Matt Fradd's Blog, page 15

What Should Catholics Think About Medjugorje?

The Blessed Virgin Mary has purportedly been appearing at Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1981. Many Catholics believe these apparitions are genuine, whereas others consider them fake or even spiritually dangerous.

There have been countless purported Marian apparitions throughout the centuries. Only a few were officially recognized by the Church.

What makes Medjugorje such a tough case is its huge following. Even many priests believe the apparitions are real.

What should a Catholic think about this? Here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. The Church hasn’t officially recognized these apparitions.
Christ gave the Apostles and their successors authority to guard the faith of the People of God. When it comes to apparitions, it’s best to defer to the judgment of the bishop who oversees the area where the event purportedly took place. If the pope rules that an apparition is not authentic, you should steer clear of it.

The early bishops of the region did not approve the apparitions. The pope hasn’t either and doesn’t want public devotion to them. On the other hand, he hasn’t condemned them, so private pilgrimages can be made there, which allows the Church to maintain jurisdiction over the site.

This means that the status of the Medjugorje apparitions is in limbo. If you’re inclined to believe them, reserve judgment until the Church issues an official ruling.

2. Catholics are not required to believe in any Marian apparitions.
Even if the Church approves an apparition of Our Lady, it doesn’t require you to believe it. You can still be saved. If you think you need to accept apparitions to be saved, that’s a sign of a spiritually unhealthy mindset.

3. Make sure your faith is grounded in Scripture and Church teaching, not apparitions.
Christ’s revelation comes to us through Scripture and Tradition, as officially interpreted by the Church’s magisterium. That’s it. Even though the Church accepts that private revelations can happen, it’s adamant that the Deposit of Faith is complete. It warns us against purported visions that claim to add, subtract or correct what was given to us by Christ.

If you look at the approved apparitions, you’ll notice they simply help Catholics live the fundamentals of the faith in a particular period in history. They don’t introduce any new doctrines.

If you stick to Scripture, Church teaching, and the sacraments, your soul is in a good place!

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3 Reasons Why Modern Catholics Are So Divided

When Popes St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI led the Church, it felt like most practicing Catholics were on the same team. With Pope Francis at the helm, they are more divided than ever.

What happened? Here are three things driving a wedge among Catholics.

1. We know more about what the pope says and does than ever before.
If you were a German Catholic in the 16th century, you wouldn’t know anything about the pope’s daily life. Nor would you care. If the Holy Father said or did something scandalous, the news didn’t make it to the peasants working the fields.

Even your bishop was a mysterious, distant figure. The only clergyman you’d know well would be your parish priest.

Nowadays, social media gives us a window into the personal life of the pope. We also catch wind of many of his off-the-cuff remarks.

Because we know more, we fight more. Many Catholics of earlier generations didn’t have as much to fight over because they lived in blissful ignorance.

2. We have a pope who confuses a lot of people with his unclear statements.
People knew where St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI stood on controversial issues. That’s why these two men were hated by many liberals.

Pope Francis tends to communicate in a more ambiguous way, which leaves his words open to more than one interpretation. How we wish he would speak more forcibly about the great moral challenges of our times!

To be fair, sometimes the Vatican does issue clarifications on the pope’s words to clear up misunderstandings. Sadly, these are often left out of news reports.

3. Ordinary Catholics now have a megaphone.
It’s easy for any Catholic to create a platform for sharing their opinions, be it a podcast, website, and/or social media. By doing so, it’s possible to attract thousands of followers.

Of course, this isn’t a bad thing (Pints with Aquinas wouldn’t be around otherwise!). It makes us more aware of the differences that exist among Catholics. We need discernment and discipline as we broadcast our views to potentially thousands of people.

Yes, we are a divided Church, but we are called to bring healing to the Body of Christ. We must practice charity toward our neighbors, even when we disagree with them.

Above all, remind yourself and those around you that heaven is our ultimate goal. It’s easy to get swept away in online debates about the faith. These discussions are necessary, but if you lose sight of heaven, every argument you win is ultimately in vain.

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Why You Should Memorize the Psalms

The Psalms are among the most beautiful and powerful prayers in Scripture. Priests and religious pray them when they say the Divine Office. We recite or sing them during Mass.

You should also memorize a few Psalms to pray in your daily life. Here’s why:

1. The Psalms help you articulate your deepest thoughts and feelings.
If you have ever started to pray and found yourself at a loss for words, be at peace. A psalmist has already said it for you.

The Psalms express longing, delight, fear, and heartbreak with greater eloquence and force than what most of us could make up. They communicate our human experience with raw power and honesty. Consider these examples:

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1)“I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.” (Psalm 69:3)“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me.” (Psalm 23:4)

2. There are Psalms for every occasion.
God calls you to sanctify each moment of your life — the good and bad, the joyful and sorrowful, the serious and fun.

Are you feeling anxious? Few texts are as calming as Psalm 46: “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Have you been abandoned by a once close friend? Turn to: “Thou hast caused my companions to shun me; thou hast made me a thing of horror to them” (Psalm 88:8).

Dreading an impending natural disaster? Pray Psalm 121: “The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.”

3. The Psalms are divinely inspired.
Since they are part of Sacred Scripture, we believe that the Holy Spirit inspired the Psalms. They are prayers given to us by God because He wants us to use them!

Jesus is the model of prayer and He often recited the Psalms. The most poignant moment was when he recited Psalm 22 while hanging on the cross.

Hopefully, we’ve inspired you to grab your Bible and start reading the Psalms. Some will resonate with you more than others. Use those. You’ll be amazed at how they transform your prayer life!

If you don’t have a Bible, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops lists all the Psalms here.

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Does the Novus Ordo Mass Have a Future?

When the Second Vatican Council opened in 1962, the bishops prioritized liturgical reform. They believed that renewing the Mass would grow church attendance and the devotion of the faithful.

Some years after Vatican II, the Church introduced the Novus Ordo Mass. Around the same time, Mass attendance started to decline. It continued to decline, decade after decade.

In contrast, Traditional Latin Mass attendance has grown over the past few decades. Many young people have left their supposedly “relevant, modern” Novus Ordo parishes and embraced the centuries-old “bells and smells” of the TLM.

Will the Novus Ordo survive? There’s no clear “yes” or “no” answer. Here are a couple of possible scenarios.

The Novus Ordo collapses on its own.
Is Church attendance declining due to the Novus Ordo itself, widespread liturgical abuse, or simply the growing secularization of society? It’s hard to say.

But Church attendance is declining in the Novus Ordo and this can’t go on forever. The Mass needs new blood to survive. Many young, serious Catholics now go to the Traditional Latin Mass, Ordinariate, or Eastern Liturgies.

It’s common to go to a Novus Ordo and see mostly older people. Eventually, many of these parishes won’t have the numbers to sustain themselves.

The Novus Ordo survives, but not in its current form.
Pope Benedict XVI often called for a “reform of the reform.” He believed in the need for liturgical reform but was highly critical of some aspects of the end product.

Many good priests are trying to bring reverence back to the Novus Ordo. They’re incorporating Gregorian chant, Latin, and Communion rails into the liturgy. Some even celebrate Mass ad orientem, facing the same direction as the people.

Many devout Catholics feel that these efforts better respect the sacredness of the liturgy than the typical Novus Ordo. But is it enough? Hard to say unless the Church mandates a reform of the reform such as Pope Benedict envisioned.

While these liturgical controversies matter, don’t let them make you lose sight of the most important thing: the Eucharistic sacrifice. Jesus is present, Body and Blood, on the altar of every authentic Mass.

Keep receiving Him and let His love transform you and your appreciation of the liturgy, whatever rite or form you attend.

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Why Priests Are Special

It’s tough being a priest today. Priests know many in the secular world hate them. They understand that many Catholics distrust them because of scandals of bad clergymen.

Maybe you feel pessimistic about the priesthood. That’s exactly how the devil wants you to feel. He’s intent on destroying the priesthood and wants to make us lose faith in it to accomplish this goal.

It’s a good time to remind ourselves why priests are crucial. And to priests reading this, we love you and pray for you!

A priest is a mediator unlike any other.
Through ascending mediation, the priest offers to God the prayers and sacrifices of the people. Through descending mediation, he gives us the gifts of God.

How does a priest have this power? Certain sacraments give a character to the recipient. A character is a supernatural spiritual mark.

In ordination, the priest receives a character that associates him with Christ so as to make him a giver of divine things. In other words, a priest makes God near to us. Only the priest can give us the Body and Blood of Christ. Only he can absolve us of our sins in Christ’s name.

We all participate in the priesthood of Christ, but not as fully as an ordained priest. Vatican II says the priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial priesthood “differ from one another in essence and not only in degree.”

Priests sacrifice a lot to serve us.
Clerical celibacy has long been the rule in the Western Church. Many priests give up marriage and family because they “marry” the Church, which is the Bride of Christ. They carry the spiritual burdens of their flock. They endure spiritual attacks unlike anything most of us will ever encounter.

In short, priests are spiritual superheroes.

Let’s not let the problems in the Church make us lose sight of the glory of the priesthood. Let’s not forget the many good priests out there. Support them, especially with your prayers. If you make it into heaven, you’ll have your priest to thank.

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What to Do If Your Child Comes Out as Gay

There has been a sharp increase in the number of children coming out as gay. Maybe you have such a child and wonder how to reconcile your love for him or her with your adherence to the Catholic Church’s teaching on homosexuality.

Here are some tips.

Meet your child where he or she is.
This doesn’t mean celebrating your child’s homosexuality. Celebrate him or her — the precious child God gave you to raise for His kingdom. Our society seems to have forgotten that you can love and affirm someone without endorsing everything he or she does.

Resist the urge to constantly remind your child that same-sex acts are wrong. He or she probably already knows how you feel. Constantly berating your child will alienate him or her even more.

Don’t assume your child experiences same-sex attraction because he or she wants to be rebellious. Psychological events beyond your child’s control can make him or her more susceptible to this feeling.

Do understand this important point: The Church teaches that same-sex attraction, while intrinsically disordered, is not a sin unless the person willingly and freely engages in homosexual activity.

Your child may just need someone to hold onto and cry with. Don’t estimate the power of simply being present to someone. It may not change him or her right away, but it can work wonders in the long run.

Ask the Lord to help you bear your child’s burden.
If you don’t experience same-sex attraction yourself, it’s difficult to know how to help someone who does. You haven’t suffered the pain this person has. That’s why you need Christ’s guidance.

To start, ask Christ, “How do you bear with my sins?” After all, you too are a sinner! You may not sin in the same way, but all sin offends God. Christ has continued to love you through it all.

Be careful about minimizing other sins when speaking about homosexuality. Some people who have left their same-sex lifestyle speak of the pain of being treated like outcasts while other sinners enjoyed their social lives.

As Catholics, the Lord calls us to speak the truth and love our neighbor as ourselves. Be honest, but gentle. Realize that you can’t force your child to adhere to everything you believe. It’s the Holy Spirit that transforms hearts. Rely on Him and be an instrument of His love.

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What the GOP Gets Wrong About Abortion

Here’s a common talking point among some Republicans: “I’m against abortion in all cases except rape, incest, and the life of the mother.”

At first, this position seems reasonable. Those three scenarios are horrible and cause unimaginable pain for the mother and her family.

But is it really compassionate to keep abortion legal in these cases? Let’s think this through.

Why is abortion wrong?
Most pro-lifers claim that abortion is wrong because it kills an innocent human life. But if the child is innocent and human, he or she remains such even in cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother. That means it is still wrong to kill the child. You should absolutely punish the rapist, but why make the child an additional victim of the crime?

Abortion always provides women with a false solution.
Rape and incest gravely damage a woman on every level of her being. She needs healing. If there’s one thing the research has shown, it’s that abortion NEVER brings healing. It only damages a woman more. Check out these videos from Lila Rose’s Live Action to learn about the immense pain women suffer.

What about the life of the mother?
This is probably the toughest case. However, abortion isn’t always the only solution to a life-threatening situation for the mother. A doctor may recommend it, but there are often alternatives.

Some people bring up ectopic pregnancies. That’s when the fertilized egg attaches itself outside of the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube. This can kill the child and threaten the mother’s life.

Doctors usually remove the section of the fallopian tube where the embryo attached. This indirectly leads to the embryo’s death and saves the mother. The death of the child is not intended; it’s the unfortunate result of removing parts of the mother to save her life. The Catholic Church does not call this procedure an abortion (unless it’s intended to harm the child).

Many Republicans permit abortions in these three cases to avoid looking extreme. But truth is truth and it is better to preach the simple truth: ALL human life is sacred, from conception to natural death.

Let’s hold our elected leaders accountable to this principle.

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What the Charismatic Movement Gets Right

The Charismatic Movement in the Catholic Church often gets a bad rap, especially from more traditional Catholics. There’s a perception that Charismatics make worship more about spontaneity and personal expression than adhering to rigorous tradition.

It’s true that some Charismatics disregard the authority of the Church and play a little too loose with the liturgy. But there are also many holy, faithful Charismatics, and the movement itself has produced much good fruit.

Let’s look at what the Charismatic movement gets right.

The Charismatic movement emphasizes the deeply relational dimension of prayer.

Deep down, we all desire a genuine relationship with God. Prayer is essentially just such a relationship.

We often leave it to ourselves to deal with our personal problems. But God wants to relate to us in EVERYTHING. The faster we can make our issues relational with God, the better.

Instead of telling yourself, “I’m anxious about this interview,” tell God, “Father, I’m anxious about this interview.” God can only make you whole again if you share your problems with Him. We can’t fix ourselves.

Our hearts are naturally drawn to God. There’s something beautiful about approaching God with this spontaneous, raw, childlike love without overthinking things. It’s like when love moves a man to pick up his beloved wife in the kitchen and swirl her around. Holy spontaneity is a real thing!

Too often, we let our intellect get in the way and become overly analytical. We should remember that the intellect is meant to serve love. When a child is hurt, the child runs crying to his or her parents, hoping they can provide healing. The child doesn’t worry about whether the parents will think he or she is weak or foolish.

Just to be clear, we’re not saying to throw your brain out and follow all your impulses. The Charismatic movement challenges us to a radical trust in God that, frankly, many fall short of.

Stop cowering in a corner, scared to death to make any life decisions. Walk the path you think is right and let God change your direction if He wants.

The more you speak to the Father as His beloved child, the better you’ll hear His voice in your heart. Your relationship with Him will become a rich dialogue.

There is legitimate debate about incorporating Charismatic elements into the liturgy. However, the Charismatic movement has done much to enrich the prayer lives of countless Catholics, helping them draw closer to the Father.

And that’s what we all should strive for.

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3 Tips for Evangelizing Your Family

Do you have non-Catholic, or even anti-Catholic, family members? If so, you’re undoubtedly anxious to bring them into the true faith. They’re your flesh and blood and you probably love them more than anyone else. Knowing that the Church is necessary for salvation, you desperately want them to spend eternity with Jesus in heaven.

It’s hard to keep a cool head when discussing a topic you love with the people you love who may not share your faith. Often, emotions spiral out of control and feelings are hurt.

Here are some tips for discussing your Catholic faith with non-believers in a way that — God willing — opens their hearts to His truth and love.

1. Avoid overly philosophical debates.
You may think you’ve mastered all the arguments for the faith and want to test your intellectual prowess on non-Catholics.

This maneuver often backfires. Family relationships are complicated, which colors attempts to engage in purely rational discussions. Your closest family members likely know all your faults and which buttons to push.

Unless you have an intellectual family member who loves to debate, avoid these types of discussions.

2. Share how Christ and the Church have transformed your life.
This is a great springboard to discuss your Catholic faith. Maybe you used to be anxious and now experience more peace through prayer and the Eucharist. Or perhaps you once lived a wayward life, went to Confession, and now feel the joy of being unburdened by previous sins.

Likely, you’ll touch upon wounds in other family members. Hearing your experience of the healing power of Christ may motivate them to seek the same for themselves.

3. Be patient.
God calls you to plant the seeds of the faith in others. He’s the one who waters them and causes them to bloom.

Don’t expect any overnight conversions. Once you’ve shared the Good News with family members, your next task is to pray and make sacrifices for them.

Trust in God to do the rest according to His will.

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Silent Prayer Is Now a Crime in Some Places

A few years ago, something happened that many of us never thought we would see in the United States: Churches in several states were ordered to shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. In other places, severe restrictions were placed on worship. For a time, thousands of U.S. Catholics lost access to the Mass and sacraments of salvation.

In some cases, the bishops closed the churches. In others, the government ordered them shut.

Catholics still debate whether these actions were necessary. Some argue that public health took precedence and the government had the right to intervene.

But no matter what side of the debate you’re on, know that this was a dangerous move.

Britain knows. During the pandemic, many British Catholics were told they could go into churches for secular tasks such as maintenance, but they could not pray while they were there.

Think about that. Your parish has a malfunctioning boiler, so you’re allowed to fix it, but if you DARE kneel before the altar and pray, well, you’re out of line!

That tells you a lot about the order of priorities in our once-Christian nations.

Here’s another example from across the pond. Isabel Vaughan-Spruce heads the March for Life UK. Police arrested her for silently praying in front of an abortion center. She was not speaking to anyone.

She was told that women have the right to have abortions without being harassed. Apparently, praying is now harassment.

Those of us in the United States should take this as a warning. We live in a post-Christian era. We cannot trust government officials to prioritize our spiritual welfare. In fact, many leaders are actively working against it.

There may come a point where we have to resist and exercise civil disobedience. Remember, our Catholic tradition teaches that an unjust law is not a law at all and we may be obliged to disobey. We’re not going to say we’re at that point yet, but be vigilant.

These are dangerous times we’re in. We need to wake up and pray to God for the grace to persevere through whatever challenges and persecutions come our way.

Our Lord is with us and He ensures us the final victory if we simply stay close to His heart:

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you….But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” — John 15:18-19; John 16:33

 

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