Fr. Harrison on the Brewing Storm over Catholic Teaching on Marriage

Earlier this week, I read at Fisheaters a letter from Fr. Brian W. Harrison, O.S., that he wrote to the Inside the Vatican magazine.

As noted in the forum, it is a very welcome defense of the Gospel teaching on the indissolubility of marriage, by a person not, strictly speaking, a "traditionalist" (however you might define this term). This, friends, is Catholic teaching, it is Divinely revealed truth. And it is under attack, directly and indirectly, by those who seek to allow Holy Communion to divorced Catholics who have attempted "remarriage". You are aware of the efforts at undermining this teaching in the German bishops' conference and, alas, elsewhere.

Bravo to Fr. Harrison:

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Dear Dr. Moynihan,

In your latest Letter from Rome, commenting on the new appointments to the College of Cardinals, you report rather nonchalantly that "[Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig] Müller is also known for having said that the Church's position on admitting to divorced and remarried Catholics to the sacrament of Communion is not something that can or will be changed. But other German Church leaders, including Cardinal Walter Kasper, have recently gone on record saying the teaching may and will be changed."

Your brief, matter-of-fact report on this controversy reminds me of the tip of an iceberg. It alludes to, but does not reveal the immensity of, a massive, looming threat that bids fair to pierce, penetrate and rend in twain Peter's barque – already tossing perilously amid stormy and icy seas. The shocking magnitude of the doctrinal and pastoral crisis lurking beneath this politely-worded dispute between scholarly German prelates can scarcely be overstated. For what is at stake here is fidelity to a teaching of Jesus Christ that directly and profoundly affects the lives of hundreds of millions of Catholics: the indissolubility of marriage.

The German bishops have devised a pastoral plan to admit divorced and remarried Catholics to Communion, whether or not a Church tribunal has granted a decree of nullity of their first marriage. Cardinal-elect Müller, as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has not only published a strong article in L'Osservatore Romano reaffirming the perennial Catholic doctrine confirmed by John Paul II in Familiaris Consortio; he has also written officially to the German Bishops' Conference telling them to rectify their heterodox pastoral plan. But the bishops, led by their conference president and by Cardinal Kasper, are openly defying the head of the CDF, and predicting that the existing doctrine and discipline will soon be changed!

Think of the appalling ramifications of this. If German Catholics don't need decrees of nullity, neither will any Catholics anywhere. Won't the world's Catholic marriage tribunals then become basically irrelevant? (Will they eventually just close down?) And won't this reversal of bimillennial Catholic doctrine mean that the Protestants and Orthodox, who have allowed divorce and remarriage for century after century, have been more docile to the Holy Spirit on this issue than the true Church of Christ? Indeed, how credible, now, will be her claim to be the true Church? On what other controverted issues, perhaps, has the Catholic Church been wrong, and the separated brethren right?

And what of Jesus' teaching that those who remarry after divorce commit adultery? Admitting them to Communion without a commitment to continence will lead logically to one of three faith-breaking conclusions: (a) our Lord was mistaken in calling this relationship adulterous - in which case he can scarcely have been the Son of God; (b) adultery is not intrinsically and gravely sinful - in which case the Church's universal and ordinary magisterium has always been wrong; or (c) Communion can be given to some who are living in objectively grave sin - in which case not only has the magisterium also erred monumentally by always teaching the opposite, but the way will also be opened to Communion for fornicators, practicing homosexuals, pederasts, and who knows who else? (And, please, spare us the sophistry that Jesus' teaching was correct "in his own historical and cultural context", but that since about Martin Luther's time that has all changed.)

Let us make no mistake: Satan is right now shaking the Church to her very foundations over this divorce issue. If anything, the confusion is becoming even graver than that over contraception between 1965 and 1968, when Paul VI's seeming vacillation allowed Catholics round the world to anticipate a reversal of perennial Church teaching. If the present Successor of Peter now keeps silent about divorce and remarriage, thereby tacitly telling the Church and the world that the teaching of Jesus Christ will be up for open debate at a forthcoming Synod of Bishops, one fears a terrible price will soon have to be paid.

Fr. Brian W. Harrison, O.S.
St. Louis, Missouri

Archbishop Carlson to Visit the Oratory-- in May and October

from the Oratory Newsletter:

In the coming months the Oratory will be honored with a number of Episcopal visits: His Grace, Archbishop Robert Carlson will visit the Oratory on Sunday, May 25, when he will be present at the 10:00 AM High Mass, and will preach the sermon.

Again on Sunday, October 19, Archbishop Carlson will come to the Oratory to take part in our celebration of the 800th birth anniversary of King St. Louis (Louis IX of France) and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the city of St. Louis that bears the holy saint’s name.

Throughout the year 2014, many civic as well as Catholic events will take place in St. Louis to highlight the history, development, and accomplishments of our great city. St. Francis de Sales will be part of these celebrations on October 19, 2014, honoring King Saint Louis and giving glory to God in a solemn procession with his holy relic, followed by solemn Vespers, Benediction and a sermon pronounced by the guest of honor on that day, His Grace, Archbishop Robert Carlson.

The program of Sunday, October 19, 2014, 5:00 PM:

Procession with Relic
Solemn Vespers
Homily pronounced by His Grace, Archbishop Carlson
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Benediction
Reception in the Oratory Hall

Also in October: Confirmations have been scheduled for Saturday, October 11, 2014. The Oratory will welcome Bishop Robert Herman, who will administer the Sacrament of Confirmation at 10:30 AM.

More information will be forthcoming in the next few months on these Episcopal visits.

Please mark your calendars!

Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas: Plenary Indulgence Opportunity

Friday, March 7 is the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas. Masses at the Oratory are as follows: Low Mass at 8 am, Solemn High Mass at 6:30 pm. Stations of the Cross precede Evening Mass at 5:30 pm.

St. Thomas is one of the principal patrons of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. Therefore, the faithful who assist at Mass at an Institute apostolate may gain a plenary indulgence, under the usual conditions.

St. Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor, pray for us!

Lenten Blogging

First of all, a final thank you to everyone who has been so kind through the last week. Every single act of kindness has helped so much. My whole family is grateful. My father was laid to rest yesterday-- a kind friend sent me the above photo showing part of the procession to the grave.

If you can spare just a little more kindness for my mother, she could use the prayers. At the luncheon following the burial, she learned her brother was also near death, and in fact died this morning. Tough times for all. May he rest in peace.

After prayerful consideration of a suitable Lenten plan this year, I've decided as a part of mine to limit-- not stop-- blogging through Lent. I will still post on Sundays and Feast days (including vigils, as you see) but will restrain myself otherwise.

As annoying as blogging can be (nearly as annoying as reading it), I still really like to do it. It really will be a sacrifice, and I will offer this part of my Lent for my Dad.

So, to borrow a shtick from Methodist Jim, if you see something happening on a given day, just think, I bet Tim's blowing a gasket right now and try to guess the content of my absent post. Who knows, maybe that could be a regular feature later: Write the Headline.

God bless you and yours this Lent and always. And pray for the conversion of Russia and the triumph of the Immaculate Heart.

Requiescat in Pace

Thank you to all who have offered prayers for my father.

He passed away this morning in the presence of family, after receiving extreme unction, clothed in the Brown Scapular.

Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.

May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

I will be taking a break from blogging for several days. Have a blessed Lent.

Evangel-ice-ation

See what I did there?

An ice story out of Chicago (See what I did there?) about the Canons of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest at the Shrine of Christ the King. Perhaps no two priests are in as good a position to fear the Blues now that they stole Ryan Miller from Buffalo and will own the Blackhawks in the playoffs.

From DNAInfo Chicago:

Priests on Ice: Woodlawn Parish Takes Outreach to the Rink

By Jackie Kostek

HYDE PARK — Canon Michael Stein now finds it easier to skate in his priest garb than full hockey pads.

"Just as you walk and run in this without thinking about it, I skate without thinking about it," said Stein, 29, who has served as a priest at Shrine of Christ the King in Woodlawn since 2012.

Originally from Long Island, N.Y., Stein said he grew up "walking and ice skating at the same time" and played pond hockey with his siblings. After stints at parishes in Italy and Africa, Stein said he's happy to be living in a city that enjoys hockey and serving in a parish that embraces recreation.

"Healthy recreation, athletic recreation helps us keep our balance and sanity," Stein said. "The image that's often given is the bow that's perpetually taut, snaps."

Although Stein has been skating his entire life, he said his superior in the parish, Canon Matthew Talarico, brought skating to the parish six years ago when he began frequenting the Midway Plaisance outdoor rink.

"Skating is now a parish outing a couple times a winter," said Stein, who added that the rink is just a few blocks north of the church. "We take all the faithful out and neighbors and friends."

"It's pretty awesome," said Lamicha Hargon, who works at the rink's warming and rental skate center. "Usually priests are just sitting there and they're giving sermons and stuff like that. He's actually interacting. Children get to come up and ask questions about their faith."

"I think they were calling him 'Father of the Hood,'" said Hargon, with a laugh.

For more on the priests who skate, watch the video [at the above link].

Saint Louis Catholic's Favorite Local Journalist Leaves the Air

The great Gulf War, um, reporter is leaving Fox 2.

Ah, Charles, local representative of the Enlightenment, we wish you a fond farewell!

Mass Hysteria in the Media as Church Does Something Not Exceptionally Newsworthy

STLToday locally, and the national press too, are doing their level best to gin up a titillating groundswell to overturn the Latin discipline of priestly celibacy because one Eastern Rite Catholic married man was ordained a priest here in St. Louis.  Fr. Wissam Akiki is a priest of the Maronite Rite.  Maronite married men are ordained priests all the time.  Not news.

The only newsworthy thing about it is that from the early twentieth century, for prudential reasons, it was not thought wise to ordained married Eastern Rite Catholic men in the United States.  Maybe because the Church thought it might engender some confusion.  Huh. Ya think?  

From ABC News:  "This is certainly not an automatic indication that the mandate of celibacy within Roman rite will be overturned," said Randy Rosenberg, a theological studies professor at Saint Louis University.

Ah, Saint Louis University, that Jesuit bastion of orthodoxy and obedience to the Church-- and of humble obedience to our own Pope, the man taken from the ranks of the Jesuits.  Not an automatic indication? Oh good.  What a relief!

Here is the hysterical STLToday piece.

Here is the St. Louis Review's attempt to set the record straight.

And, of all places, the RFT Blog does a better job than the mainstream press.

"Our souls are waiting for God": Sermon for Sexagesima Sunday

Given by Canon Raphael Ueda, ICRSS, at St. Francis de Sales Oratory last Sunday:

Sexagesima Sunday

In today’s Epistle St. Paul tells of his shipwrecks and dangers in the sea, all the torments he endured for the Name of Christ. What then is the lesson to be taken from the life of a man whose life was filled with such suffering for the name of Christ?

Without doubt when considering the life of St. Paul, one would immediately see a man who believed in the power of prayer. The fact is St. Paul was very diligent in prayer. His exhortation to the church at Ephesus was, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereupon with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (Ep 6;18)”.

One can see the example of perseverance in prayer, as St. Paul prayed over and again regarding the thorn in the flesh. We can hear in his prayer the echoes of Jesus’ words. “My grace is sufficient for thee: for power is made perfect in infirmity. Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

The end result of persecution and imprisonment produced a man concerned with growing stronger spiritually. This is certainly one of the great desires that every one of us would have. The need to mature and grow stronger in faith with each passing day. St. Paul’s reproach of the church at Corinth was about the matter of their failure to grow spiritually.

So especially this time of awaiting for Lent we need to be aware of the importance of prayer.

St. Francis de Sales tell us the benefit of prayer. Prayer brings our mind into the brightness of divine light, and exposes our will to the warmth of divine love. Nothing else can so purge our mind from its ignorance and our will from its depraved affections. It is a blessed fountain which, as it flows, revives our good desires and causes them to bring forth fruit, washes away the stains of infirmity from our soul and calms the passions of our heart.

To pray, the Catechism tells us, is to adore God, to thank him for his goodness, to ask his graces and the pardon of our sins to raise our hearts to him and enter into communion with him. This definition is correct. If prayer is necessary for salvation, then what is true prayer?

The majority of people for better or worse, do not fight against God, but they do not actively desire God’s love in any way. Many virtuous and cultured people want to live uprightly, socially correct, without God or religion. Many among them can justly be called wise according to the world. These persons do not deny God or despise those who pray. Nevertheless it is obvious that they experience nothing but intense emptiness when they kneel before an altar. To say for example that God is present in a special way on an altar sounds childish to them.

Today’s Gospel mentions different types of people who receive the seed of the divine word. They can be compared to the hard ground, to the stony soil, to the earth choked with thorns. They certainly understand how to live, but they fail to face the most fundamental questions, such as “Where have I come from and where am I going? Why is there evil? What is there after this life?”

St. Paul says “Though this outer human nature of ours may be falling into decay, at the same time our inner human nature is renewed day by day. And a secret awakening awaits us. What kind of shock will awaken these souls? Unexpected happiness or misfortune? Or the word of God fervently uttered by the lips of a saint? Or even perhaps exercises suitable for well-known ascetics but beyond the reach of ordinary people?

The answer is clear. It is none of these things. Our souls are waiting for God. Only God can reveal himself. But is he just the one who lives in the heavens and who govern humanity as absolute master? If it were so, Christ’s incarnation would be in vain. The eternal and infinite God assumed all of human existence with all its weakness and frailty out of love for each human person. Assuredly, this surpassed all understanding and yet it is this God who at this very moment, continues to pursue and to challenge each one of us interiorly by knocking on the door of our minds. To listen to this call is itself pre-prayer. We need to prepare the good ground with a good and upright heart, hearing the word of Jesus, keep it and bring forth fruit in patience.

And so leaving this dull existence, the soul awakes and allows its prayer to rejoice in song as it winds its way to heaven.

In the book of Revelation (3:20) we read “Listen, I am waiting at the door knocking. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you and you with me."

We need to respond to his invitation to stay with Him.

The prayer of Jesus continues still today. In the Eucharistic Liturgy, Christ the High Priest offers to the Father his redeeming sacrifice. He offers it in communion with his body which is the Church. Every prayer of ours is raised to the Father through Christ our Lord. It is this prayer of Christ which sustains all our prayers, those spoken and those in the heart.

Dear Faithful, let us continue to prepare the good ground, ready to receive His Divine word. Amen

Blogpost from the Edge

As I write this, I don't know if I will publish it. As I write this, my father lies on an operating table with a surgeon attempting to remove a malignant tumor from his lung.

My father has beaten three types of cancer already. Because of previous chemotherapy and radiation, those treatments are not ideal for this fourth round of cancer. The best way to treat this is to simply find it and cut it out.

The real problem here is not so much his age or history of cancer per se, but that his lung capacity is very low. They are operating at 31%. And though that complicates anesthesia, it also is an issue for recovery, as the lungs are needed to help clear the resultant fluid accretion in the lungs after surgery. He is at high risk of pneumonia. He has emphysema and COPD. He is 76, and until his first round of lung cancer was a lifelong heavy smoker.

He's been through a lot. I can see on his eyes and hear in his voice that he really, really doesn't want to go through another round of protracted treatment.

I can't speak for him-- he's a guy who keeps his feelings close to the vest-- but for a guy who wears them on his sleeve, I think I see, at last, fear of his own death.

This isn't a blog post (even should it be a post at all) about the perils of smoking. You can read that elsewhere. It isn't intended to be a Facebook revelation-- though any revelation of a private family matter online is ultimately just that, and is the only reason I might not publish it.

Maybe it's the examination of conscience and confession of a mediocre son.

I love my father, most people do. When I was younger, I didn't appreciate his good qualities like I do now. Again, typical.

I've read stories about how such a person's father was his hero, or that another's was a total failure and ruined his life. Neither holds here. My Dad was a normal Dad, with all that that entails. He provided for us, stayed married to my Mom for 53 years (and counting), loved us, worried about us, endured us, bore with all of our problems. He had faults, flaws and sins. He had lots of great traits.

Is such a person a hero? No. I pray he will be a saint. Which of us really deserves to become that, relying only on our own actions? We are totally dependent on Christ.

Have I loved my father as I ought? Have I forgiven him when he needed it? Have I thanked him? Have I remembered him?

The report card is decidedly mixed, uneven, mediocre.

So when I saw my own mortality reflected in his eyes as he was being taken to the operating room, knowing he loves me and I love him, and knowing that he knows that I know that we are both sorry, and glad, and grateful, I pray for him and me and all those we love, lift up, and sometimes let down:

God have mercy. Lord help us. Mary, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death.

They just called us, surgery is ending, and I can see him soon.