Benedict XVI - Thank You, Danke, Grazie, Merci



Dear Theophilus,

This morning, Pope Benedict XVI announced his abdication from the Papacy. I'm sure that this will be a happy day for many liberal Catholics, as well as many who like to attack the Catholic Church and what they think it represents. On the other hand, it is a sad day for many Catholic's of a more conservative nature, like myself, because of the uncertainty of the direction the conclave will take.

I don't think there were any surprises with Benedict XVI's pontificate. As Cardinal Ratzinger and Prefect for the Congregation of the Faith, Benedict XVI was already quite well known for his traditional views of Churhc doctrine - views that many seem to have forgotten that were also held by the grandfatherly Blessed John Paul II. When I think of those who criticized Benedict XVI for his teachings on Life, Marriage and the Ordination of women, I think of something Toronto Archbishop Cardinal Collins once said: "Perhaps the majority of Catholics have some difficulty accepting the teaching of Church on some issues - that doesn't make them right."

From the time of Christ, the Catholic Church has always been, and probably always will be, counter-cultural. We need to give a prayer of thanksgiving for men such as Benedict XVI who are strong enough and wise enough to continually point towards the Truth of divine revelation.

Please join me, dear Theophilus, in praying that the conclave to choose the next successor to St. Peter will allow itself to be guided by the Holy Spirit to do God's will here on earth.

Re-understanding Vatican II



Dear Theophilus,

Recently I sat with a small group of colleagues trying to figure out how to best serve the needs of the rest of the staff at our catholic high school for our upcoming Faith Awareness Day. My other colleagues kept talking about how there is an undercurrent of aggravation with the Catholic Church amongst the staff; and although I tend to keep a low profile, I had heard the rumblings and wasn’t surprised. At one point, a colleague at the table said, “I thought Vatican II was supposed to open a window from the Church to the world. Now it seems as if the window is being shut.” With hindsight, I wish I had has the courage and wisdom to ask who he thought might be shutting the window.

I add wisdom to the courage needed to answer such questions, because up until a couple of weeks ago, like most Catholics of my generation, I knew basically nothing about Vatican II. Sure, I could tell you that it was in the early 60’s (but not the exact date), and that it had been called by John XXIII, who died during the council and that it had been seen to its fulfillment by his successor, Paul VI. After the vernacular becoming the language of the liturgy, I would have been hard pressed to name any of the documents issued by Vatican II (I would have guessed at Gaudiem et Spes and Lumen Gentium – and I would have counted myself lucky).

As a part of my Year of Faith Resolutions, I’ve decided to take on getting to know the Vatican II documents better. Even if I just manage to read through them once, I would hope that it would leave me with a better understanding of them than if I had not read them at all. To this end, I picked up Vatican II – The Essential Texts with introductions from His Holiness Benedict XVI and James Carroll. I’ve only just gotten out of the introductions to begin Sacrosanctum Concilium, and I based on the introductions alone, the book has already paid for itself.



Where James Carroll gives the reader a historical look at the Second Vatican Council, Benedict XVI delves more philosophically into the council documents. The Holy Father’s introduction comes first, however, I would have preferred to have read Carroll’s historical treatment first to give me a context of Vatican II so that I could better understand Benedict XVI’s interpretation of the council texts. Not only does Carroll put the notion of Vatican II into its historical context with the backdrop of the Holocaust and Hiroshima, he also sheds historical light onto where the documents got their catalysts.

As I noted, Benedict XVI’s introduction to the Vatican II texts is much more philosophical, a way to make the documents of half a century ago relevant today. Time and again, throughout his introduction, the Holy Father alludes to, or outright tells us, that Vatican II had no intentions of changing Church doctrine, but rather the way in which Church doctrine is taught in order to make it more comprehensible to the modern world: “… the Council wishes ‘to transmit the doctrine, pure and integral, without any attenuation or distortion.’” Unfortunately, it seems that many people, especially Catholics trying to reconcile their faith to the pressures of the modern world, have understood Vatican II to mean quite the opposite – that doctrine must be changed so we can comfortably remain within the visible traditions of the Church.



Keeping this misunderstanding that Vatican II was designed to change doctrine and not the modicum of teaching, it was very refreshing, from an orthodox point of view, to listen to the homily given on October 26, 2012 by Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, to about 1,000 catholic educators. I imagine that his Eminence ruffled a few feathers when he stated: “I’ve been told that up to 85% of Catholics today do not agree with many of the Church’s social teachings. Pause. And I tell them, yes, that is true. But it doesn’t make it right or wise. It is easy to go along with the flow as it is presented in the mainstream media. However, sometimes we need to go against the flow. It might not be easy, but it is right and wise.”

This is our challenge as Catholics in a very anti-catholic world. We are challenged to go against the flow because it is right and wise – but not necessarily easy. And when our opponents throw the window of Vatican II in our faces, we need to have the courage and wisdom to ask them who is closing the window before opening the door to light and truth and inviting them to enter.

Year of Faith Resolutions



Dear Theophilus,

With much anticipation, but with seemingly little fanfare, tomorrow, October 11, 2012 will mark the beginning of the Year of Faith. Pope Benedict XVI declared the Year of Faith (Oct. 11, 2012 through Nov. 24, 2013) with his Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei a year ago. In his letter, Pope Benedict XVI calls on Catholics “To rediscover the content of the Faith that is professed, celebrated, lived and prayed, and to reflect on the act of faith, (as) a task that every believer must make his own, especially in the course of this Year.” (Porta Fideai, 9)

The Year of Faith was called to coincide with two important anniversaries in the Roman Catholic Church. Firstly, it is the 50^th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. Secondly, October 11, 2012 marks the 20^th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Two events that have left a profound impact on the shape of the Catholic Church as we know it today. With this in mind, in Porta Fidei Pope Benedict XVI challenges believers to get to know the documents of Vatican II and the Catechism better as “They need to be read correctly, to be widely known and taken to heart as important and normative texts of the Magisterium, within the Church’s Tradition…” (Porta Fidei, 5)

Throughout Porta Fidei, His Holiness calls on the Year of Faith to be a time of renewal, rediscovery and a strengthening of faith:

“The renewal of the Church is also achieved through the witness offered by the lives of believers: …” (Porta Fidei, 6)

“The Year of Faith, from this perspective, is a summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the one Saviour of the World.” (Porta Fidei, 6)

“We want this Year to arouse in every believer the aspiration to profess the faith in fullness and with renewed conviction, with confidence and hope,.” (Porta Fidei, 9)

“The Year of Faith will also be a good opportunity to intensify the witness of charity.” (Porta Fidei, 14)

Like every New Year, this Year of Faith offers a sense of renewal and hope for the year to come. In much the same way as I approach the last week of December every year, I’d like to try to chart out a spiritual Plan of Faith for the Year of Faith ahead. A sort of list of Year of Faith Resolutions, if you will.

My Year of Faith Resolutions include:

Becoming a more Catholic teacher, making a conscious effort to include faithful teachings and doctrines in my history and geography classes;

Increasing my own knowledge and understanding of Catholic doctrines through personal reading, attending lectures and furthering my studies;

Getting to know the documents of Vatican II and the Catechism in greater depth;

Attending Eucharistic Adoration at least once a month;

Intensifying my prayer life;

and

Inviting others to deepen their understanding of our shared Catholic faith by offering them a safe environment to explore their faith journey.

I know this list seems pretty hefty, if not daunting at best, but there is an entire Year of Faith laid out before us. If I keep in mind that I don’t need to accomplish them by October 18^th, then I think I can make it. Pray for me, and I know with the help of your prayers, I can. In the same way, I encourage you to share your own Year of Faith Resolutions, this way we can pray for each other as we rediscover, renew and strengthen our faith.

Awake from your Slumber



Dear Theophilus,

A friend recently sent me a link to a blog entry by Canadian Catholic singer Mark Mallett. In writing his blog Mark talks of the need for us Christians to arise from the slumber society has lulled us into to proclaim Christ’s message to an unreceptive world. Mark begins his blog post with:

We are living in a precarious moment, the calm before the Storm, when many are tempted to fall asleep. But we must remain vigilant, that is, our eyes focused on building the Kingdom of Christ in our hearts and then in the world around us. In this way, we will be living in the Father’s constant care and grace, His protection and anointing. We will be living in the Ark, and we must be there now, for soon it will begin to rain justice upon a world that is cracked and dry and thirsting for God.

You can read the entire post here, where Mark delves deeper into our falling asleep and the call to awaken to God’s grace in today’s world.

Reading Mark’s words got me to wondering about the ills of the western world. It seems as though the news these days is full of stories of death and violence. Whether it is the massacre in a Colorado movie theatre, the spate of shootings that have plagued Toronto’s streets this summer or any other news item from around the world; the images of July 2012 seem to be images of pain and anguish. Added to the outcries of horror that such events must be met with, there are questions of why and how such things could have happened.

The answer: we have been lulled to sleep. Lulled to sleep by a false sense of security in our society of abundance. Lulled to sleep by a society that has consumerized everything including the sacraments (think First Communion parties and divorce) and even life itself (think abortion and euthanasia). Lulled to sleep by a society that values individual materialism over communal spirituality.

What can we do then to avoid being the Bridesmaid who fell asleep, letting her lamp go out and missing the Bridegroom’s entry? (Mt. 25:1-13) What can we do to avoid being left outside the gate wailing and gnashing our teeth? (Mt. 13:42) Like Mark Mallett tells us, we need to listen to our modern day prophets: John Paul II, Benedict XVI, St. Faustina, and Cardinal Newman. These are the voices calling out in today’s wilderness; calling us to make straight a highway for God.

How can we do this? We need to be like these modern day prophets and do the hard thing: live our lives according to God’s teachings through the guidance of the Catholic Church. The Church’s teachings in the catechism are not new laws made to take the fun out of living. Rather, they have grown out of the Catholic Church’s 2000-year tradition that is rooted in the covenants between God and His people through Adam, Abraham, Moses and the prophets. This road won’t be easy. It never has been; the Bible is full of stories of righteous individuals who have stumbled. Through the grace of God, however, they managed to find the strength and courage to carry on.

How can we make a difference in this crazy world we live in if we are but a single voice? When you proclaim the Truth through words and deeds you are adding your voice to those already proclaiming the Truth. You will then be surprised that others will eventually add their voice to yours. Before long you will begin to see what a difference your voice can make.

First, however, we must awake from our slumber.

Youcat - The Youth Catechism

Dear Theophilus,

I’ve recently finished reading the English translation of the Youcat (Youth Catechism) and was really impressed. I’ve written before about how important it is to not only know the Catholic Catechism, but to have access to it as well to answer our own faith questions, as well as the questions others pose us. What the Youcat has done is put Catholic doctrine into language that is accessible to all the laity, both young and old alike.

Instead of a list of Catholic teachings on all subjects, the Youcat presents itself in a question and answer format. Many of the questions in the Youcat are written the same way you or I would ask them. The answers are then two-fold: a more contemporary wording of the Catholic Catechism teaching, followed by an explanation of the teaching in easy to understand English. For those who want to explore Catholic doctrine deeper, the references to specific paragraphs in the Catholic Catechism are also given.

Lending to the ease in which the Youcat helps the faithful understand the catechism are the bright, glossy photos that reveal God’s splendour visually. The margins of the text are also peppered with supporting quotes from both scripture, as well as great Catholic thinkers such as St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Theresa of Avila, Bl. Theresa of Calcutta, Bl. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.

The Youcat makes for a great reference tool for Catholic educators and apologists. The quick reference indexes (subject and definitions) will help you to find the answers your looking for. The Youcat is also laid out in four parts that will allow students to find the sections needed for their research:

• What We Believe
• How We Celebrate the Christian Mysteries
• How We Are to Have Life in Christ
• How We Should Pray

In many ways, each section of the Youcat will help the faithful grow in their understanding of the Lord and how we must live to ensure the continuation of His Kingdom here on earth.

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

Dear Theophilus,

This past Sunday Pope Benedict XVI signed the documents that will lead to the canonization of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. Although we have become quite used to saints being recognized during the pontificates of both Benedict XVI and Blessed John Paul II, this one is quite special, as Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha will become the first Aboriginal Canadian saint.

You can read about this announcement on the National Post’s religion blog Holy Post, as well as more about Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha here.

With the canonization last year of St. Brother André de Montréal and the now promised canonization of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, there has been an increased sense of the sacred among Canadian Catholics. Along with this new found sacredness, there is a sense of pride that Canadians have added to the life of the Catholic Church in a special way we usually think of as reserved for Europeans.

In this Advent season, as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of the baby Jesus, let us use this announcement to focus our hearts on the Word that dwells among us.

Heeding the Call - Updated

Dear Theophilus,

I had mentioned that I had hesitated a long time before starting this blog. Although I gained the courage to start through prayer and meditation, the catalyst to start came with my coming across three different quotes that urged me in the same direction.

To put them in chronological order:

“When the Church does not speak, others will speak instead.” Blessed Cardinal Newman – Loss and Gain (1848).

“Today, the Catholic story is being told in the media, but it’s being told by the wrong people in the wrong way.” Fr. Robert Barron – Catholicism (2011).

“Identify new ways of evangelization with missionary audacity” Benedict XVI’s address to the Council of European Bishops Conferences (Oct. 2011)

Reading the first two quotes, I was ready to let those more in the know, closer to the Church, closer to Rome, tell the story. Surely whatever I have to add to the telling of the Catholicism story would be negligible in comparison to these great thinkers. Then I heard of Benedict’s call for “new ways of evangelization with missionary audacity.” What intrigued me the most was the Bishops Conference’s interpretation of these new ways of evangelization to include new technology such as the internet. I began to believe that I could add to the discussion, that I have something to tell in this wondrous story.

Are we all called to evangelize – to tell the story of Christ through the Catholic Church? The answer is an emphatic “Yes!” Are we all called to do it in the same way? “No,” to each their own special way of spreading the Good News. But we need to remember that if we do not speak for the Church, who will? And will they get the story right?


**Post Scriptum**

Dear Theophilus,

A friend asked me to clarify for you exactly who are the wrong people telling our Catholic story, as well as who are the right people to tell it. I hope that this helps you to better understand.

The wrong people Fr. Barron writes about and that are implied by Cardinal Newman's question are non-Catholics - most notably in the American media. It is the responsability, and duty, of Catholics (lay and clerical alike, who make up 'The Church') to learn, practice and preach their faith, thus modelling and telling the Catholic story.

There is no mistake to infer that the narrative is to be told by a chosen people. The mistake is mine in not stating more clearly that Fr. Barron and Cardinal Newman refer to the Church in its entirety, and that we should all be standing up to explain what exactly it means to be Catholic.