Matt Fradd's Blog, page 2

Are Some Prayers Better Than Others?

Prayer is central to our lives of faith. There are many types of established prayers, such as the Hail Mary and Glory Be. Then there are prayers we make up on the spot when in more casual conversation with God, like this one: Jesus, help me keep my cool with this irritating person.

Some of us pray for a few minutes each day, while others devote hours to it.

This might make you wonder if certain prayers are better — more meritorious — than others. After all, you probably would shy away from claiming that your conversations with God are on the level of, say, St. Teresa of Avila.

Here are some things to keep in mind.

We are all precious to God.
God loves each of us with the self-same act of love. In other words, God is supremely simple. He is not composed of parts, as material beings are. He is identical to His love, and so when He loves us, He gives Himself to us.

He loves us as a Father. As children, we turn to Him with hope, love, and the expectation that He wants to give us good things. Our prayers are precious to Him not because He needs them but because He delights in receiving them.

God gives us different gifts.
We occupy different places in the Body of Christ. God gives some people gifts that make it easier for them to pray for a long time with beautiful words or gestures. That doesn’t necessarily make their prayers better. A simple person who gazes at the host at Mass with true love may be praying more powerfully than someone reciting an elegant poem of praise to God.

Which leads us to our next point.

Some prayers will be more meritorious than others.
God has graced some people with a higher degree of charity, which makes their prayers more meritorious. This is why our Blessed Mother, who has been blessed with the highest degree of charity, is our most powerful intercessor.

Even if we possess a lower degree of charity, our task is to learn to pray from love — our own distinct love. You are not Mary, St. John, or Mother Teresa. You are you. That’s not to say you can’t learn from the masters of prayer, but God wants your prayers to be your own.

You are living a unique, unrepeatable story, and your prayers will reflect that. Stop worrying about others’ prayer lives and focus on praying the best you can, given your inclinations and station in life.

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When the Orthodox Believed in Papal Authority

While the Eastern Orthodox Church gives a certain honor to the Roman Catholic pope, they don’t see him as having ultimate authority over the Church. However, there was a time in early Church history when many of the Eastern Orthodox’s spiritual forbearers did accept papal primacy: through the 6th-century Formula of Pope St. Hormisdas.

After the Council of Chalcedon concluded in 451, a schism arose in the Eastern Church. Some bishops — including those from Constantinople — strayed from the council’s teachings.

For them to be reconciled to the Catholic Church, they had to sign Pope Hormisdas’ formula, wherein he taught papal supremacy. Many Eastern bishops of the 6th century did so, signaling their agreement. (Modern Eastern Orthodox members reject this belief.)

The formula states:

“The first condition of salvation is to keep the norm of the true faith and in no way to deviate from the established doctrine of the Fathers.

“For it is impossible that the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church” [Matthew 16:18], should not be verified. And their truth has been proved by the course of history, for in the Apostolic See the Catholic religion has always been kept unsullied.

“From this hope and faith we by no means desire to be separated and, following the doctrine of the Fathers, we declare anathema all heresies, and especially, the heretic Nestorius, former bishop of Constantinople, who was condemned by the Council of Ephesus, by Blessed Celestine, bishop of Rome, and by the venerable Cyril, bishop of Alexandria. We likewise condemn and declare to be anathema Eutyches and Dioscoros of Alexandria, who were condemned in the holy Council of Chalcedon, which we follow and endorse. This Council followed the holy Council of Nicaea and preached the apostolic faith. And we condemn the assassin Timothy, surnamed Aelurus [‘the Cat’] and also Peter [Mongos] of Alexandria, his disciple and follower in everything. We also declare anathema their helper and follower, Acacius of Constantinople, a bishop once condemned by the Apostolic See, and all those who remain in contact and company with them. Because this Acacius joined himself to their communion, he deserved to receive a judgment of condemnation similar to theirs. Furthermore, we condemn Peter [‘the Fuller’] of Antioch with all his followers together with the followers of all those mentioned above.

“Following, as we have said before, the Apostolic See in all things and proclaiming all its decisions, we endorse and approve all the letters which Pope St. Leo wrote concerning the Christian religion. And so I hope I may deserve to be associated with you in the one communion which the Apostolic See proclaims, in which the whole, true, and perfect security of the Christian religion resides. I promise that from now on those who are separated from the communion of the Catholic Church, that is, who are not in agreement with the Apostolic See, will not have their names read during the sacred mysteries. But if I attempt even the least deviation from my profession, I admit that, according to my own declaration, I am an accomplice to those whom I have condemned. I have signed this, my profession, with my own hand, and I have directed it to you, Hormisdas, the holy and venerable pope of Rome.”

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Were the Crusades Justified?

To many non-Catholics, the Crusades were a violent attempt by popes and European monarchs to destroy peaceful, flourishing Muslim kingdoms in the Middle East and reestablish the reign of Christianity. Many Catholics also buy into this narrative, blushing whenever the Crusades are brought up in conversation.

On the other hand, some Catholics see the Crusades as fully justified attempts to defend Christianity in the Holy Land against invading Muslim armies.

Both versions contain some elements of truth. The Crusades are too complex to be considered fully good or bad. There were Crusaders who were driven by just and unjust motives and each Crusade was different, so they all must be evaluated on their own merits.

Let’s begin with this: Many modern narratives of these expeditions leave out or belittle the reality of Islamic aggression in the early Middle Ages. Since the death of Mohammed in the 7th century, Islam spread rapidly by the sword. Palestine, North Africa, Syria, and many other formerly Christian and Jewish lands quickly fell to the new regime of the Prophet.

Also, while there were periods when conquering Muslim leaders exercised tolerance toward their Jewish and Christian subjects, there were also many periods of persecution. Christians were sometimes enslaved, raped, or subject to higher taxes than their Muslim neighbors. They were pressured to convert to Islam and killed if they refused.

In light of this, one could argue that the First Crusade — called by Pope Urban II in 1095 — was justified. He knew that Christians were being harassed, persecuted, and deprived of their lands. He also received an urgent appeal from Constantinople for aid against the invading Seljuk Turks.

The battles weren’t always Christians versus Muslims. Muslim mercenaries often joined forces with European armies.

There is a question of whether some of the later Crusades were justified. Most of them, after all, failed in their missions. We also shouldn’t shy away from acknowledging that the Christian armies of Europe committed some heinous crimes during their military expeditions.

These were not always targeted at Muslims. Probably the most infamous incident was when the Crusaders sacked Constantinople in 1204 during the Fourth Crusade. The pope denounced these wayward Crusaders, but the rift between Eastern and Western Christendom grew wider in the wake of this bloodshed.

There were also incidents where Crusaders harassed Jews. What often goes unreported is that many Church leaders at the time strongly denounced this behavior, including St. Bernard of Clairvaux. And some bishops, knowing that these Crusaders were en route to their cities, hid Jews in their palaces. The Church never sanctioned these senseless acts of violence.

We need to include all of these nuances in our assessment of the Crusades. Within these ventures were justified acts of defense and selfish acts of violence.

We should neither completely condemn nor defend them.

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Is Sola Scriptura Actually Anti-Scripture?

Protestants believe in sola scriptura, which means the Bible is the ultimate authority for the Christian life. Catholics believe that Scripture and Sacred Tradition are both authorities, and the authoritative magisterium provides binding interpretations of them.

Here’s why Catholics can’t embrace sola scriptura.

The Bible itself rejects the idea.
Nowhere in Scripture does it claim to be the sole authority for the Christian life. Jesus doesn’t tell His apostles to write Gospels; rather, He commissions them to preach the Gospel.

If you claim that sola scriptura is true but can’t find it in the Bible, you’re appealing to another authority outside of Scripture.

The Bible offers Sacred Tradition as an authoritative guide.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:15, St. Paul says, “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.”

“By mouth or letter” sounds a lot like Scripture and Sacred Tradition!

There are practical problems associated with sola scriptura.
If Scripture is the ultimate authority, then one would expect its teachings to be clear. Yet there are thousands of Protestant denominations which — while agreeing on sola scriptura in principle — disagree on what the Bible actually says on key topics.

The Bible is crystal clear in some passages, such as when it claims that God created all things. But did He do this in only seven days, or is that number symbolic? Did He use evolution, or were all things created in the form we have today? And what about beliefs that the Bible doesn’t give explicit answers for, such as the morality of abortion?

Catholics are blessed to have an authoritative guide in the magisterium. “But wait!” a Protestant may exclaim. “Aren’t papal and council statements sometimes unclear? Aren’t Catholics still arguing about the meaning of the Vatican II documents?”

Yes, Church teaching can be unclear. The difference is that when this happens, the pope and bishops can clarify what they mean. They’ve done this repeatedly with often misunderstood passages of Vatican II. Some people reject their official interpretations, but that’s not because they don’t know what the pope and bishops are saying. It’s because they DO know, and they reject it.

With Scripture, God doesn’t usually speak to you in a clear, completely unambiguous way that leaves no room for doubt. The Holy Spirit does speak to our hearts, but it takes time and practice to learn to discern that voice. Even then, we don’t always infallibly interpret it.

Scripture is a gift and source of wisdom, but it’s not meant to stand on its own. Stay with the Church and let her guide you on your journey through God’s Word.

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Are All the Apostles Given Equal Authority?

In Matthew 16:18–19, Jesus tells Peter, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Catholics have traditionally pointed to this passage as evidence that Peter was given authority over the other apostles and the Church — an authority passed on to his successors, the popes.

However, in Matthew 18:18, Jesus tells all of the apostles, “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Does this prove that Peter actually has no special authority?

Not quite. But before explaining why, let’s look at the meaning behind the keys and the terms “binding” and “loosing.”

The Old Testament backdrop to Matthew 16 and 18
In Isaiah 22:20—22, God declares, “In that day I will call my servant Eli′akim, the son of Hilki′ah, and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your girdle on him, and will commit your authority to his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. “

We see that Eli′akim will possess the key, indicating his authority as steward over the house of David. The language of opening and shutting is similar to binding and loosing.

Back to Matthew, this means that both the keys and the concept of binding and loosing indicate authority over the Church of God.

Peter and the keys
While the other Apostles were given the power of binding and loosing, they didn’t receive those keys — symbols of the highest authority — from Christ. They were given to Peter alone.

The pope possesses the fullness of apostolic authority. Yet the bishops — in communion with the pope — still have the power to make binding decisions in their dioceses. Even if the Vicar of Christ reigns supreme, most popes defer to the bishops in local, regional, and national matters.

So, no, the Apostles did not possess the same authority. Each Apostle was given a share of responsibility for part of the Body of Christ, while Peter watched over the universal Church.

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What Makes a Saint a Patron Saint?

There are many patron saints. Some make total sense; others are more unusual. Did you know there are patron saints of unattractive people, motorcyclists, and comedians?

This begs the question: How did these saints become associated with their “fields of expertise”? And isn’t the concept of a patron saint too similar to the Greek and Roman deities and their various specialties?

Let’s explain.

Why do we invoke the saints for particular things?
Saints are “assigned” certain tasks because they have some affinity for them. Saint Monica is the patron of mothers because she suffered the heartbreak of having her son, St. Augustine, turn away from God. After many maternal prayers, he returned. So, mothers can look to her as one who understands the pain of wayward children.

St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of universities, and we know he taught at the University of Paris. St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, a fitting title for a man who preached to birds.

Saints don’t receive their specialty because they have sole providence over certain fields. St. Thomas can still intercede for your injured dog and St. Francis for your upcoming exam.

Do Catholics make the saints too much like pagan gods?
No, we give adoration to God alone. We honor the saints, thereby honoring God, whose glory is manifest in His holy ones. We ask for their intercession the way we ask people here on earth to pray for us. God has chosen to work through the saints to accomplish His purposes.

Of course, He can answer all of your prayers on His own. It’s not as if God needs St. Anthony, the patron of lost articles, to help you locate your missing keys. But He made us to be in communion with one another, including members of the Body of Christ who have gone before us.

This is a far cry from the Greeks and Romans, who had to sacrifice to their patron gods and endure said gods’ childish behavior.

Our patron saints simply need us to pray to them with sincere intention.

Who is your favorite patron saint?

 

Image: Fra Angelico, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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Who’s the Man Who Taught Aquinas?

The teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas hold a preeminent place in Catholic theology — some would say third only to Scripture and the Church Fathers. Dozens of popes have viewed him as a model of the faithful, rational theologian.

Where did St. Thomas derive his amazing insights? Obviously, God gifted him with an incredible intellect. Scripture and Aristotle’s writings played a huge role. But we also need to look to the Angelic Doctor’s little-known teacher, who was also a saint.

St. Albert the Great (c. 1206–80) was a German Dominican friar and theologian who possessed a sharp mind that rivaled his more famous student. He left behind writings that share St. Thomas’ inclination to use the power of the mind — along with a devout faith — to understand the natural world and God’s divine revelation.

Here are a few facts about St. Albert the Great.

The Blessed Mother purportedly appeared to him — more than once!
The first time, she asked him to join the Dominican Order. The second time, he was struggling with theological studies and resolved to leave the order. After gently reprimanding him for not seeking her help, she opened his mind to better comprehend the mysteries of theology.

He was among the first Dominicans.
St. Dominic founded the Order of Preachers — more popularly known as the Dominicans — in 1215. St. Albert joined the order in 1223 and soon became one of its preeminent teachers. In 1254, he was elected provincial of the Dominican Order in Germany.

He was among the first to make use of Aristotle’s writings.
It’s well-known that St. Thomas used Aristotle to show the rational foundation of Catholic beliefs. But St. Albert was the one who pioneered this practice at a time when many in the Church held the ancient Greek philosopher in suspicion. St. Albert also examined the works of Muslim thinkers, even making use of their ideas if they were compatible with the Catholic faith.

Science was one of his greatest strengths.
St. Albert studied and wrote about birds, mammals, minerals, astronomy, and many other subjects. He pursued careful observation and experimentation to learn about God’s creations. Among his scientific contributions was the discovery of the element arsenic.

His feast day is Nov. 15.
Pope Pius XI proclaimed St. Albert a saint and doctor of the church in 1931. In 1941, Pope Pius XII proclaimed him the patron saint of natural scientists.

Many of St. Albert the Great’s works are available, including “On Union with God,” “Man and the Beasts,” and “On the Body of the Lord.”

Go check them out!

 

Image: St Albert the Great as Mentor: By Lawrence OP, retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/10866999785, used under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/) 

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Seven U.S. Pilgrimage Destinations You Should Visit

When you hear the word “pilgrimage,” you probably think of international destinations such as Jerusalem, Mexico City, or the Vatican. But there are actually dozens of pilgrimage sites in the United States that are definitely worth checking out!

Here are seven worthy contenders.

1. Philadelphia
The City of Brotherly Love is so full of pilgrimage sites that we decided to make the city itself a destination. St. John Neumann, C.Ss.R., is buried in the National Shrine named after him. St. Katherine Drexel is interred at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. Then there’s the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia, the Miraculous Medal Shrine, and many more. You may want to plan a whole week in Philadelphia to see them all!

2. Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine, Oklahoma City
If you’ve never heard of Blessed Stanely Rother, no worries. Many Catholics haven’t. He was an Oklahoma-born priest and missionary who was martyred in Guatemala in 1981. In addition to housing the remains of this heroic priest, the shrine includes a museum showcasing his life.

3. Shrine of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, St. Charles, Missouri
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne was a French missionary who brought formal education and a zeal for sharing the love of God to the Missouri frontier. Visitors to her shrine can pray before her burial site and view many of her possessions. Note that tours are available by appointment only.

4. California Missions Trail, San Diego to Sonoma, California
Many Americans outside of California aren’t familiar with this important piece of missionary history. Along the trail is a collection of Catholic historic sites dating from the late 18th to early 19th centuries. A few of the churches are still active parishes. One highlight of the trail is the Basilica of San Carlos Borromeo in Carmel, where St. Junipero Serra is buried.

5. National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche, St. Augustine, Florida
Founded by the Spanish in the early 1600s, the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche is the oldest Marian Shrine in the United States. You can see the historic chapel housing the statue of Our Lady of La Leche, which portrays Mary nursing Jesus. The beautiful grounds are a wonderful place to enjoy a picnic.

6. National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion, New Franken, Wisconsin
Many Catholics are unaware of the only Vatican-approved Marian apparition in the United States. In 1859 the Blessed Mother appeared to Adele Brise and said, “Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation.” Pilgrims can attend Mass in the chapel and visit the grottos, history center, and rosary walk.

7. National Shrine of St. Thérèse, Juneau, Alaska
It’s no secret that Alaska is a land of natural beauty, and you’ll find plenty of it surrounding the National Shrine of St. Thérèse. Pray in the stone shrine chapel, meditate in the Marian and Biblical gardens, stroll the Good Shepherd Rosary Trail, and enjoy other natural and supernatural delights in this hidden sacred gem.

Do you have a particular U.S. pilgrimage destination to share? Let us know!

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Tips for Making Better Use of the Time God Has Given You

Time is precious, and — let’s be honest — most of us would like to do more things than a full day allows.

So we have to make choices: Should I read a book or watch TV before bed? Should I relax at home or visit a friend on Saturday?

On the one hand, you should plan your day rather than let it slip by. On the other, you shouldn’t overplan it and leave no room for spontaneity.

Here are some tips for planning a fruitful day. Note: They don’t fully apply to everyone, as each person’s interests and temperament play a role in the decision-making process.

Start with what’s most important.
Often, your vocation reveals your priorities. If you’re married, your chief focus should be on your family members. Coming second is the work you do to support them (either by earning money or homemaking). If you’re a parish priest, your parishioners’ spiritual welfare comes first.

Of course, all vocations should prioritize prayer, although not in the same way. A busy mother of six needs to pray each day, but obviously can’t spend as much time on that as a hermit. In fact, some saints chide laypeople for trying to act too much like religious, to the detriment of the daily work God calls them to do.

In general, it’s better to focus on people rather than tasks.
God made us to live in communion with other people, reflecting how He Himself is a communion of Persons.

We’re here to love and serve God and neighbor. Everything else is secondary. We should plan our days with this in mind. If you thrive by completing daily to-do lists, you could intentionally maintain some flexibility in case someone needs your presence, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

Does this mean you need to give in to everyone who demands your time? No. You’re not meant to be there for everyone 24/7.

Start by planning one day, then go bigger.
If you decide to get up at 5:15 a.m. every day, great! But now you need to figure out when to go to bed, so you don’t stay up too late. And then you’ll notice the need to plan larger blocks of time — weeks and months — to help you accomplish your goals and necessary tasks.

Break large tasks into smaller pieces.
The prospect of a huge task — such as writing a book or remodeling a house — can cause anxiety. It’s usually better to carve out a part of each day to work on the project rather than binge everything at once. That will help keep your emotions in check and make the project more manageable.

Don’t ignore free chunks of time that appear in your day.
Sometimes you’ll discover that you have an unexpected half hour of free time. Too often, people tell themselves that it isn’t enough to do anything worthwhile. Wrong!

You could read a few more pages of that book you’re struggling to finish, say a prayer, or take a walk

Plan small breaks.
You don’t want to fill every day with activities that tire your body and soul if you can help it. Take short breaks to refresh yourself. God doesn’t intend for us to work all our waking hours. We need rest and leisure to have a balanced life.

Try these tips but don’t feel overwhelmed if you can’t apply them all at once. Often, we have to make life changes little by little. Start with a couple and, if they work, apply the rest.

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How To Survive Election Season

If Christmas is the “most wonderful time of the year,” then election season is the most angsty and apocalyptic. And it is upon us…

With those cold election greetings and angry online meetings;
When friends no longer come to call.

There’ll be scary candidate stories
And tales of the glories of
America long, long ago.

Seriously, though, it’s easy to lose your mind over the constant deluge of sensational election news and conversation. Here are seven tips for maintaining your peace amidst the chaos.

 

1. Keep your emotions in check.
Society attaches much importance to elections, so it makes sense that we focus our attention on them. We know that the future of our families and communities is at stake, and that causes us emotional and psychological turmoil.

Elections are important, but keep your expectations modest. We all possess a fallen human nature. People will lie, steal, and cheat.

We’re not saying any hope, excitement, fear, or outrage is unwarranted. But keep these emotions in check so they don’t overtake you.

2. Take stock of your attention.
Politics can absorb a lot of your time, including hours better spent on family, work, worship, and hobbies. Strive to manage that consumption by designating news-free blocks of the day.

For example, don’t doomscroll right before Mass when your mind and heart should be focused on God. Leave politics for another time.

Also, regulate what you read. While there really aren’t any media sources that are completely unbiased, some are more balanced than others.

3. Work for unity instead of stirring the pot.
You are meant to contribute to the political good of your nation. Much of that is going to take place through simple conversations with family and friends. Don’t throw bombastic accusations at them or cut them out of your life because they don’t support your candidate. Focus your discussions on building bridges and identifying points of agreement.

4. Don’t be reactionary.
When someone you ordinarily disagree with makes a claim, it’s easy to immediately say the opposite. This behavior doesn’t involve thinking so much as reacting. Usually, we’re reacting out of outrage, fear, or sadness.

Issues are often more nuanced than we imagine. Also, just because your friend seems wrong on many issues doesn’t mean they’re never right.

5. Don’t whitewash.
Too often, we look for the perfect candidate — someone with no skeletons in the closet. But, as we’ve said, politicians are human, and human beings are fallen creatures. Some are worse than others, but we all have our issues.

Once you embrace a candidate, it’s easy to look past their faults. However, you need to admit to their shortcomings, which also will boost your credibility.

6. Check apocalyptic thinking.
We tend to think that if things don’t go our way, everything will fall into utter ruin. With elections, the feeling is that if our candidate doesn’t win, that’s the end of this nation.

Maybe or maybe not. We are in a period of cultural decline, but pining after some “golden age” is rarely helpful. Embrace the time God placed you in and work for its betterment.

7. Remember what politics really is.
Politics is sometimes described as “the art of the possible.” We’re rarely able to fully implement our political ideals in society. The goal should be to work for the common good while keeping a realistic perspective of what’s possible.

We’ll close with a reminder from St. Teresa of Avila: “Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things are passing away: God never changes….God alone suffices.”

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