is being tempted, struggling with faith, hope or love: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, Therefore and make disciples of all nations….And behold I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Mt 28:18, 20).  This desire of Christ to share his authority is fulfilled when a man is ordained to the priesthood.  Each priest, however, has to subjectively cooperate with Christ, receiving his authority, over and over again, with each day of ministry. This receptivity can be hard to sustain as so many tasks present themselves to a priest, tasks that threaten to take from him the essential aspect of priesthood: it is a spiritual mission flowing from a heart captured by Christ's own. A priest's pastoral authority flows from his own being, his being after ordination.

The priest's pastoral authority, in other words, flows from the character of ordination. This character consists of a man's permanent availability to the priestly mission of Christ, as Christ is sharing it through ordination in the context of apostolic succession and tradition.  In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, "Beloved, through ordination, you have received the same Spirit of Christ, who makes you like him, so that you can act in his name, and so that his very mind and heart might live in you. This intimate communion with the Spirit of Christ—while guaranteeing the efficacy of the sacramental actions which you perform in persona Christi—seeks to be expressed in fervent prayer, in integrity of life, in the pastoral charity of a ministry tirelessly spending itself for the salvation of the brethren. In a word, it calls for your personal sanctification."1

The character of priestly ordination, then, is not simply something given to a man to conserve the truth and worship of the Catholic Church. The character of priestly ordination is an intimacy with Christ, an intimacy seeking expression in self-gift, in the pastoral charity of ministry.  The priest, in other words, is commissioned to receive the tradition of the Church, in her holy teaching and liturgy by virtue of ordination, and in so doing, receive the path to his own holiness as well.2 The individual will in a man to receive the tradition over and over again, his openness and vulnerability to be affected by the Paschal Mystery, is crucial to his governing and authority in the spiritual realm.

Priestly authority exercises power only when born in truth: the truth of what Christ is doing through priestly ministry (the objective part of ordination), and the truth of a man's intimacy with the Paschal Mystery (the subjective reality) within an ecclesial context. It is the 'work' of a man in Holy Orders to receive the Spirit who labors to keep this beautiful calling from disintegrating into either an emotionally distant "work of God," or an ego-ladened emphasis upon personal gifts and personality.  For the priest, to live in the Spirit, who integrates all things, who is peace itself, is to live in effective pastoral authority.

Out of such grace-filled authority, the priest assists God in the battle to save and heal people from evil. Out of both the objectivity of his ordination, and his own personal love of God, the priest resists the work of Satan's counterfeit "authority" who attempts to disintegrate everything that is done in the realm of divine healing. Satan disintegrates the work of the Spirit by attacking hope in parishioners, and by trying to undermine what they know to be true in faith: they are of inestimable worth and dignity.  Satan assaults the people's memory.  He tempts them to question the truth of the holy teachings of the Church, especially this one: "The dignity of man rests, above all, on the fact that he is called to communion with God. This invitation to converse with God is addressed to man as soon as he comes into being. For if man exists, it is because God has created him through love, and through love, continues to hold him in existence" (CCC §27). ....

Read the entire essay on www.HPRweb.com.

Prayers for father of seven who is fighting Stage 4 cancer

From Dr. Ed Peters, who left the following comment on a previous post:

Given the interest in +Sheen here, may I ask readers to remember Paul, a 37-year-old father of 7 in our parish, with Stage 4 cancer? He and his family have a great devotion to Abp. Sheen (their youngest son is named Fulton) and, overnight it seems, they really, really, need prayers urgently.

Yes, absolutely. Please say a prayer for Paul and his family.

"O Christ, You are prompt to defend us: now quickly visit your suffering servant, Paul. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, deliiver him from illness and bitter pain; cure him that he may sing hymns to You and continually praise You, for You alone love mankind. Amen!"

The Recovery of Reason

Here is the opening of George Neumayr's editorial in the November 2011 issue of Catholic World Report:

The most robust defense of reason today comes not from academics and politicians but from the papacy. At a time of growing skepticism and relativism, Pope Benedict XVI stands almost alone in reason's defense.

In his 2006 Regensburg lecture, he guarded reason against two types of foes:  extremists from the East who push a distorted faith without reason and secularists from the West who advance a distorted reason without faith.

His September 22 speech to the German parliament in Berlin marks another signal contribution to the vindication of reason. This time Pope Benedict was addressing legislators who have abandoned the full range of reason as the basis for law and rely instead on a cramped and fashionable relativism. Over 50 German lawmakers boycotted the speech, providing an unwitting punctuation mark to the Pope's call for the need to restore reason to politics. 

The relativism of the majority is a dangerous foundation on which to base the state, the Pope argued. Without leaders who exercise reason's grasp of the natural law, on which human rights and justice absolutely depend, the state becomes nothing more than an expression of arbitrary power:

Read the entire editorial on www.CatholicWorldReport.com.

Mark Brumley talks with Tim Drake on National Catholic Register Radio...

.... about the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace's document "Towards Reforming the International and Monetary Systems in the Context of Global Public Authority." Listen to the interview at NCRegister.com.

New: "Archbishop Fulton Sheen: Servant of All"

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Archbishop Fulton Sheen: Servant of All

2 DVDs | 200 minutes

This special double DVD film package includes an acclaimed new film on the great Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Servant of All, along with five of his most popular television programs from his #1 rated TV series, Life is Worth Living. For decades Fulton Sheen was a shining example of what it means to serve God and men. His TV series reached 30 million viewers weekly, and his profound words were captured in over 100 books. Millions were influenced by the way he lived, what he taught and the witness of his personal relationship with God. His cause for sainthood is progressing along in Rome.

This powerful film Servant of All introduces the beloved Archbishop to a new generation that greatly needs his inspiring example of love for God and neighbor. It reveals how the impact of Sheen's prolific life and works continue on in those whose lives he forever changed. Guests interviewed for this film include Fr. Andrew Apostoli, Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Regis Philbin, Fr. Jonathan Morris, biographers of Sheen, his surviving relatives, friends, and many others who were influenced by him.

The five remastered films from his award-winning TV series present Sheen himself with his unique, captivating teaching style on the crucial importance of faith, love and spirituality. The programs are Ages of Man, False Compassion, Love is a Many Splendored Thing, The Divine Sense of Humor and Angels.

Sample images from the film:

New: "Saint Philip Neri: I Prefer Heaven"

Now available from Ignatius Press:

Saint Philip Neri: I Prefer Heaven

DVD | 205 minutes

An epic feature film on the famous "Apostle of Rome" and great friend of youth in the 16th century. One of the most popular saints of all time, St. Philip Neri was widely known for his great charity, deep prayer life, and tremendous humor. Hoping to join St. Ignatius of Loyola's new order of Jesuits and be a missionary to India, Philip was instead guided by Providence to seek out the poor and abandoned youth of Rome to catechize them in the faith and help them find a better life. He became the founder of the religious congregation, the Oratory, that worked with the youth and also labored to re-evangelize a decadent Rome.

This captivating film highlights Neri's great love for youth, his warm sense of humor, contagious joy, deep mystical spirituality, and his amazing gift for miracles. Actor Gigi Proietti gives a moving performance as St. Philip in this beautifully produced film that is directed by Giacomo Campiotti, director of the acclaimed films Bakhita: From Slave to Saint and St. Giuseppe Moscatti. Includes a 16 page booklet including essays by Carl E. Olson and Sandra Miesel.

This DVD contains the following language options: Italian with English or Spanish subtitles. This is a Region 1 DVD (playable ONLY in Bermuda, Canada, the Cayman Islands, United States and U.S. territories).

Sample images from the film:

Chair of DNC believes Catholic teaching is extreme, radical, divisive, dangerous, and destructive

CNSNews.com reports:

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), chair of the Democratic National Committee, said Thursday that for states to enact constitutional amendments that say human life begins at conception is "an extreme and radical step."

"For the vast majority of Americans, including people on both sides of the abortion issue, this is an extreme and radical step," she said.

Speaking to reporters on a conference call, Wasserman Schultz said that so-called personhood amendments are a "divisive, dangerous, and destructive" attack on women.

No, Shultz does not mention the Catholic Church or Catholic teaching. But what she renounces in such strong terms—the belief that human life begins at conception—is a clear, emphatic, and consistent teaching of the Catholic Church:

Endowed with "a spiritual and immortal" soul, the human person is "the only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake." From his conception, he is destined for eternal beatitude. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, par. 1703; cf. 1711)

Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life. (CCC, par. 2270)

For God, the Lord of life, has conferred on men the surpassing ministry of safeguarding life in a manner which is worthy of man. Therefore from the moment of its conception life must be guarded with the greatest care while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes. (Gaudium et spes, 51)

On its part, the Magisterium of the Church offers to human reason in this field too the light of Revelation: the doctrine concerning man taught by the Magisterium contains many elements which throw light on the problems being faced here. From the moment of conception, the life of every human being is to be respected in an absolute way because man is the only creature on earth that God has "wished for himself " (16) and the spiritual soul of each man is "immediately created" by God; (17) his whole being bears the image of the Creator. Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves "the creative action of God" (18) and it remains forever in a special relationship with she Creator, who is its sole end.(19) God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can, in any circumstance, claim for himself the right to destroy directly an innocent human being. (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Donum vitae)

Note especially the direct and unwavering language used in the 1987 document, Donum vitae, issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith under then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger:

However, the inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and the political authority. These human rights depend neither on single individuals nor on parents; nor do they represent a concession made by society and the State: they pertain to human nature and are inherent in the person by virtue of the creative act from which the person took his of her origin. Among such fundamental rights one should mention in this regard:

a) every human being's right to life and physical integrity from the moment of conception until death; b) the rights of the family and of marriage as an institution and, in this area, the child's right to be conceived, brought into the world and brought up by his parents. To each of these two themes it is necessary here to give some further consideration.

In various States certain laws have authorized the direct suppression of innocents: the moment a positive law deprives a category of human beings of the protection which civil legislation must accord them, the State is denying the equality of all before the law. When the State does not place its power at the service of the rights of each citizen, and in particular of the more vulnerable, the very foundations of a State based on law are undermined. (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Donum vitae)

Radical!

Bishop Cordileone: There exists no "right" to redefine marriage, "our most basic social institution"

"In a November 2 letter," reports the Catholics for the Common Good site, "Bishop Salvatore Cordileone of Oakland and an episcopal adviser to Catholics for the Common Good, asked the [Senate Judiciary Committee] to oppose any bill that would repeal DOMA, particularly the Respect for Marriage Act (S. 598)." His letter can be downloaded as a PDF from the CCG site; here are excerpts:

The connection between sexual difference and procreation is obvious and unique. The public status of marriage owes its origin and existence to the natural capacity of man and woman to bring children into the world. Research substantiates that children thrive best when reared by both a mom and a dad married to each other. Marriage has been and should remain a child-centered institution.

Even when a marriage is not blessed with children, all husbands and wives can model for society the possibilities and potential for mutual collaboration between the sexes. They can teach children generally by their witness and exemplify for other men and women what it means to be husband and wife. They also can provide an essential service to society through adopting children, who need the care of a mother and a father.

The unitive and procreative realities at stake cannot be ignored. They are not mere cultural constructs that can be discarded at will, with little or no social cost. Instead, they flow directly from the immutable nature of the human person, and so our society ignores them at great peril. ...

... redefining marriage also threatens the fundamental human right of religious freedom. Those who refuse on moral and religious grounds to accept or accommodate the redefinition of legal marriage are already being wrongly accused of bigotry and hatred, bias and prejudice. They are being stigmatized and marginalized precisely because they are exercising their religious freedom to teach and practice their values.

In places where marriage's core meaning has been altered through legal action, officials are beginning to target for punishment those believers and churches that refuse to adapt. Any non-conforming conduct and even expressions of disagreement, based simply on support for marriage as understood since time immemorial, are wrongly being treated as if they harmed society, and somehow constituted a form of evil equal to racism. DOMA represents an essential protection against such threats to faith and conscience.

All persons have a rightful claim to our utmost respect. There is no corresponding duty, however, for society to disregard the meaning of sexual difference and its practical consequences for the common good; to override fundamental rights, such as religious liberty; and to re-define our most basic social institution. DOMA advances the common good in a manner consistent with the human dignity of all persons.

More at www.CCGAction.org.

Former Anglican sisters are now a Catholic order

From The Baltimore Sun:

The Archdiocese of Baltimore added a new religious order of nuns Tuesday, its first in decades and one that began as an Anglican community.

The All Saints' Sisters of the Poor left the Episcopal Church for the Roman Catholic Church two years ago. By a decree from the Vatican, they are now an official diocesan priory, or order, the same designation carried by the School Sisters of Notre Dame or the Daughters of Charity.

We feel we have broken ground," said Mother Christina Christie, leader of the community and a nun since 1966.

Yesterday, All Saints' Day, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, all 10 members of the Catonsville convent individually professed perpetual vows of poverty, chastity and obedience "for the rest of my life in this world." Then each signed her profession at the altar before nearly two dozen priests and bishops.

Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien chose Nov. 1, the sisters' patronal feast day, to officially receive the community into the archdiocese.

Read the entire story. The Anglo-Catholic blog has a nice photo of the nuns with Archbiship O'Brien.

On a related note, a reader has reminded me that today is the two-year anniversary of the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus, which provides for personal ordinariates for Anglicans entering into full communion with the Catholic Church. For more about that, see the Fr. Allan R. G. Hawkins' Introduction to Anglicans and the Roman Catholic Church: Reflections on Recent Developments, edited by Stephen Cavanaugh: